Zephaniah 2:8

Moab and Ammon

8 “I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land.

Zephaniah 2:8 in Other Translations

KJV
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
ESV
8 "I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory.
NLT
8 “I have heard the taunts of the Moabites and the insults of the Ammonites, mocking my people and invading their borders.
MSG
8 "I've heard the crude taunts of Moab, the mockeries flung by Ammon, The cruel talk they've used to put down my people, their self-important strutting along Israel's borders.
CSB
8 I have heard the taunting of Moab and the insults of the Ammonites, who have taunted My people and threatened their territory.

Zephaniah 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

Zephaniah 2:8

I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the
children of Ammon
Two people that descended from Lot, through incest with his daughters; and are therefore mentioned together, as being of the same cast and complexion, and bitter enemies to the people of the Jews; whom they reproached and reviled, for the sake of their religion, because they adhered to the word and worship of God: this they did when the Jews were most firmly attached to the service of the true God; and the Lord heard it, and took notice of it; and put it down in the book of his remembrance, to punish them for it in due time; even he who hears, and sees, and knows all things: whereby they have reproached my people;
whom he had chosen, and avouched to be his people; and who were called by his name, and called on his name, and worshipped him, and professed to be his people, and to serve and obey him; and as such, and because they were the people of God, they were reproached by them; and hence it was so resented by the Lord; and there being such a near relation between God and them, he looked upon the reproaches of them as reproaches of himself: and magnified [themselves] against their border;
either they spoke reproachfully of the land of Israel, and the borders of it, and especially of the inhabitants of the land, and particularly those that bordered upon them; or they invaded the borders of their land, and endeavoured to add it to theirs; or as the Jews were carried captive by the Chaldeans, as they passed by the borders of Moab and Ammon, they insulted them, and jeered them, and expressed great pleasure and joy in seeing them in such circumstances; see ( Ezekiel 25:3 Ezekiel 25:8 ) . Jarchi represents the case thus; when the children of Israel went into captivity to the land of the Chaldeans, as they passed by the way of Ammon and Moab, they wept, and sighed, and cried; and they distressed them, and said, what do you afflict yourselves for? why do ye weep? are not you going to the house of your father, beyond the river where your fathers dwelt of old? thus jeering them on account of Abraham's being of Ur of the Chaldees.

Zephaniah 2:8 In-Context

6 The land by the sea will become pastures having wells for shepherds and pens for flocks.
7 That land will belong to the remnant of the people of Judah; there they will find pasture. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The LORD their God will care for them; he will restore their fortunes.
8 “I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land.
9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” declares the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, “surely Moab will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah— a place of weeds and salt pits, a wasteland forever. The remnant of my people will plunder them; the survivors of my nation will inherit their land.”
10 This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the LORD Almighty.

Cross References 5

  • 1. S Jeremiah 48:27
  • 2. S Genesis 19:37; S Isaiah 16:6
  • 3. S Ezekiel 21:28
  • 4. Ezekiel 25:3
  • 5. S Lamentations 3:61
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