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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)