Zephaniah 1:18
What does Zephaniah 1:18 mean?
A plain-English look at Zephaniah 1:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Zephaniah 1:18 means
Wealth is powerless before God’s wrath. Neither silver nor gold can ransom a soul or a city when the day of Jehovah comes. The “fire of his jealousy” speaks of God’s passionate, covenant love that will not tolerate rivals; it burns against idolatry and injustice. The judgment will be comprehensive—the whole land devoured, a terrible end for all who persist in rebellion. This final word presses the reader to seek a refuge not found in money, power, or position. The New Testament reveals that refuge in Jesus Christ, who bears wrath for sinners and secures deliverance in the ultimate day. Here, the call is urgent: do not trust in riches; seek the Lord’s mercy.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he will make an end, yea, a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he will make an end, yea, a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Even their silver and their gold will not be able to keep them safe in the day of the Lord's wrath; but all the land will be burned up in the fire of his bitter wrath: for he will put an end, even suddenly, to all who are living in the land.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Even their silver, even their gold, Is not able to deliver them in a day of the wrath of Jehovah, And in the fire of His jealousy consumed is the whole land, For only a hastened end doth He make Of all the inhabitants of the land!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Neither shall their silver and their gold be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: all the land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy destruction of all them that dwell in the land.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them, in the day of Jehovah's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for a full end, yea, a sudden [end], shall he make of all them that dwell in the land.
Context
Concluding the chapter, verse 18 sums up the message: the coming day of Jehovah cannot be bought off or resisted by human means. After detailing sins, targets, alarms, and reasons, the prophet ends with the total, fiery certainty of judgment. This prepares the way for later calls to repentance and hope in the book, but here the stress falls on urgency—Judah must face God’s jealousy and turn before the end overtakes them.
v.17And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.
v.18This passage
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 24:1
Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
- Zephaniah 3:8
Therefore wait ye for me, saith Jehovah, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
- Jeremiah 9:23
Thus saith Jehovah, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches;
- 1 Kings 14:22
And Judah did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done.
- Ezekiel 16:38
And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring upon thee the blood of wrath and jealousy.
- Zephaniah 1:2
I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.
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