Zephanja 3:16

16 An jenem Tage wird zu Jerusalem gesagt werden: Fürchte dich nicht! Zion, laß deine Hände nicht erschlaffen!

Zephanja 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:

Zephanja 3:16 In-Context

14 Jubele, Tochter Zion; jauchze, Israel! Freue dich und frohlocke von ganzem Herzen, Tochter Jerusalem!
15 Jehova hat deine Gerichte weggenommen, deinen Feind weggefegt; der König Israels, Jehova, ist in deiner Mitte, du wirst kein Unglück mehr sehen.
16 An jenem Tage wird zu Jerusalem gesagt werden: Fürchte dich nicht! Zion, laß deine Hände nicht erschlaffen!
17 Jehova, dein Gott, ist in deiner Mitte, ein rettender Held; er freut sich über dich mit Wonne, er schweigt in seiner Liebe, frohlockt über dich mit Jubel.
18 Die wegen der Festversammlung Trauernden werde ich sammeln; sie waren aus dir, Schmach lastete auf ihnen.
The Elberfelder Bible is in the public domain.