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--exceedingly proud-- [of] his arrogance, pride, and insolence; {his boasting is not true}.
Ah! land [of the] whirring of wings, which [is] beyond the rivers of Cush,
But [the] large bird and [the] hedgehog shall take possession of it, and [the] owl and [the] raven shall live in it. And he shall stretch [the] measuring line of confusion out over it, and [the] plumb line of emptiness.
Therefore now hear this, luxuriant [one] who sits in security, who says in her heart, "I [am], and besides me [there is] no one. I shall not sit [as] a widow, and I shall not know [the] loss of children."
And they shall spread them out before the sun, and before the moon, and before all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and which they have gone after, and which they have inquired about, and to which they have bowed in worship. They shall not be gathered, and they shall not be buried; they will be like dung on the surface of the ground.
Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has been quiet on his dregs, and he has not been poured out from vessel to vessel, and he has not gone into exile. {Therefore} his taste has remained unchanged, and his fragrance has not changed.
"I will surely destroy everything from the face of the earth"--a declaration of Yahweh. "I will destroy humanity and beast; I will destroy the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked. And I will cut off humankind from the face of the earth"--a declaration of Yahweh. read more. "And I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal, and the name of idolatrous priests with the priests, and those who bow down on the rooftops to the host of heaven, and those who bow down, swearing to Yahweh but [also] swearing by Milkom,
and those who bow down on the rooftops to the host of heaven, and those who bow down, swearing to Yahweh but [also] swearing by Milkom, and those who turned back from {following} Yahweh, and who did not seek Yahweh, and did not inquire of him." read more. Be silent before the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh draws near, for Yahweh has provided a sacrifice and has consecrated his guests. And it shall be [that] on the day of the sacrifice of Yahweh, I will punish the officials and the sons of the king and those who dress in foreign clothing. And on that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill up the house of their master [with] violence and deceit. "And there shall be on that day"--a declaration of Yahweh-- "a {loud outcry} from the Fish Gate, and a wailing from the Second District, and a loud crashing from the hills. The inhabitants of the Mortar shall wail, for all the traders have perished; all who trade with silver have been cut off. And it shall be [that] at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men {whose senses are dulled from drinking}, who say in their hearts, 'Yahweh will not do good, nor will he do evil.'
And it shall be [that] at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men {whose senses are dulled from drinking}, who say in their hearts, 'Yahweh will not do good, nor will he do evil.' Then their wealth shall be as plunder, and their homes as desolation. And they shall build their houses and not inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and not drink their wine." read more. The great day of Yahweh draws near; [it is] near and [coming] very swiftly. The sound of the day of Yahweh [is] bitterness; there, a warrior cries out! That day [will be] a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of disaster and ruination, a day of darkness and deep gloom, a day of clouds and thick clouds, a day of trumpet and [trumpet] blast against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers. And I will bring distress to all humankind, and they shall walk about like the blind, for they sinned against Yahweh; their blood shall be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung. Moreover, their silver and their gold will not be able to save them on the day of the wrath of Yahweh. And in the fire of his zeal, the whole land shall be consumed, for a terrifying end he shall make [for] all the inhabitants of the land.
Gather yourselves together! Now gather together, O nation having no shame! Before the birth of the decree, the day flies away like chaff; before the fierce anger of Yahweh overtakes you; before the day of the anger of Yahweh overtakes you. read more. Seek Yahweh, all you afflicted of the land who have fulfilled his law; seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be concealed on the day of the anger of Yahweh. For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon as a desolation. [As for] Ashdod, at noon they will drive her away, and Ekron shall be uprooted. Woe [to you], inhabitants of the region of the sea, people of the Kerethites! The word of Yahweh [is] against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you {until there is no inhabitant}. And you, O region of the sea, shall become pastures [and] meadows [for] shepherds and sheep pens [for the] flocks. And it shall become a region for the remnant of the house of Judah; upon them they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down in the evening. For Yahweh their God shall be mindful of them, and he will restore their fortunes. I have heard the reproaches of Moab and the scorning of the {Ammonites}, [with] which they have taunted my nation and made boasts against their territory.
