¶ This is the word of the LORD, which came unto Sophony the son of Chusi, the son of Gedoliah, the son of Amariah the son of Hezkiah: in the time of Iosiah the son of Amon king of Iudah.
I will gather up all things in the land (sayeth the LORD)
I will gather up man and beast: I will gather up the fowls in the air and the fish in the sea (to the great decay of the wicked) and will utterly destroy the men out of the land, sayeth the LORD.
I will stretch out mine hand upon Iudah, and upon all such as dwell at Ierusalem. Thus will I root out the remnant of Baal from this place, and the names of the Remurins and priests:
yea and such as upon their house tops worship and bow them selves unto the host of heaven: which swear by the LORD, and by their Malchom also:
which start back from the LORD, and neither seek after the LORD, nor regard him.
¶ Be still at the presence of the Lord GOD, for the day of the LORD is at hand: yea the LORD hath prepared a slain offering, and called his guests thereto.
And thus shall it happen in the day of the LORD's a slainoffering: I will visit the princes, the king's children, and all such as wear strange clothing.
In the same day also will I visit all those, that tread over the threshold so proudly, which fill their lords' house with robbery and falsity.
At the same time (sayeth the LORD) there shall be heard a great cry from the fish port and an howling from the other port, and a great murder from the hills.
Howl ye that dwell in the mill, for all the merchant people are gone, and all they that were laden with silver, are rooted out.
At the same time will I seek thorow Ierusalem with lanterns, and visit them that continue in their dregs, and say in their hearts: Tush, the LORD will do neither good nor evil.
Their goods shall be spoiled, and their houses laid waste: They shall build houses, and not dwell in them: they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.
¶ For the great day of the LORD is at hand, it is heard by, and cometh on a pace. Horrible is the tidings of the LORD's day, then shall the giant cry out:
for that day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heaviness, a day of utter destruction and misery, a dark and gloomy day, a cloudy and stormy day,
a day of the noise of trumpets and shawmes, against the strong cities and high towers.
I will bring the people to such vexation, that they shall go about like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood shall be shed as the dust, and their bodies as the mire.
Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in that wrothful day of the LORD, but the whole land shall be consumed thorow the fire of his jealousy: for he shall soon make clean riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
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Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.