Zephaniah 2

The prophet exhorts the Jews to repentance before God’s judgments overtake them; which he likewise denounces against the neighbouring countries, the Philistines, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Ethiopia, and Assyria; which were all subdned by Nebuchadnezzar, either before or after the captivity of the Jews. (SeeJer.xxv. 20 — 22. 26. Ezek. xxv. xxix. xx^scL and Dr. Prideaux, under the twentyfirst, thirty-first, and thirty-second years of Nebuchadnezzar:) VcT.lrfjTATHEli yourselves together.] Assemble yourselves in order to make a public humiliation. (See Joel ii. 16.) O nation, not desired.] The Greek and the Chaldee interpret it, O nation, that will not receive instruction, and is not to be amended but by the discipline of God’s judgments. Glassius (Grammat. p. 410.) renders it td the same sense, O nation, not to bemoved with desire; i. e. of growing better. The word niksaph is taken for having a desire or longing, Gen. xxxi. 30. Psal. lxxxiv. 2. the coast of the Mediterranean Sea; (compare Ezck. xxv. 1G.) called there as \ycll as hero,.Chercthites, or Chcrcthims. “.The word is translated Kpiircc, Cretans, by tho LXX. in this and oihcr places where it is found: they aTC supposed to have been a colony removed from Crete, to Palestine. (See the note upon Jer. xlvii. 4.) I ■”.’ O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, &c] Tho Canaanitcs, properly so. called, are. the same with the Philistines, and seated in that, part of Palestine. (Sec Josh. xiii. 3.) Vcr. G. And the sea-coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, &c.] A proverbial description of an utter desolation. (Compare vcr. 14, 15. and see the note upon Isa. xiii. 20. xvii. 2.) world; Babylon is cliarged with the same degree of pride and carnal security, Isa. xlvii. 8. Every one that passetli by shall hiss, and wag his head.] See Nahum iii. 19.

Zephaniah 2:2

Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff. The words arc differently translated by interpreters, but much to the same sense: they may be rendered nearer to the Hebrew thus, Before the day bring forth the decree, ivhich shall pass away, as chaff is dispersed before the wind. The judgments of God, consuming the wicked, are often compared to the dispersing of chaff. (See Job xxi. 18. Psal. i. 3. Isa. xvii. 13. Hos. xiii. 3.)

Zephaniah 2:3

Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Continue to seek and practise them. (Compare Psal. xxxiv. 14.) It may be ye shall be hid from tlie Lord’s anger.] This is the most likely way of securing the Divine protection in the time" of a general destruction. (See the note upon Jer. xxxvi. 3.) Such a protection is elsewhere expressed by being hid or-covered under the shadow of his wings. (Compare Psal. xxxii. 7. xci. 1.)

Zephaniah 2:4

For Gaza shall be desolate, andAshkelon a desolation. There will be no escaping into the neighbouring countries, such as the Philistines are, in particular; for their cities shall likewise become a prey to the forces of Nebuchadnezzar. (See Jer. xlvii. 1. with the Argument to that chapter.) They shall drive out Aslidod at noon-day.] The samo forces will take the courage to attack Ashdod (another city of the Philistines, 1 Sam. v. 1.) in the open day, and not to betake themselves to nightly stratagems. (Sec Jer. vi.4. xv. 8.)

Zephaniah 2:5

Woe to the inhabitants of the sea-Coasts, the nation of the Cherethites. The Philistines who live Upon

Zephaniah 2:7

And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house ofJudah, Sac J. The sea-coast (vcr. 5.) shall in aftertimes belong to the Jews, who shall possess all the Philistines’ country: as it appears they did in the first times of Christianity. (Sec Acts viii. 2G. 40.) Those that returned from the captivity are called a remnant, Hag. i. 12. ii. 2. r tliey shall feed thereupon: in the houses ofAshkelon shall they lie doom in the evening.’] The words are au allusion to what is said ver. 6. As the cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, &c. were places for wild Arabs, or other wandering people to pitch their tents, and feed their flocks; so they shall hereafter become the settled habitations of the Jews. (Compare Isa. lxv. 10. For [or, when] the Lord shall vis it them, and turn away their captivity.’] What is promised in this verse, was partly fulfilled after their return from Babylon, and may hereafter receive a farther completion. (See Obad. ver. 19. and the note there.)

