“Trouble is coming to the rebellious, the defiled, the tyrannical city! She would never listen to the call, would never learn the lesson; she has never trusted in Yahweh, never drawn near to her God. The leaders she harbours are roaring lions, her judges, wolves at evening that have had nothing to gnaw that morning. Her prophets are braggarts, they are impostors; her priests profane the holy things, they do violence to the Law.
“Yahweh is in her, He is just and honorable; He never does wrong. Morning by morning, He makes His Law known, each dawn unfailingly; He knows no injustice.
“I have wiped out nations, their corner-towers lie in ruins. I have emptied their streets, no one walks there; their towns have been sacked: no one left there, no more inhabitants. ‘At least,’ I used to say, ‘you will fear me now, you will learn the lesson. She cannot lose sight of the many times I have punished her.’ But no, it only made them more anxious to see that all they did was corrupt.
“Therefore, expect Me – it is Yahweh who speaks – on the day I stand up to make My accusation; for I am determined to gather the nations, to assemble the kingdoms and to pour out My fury on you, the whole heat of My anger.
“Yes, I will then give the peoples lips that are clean, so that all may invoke the Name of Yahweh and serve Him under the same yoke. From beyond the banks of the rivers of Ethiopia, My suppliants will bring Me offerings.
“When that day comes, you need feel no shame for all the misdeeds you have committed against Me; for I will remove your proud boasters from your midst; and you will cease to strut on My holy mountain. In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the Name of Yahweh. They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths. But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them” (Zeph 3:1-13).
