ZEPHANIAH

Author:
Zephaniah was descended from King Hezekiah, but we know almost nothing about him.
Date:
He prophesied during the days of King Josiah who reigned 640-609 BC.
Themes:
The Day of the LORD; warning that unless the people of Judah repented of their
detestable behavior God’s punishment would come on them; promise that in the last days
God would pour out His blessings on them.
Contents:
God’s judgment was about to come on Judah
and on the whole earth ........................................................... 1:2-6
The destruction coming on the Day of the LORD .......................... 1:7-18
The call to turn to God before punishment came ............................ 2:1-3
Punishment coming on nations around Judah ................................ 2:4-15
On the Philistines ..................................................................... 2:4-7
On the people of Moab and Ammon ......................................... 2:8-11
On Cush ................................................................................... 2:12
On Assyria ............................................................................... 2:13-15
Punishment for the evil committed in Jerusalem ............................ 3:1-5
God’s punishment on other nations ................................................ 3:6-9
The well-being of the Jews after returning to the land ..................... 3:10-13
The blessings to come to the people of Israel ................................... 3:14-20
Zephaniah 1:1 1362

1 The word of the LORD which came to

Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of
Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of
from the LORD,
and those who have not sought
the LORD or inquired of him.
Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of 7 Be silent in the presence

Amon, king of Judah. of the Lord God,

2 “I will completely make an end for the day of the LORD is at hand,
of all things from the land”, for the LORD has prepared
says the LORD. a sacrifice,
3 “I will make an end of man and beast; he has invited his guests.
I will make an end of the birds 8 And this will take place on the day

of the sky, of the LORD’s sacrifice:

and the fish of the sea, I will punish the princes,
and the stumbling blocks along and the king’s children,
with the wicked. and all those dressed in foreign clothes.
And I will cut man off from the land”, 9 On the same day I will also punish

says the LORD. all those who leap over

4 “I will stretch out my hand against the temple threshold,
Judah and against all the who fill their masters’ houses
inhabitants with violence and deceit.
of Jerusalem, 10 “And on that day”, says the LORD,

and I will cut off what is left of Baal “this will take place:
from this place, there will be the sound of a cry
and the names of the idolatrous from the Fish Gate,
priests along with the priests, and a wailing from the Second
5 And those who worship Quarter,
the starry host of heaven and a loud crash from the hills.
on the housetops, 11 Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh,

and those who worship and swear for all the merchant people
by the LORD, will be cut down,
and who swear by Malcam, all those who carry silver will be
6 And those who have turned back cut off.
1:1 “Word...came”– Jer 1:4; Hos 1:1; Joel 1:1. “Malcam”– the god Molech – note at Lev 18:21.
“Hezekiah”– 2 Kings 18:1. Trying to combine the name of the one true
“Josiah”– 2 Kings 22:1. God with the worship of the false gods of the
“Amon”– 2 Kings 21:19. nations – this revealed much spiritual blindness
1:2-3 Judging from the language of this verse, v and depravity.
18 and 3:8, God is speaking through Zephaniah 1:6 This was their great sin and the root cause
of a time in the distant future which still has not of other sins.
come. Compare Gen 6:7. God promised Noah that 1:7 “Silent”– Hab 2:20.
He would never again destroy everything with “Day of the LORD”– v 14; see Isa 13:6-13;
a flood – Gen 9:15-16. Through Zephaniah He Joel 1:15; 2:2,11; 3:13; Amos 5:18; 1 Thess 5:2;
speaks of destruction by other means. Compare 2 Pet 3:10.
also 2 Pet 3:10-13. “A sacrifice”– Jer 46:10. Here the word speaks
1:2 “The land”– or “the earth” – the Hebrew of a slaughter. Judah’s enemies were set apart
word means either. for this work of destroying Judah.
1:4-13 Having announced the far-off event, 1:8 “Foreign clothes”– God saw that His people’s
God now speaks of the punishment of adopting foreign dress was a sign of their adopting
Judah and Jer usalem. There seems to foreign ways of life contrary to the ways a holy
be a mingling of events to come in the people should live.
near future and in the distant future (v 1:9 “Leap over the temple threshold”– 1 Sam 5:5.
7). They were partly fulfilled in 586 BC This was one of the foreign ways Judah had
– 2 Kings chapter 25. adopted. They were careful to observe that, but
1:4“I will”– compare Isa 10:5; Jer 51:20. thought nothing of lying and killing – another
“Baal”– note at Jud 2:11. example of how some people think that a little
“Idolatrous priests”– in Hebrew “Kemarim”. religious superstition can win God’s favor even
1:5 “Starry host”– 2 Kings 21:3; Jer 8:2; 19:13; if their lives are full of sin.
Acts 7:42; Deut 4:19; 17:3-5. 1:10-11 Neh 3:3; 11:9; 1 Kings 20:34.
1363 Zephaniah 2:6
12 And it will happen at that time and the whole land will be devoured
that I will search Jerusalem by the fire of his jealousy.
with lamps, For quickly he will rid the land
and punish the men who are settled of all those who live in it”.
complacently like wine on its dregs,
who say in their heart,
‘The LORD will not do good,
nor will he do evil.’
2 Gather yourselves together;
yes, gather together,
O nation not desirable,
13 Therefore their goods will 2 Before the decree is carried out,

