Zephaniah 2

1 Gather [assemble, come together] yourselves, gather [bend, assemble] together, O [not desired, without shame] shameful [not worthy to be loved, worthless] nation [Gentile, large group], word study 2 before the decree [a divine law or command] takes effect and the day [a period of time, a season] passes like chaff [the worthless, empty husks of grain], before the burning anger [fierce wrath, intense displeasure] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] comes upon you, before the Day [a time of reckoning, a period of judgment] of the LORD’s anger [indignation, fierce wrath] comes upon you. word study 3 Seek [diligently, with all your heart] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], all you humble [meek, lowly] of the earth [land, territory] who carry out [obey, fulfill] His justice [righteous judgment]. Seek [pursue, strive for] righteousness [justice, moral integrity]; seek [cultivate, practice] humility [meekness, modesty]. Perhaps [if it may be, by any means] you will be sheltered [hidden, protected] on the day [time, period] of the LORD’s [Yehovah’s] anger [indignation, wrath]. word study 4 For Gaza [the strong city] will be abandoned [forsaken, left desolate], and Ashkelon [a major Philistine city] left in ruins [a desolation, wasted]. Ashdod [a powerful Philistine city] will be driven out [expelled, forced to leave] at noon [midday, when the sun is high], and Ekron [one of the five major cities of the Philistines] will be uprooted [rooted up, completely destroyed]. word study 5 Woe [sorrow, calamity] to the dwellers [inhabitants, residents] of the seacoast [coastal region, by the Mediterranean], O nation [Gentile, non-Hebrew people] of the Cherethites [foreign soldiers, executioners]! The word [message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is against you, O Canaan [the land of the Canaanites, a son of Ham], land [territory, region] of the Philistines [immigrants, non-Hebrew people]: “I will destroy [perish, annihilate] you, and no one [nothing, not a single person] will be left [remain, survive].” word study 6 So the seacoast [land by the sea, Mediterranean area] will become a land of pastures [grass-land, meadows], with wells [cottages, dwellings] for shepherds [those who care for flocks, rulers] and folds [enclosures, sheep pens] for sheep [flocks, a group of sheep or goats]. word study 7 The coast [border region, shoreline] will belong to the remnant [surviving group, remaining ones] of the house [family, tribe] of Judah [praise, the southern kingdom]; there they will find [discover, come upon] pasture [grazing land, food]. They will lie down [rest, settle] in the evening [sunset, nightfall] among the houses [dwellings, homes] of Ashkelon [a major Philistine city], for the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] their God [Elohim, the supreme Being] will attend to [visit, care for] them and restore [return, bring back] their captives [prisoners, exiles]. word study 8 “I have heard [with attention and obedience] the reproach [shame, scorn, or disgrace] of Moab [the land and descendants of Lot’s son] and the insults [reviling, vilification, or harsh words] of the Ammonites [the sons of Lot and their descendants], who have taunted [exposed, defamed, or acquired shame against] My people [the nation of Israel, a treasured possession] and threatened [magnified themselves against, or made themselves great] their borders [the boundaries or limits of their land]. word study 9 Therefore, as surely as I live [with absolute certainty, as the Eternal One],” declares the LORD [Yehovah, the God of Israel] of Hosts [the Commander of heavenly armies], the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Israel, “surely Moab will be like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah [a city of unrepentant sin]— a place of weeds [thorny and unwanted plants] and salt pits [a desolate and barren landscape], a perpetual wasteland [a desolation that lasts forever]. The remnant [the surviving few] of My people will plunder them; the remainder [the leftover portion] of My nation will dispossess them [take possession of their land].” word study 10 This [as a consequence, in return] they shall have [receive, get] in return for their [arrogant, excessive] pride [majesty, or haughtiness], for [because of] taunting [reproaching, mocking] and mocking [defaming, belittling] the people [nation, community] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces]. word study 11 The LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] will be terrifying [fearful, awesome] to them when He starves [makes lean, brings to nothing] all the gods [idols, false deities] of the earth [land, nations]. Then the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] of every shore [coastland, island] will bow [worship, prostrate themselves] in worship to Him, each in its own place [location, territory]. word study 12 “You too [also, even], O Cushites [Ethiopians, descendants of Cush], will be slain [put to death, killed] by My sword [cutting instrument, knife].” word study 13 And He will stretch out [extend, reach forth] His hand [power, strength] against the north [Zaphon, the direction of darkness] and destroy [perish, utterly ruin] Assyria; He will make Nineveh [the capital city, a place of wickedness] a desolation [deserted, uninhabited], as dry [barren, without life] as a desert [wilderness, a place of emptiness]. word study 14 Herds [flocks of sheep and cattle, all the beasts of the nations] will lie down [rest, stretch out] in her midst [center, middle of the city], creatures [living beings, animals] of every kind [all the beasts of the nations]. Both the desert owl [pelican, cormorant] and screech owl [bittern, porcupine] will roost [lodge, make their living-places] atop her pillars [upper lintels, capitals]. Their calls [voice, sound] will sound [sing, cry out] from the window [hole in the wall], but desolation [drought, ruin] will lie on the threshold [door sill, post], for He will expose [uncover, lay bare] the beams of cedar [cedar work, valuable wood]. word study 15 This carefree [joyous, jubilant] city that dwells [lives, resides] securely [in safety, without fear], that thinks [says, affirms] to herself: “I am [exist, have being] it, and there is none [no one, nothing] besides me [apart from me, comparable to me],” what a ruin [desolation, waste] she has become, a resting place [fold, den] for beasts [wild animals, creatures]. Everyone who passes by [crosses over, goes by] her hisses [whistles, expresses scorn] and shakes [moves, waves] his fist [hand, in anger]. word study