Zephaniah

Zephaniah 1:14–18

¹⁴The great Day of the LORD is near —

near and coming quickly.

Listen, the Day of the LORD!

Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.

¹⁵That day will be

a day of wrath,

a day of trouble and distress,

a day of destruction and desolation,

a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and blackness,

¹⁶a day of horn blast and battle cry

against the fortified cities,

and against the high corner towers.

¹⁷I will bring such distress on mankind

that they will walk like the blind,

because they have sinned against the LORD.

Their blood will be poured out like dust

and their flesh like dung.

¹⁸Neither their silver nor their gold

will be able to deliver them

on the Day of the LORD’s wrath.

The whole earth will be consumed

by the fire of His jealousy.”

For indeed, He will make a sudden end

of all who dwell on the earth.ⁱ

Footnotes

i 1:18 Or of all the people living in the land

Read all of Zephaniah 1

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Zephaniah 1:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The great	הַגָּד֔וֹל	hag·gā·ḏō·wl	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
Day	יוֹם־	yō·wm-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
of the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
is near	קָר֤וֹב	qā·rō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H7138 near
near	קָר֖וֹב	qā·rō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H7138 near
and coming	וּמַהֵ֣ר	ū·ma·hêr	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H4118 hurrying, in a hurry
quickly	מְאֹ֑ד	mə·’ōḏ	Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
Listen	ק֚וֹל	qō·wl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6963 sound, voice
the Day	י֣וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
of the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
Then	שָׁ֥ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
the cry	צֹרֵ֖חַ	ṣō·rê·aḥ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6873 cry, roar
of the mighty	גִּבּֽוֹר׃	gib·bō·wr	Adjective - masculine singular	H1368 strong, mighty
will be bitter	מַ֥ר	mar	Adjective - masculine singular	H4751 bitter, bitterness

Zephaniah 1:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
That	הַה֑וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
day will be	י֥וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
a day	הַיּ֣וֹם	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
of wrath	עֶבְרָ֖ה	‘eḇ·rāh	Noun - feminine singular	H5678 overflow, arrogance, fury
a day	י֧וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
of trouble	צָרָ֣ה	ṣā·rāh	Noun - feminine singular	H6869 id.
and distress	וּמְצוּקָ֗ה	ū·mə·ṣū·qāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H4691 id.
a day	י֤וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
of destruction	שֹׁאָה֙	šō·’āh	Noun - feminine singular	H7722 ravage (?)
and desolation	וּמְשׁוֹאָ֔ה	ū·mə·šō·w·’āh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H4875 desolation
a day	י֥וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
of darkness	חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙	ḥō·šeḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity
and gloom	וַאֲפֵלָ֔ה	wa·’ă·p̄ê·lāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H653 darkness, gloominess, calamity
a day	י֥וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
of clouds	עָנָ֖ן	‘ā·nān	Noun - masculine singular	H6051 cloud-mass, cloud
and blackness	וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃	wa·‘ă·rā·p̄el	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H6205 cloud, heavy cloud

Zephaniah 1:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a day	י֥וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
of horn	שׁוֹפָ֖ר	šō·w·p̄ār	Noun - masculine singular	H7782 horn
and battle cry	וּתְרוּעָ֑ה	ū·ṯə·rū·‘āh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8643 shout or blast of war, alarm, or joy
against	עַ֚ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
the fortified	הַבְּצֻר֔וֹת	hab·bə·ṣu·rō·wṯ	Article; Adjective - feminine plural	H1219 cut off, make inaccessible
cities	הֶעָרִ֣ים	he·‘ā·rîm	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H5892 excitement
and against	וְעַ֖ל	wə·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
the high	הַגְּבֹהֽוֹת׃	hag·gə·ḇō·hō·wṯ	Article; Adjective - feminine plural	H1364 high, exalted
corner towers	הַפִּנּ֥וֹת	hap·pin·nō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H6438 corner

Zephaniah 1:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I will bring such distress	וַהֲצֵרֹ֣תִי	wa·hă·ṣê·rō·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H6887 bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped
on mankind	לָאָדָ֗ם	lā·’ā·ḏām	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
that they will walk	וְהָֽלְכוּ֙	wə·hā·lə·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H1980 go, come, walk
like the blind	כַּֽעִוְרִ֔ים	ka·‘iw·rîm	Preposition-k, Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H5787 blind
because	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they have sinned	חָטָ֑אוּ	ḥā·ṭā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2398 miss
against the LORD	לַֽיהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
Their blood	דָּמָם֙	dā·mām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H1818 blood
will be poured out	וְשֻׁפַּ֤ךְ	wə·šup·paḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - QalPass - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H8210 pour out, pour
like dust	כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר	ke·‘ā·p̄ār	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6083 dry earth, dust
and their flesh	וּלְחֻמָ֖ם	ū·lə·ḥu·mām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3894 intestines, bowels
like dung	כַּגְּלָלִֽים׃	kag·gə·lā·lîm	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1557 dung

Zephaniah 1:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
their silver	כַּסְפָּ֨ם	kas·pām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3701 silver, money
nor	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
their gold	זְהָבָ֜ם	zə·hā·ḇām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2091 gold
will be able	יוּכַ֣ל	yū·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
to deliver them	לְהַצִּילָ֗ם	lə·haṣ·ṣî·lām	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H5337 strip, plunder
on the Day	בְּיוֹם֙	bə·yō·wm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
of the LORD’s	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
wrath	עֶבְרַ֣ת	‘eḇ·raṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H5678 overflow, arrogance, fury
The whole	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
earth	הָאָ֑רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
will be consumed	תֵּאָכֵ֖ל	tê·’ā·ḵêl	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H398 eat
by the fire	וּבְאֵשׁ֙	ū·ḇə·’êš	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H784 fire
of His jealousy	קִנְאָת֔וֹ	qin·’ā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7068 ardour, zeal, jealousy
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
indeed	אַךְ־	’aḵ-	Adverb	H389 surely
He will make	יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה	ya·‘ă·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
a sudden	נִבְהָלָה֙	niḇ·hā·lāh	Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular	H926 alarm, dismay
end	כָלָ֤ה	ḵā·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H3617 completion, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation
of	אֵ֥ת	’êṯ	Direct object marker	H854 with
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
who dwell	יֹשְׁבֵ֖י	yō·šə·ḇê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
on the earth	הָאָֽרֶץ׃ס	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land