Advanced Commentary
Texts -- Zephaniah 2:1-10 (NET)
Pericope
NET
- Zep 2:1-3 -- The Prophet Warns the People
- Zep 2:4-15 -- Judgment on Surrounding Nations
Bible Dictionary
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ZEPHANIAH, BOOK OF
[isbe] ZEPHANIAH, BOOK OF - I. THE AUTHOR 1. Name 2. Ancestry 3. Life II. TIME 1. Date 2. Political Situation 3. Moral and Religious Conditions III. BOOK 1. Contents 2. Integrity IV. TEACHING 1. The Day of Yahweh 2. Universalism 3....
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Nahum, Book of
[ebd] Nahum prophesied, according to some, in the beginning of the reign of Ahaz (B.C. 743). Others, however, think that his prophecies are to be referred to the latter half of the reign of Hezekiah (about B.C. 709). This is the m...
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Philistines
[isbe] PHILISTINES - fi-lis'-tinz, fil'-is-tinz, fil'-is-tinz (pelishtim; Phulistieim, allophuloi): I. OLD TESTAMENT NOTICES 1. Race and Origin 2. Religion 3. Individual Philistines Mentioned 4. Title of Ruler and Circumcision 5. H...
[nave] PHILISTINES Descendants of Mizraim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Called Cherethites, 1 Sam. 30:14-16; Ezek. 25:16; Zeph. 2:5; Casluhim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Caphtorim, Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Territory of...
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Prophecy
[ebd] or prediction, was one of the functions of the prophet. It has been defined as a "miracle of knowledge, a declaration or description or representation of something future, beyond the power of human sagacity to foresee, disce...
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CHAFF
[ebd] the refuse of winnowed corn. It was usually burned (Ex. 15:7; Isa. 5:24; Matt. 3:12). This word sometimes, however, means dried grass or hay (Isa. 5:24; 33:11). Chaff is used as a figure of abortive wickedness (Ps. 1:4; Matt...
[isbe] CHAFF - chaf: Four different words have been translated "chaff" in the Old Testament: (1) mots, is found in Job 21:18; Ps 1:4; 35:5; Isa 17:13; 29:5; 41:15; Hos 13:3; Zeph 2:2. (2) chashash, occurs in two verses (Isa 5:24 an...
[smith] the husk of corn or wheat which was separated from the grain by being thrown into the air, the wind blowing away the chaff, while the grain was saved. The carrying away of chaff by the wind is an ordinary scriptural image of ...
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COAST
[isbe] COAST - kost (gebhul, etc., "boundary"; compare gebhal, "mountain" and Arabic jebel, "mountain"; chebhel, literally, "a rope"; compare Arabic chabl (Josh 19:29 the King James Version; Zeph 2:5,6,7); choph, literally, "that w...
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Ammonites
[nave] AMMONITES Descendants of Ben-ammi, one of the sons of Lot, Gen. 19:38. Character of, Judg. 10:6; 2 Kin. 23:13; 2 Chr. 20:25; Jer. 27:3, 9; Ezek. 25:3, 6; Amos 1:13; Zeph. 2:10. Territory of, Num. 21:24; Deut. 2:19; Josh. 1...
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Moabite
[ebd] the designation of a tribe descended from Moab, the son of Lot (Gen. 19:37). From Zoar, the cradle of this tribe, on the south-eastern border of the Dead Sea, they gradually spread over the region on the east of Jordan. Rame...
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Remnant
[isbe] REMNANT - rem'-nant: Remnant is the translation of yether, "what is left over" (Dt 3:11; 28:54; Josh 12:4, etc.); of she'-ar, "the rest" (Ezr 3:8 the King James Version; Isa 10:20,21,22; 11:16, etc.; Zeph 1:4); more frequent...
[nave] REMNANT Gen. 45:7; Deut. 3:11; 2 Kin. 19:4, 30, 31; 21:14; 2 Chr. 34:9, 21; 36:20; Ezra 9:8, 13, 14, 15; Neh. 1:2; Isa. 10:20, 21; 11:11, 16; 17:3; 28:5; 37:4, 31, 32; Jer. 6:9; 11:23; 23:3; 31:7; 40:11, 15; 42:2, 15, 19; 43...
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Meekness
[ebd] a calm temper of mind, not easily provoked (James 3:13). Peculiar promises are made to the meek (Matt. 5:5; Isa. 66:2). The cultivation of this spirit is enjoined (Col. 3:12; 1 Tim. 6:11; Zeph. 2:3), and is exemplified in Ch...
[isbe] MEEKNESS - mek'-nes (`anawah; praotes, prautes): "Meekness" in the Old Testament (`anawah, `anwah) is from `anaw, "suffering," "oppressed," "afflicted," denoting the spirit produced under such experiences. The word is someti...
[nave] MEEKNESS. Psa. 22:26; Psa. 25:9; Psa. 37:11; Psa. 76:8, 9; Psa. 147:6; Psa. 149:4; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 15:1, 18; Prov. 16:32; Prov. 17:1; Prov. 19:11; Prov. 20:3; Prov. 25:15; Prov. 29:8; Eccl. 7:8; Eccl. 10:4; Isa. 11:4; Is...
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Cherethites
[isbe] CHERETHITES - ker'-e-thits (kerethim, ha-kerethi; Chelethi "executioners," "life-guardsmen"): A people in South Palestine whose territory bordered upon that of Judah (1 Sam 30:14). In 1 Sam 30:16 this land is apparently iden...