become booty, before the day takes away the chaff,

and their houses a desolation. before the fierce anger of the LORD
And they will build houses comes on you,
but not live in them, before the day of the LORD’s anger
and they will plant vineyards comes on you.
but not drink their wine. 3 Seek the LORD, all you meek
14 “The great day of the LORD is near. of the earth,
It is near, and coming speedily. who have behaved in accordance
The sound of the day of the LORD! with his justice.
The mighty man there will cry Seek righteousness, seek meekness.
out bitterly. Perhaps you will be hidden
15 That day is a day of wrath, in the day of the LORD’s anger.
a day of trouble and distress, 4 For Gaza will be abandoned,

a day of devastation and and Ashkelon will become

desolation, a desolation.
a day of darkness and gloom, At midday they will drive out
a day of clouds and dense darkness, the people of Ashdod,
16 A day of the trumpet and alarm and Ekron will be uprooted.
against the fortified cities, 5 Woe to the inhabitants

and against the high towers. of the seacoast,

17 I will bring distress on men, the nation of the Kerethites!
so that they walk like blind men, The word of the LORD is
because they have sinned against against you,
the LORD. O Canaan, the land of the Philistines:
And their blood will be poured “I will destroy you, so that no one
out like dust, will live there”.
and their flesh like dung. 6 And the seacoast will become
18 Neither their silver nor their gold pastures,
will be able to save them in the day and caves for shepherds,
of the LORD’s wrath; and folds for flocks.

1:12 “Complacently”– Amos 6:1. 2:1 “Nation not desirable”– Judah (Jer 3:3,25; 6:15).
“Dregs”– Jer 48:11. Their behavior was shameful but they were not
“The LORD will not do”– they felt secure in ashamed of it.
their sin and unbelief, thinking that God was 2:2-3 A call to repentance before punishment falls.
inactive. Compare Ps 10:11; 73:11-12. 2:3 “Seek”– Hos 14:1-3; Joel 2:12-14; Amos 5:4,6;
1:13 “Booty”– Jer 15:13; 2 Kings 24:13. Isa 55:6-7; Jer 29:13.
1:14 Verse 7. “Meek”– only the humble would be willing to
“Near”– Joel 1:15. listen to the prophet and seek God.
1:15 Amos 5:18-20. “Righteousness”– Isa 1:17; Matt 6:33.
1:16 Joel 2:2. “Meekness”– Isa 57:15; 66:2; Jam 4:6-10.
1:17 “Blind men”– Deut 28:28-29; Isa 59:10. “Perhaps”– Joel 2:14; Amos 5:15.
1:18 “Wrath”– notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11; 2:4-7 A prophecy of God’s judgment on the
John 3:36; Rom 1:18. The wealthy sometimes Philistines. See also Amos 1:6-8; Ezek 25:15-17.
think their riches give them security. But they Note on Philistines at Gen 10:14. Gaza, Ashkelon,
will learn that there is no security when God Ashdod and Ekron were important cities in
rises in anger against them. their land.
“Devoured”– vs 2,3; 3:8. 2:5 “Kerethites”– 1 Sam 30:14; 2 Sam 8:18.
Zephaniah 2:7 1364
7 And the coast will be for the remnant all the islands of the nations.
of the house of Judah. 12 “You Ethiopians also will be slain
They will feed their flocks there. by my sword”.
In the evening they will lie down 13 And he will stretch out his hand

in the houses of Ashkelon; against the north and destroy

for the LORD their God will Assyria,
visit them, and make Nineveh a desolation
and turn away their captivity. and as dry as a desert.
8 “I have heard the insults of Moab, 14 And flocks will lie down

