Zephaniah 2:2 
Context| NET © | before God’s decree becomes reality 1 and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, 2 before the Lord’s raging anger 3 overtakes 4 you – before the day of the Lord’s angry judgment overtakes you! |
| NIV © | before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon you. |
| NASB © | Before the decree takes effect— The day passes like the chaff— Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you. |
| NLT © | Gather while there is still time, before judgment begins and your opportunity is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the LORD falls and the terrible day of the LORD’s anger begins. |
| MSG © | Do it before you're blown away like leaves in a windstorm, Before GOD's Judgment-anger sweeps down on you, Before GOD's Judgment Day wrath descends with full force. |
| BBE © | Before the Lord sends you violently away in flight like the waste from the grain; before the burning wrath of the Lord comes on you, before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes on you. |
| NRSV © | before you are driven away like the drifting chaff, before there comes upon you the fierce anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the Lord’s wrath. |
| NKJV © | Before the decree is issued, Or the day passes like chaff, Before the LORD’S fierce anger comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you! |
| KJV | |
| NASB © | |
| HEBREW | |
| LXXM | |
| NET © [draft] ITL | before <02962> God’s decree <02706> becomes reality <03205> and the day <03117> of opportunity disappears <05674> like windblown chaff <04671> , before <02962> the Lord’s <03068> raging <02740> anger <0639> overtakes <0935> you– before <02962> the day <03117> of the Lord’s <03068> angry <0639> judgment overtakes you!<0935> |
| NET © | before God’s decree becomes reality 1 and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, 2 before the Lord’s raging anger 3 overtakes 4 you – before the day of the Lord’s angry judgment overtakes you! |
| NET © Notes |
1 tn Heb “before the giving birth of a decree.” For various alternative readings, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 187-88. 2 tn The second half of the line reads literally, “like chaff it passes by a day.” The translation above assumes the “day” is the brief time God is giving the nation to repent. The comparison of this quickly passing opportunity to chaff is consistent with the straw imagery of v. 1. 3 tn Heb “the fury of the anger of the 4 tn Heb “comes upon.” This phrase occurs twice in this verse. |
