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## Tzefaniah

### Chapter 1

1YHWH’s word which came to Tzefaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedalyahu, the son of Amaryah, the son of Chizkiyahu, in the days of Yoshiyahu, the son of Amon, king of Yehudah. 2I will utterly sweep away everything from the surface of the earth, says YHWH. 3I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says YHWH. 4I will stretch out my hand against Yehudah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Ba'al from this place—the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests, 5those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by YHWH and also swear by Malkam, 6those who have turned back from following YHWH, and those who haven’t sought YHWH nor enquired after him. 7Be silent at the presence of Adonai YHWH, for the day of YHWH is at hand. For YHWH has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests. 8It will happen in the day of YHWH’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing. 9In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit. 10In that day, says YHWH, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills. 11Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Kna'an are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off. 12It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “YHWH will not do good, neither will he do evil.” 13Their wealth will become a plunder, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine. 14The great day of YHWH is near. It is near and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of YHWH. The mighty man cries there bitterly. 15That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, 16a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high battlements. 17I will bring such distress on men that they will walk like blind men because they have sinned against YHWH. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. 18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of YHWH’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.

### Chapter 2

1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame, 2before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of YHWH comes on you, before the day of YHWH’s anger comes on you. 3Seek YHWH, 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 YHWH’s anger. 4For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up. 5Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Kereti! YHWH’s word is against you, Kna'an, the land of the Pelishtim. I will destroy you until there is no inhabitant. 6The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks. 7The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Yehudah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for YHWH, their Elohim, will visit them and restore them. 8I 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. 9Therefore, as I live, says YHWH Tzeva'ot, the Elohim of Yisrael, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Amorah, 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. 10This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of YHWH Tzeva'ot. 11YHWH 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. 12You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword. 13He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Ninveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness. 14Herds 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. 15This 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.

### Chapter 3

1Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city! 2She didn’t obey the voice. She didn’t receive correction. She didn’t trust in YHWH. She didn’t draw near to her Elohim. 3Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day. 4Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the Beit HaMikdash. They have done violence to the law. 5YHWH, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame. 6I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant. 7I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction,” so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings. 8“Therefore wait for me”, says YHWH, “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 on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. 9For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on YHWH’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder. 10From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshippers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering. 11In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from amongst you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my kodesh mountain. 12But I will leave amongst you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in YHWH’s name. 13The remnant of Yisrael will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.” 14Sing, daughter of Tzion! Shout, Yisrael! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. 15YHWH has taken away your judgements. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Yisrael, YHWH, is amongst you. You will not be afraid of evil any more. 16In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Tzion. Don’t let your hands be weak.” 17YHWH, your Elohim, is amongst you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing. 18I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you. 19Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; and I will save those who are lame and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honour, whose shame has been in all the earth. 20At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honour and praise amongst all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says YHWH.

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