John Gill Commentary Zephaniah 2

Gather yourselves together
This is said to the people of the Jews in general; that whereas the judgments of God were coming upon them, as predicted in the preceding chapter (Zephaniah 1:1–18), it was high time for them to get together, and consider what was to be done at such a juncture; it was right to call a solemn assembly, to gather the people, priests, and elders, together, to some one place, as Joel directs, (Joel 1:14) (Joel 2:15Joel 2:16) the inhabitants of Jerusalem to the temple, and the people of the land to their respective synagogues, and there humble themselves before the Lord; confess their sins, and declare their repentance for them; and pray that God would show favour to them, and avert his wrath and judgments from them.

Or, "gather the straw" ^F25; from yourselves, and then gather it from others, as follows: or, "first adorn yourselves", and "then others", as in the Talmud ^F26; and the sense is the same with the words of Christ, "first cast out the beam out of your own eye" (Matthew 7:3–5); and the meaning of both is, first correct and amend yourselves, and then reprove others: this sense is given by the Jewish commentators, and is approved by Gussetius ^F1.

Or "search yourselves" ^F2; as some render the word; and that very diligently, as stubble is searched into, or any thing searched for in it; let the body of the people inquire among themselves what should be the cause of these things; what public sins prevailed among them, for which they were threatened with an utter destruction; and let everyone search into his own heart and ways, and consider how much he has contributed to the bringing down such sad calamities upon the nation: thus it became them to search and inquire into their state and circumstances of affairs, in a way of self-examination; or otherwise the Lord would search them in a way of judgment, as threatened (Zephaniah 1:12).

Or "shake out" ^F3, or "fan yourselves", as others; remove your chaff by repentance and reformation, that you be not blown away like chaff in the day of God's wrath, as afterwards suggested: you, gather together;
or "search", or "shake out", or "fan", as before: this is repeated, to show the necessity and importance of it, and the vehemency of the prophet in urging it.

O nation not desired;
by other nations, but hated by them, as Abarbinel observes; not desirable to God or good men; not amiable or lovely for any excellencies and goodness in them, but the reverse; being a disobedient and rebellious people; a seed of evildoers, laden with iniquity, who, from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet, were full of wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores; or of disorders and irregularities, sins and transgressions, comparable to them; and therefore, instead of being desirable, were loathsome and abominable: or, as some render the word, "O nation void of desire" ^F4; or "not affected" with it; who had no desire after God, and the knowledge of his will; after his word and worship; after a return unto him, and reconciliation with him; after his favour, grace, and mercy; not desirous of good things, nor of doing any. So the Targum,

``gather together, and come, and draw near, this people who desire not to return to the law.'' Joseph Kimchi, from the use of the word in the Misnic language, renders it, "O nation not ashamed": of their evil works, being bold and impudent; and yet, such was the goodness and grace of God to them, that he calls them to repentance, and gives them warning before he strikes the blow.

FOOTNOTES:

• F25: (wvvqth) "legite paleas vestras", Gussetius. (vvq) "proprie est stipulas colligere", Drusius, Piscator, Tarnovius.
• F26: T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 107. 2. & Bava Bathra, fol. 60. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 19. 1.
• F1: Ebr. Comment. p. 763.
• F2: "Scrutamini", Pagninus; "disquirite", Munster; "examinate", Vatablus; "perscrutamini", Cocceius.
• F3: "Excutite vos", Junius & Tremellius, Tarnovius; so Stockius, p. 975.
• F4: (Pokn al) "vacua desiderio", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "quae nullo desiderio afficeris", Burkius; "quae nullo tenteris affectu", Munster.

Before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass as the
chaff
Which was like a woman big with child, ready to be delivered. The decree of God concerning the people of the Jews was pregnant with wrath and ruin for their sins, and just ripe for execution; and therefore, before it was actually executed, they are exhorted as above; not that the decree of God which was gone forth could be frustrated and made void by anything done by them; only that, when it was put into execution, such as repented of their sins might be saved from the general calamity; which they are called upon to do before the day come appointed by the Lord for the execution of this decree; which lingered not, and was not delayed, but slid on as swiftly as chaff before the driving wind.

