Zephaniah 2 צְפַנְיָה פרק ב׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Zephaniah 2 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   הִתְקוֹשְׁשׁוּgather yourselves togetherוָקוֹשּׁוּand gather togetherהַגּוֹיthe nationלֹאnotנִכְסָף׃not desired

   Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

2. 2

   בְּטֶרֶםbeforeלֶדֶתbring forthחֹקthe decreeכְּמֹץlike chaffעָבַרpassedיוֹםdayבְּטֶרֶםbeforeלֹא־יָבוֹאnot shall comeעֲלֵיכֶםover youחֲרוֹןfierceאַף־יְהֹוָהthe anger of the LORDבְּטֶרֶםbeforeלֹא־יָבוֹאnot shall comeעֲלֵיכֶםover youיוֹםdayאַף־יְהֹוָה׃the anger of the LORD

   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.

3. 3

   בַּקְּשׁוּseekאֶת־יְהֹוָהthe LORDכׇּל־עַנְוֵיall the humble people ofהָאָרֶץthe earthאֲשֶׁרwhichמִשְׁפָּטוֹhis judgmentפָּעָלוּthey have doneבַּקְּשׁוּ־צֶדֶקseek righteousnessבַּקְּשׁוּseekעֲנָוָהhumilityאוּלַיperhapsתִּסָּתְרוּyou will be hiddenבְּיוֹםin the day ofאַף־יְהֹוָה׃the anger of the LORD

   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.

4. 4

   כִּיforעַזָּהGazaעֲזוּבָהshall be forsakenתִהְיֶהbeוְאַשְׁקְלוֹןand Ashkelonלִשְׁמָמָהto desolateאַשְׁדּוֹדAshdodבַּצׇּהֳרַיִםat the noon dayיְגָרְשׁוּהָthey will drive out itוְעֶקְרוֹןand Ekronתֵּעָקֵר׃it will be plucked up

   For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

5. 5

   הוֹיOיֹשְׁבֵיinhabitants ofחֶבֶלthe region ofהַיָּםthe seaגּוֹיnationכְּרֵתִיםthe Cherethimsדְּבַר־יְהֹוָהthe word of the LORDעֲלֵיכֶםover youכְּנַעַןCanaanאֶרֶץthe land ofפְּלִשְׁתִּיםPhilistinesוְהַאֲבַדְתִּיךְand I will destroy youמֵאֵיןwithoutיוֹשֵׁב׃inhabitant

   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.

6. 6

   וְהָיְתָהand it beחֶבֶלthe region ofהַיָּםthe seaנְוֺתdwellingsכְּרֹתcottagesרֹעִיםpasturingוְגִדְרוֹתand folds ofצֹאן׃flocks

   And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.

7. 7

   וְהָיָהand beחֶבֶלthe region ofלִשְׁאֵרִיתfor remnant ofבֵּיתthe house ofיְהוּדָהJudahעֲלֵיהֶםupon themיִרְעוּןthey will grazeבְּבָתֵּיin the houses ofאַשְׁקְלוֹןAshkelonבָּעֶרֶבin the eveningיִרְבָּצוּןthey lie downכִּיbecauseיִפְקְדֵםvisit shallיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֵיהֶםtheir Godוְשָׁבand shall return(שבותם)[שְׁבִיתָם]׃captivity their

   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.

8. 8

   שָׁמַעְתִּיheardחֶרְפַּתthe shame ofמוֹאָבMoabוְגִדֻּפֵיand the revilings ofבְּנֵיthe sons ofעַמּוֹןAmmonאֲשֶׁרwhichחֵרְפוּthey have reproachedאֶת־עַמִּיmy peopleוַיַּגְדִּילוּand they have magnified themselvesעַל־גְּבוּלָם׃upon their territory

   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.

9. 9

   לָכֵןthereforeחַי־אָנִיas I liveנְאֻםsaysיְהֹוָהthe LORDצְבָאוֹתof Hostsאֱלֹהֵיthe God ofיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelכִּי־מוֹאָבbecause Moabכִּסְדֹםas Sodomתִּהְיֶהshall beוּבְנֵיand sons ofעַמּוֹןAmmonכַּעֲמֹרָהlike Gomorrahמִמְשַׁקthe breeding ofחָרוּלnettlesוּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַחand a pit of saltוּשְׁמָמָהand desolationעַד־עוֹלָםforeverשְׁאֵרִיתremnant ofעַמִּיmy peopleיְבׇזּוּםthey will plunder themוְיֶתֶרand the rest ofגּוֹיִmy nationיִנְחָלוּם׃they will take possession of them

   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.

10. 10

    זֹאתthisלָהֶםto themתַּחַתunderגְּאוֹנָםtheir prideכִּיbecauseחֵרְפוּthey have reproachedוַיַּגְדִּלוּand they magnified themselvesעַל־עַםover people ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDצְבָאוֹת׃of Hosts

    This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.

11. 11

    נוֹרָאawfulיְהֹוָהthe LORDעֲלֵיהֶםupon themכִּיforרָזָהhe will famishאֵת־כׇּל־אֱלֹהֵיall the gods ofהָאָרֶץthe earthוְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לוֹand they worshiped himאִישׁa manמִמְּקוֹמוֹfrom its placeכֹּלallאִיֵּיthe isles ofהַגּוֹיִם׃the nations

    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.

12. 12

    גַּם־אַתֶּםalso youכּוּשִׁיםthe Cushitesחַלְלֵיslain ofחַרְבִּיmy swordהֵמָּה׃they

    Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

13. 13

    וְיֵטand he may stretch outיָדוֹhis handעַל־צָפוֹןupon the northוִיאַבֵּדso it may destroyאֶת־אַשּׁוּרAssyriaוְיָשֵׂםand may he appointאֶת־נִינְוֵהNinevehלִשְׁמָמָהto desolateצִיָּהdryכַּמִּדְבָּר׃as the wilderness

    And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.

14. 14

    וְרָבְצוּand they will lie downבְתוֹכָהּin the midst of itעֲדָרִיםflocksכׇּל־חַיְתוֹ־גוֹיall the beasts of the nationsגַּם־קָאַתalso desert owlגַּם־קִפֹּדalso the bitternבְּכַפְתֹּרֶיהָon its capitalsיָלִינוּthey spent the nightקוֹלthe voice ofיְשׁוֹרֵרit will singבַּחַלּוֹןin the windowחֹרֶבdesolationבַּסַּףis in the basinכִּיforאַרְזָהֿcedar workעֵרָה׃he shall uncover

    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.

15. 15

    זֹאתthisהָעִירthe cityהָעַלִּיזָהthe jubilantהַיּוֹשֶׁבֶתthe inhabitant ofלָבֶטַחin safetyהָאֹמְרָהthe one who saysבִּלְבָבָהּin her heartאֲנִיIוְאַפְסִיand there is none beside meעוֹדany moreאֵיךְhowהָיְתָהwasלְשַׁמָּהdesolateמַרְבֵּץa resting placeלַחַיָּהfor beastsכֹּלallעוֹבֵרpassing alongעָלֶיהָupon itיִשְׁרֹקshall hiss forthיָנִיעַhe will shakeיָדוֹ׃his hand

    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 passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.