King James Version

Zephaniah 2:9

Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.

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Hebrew

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לָכֵ֣ןlakhento as... asכֵּןpreposition, adverb — “to as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…חַיchaylifeחַיadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “life”, the ordinary formH2416alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.אָ֡נִיanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.נְאֻם֩neumsaidנְאֻםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “said”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5002an oracle(hath) said, saith.יְהוָ֨הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).צְבָא֜וֹתtsevaotarmyצָבָאnoun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “army”, the ordinary formH6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).אֱלֹהֵ֣יeloheGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…מוֹאָ֞בmoavMoabמוֹאָבnoun, proper name — “Moab”H4124Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendantsMoab.כִּסְדֹ֤םkisdomas Sodomסְדֹםpreposition, noun, proper name — “as Sodom”H5467Sedom, a place near the Dead SeaSodom.תִּֽהְיֶה֙tihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.וּבְנֵ֤יuveneand sonבֵּןconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “and son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […עַמּוֹן֙amonAmmonעַמּוֹןnoun, proper name — “Ammon”H5983Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their countryAmmon, Ammonites.כַּֽעֲמֹרָ֔הkaamorahas Gomorrahעֲמֹרָהpreposition, noun, proper name — “as Gomorrah”H6017Amorah, a place in PalestineGomorrah.מִמְשַׁ֥קmimshaqbreedingמִמְשָׁקnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “breeding”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4476a possessionbreeding.חָר֛וּלcharulnettleחָרוּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “nettle”, the ordinary formH2738properly, pointed, i.e. a bramble or other thorny weednettle.וּמִכְרֵהumikhrehand pitמִכְרֶהconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and pit”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4379a pit (for salt)(salt-) pit.מֶ֥לַחmelachsaltמֶלַחnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “salt”, the ordinary formH4417properly, powder, i.e. (specifically) salt (as easily pulverized and dissolved)salt(-pit).וּשְׁמָמָ֖הushemamahand desolateשְׁמָמָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and desolate”, the ordinary formH8077devastation; figuratively, astonishment(laid, [idiom] most) desolate(-ion), waste.עַדadevenעַדpreposition — “even”H5704as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet.עוֹלָ֑םolamalwayעוֹלָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “alway”, the ordinary formH5769properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) alwaysalway(-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, (n-)) ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world ([phrase] without end). Compare H5331 (נֶצַח), H5…שְׁאֵרִ֤יתsheeritthat had escapedשְׁאֵרִיתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “that had escaped”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7611a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portionthat had escaped, be left, posterity, remain(-der), remnant, residue, rest.עַמִּי֙amipeopleעַםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “people”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.יְבָזּ֔וּםyevazumcatchבָּזַזverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “catch”, an unfinished actionH962to plundercatch, gather, (take) for a prey, rob(-ber), spoil, take (away, spoil), [idiom] utterly.וְיֶ֥תֶרveyeterand cordיֶתֶרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and cord”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3499properly, an overhanging, i.e. (by implication) an excess, superiority, remainder; also a small rope (as hanging free)[phrase] abundant, cord, exceeding, excellancy(-ent), what they leave, that hath left, plentifully, remnant, residue, rest, string, with.גויgvyGentileגּוֹיnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “Gentile”, the ordinary formH1471a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locustsGentile, heathen, nation, people.גּוֹיִ֖יgoyiGentileגּוֹיnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “Gentile”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1471a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locustsGentile, heathen, nation, people.יִנְחָלֽוּםyinchaluminheritנָחַלverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “inherit”, an unfinished actionH5157to inherit (as a (figurative) mode of descent), or (generally) to occupy; causatively, to bequeath, or (generally) distribute, instatedivide, have (inheritance), take as a heritage, (cause to, give to, make to) inherit, (distribute for, divide (for, for an, by), give for, have, leave for, take (for)) inheritance, (have in, cause to, be made to) possess(-ion).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding-place of nettles, and saltpits, and a desolation, for ever; the residue of My people shall spoil them, and the remnant of My nation shall inherit them.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Therefore as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall make a prey of them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them.

Young’s Literal Translation

Therefore, I live, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Surely, Moab is as Sodom, And the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, An overrunning of nettles and salt-pits, And a desolation — unto the age. A residue of My people do seize them, And a remnant of My nation inherit them.

World English Bible

Therefore, as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.

Darby Translation

Therefore, [as] I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall certainly be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall possess them.

Douay-Rheims

Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrha, the dryness of thorns, and heaps of salt, and a desert even for ever: the remnant of my people shall make a spoil of them, and the residue of my nation shall possess them.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall be as Sodoma, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrha; and Damascus shall be left as a heap of the threshing-floor, and desolate for ever: and the remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Διατοῦτο, ζῶ ἐγὼ, λέγει Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, διότι Μωὰβ ὡς Σόδομα ἔσται, καὶ υἱοὶ Ἀμμὼν ὡς Γόμοῤῥα, καὶ Δαμασκὸς ἐκλελειμμένη ὡς θιμωνία ἅλωνος, καὶ ἠφανισμένη εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι λαοῦ μου διαρπῶνται αὐτοὺς, καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι ἔθνους μου κληρονομήσουσιν αὐτούς.