ZephaniahChapter 2
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1Gather together!
Come together, you nation without shame, 2before the order is carried out,
and that day blows away like chaff,
before the burning anger of the LORD comes on you,
before the day of the LORD's anger comes on you. 3Seek the LORD, all you humble people of the earth who carry out his justice.
Seek what is right.
Seek to be humble.
Maybe you will be kept safe on the day of the LORD's anger. 4For Gaza will be left empty.
Ashkelon will be left in ruins.
The people of Ashdod will be driven out at noon.
Ekron will be pulled up by the roots. 5How terrible it will be for you who live by the sea, you nation of the Cherethites!
The LORD has spoken against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines:
"I will destroy you, and no one will be left." 6So the land by the sea will become fields for grazing.
There will be wells for shepherds and pens for sheep. 7The coast will belong to the people of Judah who are left.
They will find grassy fields there.
In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon.
For the LORD their God will take care of them.
He will bring back their captives. 8"I have heard Moab's shameful words.
I have heard the insults of the Ammonites.
They made fun of my people.
They threatened to take their land. 9So, as surely as I live," says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel,
"Moab will surely become like Sodom.
The Ammonites will become like Gomorrah.
They will be a place of weeds and salt pits.
They will be empty land forever.
My people who are left will rob them.
The rest of my nation will take their land." 10This is what they will get for their pride.
They made fun of the people of the LORD of Hosts and mocked them. 11The LORD will be terrifying to them.
He will starve all the gods of the earth.
Then the nations on every shore will bow down and worship him.
Each will worship him in its own land. 12"You people of Cush will also be killed by my sword." 13He will reach out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria.
He will make Nineveh an empty ruin.
It will be as dry as a desert. 14Herds of animals of every kind will lie down in the middle of her.
The desert owl and the screech owl will sit on top of her pillars.
Their hoots will sound from the windows.
Rubble will lie in the doorways.
For he will strip her cedar beams bare. 15This is the city that had no cares and felt so safe.
She said to herself, "I am the one, and there is no one else but me."
But what a ruin she has become!
She is a place where wild animals rest.
Everyone who passes by hisses and shakes a fist at her.