Zephaniah 1:3

Judgment

¹ This is the word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:

² “I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

“I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and the idols with their wicked worshipers. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

⁴ “I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests—

⁵ those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and the idols with their wicked worshipers. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
KJV: I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.
WEB: I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says the LORD.
ASV: I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.
DARBY: I will take away man and beast; I will take away the fowl of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked, and I will cut off mankind from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.
BLB: “I will bring to an end man and beast; I will bring to an end the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea and the stumbling blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” a declaration of YHWH.

ÅB: Jeg vil ta bort mennesker og dyr, ta bort himmelens fugler og havets fisker og alt det som volder anstøt, sammen med de ugudelige, og jeg vil utrydde menneskene av jorden, sier Herren.
OTB: "Jeg vil feie bort både mennesker og dyr;
jeg vil fjerne himmelens fugler
og havets fisker,
og ruinene sammen med de ugudelige.
Jeg vil utrydde menneskene fra jordens overflate," sier Herren.
B1930: Jeg vil ta bort mennesker og dyr, ta bort himmelens fugler og havets fisker og alt det som volder anstøt, sammen med de ugudelige, og jeg vil utrydde menneskene av jorden, sier Herren.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Hosea 4:3
Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.
Read in context
Ezekiel 7:19
They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.
Read in context
Matthew 23:39
For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Read in context
Ezekiel 14:13–21
“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,
Read in context
Isaiah 27:9
Therefore Jacob’s guilt will be atoned for, and the full fruit of the removal of his sin will be this: When he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.
Read in context
Jeremiah 12:4
How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field be withered? Because of the evil of its residents, the animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, “He cannot see what our end will be.”
Read in context
Hosea 14:8
O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me.
Read in context
Ezekiel 14:3–7
“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?
Read in context