Zephaniah 3:9-13

9 "For then I will give to the peoples 1purified lips, That all of them may 2call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
10 "From beyond the rivers of 3Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, Will 4bring My offerings.
11 "In that day you will 5feel no shame Because of all your deeds By which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst Your 6proud, exulting ones, And you will never * again be haughty On My 7holy mountain.

A Remnant of Israel

12 "But I will leave among you A 8humble and lowly people, And they will 9take refuge in the name of the LORD.
13 "The 10remnant of Israel will 11do no wrong And 12tell no lies, Nor will a deceitful tongue Be found in their mouths; For they will 13feed and lie down With no one to make them tremble."

Zephaniah 3:9-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZEPHANIAH 3

In this chapter the character of the city of Jerusalem, and its inhabitants in general, is drawn, as it would be, and as it was, in the times of Christ and his apostles, Zep 3:1,2 and of the principal persons of it in particular, its princes, judges, prophets, and priests, Zep 3:3,4. The hardness, impenitence, and shamelessness of this people, are exposed and aggravated by the just Lord being among them; who, by his example and doctrine, taught them otherwise; yet they were not amended or made ashamed, Zep 3:5 nor received instruction, nor took warning by the judgments of God on other nations, Zep 3:6,7 wherefore the followers of God are called upon to wait his time, who would gather many people together, and destroy the whole land of Judea, Zep 3:8 at which time he would send his Gospel among the Gentiles, who should thereby be brought to the true worship and service of God, Zep 3:9,10 though there should be a remnant among the Jews, according to the election of grace, that should be saved from that general calamity, Zep 3:11-13 and the spiritual Israel are encouraged with promises of better times, when the Jews in general should be converted and gathered into the church of God, have the presence and protection of God with them, and deliverance from all their enemies, and be a praise among all people of the earth, Zep 3:14-20.

Cross References 13

  • 1. Isaiah 19:18; Isaiah 57:19
  • 2. Psalms 22:27; Psalms 86:9; Habakkuk 2:14; Zephaniah 2:11
  • 3. Psalms 68:31; Isaiah 18:1
  • 4. Isaiah 60:6, 7
  • 5. Isaiah 45:17; Isaiah 54:4; Joel 2:26, 27
  • 6. Isaiah 2:12; Isaiah 5:15
  • 7. Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 56:7; Ezekiel 20:40
  • 8. Isaiah 14:30
  • 9. Isaiah 14:32; Isaiah 50:10; Nahum 1:7; Zechariah 13:8, 9
  • 10. Isaiah 10:20-22; Micah 4:7; Zephaniah 2:7
  • 11. Psalms 119:3; Jeremiah 31:33; Zephaniah 3:5
  • 12. Zechariah 8:3, 16; Revelation 14:5
  • 13. Ezekiel 34:13-15

Footnotes 4

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