1. This is the word of the Lord that came through Zephaniah while Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, who was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Hezekiah.
2. “I will sweep away everythingfrom the earth,” says the Lord.
3. “I will sweep away the people and animals;I will destroy the birds in the airand the fish of the sea.I will ruin the evil people,and I will remove human beings from the earth,” says the Lord.
4. “I will punish Judahand all the people living in Jerusalem.I will remove from this placeall signs of Baal, the false priests, and the other priests.