| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Zephaniah
Chapter Two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO ZEPHANIAH 2
In
this chapter the prophet exhorts the Jews to repentance; and foretells the
destruction of several neighbouring nations. The body of the people of the Jews
in general are first called upon to gather together and humble themselves
who
were a people neither desirable
nor deserving of the favours of God
nor
desirous of them
Zephaniah 2:1 and
to this they are pressed
from the consideration of God's decree of vengeance
being ready to bring forth and break forth upon them
Zephaniah 2:2 and
then the few godly among them are exhorted to seek the Lord
and what is
agreeable to him; since there was at least a probability of their being
protected by him in a time of general calamity
Zephaniah 2:3 and
that the destruction of this people might appear the more certain
and that
they might have no dependence on their neighbours
the prophet proceeds to
predict the ruin of several of them
particularly the Philistines; several
places belonging to them are by name mentioned
and the whole land threatened
with desolation; the maritime part of it to be only inhabited by shepherds and
their flocks; and afterwards the coast possessed by the Jews
on their return
from their captivity
Zephaniah 2:4. Next
the Moabites and Ammonites are prophesied of; whose destruction should come
upon them for their pride
and for their contempt and reviling of the people of
God; and which should be like that of Sodom and Gomorrah; and would issue in
the abolition of idolatry
and the setting up of the worship of God in their
country
and elsewhere
Zephaniah 2:8. As
for the Ethiopians
they should be slain with the sword
Zephaniah 2:12 and
the whole monarchy of Assyria
with Nineveh the metropolis of it
should be
utterly laid waste
and become a desolation
and a wilderness; and the
habitation
not only of flocks
but of beasts and birds of prey
Zephaniah 2:13.
Zephaniah 2:1 Gather yourselves
together
yes
gather together
O undesirable[a] nation
YLT
1Bend yourselves
yea
bend
ye
O nation not desired
Gather yourselves together
.... This is said to the
people of the Jews in general; that whereas the judgments of God were coming
upon them
as predicted in the preceding chapter Zephaniah 1:1
it
was high time for them to get together
and consider what was to be done at
such a juncture; it was right to call a solemn assembly
to gather the people
priests
and elders
together
to some one place
as Joel directs
Joel 1:14 the
inhabitants of Jerusalem to the temple
and the people of the land to their
respective synagogues
and there humble themselves before the Lord; confess
their sins
and declare their repentance for them; and pray that God would show
favour to them
and avert his wrath and judgments from them: or
"gather
the straw"F25התקששו "legite
paleas vestras"
Gussetius. קשש "proprie
est stipulas colligere"
Drusius
Piscator
Tarnovius. ; from yourselves
and then gather it from others
as follows: or
"first adorn
yourselves"
and "then others"
as in the TalmudF26T.
Bab. Bava Metzia
fol. 107. 2. & Bava Bathra
fol. 60. 2. & Sanhedrin
fol. 19. 1. ; and the sense is the same with the words of Christ
"first
cast out the beam out of thine own eye"
&c. Matthew 7:3 and the
meaning of both is
first correct and amend yourselves
and then reprove
others: this sense is given by the Jewish commentators
and is approved by
GussetiusF1Ebr. Comment. p. 763. : or "search yourselves"F2"Scrutamini"
Pagninus; "disquirite"
Munster; "examinate"
Vatablus;
"perscrutamini"
Cocceius. ; as some render the word; and that very
diligently
as stubble is searched into
or any thing searched for in it; let
the body of the people inquire among themselves what should be the cause of
these things; what public sins prevailed among them
for which they were
threatened with an utter destruction; and let everyone search into his own
heart and ways
and consider how much he has contributed to the bringing down
such sad calamities upon the nation: thus it became them to search and inquire
into their state and circumstances of affairs
in a way of self-examination; or
otherwise the Lord would search them in a way of judgment
as threatened Zephaniah 1:12 or
"shake out"F3"Excutite vos"
Junius &
Tremellius
Tarnovius; so Stockius
p. 975.
or "fan yourselves"
as
others; remove your chaff by repentance and reformation
that you be not blown
away like chaff in the day of God's wrath
as afterwards suggested:
yea
gather together; or "search"
or "shake out"
or "fan"
as before: this is repeated
to
show the necessity and importance of it
and the vehemency of the prophet in urging
it:
O nation not desired; by other nations
but
hated by them
as Abarbinel observes; not desirable to God or good men; not
amiable or lovely for any excellencies and goodness in them
but the reverse;
being a disobedient and rebellious people; a seed of evildoers
laden with
iniquity
who
from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet
were full of
wounds
bruises
and putrefying sores; or of disorders and irregularities
sins
and transgressions
comparable to them; and therefore
instead of being
desirable
were loathsome and abominable: or
as some render the word
"O
nation void of desire"F4לא נכסף "vacua desiderio"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "quae nullo desiderio afficeris"
Burkius; "quae nullo
tenteris affectu"
Munster. ; or "not affected" with it; who had
no desire after God
and the knowledge of his will; after his word and worship;
after a return unto him
and reconciliation with him; after his favour
grace
and mercy; not desirous of good things
nor of doing any. So the Targum
"gather
together
and come
and draw near
this people who desire not to return to the
law.'
Joseph
Kimchi
from the use of the word in the Misnic language
renders it
"O
nation not ashamed": of their evil works
being bold and impudent; and
yet
such was the goodness and grace of God to them
that he calls them to
repentance
and gives them warning before he strikes the blow.
Zephaniah 2:2 2 Before
the decree is issued
Or the day passes like chaff
Before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you
Before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!
YLT
2Before the bringing forth
of a statute
As chaff hath the day passed on
While yet not come in upon you
doth the heat of the anger of Jehovah
While yet not come in upon you doth a
day of the anger of Jehovah
Before the decree bring forth
before the day pass as the
chaff
.... Which was like a woman big with child
ready to be
delivered. The decree of God concerning the people of the Jews was pregnant
with wrath and ruin for their sins
and just ripe for execution; and therefore
before it was actually executed
they are exhorted as above; not that the
decree of God which was gone forth could be frustrated and made void by
anything done by them; only that
when it was put into execution
such as
repented of their sins might be saved from the general calamity; which they are
called upon to do before the day come appointed by the Lord for the execution
of this decree; which lingered not
and was not delayed
but slid on as swiftly
as chaff before the driving wind. There is some difficulty in the rendering and
sense of these words; some thus
"before the day
which passes as chaff
brings forth the decree"F5בטרם לדת "antequam dies
quae transit ut palea
pariat
decretum"
Drusius; so Ben Melech. ; that is
before the time
which moves
swiftly
brings on the execution of the decree
or of the thing decreed in it
it is big with: others
"before the decree brings forth the day that
passeth as chaff"F6"Priusquam decretum Dei pariat deim
veluti glumae transeuntis"
Grotius. ; or in which the chaff shall be
separated from the wheat
pass away
be dispersed here and there; that is
before they were scattered about by it as chaff: and to this sense the
Septuagint and Arabic versions
"before ye are as a flower"; or
as
the Syriac
"as chaff that passeth away"; and so the Targum more
fully
"before
the decree of the house of judgment come out upon you
and ye be like chaff
which the wind blows away
and like a shadow which passes from before the day.'
See Psalm 1:4.
Before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you
before the day
of the Lord's anger come upon you; these phrases explain
the former
and show what the decree was big with
and ready to bring forth
even the judgments of God
in wrath and fierce anger; and what the day is
said
to pass as the chaff; the day of God's vengeance fixed by him
which should
come upon them
and scatter them like chaff among the nations of the world: or
rather the words may be rendered thus
as by GussetiusF7Ebr.
Comment. p. 305.
"whilst as yet the decree hath not brought forth
the
day passeth away like chaff"; being neglected and spent in an useless and
unprofitable manner; for which they are reproved; and therefore are exhorted to
be wiser for the future
and redeem precious time; and
before the Lord's anger
comes upon them
do what is before exhorted to
and particularly what follows:
Zephaniah 2:3 3 Seek
the Lord
all you meek of the earth
Who have upheld His justice. Seek
righteousness
seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of
the Lord’s anger.
YLT
3Seek Jehovah
all ye humble
of the land
Who His judgment have done
Seek ye righteousness
seek humility
It may be ye are hidden in a day of the anger of Jehovah.
Seek ye the Lord
all ye meek of the earth
.... Or
"of the land"
of the land of Judea. In this time of great apostasy
there was a remnant according to the election of grace
whom the Lord reserved
for himself
and bestowed his grace upon; and it is for the sake of these that
the general exhortations to repentance and reformation are given out
to whom
alone they were to be useful
that they might be protected and preserved from
the general ruin; for such as are here described are persons the Lord takes
great notice of; he gives them more grace; he lifts them up when bowed down; he
beautifies them with salvation; he feeds them to full satisfaction; he teaches
them his ways
his mind and will; he dwells with them here
and will cause them
to inherit the new heaven and new earth hereafter: they are such who have a
true sense of sin
and the exceeding sinfulness of it
which humbles them; and
conscious of the imperfection of their own righteousness
submit to the
righteousness of Christ; acknowledge they are saved alone by the grace of God;
and that all they have and expect to enjoy is owing to that; they are humble
under the mighty hand of God
in every afflictive providence; patiently take
all wrongs
abuses
and injuries done them by men; and not envious at the
superior gifts
grace
and usefulness of others
but rejoice therein; have mean
sentiments of themselves
and very high ones of others that excel in grace and
holiness; these are truly gracious persons; and are like unto
and are
followers of
the meek and lowly Jesus: and are here exhorted "to seek the
Lord": that is
by prayer and supplication
to know more of his mind and
will
and especially their duty in their present circumstances; implore his
grace and mercy
protection and safety
in a day of common danger; and attend
the public ordinances of his house
in order to enjoy his presence and communion
with him: for to seek the Lord is to seek his face and favour
to have the
light of his countenance
and the discoveries of his love; and to seek his
honour and glory in all things: particularly the Lord Christ may be meant
who
was to come in the flesh
and good men sought for before he came
and now he is
come; and to him should men seek for righteousness and life; for peace and
pardon; for grace
and all supplies of it: and for everlasting salvation; and
all this before as well as since his coming: and such seek him aright
who seek
him early
in the first place
and above all things; who seek him with their
whole hearts
sincerely
diligently
and constantly; and where he is to be
found
in the ministry of his word and ordinances:
which have wrought his judgment: the judgment of the
Lord; acted according to his mind and will
revealed in his word
which is the
rule of judgment
both as to faith and practice; observed his laws and
statutes; kept his ordinances
as they were delivered; and did works of
righteousness from right principles
and with right views
as fruits of faith
and as meet for repentance:
seek righteousness; not their own
and justification by that;
for this would be doing what the carnal Jews did
and in vain
and is
inconsistent with seeking the Lord
as before; but the righteousness of God
the kingdom of God and his righteousness
even the righteousness of Christ
who
is God
and which only gives a right unto the kingdom of God or heaven: seeking
this supposes a want of righteousness
which is in every man; a sense of that
want
which only some have; a view of a righteousness without a man
in
another
even in Christ; and of the glory
fulness
and excellency of his
righteousness
which make it desirable
and worth seeking for; though this
exhortation may also include in it a living to him soberly and righteously
as
a fruit of divine grace
and to the glory of God
and according to his will
without trusting in it
and depending upon it
for life and salvation:
seek meekness; even though they were meek ones already
yet it became them to seek after more of this grace of meekness
that they
might increase therein
and abound in the exercise of it
and be careful that
they failed not in it; since the enemy of souls often attacks the saints in
that in which they most excel
and succeeds: so Moses
the meekest man on
earth
being off of his guard
and provoked
spoke unadvisedly with his lips;
and it went ill with him on that account
Numbers 12:3
besides
this exhortation
as well as the preceding
may have a respect to
their concern with others; that they should study
as much as in them lay
not
only to do righteousness and exercise meekness themselves
but to cultivate
these among others; with which agrees Kimchi's note
"seek
righteousness and meekness with others; as if it was said
study with all your
might and main to return them to the right way:'
it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger; in the time
of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans
when some were put to the
sword
and others carried captive: now there was a possibility
yea
a
probability
that such persons before described would be saved at this time
from the general calamity; be hid
protected
and preserved
by the power and
providence of God
Jeremiah
Baruch
and others
were: this
though it is not
said as a certain thing
because a corporeal blessing
which the people of God
cannot always be assured of in a time of public distress; yet not expressed in
a doubting manner
much less despairing; but rather as presuming
at least
hoping it would be
being possible and probable; and so encouraging to the
above exercises of religion; and such that have the grace of God
and seek him
and seek to Christ alone for righteousness and life
may depend upon it that
they shall be hid
and be safe and secure
when the wrath of God at the last
day comes upon an ungodly world
Isaiah 32:2. The
Targum of the whole is
"seek
the fear of the Lord
all ye meek of the earth
who do the judgments of his
will; seek truth
seek meekness; it may be there will be a protection for you
in the day of the Lord's anger.'
The
Vulgate Latin version is
"seek the Lord--seek the just
seek the meek
One"; as expressive of a person
even the Lord Christ
the just and Holy
One
the meek and lowly Jesus.
Zephaniah 2:4 4 For
Gaza shall be forsaken
And Ashkelon desolate; They shall drive out Ashdod at
noonday
And Ekron shall be uprooted.
YLT
4For Gaza is forsaken
And
Ashkelon [is] for a desolation
Ashdod! at noon they do cast her forth
And
Ekron is rooted up.
For Gaza shall be forsaken
.... Therefore seek the
Lord; and not to the Philistines
since they would be destroyed
to whom Gaza
and the other cities later mentioned
belonged; so Aben Ezra connects the
words
suggesting that it would be in vain to flee thither for shelter
or seek
for refuge there; though others think that this and what follows is subjoined
either to assure the Jews of their certain ruin
since this would be the case
of the nations about them; or to alleviate their calamity
seeing their enemies
would have no occasion to insult them
and triumph over them
they being
or
quickly would be
in the like circumstances. Gaza was one of the five lordships
of the Philistines; a strong and fortified place
as its name signifies; but
should be demolished
stripped of its fortifications
and forsaken by its
inhabitants. It was smitten by Pharaoh king of Egypt; and was laid waste by
Nebuchadnezzar
Jeremiah 47:1 and
afterwards taken by Alexander the great; and
having gone through various
changes
was in the times of the apostles called Gaza the desert
Acts 8:26. There is
a beautiful play on words in the words
not to be expressed in an English
translationF8עזה עזובה.
. According to Strabo's accountF9Geograph. l. 16. p. 502.
the
ancient city was about a mile from the haven
for which (he says) it was
formerly very illustrious; but was demolished by Alexander
and remained a
desert. And so JeromF11De locis Hebraicis
fol. 91. K. says
in his
time
the place where the ancient city stood scarce afforded any traces of the
foundations of it; for that which now is seen (adds he) was built in another
place
instead of that which was destroyed: and which
he observes
accounts
for the fulfilment of this prophecy: and so Monsieur ThevenotF12Travels
par. 1. B. 2. c. 36. p. 180. says
the city of Gaza is about two miles from the
sea; and was anciently very illustrious
as may be seen by its ruins; and yet
even this must be understood of new Gaza; so a Greek writerF13Apud
Reland. Palestina Illustrata
l. 2. p. 509.
of an uncertain age
observes
this distinction; and speaks of this and the following places exactly in the
order in which they are here
"after
Rhinocorura lies new Gaza
which is the city itself; then "Gaza the
desert" (the place here prophesied of); then the city Askelon; after that
Azotus (or Ashdod); then the city Accaron' (or Ekron):
and Ashkelon a desolation; this was another
lordship belonging to the Philistines
that suffered at the same time as Gaza
did by Nebuchadnezzar
Jeremiah 47:5. This
place was ten miles from Gaza
as Mr. SandysF14Travels
p. 151.
says
and who adds
and now of no note; and StraboF15Geograph. l.
16. p. 502. speaks of it in his time as a small city; indeed new Ashkelon is
said by Benjamin of TudelaF16Itinorarium
p. 51. to be a very large
and beautiful city; but then he distinguishes it from old Ashkelon
here
prophesied of; and which (he says) is four "parsoe"
or sixteen
miles
from the former
and now lies waste and desolate:
they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day
that is
the
Chaldeans shall drive out the inhabitants of Ashdod
another of the
principalities of the Philistines; the same with Azotus
Acts 8:40 "at
noon day"
openly and publicly
and with great ease; they shall have no occasion
to use any secret stratagems
or to make night work of it; and which would be
very incommodious and distressing to the inhabitants
to be turned out at noon
day
and be obliged to travel in the heat of the sun
which in those eastern
countries at noon day beats very strong. This place was distant from old
Ashkelon four "parsae"
or twenty four miles
as Benjamin TudelensisF17Ibid.
affirms; and with which agrees Diodorus SiculusF18Bibliothec. l. 19.
p. 723.
who says
that from Gaza to Azotus are two hundred and seventy
furlongs
which make thirty four miles
ten from Gaza to Ashkelon
and twenty
four from thence to Azotus or Ashdod. This place
according to the above Jewish
travellerF19Itinerarium
p. 51.
is now called Palmis
which he
says is the Ashdod that belonged to the Philistines
now waste and desolate; by
which this prophecy is fulfilled. It was once a very large and famous city
strong and well fortified; and held out a siege of twenty nine years against
Psamittichus king of Egypt
as HerodotusF20Euterpe
sive l. 2. c.
157. relates
but now destroyed; see Isaiah 20:1
and Ekron shall be rooted up; as a tree is rooted up
and withers away
and perishes
and there is no more hope of it: this denotes
the utter destruction of this place. There is here also an elegant allusion to
the name of the placeF21עקרון תעקר.
not to be imitated in a version of it: this was
another of the lordships of the Philistines
famous for the idol Beelzebub
the
god of this place. JeromF23De locis Heb. fol. 88. D. observes
that
some think that Accaron (or Ekron) is the same with Strato's tower
afterwards
called Caesarea; and so the Talmudists sayF24T. Bab. Megilla
fol.
6. 1.
Ekron is Caesarea; which is not at all probable: he further observes
that there is a large village of the Jews
which in his days was called Accaron
and lay between Azotus and Jamnia to the east; but BreidenbachiusF25Apud
Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae Sanctae
p. 20. relates
that
in his time
Accaron
was only a small cottage or hut
yet retaining its ancient name; so utterly
rooted up is this place
which once was a considerable principality. Gath is
not mentioned
which is the other of the five principalities
because it was
now
as Kimchi says
in the hands of the kings of Judah.
Zephaniah 2:5 5 Woe
to the inhabitants of the seacoast
The nation of the Cherethites! The word of
the Lord is against you
O Canaan
land of the Philistines:
“I will destroy you; So there shall be no inhabitant.”
YLT
5Ho! O inhabitants of the
sea-coast
Nation of the Cherethites
A word of Jehovah [is] against you
Canaan
land of the Philistines
And I have destroyed thee without an inhabitant.
