The Word Am I

The Prophet Zephaniah

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- Chapter 2 -

(Joel 1:13–20; Amos 5:4–15; Luke 13:1–5)
1
Assemble, be gathered together, O people not worthy to be loved.
2
Until the decree settles accounts, the day like dust is passing away, before which the wrath of the fury of the Lord may overcome you, before which the day of the anger of the Lord may overcome you.(a)
3
Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth; you who have been working are his judgment. Seek the just, seek the meek. So then, in some way, you might be hidden in the day of the fury of the Lord.

Judgment on the Philistines

(Jeremiah 47:1–7)
4
For Gaza will be destroyed, and Ashkelon will be in the desert; they will expel Ashdod at midday, and Ekron will be eradicated.(b)
5
Woe to you who inhabit the coast of the sea, you people of perdition. The word of the Lord is over you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines, and I will disperse you, so that not one inhabitant will be left.(c)
6
And the coastline of the sea will be a resting place for shepherds and a fence line for cattle.
7
And it will be the line of him who will remain from the house of Judah. There they will pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will rest towards evening. For the Lord their God will visit them, and he will turn away their captivity.

Judgment on Moab and Ammon

(Isaiah 16:1–14; Jeremiah 48:1–47)
8
I have heard about the disgrace of Moab and the blasphemies of the sons of Ammon, by which they have defamed my people and have been magnified beyond their borders.
9
Because of this, as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab will be like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah, like the dryness of thorns, and piles of salt, and a desert, all the way to eternity. The remnant of my people will despoil them, and the residue of my nation will possess them.
10
This will come upon them for their arrogance, because they have blasphemed and have been magnified over the people of the Lord of hosts.
11
The Lord will be a horror over them, and he will reduce all the gods of the earth. And they will adore him, each man from his own place, all the islands of the Gentiles.

Judgment on Cush and Assyria

12
Even so, you Ethiopians, you will be executed by my sword.
13
And he will extend his hand over the North, and he will destroy Assur. And he will set the Beautiful in the wilderness, and in an impassable place, and like a desert.(d) (e)
14
And flocks will lie down in its midst, all the beasts of the Gentiles. And the pelican and the hedgehog will stay at its threshold; the voice of the singing bird will be at the window, with the crow above its threshold, for I will diminish her strength.
15
This is the glorious city, dwelling in trust, which said in her heart, “I am and there is no one other than me.” How has she become a lair for beasts in the desert? All who pass through her will hiss and wag their hand.

Footnotes

(a)2:2 Or, ‘until the order goes forth.’(Conte)
(b)2:4 Or, ‘they will cast out Ashdod at the Meridian.’ The Meridian is a way to refer to the equator of the earth. It can also refer to the country of Africa.(Conte)
(c)2:5 Literally, ‘funiculum’ refers to a string or a rope or a line, but in this context it means a coastline.(Conte)
(d)2:13 ‘Speciosam’ is capitalized after the Vercellone 1861 edition of the Vulgate, and because it clearly is used, as if a name, to refer to something specific. It could also, in this context, be loosely translated as ‘what was once called Beautiful,’ or, ‘the so-called Beautiful,’ since it is clear from subsequent verses that this place was not beautiful to God.(Conte)
(e)2:13 The beautiful city:Ninive, which was destroyed soon after this, viz., in the sixteenth year of the reign of Josias.(Challoner)
(Joel 1:13–20; Amos 5:4–15; Luke 13:1–5)
1
Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,
2
before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes on you, before the day of the LORD’s anger comes on you.
3
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD’s anger.

Judgment on the Philistines

(Jeremiah 47:1–7)
4
For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.
5
Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The LORD’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you until there is no inhabitant.
6
The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.
7
The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for the LORD, their God,(a) will visit them and restore them.

Judgment on Moab and Ammon

(Isaiah 16:1–14; Jeremiah 48:1–47)
8
I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border.
9
Therefore, as I live, says the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.
10
This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of Armies.
11
The LORD will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.

Judgment on Cush and Assyria

12
You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
13
He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.
14
Herds will lie down in the middle of her, all kinds of animals. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams.
15
This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and shake their fists.

Footnotes

(a)2:7 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
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