[[Zephaniah 1|<< Zephaniah 1]] | [[Zephaniah|Zephaniah]] | [[Zephaniah 3|Zephaniah 3 >>]] ### Zephaniah 2 1 GATHER yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; ^1 2 Before the decree bring forth, _before_ the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD's anger come upon you. ^2 3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger. ^3 4 ¶ For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. ^4 5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD _is_ against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. ^5 6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings _and_ cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. ^6 7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity. ^7 8 ¶ I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified _themselves_ against their border. ^8 9 Therefore _as_ I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, _even_ the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. ^9 10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified _themselves_ against the people of the LORD of hosts. ^10 11 The LORD _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 heathen. ^11 12 ¶ Ye Ethiopians also, ye _shall_ _be_ slain by my sword. ^12 13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, _and_ dry like a wilderness. ^13 14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; _their_ voice shall sing in the windows; desolation _shall_ _be_ in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work. ^14 15 This _is_ the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I _am_, and _there_ _is_ none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passes by her shall hiss, _and_ shake his hand. ^15