Charles Ellicott Commentary Zephaniah 2
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Zephaniah 2
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Zephaniah 2
"Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;" — Zephaniah 2:1 (ASV)
Gather yourselves together. — This rendering has little to recommend it. Two translations of the obscure verb used here are possible: Sift yourselves, indeed sift — that is, winnow out the sins that have roused Jehovah’s anger; or Bend yourselves, indeed bend. We prefer the latter. The contumacious nation is exhorted to bend in submission to Jehovah before His judgment is revealed.
O nation not desired. — Better, O nation that are not abashed — namely, by God’s threats: the shameless defiant nation; so the Septuagint, ἔθνος.
"Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame; before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah`s anger come upon you. Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah`s anger." — Zephaniah 2:1-3 (ASV)
An exhortation to seek God before His day of vengeance is revealed.
"before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah`s anger come upon you." — Zephaniah 2:2 (ASV)
Before the decree bring forth. — That is, before God’s decree or ordinance, against which they have offended, brings forth the curse foretold in Zephaniah 1:0. There is no reason to identify the “decree” with the Book of the Law brought to light at the time of Josiah’s Reformation (see Introduction II.).
Before the day pass as the chaff. — Better, perhaps, parenthetically, for the day is passing by like chaff. The time for repentance is speeding by like chaff whirled before the wind.
"Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah`s anger." — Zephaniah 2:3 (ASV)
Wrought his judgment. —Or, rather, executed His sentence —acted in compliance with His revealed will by refraining from the sins above specified.
"For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea-coast shall be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed [their flocks] thereupon; in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; for Jehovah their God will visit them, and bring back their captivity. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall make a prey of them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them. This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts. Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the nations. Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness. And herds shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals thereof; [their] voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar-work. This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand." — Zephaniah 2:4-15 (ASV)
Jehovah’s chastisement of foreign powers. These Divine visitations are introduced somewhat abruptly. The connection is perhaps that they are intended to lead God’s people to repent, and put their faith in Him who orders the destinies of all mankind. Also, as being inflicted on hostile peoples, they are in Israel’s favour, and ought therefore to elicit gratitude. But more especially are they all steps towards the establishment of Jehovah’s supremacy, and the inclusion of the Gentiles in His kingdom upon earth. (Zephaniah 3:9 and following) This part of the Divine sentence is presented in three strophes of four verses each—namely, the chastisement of Philistia (Zephaniah 2:4–7); of Moab and Ammon (Zephaniah 2:8–11); of Ethiopia and Assyria (Zephaniah 2:12–15).
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