1:17 I will bring distress on the people 1
and they will stumble 2 like blind men,
for they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dirt;
their flesh 3 will be scattered 4 like manure.
3:8 Therefore you must wait patiently 5 for me,” says the Lord,
“for the day when I attack and take plunder. 6
I have decided 7 to gather nations together
and assemble kingdoms,
so I can pour out my fury on them –
all my raging anger.
For 8 the whole earth will be consumed
by my fiery anger.
1 tn “The people” refers to mankind in general (see vv. 2-3) or more specifically to the residents of Judah (see vv. 4-13).
2 tn Heb “walk.”
3 tn Some take the referent of “flesh” to be more specific here; cf. NEB (“bowels”), NAB (“brains”), NIV (“entrails”).
4 tn The words “will be scattered” are supplied in the translation for clarity based on the parallelism with “will be poured out” in the previous line.
5 tn The second person verb form (“you must wait patiently”) is masculine plural, indicating that a group is being addressed. Perhaps the humble individuals addressed earlier (see 2:3) are in view. Because of Jerusalem’s sin, they must patiently wait for judgment to pass before their vindication arrives.
6 tn Heb “when I arise for plunder.” The present translation takes עַד (’ad) as “plunder.” Some, following the LXX, repoint the term עֵד (’ed) and translate, “as a witness” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV). In this case the Lord uses a legal metaphor to picture himself as testifying against his enemies. Adele Berlin takes לְעַד (lÿ’ad) in a temporal sense (“forever”) and translates “once and for all” (Zephaniah [AB 25A], 133).
7 tn Heb “for my decision is.”
8 tn Or “certainly.”