Charles Ellicott Commentary Zephaniah 1:7

Charles Ellicott Commentary

Zephaniah 1:7

1819–1905
Anglican
Charles Ellicott
Charles Ellicott

Charles Ellicott Commentary

Zephaniah 1:7

1819–1905
Anglican
SCRIPTURE

"Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is at hand: for Jehovah hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath consecrated his guests." — Zephaniah 1:7 (ASV)

Hold your peace... —Literally, Hush at the presence of the Lord God. This peculiar phrase is repeated in Habakkuk 2:20.

A sacrifice. —The word includes the idea of the feast in which it was customary to consume the remains of the sacrifice (See Psalms 22:26, 29). Hence the clause He has bid his guests; or, more literally, He has consecrated [set apart for himself] his invited ones .

God’s guests are here those foreign nations whom He has selected to be His ministers of chastisement. They are invited, as it were, to banquet upon God’s apostate people. The figure is probably borrowed from Isaiah 34:6.