Zephaniah, Chapter 2

1. Gather yourselves together; yea, gather, O nation not desired;    2. before the birth of the decree, the day shall pass like the chaff; yet not before the hot anger of the LORD comes on you, yet not before the day of the LORD's anger comes on you.    3. Seek the LORD, all the meek of the earth who have done His justice; seek righteousness; seek meekness. It may be you shall be hidden in the day of the LORD's anger.    4. For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a ruin. They shall drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.    5. Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you: Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will destroy you, so that no inhabitant survives .    6. And the sea coast will be pastures, meadows of shepherds, and folds for flocks.    7. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed on them. In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down in the evening, for the LORD their God shall visit them and turn away their captivity.    8. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the curses of the sons of Ammon, with which they have cursed My people and have magnified themselves on their border.    9. Therefore, as I live, says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah; a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a ruin forever. The remnant of My people shall plunder them, and the remnant of My people shall possess them.    10. They shall have this for their pride, because they have cursed and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.    11. The LORD will be frightening to them; for He will make all the gods of the earth lean; each man from his place and all the coastlands of the nations shall bow to Him.    12. You Ethiopians also shall be slain by My sword.    13. And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desert and dry like a desert.    14. And flocks shall lie down in her midst, all the beasts of a nation; both the pelican and the bittern shall roost in the capitals of its pillars; a voice shall sing at the window, ruin shall be at the doorsill, for he will bare the cedar-work.    15. This is the rejoicing city, dwelling confidently, who says in her heart, I am , and no other still is . How she has become a ruin, a resting-place for animals! Everyone who passes by her shall hiss; he shall wag his hand.