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New Revised Standard

Zephaniah 1:17

I will bring such distress upon people that they shall walk like the blind; because they have sinned against the Lord , their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - War;   Wicked (People);   Scofield Reference Index - Day (of Jehovah);   Thompson Chain Reference - Dark Way;   Light-Darkness;   Walking;   Way;   The Topic Concordance - Day of the Lord;   Sin;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Anger of God, the;   Wicked, the, Are Compared to;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Anger;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Zephaniah, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Day of the Lord;   Dust;   Zephaniah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Dung;   Zephaniah (1);   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Day of Judgment;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Dung;   Flesh;   Zephaniah, Book of;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Blindness;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I will bring distress on mankind,and they will walk like the blindbecause they have sinned against the Lord.Their blood will be poured out like dustand their flesh like dung.
Hebrew Names Version
I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
King James Version (1611)
And I will bring distresse vpon men, that they shall walke like blinde men, because they haue sinned against the Lord, and their blood shall bee powred out as dust, and their flesh as the doung.
King James Version
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord : and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
English Standard Version
I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord ; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
New American Standard Bible
I will bring distress on mankind So that they will walk like those who are blind, Because they have sinned against the LORD; And their blood will be poured out like dust, And their flesh like dung.
New Century Version
I will make life hard on the people; they will walk around like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord . Their blood will be poured out like dust, and their insides will be dumped like trash.
Amplified Bible
I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind [unable to find a way of escape], Because they have sinned against the LORD; Their blood will be poured out like dust [and trampled underfoot], And their flesh like dung.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I will bring distresse vpon men, that they shall walke like blind men, because they haue sinned against the Lorde, and their blood shall be powred out as dust, and their flesh as the dongue.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind, Because they have sinned against the LORD; And their blood will be poured out like dust And their flesh like dung.
Legacy Standard Bible
I will bring distress on menSo that they will walk like the blindBecause they have sinned against Yahweh;And their blood will be poured out like dustAnd their flesh like dung.
Berean Standard Bible
I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord warns everyone who has sinned against him, "I'll strike you blind! Then your blood and your insides will gush out like vomit.
Complete Jewish Bible
"I will bring such distress on people that they will grope their way like the blind, because they have sinned against Adonai . Their blood will be poured out like dust and their bowels like dung.
Darby Translation
And I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men; for they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung:
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord said, "I will make life very hard on the people. They will walk around like the blind who don't know where they are going. That will happen because they sinned against the Lord . Their blood will be spilled on the ground. Their dead bodies will lie like dung on the ground.
George Lamsa Translation
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD; and their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
Good News Translation
The Lord says, "I will bring such disasters on the human race that everyone will grope about like someone blind. They have sinned against me, and now their blood will be poured out like water, and their dead bodies will lie rotting on the ground."
Lexham English Bible
And I will bring distress to all humankind, and they shall walk about like the blind, for they sinned against Yahweh; their blood shall be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung.
Literal Translation
And I will bring distress to men, and they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against Jehovah. And their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh like dung.
American Standard Version
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.
Bible in Basic English
And I will send trouble on men so that they will go about like the blind, because they have done evil against the Lord: and their blood will be drained out like dust, and their strength like waste.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I will bring the people into such vexation, that they shall go about like blinde men, because they haue sinned against the Lorde, their blood shalbe powred out as dust, & their bodies as the myre.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I will greatly afflict the men, and they shall walk as blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; therefore he shall pour out their blood as dust, and their flesh as dung.
English Revised Version
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.
World English Bible
I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y schal troble men, and thei schulen walke as blynde, for thei han synned ayens the Lord; and the blood of hem schal be sched out as erthe, and the bodies of hem schulen be as tordis.
Update Bible Version
And I will bring distress on man, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.
Webster's Bible Translation
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
New English Translation
I will bring distress on the people and they will stumble like blind men, for they have sinned against the Lord . Their blood will be poured out like dirt; their flesh will be scattered like manure.
New King James Version
"I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the LORD; Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse."
New Living Translation
"Because you have sinned against the Lord , I will make you grope around like the blind. Your blood will be poured into the dust, and your bodies will lie rotting on the ground."
New Life Bible
I will bring trouble to men so that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like body waste.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And I will bring distress to mankind, and they shall walk like them who are blind, because, against Yahweh, have they sinned, - and their blood, shall be poured out, as dust, and their bowels like dung.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will distress men, and they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as earth, and their bodies as dung.
Revised Standard Version
I will bring distress on men, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
Young's Literal Translation
And I have sent distress to men, And they have walked as the blind, For against Jehovah they have sinned, And poured out is their blood as dust, And their flesh [is] as dung.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I wil bringe ye people into soch vexacion, that they shal go aboute like blinde me, because they haue synned agaynst the LORDE. Their bloude shalbe shed as the dust, & their bodies as the myre.