There is some difficulty in the rendering and sense of these words; some thus, "before the day, which passes as chaff, brings forth the decree" ^F5 ; that is, before the time, which moves swiftly, brings on the execution of the decree, or of the thing decreed in it, it is big with: others, "before the decree brings forth the day that passes as chaff" ^F6 ; or in which the chaff shall be separated from the wheat, pass away, be dispersed here and there; that is, before they were scattered about by it as chaff: and to this sense the Septuagint and Arabic versions, "before you are as a flower"; or, as the Syriac, "as chaff that passes away"; and so the Targum more fully, "before the decree of the house of judgment come out upon you, and you be like chaff which the wind blows away, and like a shadow which passes from before the day." See (Psalms 1:4) .

Before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day
of the Lord's anger come upon you ;
these phrases explain the former, and show what the decree was big with, and ready to bring forth, even the judgments of God, in wrath and fierce anger; and what the day is, said to pass as the chaff; the day of God's vengeance fixed by him, which should come upon them, and scatter them like chaff among the nations of the world: or rather the words may be rendered thus, as by Gussetius ^F7 , "whilst as yet the decree has not brought forth, the day passes away like chaff"; being neglected and spent in an useless and unprofitable manner; for which they are reproved; and therefore are exhorted to be wiser for the future, and redeem precious time; and, before the Lord's anger comes upon them, do what is before exhorted to, and particularly what follows:

FOOTNOTES:

• F5: (tdl Mrjb) "antequam dies, quae transit ut palea, pariat decretum", Drusius; so Ben Melech.
• F6: "Priusquam decretum Dei pariat deim veluti glumae transeuntis", Grotius.
• F7: Ebr. Comment. p. 305.

Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth
Or "of the land", of the land of Judea. In this time of great apostasy, there was a remnant according to the election of grace, whom the Lord reserved for himself, and bestowed his grace upon; and it is for the sake of these that the general exhortations to repentance and reformation are given out, to whom alone they were to be useful, that they might be protected and preserved from the general ruin; for such as are here described are persons the Lord takes great notice of; he gives them more grace; he lifts them up when bowed down; he beautifies them with salvation; he feeds them to full satisfaction; he teaches them his ways, his mind and will; he dwells with them here, and will cause them to inherit the new heaven and new earth hereafter: they are such who have a true sense of sin, and the exceeding sinfulness of it, which humbles them; and, conscious of the imperfection of their own righteousness, submit to the righteousness of Christ; acknowledge they are saved alone by the grace of God; and that all they have and expect to enjoy is owing to that; they are humble under the mighty hand of God, in every afflictive providence; patiently take all wrongs, abuses, and injuries done them by men; and not envious at the superior gifts, grace, and usefulness of others, but rejoice therein; have mean sentiments of themselves, and very high ones of others that excel in grace and holiness; these are truly gracious persons; and are like unto, and are followers of, the meek and lowly Jesus:

and are here exhorted "to seek the Lord": that is, by prayer and supplication, to know more of his mind and will, and especially their duty in their present circumstances; implore his grace and mercy, protection and safety, in a day of common danger; and attend the public ordinances of his house, in order to enjoy his presence and communion with him: for to seek the Lord is to seek his face and favour, to have the light of his countenance, and the discoveries of his love; and to seek his honour and glory in all things: particularly the Lord Christ may be meant, who was to come in the flesh, and good men sought for before he came, and now he is come; and to him should men seek for righteousness and life; for peace and pardon; for grace, and all supplies of it: and for everlasting salvation; and all this before as well as since his coming: and such seek him aright, who seek him early, in the first place, and above all things; who seek him with their whole hearts, sincerely, diligently, and constantly; and where he is to be found, in the ministry of his word and ordinances:

which have wrought his judgment :
the judgment of the Lord; acted according to his mind and will, revealed in his word, which is the rule of judgment, both as to faith and practice; observed his laws and statutes; kept his ordinances, as they were delivered; and did works of righteousness from right principles, and with right views, as fruits of faith, and as meet for repentance:

seek righteousness ;
not their own, and justification by that; for this would be doing what the carnal Jews did, and in vain, and is inconsistent with seeking the Lord, as before; but the righteousness of God, the kingdom of God and his righteousness, even the righteousness of Christ, who is God, and which only gives a right unto the kingdom of God or heaven: seeking this supposes a want of righteousness, which is in every man; a sense of that want, which only some have; a view of a righteousness without a man, in another, even in Christ; and of the glory, fulness, and excellency of his righteousness, which make it desirable, and worth seeking for; though this exhortation may also include in it a living to him soberly and righteously, as a fruit of divine grace, and to the glory of God, and according to his will, without trusting in it, and depending upon it, for life and salvation:

seek meekness ;
even though they were meek ones already, yet it became them to seek after more of this grace of meekness, that they might increase therein, and abound in the exercise of it, and be careful that they failed not in it; since the enemy of souls often attacks the saints in that in which they most excel, and succeeds: so Moses, the meekest man on earth, being off of his guard, and provoked, spoke unadvisedly with his lips; and it went ill with him on that account, ^{(Numbers 12:3) (Psalms 106:32Psalms 106:33)} besides, this exhortation, as well as the preceding, may have a respect to their concern with others; that they should study, as much as in them lay, not only to do righteousness and exercise meekness themselves, but to cultivate these among others; with which agrees Kimchi's note,

``as if it was said, study with all your might and main to return them to the right way:''

it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger ;
in the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, when some were put to the sword, and others carried captive: now there was a possibility, yea, a probability, that such persons before described would be saved at this time from the general calamity; be hid, protected, and preserved, by the power and, providence of God, Jeremiah, Baruch, and others, were: this, though it is not said as a certain thing, because a corporeal blessing, which the people of God cannot always be assured of in a time of public distress; yet not expressed in a doubting manner, much less despairing; but rather as presuming, at least hoping it would be, being possible and probable; and so encouraging to the above exercises of religion; and such that have the grace of God, and seek him, and seek to Christ alone for righteousness and life, may depend upon it that they shall be hid, and be safe and secure, when the wrath of God at the last day comes upon an ungodly world, ^{(Isaiah 32:2) (Romans 5:9)} .

The Targum of the whole is, ``seek the fear of the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, who do the judgments of his will; seek truth, seek meekness; it may be there will be a protection for you in the day of the Lord's anger.'' The Vulgate Latin version is, "seek the Lord--seek the just, seek the meek One"; as expressive of a person, even the Lord Christ, the just and Holy One, the meek and lowly Jesus.

For Gaza shall be forsaken
Therefore seek the Lord; and not to the Philistines, since they would be destroyed, to whom Gaza, and the other cities later mentioned, belonged; so Aben Ezra connects the words, suggesting that it would be in vain to flee thither for shelter, or seek for refuge there; though others think that this and what follows is subjoined, either to assure the Jews of their certain ruin, since this would be the case of the nations about them; or to alleviate their calamity, seeing their enemies would have no occasion to insult them and triumph over them, seeing they were, or quickly would be, in the like circumstances. Gaza was one of the five lordships of the Philistines; a strong and fortified place, as its name signifies; but should be demolished, stripped of its fortifications, and forsaken by its inhabitants. It was smitten by Pharaoh king of Egypt; and was laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar, (Jeremiah 47:1Jeremiah 47:4Jeremiah 47:5) and afterwards taken by Alexander the great; and, having gone through various changes, was in the times of the apostles called Gaza the desert, (Acts 8:26) .

There is a beautiful play on words in the words, not to be expressed in an English translation ^F8 . According to Strabo's account ^F9 , the ancient city was about a mile from the haven, for which (he says) it was formerly very illustrious; but was demolished by Alexander, and remained a desert. And so Jerom ^F11 says, in his time, the place where the ancient city stood scarce afforded any traces of the foundations of it; for that which now is seen (adds he) was built in another place, instead of that which was destroyed: and which, he observes, accounts for the fulfilment of this prophecy: and so Monsieur Thevenot ^F12 says, the city of Gaza is about two miles from the sea; and was anciently very illustrious, as may be seen by its ruins; and yet, even this must be understood of new Gaza; so a Greek writer ^F13 , of an uncertain age, observes this distinction; and speaks of this and the following places exactly in the order in which they are here, ``after Rhinocorura lies new Gaza, which is the city itself; then "Gaza the desert" (the place here prophesied of); then the city Askelon; after that Azotus (or Ashdod); then the city Accaron'' (or Ekron):

