[1] Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
To her — Jerusalem.
Verse 2
[2] She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.
The voice — Of God by his mercy and judgments crying aloud.
Verse 3
[3] Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
Her princes — Persons of principal place and authority.
Lions — Which hunt for prey, and are ever affrighting or devouring.
Wolves — Insatiable and cruel, like wolves of the evening, whetted with hunger.
Gnaw not the bones — They leave nothing but the bones to be eaten on the morrow.
Verse 4
[4] Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
Her prophet — So called, false prophets.
Light — Unstable and inconstant.
Violence to the law — Wresting it by perverse interpretation.
Verse 5
[5] The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
In the midst — Observing all.
Not do iniquity — He will judge them righteously.
Every morning — Daily he discovers his displeasure against the wicked.
Faileth not — Lets no season slip to convince them, by public and visible punishments.
The unjust — But the wicked Jews proceed without shame, and without fear.
Verse 6
[6] I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
The nations — Of old, the Canaanites, lastly the ten tribes, and later yet, the Assyrians.
Verse 7
[7] I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
I said — I thought (speaking after the manner of men).
Thou — O Jerusalem.
Fear me — For the many and great judgments executed upon others.
I punished them — In some measure.
Verse 8
[8] Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
Therefore — Since you will not be amended.
Wait ye — Attend my resolution.
Until — Until I rise up to destroy first, and next to take the spoil.
Upon them — The incorrigible Jews.
Devoured — Consumed as if burnt up.
My jealousy — That jealousy wherewith God is jealous for his own glory.
Verse 9
[9] For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
A pure language — I will give them a pure way of worshipping me, the issue of a pure heart.
Verse 10
[10] From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
My dispersed — The praying remnant of the scattered Jews shall return to their own land, and bring themselves an offering unto the Lord.
Verse 11
[11] In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
Thy doings — Thy sins formerly committed.
In thy pride — Proud formalists.
No more be haughty — Ye shall no more boast, because of the city, or the temple.
Verse 12
[12] I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
Of thee — In Judea and Jerusalem.
Verse 13
[13] The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Shall feed — Shall enjoy peace and plenty.
Verse 15
[15] The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
Taken away — Abolished, and put an end to the judgments thy sins brought upon thee.
Thine enemy — The Babylonian.
Is in the midst — He is returned to redeem and govern thee.
Any more — While thy carriage is as becomes my presence with thee, thou shalt neither fear, nor feel the like evils.
Verse 18
[18] I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
Sorrowful — That mourn their distance from the solemn worship of God.
Who are of thee — Thy children.
Reproach — The taunts of their enemies.
Verse 19
[19] Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
Undo — I will break their power and dissolve their kingdom.
That halteth — Who is in trouble and ready to fall.
Driven out — Into remote countries.
Verse 20
[20] At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.
A praise — So the universal church of the first-born will be, in the great day. And then the Israel of God be made a name and a praise to all eternity.
Zephaniah 3 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 1
[1] Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
To her — Jerusalem.
Verse 2
[2] She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.
The voice — Of God by his mercy and judgments crying aloud.
Verse 3
[3] Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
Her princes — Persons of principal place and authority.
Lions — Which hunt for prey, and are ever affrighting or devouring.
Wolves — Insatiable and cruel, like wolves of the evening, whetted with hunger.
Gnaw not the bones — They leave nothing but the bones to be eaten on the morrow.
Verse 4
[4] Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
Her prophet — So called, false prophets.
Light — Unstable and inconstant.
Violence to the law — Wresting it by perverse interpretation.
Verse 5
[5] The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
In the midst — Observing all.
Not do iniquity — He will judge them righteously.
Every morning — Daily he discovers his displeasure against the wicked.
Faileth not — Lets no season slip to convince them, by public and visible punishments.
The unjust — But the wicked Jews proceed without shame, and without fear.
Verse 6
[6] I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
The nations — Of old, the Canaanites, lastly the ten tribes, and later yet, the Assyrians.
Verse 7
[7] I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
I said — I thought (speaking after the manner of men).
Thou — O Jerusalem.
Fear me — For the many and great judgments executed upon others.
I punished them — In some measure.
Verse 8
[8] Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
Therefore — Since you will not be amended.
Wait ye — Attend my resolution.
Until — Until I rise up to destroy first, and next to take the spoil.
Upon them — The incorrigible Jews.
Devoured — Consumed as if burnt up.
My jealousy — That jealousy wherewith God is jealous for his own glory.
Verse 9
[9] For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
A pure language — I will give them a pure way of worshipping me, the issue of a pure heart.
Verse 10
[10] From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
My dispersed — The praying remnant of the scattered Jews shall return to their own land, and bring themselves an offering unto the Lord.
Verse 11
[11] In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
Thy doings — Thy sins formerly committed.
In thy pride — Proud formalists.
No more be haughty — Ye shall no more boast, because of the city, or the temple.
Verse 12
[12] I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
Of thee — In Judea and Jerusalem.
Verse 13
[13] The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Shall feed — Shall enjoy peace and plenty.
Verse 15
[15] The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
Taken away — Abolished, and put an end to the judgments thy sins brought upon thee.
Thine enemy — The Babylonian.
Is in the midst — He is returned to redeem and govern thee.
Any more — While thy carriage is as becomes my presence with thee, thou shalt neither fear, nor feel the like evils.
Verse 18
[18] I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
Sorrowful — That mourn their distance from the solemn worship of God.
Who are of thee — Thy children.
Reproach — The taunts of their enemies.
Verse 19
[19] Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
Undo — I will break their power and dissolve their kingdom.
That halteth — Who is in trouble and ready to fall.
Driven out — Into remote countries.
Verse 20
[20] At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.
A praise — So the universal church of the first-born will be, in the great day. And then the Israel of God be made a name and a praise to all eternity.