Zephaniah 1:12 web — It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on thei…

World English Bible

"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.""

— Zephaniah 1:12, World English Bible

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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. ”

  • 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.”

  • 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.”

Zephaniah 1 — Context

9

In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit.

10

In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.

11

Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off.

12

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."

13

Their wealth will become a spoil, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won't inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won't drink their wine.

14

The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly.

15

That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

Zephaniah 1:12 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Zephaniah 1:12 say?
Zephaniah 1:12 in the World English Bible reads: “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."”
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 (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."” 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.
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