Zephaniah 2:3
New International Version
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.

New Living Translation
Seek the LORD, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you— protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.

English Standard Version
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.

King James Bible
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

New King James Version
Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger.

New American Standard Bible
Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have practiced His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will remain hidden On the day of the LORD’S anger.

NASB 1995
Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.

NASB 1977
Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger.

Legacy Standard Bible
Seek Yahweh, All you humble of the earth Who have worked His justice; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of Yahweh’s anger.

Amplified Bible
Seek the LORD [search diligently for Him and regard Him as the foremost necessity of your life], All you humble of the land Who have practiced His ordinances and have kept His commandments; Seek righteousness, seek humility [regard them as vital]. Perhaps you will be hidden [and pardoned and rescued] In the day of the LORD’S anger.

Christian Standard Bible
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who carry out what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be concealed on the day of the LORD’s anger.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who carry out what He commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be concealed on the day of the LORD’s anger.

American Standard Version
Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger.

Contemporary English Version
If you humbly obey the LORD, then come and worship him. If you do right and are humble, perhaps you will be safe on that day when the LORD turns loose his anger.

English Revised Version
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Search for the LORD, all you humble people in the land who carry out his justice. Search for what is right. Search for humility. Maybe you will find shelter on the day of the LORD's anger.

Good News Translation
Turn to the LORD, all you humble people of the land, who obey his commands. Do what is right, and humble yourselves before the LORD. Perhaps you will escape punishment on the day when the LORD shows his anger.

International Standard Version
seek the LORD, all you humble people of the land, who do what he commands. Seek righteousness! Seek humility! Maybe you will be protected in the Day of the LORD's anger."

Majority Standard Bible
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.

NET Bible
Seek the LORD's favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble! Maybe you will be protected on the day of the LORD's angry judgment.

New Heart English Bible
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD's anger.

Webster's Bible Translation
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, who have performed his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

World English Bible
Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Seek YHWH, all you humble of the land, "" Who have done His judgment, "" Seek righteousness, seek humility, "" It may be you are hidden in the Day of the anger of YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
Seek Jehovah, all ye humble of the land, Who His judgment have done, Seek ye righteousness, seek humility, It may be ye are hidden in a day of the anger of Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
Seek Jehovah, all ye humble of the earth, who did his judgment; seek justice, seek humility: perhaps ye shall be covered in the day of the anger of Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, you that have wrought his judgment: seek the just, seek the meek: if by any means you may be hid in the day of the Lord's indignation.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth; you who have been working are his judgment. Seek the just, seek the meek. So then, in some way, you might be hidden in the day of the fury of the Lord.

New American Bible
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who have observed his law; Seek justice, seek humility; Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.

New Revised Standard Version
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the LORD’s wrath.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, execute justice; seek righteousness and meekness; perhaps you may find refuge in the day of the LORD'S anger.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Look for LORD JEHOVAH, all of you meek ones of the Earth, and do judgment and seek righteousness and meekness; doubtless you shall find refuge in the day of the wrath of LORD JEHOVAH!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Seek ye the LORD, all ye humble of the earth, That have executed His ordinance; Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth; do judgment, and seek justice, and answer accordingly; that ye may be hid in the day of the wrath of the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Call to Repentance
2before the decree takes effect and the day passes like chaff, before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the Day of the LORD’s anger comes upon you. 3Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.

Cross References
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Matthew 5:10-12
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. / Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. / Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

James 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. / Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Amos 5:4-6
For this is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: “Seek Me and live! / Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing. / Seek the LORD and live, or He will sweep like fire through the house of Joseph; it will devour everything, with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.

Psalm 105:4
Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.

Isaiah 2:10-11
Go into the rocks and hide in the dust from the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty. / The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 26:9
My soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit seeks You at dawn. For when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.

Isaiah 45:19
I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.

Isaiah 51:1
“Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut, and to the quarry from which you were hewn.

Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.

1 Chronicles 16:11
Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.

Psalm 24:3-6
Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? / He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully. / He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from the God of his salvation. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Seek you the LORD, all you meek of the earth, which have worked his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.

Seek ye.

Psalm 105:4
Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

Isaiah 55:6,7
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: …

Jeremiah 3:13,14
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD…

all.

2 Chronicles 34:27,28
Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD…

Psalm 22:26
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

Psalm 25:8,9
Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way…

seek righteousness.

Philippians 3:13,14
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, …

1 Thessalonians 4:1,10
Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more…

1 Peter 1:22
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

it may.

2 Samuel 12:22
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

Joel 2:13,14
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil…

Amos 5:15
Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

hid.

Genesis 7:15,16
And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life…

Exodus 12:27
That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

Psalm 31:20
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Jump to Previous
Anger Carried Commands Covered Earth Executed Eyes Heart Hid Hidden Humble Humility Jehovah's Judgment Kept LORD's Meek Meekness Ones Ordinance Ordinances Performed Perhaps Quiet Right Righteousness Safely Search Seek Sheltered Wrath Wrought
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Anger Carried Commands Covered Earth Executed Eyes Heart Hid Hidden Humble Humility Jehovah's Judgment Kept LORD's Meek Meekness Ones Ordinance Ordinances Performed Perhaps Quiet Right Righteousness Safely Search Seek Sheltered Wrath Wrought
Zephaniah 2
1. An exhortation to repentance.
4. The judgment of the Philistines,
8. of Moab and Ammon,
12. of Ethiopia,
13. and of Assyria.














