3:1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing
a city!
(a) That is, Jerusalem.
3:3 Her princes within her [are] roaring lions; her judges [are]
evening wolves; they b gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
(b) They are so greedy, that they eat up bones and all.
3:5 The c just LORD [is] in the midst thereof; he will not do
iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light,
he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
(c) The wicked thus boasted that God was ever among them,
but the Prophet answers that that cannot excuse their
wickedness: for God will not bear with their sins. Yet
he did patiently abide and sent his Prophets continually
to call them to repentance, but he profited nothing.
3:6 I have d cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I
made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities
are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none
inhabitant.
(d) By the destruction of other nations he shows that the
Jews should have learned to fear God.
3:7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive
instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off,
howsoever I punished them: but e they rose early, [and]
corrupted all their doings.
(e) They were most earnest and ready to do wickedly.
3:8 Therefore f wait ye upon me, saith the 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 mine indignation, [even] all my fierce anger:
for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my
jealousy.
(f) Seeing that you will not repent, you can expect my
vengeance as well as other nations.
3:9 For g then will I turn to the people a pure language, that
they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him
with one consent.
(g) Lest any should then think that God's glory should have
perished when Judah was destroyed, he shows that he will
proclaim his grace through all the world.
3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, [even]
the h daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine
offering.
(h) That is, the Jews will come as well as the Gentiles:
which is to be understood as referring to the time of
the Gospel.
3:11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for i all thy
doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then
I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice
in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of
my holy mountain.
(i) For they will have full remission of their sins, and
the hypocrites who boasted of the temple, which was
also your pride in times past, will be taken from you.
3:15 The LORD hath taken away thy k judgments, he hath cast
out thine l enemy: the king of Israel, [even] the LORD,
[is] in the midst of m thee: thou shalt not see evil any
more.
(k) That is, the punishment for your sin.
(l) As the Assyrians, Chaldaeans, Egyptians, and other
nations.
(m) To defend you, as by your sins you have put him away,
and left yourself naked, as in (Ex 32:25).
3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will
save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in
n his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
(n) Signifying, that God delights to show his love and
great affection toward his Church.
3:18 I will gather [them that are] sorrowful for the solemn
assembly, [who] are of thee, [to whom] the reproach of o
it [was] a burden.
(o) That is, those that were held in hatred and reviled for
the Church, and because of their religion.
3:19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and
I will p save her that halteth, and gather her that was
driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every
q land where they have been put to shame.
(p) I will deliver the Church, which now is afflicted, as
in (Mic 4:6).
(q) As among the Assyrians and Chaldaeans, who mocked them
and put them to shame.
