Habakkuk 1; Habakkuk 2; Habakkuk 3; Zephaniah 1; Zephaniah 2; Zephaniah 3

1 The divine revelation that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

2 How long, O LORD, am I to cry for help, but you will not listen? I cry out to you, "There's violence!" yet you will not come to the rescue.

3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing? And why do you watch wickedness? Destruction and violence are in front of me. Quarrels and disputes arise.

4 That is why your teaching is numbed, and justice is never carried out. Wicked people surround righteous people so that when justice is carried out, it's perverted.

5 Look among the nations and watch. Be amazed and astonished. I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if it were reported to you.

6 I am going to send the Babylonians, that fierce and reckless nation. They will march throughout the earth to take possession of lands that don't belong to them.

7 They will be terrifying and fearsome. They will carry out their own kind of justice and honor.

8 Their horses will be faster than leopards and quicker than wolves in the evening. Their riders will gallop along proudly. Their riders will come from far away. They will fly like an eagle that swoops down for its prey.

9 They will all come for violence. Every face will be directed forward. They will gather prisoners like sand.

10 They will make fun of kings and treat rulers as a joke. They will laugh at every fortified city and build a dirt ramp to capture it.

11 They will move quickly and pass through like the wind. So they will be guilty, because their own strength is their god.

12 Didn't you exist before time began, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die! O LORD, you have appointed the Babylonians to bring judgment. O Rock, you have destined them to correct us.

13 Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. You can't watch wickedness. Why do you keep watching treacherous people? Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those who are more righteous than they are?

14 You make all people like the fish in the sea, like schools of sea life that have no ruler.

15 The Babylonians pull them all up with fishhooks, drag them away in nets, and gather them in dragnets. So they rejoice and are happy.

16 That is why they sacrifice to their nets and burn incense to their dragnets. They are rich and well fed because of them.

17 Will they keep on emptying their nets and always kill nations without mercy?

1 I will stand at my guard post. I will station myself on the wall. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what answer I will get to my complaint.

2 Then the LORD answered me, "Write the vision. Make it clear on tablets so that anyone can read it quickly.

3 The vision will still happen at the appointed time. It hurries toward its goal. It won't be a lie. If it's delayed, wait for it. It will certainly happen. It won't be late.

4 "Look at the proud person. He is not right in himself. But the righteous person will live because of his faithfulness.

5 Also because wine is treacherous he is arrogant and never rests. He has a large appetite like the grave. He is like death--never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself. He collects all the people to himself.

6 Won't all of them ridicule him, directing clever sayings and riddles at him, like: "'How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself rich with what is not his own and makes himself wealthy on loans. How long will this go on?'

7 Won't your creditors suddenly rise up and those who are going to shake you wake up? Then you will become their prize.

8 You have looted many nations. All the rest of the people will loot you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.

9 "'How horrible it will be for the one who uses violence to get things for his own household in order to set his nest up high and save himself from disaster.'

10 You have planned disgrace for your household by cutting off many people and forfeiting your own life.

11 A stone in the wall will cry out. A beam in the roof will answer it.

12 "'How horrible it will be for the one who builds a city by slaughter and founds a town by crime.'

13 Isn't it from the LORD of Armies that people grow tired only to feed the flames and nations exhaust themselves for nothing?

14 But the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD's glory like the water covers the sea.

15 "'How horrible it will be for the one who makes his neighbor drink from the bowl of God's rage, making him drunk in order to stare at his nakedness.'

16 You are filled with disgrace rather than glory. Drink! Yes you! And expose yourself as godless. The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction done to the animals will terrify you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.

18 "What benefit is there in a carved idol when its maker has carved it? What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies, when its maker has molded it? The one who formed it trusts himself to make worthless idols that cannot speak.

19 'How horrible it will be for the one who says to a piece of wood, "Wake up!" and to a stone that cannot talk, "Get up!"' Can that thing teach [anyone]? Just look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there's absolutely no life in it."

20 The LORD is in his holy temple. All the earth should be silent in his presence.

1 A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk; according to shigionoth.

2 LORD, I have heard the report about you. LORD, I fear your work. In the course of the years, renew it. In the course of the years, reveal it. In all this chaos, remember to be merciful.

