Zephaniah 2
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Chapter 2
Chapter Overview:
Verses:
An exhortation to repentance, ver. 1 - 3.
A denunciation of the judgments of God against the Philistines, ver. 4 - 7.
The Moabites and Ammonites, ver. 8 - 11.
The Arabians and Assyrians, ver. 12 - 15.
| 2:1 | Gather yourselves - Call a solemn assembly, proclaim a fast.Not desired - Or, not desirous. Unwilling to return, and unworthy to be received on your return. |
| 2:2 | The decree - Before God's decree is put in execution.The day - Before the day of your calamities.As the chaff - Carry you away as the wind carries chaff away. |
| 2:3 | Seek - Fear, worship, depend on him alone.Ye meek - Ye humble ones. Wrought his judgment - Obeyed his precepts.Seek righteousness - Continue therein. Seek meekness - Patiently wait on the just and merciful God. Hid - Under the wing of Divine Providence. |
| 2:4 | For - It is time to seek God; for your neighbours, as well as you, shall be destroyed. Gaza - A chief city of the Philistines.They - The Babylonians. Shall drive - Into captivity.At the noon day - It shall be taken by force at noon. |
| 2:5 | The inhabitants - All the Philistines. Cherethites - Or destroyers, men that were stout, fierce, and terrible to their neighbours. O Canaan - That part that the Philistines kept by force from the Jews. |
| 2:6 | For shepherds - Instead of cities full of rich citizens, there shall be only cottages for shepherds. |
| 2:7 | The coast - The sea - coast, the land of the Philistines.The remnant - That survive the captivity. Shall feed - Their flocks.In the houses - In places where these formerly stood.They - Both shepherds and flocks. Shall visit - In mercy. |
| 2:8 | I - God. Magnified themselves - Invading their frontiers. |
| 2:9 | Of nettles - Not cultivated, but over - run with nettles.Salt - pits - A dry, barren earth, fit only to dig salt out of.The residue - That return out of Babylon. Possess them - Settle upon those parts of their lands, that are fit for habitation. |
| 2:11 | Famish - Take away all their sacrifices and drink - offerings.The gods - Idols of those lands.From his place - Not only at Jerusalem, but every where. |
| 2:12 | By my sword - The Chaldeans are called God's sword; because God employed them. |
| 2:13 | He - God. The north - Assyria, which lay northward of Judea, and due north from Babylon. |
| 2:14 | All the beasts - All sorts of beasts which are found in those countries. The bittern - A bird that delights in desolate places. |
| 2:15 | This - So the prophet triumphs over her.There is none - None like me, or that can contend with me. |