1. filthy and polluted] As R.V., rebellious and polluted. Her “pollution” comes from bloodshed (Isaiah 1:15, “your hands are full of blood;” Ezekiel 24:9, “Woe to the bloody city”), but possibly also partly from other sins, cf. Isaiah 4:4, “the filth of the daughters of Zion.” The term “polluted” is specially connected with blood, Isaiah 59:3; Lamentations 4:14.

the oppressing city] The word is used by Jeremiah of the sword, Jeremiah 46:16. Cf. Isaiah 1:21, “How is the city that was faithful become an harlot! Full of justice, righteousness lodging in her—but now murderers!”

Ch. Zephaniah 3:1-8. Renewed threat against Jerusalem in particular

Ch. 3 returns to Jerusalem. The city is reproached as rebellious, polluted, and full of oppression (Zephaniah 3:1); disobedient to God and neglectful of His word and of the lessons of His operations in the world of the nations (Zephaniah 3:2). All classes within her are corrupt: her princes violent, her judges venal and greedy (Zephaniah 3:3), her prophets unstable and false, and her priests profaners of what is holy and perverters of the Torah (Zephaniah 3:4 ff.).

2. She obeyed not the voice] i.e. the voice of God by the prophets. Jeremiah 7:23; Jeremiah 22:21.

she received not correction] Or, instruction, Jeremiah 5:3. Comp. Jeremiah 7:28, “This is the nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord, nor receiveth correction.” Ch. Jeremiah 32:33.

trusted not in the Lord] Faith was always greatly insisted on by the prophets as the essential thing in religion; Isaiah 7:9, “if ye will not believe ye shall not be established;” Jeremiah 17:7, “Blessed is the man who trusteth in the Lord.” Cf. Isaiah 10:20; Isaiah 17:7; Isaiah 30:18.

3. Every class does evil, each in its own way. A very full parallel is Ezekiel 22:25-28 (in Ezekiel 22:25 read princes). The “princes” may be the royal house, or the magnates in whose hands lay the judicial and governing power. Ezek. describing the princes says, they are “like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure; they have made her widows many.” The “judges” are compared to evening wolves (Habakkuk 1:8), less powerful than the lions but no less insatiable and murderous. Ezekiel 22:27, “wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.” Judicial corruption and murder are often complained of by the prophets; Isaiah 1:23; Micah 3:11; cf. Jeremiah 22:17; Ezekiel 22:12.

gnaw not the bones till the morrow] The term rendered “gnaw the bones” occurs Numbers 24:8, where, however, the word “bones” is expressed; also Ezekiel 23:34, “thou shalt gnaw the sherds thereof.” With this sense the clause might mean, evening wolves that gnawed not (the) bones in the morning; the idea being that the wolves having had no prey in the morning were keen from hunger and ferocious in the evening. Others suppose the word to be different from that in Numbers 24:8, and to be allied to an Aramaic root signifying to cut off (a part), hence to reserve, leave over; and render, evening wolves that leave nothing over till the morning,—their insatiable voracity devouring everything, hide and hair, at once. It must be acknowledged that this sense of leave over is somewhat conjectural.

4. Her prophets are light] Both the idea and the expression find a parallel in Jeremiah 23:32, “I am against them that prophesy false dreams, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness” (R.V. vain boasting); cf. Lamentations 2:14; Ezekiel 22:28. The figure expressed by “light” is that of the boiling over of water (Genesis 49:4; Jdg 9:4), and the word characterizes the prophets as vapourers, extravagant and arrogant in their own imaginations and conceits, their minds lacking the restraint of the word of God under which the true prophets spoke.

