1
The Lord gave this message to Zephaniah when Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah.
2
“I will sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,” says the Lord .
3
“I will sweep away people and animals alike.
I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish in the sea.
I will reduce the wicked to heaps of rubble, 1
and I will wipe humanity from the face of the earth,” says the Lord .
4
“I will crush Judah and Jerusalem with my fist
and destroy every last trace of their Baal worship.
I will put an end to all the idolatrous priests,
so that even the memory of them will disappear.
5
For they go up to their roofs
and bow down to the sun, moon, and stars.
They claim to follow the Lord ,
but then they worship Molech, 2 too.
6
And I will destroy those who used to worship me
but now no longer do.
They no longer ask for the Lord ’s guidance
or seek my blessings.”