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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)