Zephaniah2
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,
2before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of Yahweh’s anger comes on you.
3Seek 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.
4For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.
5Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! Yahweh’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you until there is no inhabitant.
6The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.
7The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for Yahweh, their God, will visit them and restore them.
8I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border.
9Therefore, as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.
10This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of Armies.
11Yahweh will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.
12You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
13He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.
14Herds will lie down in the middle of her, all kinds of animals. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams.
15This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and shake their fists.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Zephaniah 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: An exhortation to repentance. (1–3). Judgments upon other nations. (4–15).
vv1-3
The prophet calls to national repentance, as the only way to prevent national ruin. A nation not desiring, that has not desires toward God, is not desirous of his favour and grace, has no mind to repent and reform. Or, not desirable, not having any thing to recommend them to God; to whom God might justly say, Depart from me; but he says, Gather together to me that you may seek my face. We know what God's decree will bring against impenitent sinners, therefore it highly concerns all to repent in the accepted time. How careful should we all be to seek peace with God, before the Holy Spirit withdraws from us, or ceases to strive with us; before the day of grace is over, or the day of life; before our everlasting state is determined! Let the poor, despised, and afflicted, seek the Lord, and seek to understand and keep his commandments better, that they may be more humbled for their sins. The chief hope of deliverance from national judgments rests upon prayer.
vv4-15
Those are really in a woful condition who have the word of the Lord against them, for no word of his shall fall to the ground. God will restore his people to their rights, though long kept from them. It has been the common lot of God's people, in all ages, to be reproached and reviled. God shall be worshipped, not only by all Israel, and the strangers who join them, but by the heathen. Remote nations must be reckoned with for the wrongs done to God's people. The sufferings of the insolent and haughty in prosperity, are unpitied and unlamented. But all the desolations of flourishing nations will make way for the overturning Satan's kingdom. Let us improve our advantages, and expect the performance of every promise, praying that our Father's name may be hallowed every where, over all the earth.
Key Words
קָשַׁשׁ: to forage for straw, stubble or wood; figuratively, to assemble
גּוֹי: a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
טֶרֶם: properly, non-occurrence; used adverbially, not yet or before
חֹק: an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)
יָלַד: to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
עָבַר: to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
מֹץ: chaff (as pressed out, i.e. winnowed or (rather) threshed loose)
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
חָרוֹן: a burning of anger
Cross References
Zephaniah 2Parallel judgment on the same four Philistine cities (Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron) omitting Gath.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Deuteronomy details the 'salt and burning' of Sodom and Gomorrah, echoed in the doom of Moab.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Nineveh's proud boast, 'I am, and there is none beside me,' matches Babylon's boast in Isaiah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The hopeful 'it may be' of escaping God's anger matches Joel's call to repentance.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jeremiah's doom on the Philistines, naming Gaza, Ashkelon, and the remnant of the valley.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel explicitly targets the Cherethites and the sea coast of the Philistines with vengeance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Detailed parallel of wild beasts, pelicans, and bitterns inhabiting ruined, desolated cities.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The call to 'gather together' in a solemn national assembly to avert impending wrath.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
God rising to judgment to save all the meek of the earth.
Supported by JFB
The sudden attack at 'noon day' matches military raids when defenders are off guard.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Zechariah's matching sequence of judgment on Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Philistia.
Supported by JFB
Ezekiel's prophecy against Moab and Ammon for their pride and insolence against Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The historical destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, serving as the archetype for Moab's ruin.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Gentiles worshipping Yahweh, 'every one from his place,' reflecting global monotheistic worship.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Ezekiel's extensive description of Assyria's greatness falling to utter desolation.
Supported by JFB