Zephaniah 2
1Gather together, gather yourselves together,you shameful nation, 2before the decree takes effectand that day passes like windblown chaff,before the Lord’s fierce angercomes upon you,before the day of the Lord’s wrathcomes upon you. 3Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,you who do what he commands.Seek righteousness, seek humility;perhaps you will be shelteredon the day of the Lord’s anger. 4Gaza will be abandonedand Ashkelon left in ruins.At midday Ashdod will be emptiedand Ekron uprooted. 5Woe to you who live by the sea,you Kerethite people;the word of the Lord is against you,Canaan, land of the Philistines.He says, “I will destroy you,and none will be left.” 6The land by the sea will become pastureshaving wells for shepherdsand pens for flocks. 7That land will belongto the remnant of the people of Judah;there they will find pasture.In the evening they will lie downin the houses of Ashkelon.The Lord their God will care for them;he will restore their fortunes. 8“I have heard the insults of Moaband the taunts of the Ammonites,who insulted my peopleand made threats against their land. 9Therefore, as surely as I live,”declares the Lord Almighty,the God of Israel,“surely Moab will become like Sodom,the Ammonites like Gomorrah—a place of weeds and salt pits,a wasteland forever.The remnant of my people will plunder them;the survivors of my nation will inherit their land.” 10This is what they will get in return for their pride,for insulting and mockingthe people of the Lord Almighty. 11The Lord will be awesome to themwhen he destroys all the gods of the earth.Distant nations will bow down to him,all of them in their own lands. 12“You Cushites, too,will be slain by my sword.” 13He will stretch out his hand against the northand destroy Assyria,leaving Nineveh utterly desolateand dry as the desert. 14Flocks and herds will lie down there,creatures of every kind.The desert owl and the screech owlwill roost on her columns.Their hooting will echo through the windows,rubble will fill the doorways,the beams of cedar will be exposed. 15This is the city of revelrythat lived in safety.She said to herself,“I am the one! And there is none besides me.”What a ruin she has become,a lair for wild beasts!All who pass by her scoffand shake their fists.
Study Context for Zephaniah 2
As you study Zephaniah 2, keep in mind the overarching themes of this old testament book: Day of the Lord, Judgment, Remnant. Observe how the specific events or teachings in this chapter contribute to the book's broader message.
Day of the LordJudgmentRemnant
Observation: What does Zephaniah 2 reveal about the character and nature of God? What does it reveal about humanity?
Application: How does the truth presented in this chapter change how you should live, think, or pray today?
Read in context:Zephaniah 1Zephaniah 3
Study introductions and prompts are supplementary aids, not Scripture. They do not replace prayerful reading, the authority of Scripture, a faithful local church, or pastoral care.
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