and Ashkelon a desolation ; this was another lordship belonging to the Philistines, that suffered at the same time as Gaza did by Nebuchadnezzar, (Jeremiah 47:5Jeremiah 47:7) . This place was ten miles from Gaza, as Mr. Sandys ^F14 says, and who adds, and now of no note; and Strabo ^F15 speaks of it in his time as a small city; indeed new Ashkelon is said by Benjamin of Tudela ^F16 to be a very large and beautiful city; but then he distinguishes it from old Ashkelon, here prophesied of; and which (he says) is four "parsoe", or sixteen miles, from the former, and now lies waste and desolate:

they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day , that is, the Chaldeans shall drive out the inhabitants of Ashdod, another of the principalities of the Philistines; the same with Azotus, (Acts 8:40) "at noon day", openly and publicly, and with great ease; they shall have no occasion to use any secret stratagems, or to make night work of it. This would be very incommodious and distressing to the inhabitants, to be turned out at noon day and be obliged to travel in the heat of the sun. In those eastern countries, the sun at noon day beats very strong. This place was distant from old Ashkelon four "parsae", or twenty four miles, as Benjamin Tudelensis ^F17 affirms; and with which agrees Diodorus Siculus, who says, that from Gaza to Azotus are two hundred and seventy furlongs, which make thirty four miles, ten from Gaza to Ashkelon, and twenty four from thence to Azotus or Ashdod. This place, according to the above Jewish traveller ^F19 , is now called Palmis, which he says is the Ashdod that belonged to the Philistines, now waste and desolate; by which this prophecy is fulfilled. It was once a very large and famous city, strong and well fortified; and held out a siege of twenty nine years against Psamittichus king of Egypt, as Herodotus ^F20 relates, but now destroyed; see (Isaiah 20:1) :

and Ekron shall be rooted up ; as a tree is rooted up, and withers away, and perishes, and there is no more hope of it: this denotes the utter destruction of this place. There is here also an elegant allusion to the name of the place ^F21 , not to be imitated in a version of it: this was another of the lordships of the Philistines, famous for the idol Beelzebub, the god of this place. Jerom ^F23 observes, that some think that Accaron (or Ekron) is the same with Strato's tower, afterwards called Caesarea; and so the Talmudists say ^F24 , Ekron is Caesarea; which is not at all probable: he further observes, that there is a large village of the Jews, which in his days was called Accaron, and lay between Azotus and Jamnia to the east; but Breidenbachius ^F25 relates, that, in his time, Accaron was only a small cottage or hut, yet retaining its ancient name; so utterly rooted up is this place, which once was a considerable principality. Gath is not mentioned, which is the other of the five principalities, because it was now, as Kimchi says, in the hands of the kings of Judah.

FOOTNOTES:

• F8: (hbwze hze) .
• F9: Geograph. l. 16. p. 502.
• F11: De locis Hebraicis, fol. 91. K.
• F12: Travels, par. 1. B. 2. c. 36. p. 180.
• F13: Apud Reland. Palestina Illustrata, l. 2. p. 509.
• F14: Travels, p. 151.
• F15: Geograph. l. 16. p. 502.
• F16: Itinorarium, p. 51.
• F17: Ibid.
• F18: Bibliothec. l. 19. p. 723.
• F19: Itinerarium, p. 51.
• F20: Euterpe, sive l. 2. c. 157.
• F21: (rqet Nwrqe) .
• F23: De locis Heb. fol. 88. D.
• F24: T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 6. 1.
• F25: Apud Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae Sanctae, p. 20.

Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coasts, the nation of the
Cherethites

Which is a name of the Philistines in general, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; or these were a particular tribe belonging to them, that inhabited the southern part of their country; see (1 Samuel 30:14 1 Samuel 30:16). These were on the sea coast, the coast of the Mediterranean sea, and so lay between that and Judea. Out of this nation, in the times of David and Solomon, were some choice soldiers selected, called the Cherethites and Pelethites, who were their bodyguards, as Josephus ^F1 calls them; a royal band, which never departed from the king's person; see (2 Samuel 15:18) (2 Samuel 20:7 2 Samuel 20:23).