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coasts
the nation of the
Cherethites
.... Which is a name of the Philistines in general
as Kimchi and
Ben Melech; or these were a particular tribe belonging to them
that inhabited
the southern part of their country; see 1 Samuel 30:14
those on the sea coast
the coast of the Mediterranean sea
and so lay between
that and Judea: out of this nation
in the times of David and Solomon
were
some choice soldiers selected
called the Cherethites and Pelethites
who were
their bodyguards
as JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 4. and c.
11. sect. 8. Vid. Opitii Exercitat. de Crethi & Plethi. calls them; a royal
band
which never departed from the king's person; see 2 Samuel 15:18. The
Septuagint version calls them "strangers of the Cretians"; and are
thought by some to be a colony of the Cretians; a people that came originally
from the island of Crete
and settled here; but
on the contrary
rather Crete
was a colony of the Philistines
and had its name from them; for by the
ArabiansF2Giggeius apud Bochart. Canaan
l. 1. c. 15. col. 422.
the country of Palestine
or the Philistines
is called Keritha; and by the
Syrians Creth; and
by the Hebrews the inhabitants thereof are called
Cherethites
as here
and in Ezekiel 25:16 and
so the south of the Cherethites
in 1 Samuel 30:14
is
in Ezekiel 25:16
called the land of the Philistines. In all the above places
where they are
spoken of as the attendants of Solomon and David
they are in the Targum called
"archers"; and it is a clear case the Philistines were famous for
archery
whereby they had sometimes the advantage of their enemies; see 1 Samuel 31:3 and
bows and arrows were the arms the Cretians made use of
and were famous for
as
BochartF3Ibid. col. 423. from various writers has shown; the use of
which they learned very probably from the Philistines
from whom they sprung; though
SolinusF4Polyhistor. c. 16. says they were the first that used
arrows; and
according to Diodorus Siculus
Saturn introduced the art of using
bows and arrows into the island of Crete; though others ascribe it to ApolloF5Diodor.
Sicul. Bibliothec. l. 5. p. 334
341. ; and it is said that Hercules learnt
this art from Rhadamanthus of Crete; which last instance seems to favour the
notion of those
that these Cherethites were Cretians
or sprung from them; to
which the Septuagint version inclines; and CalmetF6Dictionary
in
the word "Caphtor". (1) Fortunati Scacchi Elaeochrism
Myrothec. l.
3. c. 18
19. (2) Kimchi & Ben Gersom in 2 Sam. viii. 18. and xv. 18. is of
opinion that Caphtor
from whence the Philistines are said to come
Amos 9:7 and who
are called the remnant of the country of Caphtor
Jeremiah 47:4 is
the island of Crete; and that the Philistines came from thence into Palestine;
and that the Cherethites are the ancient Cretians; the language
manners
arms
religion and gods
of the Cretians and Philistines
being much the same; though
so they might be
as being a colony of the Philistines; See Gill on Amos 9:7 though a
learned man (1)
who gives into the opinion that these were royal guards
yet
thinks they were not strangers and idolaters
but proselytes to the Jewish
religion at least; and rather Israelites
choice selected men
men of strength
and valour
of military courage and skill
picked out of the nation
to guard
the king's person; and who were called Cherethites and Pelethites
from the
kind of shields and targets they wore
called "cetra" and
"pelta": and it is a notion several of the Jewish writers (2) have
that they were two families in Israel; but it seems plain and evident that a
foreign nation is here meant
which lay on the sea coast
and belonged to the
Philistines. Another learned manF7Texelii Phoenix. l. 3. c. 21.
sect. 4. p. 389
390. thinks they are the Midianites
the same with the
Cretians that Luke joins with the Arabians
Acts 2:11 as the
Midianites are with the Arabians and Amalekites by JosephusF8Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 6. sect. 1. ; however
a woe is denounced against them
and they are
threatened with desolation. The Vulgate Latin version is
"a nation of
destroyed ones": and the Targum
"a
people who have sinned
that they might be destroyed:'
the word of the Lord is against you; inhabitants of the sea
coast
the Cherethites; the word of the Lord conceived in his own mind
his
purpose to destroy them
which cannot be frustrated. So the Targum
"the
decree of the word of the Lord is against you;'
and
the word pronounced by his lips
the word of prophecy concerning them
by the
mouth of former prophets
as Isaiah
Isaiah 14:29 and by
the mouth of the present prophet:
O Canaan
the land of the Philistines; Palestine was
a part of Canaan; the five lordships of the Philistines before mentioned
belonged originally to the Canaanite
Joshua 13:3 and
these belonged to the land of Israel
though possessed by them
out of which
now they should be turned
and the country wasted
as follows:
I will even destroy thee
that there shall be no inhabitant; so great
should be the desolation; all should be removed from it
either by death or by
captivity; at least there should be no settled inhabitant.
Zephaniah 2:6 6 The
seacoast shall be pastures
With shelters[b] for
shepherds and folds for flocks.
YLT
6And the sea-coast hath been
habitations
Cottages [for] shepherds
and folds [for] a flock.
And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for
shepherds
.... That tract of land which lay on the coast of the
Mediterranean sea
inhabited by the Philistines
should now become so desolate
that instead of towns and cities full of merchants and sea faring persons
and
houses full of inhabitants
and warehouses full of goods
there should now only
be seen a few huts and cottages for shepherds to dwell in
to shelter them from
the heat by day
and where they watched their flocks by night
and took their
proper repose and rest. The last word is by some rendered "ditches"F9כרות "fossas"
Tigurine version;
"fossuris"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; so Ben Melech; but
disapproved of by Gussetius. p. 402.
which were dug by them to receive
rainwater for their use: or rather may signify "cottages dug by
shepherds"F11"Mansiones effossionum pastorum
Drusius;
caulae effossionum pastorum"
i. e. "effossae a pastoribus"
Bochart. ; in subterraneous places
whither they retired in the heat of the
day
to shelter themselves from the scorching sun; and some of them were so
large as to receive their flocks also; such was the cave of Polyphemus
as
BochartF12Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 45. Colossians
467
468. observes
in which the cattle
namely
the sheep and goats
lay
down and slept; and in Iceland such are used to secure them from the cold;
where we are toldF13Horrebow's Natural History of Iceland
c. 29. p.