treacherous persons] lit. men of treacheries, or, perfidiousnesses. The precise sense is not clear. The verb to deal treacherously is often used of falsehood or perfidy toward God; Jeremiah 3:20, “as a wife dealeth treacherously against her husband so have ye dealt treacherously against me O house of Israel;” Hosea 6:7. The idea, however, that the prophets dealt unfaithfully with God in giving out the imaginations of their own heart as His word to men (Hitzig), is rather strained. In the ethical writings of the Old Testament, such as the Proverbs, “treacherous dealer” is often parallel to “wicked” (Proverbs 2:22; Proverbs 11:6; Proverbs 21:18; cf. Habakkuk 1:13), and means one who acts untruly or wrongfully in regard to moral law. Jeremiah frequently taxes the prophets of his day with immoral conduct (Jeremiah 23:14, Jeremiah 29:23).

have polluted the sanctuary] Rather: have profaned that which is holy. Ezekiel 22:26 offers a complete parallel: “Her priests have done violence to my law, and have profaned mine holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and profane, between the clean and the unclean.” The last words explain at least one way of doing “violence” or wrong to the law. Jeremiah 2:8 makes similar charges against the various official classes.

5. All these wrongs they practise undeterred and uninstructed by the presence and operations of the righteous Lord in the midst of them.

The just Lord is] Rather: The LORD is righteous in the midst of her. Jehovah dwells in the midst of Jerusalem and is seen to be righteous both by His word and works, but the people are insensible and receive no impression from His presence and nature. Jeremiah 11:20.

will not do iniquity] Or, doeth no unrighteousness; Deuteronomy 32:4.

Every morning … his judgment to light] Morning by morning, i.e. every morning, constantly, He brings His just judgment or justice to light; His moral rule is as constant and as visible as the material law that brings in the dawn. Cf. Hosea 6:5 (read: my judgment goeth forth like the light).

the unjust knoweth no shame] The unrighteous, untouched by the righteousness of God and receiving no impression from His rule, though exercised before his eyes, pursues his own unrighteous way with no feeling of shame. Jeremiah 3:3; Jeremiah 6:15; Jeremiah 8:12.

6. Zephaniah 3:6 continues the preceding: Jehovah’s righteous rule is exercised not only in the midst of Israel itself but also among the nations without. His judgments among the nations were also meant for Israel’s instruction, and should have been laid to heart (Zephaniah 3:7).

I have cut off the nations] Rather: I have cut off nations. No particular nations are named; history is full of God’s judgments on the peoples for their unrighteousness, the Flood, the overthrow of Sodom, the destruction of Samaria, and the like.

I made their streets] have made; the examples or some of them are recent. The term “streets” might mean outplaces, territories. On the language of the verse comp. Jeremiah 33:10.

7. God’s purpose in these judgments on the nations was that Israel should take warning from them and receive instruction.

I said] Or, I thought; Jeremiah 3:19. For their dwelling read her dwelling.

howsoever I punished them] Perhaps: according to all that I have appointed concerning her. The words seem to explain the preceding “that her dwelling should not be cut off.” This destruction of her place of abode is what the Lord has appointed for her. His desire and nope was that she would receive instruction so that her dwelling place should remain for ever. Instead of “her dwelling-place” Sept. reads “from her eyes” (with a difference of one letter). So Wellhausen: she will receive instruction, and that which I have commanded her will never be cut off (fade) from her sight, i.e. she will continually keep before her eyes God’s commandments. For the meaning “I have commanded her” instead of “appointed concerning her” he cites Job 36:23; 2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:2.

rose early, and corrupted] i.e. corrupted with eagerness. The phrase is a favourite one with Jeremiah, e.g. Jeremiah 7:13.

8. Therefore wait ye upon me] As R.V. for me, the words being further explained in the clause: for the day that I rise up, &c. The expression wait for me is not ironical (Hitz.), though it might be used in a threatening sense, like Amos 4:12, “prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” Most probably, however, though the verse contains anew the announcement of the coming universal judgment (ch. Zephaniah 1:2 ff.), the promise of Zephaniah 3:9-13 is already in the prophet’s mind. The judgment is not the last act of the drama; behind the storm of universal judgment rises clear the day of universal salvation. The exhortation to wait for Jehovah is parallel to ch. Zephaniah 2:1-3.

