Zephaniah 2:3

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land who follow His commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord's anger.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

בַּקְּשׁ֤וּ אֶת־יְהוָה֙ כָּל־עַנְוֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ פָּעָ֑לוּ בַּקְּשׁוּ־צֶ֙דֶק֙ בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ עֲנָוָ֔ה אוּלַי֙ תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּ בְּי֖וֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃

Transliteration

baqqəšû ʾeth-YHWH all-ʿanəwê the-ʾāreṣ who mišpāṭô pāʿālû baqqəšû-ṣedeq baqqəšû ʿănāwâ ʾûlay tissātərû in-yôm ʾap̄-YHWH

Grammar Details

• *baqqəšû*: piel imperative, masculine plural - seek/search for
• *ʾeth-YHWH*: direct object marker + divine name - YHWH
• *ʿanəwê*: adjective, masculine plural construct - humble/meek ones of
• *ʾāreṣ*: noun, feminine singular with definite article - the land/earth
• *mišpāṭô*: noun, masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his judgment/justice
• *pāʿālû*: qal perfect, 3rd person plural - have done/worked/practiced
• *ṣedeq*: noun, masculine singular - righteousness/justice
• *ʿănāwâ*: noun, feminine singular - humility/meekness
• *ʾûlay*: adverb - perhaps/maybe
• *tissātərû*: niphal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural - you will be hidden/you will be sheltered
• *yôm*: noun, masculine singular with preposition - in day of

Word Meanings

• *baqqəšû*: seek/search for/inquire
• *ʿanəwê*: humble ones/meek ones/poor ones
• *pāʿālû*: have done/performed/practiced
• *ṣedeq*: righteousness/justice/what is right
• *ʿănāwâ*: humility/meekness/gentleness
• *tissātərû*: be hidden/be concealed/find shelter

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard 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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have carried out His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hidden in the day of the LORD'S anger.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Seek{H1245} ye Jehovah,{H3068} all ye meek{H6035} of the earth,{H776} that have kept{H6466} his ordinances;{H4941} seek{H1245} righteousness,{H6664} seek{H1245} meekness:{H6038} it may be{H194} ye will be hid{H5641} in the day{H3117} of Jehovah's{H3068} anger.{H639}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Seek{H1245}{(H8761)} ye the LORD{H3068}, all ye meek{H6035} of the earth{H776}, which have wrought{H6466}{(H8804)} his judgment{H4941}; seek{H1245}{(H8761)} righteousness{H6664}, seek{H1245}{(H8761)} meekness{H6038}: it may be{H194} ye shall be hid{H5641}{(H8735)} in the day{H3117} of the LORD'S{H3068} anger{H639}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  yee or the daye of the LORDES sore displeasure come vpon you. Seke the LORDE all yee meke harted vpon earth, ye that worke after his iudgmet: seke rightuousnesse, seke lowlynesse: that ye maye be defended in the wrothfull daye of ye LORDE.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Seeke yee the Lorde all the meeke of the earth, which haue wrought his iudgement: seeke righteousnesse, seeke lowlinesse, if so bee that ye may be hid in the day of the Lords wrath.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Seke the Lorde all ye meeke hearted vpon earth, ye that worke after his iudgement: seke righteousnesse, seke lowlinesse, that ye may be defended in the wrothfull day of the Lorde:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Make search for the Lord, all you quiet ones of the earth, who have done what is right in his eyes; make search for righteousness and a quiet heart: it may be that you will be safely covered in the day of the Lord's wrath.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  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.

Referenced Verses

• Amos 5:14-15 : 14 Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and so the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be with you, just as you have said. 15 Hate evil and love good; establish justice at the gate. Perhaps the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
• Ps 57:1 : 1 To the chief musician: Do not destroy. A miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave.
• Ps 76:9 : 9 From heaven You pronounced judgment, and the earth feared and was still.
• Ps 105:4 : 4 Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually.
• Matt 5:5 : 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
• Ps 22:26 : 26 From you comes my praise in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.
• Isa 26:20-21 : 20 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by. 21 See, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed on it; it will conceal its slain no longer.
• 1 Pet 3:4 : 4 Instead, it should be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
• 2 Pet 3:18 : 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
• Isa 55:6-7 : 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, so that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
• Isa 61:1 : 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.
• Jer 3:13-14 : 13 Only acknowledge your guilt—that you have rebelled against the LORD your God, scattered your favors to strangers under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed my voice,' declares the LORD. 14 Return, faithless children,' declares the LORD, 'for I am your master. I will take you—one from a city and two from a family—and bring you to Zion.
• Jer 4:1-2 : 1 If Israel, declares the LORD, you will return to me, you must remove your detestable things from my presence and not wander away. 2 Then you will swear, 'As the LORD lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness; the nations will bless themselves in Him, and in Him they will glory.
• Jer 22:15-16 : 15 Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Your father ate and drank, but he practiced justice and righteousness, and it went well with him. 16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and it was well with him. Is this not what it means to know me? declares the LORD.
• Jer 29:12-13 : 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.
• Jer 39:18 : 18 Indeed, I will save you, and you will not fall by the sword, but you will have your life as your prize of war, because you trusted in me, declares the Lord.
• Jer 45:5 : 5 And you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them, for behold, I am bringing disaster on all humanity,' declares the LORD, 'but I will give you your life as a prize of war wherever you go.'
• Hos 7:10 : 10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against him, yet they do not return to the LORD their God or seek him in all this.
• Hos 10:12 : 12 Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and showers His righteousness on you.
• Joel 2:13-14 : 13 Tear open your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and he relents from sending calamity. 14 Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing—grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
• Amos 5:4-6 : 4 For this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: Seek me and live. 5 Do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, and do not cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will become nothing but trouble. 6 Seek the Lord and live, or he will rush like fire against the house of Joseph; it will consume everything, and there will be no one to quench it for Bethel.
• Ps 25:8-9 : 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore, he guides sinners in the way. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way.
• Ps 31:20 : 20 How abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked out for those who take refuge in you, in the presence of humanity.
• Ps 32:6-7 : 6 Therefore, let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising floodwaters will not reach them. 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
• Gen 7:15-16 : 15 They came to Noah and entered the ark, two by two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 Those entering, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him, and the Lord shut him in.
• Exod 12:27 : 27 You are to reply, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and spared our homes.' Then the people bowed down and worshiped.
• 2 Sam 12:22 : 22 David answered, 'While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.''
• 2 Chr 34:27-28 : 27 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and its inhabitants, and because you tore your clothes and wept in My presence, I have heard you,' declares the LORD. 28 'Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am about to bring on this place and its inhabitants.'" So they brought back this message to the king.
• Matt 7:7-8 : 7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
• Phil 3:13-14 : 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
• Col 3:2-4 : 2 Set your minds on the things above, not on the things on the earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
• 1 Thess 4:1 : 1 Finally, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, just as you received instructions from us on how you ought to live and please God, that you would excel even more.
• 1 Thess 4:10 : 10 And indeed you are doing this toward all the brothers in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel even more.
• Jas 1:21-22 : 21 Therefore, rid yourselves of all moral filth and the excess of evil, and humbly accept the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• 1 Pet 1:22 : 22 Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
• Ps 149:4 : 4 For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.
• Prov 18:10 : 10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
• Isa 11:4 : 4 But he will judge the poor with righteousness, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
• Ps 91:1 : 1 The one who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
• Jonah 3:9 : 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and withdraw His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”
• Zech 8:19 : 19 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will be joyful and glad occasions and pleasant festivals for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace.