Zephaniah Chapter 2

From The Open Bible Project

2:1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,

  • (a) He exhorts them to repentance, and wills them to descend into themselves and gather themselves, lest they be scattered like chaff.

2:2 before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of Yahweh's anger comes on you.

2:3 Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh's anger.

  • (b) That is, who have lived uprightly and godly according as he prescribes by his word.

2:4 For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.

  • (c) He comforts the faithful in that God would change his punishments from them to the Philistines their enemies, and other nations.

2:5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Yahweh is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.

  • (d) That is, Galilee: by these nations he means the people that dwelt near to the Jews, and instead of friendship were their enemies: therefore he calls them Canaanites, whom the Lord appointed to be slain.

2:6 The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.

2:7 The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for Yahweh, their [3] God [See Zephaniah Footnotes 3], will visit them, and restore them.

  • (e) He shows why God would destroy their enemies, because their country would be a resting place for his Church.

2:8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the insults of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

  • (f) These nations presumed to take from the Jews that country which the Lord had given them.

2:9 Therefore as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.

2:10 This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of Armies.

2:11 Yahweh will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.

  • (g) When he will deliver his people and destroy their enemies and idols, his glory will shine throughout all the world.

2:12 You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.

2:13 He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.

2:14 Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the nations. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams.

2:15 This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, "I am, and there is none besides me." How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will hiss, and shake their fists.

  • (i) Meaning, Nineveh, which rejoicing so much of her strength and prosperity, should be thus made waste, and God’s people delivered.
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