3 God comes from Teman. The Holy One comes from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covers the heavens. His praise fills the earth.

4 His brightness is like the sunlight. Rays of light [stream] from his hand. That is where his power is hidden.

5 Diseases go ahead of him. Plagues follow after him.

6 He stands and shakes the earth. He casts a glance and startles the nations. The oldest mountains break apart. The ancient hills sink. The ancient paths belong to him.

7 I see trouble in the tents of Cushan. I see trembling in the tents of Midian.

8 The LORD is not angry with the rivers, is he? If you are angry with the rivers, if you are furious with the sea, [why] do you ride your horses, your chariots of salvation?

9 You get your bow ready for action, for the arrows [you] promised. Selah You split the land with rivers.

10 The mountains look at you. They writhe in pain. Floodwaters pass by. The deep ocean roars. Its waves rise up high.

11 The sun and the moon stand still. They scatter at the light of your arrows, at the bright lightning of your spear.

12 You march through the earth with fury. You trample the nations in anger.

13 You go out to save your people, to save your anointed. You crush the leader of the wicked household, stripping him bare from head to toe. Selah

14 You pierce the leader of his gang with his own arrows. His soldiers come like a violent storm to scatter me. They are arrogant like those who secretly eat up the poor.

15 You march with your horses into the sea, into the mighty raging waters.

16 I have heard, so there's trembling within me. At the report my lips quivered. A rotten feeling has entered me. I tremble where I stand. I wait for the day of trouble to come to the people who will attack us.

17 Even if the fig tree does not bloom and the vines have no grapes, even if the olive tree fails to produce and the fields yield no food, even if the sheep pen is empty and the stalls have no cattle--

18 even then, I will be happy with the LORD. I will truly find joy in God, who saves me.

19 The LORD Almighty is my strength. He makes my feet like those of a deer. He makes me walk on the mountains. For the choir director; on stringed instruments.

1 This is the word that the LORD spoke to Zephaniah, who was the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. The LORD spoke his word in the days of Judah's King Josiah, son of Amon.

2 "I will gather everything on the face of the earth and put an end to it," declares the LORD.

3 "I will put an end to humans and animals. I will put an end to the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and the sins that make people fall, together with the sinners. I will remove all people from the face of the earth," declares the LORD.

4 "I will use my power against Judah and against those who live in Jerusalem. I will remove the faithful few of Baal from this place and the names of the pagan priests along with my priests.

5 I will remove those who worship all the stars in the sky on their rooftops and those who worship by swearing loyalty to the LORD while also swearing loyalty to the god Milcom.

6 I will remove those who have turned away from following the LORD and those who no longer seek the LORD or ask him for help."

7 Be silent in the presence of the Almighty LORD, because the day of the LORD is near. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice. He has invited his special guests.

8 "On the day of the LORD's sacrifice I will punish the officials, the king's sons, and all who dress in foreign clothing.

9 On that day I will punish all who jump over the doorway and all who fill their master's house with violence and deception.

10 On that day a loud cry will come from Fish Gate, a howling from the Second Part of the city, and a loud crashing sound from the hills," declares the LORD.

11 "Howl, inhabitants of the Mortar, because all the merchants will be destroyed and all who handle money will be killed.

12 "At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are satisfied with their hardened lifestyle, who think that the LORD won't do anything--good or bad.

13 Their wealth will be looted. Their homes will be demolished. They will build houses, but they won't live in them. They will plant vineyards, but they won't drink their wine."

14 The frightening day of the LORD is near. It is near and coming very quickly. Listen! Warriors will cry out bitterly on the day of the LORD.

15 That day will be a day of overflowing fury, a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and overcast skies,

16 a day of rams' horns and battle cries against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers.

17 "I will bring such distress on humans that they will walk like they are blind, because they have sinned against the LORD." Their blood will be poured out like dust and their intestines like manure.

18 Their silver and their gold will not be able to rescue them on the day of the LORD's overflowing fury. The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery anger, because he will put an end, a frightening end, to those who live on earth.

1 Gather yourselves together! Yes, gather together, you shameless nation,

2 before the decree is carried out [and] the day passes like windblown husks, before the LORD's burning anger comes to you, before the day of the LORD's anger comes to you.