Until the day that I rise up to the prey] for the day, continuing for me. If this meaning be accepted, the impending judgment of God is expressed figuratively as a hostile attack by Him, and the question what is meant by the “prey” must not be asked: the “prey” is merely part of the metaphor. Both Sept. and Syr., however, interpreted, “rise up for a witness” (reading le‘êd for Heb. le‘ad), and this sense is followed by many commentators. Comp. Micah 1:2, “let the Lord God be witness against you;” Psalm 50:7; Malachi 3:5. On the expression “rise up” in reference to a witness cf. Psalm 27:12; Psalm 35:11; Deuteronomy 19:15; Job 16:8.

to gather the nations] It is not implied that the nations shall be gathered to Jerusalem to be judged, as in later writings, e.g. Joel 3:2; Isaiah 66:18; Zechariah 14:2; Zechariah 14:12 ff.; the “gathering” merely expresses the idea that they shall be universally and simultaneously judged. The judgment is one embracing the whole earth, as ch. Zephaniah 1:18, and falls on Israel as well as on the nations.

9. For then … people a pure language] the peoples a pure lip. The term lip often means “language” (Genesis 11:1), but here it seems rather to denote the organ of speech. Comp. Isaiah 6:5; Isaiah 6:7, “I am a man of unclean lips … lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity shall depart.” The construction is condensed, and the meaning is, then will I turn to the peoples their lip into a pure lip. Their lips were unclean either generally from their inward sinfulness or especially from their taking the names of their false gods upon them (Psalm 16:4; Hosea 2:19). With purified lips they shall fitly call upon the name of the Lord.

serve him with one consent] lit. with one shoulder, or, back. The Sept., under one yoke, probably rightly interprets the figure, which is that of animals labouring together with a single yoke laid over their shoulders in common. On the general sense comp. Jeremiah 32:39; Ezekiel 11:19-20.

9–13. The conversion of the nations and of Israel

Though Zephaniah 3:8 describes the universal judgment, it is closely connected with Zephaniah 3:9-13. The judgment is not an end in itself; the conversion of the nations follows upon the revelation of Jehovah in judgment (ch. Zephaniah 2:11; cf. Isaiah 66:18-19). Zephaniah 3:9-10 speak of the nations, Zephaniah 3:11-13 of Israel.

10. The verse is obscure on account of the uncertain meaning of several expressions in it. Its general sense is that the heathen nations, even those most distant, shall do homage to Jehovah and present offerings to Him. Jeremiah already predicts the conversion of the nations (Jeremiah 3:17, Jeremiah 16:19).

From beyond the rivers] This meaning is possible, but the usual sense would be: beyond the rivers—in answer to the question where, not, whence (Isaiah 18:1). On Ethiopia or Cush see on ch. Zephaniah 2:12.

My suppliants] The word does not occur again in this sense, though a verb to supplicate, from which it might be derived, is not uncommon (Genesis 25:21). In the sing, the word occurs Ezekiel 8:11 in the sense of vapour or odour (R.V.) of incense, and this sense, being parallel to “mine offering,” might be adopted here.

