Zephaniah 2:4

Judgment on Surrounding Nations

2:4 Indeed, ¹  Gaza will be deserted ² 

and Ashkelon will become a heap of ruins. ³ 

Invaders will drive away the people of Ashdod by noon, ⁴ 

and Ekron will be overthrown. ⁵ 

Zephaniah 1:13

1:13 Their wealth will be stolen

and their houses ruined!

They will not live in the houses they have built,

nor will they drink the wine from the vineyards they have planted.

Zephaniah 2:13

2:13 The Lord ⁶  will attack the north ⁷ 

and destroy Assyria.

He will make Nineveh a heap of ruins;

it will be as barren ⁸  as the desert.

¹ tn Or “for” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).

² tn There is a sound play here in the Hebrew text: the name Gaza (עַזָּה, ’azzah) sounds like the word translated “deserted” (עֲזוּבָה, ’azuvah).

³ tn Or “a desolate place.”

⁴ tn Heb “[As for] Ashdod, at noon they will drive her away.”

⁵ tn Heb “uprooted.” There is a sound play here in the Hebrew text: the name “Ekron” (עֶקְרוֹן, ’eqron) sounds like the word translated “uprooted” (תֵּעָקֵר, te’aqer).

⁶ tn Heb “He”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷ tn Heb “he will stretch out his hand against the north.”

⁸ tn Or “dry.”