Zephaniah 3:16

16 in die illa dicetur Hierusalem noli timere Sion non dissolvantur manus tuae

Zephaniah 3:16 Meaning and Commentary

Zephaniah 3:16

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, fear thou not,
&c.] Do not be afraid of any enemies; neither outward ones, the armies of Gog and Magog, the Turk, who will threaten, and will attempt to dispossess them of their land, now returned to it; nor inward and spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, death, and hell, being all vanquished and subdued by Christ: this will be said, not by the enemies themselves, who will confess they have no power to stand before the mighty God, as Aben Ezra; but either by the prophets of the Lord, or by the people themselves, encouraging one another, every man his neighbour, as Kimchi; or rather by the Lord himself, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions supply it,

``the Lord shall say to Jerusalem;''
this will be said at the time of the Jews' conversion, when reinstated in their own land, and shall be threatened with another remove from it, which they will have no reason to fear: [and to] Zion, Let not thine hands be slack;
weak, remiss, hang down through fear of mind, and fainting of spirit; and so unfit to meet the enemy, or perform duty; but, on the contrary, pluck up a good heart, be of good courage, fear not the enemy, be vigorous, active, and diligent, in the performance of the service of the Lord, animated by the following considerations:

Zephaniah 3:16 In-Context

14 lauda filia Sion iubilate Israhel laetare et exulta in omni corde filia Hierusalem
15 abstulit Dominus iudicium tuum avertit inimicos tuos rex Israhel Dominus in medio tui non timebis malum ultra
16 in die illa dicetur Hierusalem noli timere Sion non dissolvantur manus tuae
17 Dominus Deus tuus in medio tui Fortis ipse salvabit gaudebit super te in laetitia silebit in dilectione tua exultabit super te in laude
18 nugas qui a lege recesserant congregabo quia ex te erant ut non ultra habeas super eis obprobrium
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.