Zephaniah 2:1 — Word Study
WLCהִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּ וָק֑וֹשּׁוּ הַגּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א נִכְסָֽף׃
BSAGather yourselvesqâshash [assemble, come together] gather togetherqâshash [bend, assemble] O shamefullôʼ [not desired, without shame, not worthy to be loved, worthless] nationgôwy [Gentile, large group]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּ | gather yourselves together | Verb, Hithpael, imperative second person masculine plural |
| וָק֑וֹשּׁוּ | and gather together | Conjunction, verb qal imperative second person masculine plural |
| הַגּ֖וֹי | O nation | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| לֹ֥א | not | Particle |
| נִכְסָֽף׃ | ashamed | Verb, Niphal, participle (active) masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Gather yourselves, gather together, O shameful nation, |
| KJV | Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; |
| ASV | Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame; |
| YLT | Bend yourselves, yea, bend ye, O nation not desired, |
| WEB | Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame, |
| BBE | Come together, make everyone come together, O nation without shame; |
All translations agree on the imperative nature of the call to gather.
The structure is straightforward, with a main call to action followed by a direct address to the nation.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbקָשַׁשׁ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Zephaniah 2:1
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Call to Gathergenerated
Zephaniah 2:1 begins with a strong imperative for the nation to gather together, highlighting their shameful state. The verses that follow emphasize the urgency of this gathering before the day of the Lord’s anger arrives, as seen in Zephaniah 2:2. This call is not just a physical gathering but a spiritual awakening, urging the people to seek righteousness and humility before it is too late.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Chronicles 20:4 | So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him. |
| 2 | Nehemiah 8:1 | At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. |
| 3 | Nehemiah 9:1 | On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads. |
| 4 | Esther 4:16 | “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish! ” |
| 5 | Joel 1:14 | Consecrate a fast; proclaim a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and all the residents of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּ, hit.ko.she.Shugenerated
The verb קָשַׁשׁ (qashash) is in the Hithpael stem, indicating a reflexive or reciprocal action, meaning to gather or assemble. It suggests not just gathering materials, but a collective coming together, as seen in the context of the Israelites gathering in Exodus 5:7-12.
This imperative form is directed at the second person masculine plural, calling the entire nation to action. The repetition of the call to gather underscores the urgency and necessity of this assembly in light of impending judgment.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּ (hit.kosh'shu) governs the entire verse, with a second verb וָק֑וֹשּׁוּ (va.kosh'shu) following it. This structure emphasizes the dual call to gather, creating a rhythm in the command.
The imperative verbs at the beginning set a tone of urgency, while the noun phrase הַגּ֖וֹי (ha.goy) identifies the audience, emphasizing the collective identity of the nation being addressed.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the first verb הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּ as συνάξθητε (sunaxtheite), meaning 'gather together'. This choice reflects a direct call to assemble, similar in intent to the Hebrew.
The second verb וָק֑וֹשּׁוּ is rendered as συνδέθητε (sundetheite), which also conveys the idea of coming together, reinforcing the communal aspect of the gathering.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Zephaniah 2:1 calls the nation to gather together, emphasizing their shameful state. This urgent call is a warning before the day of the Lord’s anger, urging the people to seek righteousness and humility.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Gathering together signifies unity and collective action, calling the people to come together in repentance and preparation for the coming judgment.
The term 'shameful' indicates a state of moral failure and unworthiness, highlighting the need for the people to recognize their shortcomings and seek restoration.
The Lord's anger represents divine judgment against sin and disobedience, prompting the call for the nation to gather and repent before it is too late.
We can apply this call by coming together as a community to seek righteousness and support one another in our spiritual journeys, recognizing the importance of unity in faith.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What steps can I take to gather with others in my community for spiritual growth?
- In what ways can I recognize and address shameful behavior in my own life?
- How can I encourage others to seek righteousness and humility?
- What does it mean for me to respond to God's call before the day of His anger?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators reference this verse to address themes of repentance and unity, as seen in the quotations from Pachomius the Great, Jerome, and Cyril of Alexandria.
