2 Before the decree H2706 bring forth, H3205 before the day H3117 pass H5674 as the chaff, H4671 before H3808 the fierce H2740 anger H639 of the LORD H3068 come H935 upon you, before the day H3117 of the LORD'S H3068 anger H639 come H935 upon you.
Who can stand H5975 before H6440 his indignation? H2195 and who can abide H6965 in the fierceness H2740 of his anger? H639 his fury H2534 is poured out H5413 like fire, H784 and the rocks H6697 are thrown down H5422 by him.
The nations H3816 shall rush H7582 like the rushing H7588 of many H7227 waters: H4325 but God shall rebuke H1605 them, and they shall flee H5127 far off, H4801 and shall be chased H7291 as the chaff H4671 of the mountains H2022 before H6440 the wind, H7307 and like a rolling thing H1534 before H6440 the whirlwind. H5492
Therefore wait H2442 ye upon me, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 until the day H3117 that I rise up H6965 to the prey: H5706 for my determination H4941 is to gather H622 the nations, H1471 that I may assemble H6908 the kingdoms, H4467 to pour H8210 upon them mine indignation, H2195 even all my fierce H2740 anger: H639 for all the earth H776 shall be devoured H398 with the fire H784 of my jealousy. H7068
Neither their silver H3701 nor their gold H2091 shall be able H3201 to deliver H5337 them in the day H3117 of the LORD'S H3068 wrath; H5678 but the whole land H776 shall be devoured H398 by the fire H784 of his jealousy: H7068 for he shall make H6213 even a speedy H926 riddance H3617 of all them that dwell H3427 in the land. H776
The ungodly H7563 are not so: but are like the chaff H4671 which the wind H7307 driveth away. H5086
For, behold, the day H3117 cometh, H935 that shall burn H1197 as an oven; H8574 and all the proud, H2086 yea, and all that do H6213 wickedly, H7564 shall be stubble: H7179 and the day H3117 that cometh H935 shall burn them up, H3857 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 that it shall leave H5800 them neither root H8328 nor branch. H6057 But unto you that fear H3373 my name H8034 shall the Sun H8121 of righteousness H6666 arise H2224 with healing H4832 in his wings; H3671 and ye shall go forth, H3318 and grow up H6335 as calves H5695 of the stall. H4770
And G2532 saying, G3004 Where G4226 is G2076 the promise G1860 of his G846 coming? G3952 for G1063 since G575 G3739 the fathers G3962 fell asleep, G2837 all things G3956 continue G3779 G1265 as they were from G575 the beginning G746 of the creation. G2937 For G1063 this G5124 they G846 willingly G2309 are ignorant of, G2990 that G3754 by the word G3056 of God G2316 the heavens G3772 were G2258 of old, G1597 and G2532 the earth G1093 standing out G4921 of G1537 the water G5204 and G2532 in G1223 the water: G5204 Whereby G1223 G3739 the world G2889 that then was, G5119 being overflowed G2626 with water, G5204 perished: G622 But G1161 the heavens G3772 and G2532 the earth, G1093 which are now, G3568 by the same G846 word G3056 are G1526 kept in store, G2343 reserved G5083 unto fire G4442 against G1519 the day G2250 of judgment G2920 and G2532 perdition G684 of ungodly G765 men. G444 But, G1161 beloved, G27 be G2990 not G3361 G5209 ignorant G2990 of this one G1520 thing, G5124 that G3754 one G3391 day G2250 is with G3844 the Lord G2962 as G5613 a thousand G5507 years, G2094 and G2532 a thousand G5507 years G2094 as G5613 one G3391 day. G2250 The Lord G2962 is G1019 not G3756 slack G1019 concerning his promise, G1860 as G5613 some men G5100 count G2233 slackness; G1022 but G235 is longsuffering G3114 to G1519 us-ward, G2248 not G3361 willing G1014 that any G5100 should perish, G622 but G235 that all G3956 should come G5562 to G1519 repentance. G3341 But G1161 the day G2250 of the Lord G2962 will come G2240 as G5613 a thief G2812 in G1722 the night; G3571 in G1722 the which G3739 the heavens G3772 shall pass away G3928 with a great noise, G4500 and G1161 the elements G4747 shall melt G3089 with fervent heat, G2741 the earth G1093 also G2532 and G2532 the works G2041 that are therein G1722 G846 shall be burned up. G2618
Strive G75 to enter in G1525 at G1223 the strait G4728 gate: G4439 for G3754 many, G4183 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 will seek G2212 to enter in, G1525 and G2532 shall G2480 not G3756 be able. G2480 When once G575 G3739 G302 the master of the house G3617 is risen up, G1453 and G2532 hath shut G608 to the door, G2374 and G2532 ye begin G756 to stand G2476 without, G1854 and G2532 to knock G2925 at the door, G2374 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 Lord, G2962 open G455 unto us; G2254 and G2532 he shall answer G611 and say G2046 unto you, G5213 I know G1492 you G5209 not G3756 whence G4159 ye are: G2075 Then G5119 shall ye begin G756 to say, G3004 We have eaten G5315 and G2532 drunk G4095 in thy G4675 presence, G1799 and G2532 thou hast taught G1321 in G1722 our G2257 streets. G4113 But G2532 he shall say, G2046 I tell G3004 you, G5213 I know G1492 you G5209 not G3756 whence G4159 ye are; G2075 depart G868 from G575 me, G1700 all G3956 ye workers G2040 of iniquity. G93 There G1563 shall be G2071 weeping G2805 and G2532 gnashing G1030 of teeth, G3599 when G3752 ye shall see G3700 Abraham, G11 and G2532 Isaac, G2464 and G2532 Jacob, G2384 and G2532 all G3956 the prophets, G4396 in G1722 the kingdom G932 of God, G2316 and G1161 you G5209 yourselves thrust G1544 out. G1854
Heaven G3772 and G2532 earth G1093 shall pass away, G3928 but G1161 my G3450 words G3056 shall G3928 not G3364 pass away. G3928
