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Zephaniah
Wheel of Heaven Translation
Zephaniah 1: the great day of YHWH is near
Direct
Established or uncontested across mainstream sources, or a direct description of the project itself.
The MethodZephaniah (Hebrew Tsefanyah) prophesied in Judah in the days of Josiah. This translation covers Zephaniah 1, the chapter that the Raëlian canon cites: YHWH will sweep away everything from the face of the ground; judgment on those who worship the host of the heavens on the housetops; and "near is the great day of YHWH". Verses with a note end in a bracketed marker [ ]; select it to open the note.
About this translation
- Edition
- Pointed Hebrew Masoretic text of the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), via Sefaria. The English translation and notes are released CC0.
- Coverage
- Chapter 1 translated (18 verses): every chapter of the book cited in the Raëlian canon. The rest of the book is not translated.
- Review status
- Reviewed and signed off.
Zephaniah 1 — The great day of YHWH is near
2
I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, declares YHWH.
I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.
אָסֹ֨ף אָסֵ֜ף כֹּ֗ל מֵעַ֛ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
3
I will consume human and beast; I will consume the birds of the skies and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off the human from off the face of the ground, declares YHWH.
I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.
אָסֵ֨ף אָדָ֜ם וּבְהֵמָ֗ה אָסֵ֤ף עוֹף־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וּדְגֵ֣י הַיָּ֔ם וְהַמַּכְשֵׁל֖וֹת אֶת־הָרְשָׁעִ֑ים וְהִכְרַתִּ֣י אֶת־הָאָדָ֗ם מֵעַ֛ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
4
And I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal, the name of the Chemarim with the priests,
And I will stretch out my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, [and] the name of the Chemarim with the priests;
וְנָטִ֤יתִי יָדִי֙ עַל־יְהוּדָ֔ה וְעַ֖ל כָּל־יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְהִכְרַתִּ֞י מִן־הַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ אֶת־שְׁאָ֣ר הַבַּ֔עַל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַכְּמָרִ֖ים עִם־הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃
5
and those who worship the host of the heavens on the housetops, and those who worship, who swear to YHWH and swear by Malcam,
and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship, that swear to Jehovah and swear by Malcam;
וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥ים עַל־הַגַּגּ֖וֹת לִצְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְאֶת־הַמִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ הַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְהַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים בְּמַלְכָּֽם׃
6
and those who have turned back from following YHWH, and who have not sought YHWH nor inquired of him.
and them that are turned back from following Jehovah; and those that have not sought Jehovah, nor inquired after him.
וְאֶת־הַנְּסוֹגִ֖ים מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַאֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א דְרָשֻֽׁהוּ׃
7
Be silent before the Lord YHWH! For the day of YHWH is near; for YHWH has prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests.
Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is at hand: for Jehovah hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath consecrated his guests.
הַ֕ס מִפְּנֵ֖י אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה כִּ֤י קָרוֹב֙ י֣וֹם יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־הֵכִ֧ין יְהוָ֛ה זֶ֖בַח הִקְדִּ֥ישׁ קְרֻאָֽיו׃
8
And it shall come to pass on the day of YHWH's sacrifice that I will punish the officials and the king's sons, and all who are clothed in foreign apparel.
And it shall come to pass in the day of Jehovah`s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king`s sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.
וְהָיָ֗ה בְּיוֹם֙ זֶ֣בַח יְהוָ֔ה וּפָקַדְתִּ֥י עַל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הַלֹּבְשִׁ֖ים מַלְבּ֥וּשׁ נָכְרִֽי׃
9
And on that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit.
And in that day I will punish all those that leap over the threshold, that fill their master`s house with violence and deceit.
וּפָקַדְתִּ֗י עַ֧ל כָּל־הַדּוֹלֵ֛ג עַל־הַמִּפְתָּ֖ן בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא הַֽמְמַלְאִ֛ים בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנֵיהֶ֖ם חָמָ֥ס וּמִרְמָֽה׃ (ס)
10
And it shall come to pass on that day, declares YHWH, that there shall be the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate, and a wailing from the Second Quarter, and a great crash from the hills.
And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.
וְהָיָה֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא נְאֻם־יְהוָ֗ה ק֤וֹל צְעָקָה֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר הַדָּגִ֔ים וִֽילָלָ֖ה מִן־הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּד֖וֹל מֵהַגְּבָעֽוֹת׃
11
Wail, you inhabitants of the Mortar, for all the merchant people are undone; all who were laden with silver are cut off.
Wail, ye inhabitants of Maktesh; for all the people of Canaan are undone; all they that were laden with silver are cut off.
הֵילִ֖ילוּ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הַמַּכְתֵּ֑שׁ כִּ֤י נִדְמָה֙ כָּל־עַ֣ם כְּנַ֔עַן נִכְרְת֖וּ כָּל־נְטִ֥ילֵי כָֽסֶף׃
12
And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their lees, who say in their heart, "YHWH will not do good, nor will he do evil."
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.
