Sofonias 3

¹ Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressingThat is, Jerusalem.city!

² She heard not the voyce: she receiued not correction: she trusted not in the Lord: she drew not neere to her God.

³ Her princes within her [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; theyThey are so greedy, that they eat up bones and all.gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

⁴ Her prophets are light, and wicked persons: her priests haue polluted the Sanctuarie: they haue wrested the Lawe.

⁵ TheThe wicked thus boasted that God was ever among them, but the Prophet answers that that cannot excuse their wickedness: for God will not bear with their sins. Yet he did patiently abide and sent his Prophets continually to call them to repentance, but he profited nothing.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 haveBy the destruction of other nations he shows that the Jews should have learned to fear God.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: butThey were most earnest and ready to do wickedly.they rose early, [and] corrupted all their doings.

⁸ ThereforeSeeing that you will not repent, you can expect my vengeance as well as other nations.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 ForLest any should then think that God's glory should have perished when Judah was destroyed, he shows that he will proclaim his grace through all the world.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] theThat is, the Jews will come as well as the Gentiles: which is to be understood as referring to the time of the Gospel.daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

¹¹ In that day shalt thou not be ashamed forFor they will have full remission of their sins, and the hypocrites who boasted of the temple, which was also your pride in times past, will be taken from you.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 Then will I leaue in the middes of thee an humble and poore people: and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord.

¹³ The remnant of Israel shal do none iniquitie, nor speake lies: neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shalbe fed, and lie downe, and none shall make them afraide.

¹⁴ Reioyce, O daughter Zion: be ye ioyfull, O Israel: be glad and reioyce with all thine heart, O daughter Ierusalem.

¹⁵ The LORD hath taken away thyThat is, the punishment for your sin.judgments, he hath cast out thineAs the Assyrians, Chaldaeans, Egyptians, and other nations.enemy: the king of Israel, [even] the LORD, [is] in the midst ofTo defend you, as by your sins you have put him away, and left yourself naked, as in (Exo_32:25).thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

¹⁶ In that day it shalbe said to Ierusalem, Feare thou not, O Zion: let not thine handes be faint.

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 inSignifying, that God delights to show his love and great affection toward his Church.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 ofThat is, those that were held in hatred and reviled for the Church, and because of their religion.it [was] a burden.

¹⁹ Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I willI will deliver the Church, which now is afflicted, as in (Mic_4:6).save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in everyAs among the Assyrians and Chaldaeans, who mocked them and put them to shame.land where they have been put to shame.

²⁰ At that time wil I bring you againe, & then wil I gather you: for I wil giue you a name & a praise among all people of the earth, when I turne backe your captiuitie before your eyes, saith the Lorde.