Reference: Zephaniah, The Book Of
Fausets
The bulk of the book forms the introduction to the grand closing consummation under Messiah (Zephaniah 1:2 to 3:8; Zephaniah 3:9-20).
I. Threat of judgments (Zep 1:2-7). On whom they shall fall (Zep 1:8-11). Nearness and awfulness of the day of the Lord, and impossibility of escape (Zep 1:12-18). Call to the apostate nation to repentance, and to the meek and righteous to exercise those graces which may avert the day of wrath (Zep 2:1-3). Motive to it: God's coming judgments on Israel's foes, the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites (the land of which three nations the remnant of Jehovah's people shall possess), Ethiopians, and Nineveh, which shall be a desolation;
He will famish all the gods of the earth (by destroying the nations worshipping them), and men shall worship Him each in his own house (Zep 2:4-15). The call being slighted and even Jerusalem being unreformed of her filthiness by the judgments on surrounding nations, the just God is constrained to chastise her (Zep 3:1-7). In all this the Chaldaeans' name, the executioners of God's vengeance on Judah, is not mentioned as in Jeremiah, for the latter being nearer the fulfillment prophesies more explicitly.
II. After her chastisement Jehovah invites the pious remnant of the Jews to wait upon Him, as He is about to interpose for Judah and Jerusalem against the nations gathered against her (Zechariah 12-14). "The remnant of Israel shall no longer do iniquity. The Lord her God shall rejoice over her with joy, and make her a praise among all people," who in consequence shall "all call upon Him and serve Him with one consent" (Zep 3:8-20). The style is graphic and vivid, and the language pure and free from Aramaisms.
Zep 2:14 corresponds to Isa 34:11; Zep 2:15 corresponds to Isa 47:8; Zep 3:10 corresponds to Isa 18:1; Zep 2:8 corresponds to Isa 16:6; Zep 1:5 corresponds to Jer 8:2; Zep 1:12 corresponds to Jer 48:11. Ro 15:6 apparently refers to Zep 3:9.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
We have heard of the pride of Moab, [that] he is very proud, even of his arrogance, and his pride, and his wrath. His boastings are nothing.
But the pelican and the porcupine shall possess it. And the owl and the raven shall dwell in it. And he will stretch over it the line of confusion, and the plummet of emptiness.
Now therefore hear this, thou who are given to pleasures, who sit securely, who say in thy heart, I am, and there is none else besides me. I shall not sit as a widow, nor shall I know the loss of sons.
And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshipped. T
Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed.
I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, says LORD. I will consume man and beast. I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked. And I will cut off man from off the face of the ground, says LORD. read more. And I will stretch out my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, [and] the name of the Chemarim with the priests, and those who worship the host of heaven upon the housetops, and those who worship, who swear to LORD and swear by Malcam,
and those who worship the host of heaven upon the housetops, and those who worship, who swear to LORD and swear by Malcam, and those who are turned back from following LORD, and those who have not sought LORD, nor inquired after him. read more. Hold thy peace at the presence of lord LORD, for the day of LORD is at hand. For LORD has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of LORD's sacrifice, that I will punish the rulers, and the king's sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel. And in that day I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit. And in that day, says LORD, there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills. Wail, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone. All those who were laden with silver are cut off. And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their lees, who say in their heart, LORD will not do good, nor will he do evil.
And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their lees, who say in their heart, LORD will not do good, nor will he do evil. And their wealth shall become a spoil, and their houses a desolation. Yea, they shall build houses, but shall not inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink the wine of it. read more. The great day of LORD is near. It is near and hastens greatly, the voice of the day of LORD. The mighty man cries there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against LORD, and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of LORD's wrath, but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy. For he will make an end, yea, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that has no shame. Before the decree bring forth, [before] the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of LORD comes upon you, before the day of LORD's anger comes upon you. read more. Seek ye LORD, all ye meek of the earth who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. It may be ye will be hid in the day of LORD's anger. For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of LORD is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the seacoast shall be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They shall feed [their flocks] upon it. In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lay down in the evening. For LORD their God will visit them, and bring back their captivity. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore as I live, says LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The residue of my people shall make a read more. They shall have this for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of LORD of hosts. LORD will be terrible to them, for he will famish all the gods of the earth. And men shall worship him, everyone from his place, even all the isles of the nations. Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness. And herds shall lay down in the midst of her. All the beasts of the nations, both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals of it. [Their] voice shall sing in the windows. Desolation shall be in the thresholds. For
And herds shall lay down in the midst of her. All the beasts of the nations, both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals of it. [Their] voice shall sing in the windows. Desolation shall be in the thresholds. For This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me. How she has become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me. How she has become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice. She received not correction. She trusted not in LORD. She did not draw near to her God. read more. Her rulers in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing till the morrow. Her prophets are airy and treacherous men. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. LORD in the midst of her is righteous. He will not do iniquity. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He does not fail, but the unjust man knows no shame. I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that none passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant. I said, Only fear thou me. Receive correction, so her dwelling shall not be cut off, [according to] all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings. Therefore wait ye for me, says LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey. For my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them my indignation, even all my fierce anger. For all the For then I will turn to the peoples of a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of LORD, to serve him with one consent.
For then I will turn to the peoples of a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of LORD, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring my offering.
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring my offering. In that day thou shall not be put to shame for all thy doings, in which thou have transgressed against me. For then I will take away out of the midst of thee those who rejoice in thy pride, and thou shall no more be haughty in my h read more. But I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of LORD. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth. For they shall feed and lay down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O Israel. Be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. LORD has taken away thy judgments. He has cast out thine enemy. The King of Israel, even LORD, is in the midst of thee. Thou shall not fear evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not, O Zion. Let not thy hands be slack. LORD thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love. He will joy over thee with singing. I will gather those who sorrow for the solemn assembly, who were of thee, [to whom] the burden upon her was a reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict thee. And I will save that which is lame, and gather that which was driven away, and I will make them a praise and a name, whose shame has been in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you. For I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, says LORD.
so that unanimously, with one mouth, ye may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.