Struggle, my beloved, for the time is near and the days have been shortened. There is no father who instructs his children, there is no child who obeys his father; good virgins are no longer; the holy fathers have died on all sides;Early Church Fathers on Zephaniah 2 →
Come together, gather, o unlovable nation: before the command gives birth, like passing dust, to the day: before the wrath of the fury of the Lord comes upon you, before the anger of the indignation of the Lord comes upon you.Early Church Fathers on Zephaniah 2 →
One of the prophets rightly spoke of this relation to those who had fallen into negligence: “Be gathered again and tied back together, you undisciplined nation,Early Church Fathers on Zephaniah 2 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Zephaniah 2:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleGather 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
Read John Gill on Zephaniah 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryGather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Gather yourselves together - to a religious assembly, to avert the judgment by prayers, (Joe 2:16, "Gather the people, sanctify
Read Robert Jamieson on Zephaniah 2 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleCHAPTER 2 An exhortation to repentance, . The judgment of the Philistines, of Moab and Ammon, , of Ethiopia, , and Assyria, . Gather yourselves together; call a solemn assembly, as , proclaim a fast. Let all have notice given to meet on this work, and, being gathered together, search yourselves, your hearts and ways, and repent. Gather together; repeated to affect them the more, and to hasten them to it, and make them serious in it. O nation of the Jews, yet a people, yet my people, though next door almost to being no people. Not desired; neither desirous to return, nor desirable in your return; foolishly unwilling to return, and utterly unworthy to be received on your return: yet gather…
Read Matthew Poole on Zephaniah 2 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsZephaniah 2:1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;Ver. 1. Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together] Excutite vos, iterumque excutite. Fan yourselves, yea, fan yourselves (Tremell.). The precept is doubled, as it is likewise Numbers 3:40 2 Corinthians 13:5, to show the necessity of our doing it, as also the utility if well done; and, lastly, our crossness and averseness thereunto, together with God’ s exceeding great desire that it should be thoroughly done for our greatest good. Grievous things he had threatened in the former chapter; all which to prevent, he here prescribeth them a course of self-examination, and thereupon sound conversion; so…
Read John Trapp on Zephaniah 2 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersII. (1-3) An exhortation to seek God before His day of vengeance is revealed.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Zephaniah 2 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleCHAPTER II The prophet, having declared the judgments which were ready to fall on his people, earnestly exhorts them to repentance, that these judgments may be averted, 1-3. He then foretells the fate of other neighbouring and hostile nations: the Philistines, 4-7; Moabites and Ammonites, 8-11; Ethiopians, 12; and Assyrians, 13. In the close of the chapter we have a prophecy against Nineveh. These predictions were accomplished chiefly by the conquests of Nebuchadnezzar. NOTES ON CHAP. II Verse 1. Gather yourselves] Others, sift yourselves. Separate the chaff from the wheat, before the judgments of God fall upon you. O nation not desired - unlovely, not delighted in; hated because of your…
Read AdamClarke on Zephaniah 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesChap. Zephaniah 2:1-3. Exhortation to men to seek righteousness, if perchance they may be hid in the Day of the Lord 1. The prophet addresses himself to Judah. Gather yourselves together] The sense is obscure. The verb (ḳ ?ash) is used of gathering straw, Exodus 5:12, sticks, Numbers 15:32; 1 Kings 17:10; 1 Kings 17:12, and does not otherwise occur. It is very doubtful if the word could be used in a metaphorical or mental sense, collect yourselves, that is, reflect, that ye may understand and repent. Rothstein (in Kautzsch’s Bible) suggests a root ḳ ?ûsh, and renders, Bow yourselves and be bowed, but the Arabic verb on which he bases this sense (ḳ ?áwisa, 5 taḳ ?áwwasa) is a denominative…
Read Cambridge on Zephaniah 2 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHaving set forth the terrors of the Judgment Day, the prophet adds an earnest call to repentance; and then declares how judgments, forerunners of that Day, shall fall, one by one, on those nations
Read Albert Barnes on Zephaniah 2 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Gather yourselves, gather together, O shameful nation,
Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,
Gather yourselves, gather together, O shameful nation,
Bunch yourselves together like straw, you undesirable nation,
Tyndale line
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;
Assemble yourselves, yes, assemble, O nation not desired;
Gather your selues, euen gather you, O nation not worthie to be loued,
Strictly literal
Collect yourselves and gather together, O nation without shame,
Bend yourselves, yea, bend ye, O nation not desired,
Bend yourselves, indeed, bend, || O nation not desired,
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation without desire [for repentance];
Rally yourselves together and gather, unashamed nation—
From the Latin
Assemble yourselves together, be gathered together, O nation not worthy to be loved:
Simplified
Come together, yes, gather together, you worthless nation—
Come together, make everyone come together, O nation without shame;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of the verse, maintaining a consistent call to gather. The Dead Sea Scrolls show a slight variation where one word is supplied by an editor, but the core message remains unchanged.
הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּ וָק֑וֹשּׁוּ הַגּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א נִכְסָֽף׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
התקששו וקשו הגוי לא [נכסף]
4 words on the leather — 1 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Zephaniah 2:1
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
קָשַׁשׁ (qashash) is a verb meaning to gather or collect, specifically referring to stubble or sticks. It may also imply assembling or gathering together. The word is derived from a primitive root related to becoming sapless through drought, indicating a connection to foraging. There is some uncertainty in the lexicons regarding its exact usage and meaning.
