Zephaniah

Zephaniah 1

1.1

The word of Jehovah which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

1.2

I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.

1.3

I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.

1.4

And I will stretch out my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, `and' the name of the Chemarim with the priests;

1.5

and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship, that swear to Jehovah and swear by Malcam;

1.6

and them that are turned back from following Jehovah; and those that have not sought Jehovah, nor inquired after him.

1.7

Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is at hand: for Jehovah hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath consecrated his guests.

1.8

And it shall come to pass in the day of Jehovah's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.

1.9

And in that day I will punish all those that leap over the threshold, that fill their master's house with violence and deceit.

1.10

And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.

1.11

Wail, ye inhabitants of Maktesh; for all the people of Canaan are undone; all they that were laden with silver are cut off.

1.12

And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps; and I will punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart, Jehovah will not do good, neither will he do evil.

1.13

And their wealth shall become a spoil, and their houses a desolation: yea, they shall build houses, but shall not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink the wine thereof.

1.14

The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near and hasteth greatly, `even' the voice of the day of Jehovah; the mighty man crieth there bitterly.

1.15

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

1.16

a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements.

1.17

And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.

1.18

Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he will make an end, yea, a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land.

Zephaniah 2

2.1

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;

2.2

before the decree bring forth, `before' the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you.

2.3

Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger.

2.4

For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

2.5

Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

2.6

And the sea-coast shall be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.

2.7

And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed `their flocks' thereupon; in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; for Jehovah their God will visit them, and bring back their captivity.

2.8

I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

2.9

Therefore as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall make a prey of them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them.

2.10

This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts.

2.11

Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the nations.

2.12

Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

2.13

And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness.

2.14

And herds shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals thereof; `their' voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar-work.

2.15

This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.

Zephaniah 3

3.1

Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted! to the oppressing city!

3.2

She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in Jehovah; she drew not near to her God.

3.3

Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow.

3.4

Her prophets are light and treacherous persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

3.5

Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; every morning doth he bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.

3.6

I have cut off nations; their battlements are desolate; I have made their streets waste, so that none passeth by; their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.

3.7

I said, Only fear thou me; receive correction; so her dwelling shall not be cut off, `according to' all that I have appointed concerning her: but they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

3.8

Therefore wait ye for me, saith Jehovah, 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 upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

3.9

For then will I turn to the peoples of a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent.

3.10

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

3.11

In that day shalt thou not be put to shame for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of thee thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt no more be haughty in my holy mountain.

3.12

But I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of Jehovah.

3.13

The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

3.14

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

3.15

Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more.

3.16

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack.

3.17

Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing.

3.18

I will gather them that sorrow for the solemn assembly, who were of thee; `to whom' the burden upon her was a reproach.

3.19

Behold, at that time I will deal with all them that afflict thee; and I will save that which is lame, and gather that which was driven away; and I will make them a praise and a name, whose shame hath been in all the earth.

3.20

At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, saith Jehovah.

Haggai

Haggai 1

1.1

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,

1.2

Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, It is not the time `for us' to come, the time for Jehovah's house to be built.

1.3

Then came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying,

1.4

Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste?

1.5

Now therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways.

1.6

Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages `to put it' into a bag with holes.

1.7

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways.

1.8

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith Jehovah.

1.9

Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith Jehovah of hosts. Because of my house that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house.

1.10

Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholdeth its fruit.

1.11

And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the grain, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.

1.12

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of Jehovah their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as Jehovah their God had sent him; and the people did fear before Jehovah.

1.13

Then spake Haggai Jehovah's messenger in Jehovah's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith Jehovah.

1.14

And Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work on the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God,

1.15

in the four and twentieth day of the month, in the sixth `month', in the second year of Darius the king.

Haggai 2

2.1

In the seventh `month', in the one and twentieth `day' of the month, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying,

2.2

Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

2.3

Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes as nothing?

2.4

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith Jehovah; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith Jehovah, and work: for I am with you, saith Jehovah of hosts,

2.5

`according to' the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, and my Spirit abode among you: fear ye not.

2.6

For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

2.7

and I will shake all nations; and the precious things of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith Jehovah of hosts.

2.8

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts.