The Septuagint version calls them "strangers of the Cretians"; and they are thought by some to be a colony of the Cretians; a people that came originally from the island of Crete, and settled here. But, on the contrary, rather Crete was a colony of the Philistines, and had its name from them; for by the Arabians ^F2, the country of Palestine, or the Philistines, is called Keritha; and by the Syrians Creth; and, by the Hebrews the inhabitants thereof are called Cherethites, as here, and in (Ezekiel 25:16). So the south of the Cherethites, in (1 Samuel 30:14), is, in (Ezekiel 25:16), called the land of the Philistines.

In all the above places, where they are spoken of as the attendants of Solomon and David, they are in the Targum called "archers"; and it is a clear case the Philistines were famous for archery, by which they sometimes had the advantage of their enemies; see (1 Samuel 31:3). Bows and arrows were the arms the Cretians made use of, and were famous for, as Bochart ^F3 from various writers has shown; the use of which they learned very probably from the Philistines, from whom they sprung.

Though Solinus ^F4 says they were the first that used arrows; and, according to Diodorus Siculus, Saturn introduced the art of using bows and arrows into the island of Crete; though others ascribe it to Apollo ^F5. It is said that Hercules learnt this art from Rhadamanthus of Crete, which last instance seems to favor the notion of those who think these Cherethites were Cretians, to which the Septuagint version inclines. Calmet ^F6 is of opinion that Caphtor, from which the Philistines are said to come (Amos 9:7), and who are called the remnant of the country of Caphtor (Jeremiah 47:4), is the island of Crete. He thinks the Philistines came from there into Palestine, and that the Cherethites are the ancient Cretians. The language, manners, arms, religion, and gods of the Cretians and Philistines were much the same, though this could also be explained by the Cretians being a colony of the Philistines (See Gill on Amos 9:7).

A learned man {1}, who accepts the opinion that these were royal guards, yet thinks they were not strangers and idolaters, but at least proselytes to the Jewish religion. He suggests they were rather Israelites, choice selected men, men of strength and valor, of military courage and skill, picked out of the nation to guard the king's person. He thinks they were called Cherethites and Pelethites from the kind of shields and targets they wore, called "cetra" and "pelta". It is also a notion several Jewish writers {2} have that they were two families in Israel. However, it seems plain and evident that a foreign nation is here meant, which lay on the sea coast and belonged to the Philistines.

Another learned man ^F7 thinks they are the Midianites, the same as the Cretians that Luke joins with the Arabians (Acts 2:11), just as the Midianites are joined with the Arabians and Amalekites by Josephus ^F8. However, a woe is denounced against them, and they are threatened with desolation.

The Vulgate Latin version is, "a nation of destroyed ones".

And the Targum, ``a people who have sinned, that they might be destroyed:''

the word of the Lord is against you

inhabitants of the sea coast, the Cherethites; the word of the Lord conceived in his own mind, his purpose to destroy them, which cannot be frustrated. So the Targum, ``the decree of the word of the Lord is against you;'' and the word pronounced by his lips, the word of prophecy concerning them, by the mouth of former prophets, as Isaiah, (Isaiah 14:29Isaiah 14:31) and by the mouth of the present prophet:

O Canaan, the land of the Philistines

Palestine was a part of Canaan; the five lordships of the Philistines before mentioned belonged originally to the Canaanite, (Joshua 13:3) and these belonged to the land of Israel, though possessed by them, out of which now they should be turned, and the country wasted, as follows:

I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant

so great should be the desolation; all should be removed from it, either by death or by captivity; at least there should be no settled inhabitant.

FOOTNOTES:

• F1: Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 4. and c. 11. sect. 8. Vid. Opitii Exercitat. de Crethi & Plethi.
• F2: Giggeius apud Bochart. Canaan, l. 1. c. 15. col. 422.
• F3: Ibid. col. 423.
• F4: Polyhistor. c. 16.
• F5: Diodor. Sicul. Bibliothec. l. 5. p. 334, 341.
• F6: Dictionary, in the word "Caphtor".
• 1: Fortunati Scacchi Elaeochrism, Myrothec. l. 3. c. 18, 19.
• 2: Kimchi & Ben Gersom in 2 Sam. viii. 18. and xv. 18.
• F7: Texelii Phoenix. l. 3. c. 21. sect. 4. p. 389, 390.
• F8: Antiqu. l. 5. c. 6. sect. 1.