Zephaniah Chapter 2
Ayo, gather up, 'cause this squad ain’t welcome, fr.
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; {not...: or, not desirous}
Before the chaos pops off, before the vibes turn whack, before the Lord’s fury strikes hard, you better pay attention.
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.
Hustle for the Lord, all you chill homies out there who’ve done right; go after what’s solid, stay low-key: you might just find safety when the Lord's anger drops.
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.
Gaza’s about to get ghosted, and Ashkelon’s a total disaster: they’re about to throw out Ashdod at noon, and Ekron’s getting uprooted.
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
Big yikes to the coastal dwellers, the Cherethites! The Lord's got issues with you; Canaan, land of the Philistines, I’m about to wipe you off the map, no one's sticking around.
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.
The coastline’s gonna turn into chill hangouts for shepherds and their flocks, real cozy vibes.
And the sea coast shall be dwellings {and} cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
That coastline’s gonna be for the last crew of Judah; they’ll grub there: in Ashkelon, they’ll crash at night, 'cause the Lord's got their backs and will set them free.
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. {for the LORD: or, when, etc}
Caught the Moab tea and the Ammon slights they threw at my people, acting all tough.
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.
So, as I’m alive, says the Lord, the God of Israel, Moab's about to vibe like Sodom, and the Ammon crew like Gomorrah, just a wasteland: my people will roll up on them, and the leftovers will claim 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.
This is their payback for flexing on the Lord’s squad, straight-up prideful.
This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified {themselves} against the people of the LORD of hosts.
The Lord’s about to be a major player for them: He’ll starve out all the fake deities; everyone will vibe with Him, even from their own spots, all the islands too.
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. {famish: Heb. make lean}
You Ethiopians, get set, my sword's coming for you.
Ye Ethiopians also, ye {shall be} slain by my sword.
He’s gonna stretch His hand to the north, wipe out Assyria, and turn Nineveh into a ghost town, dry like a desert.
And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, {and} dry like a wilderness.
And flocks will vibe in the midst of it, all the wild critters: even the cormorant and the bittern will chill in the rafters; their sounds will echo in the windows; it’s all desolate at the doorsteps: He’s gonna reveal the cedar work.
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. {cormorant: or, pelican} {upper...: or, knops, or, chapiters} {for...: or, when he hath uncovered}
This was the party hub that thought it was untouchable, saying, “I’m the only one that counts”: now it's a ghost town, just a hangout for animals! Everyone passing through will hiss and wave their hands in disbelief.
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.