Zephaniah: Wk. 10

Zephaniah: Wk. 10

Zephaniah 3:1-8 ESV

Judgment on Jerusalem and the Nations

Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, 

the oppressing city! 

        She listens to no voice; 

she accepts no correction. 

          She does not trust in the Lord; 

she does not draw near to her God. 

        Her officials within her 

are roaring lions; 

          her judges are evening wolves 

that leave nothing till the morning. 

        Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; 

          her priests profane what is holy; 

they do violence to the law. 

        The Lord within her is righteous; 

he does no injustice; 

          every morning he shows forth his justice; 

each dawn he does not fail; 

but the unjust knows no shame. 

        “I have cut off nations; 

their battlements are in ruins; 

          I have laid waste their streets 

so that no one walks in them; 

          their cities have been made desolate, 

without a man, without an inhabitant. 

        I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; 

you will accept correction. 

          Then your dwelling would not be cut off 

according to all that I have appointed against you.’ 

          But all the more they were eager 

to make all their deeds corrupt. 

        “Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, 

“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. 

          For my decision is to gather nations, 

to assemble kingdoms, 

          to pour out upon them my indignation, 

all my burning anger; 

          for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.