Zephaniah:1-3

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* 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 . * I will utterly consume all things from off the land , saith the LORD . * 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 . * 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 ; * 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 ; * And them that are turned back from the LORD ; and those that have not sought the LORD , nor enquired for him . * 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 . * 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 . * In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold , which fill their masters ' houses with violence and deceit . * 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 . * Howl , ye inhabitants of Maktesh , for all the merchant people are cut down ; all they that bear silver are cut off . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 , * A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities , and against the high towers . * 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 . * 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 . * Gather yourselves together , yea , gather together , O nation not desired ; * Before the decree bring forth , before the day pass as the chaff , before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you , before the day of the LORD 'S anger come upon you . * Seek ye the LORD , all ye meek of the earth , which have wrought his judgment ; seek righteousness , seek meekness : it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD 'S anger . * For Gaza shall be forsaken , and Ashkelon a desolation : they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day , and Ekron shall be rooted up . * Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast , the nation of the Cherethites ! the word of the LORD is against you ; O Canaan , the land of the Philistines , I will even destroy thee , that there shall be no inhabitant . * And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds , and folds for flocks . * And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah ; they shall feed thereupon : in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening : for the LORD their God shall visit them , and turn away their captivity . * I have heard the reproach of Moab , and the revilings of the children of Ammon , whereby they have reproached my people , and magnified themselves against their border . * Therefore as I live , saith the LORD of hosts , the God of Israel , Surely Moab shall be as Sodom , and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah , even the breeding of nettles , and saltpits , and a perpetual desolation : the residue of my people shall spoil them , and the remnant of my people shall possess them . * This shall they have for their pride , because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts . * The LORD will be terrible unto them : for he will famish all the gods of the earth ; and men shall worship him , every one from his place , even all the isles of the heathen . * Ye Ethiopians also , ye shall be slain by my sword . * And he will stretch out his hand against the north , and destroy Assyria ; and will make Nineveh a desolation , and dry like a wilderness . * And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her , all the beasts of the nations : both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it ; their voice shall sing in the windows ; desolation shall be in the thresholds : for he shall uncover the cedar work . * This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly , that said in her heart , I am , and there is none beside me : how is she become a desolation , a place for beasts to lie down in ! every one that passeth by her shall hiss , and wag his hand . * Woe to her that is filthy and polluted , to the oppressing city ! * She obeyed not the voice ; she received not correction ; she trusted not in the LORD ; she drew not near to her God . * Her princes within her are roaring lions ; her judges are evening wolves ; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow . * Her prophets are light and treacherous persons : her priests have polluted the sanctuary , they have done violence to the law . * The just LORD is in the midst thereof ; he will not do iniquity : every morning doth he bring his judgment to light , he faileth not ; but the unjust knoweth no shame . * I have cut off the nations : their towers are desolate ; I made their streets waste , that none passeth by : their cities are destroyed , so that there is no man , that there is none inhabitant . * I said , Surely thou wilt fear me , thou wilt receive instruction ; so their dwelling should not be cut off , howsoever I punished them : but they rose early , and corrupted all their doings . * Therefore wait ye upon me , saith the LORD , until the day that I rise up to the prey : for my determination is to gather the nations , that I may assemble the kingdoms , to pour upon them mine indignation , even all my fierce anger : for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy . * For then will I turn to the people a pure language , that they may all call upon the name of the LORD , to serve him with one consent . * From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants , even the daughter of my dispersed , shall bring mine offering . * In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings , wherein thou hast transgressed against me : for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride , and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain . * I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people , and they shall trust in the name of the LORD . * The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity , nor speak lies ; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth : for they shall feed and lie down , and none shall make them afraid . * Sing , O daughter of Zion ; shout , O Israel ; be glad and rejoice with all the heart , O daughter of Jerusalem . * The LORD hath taken away thy judgments , he hath cast out thine enemy : the king of Israel , even the LORD , is in the midst of thee : thou shalt not see evil any more . * In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem , Fear thou not : and to Zion , Let not thine hands be slack . * The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty ; he will save , he will rejoice over thee with joy ; he will rest in his love , he will joy over thee with singing . * I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly , who are of thee , to whom the reproach of it was a burden . * Behold , at that time I will undo all that afflict thee : and I will save her that halteth , and gather her that was driven out ; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame . * At that time will I bring you again , even in the time that I gather you : for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth , when I turn back your captivity before your eyes , saith the LORD . * Take of them of the captivity , even of Heldai , of Tobijah , and of Jedaiah , which are come from Babylon , and come thou the same day , and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah ; * And the crowns shall be to Helem , and to Tobijah , and to Jedaiah , and to Hen the son of Zephaniah , for a memorial in the temple of the LORD .

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