ZEPHANIAH CHAPTER 1 THE WORD; the declaration of the purpose of God, either spoken audibly, or clearly manifested by signs. OF THE LORD, God of Israel; here is the Divine authority of this prophecy with which the prophet's word is seconded. WHICH CAME: the precise manner how it came we need not i... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL UTTERLY CONSUME, Heb. _Gathering up I will gather up_, or take up, intimating particularly the manner how all should be consumed, i.e. swept away as a prey to the Babylonians. FROM OFF THE LAND of Judah, the two tribes. SAITH THE LORD: this is added to confirm and assure the truth hereof.... [ Continue Reading ]
The former verse denounced the future desolation in general terms. This verse specifieth what desolation in particular God would bring upon the land. I WILL CONSUME MAN AND BEAST; man shall be consumed for his own sin, and the beasts consumed for man's sake; men by the pestilence and famine, the bea... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ALSO, Heb. _And I will, or, And I have_; so prophets speak of what shall most certainly be as if already done. STRETCH OUT MINE HAND: this seems to intimate. some immediate stroke from God, he speaks so in JEREMIAH 51:25 EZEKIEL 6:14, EZEKIEL 14:13 25:13. UPON JUDAH; Benjamin is included, tho... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEM THAT WORSHIP; those among the people that adhered to this idolatry. THE HOST OF HEAVEN; the sun, moon, and stars, frequently in the Scripture called the host of heaven. UPON THE HOUSE-TOPS; openly, as the manner of those idolaters was, either because they thought those deities they imagined... [ Continue Reading ]
THEM THAT ARE TURNED BACK; apostates, who have forsaken the Lord and his worship, or that are turned atheists, or that in matter of religion have taken up not what is purest and truest, but what is nearest and most in fashion. THAT HAVE NOT SOUGHT THE LORD; sluggishly neglected to examine pretended... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLD THY PEACE; thou that murmurest in discontent, or disputest out of frowardness against God, his worship, and his government, that thinkest of him but little better than of Baal or Malcham, cease all thy quarrels and dispute, stand in awe. AT THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD GOD; who is almighty, omnisci... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL COME TO PASS; it shall most certainly be fulfilled what I threaten I will most surely execute. IN THE DAY OF THE LORD'S SACRIFICE; of slaughter to be made by the Babylonians, called here a day of sacrifice, that we might see clearly the just and exemplary proceedings of God; these people si... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SAME DAY; not to be taken for a single day, but more largely for that time wherein God would visit and punish. THAT LEAP ON THE THRESHOLD; insolently, and with rage, break open the doors of such whose goods they seize, upon pretence of forfeitures or fines; a sin that Ezekiel both taxed and t... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY: see ZEPHANIAH 1:9. SAITH THE LORD; to assure us of the certainty of the thing. THE NOISE, Heb. _the voice, of a cry_, i.e. a very great outcry and lamentation, from the fish-gate, which was on the west side of Jerusalem, through which gate they brought in fish from Joppa and other sea t... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWL, cry aloud, and bitterly, YE INHABITANTS OF MAKTESH: some read it appellatively: the mortar in which of old, before the corn-mill was known and used, they did pound and beat their corn for bread; they also pounded spices. Others say it is the lower town, or valley of Cedron in Jerusalem, a deep... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THAT TIME; it was DAY. ZEPHANIAH 1:10, which see. I WILL SEARCH JERUSALEM WITH CANDLES: God speaks after the manner of man, who searcheth dark places with candles in hand. God's omniscience seeth all things, and-needs no help for discovery, but by this expression he foretells how fully he would b... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE; as a punishment for other sins, so for this secure, atheistical denial of Providence; though they have denied, they shall feel, and confess, that the evil they suffer is both just, and from my hand too. THEIR GOODS; stores in their shops and warehouses, furniture in their chambers, and wa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GREAT DAY; not the day of general judgment, but the day in which the great God will bring his great armies against Judah and Jerusalem, and do great things by those armies. OF THE LORD; appointed, foretold, and now actually brought on them by the Lord. IT IS NEAR; very near; it is doubled to sho... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT DAY, great day, ZEPHANIAH 1:14, IS A DAY OF WRATH, from the Chaldeans; and from the Lord, actively, upon the Jews, passively. A DAY OF TROUBLE AND DISTRESS: here the prophet heapeth up words of much the same sense, to express the grievousness of the troubles of those times which shall suddenly... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRUMPET; God's trumpet calling the Chaldeans, the Chaldeans trumpet also gathering together their troops. ALARM, threatening and affrighting, against the fenced cities of Judah. THE HIGH TOWERS; stately palaces and strong munitions, fortified with high towers, built at the angles of walls, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL BRING DISTRESS; cast them into, and surround or besiege them with distress, calamities which shall greatly trouble and perplex. UPON MEN; the chiefest among them, the richest, and who think themselves safest; the mighty men, as ZEPHANIAH 1:10, LIKE BLIND MEN, shall neither know what to do nor... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER THEIR SILVER NOR THEIR GOLD: sometimes these have purchased friends, and redeemed a life at the hand of greedy soldiers, who have spared on promise of money; but now it shall not be so, neither silver nor gold shall help. SHALL BE ABLE TO DELIVER; to pacify the enraged sultan of Babylon, who... [ Continue Reading ]