Read Scripturead-freewith Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Zephaniah 1
New International Version

1 The word of theLordthat came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah(A)son of Amon(B)king of Judah:

### Judgment on the Whole Earth in the Day of theLord

2 “I will sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,”(C)
declares theLord.
3 “I will sweep away both man and beast;(D)
I will sweep away the birds in the sky(E)
and the fish in the sea—
and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.”[a]

“When I destroy all mankind
on the face of the earth,”(F)
declares theLord,(G)
4 “I will stretch out my hand(H)against Judah
and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,(I)
the very names of the idolatrous priests(J)—
5 those who bow down on the roofs
to worship the starry host,(K)
those who bow down and swear by theLord
and who also swear by Molek,[b](L)
6 those who turn back from following(M)theLord
and neither seek(N)theLordnor inquire(O)of him.”

7 Be silent(P)before the SovereignLord,
for the day of theLord(Q)is near.
TheLordhas prepared a sacrifice;(R)
he has consecrated those he has invited.

8 “On the day of theLord’s sacrifice
I will punish(S)the officials
and the king’s sons(T)
and all those clad
in foreign clothes.
9 On that day I will punish
all who avoid stepping on the threshold,[c](U)
who fill the temple of their gods
with violence and deceit.(V)

10 “On that day,(W)”
declares theLord,
“a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,(X)
wailing(Y)from the New Quarter,
and a loud crash from the hills.
11 Wail,(Z)you who live in the market district[d];
all your merchants will be wiped out,
all who trade with[e]silver will be destroyed.(AA)
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
and punish those who are complacent,(AB)
who are like wine left on its dregs,(AC)
who think, ‘TheLordwill do nothing,(AD)
either good or bad.’(AE)
13 Their wealth will be plundered,(AF)
their houses demolished.
Though they build houses,
they will not live in them;
though they plant vineyards,
they will not drink the wine.”(AG)

14 The great day of theLord(AH)is near(AI)—
near and coming quickly.
The cry on the day of theLordis bitter;
the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.
15 That day will be a day of wrath—
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of trouble and ruin,
a day of darkness(AJ)and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness(AK)—
16 a day of trumpet and battle cry(AL)
against the fortified cities
and against the corner towers.(AM)

17 “I will bring such distress(AN)on all people
that they will grope about like those who are blind,(AO)
because they have sinned against theLord.
Their blood will be poured out(AP)like dust
and their entrails like dung.(AQ)
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of theLord’s wrath.”(AR)

In the fire of his jealousy(AS)
the whole earth will be consumed,(AT)
for he will make a sudden end
of all who live on the earth.(AU)

#### Footnotes

1. Zephaniah 1:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
2. Zephaniah 1:5 HebrewMalkam
3. Zephaniah 1:9 See 1 Samuel 5:5.
4. Zephaniah 1:11 Orthe Mortar
5. Zephaniah 1:11 Orin

#### Cross references

1. Zephaniah 1:1:2Ki 22:1; 2Ch 34:1-35:25
2. Zephaniah 1:1:S 1Ch 3:14
3. Zephaniah 1:2:S Ge 6:7
4. Zephaniah 1:3:Jer 50:3
5. Zephaniah 1:3:S Jer 4:25
6. Zephaniah 1:3:ver 18; S Hos 4:3
7. Zephaniah 1:3:S Eze 14:17
8. Zephaniah 1:4:S Jer 6:12
9. Zephaniah 1:4:Mic 5:13; Zep 2:11
10. Zephaniah 1:4:S Jer 15:6; S Hos 10:5
11. Zephaniah 1:5:S Jer 8:2
12. Zephaniah 1:5:S Lev 18:21; Jer 5:7
13. Zephaniah 1:6:Isa 1:4; Jer 2:13
14. Zephaniah 1:6:S Isa 9:13
15. Zephaniah 1:6:S Hos 7:7
16. Zephaniah 1:7:S Isa 41:1
17. Zephaniah 1:7:ver 14; Isa 13:6; S Eze 7:19; S Joel 3:14; S Am 5:18-20
18. Zephaniah 1:7:S Lev 3:9; S Jer 46:10
19. Zephaniah 1:8:Isa 24:21
20. Zephaniah 1:8:Jer 39:6
21. Zephaniah 1:9:1Sa 5:5
22. Zephaniah 1:9:S Am 3:10
23. Zephaniah 1:10:Isa 22:5
24. Zephaniah 1:10:S 2Ch 33:14
25. Zephaniah 1:10:S Am 5:16
26. Zephaniah 1:11:Jas 5:1
27. Zephaniah 1:11:Hos 9:6
28. Zephaniah 1:12:Am 6:1
29. Zephaniah 1:12:Jer 48:11
30. Zephaniah 1:12:S 2Ki 21:16; S Eze 8:12
31. Zephaniah 1:12:S Job 22:13
32. Zephaniah 1:13:S 2Ki 24:13; Jer 15:13
33. Zephaniah 1:13:Dt 28:30, 39; La 5:2; S Am 5:11
34. Zephaniah 1:14:S ver 7; S Joel 1:15
35. Zephaniah 1:14:S Eze 7:7; S Da 7:13
36. Zephaniah 1:15:S 1Sa 2:9
37. Zephaniah 1:15:S Isa 22:5; Joel 2:2; Mk 13:24-25
38. Zephaniah 1:16:S Jer 4:19
39. Zephaniah 1:16:S Dt 28:52; S Isa 2:15; S Joel 2:1
40. Zephaniah 1:17:S Dt 28:52
41. Zephaniah 1:17:S Isa 59:10
42. Zephaniah 1:17:Ps 79:3
43. Zephaniah 1:17:S Ps 83:10
44. Zephaniah 1:18:S Job 20:20; S 40:11; S Jer 4:4; S Eze 7:19
45. Zephaniah 1:18:S Dt 29:20
46. Zephaniah 1:18:S ver 2-3; Zep 3:8
47. Zephaniah 1:18:S Ge 6:7; S Eze 7:11

New International Version(NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 byBiblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV Application Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Bringing the Ancient Message of the Bible into Your World
Retail: $54.99
Our Price: $35.00
Save: $19.99 (36%)
Buy Now
NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles