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Zephaniah
Chapter Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO ZEPHANIAH 3
In
this chapter the character of the city of Jerusalem
and its inhabitants in
general
is drawn
as it would be
and as it was
in the times of Christ and
his apostles
Zephaniah 3:1 and
of the principal persons of it in particular
its princes
judges
prophets
and priests
Zephaniah 3:3. The
hardness
impenitence
and shamelessness of this people
are exposed and
aggravated by the just Lord being among them; who
by his example and doctrine
taught them otherwise; yet they were not amended or made ashamed
Zephaniah 3:5 nor
received instruction
nor took warning by the judgments of God on other
nations
Zephaniah 3:6
wherefore the followers of God are called upon to wait his time
who would
gather many people together
and destroy the whole land of Judea
Zephaniah 3:8 at
which time he would send his Gospel among the Gentiles
who should thereby be
brought to the true worship and service of God
Zephaniah 3:9
though there should be a remnant among the Jews
according to the election of
grace
that should be saved from that general calamity
Zephaniah 3:11 and
the spiritual Israel are encouraged with promises of better times
when the
Jews in general should be converted and gathered into the church of God
have
the presence and protection of God with them
and deliverance from all their
enemies
and be a praise among all people of the earth
Zephaniah 3:14.
Zephaniah 3:1 Woe to her who is
rebellious and polluted
To the oppressing city!
YLT
1Wo [to] the rebellious and
polluted
The oppressing city!
Woe to her that is filthy
and polluted
.... Meaning
the city of Jerusalem
and its inhabitants; not as before the Babylonish
captivity
but after their return from it
under the second temple
as Abarbinel
owns; and even as in the times before and at the coming of Christ
and the
preaching of his apostles among them; as the whole series of the prophecy
and
the connection of the several parts of it
show; and there are such plain
intimations of the conversion of the Gentiles
and of such a happy state of the
Jews
in which they shall see evil no more
as can agree with no other times
than the times of the Gospel
both the beginning and latter part of them. The
character of this city
and its inhabitants
is
that it was
"filthy"
and polluted with murders
adulteries
oppression
rapine
and other sins: our Lord often calls them a wicked and an adulterous
generation; and yet they pretended to great purity of life and manners; and
they were pure in their own eyes
though not washed from their filthiness; they
took much pains to make clean the outside of the cup
but within were full of
impurity
Matthew 23:25. In
the margin it is
"woe to her that is gluttonous". The word is used
for the craw or crop of a fowl
Leviticus 1:16
hence some render itF20הוי מוראה "vae ingluviei"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. "woe to the craw"; to the city that is all craw
to which
Jerusalem is compared for its devouring the wealth and substance of others. The
Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's time are said to devour widows' houses
Matthew 23:14 and
this seems to be the sin with which they were defiled
and here charged with.
Some think the word signifies one that is publicly
infamous; either made a
public example of
or openly exposed
as sometimes filthy harlots are; or
rather one "that has made herself infamous"F21 ουας τη παραδειγματιζομηνη
"vae huic quae infamatur"
L'Empereur Not. in Mosis Kimchii οιδοποζια "ad
scientiam"
p. 174. so Drusius and Tarnovius. ; by her sins and vices:
to the oppressing city! that oppressed the poor
the widow
and the fatherless. This may have respect to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem stoning the prophets of the Lord sent unto them; to the
discouragements they laid the followers of Christ under
by not suffering such
to come to hear him that were inclined; threatening to cast them out of their
synagogues if they professed him
which passed into a law; and to their killing
the Lord of life and glory; and the persecution of his apostles
ministers
and
people: see Matthew 23:13. Some
render it
"to the city a dove"F23חעיר
היונה πολις η
περιστερα
Sept.; "civitas columba"
V. L.; so Syr. Ar.
Jarchi
and other Jewish interpreters. ; being like a silly dove without heart
as in Hosea 7:11. R.
AzariahF24Meor Enayin
c. 21. fol. 90. 1. thinks Jerusalem is so
called because in its works it was like Babylon
which had for its military
sign on its standard a dove; See Gill on Jeremiah 25:38
Jeremiah 46:16
Hosea 11:11 but the
former sense is best.
Zephaniah 3:2 2 She
has not obeyed His voice
She has not received correction; She has not
trusted in the Lord
She has not drawn near to her God.
YLT
2She hath not hearkened to
the voice
She hath not accepted instruction
In Jehovah she hath not trusted
Unto her God she hath not drawn near.
She obeyed not the voice
.... Of his servants the
prophets
as the Targum
by way of explanation
adds
who warned her of her
sins and of her ruin. The inhabitants of Jerusalem hearkened not to the voice
of John the Baptist
the forerunner of Christ
who gave notice of his coming;
nor to the voice of Christ himself
who stretched out his hand all the day to a
disobedient and gainsaying people; nor to the voice of his apostles
whose
doctrines they contradicted and blasphemed; and put away the word of God from
them
thereby judging themselves unworthy of eternal life:
she received not correction; by the rod
by the
judgments of God upon her: or "instruction"F25מוסר "institutionem"
Drusius
Tarnovius. ; by
the Gospel preached to her inhabitants. So the Targum interprets it
"she
received not doctrine;'
the
doctrine of baptism
repentance
and remission of sins
preached by John; but
rejected the counsel of God by him against themselves
Luke 7:31 nor the
doctrine and instruction of Christ and his apostles
though of more worth than
gold and silver; but
on the contrary
slighted and despised it
and rejected
it with the utmost contempt:
she trusted not in the Lord; not in the Word of the
Lord
as the Targum; the essential Word
Christ Jesus; the Word made flesh
and
dwelling among them; they trusted in the law of Moses
and in their obedience
to it; in their rites and ceremonies
and in the observance of them
and the
traditions of their elders; they trusted in the flesh
in their carnal
privileges; in their own legal righteousness
and in themselves
that they were
righteous
and despised others; and particularly the righteousness of Christ
they submitted not unto; they trusted not in him
nor in that; though they were
told
that
if they believed not that he was the Messiah
they should die in
their sins:
she drew not near to her God; Immanuel
God manifest
in the flesh
who was promised to the Jews
and sent unto them
whom their
fathers expected
and whose God he was
and theirs also; being in his human nature
of them
and God over all blessed for ever; so far were they from drawing near
to him
and embracing
him
that they hid
as it were
their faces from him;
they would not come to him for life and light
for grace
righteousness
and
salvation; nor even to hear him preach
nor suffer others to do the same; but
as much as in them lay
hindered them from attending his ministry
word
and
ordinances. The Targum is
"she
drew not nigh to the worship of her God.'
Zephaniah 3:3 3 Her
princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening
wolves That leave not a bone till morning.
YLT
3Her heads in her midst
[are] roaring lions
Her judges [are] evening wolves
They have not gnawn the
bone in the morning.
Her princes within her are roaring lions
.... Or
"as roaring lions"; there being a defect of the note of similitude;
which is supplied by the Targum
Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
Syriac
and Arabic
versions. This is to be understood
not of the princes of the blood; but of
civil magistrates in common; the members of the grand sanhedrim; the princes of
the Jewish world
that crucified the Lord of glory; and who gaped upon him with
their mouths like ravening and roaring lions
as is foretold they should
Psalm 22:12 and who
breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of Christ; and by
their menaces endeavoured to frighten and deter them from preaching in his
name
and from a profession of him; see 1 Corinthians 2:8
her judges are evening wolves; or
like
them
cruel
voracious
never satisfied; especially are very ravenous in the
evening
having had no food all day; not daring to go abroad in the daytime to
seek their prey; see Jeremiah 5:6. The
Septuagint and Arabic versions read "wolves of Arabia"; but wrongly;
See Gill on Habakkuk 1:8 such
rapacious covetous judges were there in Christ's time; who gives us an instance
in one
by which we may judge of the rest
who feared not God
nor regarded
men
Luke 18:2 such as
these were hungry and greedy after gifts and bribes to pervert judgment
and to
devour the poor
the widow
and the fatherless
on whom they had no mercy:
they gnaw not the bones till the morrow; or rather
"in the morning"F26לבקר "in
mane"
Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius; "matutino"
Cocceius. ; that
is
either they leave not the bones till the morning
as Jarchi and Kimchi
interpret it; they are so hungry
that they eat up bones and all at once
and
reserve nothing for the next day; which expresses both the greediness of these
judges
and the total consumption of the estates of men made by them: or else
the sense is
that not having gnawn any bones in the morning
or eaten anything
that day
hence they are so greedy in the evening; and so this last clause
gives a reason why evening wolves are so voracious; for which such cruel judges
are compared to them.
Zephaniah 3:4 4 Her
prophets are insolent
treacherous people; Her priests have polluted the
sanctuary
They have done violence to the law.
YLT
4Her prophets unstable --
men of treachery
Her priests have polluted the sanctuary
They have violated
the law.
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons
.... The false
prophets
as the Targum and Kimchi explain it: these seem to design the lawyers
spoken of in the New Testament
whose business it was to interpret the law to
the people; these were "light" men
good for nothing
of no worth and
value; light in knowledge
as Kimchi gives the sense of the word; men of no
brains; empty headed men
that had no substantial knowledge; giddy
unstable
and inconstant
and compliant with the humours and vices of the people; men of
no gravity in their countenance
speech
and conversation. SchultensF1Animadv.
Philol. in Job
p. 144.
from the use of the word in the Arabic language
renders it "proud"
as these men were
proud boasters; for
though
they had but a superficial knowledge of things
they boasted of much
and
carried it with a haughty and insolent air to the common people: and they were
"treacherous" to God
and to his truths
and to the souls of men
and
took away the key of knowledge from them; and particularly were so to Christ
of whom they were the betrayers and murderers
delivering him up into the hands
of the Gentiles to be scourged and crucified
Matthew 20:18
her priests have polluted the sanctuary; the temple;
by selling
or suffering to be sold in it
various things
whereby it became a
den of thieves
which once was called a house of prayer
Matthew 21:12 and
also our Lord Jesus Christ
of whom the sanctuary or temple was a type
by
denying
blaspheming
and reproaching him
and by shedding his blood:
they have done violence to the law; by not teaching it as
they should; and by their false glosses
senses
and interpretations of it; and
by the traditions of the elders they preferred unto it
and whereby they made
it void; see Matthew 5:1 and Matthew 15:1.
Zephaniah 3:5 5 The Lord is
righteous in her midst
He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings
His justice to light; He never fails
But the unjust knows no shame.
YLT
5Jehovah [is] righteous in
her midst
He doth not do perverseness
Morning by morning His judgment he
giveth to the light
It hath not been lacking
And the perverse doth not know
shame.
The just Lord is in the midst thereof
.... In the
midst of the city of Jerusalem
where those princes
judges
prophets and priests
were
that behaved so ill
and saw and observed all their evil actions; and yet
they were not deterred from them by his presence
even though he is the
"just" and Holy One
who loves righteousness
and hates iniquity
and
will punish for it; nor were they directed and allured to do what is righteous
and good by his example. This character of the just Lord well agrees with
Christ
who is perfectly righteous in both his natures
and in the execution of
his offices; and is the author of righteousness to his people; and this is to
be understood of his incarnation and personal presence in human nature in
Jerusalem
and in the temple
where he taught his doctrine
and wrought his
miracles:
he will not do iniquity; Christ was holy in his
nature
harmless in his life; he knew no sin; he did not commit any; no
violence was done by him
or guile found in him; he was not guilty of sin
against God
nor of doing any injury to men; and should have been imitated by
the men of the age in which he lived
as well as by others; and should have
been valued and esteemed
and not traduced and vilified as he was
as if he had
been the worst of men:
every morning doth he bring his judgment to light; the doctrine
of the Gospel
which he set in the clearest light
and preached with the
greatest constancy
day after day
morning by morning
and very early in the
morning
when the people came to hear him in the temple; and he continued in it
all the day; he waking morning by morning to this service
as was predicted of
him
Isaiah 1:4 see Luke 21:37
he faileth not; in this work of preaching the word
with
the greatest evidence and assiduity:
but the unjust knoweth no shame: those unjust persons
who aspersed the character of Christ
and traduced his doctrine and miracles;
though there was nothing in his life
nor in his ministry
that could be justly
blamed
yet they blushed not at their sin and wickedness; and though they were
sharply reproved by him
and their errors in principle
and sins in practice
were exposed by him
yet they were not ashamed; such were the hardness and
obduracy of their hearts.
Zephaniah 3:6 6 “I
have cut off nations
Their fortresses are devastated; I have made their
streets desolate
With none passing by. Their cities are destroyed; There is
no one
no inhabitant.
YLT
6I have cut off nations
Desolated have been their chief ones
I have laid waste their out-places
without any passing by
Destroyed have been their cities
Without man
without
inhabitant.
I have cut off the nations
.... Utterly destroyed
them
as the Philistines
Moabites
Ethiopians
and Assyrians
as in the
preceding chapters; all which were done before the coming of Christ in the
flesh; and by which instances the Jews should have took warning
lest by their
sins they should provoke the Lord to destroy their nation
city
and temple:
their towers are desolate; built on their
frontiers
or on the walls of their cities
to defend them; these were
demolished
and laid waste
and of no use: or
"their corners"F2פנו־תאם "anguli earum"
Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius
Cocceius
Burkius. ; towers being usually built on the angles or
corners of walls. Some interpret this of their princes
nobles
and great men
who were destroyed; see Zechariah 10:4
I made their streets waste
that none passeth by; the streets
of their cities
the houses being pulled down by the enemy
the rubbish of them
lay in the streets
so that there was no passing for any; and indeed
the
houses being demolished
the streets were no more in form:
their cities are destroyed
so that there is no man
that there is
none inhabitant; the houses being burnt with fire
or pulled down
and plundered
of the goods and substance in them
and the people cut off by famine
pestilence
or sword; and the rest carried captive
there was scarce a man or
inhabitant left; so general was the destruction.
Zephaniah 3:7 7 I
said
‘Surely you will fear Me
You will receive instruction’— So that her
dwelling would not be cut off
Despite everything for which I punished her. But they
rose early and corrupted all their deeds.
YLT
7I have said: Only
ye do
fear Me
Ye do accept instruction
And her habitation is not cut off
All that
I have appointed for her
But they have risen early
They have corrupted all
their doings.
I said
Surely thou wilt fear me
.... This is spoken after
the manner of men; as if God should say within himself
and reason in his own
mind
upon a view of things
surely the people of the Jews will take notice of
my judgments executed on other nations
and will stand in awe of me on account
of them; and fear to offend me
lest the same calamities should come upon them;
this
humanly speaking
might be reasonably thought would be the case:
thou wilt receive instruction; by these judgments
taking warning by them; repent
reform
and amend
and thereby escape the like:
so their dwelling should not be cut off; or
"its
dwelling"; the dwelling of the city of Jerusalem
the houses in it; the
dwelling places of the inhabitants of it; the singular being put for the
plural; unless the temple should be meant
as Abendana interprets it; and so it
may be rendered "his dwelling"F3מעונה
"habitaculum; vel habitatio ejus"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius
& Tremellius
Piscator
Burkius; "mansio ejus"
Cocceius. ; their
house
which was left desolate to them
because they feared not the Lord; nor
received instruction by the example of others; nor repented of their sins
and
altered their course of life; which
if done
their dwelling would have been
preserved
Matthew 23:38
howsoever I punished them; or "visited"F4פקדתי "visitavi"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus.
them; chastised them in a gentle manner
in order to reform them
but in vain.
Some render it
"all which I committed to them"F5"Omne
id quod commendavi illi"
Cocceius. ; the oracles of God
his word and ordinances
his promises
and the blessings of his goodness
which he deposited with them
in order to do them good
and bring them to repentance. The Targum is
"all
the good things which I have said unto them (or promised them)
I will bring
unto them;'
and
to the same sense Jarchi. The goodness of God should have brought them to
repentance
yet it did not:
but they rose early
and corrupted all their doings; they were
diligent and industrious eager and early
in the commission of sins
in doing
corrupt and abominable works; receiving and tenaciously adhering to the
traditions of the elders; seeking to establish their own righteousness
not
submitting to Christ's; rejecting him the true Messiah; blaspheming his
doctrines
despising his ordinances
and persecuting his people; besides other
vices
which abounded among them; for which the wrath of God came upon them to
the uttermost
as expressed in the following verse
Zephaniah 3:8.
Zephaniah 3:8 8 “Therefore
wait for Me
” says the Lord
“Until the day I rise up for
plunder;[a] My determination
is to gather the nations To My assembly of kingdoms
To pour on them My
indignation
All My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured With the fire
of My jealousy.
YLT
8Therefore
wait for Me --
an affirmation of Jehovah
For the day of My rising for prey
For My judgment
[is] to gather nations
To assemble kingdoms
To pour out on them Mine
indignation
All the heat of Mine anger
For by the fire of My jealousy
consumed is all the earth.
Therefore wait ye upon me
saith the Lord
.... Or
"nevertheless"F6לכן
as in Hos.
ii. 14. See Noldius. : this is said to the disciples and followers of Christ
among the Jews; for there were some few that did fear the Lord
and received
his doctrine
and submitted to his ordinances
and walked in his ways; and
these are encouraged to wait upon the Lord; upon the Word of the Lord
as the
Targum; or for him
and to expect that he would appear
and work salvation and
deliverance for them
when distress should come upon the unbelieving Jews:
until the day that I rise up to the prey: until the day
that he rose from the dead
quickly after which he ascended to heaven
leading
captivity captive; Satan
and his principalities and powers
which he made a
prey and spoil of upon the cross: or
till I rise "up for a
testimony"
or witnessF7לעד εις μαρτυριον
Sept. ; of his being the true Messiah; for
his resurrection from the dead was the signal he gave as a testimony of it
Matthew 12:39. Some
render it
"till I rise up to perpetuity": or
"for ever"F8"In
futurum"
V. L. "in perpetuum"
some in Calvin; so Abendana;
"in perpetuitatem"
Cocceius. ; for
when Christ rose from the dead
he rose to an immortal life
never to die more; and ever live he does to make
intercession for his people
to secure their happiness for them
and to
preserve them unto it; and therefore they have great encouragement to wait upon
him
and for him:
for my determination is to gather the nations
that I may
assemble the kingdoms; not the Chaldeans or Babylonians
as some; nor the armies of Gog
and Magog
as Kimchi; but the Romans under Titus Vespasian
with whom were
people of many nations
who came against Jerusalem
according to the decree
will
and appointment of God:
to pour upon them mine indignation
even all my fierce
anger; not upon the nations and kingdoms assembled; but by them upon
the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea
against whom they would be gathered;
who had corrupted their doings
and provoked the Lord to stir up and pour out
all his wrath upon them
in utterly destroying their nation
city
and temple:
and the apostle
speaking of the same thing
at least of the beginning of it
calls it "wrath upon them to the uttermost": and which answers to the
expressions of the Lord's indignation
and all his fierce anger
here used
1 Thessalonians 2:16
for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy; not the whole
world
and the several nations of it; but the whole land of Judea
and its
inhabitants. The same phrase is used of the destruction of it by the
Babylonians
Zephaniah 1:18 and
which shows
that not that destruction
but the destruction by the Romans
is
here meant; or otherwise a tautology is here committed; but the following words
show clearly that this respects
not the former
but the latter destruction of
Jerusalem; since a pure language was not given to the nations or Gentiles after
the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians; but has been since it was
destroyed by the Romans; and which was in a few years after Christ's resurrection
from the dead
predicted in the beginning of this verse; by which may be
observed the connection of things in this prophecy.
Zephaniah 3:9 9 “For
then I will restore to the peoples a pure language
That they all may call on
the name of the Lord
To serve Him with one accord.
YLT
9For then do I turn unto
peoples a pure lip
To call all of them by the name of Jehovah
To serve Him
[with] one shoulder.
For then will I turn to the people a pure language
.... That is
at or about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; when the
Jews
both in their own land
and in the Gentile world
would have the Gospel
first preached to them
but would reject it; upon which the apostles and first
ministers of the word would turn to the Gentiles
as the Lord commanded them;
when he would turn or change his speech and language towards them
and their
speech and language towards him would be turned and changed also: for the words
may be taken either way; either of God's speech to the Gentiles
which is his
Gospel sent unto them; as it was quickly after Christ's resurrection from the
dead
and the rejection of it by the Jews; for many hundred years the Lord took
no notice of them; winked at the times of their ignorance; sent no prophet to
them
nor any message by anyone to instruct them; yea
he spake roughly to
them
in a providential way; in the way of his judgments; particularly they
raging and imagining vain things against his Messiah
he spake to them in his
wrath
and vexed them in his sore displeasure; see Acts 17:30 but now
he alters the tone of his voice
changes his language
and sends his Gospel to
them; which is a "language" of love
grace
and mercy; of peace
pardon
righteousness
and salvation; encouraging souls to believe in Christ
for those things: and this is a "pure" speech or language; a pure
doctrine
fetched out of the sacred Scriptures; free from the dross of error;
unmixed
consistent
and all of a piece; and which has a tendency to promote
purity of heart
life
and conversation: or
is a "choice speech"F8שפה ברורה "labium
electum"
Pagninus
Drusius. ; as some render it; it speaks of choice
things
more valuable than gold and silver
pearls
and precious stones; the
doctrines of it being an inestimable treasure
the unsearchable riches of
Christ; and this
by the commission of Christ
upon his resurrection from the
dead
was ordered to be spoke unto all nations
Matthew 28:19 or
this may respect the different language spoken by the converted Gentiles
when
the Gospel should come with power to them; who should speak
as all converted
persons do
a different language than they spake before; instead of swearing
and cursing
lying
filthy
and frothy speaking
now they speak the language of
repentance towards God
confessing their sins
and praying for the pardon of
them; the language of faith in Christ
first in a more weak and feeble manner
then with more strength and assurance
believing their interest in him
and in
the everlasting love of God
and the covenant of grace; the language of love to
Christ
his people
truths
and ordinances; a soul abasing
Christ exalting
and free grace magnifying language; the language of praise and gratitude for
mercies received
temporal and spiritual; and especially for Christ
and grace
and glory by him: they then speak the language of gracious experience to one
another; and in the language of the Scriptures
in the taught words of the Holy
Ghost; and
in common conversation
their language is pure
and free from that
corruption and vitiosity it was before tainted with: this arises from pureness
of heart; from a rich experience of the grace of God; from the teachings of the
Spirit of God; and which betrays a man
and shows that he has been with Jesus;
this is the language of Canaan
Isaiah 19:18
that they may all call upon the name of the Lord; which
sometimes takes in the whole worship and service of God; but
since that is
later expressed
it rather intends
in particular
prayer to God; for which men
are fitted and qualified
by having a pure language turned to them; or through
the Gospel coming with power on them; and by virtue of efficacious grace
converting them
and causing them to speak differently from what they did
before; and then it is their voice is heard in prayer to God; and which is
delightful and pleasant to him
Acts 9:11 and this
is the case of "all" such that have this pure language; there is not
a prayerless soul among them: it follows
to serve him with one consent; or
"with one
shoulder"F9שכם אחד
"humero uno"
V. L. Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius. ; the allusion is
either to bearers of burdens
that join together
in carrying any burden
who put shoulder to shoulder as they carry it; or else
to oxen drawing in a yoke
who are yoked together shoulder by shoulder; hence
the Septuagint version renders it "under one yoke": in which it is
followed by the Syriac and Arabic versions. The phrase signifies
that the
Gentiles having the Gospel brought to them
and they called by it
and all
speaking the same language
should join in fellowship with one another
and
sing the praises of God together; agree in prayer to ask of God the same
things; stand fast in the faith of the Gospel
and strive for it
being of the
same mind; meet constantly together to carry on the several branches of
religious worship
and promote the Redeemer's interest; all drawing the same
way
like a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots; having one heart
and one
way given them to fear the Lord; and so
with one mind and one mouth
glorify
God; so Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it with one heart and one mind. This
passage is applied to the times of the Messiah by the Jews
ancient and modernF11Zohar
in Gen. fol. 74. 1. Maimon. Hilchot Melachim
c. 11. sect. 5. Aben Ezra in
Psal. cxlix. 7. .
Zephaniah 3:10 10 From
beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers
The daughter of My dispersed ones
Shall bring My offering.
YLT
10From beyond the rivers of
Cush
my supplicants
The daughter of My scattered ones
Do bring My present.
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
.... Either the African
Ethiopia
or Arabia Chusea
which lay between Judea and Egypt: here some
particular places and people are mentioned
in whom the preceding prophecy
would be fulfilled. If these rivers of Ethiopia are such as ran in the midst of
the country
and so point at some parts of it
though on the other side of
them
then this prophecy might have its accomplishment
at least when the
Evangelist Matthew went thither
and preached the Gospel
and very likely the
Apostle Paul; as also when the Ethiopian eunuch was converted
who doubtless
did what in him lay to promote the interest of Christ in those parts. Ben
Melech makes this parallel with and illustrates it by Isaiah 18:1; see
Gill on Isaiah 18:1
Isaiah 18:7; but if
these design rivers on the furthermost borders of the country
which divided it
from others
then Egypt
which lay beyond it
seems to be intended; and so the
prophecy
in connection with the foregoing verse Zephaniah 3:9
is
the same with Isaiah 19:18
"in that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of
Canaan"; of these rivers of Ethiopia
whether in Africa or Arabia Chusea;
see Gill on Isaiah 18:1. The
Targum renders it
"beyond
the rivers of India:'
my suppliants
even the daughter of my dispersed: Aben Ezra
Kimchi
Abarbinel
and Ben Melech
take the words "Atharai Bathpusai"
to be the proper name of a nation or family beyond the rivers of EthiopiaF12So
Menasseh ben Israel. Spes Israelis
p. 57. ; whereas they are characters which
describe persons there
who should have the pure language turned to them
and
call on the name of the Lord; even such
who
being made sensible of sin
and
of their danger
would be humble supplicants at the throne of grace
and pray
to the Lord for the discovery and application of pardoning grace and mercy to
them
agreeably to the prophecy in Psalm 68:31
"princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her
hands unto God"; that is
in prayer: and these are the sons and daughters
of the Almighty
who are scattered abroad in the several parts of the world
and among the rest here; but as they are gathered together by Christ in
redemption
so they are found out and reached by efficacious grace in calling
whether Jews or Gentiles. Some think the Jews are here meant
even the elect of
God among them
who were dispersed in several nations
and particularly in
Egypt and Ethiopia; who were met with by the Gospel
and converted in the first
times of it; to these Peter and James direct their epistles: and of whom
being
called by grace
it is said
they
shall bring mine offering; themselves as an
offering to the Lord
souls and bodies
with all other spiritual sacrifices of
prayer
praise
and well doing; and likewise such persons they may be the
instruments of the conversion of
called the offering of the Gentiles
Romans 15:16.
Zephaniah 3:11 11 In
that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds In which you transgress
against Me; For then I will take away from your midst Those who rejoice in your
pride
And you shall no longer be haughty In My holy mountain.
YLT
11In that day thou art not
ashamed because of any of thine actions
Wherewith thou hast transgressed
against Me
For then do I turn aside from thy midst The exulting ones of thine
excellency
And thou dost add no more to be haughty
In My holy mountain.
In that day shall thou not be ashamed for all thy doings
wherein
thou hast transgressed against me
.... Because these shall
not be continued in
but repented of
and forsaken; and
besides
shall be
forgiven
blotted out
covered
and remembered no more; so that they shall not
be charged with them
condemned for them
or be confounded before God
angels
and men
on account of them; not but that shame always arises from a true sense
of sin; and the more
as it is beheld in the glass of pardoning love
which is
a branch of true evangelical repentance
at least a fruit and evidence of it
Ezekiel 16:63 but
then such are not ashamed to appear before God; but can with a holy confidence
stand in his sight
their sins being pardoned
and their persons justified.
This respects the Christian church or churches in Judea
the few that believed
in Christ
called in a following verse the remnant of Israel Zephaniah 3:13
at
the time when the generality of the people of the Jews rejected the Messiah
and their city and temple were destroyed
and the Lord turned the pure language
of the Gospel to the Gentiles:
for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that
rejoice in thy pride; the Scribes and Pharisees
and those that adhered to them of the
Jewish nation
who rejoiced in those things which that people generally prided
themselves in and boasted of; their descent from Abraham; their observance of
the rites and ceremonies of the law
and the traditions of their elders
and
their external legal righteousness; and they rejoiced in their boastings of
these things
which rejoicing was evil; and they
in the pride of their hearts
despised Christ and his righteousness
his Gospel
ordinances
and people
which were the things in which they transgressed against the Lord
and for
which they were taken away by the sword
famine
and pestilence
at the
destruction of Jerusalem: this is further explained by the next clause:
and thou shall no more be haughty because of mine holy mountain: the temple;
or
"in"F13בהר קדשי "in monte sancto meo"
V. L. Vatablus
Cocceius; "in monte sanctitatis meae"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius
& Tremellius
Calvin
Burkius. it; since it should now be destroyed: the
Jews gloried in the temple
and behaved proudly and haughtily on the account of
it; reckoned themselves secure
because of that; and trusted and gloried in the
sacrifices there offered up
and the services there performed; see Jeremiah 7:4.
Zephaniah 3:12 12 I
will leave in your midst A meek and humble people
And they shall trust in the
name of the Lord.
YLT
12And I have left in thy
midst a people humble and poor
And they have trusted in the name of Jehovah.
I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor
people
.... Of a character just the reverse of the proud and haughty
that should be removed from Jerusalem and Judea by death or captivity; these
are they that should be preserved from the general calamity
as the Christians
were
and were left in the church of God: these were an "afflicted"
people
as the Lord's people in all ages are afflicted with a body of sin; with
the temptations of Satan; with the hidings of God's face; with bodily infirmities
and with the reproaches and persecutions of men; the first Christians
both
among Jews and Gentiles
justly bore this character
especially with respect to
the last article: and they were also "poor"
for the most part the
poor of this world
being stripped of their worldly enjoyments for the sake of
Christ; but especially poor in spirit
broken hearted
contrite
lowly ones;
that had a mean opinion of themselves
modest
meek
and humble; sensible of
their spiritual poverty
and seeking after the true riches of grace and glory.
The Targum renders it
"a
meek people
and receiving injuries;'
quietly
and patiently:
and they shall trust in the name of the Lord; not in men
but in the Lord; not in descent from men
from the patriarchs
as the Jews were
wont to do; not in Moses
as they
in his law
and obedience to it; not in any
creature or creature enjoyment; not in wealth and riches: nor in their own
hearts
or in their own righteousness; but in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ; in his person for acceptance with God; in his righteousness for
justification; in his blood for pardon and cleansing; in his sacrifice for
atonement; in his fulness for supplies of grace; in his power and strength for
protection and preservation; and in his obedience
sufferings
and death
for
salvation and eternal life. This trust signifies
according to the sense of the
wordF14חסו "se recipient"
Junius & Tremellius
Drusius
Burkius; "confugient"
Cocceius.
a betaking of themselves to Christ as a refuge; a hiding themselves under the
shadow of his wings; under his person
blood
and righteousness
where they are
covered and sheltered from the avenging justice of God; from the curses of the
law
and wrath to come: it is a committing themselves into the hands of Christ;
a leaning and staying upon him
expecting grace and glory from him; trusting
him with all they have
and for all they want in time and eternity: and this
the chosen
redeemed
and called ones
"shall do"; for
through the
efficacious grace of God
faith is given to them
and wrought in them; and this
is drawn forth into act and exercise by the same grace
and is continued in
them
and shall never fail
through the powerful intercession of Christ for
them; they shall believe
and go on believing
to the saving of their souls.
Zephaniah 3:13 13 The
remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness And speak no lies
Nor shall a
deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; For they shall feed their
flocks and lie down
And no one shall make them afraid.”
YLT
13The remnant of Israel do no
perversity
nor speak lies
Nor found in their mouth is a deceitful tongue
For
they have delight
and have lain down
And there is none troubling.
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity
.... This is
the remnant
according to the election of grace
the few the Lord reserved for
himself
left in the land
and in his church
for his own glory; who
being
truly convinced of sin
and brought to believe in Christ
should leave and
forsake their former course of sinning; not that they should be without sin
or
none be committed by them; but should not live in it
and be workers of it; make
a trade of sinning
and continue therein; or should not commit the sin against
the Holy Ghost
as great numbers of the Jews did
in rejecting Jesus as the
Messiah
against clear evidence
and the light of their own consciences:
nor speak lies; in common talk and conversation; which a
child of God
a true believer in Christ
a real Christian
should not and dare
not do
Isaiah 63:8 or
doctrinal lies
lies in hypocrisy; such doctrines as are not of the truth of
the Gospel
but contrary to it; such as the doctrine of justification by works;
atonement by ceremonial sacrifices; acceptance with God
through the merits of
their fathers; and keeping the traditions of the elders; and other Jewish lies
and fables of the same stamp; but rejected by those who have embraced the
truth
as it is in Jesus:
neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; having clean
hearts created and right spirits renewed in them; being Israelites indeed
in
whom there is no guile
and true followers of Jesus
in whom nothing of this
kind could be found:
for they shall feed
like a flock of sheep
to which they may be compared for their innocence and harmlessness
meekness
and patience; feed in the fat pastures of the word and ordinances of Christ
under the care and guidance of him the good Shepherd; and so go in and out
and
find pasture
food
and fulness of it
in him
his flesh
and blood; in his
precious truths
and Gospel provisions made in his house:
and lie down; in green pastures of ordinances
beside the
still waters of everlasting love and divine grace
and in the good fold of the
church; all which is a reason why they do not and cannot sin as others do; nor
tell lies
and be guilty of deceit and falsehood; for they are better taught;
and the grace of God
in giving them spiritual food and rest
influences and
engages them to such a conduct and behaviour: or
"therefore they shall
feed"F15כי "ideo"
Grotius.
&c. being truly gracious and sincere souls
who cannot indulge themselves
in sin
nor act a false and deceitful part:
and none shall make them afraid; of feeding in
those pastures
and lying down in those folds; or shall deter them from an
attendance on the word and ordinances; or joining in fellowship with the
churches of Christ therein; neither Satan
the roaring lion
nor false
teachers
and persecuting tyrants
those grievous wolves
and cruel bears; or
so frighten them
that in their fright they shall tell lies
and use deceit.
Zephaniah 3:14 14 Sing
O daughter of Zion! Shout
O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your
heart
O daughter of Jerusalem!
YLT
14Cry aloud
O daughter of
Zion
shout
O Israel
Rejoice and exult with the whole heart
O daughter of
Jerusalem.
Sing
O daughter of Zion
.... The congregation of
Zion
as the Targum; the church of Christ in Gospel times
which has great
reason to sing and rejoice
because of the coming of Christ
redemption by him
and all other benefits and blessings of grace; because of the Gospel
and the
ordinances of it
and the numbers of souls converted
both among Jews and
Gentiles; especially the church in the latter day is here called upon to sing
for joy
when the Jews will be converted; to which these words and what follow
relate:
shout
O Israel; the ten tribes
as Kimchi and Ben Melech
interpret it; which shall now return
and all Israel shall be saved
Romans 11:26 and
therefore just cause of shouting
and of keeping a jubilee on that account:
be glad and rejoice with all the heart
O daughter of Jerusalem; the
metropolis of the two tribes; for now the children of Israel and of Judah shall
be together
and seek the Lord their God
and the true Messiah
and find him;
and shall embrace him
profess and serve him; which will be matter of great
joy; and this will be sincere and hearty
and devoid of all hypocrisy. Several
terms are used
describing the people of the Jews
to comprehend them all; and
several words to express their joy
in order to set forth the greatness of it
as their happy case would require; as follows:
Zephaniah 3:15 15 The
Lord has taken away your judgments
He has cast out your enemy. The King
of Israel
the Lord
is in your midst; You shall see[b] disaster
no more.
YLT
15Jehovah hath turned aside
thy judgments
He hath faced thine enemy
The king of Israel
Jehovah
[is] in
thy midst
Thou seest evil no more.
The Lord hath taken away thy judgments
.... Both
outward and inward; not only exile
poverty
contempt and reproach among the nations
of the earth; but hardness of heart
blindness of mind
impenitence and
unbelief
to which the Jews are now given up
in a judicial way; but at this
time these shall be removed
through the goodness of God unto them
and the
power of divine grace upon them: they will be brought to a sense of sin
and an
acknowledgment of it; their iniquities will be pardoned; and
the cause being
removed
the effects will cease; and all calamities
corrections and
punishment
will end; and they will be put into the possession of their own
land
and enjoy all the privileges of the church of God; and so will have just
reason to sing
shout
and rejoice:
he hath cast out thine enemy; that is
the Lord has
removed the enemy that was in possession of their land
and so made way
and
prepared it for them; he has swept him away
as the wordF16פנה "everrit"
Drusius; so Ben Melech; see Gen.
xxiv. 31. "evacuerit"
Cocceius. signifies
with great force
with
much ease
and like so much dirt and filth; he stood in their way
nor could
they have easily removed him; but the Lord did it
or will do it; though it may
be by instruments
by means of the Christian princes. This is to be understood
of the eastern antichrist
the Turk
now in possession of the land of IsraelF15Written
about 1750. Editor. ; but shall be obliged to depart from it
when this prophecy
shall take place
for a reason following:
the King of Israel
even the Lord
is in the midst
of thee; that is
the Lord Jesus Christ
the true Messiah; one of whose
titles is the King of Israel
of the spiritual Israel
King of saints
both
Jews and Gentiles; in whose hearts he rules by his Spirit and grace; and to
this passage the Jews in Christ's time seem to have respect
allowing this to
be the character of the Messiah
Matthew 27:42 and
also Nathanael
John 1:49 now at
this time Christ will be in the midst of the converted Jews
by his spiritual
and gracious presence
as their King
to reign over them
to whom they will be
subject; and to protect and defend them
and deliver them out of the hands of
all their enemies; and so he is in all his churches
and will be to the end of
the world:
thou shalt not see evil any more; the evil of affliction
or punishment; the evil of captivity
disgrace
and contempt. This shows that
this prophecy does not respect the Babylonish captivity
and deliverance from
that; for
since that time
they have seen evil by Antiochus Epiphanes
in the
times of the Maccabees; and by the Romans; and have had a large and long
experience of it; but when they are converted
and returned to their own land
in the latter day
all their afflictions and troubles will be at an end
they
will know them no more. The Vulgate Latin version renders it
"thou shalt
not fear evil any more". So the Targum
"thou
shalt not be afraid from before evil any more.'
In
the same sense Aben Ezra understands it
"thou
shalt not be afraid of the enemy any more;'
taking
the word to come from another rootF17A ירא
"timuit"
so V. L. "non timebis"
Pagninus
Piscator;
"fore ut non timeas"
Junius & Tremellius; "hinc non erit
quod timeas amplius quicquam mali"
Burkius. .
Zephaniah 3:16 16 In
that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion
let not your hands
be weak.
YLT
16In that day it is said to
Jerusalem
`Fear not
O Zion
let not thy hands be feeble.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem
fear thou not
.... Do not be
afraid of any enemies; neither outward ones
the armies of Gog and Magog
the
Turk
who will threaten
and will attempt to dispossess them of their land
now
returned to it; nor inward and spiritual enemies
sin
Satan
death
and hell
being all vanquished and subdued by Christ: this will be said
not by the
enemies themselves
who will confess they have no power to stand before the
mighty God
as Aben Ezra; but either by the prophets of the Lord
or by the
people themselves
encouraging one another
every man his neighbour
as Kimchi;
or rather by the Lord himself
as the Septuagint and Arabic versions supply it
"the
Lord shall say to Jerusalem;'
this
will be said at the time of the Jews' conversion
when reinstated in their own
land
and shall be threatened with another remove from it
which they will have
no reason to fear:
and to Zion
Let not
thine hands be slack; weak
remiss
hang down through fear of mind
and fainting of
spirit; and so unfit to meet the enemy
or perform duty; but
on the contrary
pluck up a good heart
be of good courage
fear not the enemy
be vigorous
active
and diligent
in the performance of the service of the Lord
animated
by the following considerations:
Zephaniah 3:17 17 The
Lord your God in your midst
The Mighty One
will save; He will rejoice
over you with gladness
He will quiet you with His love
He will rejoice
over you with singing.”
YLT
17Jehovah thy God [is] in thy
midst
A mighty one doth save
He rejoiceth over thee with joy
He doth work in
His love
He joyeth over thee with singing.'
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty
.... Every
word carries in it something very encouraging to the church and people of God;
and is an antidote against those fears and faintings they are subject to;
Christ "is in the midst of" them; near at hand to support and supply
them
to assist and strengthen them
to protect and defend them; he is not only
near by his essential presence
which is everywhere; and by his providential
presence
which is concerned with all his creatures; but by his gracious
presence
peculiar to his church and people; and which gives them unspeakable
joy
and is a sufficient security from all fears and dismayings; see Isaiah 41:10 and
he
who is in the midst of them
is the Lord
Jehovah
the Being of beings
eternal
immutable
and all sufficient
possessed of all divine perfections;
and their "God"
God in their nature
"Immanuel"
God with
us; and who is "mighty"
the Almighty God
the mighty Mediator
who
has all power in heaven and earth; and
as man
the man of God's right hand
made strong for himself
and so able to save his people to the uttermost; to
deliver them out of the hands of every enemy; to raise up his interest when
ever so low
and to maintain and support it; to help and assist his people in
every duty and service he calls them to:
he will save; he is as willing to save as he is able; he
readily undertook in counsel and covenant to save the chosen ones; he came in
the fulness of time to seek and to save that which was lost; he has wrought out
salvation for them
and sees that it is applied unto them
and will come again
to put them into the full possession of it: he saves them freely
fully
and
everlastingly; he saves them from sin
Satan
the law
hell and wrath
and
every spiritual enemy; nor has the church of Christ anything to fear from any
temporal enemy; the converted Jews will have no reason to fear the Turk that
will come against them with a vast army; for Christ
who will be in the midst
of them
and at the head of them
will save them from him; to which salvation
this passage has chiefly a respect;
he will rejoice over thee with joy; with exceeding great
joy
not to be conceived of
or expressed; as a bridegroom rejoiceth over his
bride: this will be the time of the open marriage of the Lamb with the Jewish
church; and there will be strong expressions of joy on this occasion; Christ
will rejoice over them to do them good; and there will be such singular
instances of his goodness to them as will abundantly show the joy he will have
in them:
he will rest in his love; continue in his love
without any variation or change; nothing shall separate from it; it shall
always remain the same; he will take up his contentment and satisfaction in it;
he will solace himself with it; it will be a pleasing thing to him to love his
people
and to show it to them; he will take the utmost complacency and delight
in expressing his love by words and deeds unto them: or
as some render it
"he will be silent because of his love"F18יחריש באהבתו "silebit"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
Calvin; so Ben Melech; "tacebit"
Munster
Cocceius. ; and not upbraid them with their sins; or reprove
correct
and chastise them in his hot displeasure; or say one word in a way of vindictive
wrath: and he "will make" all others "silent"; every enemy
or whatever is contrary to them; such is his great love to themF19So
Burkius. ; he will forgive their iniquities
and cover their sins
and in love
to them cast them behind his back: or
"will be dumb"F20"Obmutescet"
so some in Drusius. ; and not speak; as sometimes persons
when their
affections are strong
and their hearts are filled with love at the sight of
one they bear a great regard unto
are not able to speak a word. The phrase
expresses the greatness of Christ's love to his people; the strength
fulness
and continuance of it: words seem to be wanted
and more are added:
he will joy over thee with singing; there is a pleonasm of
joy in Christ's heart towards his people
and so a redundancy in his expression
of it; he rejoices with joy
and joys with singing; which shows how delighted
he is with his people
as they are his chosen
redeemed
and called ones; as
they have his own righteousness upon them
and his own grace in them; they are
his "Hephzibah"
in whom he delights; his "Beulah"
to whom
he is married; and it is his love of complacency and delight
which is the
source of all the grace and glory he bestows upon them; see Isaiah 62:3.
Zephaniah 3:18 18 “I
will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly
Who are among you
To
whom its reproach is a burden.
YLT
18Mine afflicted from the
appointed place I have gathered
from thee they have been
Bearing for her sake
reproach.
I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn
assembly
.... Who are grieved and troubled
because they cannot meet at
the time and place of religious worship
or attend the word and ordinances of
the Lord; either through distance of place
or infirmity of body; or through
the menaces and persecutions of men: and to be prevented the use of the means
of grace
upon any account
is a great concern of mind to truly gracious souls:
or who are filled with grief and sorrow "for the appointed time"F21ממועד "propter tempus
sub. diuturnum
exsilii"
Vatablus; "ex tempore statuto judiciorum poenarumque"
Burkius. ; for the time of the Jews' deliverance from their present exile
and
return to their own land
which seems to be delayed
and thought long; and so
it may seem to some of them in distant parts
after they are converted; and for
whose encouragement this is said
that the Lord will in his own due time and
way gather such out of all places where they are
into his church
and among
his people
to join with them in religious worship
and partake of all the
ordinances and privileges of his house; and also gather them into their own
land
and comfortably settle them there:
who are of thee; belong to the
church of Christ; or however have a right to
and meetness for
a place in it;
are her true and genuine children
being born again; and which appears by the
taste they have for
and their desire after
the word and ordinances:
to whom the reproach
of it was a burden; it being grievous and burdensome to them to
hear the enemy reproach them with their exile and dispersion; with their
distance from the place of worship
and their want of opportunity of attending
to it: this was intolerable
a burden too heavy for them; it was like a sword
in their bones
when they were asked
where is your God? and where are the
ordinances of divine worship? and when will it ever be that you will attend
them? see Psalm 42:1.
Zephaniah 3:19 19 Behold
at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame
And
gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame In
every land where they were put to shame.
YLT
19Lo
I am dealing with all
afflicting thee at that time
And I have saved the halting one
And the driven
out ones I do gather
And have set them for a praise and for a name
In all the
land of their shame.
Behold
at that time I
will undo all that afflict thee
.... Or
"I will do"F23עושה "agam"
Tigurine version;
"conficiam"
Castalio; "ego conficiens"
Calvin; "ego
faciens
vel facio"
Burkius. ; their business for them;
"slay" them
as the Vulgate Latin version; and make an entire
destruction of them
as the Targum; bring them to utter ruin. This must be
understood of antichrist
both eastern and western
the Turk and Pope
and all
the antichristian states that have afflicted the Jews
or shall attempt to
distress them at the time of their conversion; and will be fulfilled at the time
of the pouring out of the seven vials of God's wrath upon them
which will
issue in the entire undoing and ruin of them
especially the seventh and last
of them; which
when poured out
will clear the world of all the enemies of
Christ
his church and people; and because this will be a wonderful event
and
of great moment and importance
hence the word "behold" is prefixed
to it
as exciting attention
as well as a note of admiration and asseveration:
"and I will save her that halteth"
that has sinned
and is weak in
faith
and cannot walk
at least but haltingly; which is like a lame and maimed
sheep
of which there is danger of its being left behind and lost; but the Lord
here promises he will take care of such
and save them from all their sins
and
out of the hands of all their enemies; and bring them through all difficulties
and discouragements into his church
and to their own land; they shall none of
them be lost
even the meanest and weakest of them
any more than the healthful
and strong:
and gather her that was driven out; even everyone that was
scattered abroad in each of the nations of the world; See Gill on Micah 4:6
Micah 4:7
and I will get them praise and fame in every land
where they have
been put to shame; being converted
they shall be spoke well of everywhere; they
shall be praised for their ingenuous acknowledgment of their sins; for their
sincere repentance of them; and for their faith in Christ
and for their ready
submission to his Gospel and ordinances; and the fame of their conversion shall
be spread everywhere; and they shall be in great credit and esteem in all
Christian countries
where their name has been used for a taunt and a proverb;
and so
"instead of their shame"
as R. Moses interprets it
they
shall have glory and honour in all places.
Zephaniah 3:20 20 At
that time I will bring you back
Even at the time I gather you; For I will give
you fame and praise Among all the peoples of the earth
When I return your
captives before your eyes
” Says the Lord.
YLT
20At that time I bring you
in
Even at the time of My assembling you
For I give you for a name
and for a
praise
Among all peoples of the land
In My turning back [to] your captivity
before your eyes
said Jehovah!
At that time I will bring
you again
even in the time that I gather you
.... That is
at the time that the Lord will gather them in the effectual calling to himself
and to his church
he will return them to their own land; and
as soon as the
Jews are converted
they will not only be gathered into Christian churches
but
will be gathered together in one body
and appoint themselves one head; and
will go up out of each of the lands wherein they have been dispersed
and enter
into their own land
and possess it; at the same time they are made partakers
of the grace of God
they will enjoy all their civil privileges and liberties;
see Hosea 1:11
for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the
earth; this is repeated from the preceding verse Zephaniah 3:19
for
the confirmation of it; and in connection with the following clause
to show
when it will be:
when I turn back your captivity before your eyes
saith the Lord; or "captivities"F24את שבותיכם "captivitates
vestras"
Pagninus
Montanus
Calvin
Drusius. ; meaning not the several
captivities of the kings of Judah in Babylon
as of Manasseh
Jehoiakim
Jeconiah
and Zedekiah; but the two fold captivity of this people
literal and
spiritual; their present outward exile from their own land
captivity and
dispersion among the nations; and their spiritual captivity or bondage
to sin
Satan
the law
and the traditions of their elders; from both which they will
be delivered at one and the same time; and which will be notorious and
manifest; what their eyes will see with pleasure and admiration; and which may
he depended upon will be done
since the Lord has said it
whose purposes
promises
and prophecies
never fail of their accomplishment: he is God
omniscient and knows with certainty what will be done; he is God omnipotent
and can and will do whatever he has determined
promised
or said should be
done.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)