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Behold, I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon this place, H4725 and upon the inhabitants H3427 thereof, even all the words H1697 of the book H5612 which the king H4428 of Judah H3063 hath read: H7121 Because they have forsaken H5800 me, and have burned incense H6999 unto other H312 gods, H430 that they might provoke me to anger H3707 with all the works H4639 of their hands; H3027 therefore my wrath H2534 shall be kindled H3341 against this place, H4725 and shall not be quenched. H3518
For I am the LORD: H3068 I will speak, H1696 and the word H1697 that I shall speak H1696 shall come to pass; H6213 it shall be no more prolonged: H4900 for in your days, H3117 O rebellious H4805 house, H1004 will I say H1696 the word, H1697 and will perform H6213 it, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
The anger H639 of the LORD H3068 shall not return, H7725 until he have executed, H6213 and till he have performed H6965 the thoughts H4209 of his heart: H3820 in the latter H319 days H3117 ye shall consider H995 it perfectly. H998
Behold, I will make H7760 thee a new H2319 sharp H2742 threshing H4173 instrument having H1167 teeth: H6374 thou shalt thresh H1758 the mountains, H2022 and beat them small, H1854 and shalt make H7760 the hills H1389 as chaff. H4671 Thou shalt fan H2219 them, and the wind H7307 shall carry them away, H5375 and the whirlwind H5591 shall scatter H6327 them: and thou shalt rejoice H1523 in the LORD, H3068 and shalt glory H1984 in the Holy One H6918 of Israel. H3478
For he is our God; H430 and we are the people H5971 of his pasture, H4830 and the sheep H6629 of his hand. H3027 To day H3117 if ye will hear H8085 his voice, H6963 Harden H7185 not your heart, H3824 as in the provocation, H4808 and as in the day H3117 of temptation H4531 in the wilderness: H4057
They are as stubble H8401 before H6440 the wind, H7307 and as chaff H4671 that the storm H5492 carrieth away. H1589
But they mocked H3931 the messengers H4397 of God, H430 and despised H959 his words, H1697 and misused H8591 his prophets, H5030 until the wrath H2534 of the LORD H3068 arose H5927 against his people, H5971 till there was no remedy. H4832 Therefore he brought H5927 upon them the king H4428 of the Chaldees, H3778 who slew H2026 their young men H970 with the sword H2719 in the house H1004 of their sanctuary, H4720 and had no compassion H2550 upon young man H970 or maiden, H1330 old man, H2205 or him that stooped for age: H3486 he gave H5414 them all into his hand. H3027
Notwithstanding the LORD H3068 turned H7725 not from the fierceness H2740 of his great H1419 wrath, H639 wherewith his anger H639 was kindled H2734 against Judah, H3063 because of all the provocations H3708 that Manasseh H4519 had provoked H3707 him withal. And the LORD H3068 said, H559 I will remove H5493 Judah H3063 also out of my sight, H6440 as I have removed H5493 Israel, H3478 and will cast off H3988 this city H5892 Jerusalem H3389 which I have chosen, H977 and the house H1004 of which I said, H559 My name H8034 shall be there.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Zephaniah 2
Commentary on Zephaniah 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
In this chapter we have,
All these shall drink of the same cup of trembling that is put into the hands of God's people, as was also foretold by other prophets before and after.
Zep 2:1-3
Here we see what the prophet meant in that terrible description of the approaching judgments which we had in the foregoing chapter. From first to last his design was, not to drive the people to despair, but to drive them to God and to their duty-not to frighten them out of their wits, but to frighten them out of their sins. In pursuance of that he here calls them to repentance, national repentance, as the only way to prevent national ruin. Observe,
Zep 2:4-7
The prophet here comes to foretel what share the neighbouring nations should have in the destruction made upon those parts of the world by Nebuchadnezzar and his victorious Chaldees, as others of the prophets did at that time, which is designed,
In these verses we have the doom of the Philistines, who were near neighbours, and old enemies, to the people of Israel. Five lordships there were in that country; only four are here named-Gaza and Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron; Gath, the fifth, is not named, some think because it was now subject to Judah. They were the inhabitants of the sea-coasts (v. 5), for their country lay upon the Great Sea. The nation of the Cherethites is here joined with them, which bordered upon them (1 Sa. 30:14) and fell with them, as is foretold also, Eze. 25:16. The Philistines' land is here called Canaan, for it belonged to that country which God gave to his people Israel, and was inserted in the grant made to them, Jos. 13:3. This land is yet to be possessed (five lords of the Philistines), so that they wrongfully kept Israel out of the possession of it (Jdg. 3:3), which is now remembered against them. For, though the rights of others may be long detained unjustly, the righteous God will at length avenge the wrong.
Zep 2:8-11
The Moabites and Ammonites were both of the posterity of Lot; their countries joined, and, both adjoining to Israel, they are here put together in the prophecy against them.
Zep 2:12-15
The cup is going round, when Nebuchadnezzar is going on conquering and to conquer; and not only Israel's near neighbours, but those that lay more remote, must be reckoned with for the wrongs they have done to God's people; the Ethiopians and the Assyrians are here taken to task.