Zephaniah
Chapter 2
1 Come together, yes, come together, unwanted nation.
2 Before the command comes out, before the day flies away like husks, before God’s strong anger hits you, before the day of God’s anger arrives.
3 Look for God, all you humble people of the earth, who have followed his laws; look for doing right and being humble: perhaps you will be kept safe on the day of God’s anger.
4 Gaza will be abandoned, Ashkelon will be ruined, they will force Ashdod out at midday, and Ekron will be destroyed.
5 Sorry for you, people by the sea, Cherethite nation! God’s message is against you; Canaan, land of the Philistines, I will destroy you so no one will live there.
6 The seashore will become homes and huts for shepherds, and pens for sheep.
7 The land will be for Judah’s survivors; they will graze there. At night, they will rest in Ashkelon’s homes because God will care for them and end their exile.
8 I have heard Moab’s insults and Ammon’s children’s taunts, as they insult my people and boast against their land.
9 So I promise, as I am alive, says God, Moab will become like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah—a place of weeds and salt pits, a land forever empty. The survivors of my people will take their things, and those left of my people will own their land.
10 They will receive this for their arrogance because they insulted and acted superior to God’s people.
11 God will be fearsome to them: for he will starve all the earth’s gods; and people will worship him, each from their own place, including all the islands of the nations.
12 You people of Ethiopia will also be killed by my sword.
13 He will reach out his hand to the north to ruin Assyria; he will turn Nineveh into ruins, dry as a desert.
14 Animals will rest inside the city, creatures from every country: birds like pelicans and herons will nest in the high beams; their sounds will fill the windows; ruins will be at the doorways because God will reveal the woodwork.
15 This happy city lived without worries, and thought to herself, “I am alone and there’s no one like me.” But look how it’s now empty, a spot where animals rest! Everyone who goes by will hiss and shake their head.