and the taunts of the children in the middle of her,

of Ammon, and all the beasts of the country.
with which they have insulted Both the cormorant and the bittern
my people, will lodge on the tops of its pillars;
and exalted themselves against their voice will sing
their borders. through the windows.
9 Therefore, as I live”, says the LORD Desolation will be
of hosts, the God of Israel, on the threshold;
“surely Moab will become like for he will lay bare the cedar work.
Sodom, 15 This is the rejoicing city

and the land of the children that lived without a care,

of Ammon like Gomorrah, that said in her heart,
a place of weeds and salt pits, “I am, and there is no one
and a permanent desolation. beside me”.
Those who are left of my people What a desolation she has become!
will plunder them, A place for beasts to lie down!
and the remnant of my people Everyone who passes by her will hiss,
will possess them. and shake his fist.
10 This they will have for their pride,

because they have insulted

and exalted themselves against
the people of the LORD of hosts”.
3 Woe to her who is filthy and polluted,
to the oppressing city!
2 She has not obeyed God’s voice;
11 The LORD will be terrifying she has not received correction;
to them, for he will famish she has not trusted in the LORD;
all the gods of the earth. she has not drawn near to her God.
And each people will worship him 3 Her princes within her are

from their own place, roaring lions;

2:7 “Remnant”– Isa 11:11,16; 28:5; 37:32; Jer 23:3. Hab 2:14; Zech 14:9,16. A time is coming when
“Turn away their captivity”– or “restore there will not be idols and gods in any country
their well-being” – the Hebrew means either. and all peoples everywhere will worship only
Deut 30:3; Jer 32:44; Hos 14:4-9; Joel 3:1; the true God.
Amos 9:13-15. 2:12 Again God speaks. Note on “Ethiopia”– or
2:8-9 God pronounces judgment on the people of “Cush”– at Isa 18:1.
Moab and the Ammonites together. They were “My sword”– an enemy nation. Compare
descended from the same man (Gen 19:36-38), Isa 10:5.
and lived in the same general area. For other 2:13-15 For other prophecies against Assyria and
prophecies about them see Isa 11:14; 15:1—16:14; its capital Nineveh, see Isa 10:12-19; 19:23-25;
Jer 9:26; chapter 48; 49:1-6; Ezek 21:28-32; 25:1-11; Nahum 1—3 chapters . Note on Assyria at
Amos 2:1-3. Both nations were continual enemies 2 Kings 15:19.
of Israel. 2:14 “Cormorant and the bittern”– it is unclear
2:9 “LORD of hosts”– note at 1 Sam 1:3. exactly what birds are indicated by the Hebrew.
“Sodom”,“Gomorrah”– Gen 19:23-29. 2:15 “I am”– compare Isa 47:10.
“Will possess them”– this will be fulfilled in the 3:1-8 The prophet now speaks of Jerusalem – this
future, since it has not been fulfilled up to the is the only city of which it could be said that the
present time. LORD (Jehovah God) was in it – v 5.
2:10 “Pride”– Isa 16:6; Jer 49:16; Obad 3. See how 3:1 “Oppressing city”– Jer 6:6; 22:3.
God loathes pride – Prov 6:16-17; Isa 2:12-18. 3:2 Jer 7:28; 22:21; Matt 7:21; Luke 6:46.
2:11 “Each people will worship Him”– 3:9; Ps 86:9; 3:3 The weak and helpless were their prey.
1365 Zephaniah 3:14

her judges are evening wolves; all my fierce anger.

they leave no bone to gnaw For the whole earth will be devoured
to the morning. by the fire of my jealousy.
4 Her prophets are light, 9 For then I will restore to the people

treacherous persons. a pure language,

Her priests have defiled that they may all call on the name
the sanctuary, of the LORD,
they have done violence to the law. to serve him with one consent.
5 The just LORD is in her midst. 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia

He will do no evil. my worshippers,

Each morning he brings his justice the daughter of my dispersed,
to light; he does not fail. will bring my offering.
But the unjust know no shame. 11 In that day you will not be put
6 “I have cut off nations. to shame for any of your deeds,
Their towers are in ruins. by which you have transgressed
I made their streets desolate against me,
so that no one passes through for then I will take away from your
them. midst those who rejoice
Their cities are destroyed, in your pride,
so that there is no man, and you will no longer be haughty
no inhabitant. on my holy mountain.
7 I said, ‘If only you would fear me 12 I will also leave a humble

and receive instruction’, and lowly people in your midst,

so that their dwelling place and they will trust in the name
would not be cut off, of the LORD.
in all that I laid on them. 13 The remnant of Israel will do