[קָשַׁשׁ] vb. denom. Pō‛. gather stubble
base
[קָשַׁשׁ] vb. denom. Pō‛. doubtful gather stubble, sticks
base
H7197a קָשַׁשׁ vb. denom. Pō‛. gather stubble H7197b קָשַׁשׁ doubtful gather stubble, sticks
7197 qashash kaw-shash'
a primitive root; to become sapless through drought; used
only as denominative from 7179; to forage for straw, stubble
or wood; figuratively, to assemble:--gather (selves)
(together).
see HEBREW for 07179
קָשַׁשׁ (qa.shash) — to gather.
to gather, collect, gather stubble or sticks
קָשַׁשׁ (qa.shash) — to assemble.
1) to gather, assemble
1a) (Qal) to gather together
1b) (Hithpoel) to gather oneself together
V-r-Impv-2mp — Verb · Hithpael · imperative second person masculine pluralHVtv2mp
קָשַׁשׁ (qashash) is a verb meaning to gather or collect, specifically referring to stubble or sticks. It may also imply assembling or gathering together. The word is derived from a primitive root related to becoming sapless through drought, indicating a connection to foraging. There is some uncertainty in the lexicons regarding its exact usage and meaning.
[קָשַׁשׁ] vb. denom. Pō‛. gather stubble
base
[קָשַׁשׁ] vb. denom. Pō‛. doubtful gather stubble, sticks
base
H7197a קָשַׁשׁ vb. denom. Pō‛. gather stubble H7197b קָשַׁשׁ doubtful gather stubble, sticks
7197 qashash kaw-shash'
a primitive root; to become sapless through drought; used
only as denominative from 7179; to forage for straw, stubble
or wood; figuratively, to assemble:--gather (selves)
(together).
see HEBREW for 07179
קָשַׁשׁ (qa.shash) — to gather.
to gather, collect, gather stubble or sticks
קָשַׁשׁ (qa.shash) — to assemble.
1) to gather, assemble
1a) (Qal) to gather together
1b) (Hithpoel) to gather oneself together
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine pluralHC/Vqv2mp
גּוֹי (goy) refers to a nation or people, often indicating non-Hebrew groups, but can also encompass descendants of Abraham and Israel. It may figuratively describe a swarm of locusts or animals. The plural form, גּוֹיִם (goyim), is noted as a proper noun referring to the people of Goim, specifically mentioned in Genesis 14:1.
גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people
base
גּוֹיִם n.pr.gent. Tid‛al king of Goim
base
H1471a גּוֹי nation, people H1471b גּוֹיִם n. pr. gent. Tid‛al king of Goim
1471 gowy go'-ee
rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same
root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;
hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a
flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
see HEBREW for 01465
גּוֹי (goy) — nation.
1) nation, people
1a) nation, people
1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people
1a2) of descendants of Abraham
1a3) of Israel
1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)
גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.
People descended from Goy(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.1
§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)
גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.
1) nation, people
1a) nation, people
1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people
1a2) of descendants of Abraham
1a3) of Israel
1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)
1c) Goyim? = "nations"
Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)
גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.
Goyim (Tidgal, king of)
Combined with cha.ro.shet (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת "Harosheth" H2800)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
כָּסַף (kacaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to long for or yearn. It conveys a sense of deep desire or longing, and can also imply fear. The word appears in both the Qal and Niphal forms, indicating both the act of longing and being longed for. Brown-Driver-Briggs provides examples of its use, illustrating its emotional depth.
[כָּסַף] vb. long (for)
Qal for the work of thy hands thou wouldest long; like a lion that longeth to rend.
Niph. thou didst long sorely for thy father’s house
base
H3700 [כָּסַף] long (for)
3700 kacaph kaw-saf'
a primitive root; properly, to become pale, i.e. (by
implication) to pine after; also to fear:--(have) desire, be
greedy, long, sore.
כָּסַף (ka.saph) — to long.
1) to long for, yearn for, long after
1a) (Qal) to long for
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to long for (deeply)
1b2) being longed for (participle)
HVNrmsa — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singularHVNrmsa
a-shamd': Almost exclusively moral in significance; confusion or abashment through consciousness of guilt or of its exposure. Often including also a sense of terror or fear because of the disgrace connected with the performance of some action. Capacity for shame indicates that moral sense (conscience) is not extinct. "Ashamed" occurs 96 out of 118 times in the Old Testament. Hebrew bosh, "to feel shame" (Latin, pudere), with derivatives occurs 80 times; kalam, "to shame," including the thought of "disgrace," "reproach"; chapher, "to blush": hence shame because of frustrated plans (uniformly in the Revised Version (British and American) "confounded"); Greek aischunomai, "suffused with shame," passive only and its compounds. Uses:
(1) A few times, of actual embarrassment, as of Hazael before the steadfast look of Elisha (2Ki 8:11; see…