What conduct faces visitation?

The heading announces Juda’s sins and severe judgment. The word comes to Sophonias son of Chusi, Godolias, Amarias and Ezechias, in Josias son of Amon’s reign over Juda. God announces gathering from the land’s face: men, beasts, birds, fish and the ungodly’s ruins. The edition explains consuming by captivity or death, without expanding land into the entire globe. Against Juda and Jerusalem, the hand removes Baal’s remnant and wardens’ names with priests. The edition explains wardens as idol-temple servants, with Hebrew Chemarims related to fires or incense. Roof worship of heaven’s host, mixed oaths to the Lord and Melchom, departure from God and failure to seek him are charged; Melchom is identified as Ammon’s idol.

Silence is commanded because the Lord’s day is near, a victim prepared and guests sanctified. Princes, royal sons, strange clothing, arrogant threshold-crossing and houses filled with iniquity and deceit meet visitation. Fish-gate cries, the second part’s howling and hills’ destruction follow. Morter howls over silenced Chanaan people and people wrapped in silver cut off. The edition gives Makt esh as a valley in or near Jerusalem and Chanaan people as Jews imitating their wickedness. Jerusalem is searched with lamps; men settled on lees say God does neither good nor evil, explained as rich ease. Their strength becomes booty, houses deserted; they build without dwelling and plant without drinking wine.

The swift, near day is bitter even for the mighty: wrath, tribulation, distress, misery, darkness, obscurity, cloud, whirlwind, trumpet and alarm against fenced cities and high bulwarks. Men walk like the blind because of sin; blood is poured like earth and bodies like dung. Silver and gold cannot deliver; jealousy’s fire and speedy destruction reach the land’s inhabitants.