INTRODUCTION TO ZEPHANIAH 1 After the title of the book, Zephaniah 1:1, follows the Lord's threatening of the land of Judea with an utter consumption of it, and of all creatures in it, for the sins of its inhabitants, especially their idolatry and apostasy, Zephaniah 1:2, and this is represented un... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD OF THE LORD WHICH CAME UNTO ZEPHANIAH THE SON OF CUSHI,.... This is the title of the book, which expresses the subject matter of it, the word of the Lord; the word of prophecy from the Lord, as the Targum; and shows the divine authority of it; that it was not of himself, nor from any man, b... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL UTTERLY CONSUME ALL [THINGS] FROM OFF THE LAND, SAITH THE LORD. That is, from the land of Judah, by means of the Chaldeans or Babylonians: this is a general denunciation of the judgments of God, the particulars follow: or, "in gathering I will gather"; all good things out of the land; all the... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL CONSUME MAN AND BEAST,.... Wicked men for their sins, and beasts for the sins of men; and, as a punishment for them, the creatures whom they have abused to the gratifying of their lusts: I WILL CONSUME THE FOWLS OF THE HEAVEN, AND THE FISHES OF THE SEA; so that there shall be none for the us... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ALSO STRETCH OUT MINE HAND UPON JUDAH,.... Under whom the tribe of Benjamin is comprehended, which are only designed; the ten tribes having been carried captive in Hezekiah's time many years before this: not "to Judah", as beckoning to come and hearken to him, as calling to repentance and ref... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UPON THEM THAT WORSHIP THE HOST OF HEAVEN UPON THE HOUSE TOPS,.... The sun, moon, and stars, which some worshipped upon their house tops; the roofs of their houses being flat, as the roofs of the houses of the Jews generally were; from hence they had a full view of the host of heaven, and worshi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEM THAT ARE TURNED BACK FROM THE LORD,.... Who once were worshippers of him, but now become apostates, and had turned their backs on him and his worship. Some think this describes those who renewed their covenant with God in Josiah's time, and after that revolted from him, who must be very abo... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLD THY PEACE AT THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD GOD,.... When he comes forth, and appears in the way of his judgments, do not dispute the point with him, or pretend to offer reasons against his proceedings, or in order to disprove the justice of them; stand in awe and reverence of him, who is the Lord Go... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE DAY OF THE LORD'S SACRIFICE,.... When the above sacrifice prepared shall be offered, and the slaughter of his people made, when his wrath shall be poured out upon them, within the time of its beginning and ending: THAT I WILL PUNISH THE PRINCES, AND THE KING'S CHILD... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SAME DAY ALSO WILL I PUNISH ALL THOSE THAT LEAP ON THE THRESHOLD,.... Not in a ludicrous way, who, by dancing and leaping, made sport for persons, and brought their masters much gain, as the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination did, Acts 16:16 rather, that entered rashly and irreveren... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY, SAITH THE LORD,.... In the day of the Lord's sacrifice, when he shall punish the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans; which, as well as what follows, shall surely come to pass, because the Lord has said it; for not one word of his shall pass awa... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWL, YE INHABITANTS OF MAKTESH,.... The name of a street in Jerusalem, as Aben Ezra; perhaps it lay low in the hollow of the city, and in the form of a mortar, from whence it might have its name, as the word q signifies; which is used both for a hollow place and for a mortar, Judges 15:19 unless it... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, [THAT] I WILL SEARCH JERUSALEM WITH CANDLES,.... To find out the sins of the inhabitants of it, and the authors of them, and punish them for them, however hid and concealed from the eyes of others, or thought to be: this must be understood consistent with the... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEIR GOODS SHALL BECOME A BOOTY,.... To the enemy; the riches they trusted in, and thought themselves so secure of; and therefore denied divine Providence, which ought to be depended upon amidst the greatest affluence; or otherwise the Lord has various ways by which he can soon strip men... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GREAT DAY OF THE LORD [IS] NEAR, [IT IS] NEAR, AND HASTETH GREATLY,.... Not the day of judgment, but the day of God's vengeance upon the Jews, which yet bore some resemblance to that day of the Lord, and it may be therefore so called; as the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans had some likene... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT DAY [IS] A DAY OF WRATH,.... Both of the wrath of God against his people for their sins; these judgments being the effects of his wrath, provoked by their iniquities; and of the wrath and cruelty of the Chaldeans, exercised in a furious manner: A DAY OF TROUBLE AND DISTRESS; to the inhabitants... [ Continue Reading ]
A DAY OF THE TRUMPET AND ALARM AGAINST THE FENCED CITIES,.... The trumpet of the enemy, sounding the alarm of war against the fenced cities of Judea, which were taken before Jerusalem; calling and gathering the soldiers together, and animating them to the assault of them; and blowing them in a way o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL BRING DISTRESS UPON MEN,.... Not upon men in general, but particularly on the men of Judea, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; and especially those that were in the fenced cities and high towers; and who might think themselves safe and secure; but, being besieged, should be distressed with fam... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER THEIR SILVER NOR THEIR GOLD SHALL BE ABLE TO DELIVER THEM IN THE DAY OF THE LORD'S WRATH,.... Which they have gotten in an unjust way, and have hoarded up, and put their confidence in; these were the lees on which they were settled; but now, as they would be disregarded by the Lord, as insuf... [ Continue Reading ]