CHAPTER I. The time when Zephaniah prophesied, 1.
Denunciations of wrath against Judah and Jerusalem, for idolatry and apos-tacy, 2—6. Predictions of unavoid- _ able judgments, coming on men of dif-; ferent orders and descriptions, 7—18. a He. j. 8. Hes. i. (THE * word of the Lory which came shuly unto Zephaniah the son. of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, bs King 2xi-the son of Hizkiah, °in the days of
axiv. | =": Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.
NOTES.
CHAP. I. V. 1. Hizkiah. The letters of thisname are the same with those of Hezekiah; and some have thought that this prophet was descended from that pious king. But it does not appear that he had any son except
Manasseh; and there was not ‘a sufficient distance of
“time, between Hezekiah and Zephaniah, for four de- ‘ scents.’ (Lowth.)
V. 3. These are figurative representations of desolating judgments. Neither the fowls of the air, nor the fishes of the sea, would prdéfit the Jews; and this would be equiva- Jent to their being destroyed. Their idols were stumbiing-bJocks, the occasion to the people of falling into sin and misery : but in mercy they would be destroyed with their ob-
»
“BAC. 614.
2 *Iwill ‘utterly consume all things och, 2y
from off + the land, saith the Lorp.: _, sait‘ass
3 J will-°consume man and beast: I 9-¢¢tr. ant will consume the fowls of the heaven, ¥,%3.:.s and the fishes of the sea, °and the =i = t stumbling-blocks with the wicked; ‘and ¢ Be. Jer ¢ the
I will cut off man from off the land, saithya yer. tv. ss~op, the Lorp. a 93 o Re vil 1. siv, 4 I will also ¢ stretch out mine hand me. uk ale upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants: on, taal. of Jerusalem; and I will cut off * the aly. 9. & Mic , remnant of Baal from this place, end the, 2% ._., name of ‘the Chemarims with the priests; 2:5. » pet 13. -Is. xiy. 26, 97. h 2 Kings xxiii. 4, 5. 3 = xexiv. 50 i Hote %
stinate worshippers: and accordingly that nation mo more relapsed into gross idolatry after the captivity.
V. 4. A. remnant of Baal’s worshippers remained. in Jerusalem, notwithstanding all Josiah’s efforts to destroy that idolatry: but the Lord by the Chaldeans finally ‘extirpated it. The Chemarims, or the dlack ones, were an order of idolatrous priests, or devotees to Baal, who per- . haps wore black garments, or painted their faces black. (Marg. Ref.) ‘The Chemarim were an order of super- ‘ stitious priests, appointed to minister in the service ‘ of Baal, and were as his peculiar chaplains.’—‘ ! ‘ will destroy these, together with the priestg of the tribe ‘ of Levi, who have joined in the- worship of idols. (Lowth.) S 4 4 |
oe. © idols.’
B. C. 612.
k Liga : Kings
oi. ‘is. xaxiise9, 1 1 Kings xviii. 21.
5 And them that ‘worship the host of heaven-upon the house-tops ; 'and them
‘Mate *-that worship “and that swear * by the
mM ijeniv, WORD, and that ° swear by ° Malcham:
e Orie ti aiv.” 6 And them that are ? turned back
citi. from the Lorn; ‘and those that have not
ot Kings. zit ss. sought the Lorp, nor enguired for him.
» eet... 7 Hold ‘thy peace at the presence of i er * -the Lord Gop: .* for the day of the
ae i 0x8 Lorp is at hand: ‘for the Lorp hath
Heb. St 36 prepared a sacrifice, "he hath tbid his 4 tee x. we xiv. 9 2, , guests.