46. there are caverns in the mountains capable of sheltering a hundred sheep or
more: and whither they very cordially retreat in bad weather. These holes are
in such mountains as have formerly burned
and are of infinite service to them
both winter and summer; in the winter for shelter
and in the summer for very
good pastures
which they find in plenty all around. Such sort of huts and
cottages as these
in hot countries
Jerom seems to have respect unto
when
speaking of Tekoa
he saysF14Prooem
in Amos.
there is not beyond it
any little village
nor indeed any field cottages like to ovens (subterraneous
ones
CalmetF15Dictionary
in the word "Shepherds". calls
them)
which the Africans call "mapalia": these SallustF16Bell.
Jugurth. p. 51. describes as of an oblong figure
covered with tiles
and like
the keels of ships
or ships turned bottom upwards; and
according to PlinyF17Nat.
Hist. l. 5. c. 3.
they were movable
and carried from place to place in carts
and waggons; and therefore cannot be such as before described; and so Dr. ShawF18Travels
p. 220. Ed. 2. says
the Bedouin Arabs now
as their great ancestors the
Arabians
live in tents called "hhymas"
from the shelter which they
afford the inhabitants; and adds
they are the very same which the ancients
call "mapalia":
and folds for flocks; in which they put them
to lie down in at evening. The phrases express the great desolation of the
land; that towns should be depopulated
and the land lie untilled
and only be
occupied by shepherds
and their flocks
who lead them from place to place
the
most convenient for them.
Zephaniah 2:7 7 The
coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; They shall feed their
flocks there; In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the
Lord their God will intervene for them
And return their captives.
YLT
7And the coast hath been for
the remnant of the house of Judah
By them they have pleasure
In houses of
Ashkelon at even they lie down
For inspect them doth Jehovah their God
And He
hath turned back [to] their captivity.
And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah
.... The same
tract of land become so desolate through the Chaldeans
should in future time
when those that remained of the Jews were returned from their captivity in
Babylon
be inhabited by them. This was fulfilled in the times of the
Maccabees
when the cities of Palestine
being rebuilt
were subdued by the
Jews
and fell into their hands; and it is plain that in the times of the
apostles those places were inhabited by the Jews
as Gaza
Ashdod
and others
Acts 8:26 and
perhaps will
have a further accomplishment in the latter day
when they shall
be converted and return to their own land:
they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they
lie down in the evening; either the shepherds shall feed their flocks here
and cause
them to lie down in the evening on the very spot of ground where the houses of
Ashkelon stood. This place is very properly represented as on the sea coast;
for so it was; PhiloF19Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 8. p. 398.
says
who some time dwelt there
that it was a city of Syria by the sea: or
rather the remnant of Israel shall feed and dwell here
and lie down in safety;
and this was made good in a spiritual sense
when the apostles of Christ
preached the Gospel in those parts
and were the instruments of converting
many; and there they fed them with the word and ordinances
and caused them to
lie down in green pastures
in great ease and security:
for the Lord their God shall visit them: in a way of
grace and mercy
bringing them out of Babylon into their own land
and
enlarging their borders there; and especially by raising up Christ
the horn of
salvation
for them; and by sending his Gospel to them
and making it effectual
to their conversion and salvation:
and turn away their captivity; in a literal sense from
Babylon; and in a spiritual sense from sin
Satan
and the law; and may have a
further respect to their present captivity in both senses.
Zephaniah 2:8 8 “I
have heard the reproach of Moab
And the insults of the people of Ammon
With
which they have reproached My people
And made arrogant threats against their
borders.
YLT
8I have heard the reproach
of Moab
And the revilings of the sons of Ammon
Wherewith they reproached My
people
And magnify [themselves] against their border.
I have heard the reproach of Moab
and the revilings of the
children of Ammon
.... Two people that descended from Lot
through incest with his
daughters; and are therefore mentioned together
as being of the same cast and
complexion
and bitter enemies to the people of the Jews; whom they reproached
and reviled
for the sake of their religion
because they adhered to the word
and worship of God: this they did when the Jews were most firmly attached to
the service of the true God; and the Lord heard it
and took notice of it; and
put it down in the book of his remembrance
to punish them for it in due time;
even he who hears
and sees
and knows all things:
whereby they have reproached my people; whom he had
chosen
and avouched to be his people; and who were called by his name
and
called on his name
and worshipped him
and professed to be his people
and to
serve and obey him; and as such
and because they were the people of God
they
were reproached by them; and hence it was so resented by the Lord; and there
being such a near relation between God and them
he looked upon the reproaches
of them as reproaches of himself:
and magnified themselves against their border; either they
spoke reproachfully of the land of Israel
and the borders of it
and
especially of the inhabitants of the land
and particularly those that bordered
upon them; or they invaded the borders of their land
and endeavoured to add it
to theirs; or as the Jews were carried captive by the Chaldeans
as they passed
by the borders of Moab and Ammon
they insulted them
and jeered them
and
expressed great pleasure and joy in seeing them in such circumstances; see Ezekiel 25:3.
Jarchi represents the case thus; when the children of Israel went into
captivity to the land of the Chaldeans
as they passed by the way of Ammon and
Moab
they wept
and sighed
and cried; and they distressed them
and said
what do you afflict yourselves for? why do ye weep? are not you going to the
house of your father
beyond the river where your fathers dwelt of old? thus jeering
them on account of Abraham's being of Ur of the Chaldees.
Zephaniah 2:9 9 Therefore
as I live
” Says the Lord of hosts
the God of Israel
“Surely
Moab shall be like Sodom
And the people of Ammon like Gomorrah— Overrun with
weeds and saltpits
And a perpetual desolation. The residue of My people shall
plunder them
And the remnant of My people shall possess them.”
YLT
9Therefore
I live
An
affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts
God of Israel
Surely
Moab is as Sodom
And
the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah
An overrunning of nettles and salt-pits
And a
desolation -- unto the age. A residue of My people do seize them
And a remnant
of My nation inherit them.
Therefore as I live
saith the Lord of hosts
the God of
Israel
.... The Lord here swears by himself
by his life; partly to show
how provoked he was at
and how grievously he resented
the injuries done to
his people; and partly to observe the certain fulfilment of what is after
declared; and it might be depended upon it would surely be done
not only
because of his word and oath
which are immutable; but because of his ability
to do it
as "the Lord of hosts"
of armies above and below; and
because of the covenant relation that subsisted between him and Israel
being
their God; and therefore would avenge the insults and injuries done them:
surely Moab shall be as Sodom
and the children of Ammon as
Gomorrah; that is
should be utterly destroyed
as these cities were;
whose destruction is often made use of to express the utter ruin and
destruction of any other people; otherwise it is not to be supposed that these
countries were to be destroyed
or were destroyed
in like manner
by fire from
heaven; the similitude lies in other things after expressed:
even the breeding
of nettles; or "left to nettles"F17ממשק
חרול "locus urticae derelictus"
Bochart.
