View Zephaniah 2 in the note window.
An exhortation to repentance, ver. 1 - 3.
A denunciation of the judgments of God against the Philistines,
ver. 4 - 7.
The Moabites and Ammonites, ver. 8 - 11.
The Arabians and Assyrians, ver. 12 - 15.
1: Gather yourselves - Call a solemn assembly, proclaim a fast.
Not desired - Or, not desirous. Unwilling to return, and unworthy
to be received on your return.
2: The decree - Before God's decree is put in execution.
The day - Before the day of your calamities.
As the chaff - Carry you away as the wind carries chaff away.
3: Seek - Fear, worship, depend on him alone.
Ye meek - Ye humble ones. Wrought his judgment - Obeyed his precepts.
Seek righteousness - Continue therein. Seek meekness - Patiently wait on
the just and merciful God. Hid - Under the wing of Divine Providence.
4: For - It is time to seek God; for your neighbours, as well
as you, shall be destroyed. Gaza - A chief city of the Philistines.
They - The Babylonians. Shall drive - Into captivity.
At the noon day - It shall be taken by force at noon.
5: The inhabitants - All the Philistines. Cherethites - Or
destroyers, men that were stout, fierce, and terrible to
their neighbours. O Canaan - That part that the Philistines
kept by force from the Jews.
6: For shepherds - Instead of cities full of rich citizens,
there shall be only cottages for shepherds.
7: The coast - The sea - coast, the land of the Philistines.
The remnant - That survive the captivity. Shall feed - Their flocks.
In the houses - In places where these formerly stood.
They - Both shepherds and flocks. Shall visit - In mercy.
8: I - God. Magnified themselves - Invading their frontiers.
9: Of nettles - Not cultivated, but over - run with nettles.
Salt - pits - A dry, barren earth, fit only to dig salt out of.
The residue - That return out of Babylon. Possess them - Settle
upon those parts of their lands, that are fit for habitation.
11: Famish - Take away all their sacrifices and drink - offerings.
The gods - Idols of those lands.
From his place - Not only at Jerusalem, but every where.
12: By my sword - The Chaldeans are called God's sword; because
God employed them.
13: He - God. The north - Assyria, which lay northward of
Judea, and due north from Babylon.
14: All the beasts - All sorts of beasts which are found in those
countries. The bittern - A bird that delights in desolate places.
15: This - So the prophet triumphs over her.
There is none - None like me, or that can contend with me.