How” il” "= g And it shall come to pass in the day Laur. i, . 1. of the Lorb’s:sacrifice, that will ? punish xivi, 10. bexwi. .s*the princes, and the king’s children, a Hab. “so: and all such as are- clothed with ¥ strange
apparel.
iii, 19. win 30. 1 19 Q In the same day also-will I punish . AM. v. 18==20. ee iv. 1. @ Pet. iit. 10—12. t Is. xxxiv-6. Jer. xivi. 10. Ez. - 17-20. Rev. xix. 18, u Proy. ix. 1—6, Matt. xxii. 4. Luke xiv. 16, 17. Vie. sanctified, or, prepared. 1 Sam. xvi. 5. xx,
XX. 26. t Heb. visit. epon: Is. x. 19. V.@I. XS Kinga Exiii. 30—S4. xxiv. 12, 18. xxv. 6, 7. 19—21. Is. waxix. 7. See “xxii. nig. G4—-S0. Xxxix. 6, 7. y Deut, xxii. 5. o Kings x. 22. is. iil. 18—24.
V. §. They j join the worship of idols-to that of the true
“ God, who is a jealous God, and will not admit of any rival. ‘ —Malcham is the same with Moloch, to whom the people ‘ continued to offer their children, —notwithstanding the re-
=“ formation that Josiah had made. —Swearing is an act of re-
‘ ligious worship, or a solemn invocation of God, as a Wit- ‘ness or Judge,;—and alas expressly forbi to be used to (Lowth.) (Marg.
V.6. Some had Spaced in Josiah’s reformation, who afterwards relapsed into idolatry ; and they would be punished with those, who had never professed to seek and serve him. (Marg. Ref.)
- 7, 8. The people were ordered to keep silence, and. not murmur or object to the execution, that was to take place in the approaching day of the Lord; for the slaughter of the-wicked would be a sacrifice to his justice, which he had invited the Chaldeans and their confederates to feast upon.—‘ This alludes to the custom of those that ‘ offered sacrifice, which was to invite their friends to
‘ partake of the feast which accompanied it.’ (Lowth.) In that day the princes, and even the king’s children, would be punished. For though Josiah set his sons a good example, and doubtless gave thém good instructions; yet they were very wicked, and shared abundantly in the pub-lick calamities. Jehoahaz died a captive in Egypt; Je-hoiakim by a violent death ; and Zedekiah, having seen his sons slaughtered, had his eyes put out, was carried to Babylon, and died there. Such of the Jews also would be punished, as were weary of the dress of their country, and clothed themselves with the strange apparel of idolaters, as desirous of being in all respects conformed to them.—‘ The text may likewise be explained of such ‘men as wore women’s apparel, and such women as wore ‘that belonging to men; which was contrary to an ex-
« press law,—and was a ‘rite, observed in the worship of “some idols.’ (Lewth.) (Note, Deut. xxii. 5.)—‘ The ‘ courtiers did imitate the strange apparel of other nations,
CHAPTERL
B.C. 6":
#2 18am, v. 5.
all those that “leap on the threshold, £/8™1% 1. ‘which fill their masters’ houses with “on '"Ren’v. 1s. violence and deceit. ~ See he 10 And it shall come to pass *in that’s." day, saith the Lorn, that there shall be ik, a Me ‘the noise of a cry from ‘the fish-gate, fhe xxi and an howling from * the second, and a, ¥- Sie crashing ‘from the hills.
Pes Sab 14
mare XXXiy. 22.
11-§ Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, ‘4.Ghr iz: i eae Jer. iv. 8.
for “all the merchant-people are. cut *s¢ Be. is 18. down; all they that bear silver are cut Zech. 'xs,'s: off. “h Neh Hi '3h 92 $2.
12 And it shall come to pass at that Joh ie i, Ber. time, ' that I will search Jerusalem with ae . 17. candles, and punish “the men that are, ,. ‘settled on their lees; that say in their , fe. eee heart, 'The Lorp will not do GO0d, 1 Sob aan neither will he-do evil. hi xelw. 7. Ise..13 Therefore "their goods shall be- vii.
M come a booty, and their houses a desola- a Pet ili. 4. RXiv. IS. Jer. iv. 7.90. V. 17. EX, 11. 19. Ail. 10-13. Ez. vil, 19. 21, xxii. St. Mic. iil 12,
‘to win their favour thereby, and to appear glorious in the ‘ eyes of all others.’ .
