Zephaniah 3:6

6 "I have cut off nations; Their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets ¹desolate, With no one passing by; Their ²cities are laid waste, Without * a man, ³without * an inhabitant.

Zephaniah 3:6 Meaning and Commentary

Zephaniah 3:6

I have cut off the nations
Utterly destroyed them, as the Philistines, Moabites, Ethiopians, and Assyrians, as in the preceding chapters; all which were done before the coming of Christ in the flesh; and by which instances the Jews should have took warning, lest by their sins they should provoke the Lord to destroy their nation, city, and temple: their towers are desolate;
built on their frontiers, or on the walls of their cities, to defend them; these were demolished, and laid waste, and of no use: or, "their corners" ^F2; towers being usually built on the angles or corners of walls. Some interpret this of their princes, nobles, and great men, who were destroyed; see ( Zechariah 10:4 ) : I made their streets waste, that none passeth by;
the streets of their cities, the houses being pulled down by the enemy, the rubbish of them lay in the streets, so that there was no passing for any; and indeed, the houses being demolished, the streets were no more in form: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is
none inhabitant;
the houses being burnt with fire, or pulled down, and plundered of the goods and substance in them, and the people cut off by famine, pestilence, or sword; and the rest carried captive, there was scarce a man or inhabitant left; so general was the destruction.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (Mtwnp) "anguli earum", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Cocceius, Burkius.

Zephaniah 3:6 In-Context

4 Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.

5 The LORD is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame.

6 "I have cut off nations; Their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, With no one passing by; Their cities are laid waste, Without a man, without an inhabitant.

7 "I said, 'Surely you will revere Me, Accept instruction.' So her dwelling will not be cut off According to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.

8 "Therefore wait for Me," declares the LORD , "For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 9:12; Zechariah 7:14; Matthew 23:38
• 2. Leviticus 26:31; Isaiah 6:11
• 3. Zephaniah 2:5