וְהָיָה֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא אֲחַפֵּ֥שׂ אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בַּנֵּר֑וֹת וּפָקַדְתִּ֣י עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַקֹּֽפְאִים֙ עַל־שִׁמְרֵיהֶ֔ם הָאֹֽמְרִים֙ בִּלְבָבָ֔ם לֹֽא־יֵיטִ֥יב יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יָרֵֽעַ׃
13
And their wealth shall become a spoil, and their houses a desolation; they shall build houses but not inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards but not drink their wine.
And their wealth shall become a spoil, and their houses a desolation: yea, they shall build houses, but shall not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink the wine thereof.
וְהָיָ֤ה חֵילָם֙ לִמְשִׁסָּ֔ה וּבָתֵּיהֶ֖ם לִשְׁמָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֤וּ בָתִּים֙ וְלֹ֣א יֵשֵׁ֔בוּ וְנָטְע֣וּ כְרָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁתּ֖וּ אֶת־יֵינָֽם׃
14
Near is the great day of YHWH, near and hastening greatly — the sound of the day of YHWH; the mighty man cries out there bitterly.
The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near and hasteth greatly, [even] the voice of the day of Jehovah; the mighty man crieth there bitterly.
קָר֤וֹב יוֹם־יְהוָה֙ הַגָּד֔וֹל קָר֖וֹב וּמַהֵ֣ר מְאֹ֑ד ק֚וֹל י֣וֹם יְהוָ֔ה מַ֥ר צֹרֵ֖חַ שָׁ֥ם גִּבּֽוֹר׃
15
That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
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,
י֥וֹם עֶבְרָ֖ה הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא י֧וֹם צָרָ֣ה וּמְצוּקָ֗ה י֤וֹם שֹׁאָה֙ וּמְשׁוֹאָ֔ה י֥וֹם חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ וַאֲפֵלָ֔ה י֥וֹם עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃
16
a day of the shofar and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high battlements.
a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements.
י֥וֹם שׁוֹפָ֖ר וּתְרוּעָ֑ה עַ֚ל הֶעָרִ֣ים הַבְּצֻר֔וֹת וְעַ֖ל הַפִּנּ֥וֹת הַגְּבֹהֽוֹת׃
17
And I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against YHWH; and their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
And 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.
וַהֲצֵרֹ֣תִי לָאָדָ֗ם וְהָֽלְכוּ֙ כַּֽעִוְרִ֔ים כִּ֥י לַֽיהוָ֖ה חָטָ֑אוּ וְשֻׁפַּ֤ךְ דָּמָם֙ כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר וּלְחֻמָ֖ם כַּגְּלָלִֽים׃
18
Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of YHWH's wrath; and the whole earth shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Neither 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.
גַּם־כַּסְפָּ֨ם גַּם־זְהָבָ֜ם לֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהַצִּילָ֗ם בְּיוֹם֙ עֶבְרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה וּבְאֵשׁ֙ קִנְאָת֔וֹ תֵּאָכֵ֖ל כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־כָלָ֤ה אַךְ־נִבְהָלָה֙ יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֵ֥ת כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס)
Editorial history
Review record. The chapter file carries status: stable (v1.0.0) with a named human reviewer (zarazinsfuss), signed off on 2026-11-01 in the Latter Prophets wave (LP1) of the canon-cited program. The editor report, the reviewer reports in the chapter files and the sign-off package (data-library/zechariah-woh/wave-lp1-signoff-package.md) record every decision.
Selection. Part of the program to translate, as whole chapters, every biblical chapter that the three Raëlian canon books (The Book Which Tells the Truth, Extra-Terrestrials Took Me to Their Planet, Let's Welcome the Extra-Terrestrials) cite. With this release the program is complete: 87 chapters.
Conventions. The prophetic volumes follow the Isaiah conventions: ʾĕlōhîm is "God", ʾereṣ "earth" in cosmic contexts and "land" for territory, divine rûaḥ a lower-case "spirit", tôrâ "teaching", maśśāʾ "oracle", and nəʾum YHWH "declares YHWH". Proper names are in their English forms. The canon's readings appear only in notes headed "Wheel of Heaven reading (reception note, not a translation claim)".
Production. Drafted by Claude Opus 5.5 and taken through the Wheel of Heaven Translation Program pipeline (Translator → Editor → Reviewer → human sign-off). Central glossary 2.84.0–2.90.0; zephaniah-woh overlay v1.0.0. Reference translation: ASV (1901). Methodology: Source-Text Translation.
dəḇar-YHWH ʾăšer hāyâ ʾel-ṣəp̄anyâ 'The word of YHWH that came to Zephaniah' (central
davar-yhwh-prophetic-formula). The four-generation genealogy is unusually long and reaches back to a Hezekiah, perhaps the king (Berlin, Zephaniah, AB 25A, 1994). ben-kûšî 'son of Cushi': kûšî is a personal name here (as Jer 36:14), though the word also means 'the Cushite'. English name forms throughout (house-conventions-latter-prophets). The setting is the reign of Josiah (640-609 BCE), before or during his reform (2 Kgs 22-23).