The servants of the oppressive princes and nobles, exulted, in forcing their way into the houses of the oppressed ; leaping for joy, when they passed “over the thresholds, that they might convey the plunder into their masters’ houses, for which they doubtless were liberally rewarded. (Marg. Ref.).10. A cry, &c. That is, of the enemy rushing into the city ‘at different gates, and in different quarters, on the people, from the hills ; and a howling of the people, ag ter-ve or a htered by them.
V. akiesh. * The lower city.—This is agree- ‘ able “6 the etymology of the word, which signifies a ‘hollow place, or a mortar.’ (Bp. Newconbe.). (Prov. xxvii, 22. Heb.) ‘This is meant of the street of the : merchants, which was lower,. than the rest of the place ‘ about it.’
Bearers of stluer. * The rich soeectanta in general, or the ‘ money-changers in particular.’ (Bp. Newcombe.)
V. 12. The Lord determined to detect, expose, - -and punish those secret idolatrics, iniquities, and impieties, which had escaped all human ohservation. He would search every retired corner; as men search with candles for stolen goods: and no concealed abomination would then escape conviction or punishment. Or, ‘ No corner would ‘escape the Chaldeans, who should diligently search the ‘houses, and plunder the wealth of them.’ They especially would be punished, who were become daring, through long continued impunity and prosperity; as wine growg stronger and more heady, when it hath long settled on the lees ; who had run into infidelity or atheism, and despised alike the promises and threatenings of God, saying in their hearts, that he would neither do good to his seveeh Peete nor punish his enemies.—‘ The thoughtless tranquillity of ‘ the rich is compared. to the fixed unbroken surface of fe r- ‘ one liquors.’ (Bp. Newcombe.) :
16 Hu 2
B.C. 612.
@. Ixv. QI, 22°
fm we inhabit them; and .they shall plant vine-oj. der. xx, 7, yards, but not drink the wine thereof.
i usi Mal. 14 The °great-day of the Lorp is #0. Kev.vi. 7. Near,-?i¢ is near, and_ hasteth greatly,
p Ez. vii. 6, 7. 12. ° xii. @9. Am-vii.V even the voice of the day of the
“am, v.92Pet: Lorp: ‘the mighty man shall cry there 1 hat 6 der bitterly. | |
xxv. 96. Joell. 15 That day Sis a day of wrath, a day Heb xi.w6. Of trouble and distress, a day of waste-
Thes. iv. 1 Is. XV. 4. . . rejeravitl. ness’ and desolation, ‘a day of darkness
sii.? Am. v.!
~20. takes. and gloominess, a day of clouds and
_ ¥2, 23. Rom. ii.
b. OPet. ii, 7 thick darkness.
tobi, —e, ~=—-16 A “day of the trumpet and. alarm uJer, iv. 19,0 against the fenced cities, *and against
Hos. v. 8H the high towers.
Habs 1 ole. 17 And I will bring distress upon men,
Te weisthat ¥ they shall walk like blind men,
XEXil- 14.
y beat. xxviii. #8,” because they have sinned against the Hix. 9» 10. Lam * and their blood shall be poured
14. Johnix. 40, OUt as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
at. Rom. xi. 7.
25>. 2 Cor. iv. 4. 2 Pet. i. 9. t John fi. 11. Rev. iii. 17. z Is. xxiv. 5,6. 1. 1. lix. 19 ao] 5. Jer. il. 17. 19. iv. 18. Lam. i. 8. 14. 18. iv. 18S—1I4. Vv. 16, 17. Eg. XXil. 95—31. Dan. ix. 5, &e. Mic. iii. 9—19. vii. 1S. a 2 Kings ix. $3—37. Ps. xxix. 2, 3. 1xxxiii. 10. Icr. ix. 21, 22. xv. $e Xvi. 4—6. xviii. 21. Lam. ii. Qt. iv. 14. Am. iv. 10.
V. 13. £ The enemy shall plunder their goods, and then « demolish their houses: so that they shall not enjoy those ‘ possessions, which they have gotten by fraud and violence.’ (Lowth.)