3 Search for the LORD, all you humble people in the land who carry out his justice. Search for what is right. Search for humility. Maybe you will find shelter on the day of the LORD's anger.

4 Gaza will be deserted, and Ashkelon will be destroyed. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be torn out by the roots.

5 How horrible it will be for those who live on the seacoast, for the nation from Crete. The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines: "I will destroy you so that no one will be living there."

6 The seacoast will become pastureland with meadows for shepherds and fenced-off places for sheep.

7 The coast will belong to the faithful few from the nation of Judah. There they will graze their sheep. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The LORD their God will take care of them and will restore their fortunes.

8 "I have heard the insults from Moab and the mockery from Ammon. They insulted my people and bragged about their territory.

9 Therefore, I solemnly swear, as I live," declares the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, "Moab will become like Sodom, and Ammon will become like Gomorrah: a place of weeds, salt pits, and ruins forever. The faithful few of my people will loot them, and those who are left in my nation will take possession of them."

10 This is what they will get for their sinful pride, because they insulted the people who belong to the LORD of Armies and made themselves greater than them.

11 The LORD will terrify them, because he will make all the gods of the earth waste away. So every person from every coast and nation will bow to him.

12 "Even you, the people from Sudan, you will also die by my sword."

13 The LORD will use his power against the north and destroy Assyria. He will turn Nineveh into a deserted ruin, a dried up wasteland like the desert.

14 Flocks will lie down in it along with animals of every kind. Even pelicans and herons will nest on top of its columns. Listen! A bird will sing in a window. The doorway will be in ruins, because the LORD will expose the cedar beams.

15 Is this the arrogant city? Is this the city that used to live securely, the city that used to think to itself, "I'm the only one, and no one else exists but me"? What a wasteland it is now, a resting place for wild animals! All who pass by it will hiss and make an obscene gesture.

1 How horrible it will be for that rebellious and corrupt place, the city of violence.

2 It obeys no one. It does not accept correction. It does not trust the LORD. It does not draw close to its God.

3 Its officials are [like] roaring lions. Its judges are [like] wolves in the evening. They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.

4 Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful. Its priests contaminate what is holy. They violate the teachings.

5 The righteous LORD is in that city. He does no wrong. He brings his judgment to light every morning. He does not fail. But those who are perverted are shameless.

6 "I will cut off the nations. Their towers will be destroyed. I will demolish their streets. No one will walk through them. Their cities will be completely destroyed. Not a single person will be left. No one will be living there.

7 I said [to my people], 'You will fear me. You will accept correction!' Then their homeland would not be wiped out even though I have punished them. Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did."

8 The LORD declares, "Just wait! One day I will stand up as a witness. I have decided to gather nations, to bring kingdoms together, and to pour my rage, my burning anger, on them. The whole land will be consumed by my fiery fury.

9 "Then I will give all people pure lips to worship the LORD and to serve him with one purpose.

10 From beyond the rivers of Sudan my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring my offering.

11 On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your rebellious acts against me. Then I will remove your arrogance and never again will you act proud on my holy mountain.

12 So with you I will leave a faithful few, a humble and poor people. They will seek refuge in the name of the LORD.

13 The faithful few in Israel will not do wrong, tell lies, or use their tongues to deceive others. They will graze their sheep and lie down, and there will be no one to terrify them."

14 Sing happily, people of Zion! Shout loudly, Israel! Celebrate and rejoice with all your heart, people of Jerusalem.

15 The LORD has reversed the judgments against you. He has forced out your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is with you. You will never fear disaster again.

16 On that day Jerusalem will be told, "Do not be afraid, Zion! Do not lose courage!"

17 The LORD your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.

18 "I will gather those among you who are troubled because of the festivals. They bear a burden of disgrace.

19 At that time I will deal with all who have overpowered you. I will rescue those who are lame. I will gather those who have been scattered. I will make them praised and famous in all the world, though they had been ashamed.

20 At that time I will bring you [home]. Yes, at that time I will gather you together. I will make you famous and praised among all the people of the earth when I restore your fortunes right before your eyes," says the LORD.