Zephaniah 2

1. Gather yourselves together, etc. Or, “Bend yourselves, yea, bend, O unfeeling nation.” Addressed to the Philistines.

4-15. The prophet enforces his call to repentance by predicting the fate of the Philistines (4-7), the

Moabites and Ammonites (8-11), the Cushites (12), and the Assyrians (13-15).

4 at the noon day. At an unexpected time: see 2 Sam. iv. 5; Jer. xv. 8.

Ekron. It has been identified with Akir, now a station on the railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem (Hastings’ Dict. of Bible).

5 the Cherethites. See 1 Sam. xxx. 14.

8. Moab . . . Ammon. See notes on Isa. xv. 1; Jer. xlix. 1; Amos i. 13.

11. He will famish all the gods. By depriving them of their sacrifices.

13 will make Nineveh a desolation. See notes on the Book of Nahum.

14 the cormorant and the bittern. “The pelican and the porcupine” (R.V.): cp. Isa. xiii. 21; xiv. 22; xxxiv. 11-15.