Zephaniah 3

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

Zephaniah condemns Jerusalem as a rebellious, defiled city whose princes, judges, prophets, and priests fail to trust God or heed correction, contrasting their injustice with the righteousness of the Lord. The Lord recounts destroying other nations and warns that He will gather kingdoms to pour out His burning anger upon the earth. Subsequently, the Lord promises to restore pure lips to the peoples, remove the proud from among His holy mountain, and leave a meek remnant of Israel that will no longer commit wrong or speak lies. The text concludes with a call for the Daughter of Zion and Jerusalem to rejoice because the Lord has removed their punishment, turned back their enemies, and dwells in their midst. Finally, the Lord states that He will deal with those who afflict Jerusalem, save the lame, gather the scattered, and restore their fortunes for all the peoples of the earth to see.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! ²She heeded no voice; she accepted no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she has not drawn near to her God. ³Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning. ⁴Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law. ⁵The LORD within her is righteous; He does no wrong. He applies His justice morning by morning; He does not fail at dawn, yet the unjust know no shame. ⁶“I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have made their streets deserted with no one to pass through. Their cities are laid waste, with no man, no inhabitant. ⁷I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me and accept correction.’ Then her dwelling place would not be cut off despite all for which I punished her. But they rose early to corrupt all their deeds. ⁸Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “until the day I rise to testify. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation— all My burning anger. For all the earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy. ⁹For then I will restore pure lips to the peoples, that all may call upon the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder. ¹⁰From beyond the rivers of Cush My worshipers, My scattered people, will bring Me an offering. ¹¹On that day you will not be put to shame for any of the deeds by which you have transgressed against Me. For then I will remove from among you those who rejoice in their pride, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain. ¹²But I will leave within you a meek and humble people, and they will trust in the name of the LORD. ¹³The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or speak lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. But they will feed and lie down, with no one to make them tremble.” ¹⁴Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! ¹⁵The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm. ¹⁶On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp. ¹⁷The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” ¹⁸“I will gather those among you who grieve over the appointed feasts, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. ¹⁹Behold, at that time, I will deal with all who afflict you. I will save the lame and gather the scattered; and I will appoint praise and fame for the disgraced throughout the earth. ²⁰At that time I will bring you in; yes, at that time I will gather you. For I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your captives before your very eyes,” says the LORD.