The chat will start when you send the first message.
1The filthy, stained city is as good as dead;[#tn The present translation assumes מֹרְאָה (mor’ah) is derived from רֹאִי (ro’i,“excrement”; see Jastrow 1436 s.v. רֳאִי). The following participle, “stained,” supports this interpretation (cf. NEB “filthy and foul”; NRSV “soiled, defiled”). Another option is to derive the form from מָרָה (marah, “to rebel”); in this case the term should be translated “rebellious” (cf. NASB, NIV “rebellious and defiled”). This idea is supported by v. 2. For discussion of the two options, see HALOT 630 s.v. I מרא and J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 206.]
the city filled with oppressors is finished!
2She is disobedient;[#tn Heb “she does not hear a voice” Refusing to listen is equated with disobedience.]
she refuses correction.
She does not trust the Lord ;
she does not seek the advice of her God.
3Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions;[#tn Or “officials.”; #tn Heb “her princes in her midst are roaring lions.” The metaphor has been translated as a simile (“as fierce as”) for clarity.]
her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert,
who completely devour their prey by morning.
4Her prophets are proud;[#sn Applied to prophets, the word פֹּחֲזִים (pokhazim, “proud”) probably refers to their audacity in passing off their own words as genuine prophecies from the Lord (see Jer 23:32).]
they are deceitful men.
Her priests defile what is holy;
they break God’s laws.
5The just Lord resides within her;[#tn The word “resides” is supplied for clarification.]
he commits no unjust acts.
Every morning he reveals his justice.
At dawn he appears without fail.
Yet the unjust know no shame.
6“I destroyed nations;[#tn Heb “cut off.”]
their walled cities are in ruins.
I turned their streets into ruins;
no one passes through them.
Their cities are desolate;
no one lives there.
7I thought, ‘Certainly you will respect me![#tn Heb “said.”; #tn Or “fear.” The second person verb form (“you will respect”) is feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed. sn God’s judgment of the nations (v. 6) was an object lesson for Israel’s benefit.]
Now you will accept correction!’
If she had done so, her home would not be destroyed
by all the punishments I have threatened.
But they eagerly sinned
in everything they did.
8Therefore you must wait patiently for me,” says the Lord ,[#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.]
“for the day when I attack and take plunder.
I have decided to gather nations together
and assemble kingdoms,
so I can pour out my fury on them –
all my raging anger.
For the whole earth will be consumed
by my fiery anger.
9Know for sure that I will then enable
the nations to give me acceptable praise.
All of them will invoke the Lord ’s name when they pray,
and will worship him in unison.
10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,[#tn Or “Nubia”; Heb “Cush.” “Cush” is traditionally assumed to refer to the region south of Egypt, i.e. Nubia or northern Sudan, referred to as “Ethiopia” by classical authors (not the more recent Abyssinia).]
those who pray to me will bring me tribute.
11In that day you will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me,[#sn The second person verbs and pronouns are feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed here.; #tn Heb “In that day you not be ashamed because of all your actions, [in] which you rebelled against me.”]
for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast,
and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.
12I will leave in your midst a humble and meek group of people,[#tn Heb “needy and poor people.” The terms often refer to a socioeconomic group, but here they may refer to those who are humble in a spiritual sense.]
and they will find safety in the Lord ’s presence.
13The Israelites who remain will not act deceitfully.[#tn Or “the remnant of Israel.”]
They will not lie,
and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth.
Indeed, they will graze peacefully like sheep and lie down;
no one will terrify them.”
14Shout for joy, Daughter Zion![#sn This phrase is used as an epithet for the city and the nation. “Daughter” may seem extraneous in English but consciously joins the various epithets and metaphors of Israel and Jerusalem as a woman, a device used to evoke sympathy from the reader.]
Shout out, Israel!
Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
15The Lord has removed the judgment against you;[#tn Heb “your judgments,” that is, “the judgments directed against you.” The translation reflects the implications of the parallelism.]
he has turned back your enemy.
Israel’s king, the Lord , is in your midst!
You no longer need to fear disaster.
16On that day they will say to Jerusalem,[#tn Heb “it will be said.” The passive construction has been translated as active for stylistic reasons.]
“Don’t be afraid, Zion!
Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic!
17The Lord your God is in your midst;
he is a warrior who can deliver.
He takes great delight in you;
he renews you by his love;
he shouts for joy over you.”
18“As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals –
I took them away from you;
they became tribute and were a source of shame to you.
19Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you.
I will rescue the lame sheep
and gather together the scattered sheep.
I will take away their humiliation
and make the whole earth admire and respect them.
20At that time I will lead you –
at the time I gather you together.
Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you
when you see me restore you,” says the Lord .