V. 14—16., (Marg. Ref.)—Towers. < Properly such ‘as were erected onthe angles of walled cities.—The to- ‘pick, of approaching calamity from JEHOVAH, is often
-€gnsisted on in the prophets; but no where, I think, ‘with such beautiful amplification, as in these verses.’ (Be Newcombe.) :.17. The blood and the carcases of the slain would be thrown upon the ground, like dust or dung upon the face of the earth, and there left to putrify.
V. 18. (Marg. Ref.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
Ee
The servants of God are all of one mind,‘and with one voice proclaim, that ‘‘ there is no peace for thie wicked:”"— How soon doth human depravity subvert all that man can do to revive true religion! Even where a decent exterior excites our favourable judgment, the Lord often sees such abominations as call for his severest vengeance.—If the materials and occasions of sin shall perish with the wicked ; how much more will the tempters, who seduce men to iniquity !—When professors of true religion copy the crimes of the heathen, they must expect severer punishment than they.—Vain are all endeavours to worship God and idols, to~serve God and Mammon: and apostacy evinces hypocrisy, as neglect of God shews impiety and contempt: ‘* for if any man draw back the Lord will have ‘no. pleasure in him.” . May wé ‘‘ none of us be of , those, that draw back unto perdition, but of them that
-
ZEPHANIAH.
m Dent. xxril. 90. tion : they shall also "build houses, but not | shall be able to deliver thém ‘in the day 5: of the Lorp’s wrath; ‘but. the whole i: “va” ts:
land shall be devoured by ¢the fire of his Tats 2° n=
jealousy: for ‘he shall make'even a speedy ¢ |e Job b xxl. 50, riddance of all them that dwell in the s3—ss. Ret:
land. | Env, 118 Jer lv. 96-09. Vil. ,
CHAP. IT. cell Sgt
An exhortation to seek God, without delay, ix
‘Neh. vill. 1. be
opians, and Assyrians, A—~15.5 air ar ATHER yourselves together, YC9s pin. es. 1
"gather together, "O nation not be Zech ah 8
* desired ; mye
fore the day pass ‘as the chaff, ‘before x a. the fierce anger of the Lorp come upon you, before the day of the Lorp’s anger come upon you.
in the day of the Lord, for sinners to object, cavil, or com-
‘and distress, neither silver nor gold will be able to deliver |
B. C.'612%;
18 Neither *their silver nor their gold > 34% =.¢7
4. xzviil. il. Hi. 20, 1.’
i: a
t Te pgs
in hope of preservation in the day of his s-». e “@ - Lt
anger, 1—3. Prophecies against the, 1Gor, x.
Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Ethi-+* Cor. =.
a
of
6, 9.
c . cit. & @ 2 Before ‘the decree bring forth, be- = Matt. iv. SPet. d Job'xxi. 18. Fs. i. 4. Is. xvik. 19. xii, 18, 16, Hed.
xii. S.
ei.is. Ps..ih 1g 1, 99, Jer. xxiii. 20, Lam. ive Ll. Nah.-i. 6. Mal. iv. 1,% Luke xii. 928. '
“¢ believe to the saving of the soul !”—It will be unavailing
plain; nay, his presence will certainly stop their moughs : for it will appear that they who perish fall a. sacrifice to his justicey for breaking his law, and because they have No interest by faith in the Redeemer’s atoning blood.— That day of God, (of which all temporal judgments are earnest,) will soon arrive; and then neither pious nor royal parents will prove any security to their ungodly children: nay, the children of kings and of saints, who have abused their peculiar privileges, will experience the deepest condemnation.
Then various instances of vanity, and conformity to the world, will be adduced as proofs of. men’s © pride and carnality, which now are deemed trivial or justifiable: and oppressors and their agents will be reckoned with for thcir ill-gotten treasures. Then there will be cries and howlings from every quarter, and among men of all descriptions.