even the daughter of my dispersed] Phrases like “daughter of Zion” (Zephaniah 3:14), of Babylon (Psalm 137:8), of Edom (Lamentations 4:21), signify the city or country named with its inhabitants. There is always in such phrases the name of a place, and this suggests that under the word “my dispersed” (pûtsai) there lurks some proper name. Ewald suggested Put, which is often named in connexion with Cush (cf. on Nahum 3:9). “The daughter of Put” would then be parallel to “beyond the rivers of Cush.” Others have assumed that somewhat after the analogy of “daughter of Zion” in the sense of Zion with those inhabiting it, “the daughter of my dispersed” might mean those composing (comprised in) my dispersed. “My dispersed” must certainly refer to Jews; the view of Hitzig that they are the same as “those that escape” of the Gentiles and carry tidings of the greatness of Jehovah to all nations (Isaiah 66:18-19), has no probability. The general meaning of the verse would be that the most distant nations would bring back God’s dispersed people the Jews as an offering to Him (Isaiah 66:20): From beyond the rivers of Cush shall they bring my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed as mine offering. The term “suppliants” seems unnatural in the connexion. After all, the other sense appears at least equally probable: Beyond the rivers of Cush they shall offer me incense, the daughter of [Put] shall bring me an offering, the reference being to the service of Jehovah by all the nations. Comp. Isaiah 18:7; Isaiah 45:14; Psalm 72:10.

11. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed] The common expression “in that day” refers to the general period spoken of in the context, here the period after the judgment, when the people of God is saved and restored. To be ashamed might mean either to feel shame for, or to bear the shame of, former doings. The first sense is the more expressive. The former things have so completely passed away that they are forgotten, and no recollection of them calls up a blush of shame (Isaiah 54:4; Isaiah 65:16). Cf. Ezekiel 39:26.

them that rejoice in thy pride] R.V. thy proudly exulting ones. In Isaiah 13:3 the phrase is used of Jehovah’s warriors, the Medes, filled with martial pride and exulting in battle; here it has a less dignified sense, being used of the self-confident and arrogant classes in Israel, whether prophets (Zephaniah 3:4) or politicians, the people of whom Amos 6:13 speaks: “which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?” In the prophets religion is trust in Jehovah, and irreligion or sin is insensibility to His majesty and rule, and consequent pride and self-exaltation.

thou shalt no more be haughty] Isaiah 3:16, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks.” Jeremiah 13:15.

because of my holy mountain] on my, &c.

12. I will also leave] As R.V., But I will leave.

an afflicted and poor people] Comp. Isaiah 14:32, “The Lord hath founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge.” The rendering “afflicted,” in its modern sense, is too strong; compare the last words of Zephaniah 3:13. The term is used of the Messiah, Zechariah 9:9, “lowly and riding upon an ass”; comp. Isaiah 66:2, “him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word,” where the term seems used in a moral or religious sense. “Afflicted” does not mean “in distress,” but is the opposite of powerful (Habakkuk 3:14), or haughty (Zephaniah 3:11).

trust in the name of the Lord] This expresses the characteristic of the lowly and poor people left in Zion. Trust in the Lord is the essential mark of true religion. Comp. the passages cited on Zephaniah 3:2.

13. The remnant of Israel] After the great judgment of the day of the Lord, only a remnant shall be left (Joel 2:28-32). The idea that only a remnant shall be saved is common to all the prophets; Isaiah called his son Shear-jashub, “a remnant shall turn,” making him a living sign to king (Isaiah 7:3) and people of his conviction that a great judgment was impending. Cf. Isaiah 10:21-23.

shall not do iniquity] Comp. Zephaniah 3:5, where it is said of the Lord “he doeth no iniquity.” In those days the people shall be like their God. His Spirit within them shall rule their life: Ezekiel 36:25-27.

For they shall feed] The figure is the very common one of flocks feeding and lying down in complete security. Cf. Isaiah 17:2; Ezekiel 34:25; Ezekiel 34:28. The word for does not assign their perfect security from all trouble without as the reason for the righteousness that shall prevail within, though of course security from all external evils would permit and help the peaceable expansion of the community and the growth of religious life among them. The words introduced by for rather restate under another aspect the peaceful and happy condition of the people, already described in Zephaniah 3:12-13 a.

14. Sing, O daughter of Zion] Isaiah 54:1.

14–20. The Joy of the Redeemed People in the Lord’s Presence among them

The prophet looks forward to the time when all Zion’s afflictions shall be over, when she shall be redeemed and all her captive children restored, when the end contemplated by the Covenant, and towards which her history has been moving, even the Lord’s full presence in the midst of her, shall have been reached. In those days Zion shall sing and shout for joy, for her name shall be The Lord is there (Ezekiel 48:35).