But they rose early and corrupted no evil or speak lies,

all their deeds. nor will a deceitful tongue be found
8 Therefore wait for me, in their mouth.
says the LORD, They will feed their flocks
until the day that I rise up for plunder. and lie down,
For my decision is to gather and no one will make them afraid”.
the nations, 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion!

to assemble the kingdoms, Shout, O Israel!

to pour out on them my Be glad and rejoice with
indignation, all your heart,
3:4 These prophets were false prophets. Compare 3:8 “Wait for me”– God would deal with them
Jer 5:31; 14:14; 23:16,32. The work of the priests as they deserved.
was to teach God’s law and see that the people “Anger”– Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11.
practiced it – Deut 31:9-13; 2 Chron 17:8-9; “Devoured”– 1:2-3,18; Isa 24:1-13.
Jer 2:8; 23:11. 3:9 Though God will cause great calamities and
3:5 “Just”– or “righteous” – Ps 11:7; 89:14; devastations on the earth there will be nations
Deut 32:4. left for Him to purify. And He will do so and
“In her midst”– God’s glory, His presence was in the world will be united in worship of the true
His temple in Jerusalem. From there He worked God – 2:11; Zech 14:9.
justice in the earth, rewarding the righteous and 3:10 “My dispersed”– Deut 4:27; 28:64; Jer 9:16.
punishing the wicked. “Offering”– Isa 11:11-12; 60:7.
“Know no shame”– 2:1. 3:11 “You”– God speaks to Jerusalem. This
3:6 God speaks and gives an illustration of the condition of the people of Israel has not appeared
justice He works in the earth. from that day to this. So its fulfilment awaits
3:7 “Dwelling place”– Jerusalem. God wished to the future.
spare His city – Ps 132:13; Matt 23:37-39. But He 3:13 “Remnant”– 2:7.
could not overlook the wickedness of the people. 3:14-15 Compare Isa 12:1,6; 40:1-2; 51:11. God
“Rose early”– they were eager to get to their speaks of something still in the future as if it had
corrupted work. Verse 7 in Hebrew is obscure already taken place. See Isa 46:10.
and difficult to translate. 3:14 “Daughter of Zion”– note at Ps 9:14.
Zephaniah 3:15 1366

O daughter of Jerusalem! who grieve for the appointed

15 The LORD has taken away assembly,
judgments on you, to whom the scorning of
he has cast out your enemy. it was a burden.
The king of Israel, the LORD, 19 See, at that time I will deal

is in your midst. with all who trouble you,

You will see no more disaster. and I will save the lame,
16 In that day it will be said and gather those who were
to Jerusalem, “Do not fear”, driven out;
and to Zion, “Do not and I will see that they get praise
let your hands hang limply”. and fame in every land where
17 The LORD your God in they have been put to shame.
your midst is mighty. 20 At that time I will bring you back,

He will save you, at the time that I gather you.

he will rejoice over you with joy, For I will give you a name and
he will rest in his love, praise among all the peoples
he will rejoice over you of the earth,
with singing. when I restore you from captivity
18 “I will gather those among you before your eyes, says the LORD.

3:15 “The king of Israel”– Ezek 37:26-28; Zech 14:16; Heb 7:25.
Isa 44:6. Notice the words “no more” – words “Rejoice”– Ps 147:11; Isa 62:4; Eph 1:3-6.
as yet unfulfilled. “Love”– Isa 40:1; Hos 14:4; Rom 5:5;
3:16 “In that day”– vs 9,11. 1 John 4:16-18.
“Limply”– Isa 35:3-4; Heb 12:12. “Singing”– God sings over His redeemed people
3:17 A great verse showing the joy and satisfaction as parents sing to an infant safe in their arms.
God has in His people. This will be true in the 3:18 God speaks and comforts His people.
future of Jerusalem and its people. It is true now 3:19 “All who trouble you”– enemy nations.
of believers in Christ. 3:20 Jer 29:14; Ezek 37:12,21-28; Amos 9:14-15.
“He will save”– Isa 46:13; 51:5; 63:1; Rom 1:16; “You from captivity”– or “your well-being”.