Zephaniah 2:8

I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Amnion. These countries were destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem. (Sec the Argument to Jer. xlviii.) They arc threatened with destruction, both here and Jer. xlviii. 17. xlix. 1. and Ezek. xxv. 3. 8. for their insulting over the Jews in their calamities. And magnified themselves against their border.] Have invaded the territories of the Jews, when they were carried captive, (see Jer. xlix. 1.) and used the inhabitants with great cruelty, as they had done in former timqs. (See Amos i. 13.)

Zephaniah 2:9

Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, Sac. Proverbial expressions of utter desolation. (Sec Deut. xxix. 23. Isa. xiii. 19. xxxiv. 13. Jer. xlix. 18. 1. 40.) And a perpetual desolation.] Never more to be possessed by its former inhabitants. And the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.] Judas Maccabeus and his brethren subdued the Ammonites, as appears from 1 Mace. v. G. But this and the seventh verse will receive their utmost completion at the general restoration of the Jewish nation: those that then escape, and rc- •turn from their several dispersions, arc elsewhere called by the name of the residue and the remnant. (Compare iii. 13. and sec the note upon Micah iv. 7.)-

Zephaniah 2:10

This shall they have for their pride, Sac. See Jsa, xvi. 6, Jen xlviii. 29., Vcr. 11. For he will famish all the gods of the earth.] He will deprive them of their worship and sacrifices, which the gentiles thought to be the food of their gods..(SccDcut. xxxii.38.) The LXX. render it, He will destroy their gods..The destruction of idolatry is usually mentioned when the prophets describe the flourishing state of the church. (Seo the note upon Micah v. 13, 14.) And men shall worship him, every man from his. place.’] Or, In his place. And so the phrase may best be rendered Ezek. iii. 12..(See Noldius, p. 553.) Men shall worship him every where, and not only in Jerusalem. (Compare Mai., i. 11. John i v. 21.) Even all the isles of the heathen.] Or, The isles of the gentiles, as the phrase is translated, Gen. x. 5. (Sec the note upon Isa. xi. 11. xli. 1.) The Jews call all places islands, to which they went by sea. Vcr. 12. Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.] Yc shall be subdued by Nebuchadnezzar, who is a sivord iu my hand; (Psal. xvii. 10.) i. e. an instrument to execute my vengeance. The Ethiopians seem to comprehend the Egyptians too, whose confederates they were, and so underwent the; same fate with them; when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt. (See Jer. xlvi. 9. Ezek. xxx. 5. 9.). Vcr. 13. And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation.] As Nebuchadnezzar subdued the countries lying southward of Judca, Egypt, and Ethiopia, (ver.12.) so will he extend his conquests towards the north, and destroy Savacus the king of Assyria, whose royal scat was Nineveh. (Sec the Preface to Nahum, and the note upon iii. 18.) This action preceded the desolations mentioned in the foregoing verses. Archbishop Usherplaceth it in the sixteenth year of king Josiah, and Dr. Prideaux in the twenty-ninth year of the same reign. And dry like a wilderness.] The inhabitants of Nineveh are compared to many waters, Nahum ii. 8. She shall be now exhausted of her people, and be uninhabited like a wilderness.

Zephaniah 2:14

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, Sac. Sec Ycr. G. All the beasts of the nations.] The Chaldee interprets it, The several kinds of wild beasts: as if the Hebrew goji, nations, were to be understood of the several species of wild beasts, as the word is used of several sorts of caterpillars, Joel i. G. In like manner the ants are called a people, Prov. xxx. 25. Both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows.] These birds frequent desolate and, forsaken places, and shall take up their habitation in the ruinous houses of that once populous city..(Compare Isa. xiii. 21. xxxiv. For he shall uncover the cedar work.] The fine carved work or ceilings made of cedar, (see Jer. xxii. 14.) shall be exposed to the injuries of the weather, and so quickly come to ruin. Vcr. 15. This is the rejoicing city, that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, lam, and there is none beside me.] Its inhabitants indulged themselves in their case and pleasures, and theyarrived at that degree of presumption, as to fancy that no strength or power could bring thcin down from their height, or make them, cease to be, the capital city of.the