The covetous and fraudulent merchants - and traders will forget their gainful projects; and plausible hypocrites will be exposed in their secret iniquities. _ Then daring infidels, who have settled on,their lees, and equally : despised the favour and defied the wrath of God, will cry to the rocks to fall on thcm, and hide them from his intolerable frown. ‘In short, in that time of wrath, of trouble
their possessors ; but the whole world will be consumed with the fire of the Lord’s indignation, ‘‘ What is a.man , ‘¢ profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own
<¢ soul? And what shall a man give in exchange for his
‘¢ soul?” Let us then ‘* flee from the wrath to came,” and
“© choose that good ;art, which shall never be taken from
“Cus :”’ then we shall be prepared for every. evert ; and nothing ‘¢ shall separate us from the love of God, which is in
‘< Christ Jesus oor Lord.” 7
6
eg
B. C. 612.
Ps. cy. 4. Is. lve
f Ps. 3 ' Seek ye the Lorp, ‘all ye meek Tae ies «2 of the earth, which have wrought his
Hos. vil."10.. judgment; "seek righteousness, seek 6.14, 15. Matt. Méekness: 4it may be ye shall be “hid g 3 ch mai in the day of the Lorp’s anger. _ 4 4 For 'Gaza shall be forsaken, and xxii, 15," 16 ASbkelon a desolation: they shall drive i. a1, #2. eet, out Ashdod "at the noon-day, and Ekron h Phil. i. 1s, 4-Shall be rooted up.
Jo. 1 Pet. hee 5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-ieSam. xii. 2.coasts, the nation of the ° Cherethites !
Joel ti. 18, 14. . K
Am, 70° the word of the Lorp is against you ; k Gen. vil. 1s 16-P CQ) Canaan, the land of the Philistines,
@ 7. ivi. 1. zc, . Will even. destroy thee, and there shall
Proy. xviii.
10. Is. xxvie 0, DE no inhabitant. | is: xv. sco. 6 And ‘the sea-coasts shall be dwell- Jer, xxv. ao. ing’s and cottages for shepherds, and folds is-i7, ami 6for flocks, | - Pe 7 And ‘the coast shall be for ‘the m Ps.‘xci. 6. Jer. : ; n Yer'xivig_ez. remnant of the house of Judah; they
thas” “shall feed thereupon: ‘in the houses of
o Am. iii. 1.v.1. Zech. i. 6. Mark xil. 12. Pp Josh. xili. 3. Judg. iii. $. 14,15. 19. xvii. @. Ez. Xxv.5. Is. xiv. 99—32. Ob. 19. Zech. ix. 6,7. Acts viii. 96.40. 69. Is. xi. 11. Jer. xxxi.7. Mic. ii. 1¢. iv. 7. v. $8. Hag. 1, 12, 11.2. Rom. xi. 5.
9. ixxvi. 9. cxlix.
4. Is, 1xi. 1. Jer. A
=
CHAPTER If.
Ashkelon shall they lie down in the even-? Orn te Be | ing: * for the Lorp their God ‘shall & 3).i°* |
B.C. 612.
ti3.90. Pe. Ixxxv,
oe we ° visit them, and “turn away their cap- 1. exxvh. tants
tivity. lil, 18, xxii, 3.
8 q I have *heard the reproach of =aii.'7.” ze. Moab, and. Ythe revilings of the chil- i 1 1 imc: dren of Ammon, whereby they have re. * Jer, xivitl. 27— proached my people, and magnified them-~y Wi texxit, — selves against their border. oe sae
XXV,. 3—7.
Q Therefore ’* as I live, saith the Lorp cae zi ee of hosts, the God of Israel, * Surely “1s mixste. ser.
Moab shall be as Sodom, and the chile, sive a dren of Ammon °as-Gomorrah, even the xi. ‘xv. 101
Jer. xiviii. xlix.
breeding of nettles, and salt-pits, and a !-% 82, =.
c. AM i.
perpetual desolation : ‘the residue of my, 1-15, fi, 18. people shall spoil them, and the remnant %: De sie ta of my people shall possess them. 13. Jer, all. Te.
13. Jer. xlix. Is,
10 This shall they have ¢ for theires,"ti 1s. to pride, because they have reproached, ene a “and magnified themselves against, the xiviii, 29. Dan.
people of the Lorp of hosts. 25, Ob. 3. t Pet
‘. Vv. 3. 11 The Lorn will be terrible: unto ¢ Elz, 17. x 3.
XXXVii. 2——29. Be. xxviii. 14—16;
CS | re.
cc. . NOTES.