Hierozoic. par. 1. col. 872. Stockius
p. 629.; "derelictio urticae"
Burkius. So R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed
fol. 68. 2. ; or rather to
"thorns"
as the Targum: and so the Vulgate Latin version renders it
"the dryness of thorns"
though to a very poor sense. In general the
meaning of the phrase is
that those countries should be very barren and
desolate
like such places as are overrun with nettles
thorns
briers
and
brambles; and these so thick
that there is no passing through them without a
man's tearing his garments and his flesh: for SchultensF18De Defect.
Hodiern. Ling. Heb. p. 32.
from the use of the wordF19"laceravit
laceratus est"
Golius
col. 2231. Castel. col. 2165. in the Arabic
language
shows that the words are to be rendered a "thicket of thorns
which tear"; and cut the feet of those that pass through them; and even
their whole body
as well as their clothes; and
wherever these grow in such
plenty
it is a plain sign of a barren land
as well as what follow:
and saltpits
and a perpetual desolation; signifying
that the countries of Moab and Ammon should be waste
barren
and uncultivated
as the above places were
where nothing but nettles grew
as do in great
abundance in desolate places; and where saltpits should be
or heaps of salt
as Kimchi interprets it; and wherever salt is found
as PlinyF20Nat.
Hist. l. 31. c. 7. "Salsa autem tellus----frugibus infelix." Virgil.
Georgic. l. 2. says
it is a barren place
and produces nothing; though
HerodotusF21Melpomene
sive l. 4. c. 182
183. speaks of places
where were hillocks of salt
and very fruitful; and where the people used salt
in manuring and improving their ground; which must be accounted for by the
difference of climate and soil: this passage is produced by RelandF23Palestina
Illustrata
l. 1. c. 38. p. 254
255. to prove that the lake Asphaltites is not
the place
as is commonly believed
where Sodom and Gomorrah stood; since those
cities were not overflown
or immersed in and covered with water
but were
destroyed by fire and brimstone
and so became desolate; and had no herbs and
plants
but nettles
and such like things; and such these countries of Moab and
Ammon should be
and ever remain so
at least for a long time; and especially
should be desolate and uninhabited by the former possessors of it; see Deuteronomy 29:23
this was fulfilled about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem
when
Nebuchadnezzar
as JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 7. relates
led his army into Coelesyria
and made war upon the Ammonites and Moabites
and
subjected them to him
who were the inhabitant of it
as the same writer saysF25Ibid.
l. 1. c. 11. sect. 5. :
the residue of my people shall spoil them
and the remnant of my
people shall possess them; that is
the Jews
the remnant of them that
returned from Babylon: now these
in the times of the Maccabees
and those that
descended from them
seized on several places in these countries
and possessed
them; for
after these countries had been subdued and made desolate by
Nebuchadnezzar
they became considerable nations again. JosephusF26Antiqu.
l. 1. c. 11. sect. 5. says the Moabites in his time were a great nation; though
in the third century
as OrigenF1Comment. in Job
fol. 2. 1. A.
relates
they went under the common name of Arabians; and
even long before the
times of Josephus
they were called Arabian Moabites
as he himself observes;
when he tells us that Alexander Jannaeus subdued them
and imposed a tribute on
them; and who also gives us an account of the cities of the Moabites
which
were taken and demolished by them
as Essebon
Medaba
Lemba
Oronas
Telithon
Zara
the valley of the Cilicians
and Pella; these he destroyed
because the
inhabitants would not promise to conform to the rites and customs of the JewsF2Antiqu.
l. 13. c. 13. sect. 5. c. 15. sect. 4. De Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 4. sect. 2. ;
though Josephus ben Gorion
who also makes mention of these cities as taken by
the same prince
saysF3Hist. Heb. l. 4. c. 12. p. 297. he did not
demolish them
because they entered into a covenant and were circumcised; and
he speaks of ten fortified cities of the king of Syria
added at the same time
to the kingdom of Israel
not destroyed: likewise the children of Ammon
after
their captivity by Nebuchadnezzar
became a powerful people: we read of the
country of the Ammonites in
"Then
Jason
who had undermined his own brother
being undermined by another
was
compelled to flee into the country of the Ammonites.' (2 Maccabees 4:26)
and
in the times of Judas Maccabeus
Timotheus
their general
got together a
strong and numerous army
which being worsted by Judas
he took their city
Jasoron
or Jaser
"Afterward
he passed over to the children of Ammon
where he found a mighty power
and
much people
with Timotheus their captain.' (1 Maccabees 5:6)
carried
their wives and children captive
and burnt their cityF4Joseph.
Antiqu. l. 12. c. 8. sect. 1. 1 Maccab. v. 6. ; and this people
as well as the
Moabites in the third century
as before observed
were swallowed up under the
general name of Arabians; and neither of them are any more; all which has
fulfilled this prophecy
and those of Jeremiah and Amos concerning them: this
likewise
in a spiritual sense
might have a further accomplishment in the
first times of the Gospel
when it was preached in these countries by the
apostles
and churches were formed in them; and may be still further
accomplished in the latter day
when those parts of the world shall be
possessed by converted Jews and by Gentile Christians. Kimchi owns it may be
interpreted as future
of what shall be in the times of the Messiah.
Zephaniah 2:10 10 This
they shall have for their pride
Because they have reproached and made arrogant
threats Against the people of the Lord of hosts.
YLT
10This [is] to them for their
arrogancy
Because they have reproached
And they magnify [themselves] against
the people of Jehovah of Hosts.
This shall they have for their pride
.... This
calamity shall come upon their land
the land of the Moabites and Ammonites
for their pride
which often goes before a fall; and has frequently been the
cause of the ruin of kingdoms and states
and of particular persons; and indeed
seems to have been the first sin of the apostate angels
and of fallen man. Of
the pride of Moab see Isaiah 16:6
because they have reproached and magnified themselves
against the people of the Lord of hosts; they looked with disdain
upon them
as greatly below them; and spoke contemptibly of them
of their
nation
and religion; and "made" themselves "great"
and
set up themselves "above" them
opened their mouths wide
and gave
their tongues great liberties in blaspheming and reviling them: what was done
to them is taken by the Lord as done to himself; see Jeremiah 48:42.
Zephaniah 2:11 11 The
Lord will be awesome to them
For He will reduce to nothing all
the gods of the earth; People shall worship Him
Each one from his
place
Indeed all the shores of the nations.
