1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
5 The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.
<html><b>Woe to her who is filthy and polluted</b> Until now, Zephaniah was speaking of Ninveh, but now he refers to Jerusalem: Woe to her who is destined to be plundered and sullied like dung. It will be polluted with the filth of its iniquity. <b>filthy</b> as in (Lev. 1:16) “its crop”; and (Nahum 3:6) “And I will make you like dung.” <b>the dove like city</b> Like a silly dove, without a heart.</html>
<html><b>wolves of the evening</b> who hasten to devour their prey at night. <b>They did not leave over the bones for morning</b> They did not leave over even the bones to gnaw in the morning.</html>
<html><b>they removed the Torah</b> They did not teach it to those who inquired of them.</html>
<html><b>The Lord is just</b> He caused His Shechinah to rest in their midst; therefore, He cannot look upon their evil deeds. He is just, and there is no injustice before Him. <b>He brings His judgment to light</b> He judges a true judgment to its absolute truth. <b>But the one who commits injustice knows no shame</b> But the unjust judges do not take it to heart, to be ashamed because of the Righteous One Who dwells among them.</html>
<html><b>I have cut off nations</b> I brought retribution upon the nations so that you should see and fear as He concludes, “I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me.’”</html>
<html><b>I said, “Surely you will fear Me… and her dwelling shall not be cut off”</b> Her dwellings shall not be destroyed. <b>all that I ordained upon her</b> And all the good that I ordained to bring upon her shall not be cut off from her.</html>
<html><b>That I will rise up to meet</b> When I will rise to meet with you.</html>
<html><b>From the other side of the rivers of Cush</b> They will bring Me an offering. <b>My supplicants</b> those who pray to me. <b>the community of My scattered ones</b> The gatherings of My scattered ones, whom I scattered.</html>
<html><b>you shall not be ashamed of all your deeds</b> Because you have already suffered, and your iniquity has been expiated.</html>
<html><b>a humble and poor people</b> A humble people that submits to humiliation.</html>
<html><b>your afflictions</b> justice in French.</html>
<html><b>A Mighty One will save</b> He is a Mighty One, Who will save [Israel] from the enemy. <b>He will be silent in His love</b> He will conceal your transgressions with His love. So did <i>Jonathan</i> render: He will cover your sins with His love.</html>
<html><b>Those who are removed from the appointed season</b> I destroyed those removed from My appointed seasons, those who did not keep the Sabbaths and the festivals. <b>I have destroyed</b> lit., I gathered in. <b>they were of you</b> They were of your people. <b>it was a burden of shame upon her</b> That guilt was a burden of shame to you. <b>Those who are removed</b> an expression of taking out, as in (Prov. 25:4) “Take away the dross from the silver”; and (II Sam. 20:13) “When he was removed from the highway.” The only radical letter is the “gimel.”</html>
<html><b>Behold, I wreak destruction</b> <i>Jonathan</i> rendered: Behold I wreak destruction. It may also be interpreted as an expression of crushing, as in (Mal. 3:21): “And you shall crush the wicked.” <b>throughout all the land where they suffered shame</b> Every place where they were for their shame, there I will make them to be a praise and a name.</html>