Zephaniah 1:12 kjva — And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled…

King James Version with Apocrypha

"And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil."

— Zephaniah 1:12, King James Version with Apocrypha

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

Zephaniah 1:12 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.”

  • ASV

    “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps; and I will punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart, Jehovah will not do good, neither will he do evil. ”

  • WEB

    “It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, "Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil."”

  • NET

    “At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin, those who think to themselves,‘The LORD neither rewards nor punishes.’”

  • DRB

    “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and will visit upon the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their hearts: The Lord will not do good, nor will he do evil.”

  • BBE

    “And it will come about at that time, that I will go searching through Jerusalem with lights; and I will send punishment on the men who have become like wine stored over-long, who say to themselves, The Lord will not do good and will not do evil.”

Zephaniah 1 — Context

9

In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.

10

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

11

Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.

12

And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.

13

Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.

14

The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

15

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

Zephaniah 1:12 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Zephaniah 1:12 say?
Zephaniah 1:12 in the King James Version with Apocrypha reads: “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.”
Where is Zephaniah 1:12 in the Bible?
Zephaniah 1:12 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Zephaniah, chapter 1, verse 12.
Who wrote Zephaniah?
Zephaniah is traditionally attributed to Zephaniah, a descendant of king Hezekiah. It was written c. 640–625 BC.
What is the book of Zephaniah about?
Zephaniah opens with the most thoroughgoing judgment language in the Minor Prophets — a coming day of the LORD against the whole earth — and ends with the LORD himself singing over his redeemed remnant.
What are the major themes of Zephaniah?
Zephaniah explores themes including Day of the LORD, Judgment, Remnant, Joy, Restoration. These themes shape the meaning and context of Zephaniah 1:12.
What translation should I read Zephaniah 1:12 in?
Zephaniah 1:12 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Zephaniah 1:12?
Zephaniah 1:12 reads (KJVA): “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
GodsGoodBook logo

GodsGoodBook

Making God's Word accessible to everyone

Experience the Bible like never before with multiple translations, powerful search tools, and features to make God's Word personal to you. Completely free, forever.

Features

15+ Bible Translations
Powerful Search Tools
Highlight & Annotate
Share Verses
100% Free Forever
© 2025 GodsGoodBookVersion 1.8.2