Zephaniah 3:10

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants [ `ªtaaray (H6282), from `aatar (H6279), to burn incense] - literally, burners of incense (cf. Psalms 141:2; Revelation 5:8, "odours (incense), which are the prayers of saints;" and Revelation 8:3).

Even the daughter of my dispersed. The Israelites are meant, called "the daughter of my dispersed," a Hebrew idiom for my dispersed people. "The rivers of Ethiopia" are those which enclose it on the north. In the west of Abyssinia there has long existed a people called Falashas, or 'emigrants' (akin to the synonym Philistine). These trace their origin to Palestine, and profess the Jewish religion. In physical traits they resemble the Arabs. When Bruce was there they had a Jewish king, Gideon, and his queen, Judith. Probably the Abyssinian Christians were originally in part converted Jews. They are here made the representatives of all Israel, which is to be restored.

Shall bring mine offering - i:e., the offering that is my right. I prefer, with DeWette and the Chaldaic version, making 'suppliants' the objective case, not the nominative. The peoples (Zephaniah 3:8), brought to fear me by my judgments, 'shall bring as mine offering my suppliants (an appropriate term for the Jews, on whom then there shall have been poured "the spirit of supplications," Zechariah 12:10), the daughter of my dispersed.' So Isaiah 66:20, "They shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord." Compare Horsley's view cf Isaiah 18:1; Isaiah 18:7. England in this view may be the naval power to restore Israel to Palestine (Isaiah 60:9). The Hebrew for Ethiopia is Cush, which may include not only Ethiopia, but also the region of Tigris and Babylon, where Nimrod, Cush's son (Genesis 10:8-1), founded Nineveh and acquired Babylon, and where the ten tribes are mentioned as being scattered (1 Peter 1:1; 1 Peter 5:13); and from which quarter ("from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar") "the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people" (Isaiah 11:11). The restoration under Cyrus of the Jews transported by Pharaoh-necho to Egypt and Ethiopia was an earnest of the future restoration under Christ.