Zephaniah 2 14

Zephaniah 2:14 kjv

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he shall uncover the cedar work.

Zephaniah 2:14 nkjv

The herds shall lie down in her midst, Every beast of the nation. Both the pelican and the bittern Shall lodge on the capitals of her pillars; Their voice shall sing in the windows; Desolation shall be at the threshold; For He will lay bare the cedar work.

Zephaniah 2:14 niv

Flocks and herds will lie down there, creatures of every kind. The desert owl and the screech owl will roost on her columns. Their hooting will echo through the windows, rubble will fill the doorways, the beams of cedar will be exposed.

Zephaniah 2:14 esv

Herds shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of beasts; even the owl and the hedgehog shall lodge in her capitals; a voice shall hoot in the window; devastation will be on the threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare.

Zephaniah 2:14 nlt

The proud city will become a pasture for flocks and herds,
and all sorts of wild animals will settle there.
The desert owl and screech owl will roost on its ruined columns,
their calls echoing through the gaping windows.
Rubble will block all the doorways,
and the cedar paneling will be exposed to the weather.

Zephaniah 2 verses

Zephaniah 2 14 Meaning

Zephaniah 2:14 portrays the utter desolation and irreversible ruin of Nineveh, the proud capital of Assyria. It describes a dramatic reversal where magnificent palaces, symbols of human power and arrogance, become haunts for wild animals and birds of prey. The very places once filled with human activity and royal splendor will resonate only with the cries of desolate creatures, underscoring the completeness of God's judgment and the humiliation of a once-mighty empire. The fine cedar construction, once a mark of luxury, will be exposed and destroyed, serving as a monument to its downfall.

Zephaniah 2 14 Context

Zephaniah 2:14 is part of a series of prophecies against various nations in Zephaniah chapter 2, immediately following the judgment declared upon the Philistines. Specifically, verses 13-15 target Assyria and its capital, Nineveh. The preceding verses (Zep 2:1-3) issue a call for repentance to Judah, acknowledging God's imminent judgment. The global sweep of judgment underscores that God is sovereign over all nations. Nineveh was a symbol of immense human power, military might, and pride, known for its extensive cruelty. The historical context is a time just before Nineveh's final downfall (c. 612 BC), providing a stark prophetic warning that no empire, however mighty, can escape divine reckoning for its arrogance and wickedness.

Zephaniah 2 14 Word analysis

• Flocks shall lie down: (וְרָבְצוּ - wə·rāḇ·ṣū). "To lie down" usually suggests peace or rest. Here, it grimly signifies the new inhabitants—wild animals—comfortably occupying what was once a grand, bustling human space.
• in her midst: Refers directly to Nineveh's ruined buildings and former palaces.
• all kinds of beasts: (כָּל־חַיְתוֹ־גוֹי - kol-ḥay·ṯōw-gō·w) Not just any animals, but specifically "beasts of the field" or "wild animals of the nations/wild beasts." Emphasizes the utter wildness and complete lack of human presence.
• the pelican: (יַקָּת - yaq·qāṯ). A bird associated with desolate, watery, or swampy regions. Its presence symbolizes extreme abandonment and lack of human dwelling, as it often chooses uninhabited ruins. Listed among unclean birds (Lev 11:17-18).
• and the owl: (וָקָפָד - wā·qā·p̄āḏ). Likely a type of screech owl or bird of prey, known for haunting ruins and making mournful cries. Also an unclean bird (Lev 11:17-18). Together with the pelican, they denote a place fit only for the despised and unclean.
• shall lodge in her lintel: (בְּכַפְתּוֹרֶיהָ יָלִינוּ - bə·ḵap̄·tō·w·re·hā yā·lî·nū). The "lintel" (kaphtor) can refer to the capital of a column or a doorway's architrave. This indicates that these birds will dwell in the prominent architectural features of grand buildings, a sign of their utter desecration.
• their voice shall sing in the windows: (קוֹל יְשׁוֹרֵר בַּחַלּוֹן - qō·wl yə·šō·w·rêr ba·ḥal·lō·wn). "Sing" (shir) is used ironically. The cries of these birds are not harmonious songs but mournful, eerie wails echoing through empty, broken windows, creating an auditory landscape of dread and ruin.
• desolation shall be on the threshold: (חֹרֶב בַּסַּף - ḥō·reḇ bas·sap̄). The "threshold" (sap̄) is the very entrance, once teeming with life and activity, now explicitly marked by "desolation" (ḥōreḇ). This confirms the complete abandonment.
• for he shall lay bare the cedar work: (כִּי עֵרָה אַרְזָה - kî ‘ê·rāh ‘ar·zāh). "For" indicates the reason or result of the desolation. "Lay bare" (ʿarah) means to expose, strip naked, implying utter demolition and loss of protective covering. Cedar was expensive, fragrant, and durable wood, often used for royal palaces and temple constructions (e.g., Solomon's Temple). Its destruction or exposure highlights the extent of the ruin of the most opulent structures.
• Flocks shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of beasts: This phrase group establishes the new occupants of Nineveh—wild and untamed creatures replacing human inhabitants, symbolizing the return to a primal, uninhabited state.
• the pelican and the owl shall lodge in her lintel; their voice shall sing in the windows: This grouping provides specific, poignant details of the animal inhabitants, highlighting their usurpation of the most visible and grand parts of the buildings. The "singing" of these birds is an auditory sign of utter abandonment, far from the human sounds that once filled those halls.
• desolation shall be on the threshold: for he shall lay bare the cedar work: This last section describes the final, irreversible state of the structures, with ruin at the very entrance and the precious, protective cedar removed, exposing the structures to decay and ensuring complete destruction.

Zephaniah 2 14 Bonus section

The "pelican" and "owl" are significant choices. In ancient cultures, birds that frequented ruins were often associated with bad omens, uncleanliness, or demonic presence. By depicting these particular birds as the new residents of Nineveh's grand structures, Zephaniah emphasizes not only the physical desolation but also a spiritual emptiness and cursed state, highlighting that the city would become a habitation of that which is wild, untamed, and abhorrent according to the covenant. This imagery connects with similar descriptions of judgment in other prophetic books, such as the downfall of Babylon (Isa 13) or Edom (Isa 34), establishing a pattern of divine judgment leading to such wilderness reclamation.

Zephaniah 2 14 Commentary

Zephaniah 2:14 powerfully illustrates God's sovereign judgment against pride and wickedness. Nineveh, the embodiment of human power and arrogance, is reduced to an animal sanctuary, a stark contrast to its former glory. The imagery of specific unclean birds inhabiting noble lintels and singing mournful cries through windows vividly portrays total desertion. The laying bare of the cedar work signifies the destruction of even the most cherished and durable elements of its luxury, leaving nothing but ruin. It serves as a potent reminder that all human strength, however great, is ephemeral before the righteous judgment of the Almighty. This prophecy also assures God's people that oppressors, though mighty, will eventually face divine reckoning.