YLT
11Fearful [is] Jehovah
against them
For He made bare all gods of the land
And bow themselves to Him
each from his place
Do all islanders of the nations.
The Lord will be terrible unto them
.... To the
Moabites and Ammonites in the execution of his judgments upon them
and make
their proud hearts tremble; for with him is terrible majesty; he is terrible to
the kings of the earth
and cuts off the spirit of princes
Job 37:22 or
as
Kimchi observes
this may be understood of the people of God reproached by the
Moabites and Ammonites
by whom the Lord is to be feared and reverenced with a
godly and filial fear: so it may be rendered
"the Lord is to be feared by
them"F5נורא יהוה
עליהם "timendus Jehovah super ipsis"
Cocceius
Burkius. ; and to this inclines the Targum
"the
fear of the Lord is to redeem them;'
for he will famish all the gods of the earth; particularly
of those countries mentioned in the context
the Philistines
Moabites
Ammonites
Ethiopians
and Assyrians; as Dagon
Chemosh
Molech
Bel
and
others; called "gods of the earth"
in distinction from the God of
heaven
to whom they are opposed; and because made of earthly matter
and
worshipped by earthly and carnal men; these the Lord
who is above them
and
can destroy them at pleasure
threatens to "famish"; or to bring
"leanness"F6רזה
"emaciabit"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "quasi macie
consumit"
Vatablus; "quum emaciaverit"
Cocceius; "quia
emaciavit"
Burkius. upon them
as the word signifies; to bring them into
a consumption
and cause them to pine away gradually
by little and little
till they are no more; and that by reducing the number of their worshippers
so
that they shall not have the worship and honour paid them
nor the sacrifices
offered to them
supposed by the heathens to be the food of their gods; and
this being the case
their priests would be starved and become lean
who used
to be fat and plump. The Septuagint version renders it
"he will destroy
all the gods of the nations of the earth"; which is approved of by
Noldius
and preferred by him to other versions. This had its accomplishment in
part
when these nations were subdued by Nebuchadnezzar; for idols were usually
demolished when a kingdom was taken; and more fully when the Gospel was spread
in the Gentile world by the apostles of Christ
and first ministers of the
word; whereby the oracles of the heathens were struck dumb
and men were turned
everywhere from the worship of idols; the idols themselves were destroyed
and
their temples demolished
or converted to better uses; and will have a still
greater accomplishment in the latter day
at the conversion of the Jews
and
the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles
when the worship of idols will
cease everywhere. The Syriac version renders it
"all the kings of the
earth"; very wrongly:
and men shall worship him
everyone from his place; or
"in
his place"F7ממקומו. ; that is
every
man shall worship the true God in the place where he is; he shall not go up to
Jerusalem to worship
but in every place lift up holy bands to God
pray unto
him
praise and serve him; the worship of God will be universal; he will be
King over all the earth
and his name and service one
and shall not be limited
and confined to any particular place
Malachi 1:11
even all the isles
of the heathen; or "Gentiles"; not only those places which are
properly isles
as ours of Great Britain and Ireland; though there may be a
particular respect had to such
and especially to ours
who have been very
early and long favoured with the Gospel
and yet will be; but all places beyond
the seas
or which the Jews went to by sea
they called isles.
Zephaniah 2:12 12 “You
Ethiopians also
You shall be slain by My sword.”
YLT
12Also ye
O Cushim
pierced
of My sword [are] they.
Ye Ethiopians also
.... Or
"as for ye Ethiopians
also"F8גם א־תאם
כושים "etiam ad vos Aethiopes quod
attinet"
Piscator. ; not the Ethiopians in Africa beyond Egypt
at a
distance from the land of Israel
and the countries before mentioned; but the
inhabitants of Arabia Chusea
or Ethiopia
which lay near to Moab and Ammon;
these should not escape
but suffer with their neighbours
who sometimes
distressed the people of the Jews
and made war with them
being nigh them; see
2 Chronicles 14:9
ye shall be slain by my sword; or
"the
slain of my sword are they"F9חללי חרבי המה "interfecti gladio
meo ipsi"
Montanus. ; R. Japhet thinks here is a defect of the note of
similitude "as"
which should be supplied thus
"ye" are
or shall be
"the slain of my sword"
as they; as the Moabites and
Ammonites; that is
these Ethiopians should be slain as well as they by the
sword of Nebuchadnezzar; which is called the sword of God
because he was an
instrument in the hand of God for punishing the nations of the earth. This was
fulfilled very probably when Egypt was subdued by Nebuchadnezzar
with whom
Ethiopia was confederate
as well as near unto it
Jeremiah 46:1. The
destruction of these by the Assyrians is predicted
Isaiah 20:4.
Zephaniah 2:13 13 And
He will stretch out His hand against the north
Destroy Assyria
And make
Nineveh a desolation
As dry as the wilderness.
YLT
13And He stretcheth His hand
against the north
And doth destroy Asshur
And he setteth Nineveh for a
desolation
A dry land like a wilderness.
And he will stretch out his hand against the north
.... Either
the Lord
or Nebuchadnezzar his sword; who
as he would subdue the nations that
lay southward
he would lead his army northward against the land of Assyria
which lay to the north of Judea
as next explained:
and destroy Assyria; that famous monarchy
which had ruled over the kingdoms of the earth
now should come to an end
and
be reduced to subjection to the king of Babylon:
and will make Nineveh a desolation; which was the capital
city
the metropolis of the Assyrian monarchy: Nahum prophesies at large of the
destruction of this city:
and dry like a wilderness; which before
was a very watery place
situated by rivers
particularly the river Tigris; so
that it was formerly like a pool of water
Nahum 2:6 but now
should be dry like a heath or desert
Dr. Prideaux places the destruction of
Nineveh in the twenty ninth year of Josiah's reign; but Bishop Usher earlier
in the sixteenth year of his reign; and
if so
then Zephaniah
who here
prophesies of it
must begin to prophesy in the former part of Josiah's reign.
Zephaniah 2:14 14 The
herds shall lie down in her midst
Every beast of the nation. Both the pelican
and the bittern Shall lodge on the capitals of her pillars; Their
voice shall sing in the windows; Desolation shall be at the threshold; For
He will lay bare the cedar work.
YLT
14And crouched in her midst
have droves
Every beast of the nation
Both pelican and hedge-hog in her knobs
lodge
A voice doth sing at the window
`Destruction [is] at the threshold
For
the cedar-work is exposed.'
