Bunch yourselves together like straw, ¹  you undesirable ²  nation,

biblegateway Zep 2:1

Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame,

Gather yourselves together; gather together, undesirable nation,

Gather yourselves together! Yes, gather together, you shameless nation,

biblegateway Zep 2:1

Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation,

Gather together, yes, gather, O shameless nation,

bibleoremus Zep 2:1

Gather together, gather, O shameless nation,

Humble yourself, unruly nation; be humble,

biblegateway Zep 2:1

Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation,

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

biblegateway Zep 2:1

Bunch yourselves together like straw, ¹  you undesirable ²  nation,

¹ tn The Hebrew text combines a Hitpolel imperative of קָשַׁשׁ (qashash) with a Qal imperative of the same root. Elsewhere this root appears in the polel stem with the meaning “gather stubble.” Zephaniah’s command is ironic, implying the people are like stubble or straw. As such, they are vulnerable to the Lord’s fiery judgment that will quickly consume them (see 1:18). See Adele Berlin, Zephaniah (AB 25A), 96.

² tn Some relate this word to an Aramaic cognate meaning “to be ashamed.” With the negative particle it would then mean “unashamed” (cf. NIV “shameful”; NRSV “shameless”). However, elsewhere in biblical Hebrew the verb means “to desire,” or with the negative particle “undesirable.” Cf. also NEB “unruly.”