Zephaniah 1

1The LORD’s word came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah. 2I will sweep away everything, all that is on the face of the earth, declares the LORD. 3I will sweep away people and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the idols that make people fall, together with the wicked. I will cut off humankind from the face of the earth, declares the LORD. 4I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against everyone who lives in Jerusalem. From this place I will cut off every trace of Baal, the very name of the idol-priests along with the priests, 5those who bow down on the rooftops to the host of heaven, and those who bow down and swear by the LORD while they also swear by their king, 6and those who have turned away from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or ask for his guidance. 7Be silent before the Lord GOD, for the day of the LORD is close at hand. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice; he has set apart the guests he invited. 8On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the officials and the king’s sons, and all who dress in foreign clothes. 9On that day I will punish all who leap across the threshold, and who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.

10On that day, declares the LORD, a cry will rise from the Fish Gate, wailing from the Second Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills. 11Wail, you who live in the Mortar, for all the merchants are destroyed; all who trade with silver are cut off. 12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, like wine left to thicken on its dregs, who say to themselves, “The LORD will do nothing, neither good nor bad.” 13Their wealth will be plundered and their houses left in ruins. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink their wine. 14The great day of the LORD is close at hand, close and coming very fast. Listen! The day of the LORD! There the warrior cries out in bitter anguish. 15That day will be a day of fury, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and deep darkness, 16a day of the ram’s horn and the battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty corner towers. 17I will bring such distress on people that they will grope like the blind, for they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be spilled out like dust and their flesh like dung. 18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s fury. In the fire of his jealous anger the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make an end, a sudden and terrible end, of all who live on the earth.