Zephaniah 2:1-9

Judgment on Judah’s Enemies

1 Gather together, yes, gather, O ¹shameless nation,

2 ²before the decree takes effect^[a]—before the day passes away ³like chaff— ⁴before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord.

3 ⁵Seek the Lord, ⁶all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; ^{[b] 7}seek righteousness; seek humility; ⁸perhaps ⁹you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord.

4 ¹⁰For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.

5 Woe to ¹¹you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of ¹²the Cherethites! ¹³The word of the Lord is against you, ¹⁴O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you ¹⁵until no inhabitant is left.

6 ¹⁶And you, O seacoast, ¹⁷shall be pastures, with meadows^[c] for shepherds and folds for flocks.

7 ¹⁸The seacoast shall become the possession of ¹⁹the remnant of the house of Judah, ²⁰on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God ²¹will be mindful of them and ²²restore their fortunes.

8 “I have heard ²³the taunts of Moab and ²⁴the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts ²⁵against their territory.

9 Therefore, ²⁶as I live, ” declares the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Moab shall become ²⁷like Sodom, and the Ammonites ²⁸like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them. ”

Zephaniah 2:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZEPHANIAH 2

In this chapter the prophet exhorts the Jews to repentance; and foretells the destruction of several neighbouring nations. The body of the people of the Jews in general are first called upon to gather together and humble themselves, who were a people neither desirable, nor deserving of the favours of God, nor desirous of them, Zep 2:1 and to this they are pressed, from the consideration of God's decree of vengeance being ready to bring forth and break forth upon them, Zep 2:2 and then the few godly among them are exhorted to seek the Lord, and what is agreeable to him; since there was at least a probability of their being protected by him in a time of general calamity, Zep 2:3 and that the destruction of this people might appear the more certain, and that they might have no dependence on their neighbours, the prophet proceeds to predict the ruin of several of them, particularly the Philistines; several places belonging to them are by name mentioned, and the whole land threatened with desolation; the maritime part of it to be only inhabited by shepherds and their flocks; and afterwards the coast possessed by the Jews, on their return from their captivity, Zep 2:4-7. Next the Moabites and Ammonites are prophesied of; whose destruction should come upon them for their pride, and for their contempt and reviling of the people of God; and which should be like that of Sodom and Gomorrah; and would issue in the abolition of idolatry, and the setting up of the worship of God in their country, and elsewhere, Zep 2:8-11. As for the Ethiopians, they should be slain with the sword, Zep 2:12 and the whole monarchy of Assyria, with Nineveh the metropolis of it, should be utterly laid waste, and become a desolation, and a wilderness; and the habitation, not only of flocks, but of beasts and birds of prey, Zep 2:13-15.

Cross References

• 1. 2:1 Jer. 6:15
• 2. 2:2 [ch. 3:8]
• 3. 2:2 Ps. 1:4
• 4. 2:2 [2 Kgs. 23:26]
• 5. 2:3 See Amos 5:6
• 6. 2:3 Ps. 76:9; Isa. 11:4
• 7. 2:3 [Amos 5:14, 15]
• 8. 2:3 [Amos 5:14, 15]
• 9. 2:3 [Isa. 2:10; 26:20, 21]
• 10. 2:4 Zech. 9:5, 6; [Jer. 47:5]; See Amos 1:6-8
• 11. 2:5 Jer. 47:7; Ezek. 25:16
• 12. 2:5 See 1 Sam. 30:14
• 13. 2:5 [Nah. 2:13]
• 14. 2:5 [Josh. 13:3]
• 15. 2:5 ch. 3:6
• 16. 2:6 ver. 7
• 17. 2:6 Isa. 65:10
• 18. 2:7 [Josh. 19:29]
• 19. 2:7 [ch. 3:13; Obad. 19]
• 20. 2:7 [See ver. 6 above]
• 21. 2:7 Zech. 10:3; Luke 1:68
• 22. 2:7 ch. 3:20
• 23. 2:8 [Jer. 48:27]
• 24. 2:8 Ezek. 25:3, 6
• 25. 2:8 [Jer. 49:1]
• 26. 2:9 Isa. 49:18; See Ezek. 16:48
• 27. 2:9 Deut. 29:23; See Isa. 13:19
• 28. 2:9 Deut. 29:23; See Isa. 13:19

Footnotes

• [a] 2:2 Hebrew 'gives birth'
• [b] 2:3 Or 'who carry out his judgment'
• [c] 2:6 Or 'caves'