Catholic Bible
Mosaico decorativo

Zephaniah, 1

1. The word of Yahweh which was addressed to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah.

1. The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

2. I shall sweep away everything off the face of the earth, declares Yahweh.

2. I will utterly consume all [things] from off the land, saith the LORD.

3. I shall sweep away humans and animals, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, I shall topple the wicked and wipe all people off the face of the earth -declares Yahweh.

3. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

4. I shall raise my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem, and from this place I will wipe out Baal's remnant, the very name of his priests,

4. I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, [and] the name of the Chemarims with the priests;

5. and those who prostrate themselves on the roofs before the array of heaven, and those who prostrate themselves before Yahweh but swear by Milcom,

5. And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship [and] that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;

6. and those who have turned their back on Yahweh, who do not seek Yahweh and do not consult him.

6. And them that are turned back from the LORD; and [those] that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.

7. Silence before Lord Yahweh, for the Day of Yahweh is near! Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests.

7. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD [is] at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.

8. On the Day of Yahweh's sacrifice, I shall punish the courtiers, the royal princes and all who dress in outlandish clothes.

8. And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

9. On that day I shall punish all who go up the Step and fill the Temple of their lords, with violence and deceit.

9. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

10. On that Day -- declares Yahweh -- uproar will be heard from the Fish Gate, wailing from the New Quarter and a great crash from the hills.

10. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, [that there shall be] the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

11. Wail, you who live in the Hollow, for it is all over with the merchants, all the money-bags have been wiped out!

11. Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.

12. When that time comes I shall search Jerusalem by lamplight and punish the men stagnating over the remains of their wine, who say in their hearts, 'Yahweh can do nothing, either good or bad.'

12. And it shall come to pass at that time, [that] I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.

13. For this, their wealth will be looted and their houses laid in ruins; they will build houses but not live in them, they will plant vineyards but not drink their wine.

13. Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.

14. The great Day of Yahweh is near, near, and coming with great speed. How bitter the sound of the Day of Yahweh, the Day when the warrior shouts his cry of war.

14. The great day of the LORD [is] near, [it is] near, and hasteth greatly, [even] the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

15. That Day is a day of retribution, a day of distress and tribulation, a day of ruin and of devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and thick fog,

15. That day [is] a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16. a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against fortified town and high corner-tower.

16. A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

17. I shall bring such distress on humanity that they will grope their way like the blind for having sinned against Yahweh. Their blood will be poured out like mud, yes, their corpses like dung;

17. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

18. nor will their silver or gold be able to save them. On the Day of Yahweh's anger, by the fire of his jealousy, the whole earth will be consumed. For he will destroy, yes, annihilate everyone living on earth.

18. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.



Read the Bible in a Year

Join our community and complete the entire Bible in 365 days. A structured and inspiring path to deepen your faith and knowledge of Scripture.

Join the Program Download the PDF Plan

Footnotes:

1:1-3 - The prophet Zephaniah begins his book by proclaiming God's judgment on Judah and the nations. The destruction will be complete, encompassing both the earth's creatures and human beings. This highlights the severity of sin and the holiness of God, who does not tolerate evil (see also Jeremiah 25:33 and Amos 9:2-3).

1:4-6 - God promises to destroy the idols and false worshipers in Judah. Idolatry was one of the greatest offenses against God, and this destruction symbolizes the purification of the people. Proper worship of God is essential to the faithfulness of His people (see also 1 Corinthians 10:14 and Isaiah 44:9-20).

1:7-13 - The call to silence and meditation before God's judgment is a call to reflect on sin and the consequences of a life far from God. The imminence of judgment highlights the importance of repentance and preparation to meet the Lord (see also Amos 5:13 and Malachi 3:16).

1:14-18 - The Day of the Lord is described as a time of great distress and destruction. The "Day of the Lord" is a recurring theme in Scripture, symbolizing both judgment and redemption. This day will be a time of sorrow for the wicked, but of vindication for the righteous (see also Joel 2:1-11 and 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3).

Verses related to Zephaniah, 1:

Zephaniah chapter 1 proclaims the coming judgment of God. What warnings does the prophet bring? This powerful text heralds the "Day of the Lord," a time of judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for their idolatry and injustice. The chapter vividly describes the impending destruction, warning of the urgency of repentance. Zephaniah 1 addresses themes such as the sovereignty of God, the seriousness of sin, and the need for spiritual faithfulness. Examine with us five biblical passages that expand understanding of this crucial prophetic chapter.

Revelation 6:15-17: "Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and all others, slaves and free, hid themselves in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They shouted to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come; and who can bear it?'" - This excerpt from Revelation echoes the language and themes of the "Day of the Lord" described in Zephaniah 1, showing the continuity of this concept in the New Testament.

Isaiah 13:6: "Lament, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty." - This passage from Isaiah uses language similar to that of Zephaniah 1 to describe the "Day of the Lord," reinforcing the importance of this prophetic theme.

Amos 5:18: "Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! Why do you long for the day of the Lord? That day will be one of darkness, not light." - Amos, like Zephaniah, warns against a misunderstanding of the "Day of the Lord," a central theme in Zephaniah 1.

Jeremiah 4:23-26: "I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; to the heavens, and there was no light. I looked at the mountains, and they were shaking; all the mountains swayed. I looked, and there were no people; all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and the fertile land was a desert; all their cities were demolished because of the Lord and his fierce anger." - Jeremiah's description of divine judgment uses imagery similar to that found in Zephaniah 1, illustrating the devastation of the "Day of the Lord."

Matthew 24:29: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly powers will be shaken'." - Jesus uses language reminiscent of Zephaniah 1 when describing the eschatological events, showing the continuity of these themes in Christ's teaching.

FAQ:

What does Zephaniah 1 reveal about God's judgment?

Zephaniah 1 announces God's impending judgment on Judah and the nations, as a cleansing of the land and severe judgment on those who practice idolatry and wickedness. (Zephaniah 1:1-18)

Who will be punished in God's judgment, according to Zephaniah 1?

God will punish the idolaters, the corrupt, the arrogant, and those who seek other gods. Judgment extends to all nations, including Judah. (Zephaniah 1:4-6, 12-18)

What does the "day of the Lord" mean in Zephaniah 1?

The "day of the Lord" is described as a time of wrath, darkness, and destruction for the wicked. It represents a final judgment on those who reject divine justice. (Zephaniah 1:14-18)

What must the inhabitants of Jerusalem do to escape judgment?

Zephaniah 1 exhorts the righteous to repent and seek humility. Only those who turn to God sincerely will be protected during the judgment. (Zephaniah 2:3)

What is the promise of restoration in Zephaniah 1?

While judgment is inevitable, Zephaniah also speaks of a future restoration for the remnant of Israel, who will live in peace and prosperity after the judgment. (Zephaniah 3:9-13)


Bibles

Old Testament

New Testament

Avaiable on Youtube