Zephaniah 2:3

Seek the Lord’s favor, ¹  all you humble people ²  of the land who have obeyed his commands! ³  Strive to do what is right! ⁴  Strive to be humble! ⁵  Maybe you will be protected ⁶  on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

Ge 7:15,16; Ex 12:27; 2Sa 12:22; 2Ch 34:27,28; Ps 22:26; Ps 25:8,9; Ps 31:20; Ps 32:6,7; Ps 57:1; Ps 76:9; Ps 91:1; Ps 105:4; Ps 149:4; Pr 18:10; Isa 26:20,21; Isa 55:6,7; Isa 61:1; Jer 3:13,14; Jer 4:1,2; Jer 22:15,16; Jer 29:12,13; Jer 39:18; Jer 45:5; Ho 7:10; Ho 10:12; Joe 2:13,14; Am 5:4-6,14,15; Am 5:15; Jon 3:9; Zec 8:19; Mt 5:5; Mt 7:7,8; Php 3:13,14; Col 3:2-4; 1Th 4:1,10; Jas 1:21,22; 1Pe 1:22; 1Pe 3:4; 2Pe 3:18

¹ tn Heb “seek the Lord,” but “favor” seems to be implied from the final line of the verse.

² tn Or “poor.” The precise referent of this Hebrew term is unclear. The word may refer to the economically poor or to the spiritually humble.

³ tn The present translation assumes the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) here refers to God’s covenantal requirements and is a synonym for the Law. The word can mean “justice” and could refer more specifically to the principles of justice contained in the Law. In this case the phrase could be translated, “who have promoted the justice God demands.”

⁴ tn Heb “Seek what is right.”

⁵ tn Heb “Seek humility.”

⁶ tn Heb “hidden.” Cf. NEB “it may be that you will find shelter”; NRSV “perhaps you may be hidden.”