Zephaniah 2:7

7 It will belong to those who are still left alive among the people of Judah. They will find grasslands there. They will take over the houses in Ashkelon and live in them. The LORD their God will take care of them. He will bless them with great success again.

Zephaniah 2:7 Meaning and Commentary

Zephaniah 2:7

And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of
Judah
The same tract of land become so desolate through the Chaldeans, should in future time, when those that remained of the Jews were returned from their captivity in Babylon, be inhabited by them. This was fulfilled in the times of the Maccabees, when the cities of Palestine, being rebuilt, were subdued by the Jews, and fell into their hands; and it is plain that in the times of the apostles those places were inhabited by the Jews, as Gaza, Ashdod, and others, ( Acts 8:26 Acts 8:40 ) and perhaps will, have a further accomplishment in the latter day, when they shall be converted and return to their own land: they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie
down in the evening;
either the shepherds shall feed their flocks here, and cause them to lie down in the evening on the very spot of ground where the houses of Ashkelon stood. This place is very properly represented as on the sea coast; for so it was; Philo F19 says, who some time dwelt there, that it was a city of Syria by the sea: or rather the remnant of Israel shall feed and dwell here, and lie down in safety; and this was made good in a spiritual sense, when the apostles of Christ preached the Gospel in those parts, and were the instruments of converting many; and there they fed them with the word and ordinances, and caused them to lie down in green pastures, in great ease and security: for the Lord their God shall visit them:
in a way of grace and mercy, bringing them out of Babylon into their own land, and enlarging their borders there; and especially by raising up Christ, the horn of salvation, for them; and by sending his Gospel to them, and making it effectual to their conversion and salvation: and turn away their captivity;
in a literal sense from Babylon; and in a spiritual sense from sin, Satan, and the law; and may have a further respect to their present captivity in both senses.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 8. p. 398.

Zephaniah 2:7 In-Context

5 How terrible it will be for you Kerethites who live by the Mediterranean Sea! Philistia, the LORD has spoken against you. What happened to Canaan will happen to you. The LORD says, "I will destroy you. No one will be left."
6 The Kerethites live in the land by the sea. It will become a place for shepherds and sheep pens.
7 It will belong to those who are still left alive among the people of Judah. They will find grasslands there. They will take over the houses in Ashkelon and live in them. The LORD their God will take care of them. He will bless them with great success again.
8 The LORD says, "I have heard Moab make fun of my people. The Ammonites also laughed at them. They told them that bad things would happen to their land.
9 So Moab will become like Sodom," announces the LORD who rules over all. "Ammon will be like Gomorrah. Weeds and salt pits will cover those countries. They will be dry and empty deserts forever. Those who are still left alive among my people will take all of their valuable things. So they will receive those lands as their own. And that is just as sure as I am alive." The LORD is the God of Israel.
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