15. taken away thy judgments] The prophet transports himself and his people forward into the time of their final restoration and blessedness. The “judgments” of Zion are all those that have fallen on her during her chequered history; her warfare is accomplished, her iniquity pardoned (Isaiah 40:2).

The king of Israel] Isaiah 41:21, “produce your cause, saith the Lord, bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.” Comp. Isaiah 6:5; Isaiah 44:6.

16. Let not thine hands be slack] that is, hang down, in terror or paralysis. Jeremiah 6:24; Hebrews 12:12.

17. Render with R.V., The LORD thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save.

he will rejoice over thee] Comp. Isaiah 62:5; Isaiah 65:19.

He will rest in his love] Or, he will be silent. The words seem to mean that God’s love will be so strong and deep as to hush motion or speech; it will be a silent ecstasy. The Sept. rendering, he will renew thee (reading d for r), offers no acceptable alternative.

18. The language is very obscure. Perhaps: I will gather (lit. have gathered) those sorrowing far away from the solemn assembly, who are of thee (belong to thee), thou on whom reproach lay heavy. The term “sorrowing” is found Lamentations 1:4. The sense, those removed away from the solemn assembly, might be supported by 2 Samuel 20:13. The reference in any case is to the dispersed among the nations, far from the sanctuary and the feasts. The “reproach” is just that arising from the national calamities and humiliation. Isaiah 54:4, “the reproach of thy widowhood (the time of exile) shalt thou remember no more.”

19. I will undo all that afflict thee] As R.V., I will deal with all.

I will save her that halteth] The people are spoken of under the metaphor of a flock, in which are some that are lame, and to which belong some that have been driven away. Hence the use of the fem. gender. Comp. Ezekiel 34:16, “I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back again that which was driven away.” Micah 4:6-7.

I will get them praise] As R.V., I will make them (to be) a praise and a name. Jeremiah 33:9, “and this city shall be to me for a name of joy, for a praise and for a glory before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them.” Cf. Jeremiah 13:11. The precise sense is not clear. In the passages in Jer. the people, being righteous and blessed, are the source of praise and renown to Jehovah, whose people they are. But the meaning might be that the people themselves are the object of praise by the nations; Isaiah 61:9; Isaiah 62:7. Both ideas are elsewhere expressed; Jehovah bestows His glory on Israel (Isaiah 60:2), and this glory is reflected back upon Him, and He is glorified in Israel (Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 49:3; Isaiah 60:21; Isaiah 61:3).

In every land … put to shame] A.V. marg., Heb. (every land) of their shame. R.V. renders: whose shame hath been in all the earth. Both renderings are possible, but both are unnatural. R.V. lays an unnatural emphasis upon the pronoun: “I will make them a praise and a name, whose shame,” &c., whereas “them” seems rather to refer back to “her that halteth” and “her that was driven away,” or, to the people generally. On the other hand, the construction assumed by A.V. is ungrammatical, although occasional instances of it appear. The Sept. rightly felt that the natural sense of the passage was: and I will make them a praise and a name in all the earth (Zephaniah 3:20), and so rendered. The Heb. word their shame, still remaining undisposed of in this rendering, the Sept. attached to the next verse: and they shall be ashamed at that time. This is quite unsatisfactory. But the analogy of Zephaniah 3:20, a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, suggests that the expression their shame is not original.

20. even in the time that I gather you] The sense is probably as R.V., and at that time will I gather you, though the language of the original is very anomalous.

among all people of the earth] all the peoples of the earth.

turn back your captivity] See on Zephaniah 2:7.

before your eyes] The deliverance shall not be delayed till their eyes are closed and be seen only by their children. Their own eyes shall see it. “This generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled.” Isaiah 52:8.