Zephaniah 3:16

16 In that day it shall be said, Jerusalem, do not thou dread; Zion, thine hands be not benumbed. (On that day it shall be said, Jerusalem, do not thou fear; Zion, let not thy hands be benumbed, or be made limp.)

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 These things saith the Lord, Daughter of Zion, praise thou heartily, sing thou, Israel; be thou glad, and make thou joy withoutforth in all thine heart, thou daughter of Jerusalem. (These things saith the Lord, Daughter of Zion, with a full heart praise thou, yea, sing thou, Israel; be thou happy, and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.)

15 The Lord hath taken away thy doom, [he] hath turned away thine enemies; the king of Israel, the Lord, is in the middle of thee, thou shalt no more dread evil. (The Lord hath stopped thy judgement, or thy punishment, he hath turned away thy enemies; the King of Israel, the Lord, is in thy midst, thou shalt no more fear any evil.)

16 In that day it shall be said, Jerusalem, do not thou dread; Zion, thine hands be not benumbed. (On that day it shall be said, Jerusalem, do not thou fear; Zion, let not thy hands be benumbed, or be made limp.)

17 Thy Lord God is strong in the middle of thee, he shall save [thee]; he shall make joy on thee in gladness, he shall be still in thy loving, he shall make joy withoutforth on thee in praising. (The Lord thy God is strong in thy midst, he shall save thee; he shall rejoice over thee with great happiness, he shall show you his love once again, he shall rejoice over thee with great praise, or with shouts of joy.)

18 I shall gather the fools, either vain men, that went away from the law, for they were of thee, that thou have no more shame on them. (I shall gather the fools, or the empty and useless people, who went away from the Law, for they were of thee, so that no more shalt thou have shame over them.)