Contextual Overview

14 The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter, the warrior cries aloud there. 15 That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. 17 I will bring such distress upon people that they shall walk like the blind; because they have sinned against the Lord , their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord 's wrath; in the fire of his passion the whole earth shall be consumed; for a full, a terrible end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they shall: Deuteronomy 28:28, Deuteronomy 28:29, Psalms 79:3, Isaiah 29:10, Isaiah 59:9, Isaiah 59:10, Lamentations 4:14, Matthew 15:14, John 9:40, John 9:41, Romans 11:7, Romans 11:25, 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Peter 1:9, 1 John 2:11, Revelation 3:17

because: Isaiah 24:5, Isaiah 24:6, Isaiah 50:1, Isaiah 59:12-15, Jeremiah 2:17, Jeremiah 2:19, Jeremiah 4:18, Lamentations 1:8, Lamentations 1:14, Lamentations 1:18, Lamentations 4:13-15, Lamentations 5:16, Lamentations 5:17, Ezekiel 22:25-31, Daniel 9:5-19, Micah 3:9-12, Micah 7:13

and their blood: 2 Kings 9:33-37, Psalms 79:2, Psalms 79:3, Psalms 83:10, Jeremiah 9:21, Jeremiah 9:22, Jeremiah 15:3, Jeremiah 16:4-6, Jeremiah 18:21, Lamentations 2:21, Lamentations 4:14, Amos 4:10

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 14:10 - as a man taketh Isaiah 5:25 - torn Jeremiah 8:2 - they shall be Ezekiel 16:38 - shed Ezekiel 30:11 - and fill Micah 2:3 - from

Cross-References

Genesis 9:13
I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Job 38:12
"Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place,
Psalms 8:1

To the leader: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.

O Lord , our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
Psalms 8:3
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;
Acts 13:47
For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I will bring distress upon men,.... Not upon men in general, but particularly on the men of Judea, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; and especially those that were in the fenced cities and high towers; and who might think themselves safe and secure; but, being besieged, should be distressed with famine and pestilence, and with the enemy; and more especially when stormed, and a breach made, and the enemy just entering:

that they shall walk like blind men; not knowing which way to go, where to turn themselves, what methods to take, or course to steer, no more than a blind man. The phrase is expressive of their being at their wits' ends, void of all thought and consultation:

because they have sinned against the Lord; and therefore he gives them up, not only into the hand of the enemy, but unto an infatuation of spirit, and a judicial blindness of mind:

and their blood shall be poured out as dust; in great quantities, like that, without any regard to it, without showing any mercy, and as if it was of no more value than the dust of the earth. The Targum is,

"their blood shall be poured out into the dust;''

or on it, and be drunk up by it:

and their flesh as the dung; or their carcasses, as the same paraphrase; that is, their dead bodies shall lie unburied, and rot, and putrefy, and shall be cast upon fields like dung, to fatten them. The word for "flesh", in the Hebrew language, signifies bread or food; because dead bodies are food for worms; but in the Arabic language, as Aben Ezra and Jarchi observe, it signifies "flesh".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I will bring distress upon men - I will hem them in, in anguish on all sides. God Himself shall meet them with His terrors, wherever they turn. “I will hem them in, that they may find it so” .

That they shall walk like blind men - Utterly bereft of counsel, seeing no more than the blind which way to turn, grasping blindly and franticly at anything, and going on headlong to their own destruction. So God forewarned them in the law; “Thou shalt grope at noon day, as the blind gropeth in darkness” Jer. 10:29; and Job, of the wicked generally, “They meet with the darkness in the day-time, and grope in the noon-day as in the night” Job 5:14; and, “They grope in the dark without light, and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man” Job 12:25; and Isaiah foretelling of those times, “We grope for the wall, as the blind; and we grope, as if we had no eyes; we stumble in the noon-day as in the night. Because they have sinned against the Lord” Isaiah 59:10, and so He hath turned their wisdom into foolishness, and since they have despised Him, He hath made them objects of contempt. “Their blood shall be poured out like dust” 1 Samuel 2:30, as abundant and as valueless; utterly disregarded by Him, as Asaph complains, “their blood have they shed like water” Psalms 79:3; contemptible and disgusting as what is vilest; “their flesh as the dung,” refuse, decayed, putrefied, offensive, enriching by its decay the land, which had been the scene of their luxuries and oppressions. Yet, the most offensive disgusting physical corruption is but a faint image of the defilement of sin. This punishment, in which the carrion remains should be entombed only in the bowels of vultures and dogs, was especially threatened to Jehoiakim; “He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, dragged and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem” Jeremiah 22:19.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Zephaniah 1:17. They shall walk like blind men — Be in the most perplexing doubt and uncertainty; and while in this state, have their blood poured out by the sword of their enemies, and their flesh trodden under foot.


 
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