Zephaniah 2:8-10
New English Translation
8 “I have heard Moab’s taunts
and the Ammonites’ insults.
They[a] taunted my people
and verbally harassed those living in Judah.[b]
9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel,
“be certain that Moab will become like Sodom
and the Ammonites like Gomorrah.
They will be overrun by weeds,[c]
filled with salt pits,[d]
and permanently desolate.
Those of my people who are left[e] will plunder their belongings;[f]
those who are left in Judah[g] will take possession of their land.”
10 This is how they will be repaid for their arrogance,[h]
for they taunted and verbally harassed[i] the people of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 2:8 tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Zephaniah 2:8 tn Heb “and they made great [their mouth?] against their territory.” Other possible translation options include (1) “they enlarged their own territory” (cf. NEB) and (2) “they bragged about [the size] of their own territory.”
- Zephaniah 2:9 tn The Hebrew text reads מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל (mimshaq kharul, “[?] of weeds”). The meaning of the first word is unknown. The present translation (“They will be overrun by weeds”) is speculative, based on the general sense of the context. For a defense of “overrun” on linguistic grounds, see R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 347. Cf. NEB “a pile of weeds”; NIV “a place of weeds”; NRSV “a land possessed by nettles.”
- Zephaniah 2:9 tn The Hebrew text reads וּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַח (umikhreh melakh, “and a [?] of salt”). The meaning of the first word is unclear, though “pit” (NASB, NIV, NRSV; NKJV “saltpit”), “mine,” and “heap” (cf. NEB “a rotting heap of saltwort”) are all options. The words “filled with” are supplied for clarification.
- Zephaniah 2:9 tn Or “The remnant of my people.”
- Zephaniah 2:9 tn Heb “them.” The actual object of the plundering, “their belongings,” has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Zephaniah 2:9 tn Heb “[the] nation.” For clarity the “nation” has been specified as “Judah” in the translation.
- Zephaniah 2:10 tn Heb “this is for them in place of their arrogance.”
- Zephaniah 2:10 tn Heb “made great [their mouth?] against” (cf. the last phrase of v. 8).
Zephaniah 2:8-10
New International Version
Moab and Ammon
8 “I have heard the insults(A) of Moab(B)
and the taunts of the Ammonites,(C)
who insulted(D) my people
and made threats against their land.(E)
9 Therefore, as surely as I live,”
declares the Lord Almighty,
the God of Israel,
“surely Moab(F) will become like Sodom,(G)
the Ammonites(H) like Gomorrah—
a place of weeds and salt pits,
a wasteland forever.
The remnant of my people will plunder(I) them;
the survivors(J) of my nation will inherit their land.(K)”
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