Zephaniah 1:1-18 CEB

[1] The LORD’s word that came to Zephaniah, Cushi’s son, Gedaliah’s grandson, Amariah’s great-grandson, and Hezekiah’s great-great-grandson in the days of Judah’s King Josiah, Amon’s son. [2] I will wipe out everything from the earth, says the LORD. [3] I will destroy humanity and the beasts; I will destroy the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea. I will make the wicked into a heap of ruins; I will eliminate humanity from the earth, says the LORD. [4] I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will eliminate what’s left of Baal from this place and the names of the priests of foreign gods, [5] those bowing down to the forces of heaven on the rooftops, those swearing by the LORD along with those swearing by Milcom, [6] those turning away from the LORD, those who don’t seek the LORD and don’t pursue him. [7] Hush before the LORD God, for the day of the LORD is near! The LORD has established a sacrifice; he has made holy those he has summoned. [8] On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice, I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, and all those wearing foreign clothes. [9] I will punish the one leaping on the threshold on that day, those filling the house of their master with violence and deceit. [10] On that day—says the LORD—an outcry will resound from the Fish Gate, wailing from the second quarter, a loud crash from the hills. [11] The ones who grind the grain will wail; all the merchants will be silenced. I will eliminate all those weighing out silver. [12] At that time, I will search Jerusalem with lamps; I will punish the men growing fat on the sediment in their wine, those saying to themselves, The LORD won’t do good or evil. [13] Their wealth will be looted and their houses destroyed. They will rebuild houses, but not live in them; they will plant vineyards, but not drink the wine. [14] The great day of the LORD is near; it is near and coming very quickly. The sound of the day of the LORD is bitter. A warrior screams there. [15] That day is a day of fury, a day of distress and anxiety, a day of desolation and devastation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and deep darkness, [16] a day for blowing the trumpet and alarm against their invincible cities and against their high towers. [17] I will make humanity suffer; they will walk like the blind because they sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their intestines like manure. [18] Moreover, their silver and their gold won’t be able to deliver them on the day of the LORD’s fury. His jealousy will devour the entire land with fire; he will make an end, a truly horrible one, for all the inhabitants of the land.