View Zephaniah 1 in the note window.
The title of the book, ver. 1.
The destruction of Judah foretold, ver. 2 - 4.
A charge against them for their sins, ver. 5 - 9.
A description of the day of the Lord, ver. 10 - 18.
1: Zephaniah - He is thought to have been the great - grandson
of king Hezekiah. In the days of Josiah - So he was cotemporary
with Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and foretells what Jeremiah and
Ezekiel did.
4: The remnant - Whatsoever remains of the idolatry of Baal.
This place - Jerusalem. The name - Both the persons, and the memory
of them. The Chemarims - Either called so from their black garments
they went in, or, from their swarthy colour occasioned by the black
smoak of incense: they were door - keepers, and sextons of Baal.
The priests - The priests of Baal.
5: House - tops - On the flat roofs of their houses.
And that swear - That mixt idol - worship, and the worship of the true
God; that devote themselves to God, and Baal, or Malchim, that is,
Moloch.
7: Hold thy peace - Thou that murmurest against God, stand in awe.
The day - A day of vengeance from the Lord. A sacrifice - The wicked
Jews, whom he will sacrifice by the sword. His guests - summoned the
beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air, to eat the flesh, and
drink the blood.
8: The princes - The great ones, who dreamed of shifting
better than others, but fell with the first, (2Ki 25:19-21).
Children - Sons and grand - children, Josiah:
Jehoahaz died a captive in Egypt, (2Ki 23:34),
Jehoakim died in Babylon,
and was buried with the burial of an ass, (Jer 22:18,19),
Jeconiah died a captive: and Zedekiah and his children,
fared still worse. Strange apparel - The garb of foreigners,
imitated by the wanton Jews.
9: In the same day - At the same time.
Their masters houses - Either the oppressing kings, whose officers these
were, or publick officers and judges, whose servants thus spoiled the poor.
Violence - Goods taken by force, by false accusations, or by suborned
evidence.
10: The noise - The great out - cry and lamentation.
The fish gate - At which gate the Babylonians first entered into the
city. The second - This gate was in the second wall of Jerusalem,
which on that side was fortified with three walls. Crashing - Of
things broken into shivers; possibly the noise of doors, windows,
closets, and chests broken up. The hills - On which the city stood.
11: Howl - Cry aloud, and bitterly. Maktesh - The lower town.
Merchant people - Who were wont to lodge in this place.
That bear silver - That brought it with them to pay for what they bought.
12: I will search - God speaks after the manner of men, who searches
dark places with candles. He will fully discover and punish.
Their lees - In allusion to liquors, which not being poured out from
vessel to vessel to refine them, grow thick and foul.
14: The voice if the day - The day which will come with a great
noise.
15: A day - Of unparalleled calamities.
17: Like blind men - Not knowing where to go.
As dust - As abundantly, and as carelessly as dust in the highway.
18: In the land - Therefore let not sinners be laid asleep by the
patience of God; for when the measure of their iniquity is full, his
justice will both overtake and overcome them, will make quick and
thorough work.