Seek the LORD
The Hebrew word for "seek" is "דָּרַשׁ" (darash), which implies a diligent pursuit or inquiry. In the context of Zephaniah, this is a call to actively pursue a relationship with God, not merely a passive acknowledgment. Historically, this was a time when Judah was facing impending judgment, and the prophet urged the people to turn back to God with sincerity and urgency. Seeking the LORD involves a wholehearted commitment to understanding His will and aligning one's life with His commands.

all you humble of the land
The term "humble" is translated from the Hebrew "עָנָו" (anav), which refers to those who are meek or lowly in spirit. In the biblical context, humility is a virtue that denotes dependence on God rather than self-reliance. The "land" refers to the nation of Judah, and the humble are those who recognize their need for God amidst the nation's pride and idolatry. This phrase emphasizes that God's favor rests on those who acknowledge their need for Him and submit to His authority.

who have carried out His justice
"Justice" in Hebrew is "מִשְׁפָּט" (mishpat), which encompasses fairness, righteousness, and the proper order of society as ordained by God. Those who have "carried out His justice" are individuals who live according to God's standards, promoting equity and righteousness in their dealings. This phrase highlights the importance of not just internal piety but also external actions that reflect God's character and commands.

seek righteousness
"Righteousness" is derived from the Hebrew "צְדָקָה" (tsedaqah), which signifies living in a way that is morally right and just according to God's standards. Seeking righteousness involves a continuous effort to align one's life with God's laws and principles. In the historical context of Zephaniah, this was a call to return to covenant faithfulness amidst widespread corruption and idolatry.

seek humility
The repetition of "seek" underscores the importance of actively pursuing these virtues. "Humility" here is again related to "עֲנָוָה" (anavah), emphasizing a posture of lowliness and submission before God. In a society often marked by pride and self-exaltation, humility is a counter-cultural stance that acknowledges God's sovereignty and one's own limitations.

Perhaps you will be sheltered
The word "perhaps" introduces a note of hope and possibility. It suggests that while God's judgment is imminent, there is still an opportunity for mercy. "Sheltered" comes from the Hebrew "סָתַר" (sathar), meaning to hide or protect. This implies divine protection for those who earnestly seek God and live according to His ways. It is a promise of refuge amidst the coming judgment.

on the day of the LORD’s anger
The "day of the LORD" is a recurring theme in prophetic literature, referring to a time of divine intervention and judgment. "Anger" in Hebrew is "אַף" (aph), often associated with God's righteous indignation against sin. This phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the reality of God's judgment but also underscores the urgency of repentance and seeking God. The historical context of Zephaniah was a period of impending Babylonian invasion, seen as an instrument of God's judgment on Judah.

Verse 3. - The prophet here addresses especially the pious among the people, urging them to perseverance in the right way. Ye meek of the earth. The humble, peaceable, religious, among the Israelites are primarily meant; whose character is the direct contrary of the proud, self-confident infidels mentioned above (comp. Isaiah 11:4; Amos 2:7). But there is no reason why the admonition should not include the heathen who are striving to live after the light of conscience (Isaiah 24:5; Romans 2:14, etc.). Which have wrought his judgment. Who have fulfilled the ordinances of God's Law. Seek righteousness. This and the following injunction explain what is meant by "seek the Lord" at the beginning of the verse (Deuteronomy 16:20). Seek meekness. Persevere in showing a humble, gentle temper. Septuagint, καὶ ἀποκρίνασθε αὐτά "and answer them." It may be. Even the righteous shall scarcely be saved (comp. 1 Peter 4:17, 18). Ye shall be hid. Ye shall be preserved in the time of judgment (Psalm 27:5; Psalm 31:20; Isaiah 32:2). This recalls the prophet's name, which is interpreted, "Whom the Lord hides" (comp. Amos 5:14, 15).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Seek
בַּקְּשׁ֤וּ (baq·qə·šū)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

the LORD,
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

you humble
עַנְוֵ֣י (‘an·wê)
Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6035: Poor, afflicted, humble, meek

of the earth,
הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

carry out
פָּעָ֑לוּ (pā·‘ā·lū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6466: To do, make, to practise

His justice.
מִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ (miš·pā·ṭōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

Seek
בַּקְּשׁוּ־ (baq·qə·šū-)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

righteousness;
צֶ֙דֶק֙ (ṣe·ḏeq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6664: The right, equity, prosperity

seek
בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ (baq·qə·šū)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

humility.
עֲנָוָ֔ה (‘ă·nā·wāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6038: Condescension

Perhaps
אוּלַי֙ (’ū·lay)
Adverb
Strong's 194: Perhaps

you will be sheltered
תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּ (tis·sā·ṯə·rū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5641: To hide, conceal

on the Day
בְּי֖וֹם (bə·yō·wm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3117: A day

of the LORD’s
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

anger.
אַף־ (’ap̄-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire


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OT Prophets: Zephaniah 2:3 Seek Yahweh all you humble (Zeph. Zep Zp)
Zephaniah 2:2
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