2.9

The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith Jehovah of hosts.

2.10

In the four and twentieth `day' of the ninth `month', in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying,

2.11

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

2.12

If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

2.13

Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

2.14

Then answered Haggai and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith Jehovah; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

2.15

And now, I pray you, consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of Jehovah.

2.16

Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty `measures', there were but ten; when one came to the winevat to draw out fifty `vessels', there were but twenty.

2.17

I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the work of your hands; yet ye `turned' not to me, saith Jehovah.

2.18

Consider, I pray you, from this day and backward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth `month', since the day that the foundation of Jehovah's temple was laid, consider it.

2.19

Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, the vine, and the fig-tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive-tree have not brought forth; from this day will I bless `you'.

2.20

And the word of Jehovah came the second time unto Haggai in the four and twentieth `day' of the month, saying,

2.21

Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

2.22

and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

2.23

In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith Jehovah of hosts.

Malachi

Malachi 1

1.1

The burden of the word of Jehovah to Israel by Malachi.

1.2

I have loved you, saith Jehovah. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, saith Jehovah: yet I loved Jacob;

1.3

but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and `gave' his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.

1.4

Whereas Edom saith, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places; thus saith Jehovah of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and men shall call them The border of wickedness, and The people against whom Jehovah hath indignation for ever.

1.5

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, Jehovah be magnified beyond the border of Israel.

1.6

A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith Jehovah of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

1.7

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar. And ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah is contemptible.

1.8

And when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is no evil! and when ye offer the lame and sick, it is no evil! Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith Jehovah of hosts.

1.9

And now, I pray you, entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he accept any of your persons? saith Jehovah of hosts.

1.10

Oh that there were one among you that would shut the doors, that ye might not kindle `fire on' mine altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, saith Jehovah of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

1.11

For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name `shall be' great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense `shall be' offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name `shall be' great among the Gentiles, saith Jehovah of hosts.

1.12

But ye profane it, in that ye say, The table of Jehovah is polluted, and the fruit thereof, even its food, is contemptible.

1.13

Ye say also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith Jehovah of hosts; and ye have brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye bring the offering: should I accept this at your hand? saith Jehovah.

1.14

But cursed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a blemished thing; for I am a great King, saith Jehovah of hosts, and my name is terrible among the Gentiles.

Malachi 2

2.1

And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

2.2

If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith Jehovah of hosts, then will I send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

2.3

Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and ye shall be taken away with it.

2.4

And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant may be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts.

2.5

My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might fear; and he feared me, and stood in awe of my name.

2.6

The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.

2.7

For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.

2.8

But ye are turned aside out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts.

2.9

Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have had respect of persons in the law.

2.10

Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

2.11

Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of Jehovah which he loveth, and hath married the daughter of a foreign god.

2.12

Jehovah will cut off, to the man that doeth this, him that waketh and him that answereth, out of the tents of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto Jehovah of hosts.

2.13

And this again ye do: ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, neither receiveth it with good will at your hand.

2.14

Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because Jehovah hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously, though she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

2.15

And did he not make one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? And wherefore one? He sought a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

2.16

For I hate putting away, saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, and him that covereth his garment with violence, saith Jehovah of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

2.17

Ye have wearied Jehovah with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? In that ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of Jehovah, and he delighteth in them; or where is the God of justice?

Malachi 3

3.1

Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.

3.2

But who can abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap:

3.3

and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah offerings in righteousness.

3.4

Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.

3.5

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the sojourner `from his right', and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.

3.6

For I, Jehovah, change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

3.7

From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?

3.8

Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

3.9

Ye are cursed with the curse; for ye rob me, even this whole nation.

3.10

Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough `to receive it'.

3.11

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field, saith Jehovah of hosts.

3.12

And all nations shall call you happy; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith Jehovah of hosts.

3.13

Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah. Yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee?

3.14

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?

3.15

And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and escape.

3.16

Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.

3.17

And they shall be mine, saith Jehovah of hosts, `even' mine own possession, in the day that I make; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

3.18

Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Malachi 4

4.1

For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

4.2

But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall.

4.3

And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of hosts.

4.4

Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.

4.5

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.

4.6

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.