I have heard the reproaches of Moab and the scorning of the {Ammonites}, [with] which they have taunted my nation and made boasts against their territory. "Therefore, as I live"--a declaration of Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel-- "Moab shall be as Sodom, and the {Ammonites} like Gomorrah, a place of weeds and salt pits and a desolation forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the remainder of my nation shall possess them." read more. This [shall be] for them in place of their pride because they mocked and boasted against the people of Yahweh of hosts. Yahweh [will be] awesome against them, for he will destroy all the gods of the earth and all the lands of the nations; each in its place will bow down to him. You also, O Cushites, they shall be killed by my sword. And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and he will destroy Assyria and will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry wasteland like the desert. Herds shall lie down in her midst, every wild animal of a nation; even the desert owl and the screech owl shall lodge on her capitals. A voice shall hoot in the window; rubble on the threshold; for the cedar [is] laid bare.
Herds shall lie down in her midst, every wild animal of a nation; even the desert owl and the screech owl shall lodge on her capitals. A voice shall hoot in the window; rubble on the threshold; for the cedar [is] laid bare. This [is] the city of rejoicing that lived securely; the one saying in her heart, "{I am, and there is none besides me}." How she has become a desolation, a lair for wild animals! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.
This [is] the city of rejoicing that lived securely; the one saying in her heart, "{I am, and there is none besides me}." How she has become a desolation, a lair for wild animals! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.
Woe [to you], O rebellious and defiled one! The oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she does not accept correction. In Yahweh she does not trust; to her God she does not draw near. read more. Her officials in her midst [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; they leave nothing until the morning. Her prophets [are] arrogant men of treachery; her priests have defiled [that which is] holy; they do violence to [the] law. Yahweh [is] righteous in her midst; he does not do wickedness. {Morning by morning} he renders his judgment; at dawn he does not fail, but an evil one knows no shame. "I have cut off nations; their strongholds are deserted. I have laid waste their streets, so that none pass through. Their cities have been destroyed [and are] without a man, without an inhabitant. I have said, 'Surely she will fear me; she will accept discipline. Then her dwelling place will not be cut down, [nor] all that I have brought upon her.' Surely they rise early; they make all their deeds corrupt. "Therefore, wait for me"--a declaration of Yahweh-- "for the day of my rising as a witness. For my decision [is] to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out my wrath upon them, all my burning anger. For by the fire of my anger all the land shall be consumed. Because then I will {make the speech of the nations pure}; that all of them might call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him {in unison}.
Because then I will {make the speech of the nations pure}; that all of them might call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him {in unison}. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers and the daughter of my scattered ones shall bring my offering.
From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers and the daughter of my scattered ones shall bring my offering. On that day you shall not be humiliated on account of all your deeds [by] which you have rebelled against me. For then I shall remove from your midst those exulting in your pride, and you shall no longer be haughty in {my holy mountain}. read more. And I will leave in your midst a people afflicted and poor, and they shall take refuge in the name of Yahweh. The remnant of Israel shall not do wickedness; they shall not speak deception, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall frighten [them]." Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Cry aloud, O Israel! Rejoice and be jubilant with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! Yahweh has annulled your judgments; he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, Yahweh, [is] in your midst; you shall no longer fear misfortune. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, "Fear not, O Zion; your hands shall not hang limp. Yahweh your God [is] in your midst; a mighty warrior who saves. He shall rejoice over you with joy; he renews you in his love; he will exult over you with singing. I will gather those of you grieving on account of the feast; they were raising against her a reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors; I will save the lame and gather the outcast. I will change them from shame to glory and {renown} throughout the whole world. At that time I will bring you [in]; at the time of my gathering you [together]. For I will make you {renowned} and praised among all the nations of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes," says Yahweh.
so that with one mind you may glorify with one mouth the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.