Charles Thomson Bible

Sophonias The word of the Lord which came to Sophonias the Chusite, the son of Godolias son of Amorias, son of Ezekias in the days of Josias son of Amos king of Juda.

Let there be a total failure from the face of this land, saith the Lord. Let man and beast perish. Let the birds of the air and the fishes of the sea perish. As for the wicked, they shall be without strength; and I will remove transgressions from the face of this land, saith the Lord. I will indeed stretch forth my hand against Juda, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will remove out of this place the names of Baal and the names of her priests; and them who worship the host of heaven on the house tops—both those worshippers and them also who swear by the Lord and who swear also by their king; and them who turn aside from the Lord, and them who seek not the Lord, and them who cleave not to him. Be struck with awe, at the presence of the Lord God, for the day of the Lord is near at hand. Because the Lord hath prepared his sacrifice and hallowed his guests; therefore it shall come to pass in the day of the sacrifice of the Lord, that I will execute vengeance on the chiefs and on the house of the king, and on all them who are clothed with strange apparel. And I will punish publicly before the gates, on that day, them who fill the house of the Lord their God with impiety and deceit. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be a sound of shouting from the gate of the warriors, and a doleful lamentation from the second gate, and a great crashing from the hills.

Raise the song of woe, ye who inhabit the stormed city; because all the people are like Chanaan. And they who were elated with silver are to be all cut off. Therefore it shall come to pass in that day, that I will search Jerusalem with a lamp, and execute vengeance on the men who are despisers—upon their stores. And as for them who say in their hearts, The Lord will neither do good nor harm, their wealth shall be for plunder; and their houses, for desolation. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; and though they plant vineyards; they shall not drink the wine thereof; because the great day of the Lord is near—is near and hasting with great speed. The sound of the day of the Lord is bitter, and dreadful things are ordained: that day will be a mighty day of wrath; a day of tribulation and distress: a day of wasting and desolation; a day of gloom and darkness; a day of clouds and thick darkness; a day of the trumpet and shouting against the fortified cities and against the lofty towers. And I will bring distress upon the men and they shall walk as if blind. Because they have sinned against the Lord, therefore he will pour out their blood like dust and their flesh as dung. And their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them, in the day of the indignation of the Lord. By the fire of his zeal the whole land shall be consumed, for he will bring speedy destruction on all the inhabitants of this land.

Assemble and make joint supplication, O unimproved nation, before you become like a flitting flower—before the wrath of the Lord come upon you—before the day of the fierce anger of the Lord reach you. Seek the Lord all ye meek of the land; exercise judgment and seek righteousness, and live answerably; that you may be sheltered in the day of the anger of the Lord. For Gaza shall be plundered and Ascalon shall be a waste; and Azotus shall be driven out at noon day; and Accaron shall be rooted out.

Jehovah Alas for them who inhabit the sea coast—the emigrants from Crete! a word of the Lord is against you in Chanaan, the land of the Philistines, and I will destroy you from your habitations. And Crete shall be a pasture for flocks and a fold for sheep; and the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Juda. They shall feed upon them. In the houses of Ascalon they will lie down in the evening for fear of the children of Juda. Because the Lord their God hath visited them; therefore he will bring back their captivity. I have heard the revilings of Moab and the buffets of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against my borders: therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall be like Sodom and the children of Ammon like Gomorra; and Damascus shall be left like the heap of a winnowing floor, and shall be desolate forever, that the remnant of my people may spoil them: and the remains of my nation shall inherit them. This, they shall have for their haughtiness, and their reproaches and for magnifying themselves against the Lord Almighty. The Lord will display himself illustriously against them, and will root out all the gods of the nations of the earth, and all the isles of the nations shall worship him, every one from his place —even you Ethiopians are the victims of my sword. And he will stretch forth his hand against the north, and destroy the Assyrian and make Ninive a desolation—dry as a desart: and in the midst of it flocks shall feed and all the wild beasts of the land. In its stalls the chameleons and porcupines shall make their beds; and wild beasts shall utter their voice in its vaults, and ravens in its gates; for a cedar is the only relict of it. This is the scornful city which dwelleth securely, which saith in her heart, I am and there is none besides me. How it is become a desolation, the haunt of wild beasts! Every one who passeth through it will express his pity and shake his hands.

The prophet speaks

Oh! the illustrious and redeemed city! This dove hearkened not to a voice. She received not instruction: she trusted not in the Lord; nor did she draw near to her God: her chiefs within her were like roaring lions, and her judges like the wolves of Arabia. They left nothing for the morning: her prophets are enthusiasts, arrogant men: her priests profane the holies and unhallow the law: But the righteous Lord is in the midst of her and will not do an unjust thing. Every morning he will bring his judgment to light; for it was not hidden; nor did he countenance injustice for solicitation, nor make injustice successful.

Jehovah With destruction I drag'd down the proud. Their towers were made desolate. I will make their highways entirely waste, that none may travel them. Their cities are destroyed so that there is not a man—not an inhabitant. I have spoken. Nevertheless fear me, and receive instruction and you shall not be cut off out of her sight. All that I have inflicted on her, repair thou. Arise betimes.

The prophet speaks

All the gleanings of them are spoiled.

Jehovah

On that very account, wait thou for me, saith the Lord, until the day of my resurrection for a testimony. For this judgment of mine is for the assemblies of nations; to admit kings, to pour out all the fury of my wrath on them. For by the fire of my zeal all this land shall be utterly destroyed, that I may then bring back upon peoples a tongue for its generation, that they may all invoke the name of the Lord—that they may serve him under one yoke. From the ends of the rivers of Ethiopia I will expect them; among my dispersed they shall bring sacrifices for me. In that day thou shalt not be put to shame for all thy devices, which thou hast impiously devised against me; because I will then take away from thee those trifles which occasion thy haughtiness, that thou mayst no more continue to boast of my holy mountain; and I will then expect in thee a meek and lowly people; and the remnant of Israel will revere the name of the Lord, and no more commit iniquity, nor speak vain things; nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.

The prophet speaks

Because they shall feed and lie down and there shall be none to make them afraid. Rejoice, O daughters of Sion, Make proclamation, O daughters of Jerusalem! Be glad and rejoice with thy whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy transgressions: he hath redeemed thee out of the hand of thine enemies. The king of Israel—the Lord is in the midst of thee; thou shalt no more see evils.

At that time the Lord will say to Jerusalem, Take courage, Sion. Let not thy hands hang down. The Lord thy God is with thee. The Mighty one will save thee. He will bring thee gladness and renew thee in his love; and rejoice over thee with joy as in the day of a festival; when I have gathered those of you who have been bruised.

Jehovah

Ha! who is this that hath taken up a reproach against her? Behold here am I—I am dealing with thee for thy sake at that time, saith the Lord, and I will save her who hath been trodden down; and take back her who hath been put away; and I will make them a boast and renowned in every land. And they shall be ashamed at that time when I deal kindly with you. Even at the time when I take you back. For I will make you renowned and a boast among all the people of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before their eyes, saith the Lord.