Zephaniah 3

Judgment of Jerusalem and the Nations

1 Woe [to you], O rebellious and defiled one! The oppressing city!

2 She listens to no voice; she does not accept correction. In Yahweh she does not trust; to her God she does not draw near.

3 Her officials in her midst [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; they leave nothing until the morning.

4 Her prophets [are] arrogant men of treachery; her priests have defiled [that which is] holy; they do violence to [the] law.

5 Yahweh [is] righteous in her midst; he does not do wickedness. {Morning by morning} he renders his judgment; at dawn he does not fail, but an evil one knows no shame.

6 "I have cut off nations; their strongholds are deserted. I have laid waste their streets, so that none pass through. Their cities have been destroyed [and are] without a man, without an inhabitant.

7 I have said, 'Surely she will fear me; she will accept discipline. Then her dwelling place will not be cut down, [nor] all that I have brought upon her.' Surely they rise early; they make all their deeds corrupt.

8 "Therefore, wait for me"--a declaration of Yahweh-- "for the day of my rising as a witness. For my decision [is] to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out my wrath upon them, all my burning anger. For by the fire of my anger all the land shall be consumed.

9 Because then I will {make the speech of the nations pure}; that all of them might call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him {in unison}.

10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers and the daughter of my scattered ones shall bring my offering.

11 On that day you shall not be humiliated on account of all your deeds [by] which you have rebelled against me. For then I shall remove from your midst those exulting in your pride, and you shall no longer be haughty in {my holy mountain}.

12 And I will leave in your midst a people afflicted and poor, and they shall take refuge in the name of Yahweh.

13 The remnant of Israel shall not do wickedness; they shall not speak deception, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall frighten [them]."

14 Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Cry aloud, O Israel! Rejoice and be jubilant with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

15 Yahweh has annulled your judgments; he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, Yahweh, [is] in your midst; you shall no longer fear misfortune.

16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, "Fear not, O Zion; your hands shall not hang limp.

17 Yahweh your God [is] in your midst; a mighty warrior who saves. He shall rejoice over you with joy; he renews you in his love; he will exult over you with singing.

18 I will gather those of you grieving on account of the feast; they were raising against her a reproach.

19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors; I will save the lame and gather the outcast. I will change them from shame to glory and {renown} throughout the whole world.

20 At that time I will bring you [in]; at the time of my gathering you [together]. For I will make you {renowned} and praised among all the nations of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes," says Yahweh.

Zephaniah 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

Further reproofs for sin. (1-7) Encouragement to look for mercy. (8-13) Promises of future favour and prosperity. (14-20)

Verses 1-7 The holy God hates sin most in those nearest to him. A sinful state is, and will be, a woful state. Yet they had the tokens of God's presence, and all the advantages of knowing his will, with the strongest reasons to do it; still they persisted in disobedience. Alas, that men often are more active in doing wickedness than believers are in doing good.

Verses 8-13 The preaching of the gospel is predicted, when vengeance would be executed on the Jewish nation. The purifying doctrines of the gospel, or the pure language of the grace of the Lord, would teach men to use the language of humility, repentance, and faith. Purity and piety in common conversation is good. The pure and happy state of the church in the latter days seems intended. The Lord will shut out boasting, and leave men nothing to glory in, save the Lord Jesus, as made of God to them wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Humiliation for sin, and obligations to the Redeemer, will make true believers upright and sincere, whatever may be the case among mere professors.

Verses 14-20 After the promises of taking away sin, follow promises of taking away trouble. When the cause is removed, the effect will cease. What makes a people holy, will make them happy. The precious promises made to the purified people, were to have full accomplishment in the gospel. These verses appear chiefly to relate to the future conversion and restoration of Israel, and the glorious times which are to follow. They show the abundant peace, comfort, and prosperity of the church, in the happy times yet to come. He will save; he will be Jesus; he will answer the name, for he will save his people from their sins. Before the glorious times foretold, believers would be sorrowful, and objects of reproach. But the Lord will save the weakest believer, and cause true Christians to be greatly honoured where they had been treated with contempt. One act of mercy and grace shall serve, both to gather Israel out of their dispersions and to lead them to their own land. Then will God's Israel be made a name and a praise to eternity. The events alone can fully answer the language of this prophecy. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but they may rejoice in God's love. Surely our hearts should honour the Lord, and rejoice in him, when we hear such words of condescension and grace. If now kept from his ordinances, it is our trial and grief; but in due time we shall be gathered into his temple above. The glory and happiness of the believer will be perfect, unchangeable, and eternal, when he is freed from earthly sorrows, and brought to heavenly bliss.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "In the morning, in the morning"
• [b]. The traditional Hebrew has "assemble me"; this translation follows LXX
• [c]. Literally "I will turn to the nations a purged lip"
• [d]. Literally "with one shoulder"
• [e]. Literally "the mountain of my holiness"
• [f]. The translation follows the LXX text; the traditional Hebrew text reads "he will silence you in his love"
• [g]. Or "make"
• [h]. Literally "a name"
• [i]. Literally "a name"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ZEPHANIAH 3

In this chapter the character of the city of Jerusalem, and its inhabitants in general, is drawn, as it would be, and as it was, in the times of Christ and his apostles, Zep 3:1,2 and of the principal persons of it in particular, its princes, judges, prophets, and priests, Zep 3:3,4. The hardness, impenitence, and shamelessness of this people, are exposed and aggravated by the just Lord being among them; who, by his example and doctrine, taught them otherwise; yet they were not amended or made ashamed, Zep 3:5 nor received instruction, nor took warning by the judgments of God on other nations, Zep 3:6,7 wherefore the followers of God are called upon to wait his time, who would gather many people together, and destroy the whole land of Judea, Zep 3:8 at which time he would send his Gospel among the Gentiles, who should thereby be brought to the true worship and service of God, Zep 3:9,10 though there should be a remnant among the Jews, according to the election of grace, that should be saved from that general calamity, Zep 3:11-13 and the spiritual Israel are encouraged with promises of better times, when the Jews in general should be converted and gathered into the church of God, have the presence and protection of God with them, and deliverance from all their enemies, and be a praise among all people of the earth, Zep 3:14-20.