John Calvin Commentary Zephaniah 2:11

"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." — Zephaniah 2:11 (ASV)

He proceeds with the same subject: that God would show his power in aiding his people. But he calls him a terrible God, who had for a time patiently endured the brazen rebellion of his enemies, and so became despised by them. For the ungodly, we know, never submit to God unless they are constrained by his hand. Then, they are not inclined to submit willingly to his authority; but when forced, they are silent.

This is what the Prophet means in these words; as if he had said that the wicked now mock God, as they disregard his power, but that they shall find how terrible an avenger of his people he is, so that they would have to dread him. And then he compares the superstitions of the nations with true religion; as if he had said that this would be to the Jews a reward for their piety, since they worshipped the only true God, and that all idols would be of no avail against the help of God.

And this was a necessary admonition. For the ungodly seemed to triumph for a time, not only over a conquered people but over God himself, and so gloried in their superstitious and vain inventions. The Prophet, therefore, strengthens their desponding minds, for God, he says, will finally consume all the gods of the nations.

The verb רזה, reze, strictly means to make lean or to famish, but is to be understood here metaphorically, as meaning to consume. God then will famish all the inventions of the nations. He alludes to that famine which idols had caused throughout the whole world. It is as if he had said that God’s glory would soon appear, which would exterminate whatever glory the false gods had gained among them, so that it would melt away like fat.

He finally adds that the remotest nations would become supplicants to God. For by saying, adore him shall each from his place, he doubtless means that however distant the countries might be, the distance would be no obstacle to God’s name being celebrated when his power became known in remote lands. And, for the same reason, he mentions the islands of the nations, that is, countries beyond the sea. For the Hebrews, as has been observed elsewhere, call those countries 'islands' which are far distant and separated by the sea. In short, the Prophet shows that the redemption of the people would be so wonderful that its fame would reach the farthest bounds of the earth, compelling foreign nations to give glory to the true God, and that it would dispel all the mists of superstition, so that idols would be exposed to scorn and contempt. It follows—