Zephaniah Prophesies Judgment on Judah
(Matthew 13:36–43)
This is the word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah: Jer 1:22Ch 34:1-332Ki 22:1-202Pe 1:19Ezk 1:3Hos 1:1Jer 25:32Ti 3:16
“I will completely sweep away 2Ki 22:16-17Mic 7:13Ezk 33:27-29Jer 36:292Ch 36:21Gen 6:7Isa 6:11Jer 24:8-10
everything from the face of the earth,”
declares the LORD.
“I will sweep away man and beast; Hos 4:3Ezk 7:19Ezk 14:13-21Isa 27:9Jer 12:4Mat 23:39Ezk 14:3-7Ezk 15:6-8
I will sweep away the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
and the idols with their wicked worshipers. 1
I will cut off mankind
from the face of the earth,”
declares the LORD.
“I will stretch out My hand against Judah Hos 10:52Ki 23:4-5Mic 5:132Ch 34:42Ki 21:13Isa 14:26-27Jer 6:12Exo 15:12
and against all who dwell in Jerusalem.
I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal,
the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests—
those who bow on the rooftops 2Ki 17:33Jer 19:131Ki 11:331Ki 18:212Ki 17:412Ki 23:121Ki 11:5Amo 5:26
to worship the host of heaven,
those who bow down and swear by the LORD
but also swear by Milcom, 2
and those who turn back Isa 1:4Jer 2:13Jer 15:6Jer 2:17Ezk 3:20Heb 10:38-39Hos 11:7Isa 9:13
from following the LORD,
neither seeking the LORD
nor inquiring of Him.”
The Day of the LORD
(Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; 2 Peter 3:8–13)
Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, Hab 2:20Zec 2:13Zep 1:14Isa 34:6Jer 46:10Isa 13:61Sa 16:5Amo 5:18-20
for the Day of the LORD is near.
Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice;
He has consecrated His guests.
“On the Day of the LORD’s sacrifice Isa 24:212Ki 25:19-21Isa 3:18-24Isa 39:7Jer 22:11-19Jer 22:24-30Jer 39:6-72Ki 23:30-34
I will punish the princes,
the sons of the king,
and all who are dressed in foreign apparel.
On that day I will punish 1Sa 5:5Amo 3:101Sa 2:15-162Ki 5:20-27Neh 5:15Pro 29:12Act 16:19
all who leap over the threshold, 3
who fill the house of their master 4
with violence and deceit.
On that day,” declares the LORD, 2Ch 33:142Ki 22:14Amo 8:3Jer 4:19-21Neh 3:32Ch 3:12Ch 32:222Sa 5:7
“a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,
a wail from the Second District, 5
and a loud crashing from the hills.
Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow, 6 Jas 5:1Ezk 21:12Hos 12:7-8Jer 25:34Hos 9:6Jer 4:8Jhn 2:16Jol 1:13
for all your merchants 7will be silenced;
all who weigh out silver will be cut off.
And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps Amo 6:1Jer 48:11Ezk 8:12Ezk 9:9Mal 3:14-15Amo 9:1-32Pe 3:4Jer 10:5
and punish the men settled in complacency, 8
who say to themselves,
‘The LORD will do nothing,
either good or bad.’
Their wealth will be plundered Amo 5:11Mic 6:15Deu 28:30Deu 28:39Ezk 7:21Jer 15:13Jer 9:19Deu 28:51
and their houses laid waste.
They will build houses but not inhabit them,
and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.
The great Day of the LORD is near— Ezk 30:3Mal 4:5Zep 1:71Th 4:16Ezk 7:12Isa 15:4Isa 33:7Jol 2:11
near and coming quickly.
Listen, the Day of the LORD!
Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.
That day will be Jol 2:2Isa 22:5Rev 6:17Amo 5:18-20Jer 30:72Pe 3:7Job 3:4-8Jol 2:11
a day of wrath,
a day of trouble and distress,
a day of destruction and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,
a day of horn blast and battle cry Amo 3:6Hos 8:1Isa 2:12-15Isa 32:14Hos 5:8Isa 59:10Jer 4:19-20Psa 48:12-13
against the fortified cities,
and against the high corner towers.
I will bring such distress on mankind Psa 83:10Rev 3:172Pe 1:9Jer 10:18Jer 2:17Mat 15:14Mic 7:131Jn 2:11
that they will walk like the blind,
because they have sinned against the LORD.
Their blood will be poured out like dust
and their flesh like dung.
Neither their silver nor their gold Zep 3:8Ezk 7:19Pro 11:4Zep 1:2-3Jer 9:11Mat 16:26Zep 1:11Zep 1:15
will be able to deliver them
on the Day of the LORD’s wrath.
The whole earth will be consumed
by the fire of His jealousy.”
For indeed, He will make a sudden end
of all who dwell on the earth. 9