And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her
.... In the
midst of the city of Nineveh; in the streets of it
where houses stood
and
people in great numbers walked; but now only should be seen the cottages of
shepherds
and flocks of sheep feeding or lying down
as is before observed of
the sea coast of the Philistines
Zephaniah 2:6
all the beasts of the nations; that is
all sorts of
beasts
especially wild beasts
in the several parts of the world
should come
and dwell here; instead of kings and princes
nobles
merchants
and the great
men thereof
who once here inhabited
now there should be beasts of prey
terrible to come nigh unto; for these are to be understood properly and
literally
and not figuratively
of men
for their savageness and cruelty
comparable to beasts:
both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper
lintels of it; of the doors of the houses in Nineveh: or
"on its
pomegranates"F11בכפתוריה "in
malogranatis ejus"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Tarnovius. ; the
figures of these being often put on chapiters
turrets
pinnacles
pillars
and
posts in buildings
and over porches of doors; and on these those melancholy
and doleful creatures here mentioned
which delight in solitary places
should
take up their abode. The "cormorant" is the same with the
"corvus aquaticus"
or "sea raven"
about the size of a
goose; it builds not only among rocks
but often on trees: what is called the
"shagge" is a species of it
or the lesser cormorant
a water fowl
common on our northern coasts; is somewhat larger than a common duck
and
builds on trees as the common cormorantF12Vid Supplement to
Chambers's Dictionary
in the words "Cormorant
Cornus Aquaticus"
and "Shagge". . BochartF13Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 1. c. 24.
col. 294. takes it to be the "pelican" which is here meant; and
indeed
whatever bird it is
it seems to have its name from vomiting; and this
is what naturalistsF14Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 10. Plin. Nat.
Hist. l. 10. c. 40. Aelian de Animal. l. 3. c. 20. observe of the pelican
that
it swallows down shell fish
which
being kept awhile in its stomach
are
heated
and then it casts them up
which then open easily
and it picks out the
flesh of them: and it seems to delight in desolate places
since it is called
the pelican of the wilderness
Psalm 102:6.
Isidore saysF15Originum
l. 12. c. 7. it is an Egyptian bird
dwelling in the desert by the river Nile
from whence it has its name; for it
is called "canopus Aegyptus"; and the Vulgate Latin version renders
the word here "onocrotalus"
the same with the pelican; and Montanus
translates it the "pelican"; and so do others. The
"bittern" is a bird of the heron kind; it is much the size of a
common heron; it is usually found in sedgy and reedy places near water
and
sometimes in hedges; it makes a very remarkable noise
and
from the
singularity of it
the common people imagine it sticks its beak in a reed or in
the mud
in order to make it; hence it is sometimes called the "mire
drum"F16Supplement
ut supra (Chambers's Dictionary)
in the
word "Bittern". . It is said it will sometimes make a noise like a
bull
or the blowing of a horn
so as to be heard half a German mile
or one
hour's journey; hence it is by some called "botaurus"
as if
"bootaurus"
because it imitates the bellowing of a bullF17Schotti
Physica Curiosa
par. 2. l. 9. c. 24. p. 1160. . The Tigurine version renders
it the "castor" or "beaver"F18Vid. Fuller.
Miscel. Saer. l. 1. c. 18. ; but BochartF19Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 3.
c. 36. col. 1036. takes it to be the "hedgehog"; and so the word is
rendered in the Vulgate Latin
Septuagint
Syriac
and Arabic versions
and by
others: which is a solitary creature
and drives away all other animals from
society with it by its prickles:
their voice shall
sing in the windows: of desolate houses
the inhabitants being gone who used to be
seen looking out of them; but now these creatures before named should dwell
here
and utter their doleful sounds
who otherwise would not have come near
them:
desolation shall be in the thresholds; there being
none to go in and out over them. The Septuagint version
and which is followed
by the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions
render it
"the ravens shall be
in its gates": mistaking הדב
"desolation"
for ערב
"a raven":
for he shall uncover the cedar work; the enemy
Nebuchadnezzar
or Nabopolassar
when he should take the city
would unroof the
houses panelled with cedar
and expose all the fine cedar work within to the
inclemencies of the air
which would soon come to ruin. All these expressions
are designed to set forth the utter ruin and destruction of this vast and
populous city; and which was so utterly destroyed
as Lucian says
that there
is no trace of it to be found; and
according to modern travellers
there are
only heaps of rubbish to be seen
which are conjectured to be the ruins of this
city; See Gill on Nahum 1:8.
Zephaniah 2:15 15 This
is the rejoicing city That dwelt securely
That said in her heart
“I am it
and there is none besides me.” How has she become a desolation
A place
for beasts to lie down! Everyone who passes by her Shall hiss and shake his
fist.
YLT
15This [is] the exulting city
that is dwelling confidently
That is saying in her heart
`I [am]
and beside
me there is none
' How hath she been for a desolation
A crouching-place for
beasts
Every one passing by her doth hiss
He doth shake his hand!
This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly
.... Once
exceeding populous
and the inhabitants full of mirth and gaiety
abounding
with wealth and riches
and indulging themselves in all carnal delights and
pleasures; and
being well fortified
thought themselves out of all danger
and
were careless and unconcerned
not fearing any enemy that should attack them;
imagining their city was impregnable and invincible: these are the words of the
prophet
concluding his prophecy concerning the destruction of this city
and
having
by a spirit of prophecy
a foresight of its ruin and desolation; or of
passengers
and what they should say when they saw it lie in its ruins:
that said in her heart
I am
and there is none
besides me; or
"is there any besides me?"F20אני ואפסי עזר
"et praeter me adhuc quiequam est?" Cocceius. there is none
no city
in the world to be compared to it for the largeness of the place
the strength
of its walls
the number of its inhabitants
its wealth and riches: at least so
she thought within herself
and was elated with these things; and concluded it
would never be otherwise with her; "I am"
and shall always continue
so:
how is she become a desolation! what a desolate place is
this! its walls broken down
its houses demolished
its wealth and riches
plundered
its inhabitants destroyed; and now the hold and habitation of beasts
of prey
and hateful birds:
a place for beasts to lie down in! and not for men to dwell
in: this is said
either as wondering
or as rejoicing at it
as follows:
everyone that passeth by her; and sees her in this
ruinous condition:
shall hiss
and wag his hand; in scorn and derision
as pleased with the sight
and having no pity and compassion for her
remembering her cruelty to and oppression of others
when in her prosperity;
see Nahum 3:19.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)