[nave] CHERETHITES A Philistine tribe, which adhered to David, and with the Pelethites formed his bodyguard, 1 Sam. 30:14, 16; 2 Sam. 8:18; 15:18; 20:7, 23; 1 Kin. 1:38, 44; 1 Chr. 18:17; Ezek. 25:16; Zeph. 2:5. Solomon's escort a...
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Ashkelon
[nave] ASHKELON, called also Askelon. One of the five chief cities of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3. Captured by the people of Judah, Judg. 1:18. Samson slays thirty men of, Judg. 14:19. Golden tumors of, 1 Sam. 6:17. Prophecies c...
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Day
[nave] DAY A creative period, Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; 2:2. Divided into twelve hours, John 11:9. Prophetic, Dan. 8:14, 26; 12:11, 12; Rev. 9:15; 11:3; 12:6. Six working days ordained, Ex. 20:9; Ezek. 46:1. Sixth day of the...
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Nettles
[isbe] NETTLES - net'-'lz: (1) charul, (Job 30:7; Prov 24:31; Zeph 2:9 margin, in all, "wild vetches"); the translation "nettles" is due to the supposed derivations of charul from an (obsolete) charal, meaning "to be sharp" or "sti...
[nave] NETTLES, an obnoxious plant, Prov. 24:31; Isa. 34:13. Figurative Job 30:7; Hos. 9:6; Zeph. 2:9. See: Briers.
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Ashdod
[isbe] ASHDOD - ash'-dod ('ashdodh; Azotos; modern Esdud): One of the five chief cities of the Philistines. The name means stronghold or fortress, and its strength may be inferred by the fact that Psammetik I, of Egypt, besieged it...
[nave] ASHDOD A city of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3; 1 Sam. 6:17; Amos 3:9. Anakim inhabit, Josh. 11:22. Assigned to Judah, Josh. 15:47. Dagon's temple in, in which was deposited the ark, 1 Sam. 5. Conquest of, by Uzziah, 2 Chr...
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NETTLE
[ebd] (1.) Heb. haral, "pricking" or "burning," Prov. 24:30, 31 (R.V. marg., "wild vetches"); Job 30:7; Zeph. 2:9. Many have supposed that some thorny or prickly plant is intended by this word, such as the bramble, the thistle, th...
[smith] a well-known plant covered with minute sharp hairs; containing a poison that produces a painful, stifling sensation. It grows on neglected ground. A different Hebrew word in (Job 30:7; Proverbs 24:31; Zephaniah 2:9) seems to ...
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Gaza
[ebd] called also Azzah, which is its Hebrew name (Deut. 2:23; 1 Kings 4:24; Jer. 25:20), strong, a city on the Mediterranean shore, remarkable for its early importance as the chief centre of a great commercial traffic with Egypt....
[nave] GAZA 1. Called also Azzah. A city of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3; Jer. 25:20. One of the border cities of the Canaanites, Gen. 10:19. A city of the Avim and Anakim, Deut. 2:23; Josh. 11:22. Allotted to Judah, Josh. 15:47;...
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JOEL (2)
[isbe] JOEL (2) - (yo'el; Ioel): I. THE PROPHET II. THE BOOK 1. Literary Form 2. Outline of Contents 3. Interpretation (1) Literal (2) Allegorical 4. Indications of Date (1) Place in the Canon (2) Language and Style (3) Quotations ...
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Sodom
[ebd] burning; the walled, a city in the vale of Siddim (Gen. 13:10; 14:1-16). The wickedness of its inhabitants brought down upon it fire from heaven, by which it was destroyed (18:16-33; 19:1-29; Deut. 23:17). This city and its ...
[nave] SODOM, called also Sodoma. Situated in the plain of the Jordan, Gen. 13:10. The southeastern limit of the Canaanites, Gen. 10:19. Lot dwells at, Gen. 13:12. King of, joins other kings of the nations resisting the invasion ...
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Wicked
[nave] WICKED Compared with: Abominable branches, Isa. 14:19; ashes under the feet, Mal. 4:3; bad fishes, Matt. 13:48; beasts, Psa. 49:12; 2 Pet. 2:12; the blind, Zeph. 1:17; Matt. 15:14; bronze and iron, Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18; br...
Arts
Questions
- The Ammonites were so called (Deu. 2:19). They were a cruel, covetous, proud, reproachful, vindictive, superstitious and idolatrous nation (see Amos 1:13; Zep. 2:10; Eze. 25:3,6; Judg. 10:6; Jer. 27:3). Their chief city was R...
Resources/Books
Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)
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"As the laws increase and the constraints grow, the people seem less willing or less capable of following them. At this point in the narrative we see that the whole order of the priesthood is thrown open to direct confrontati...
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"The Babylon oracle revealed that world history, even in its most threatening and climactic forms, is so organized that the people of God are cared for. The Philistia oracle confirmed this by insisting that the Davidic promis...
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30:4 This oracle concerns all the Israelites, those of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.30:5-6 A time of great terror, dread, and unrest was coming. Men would behave as though they were in labor; they would hold themse...
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In Jeremiah, prophecies concerning foreign nations come at the end of the book. In the other major prophets, Isaiah and Ezekiel, they come after oracles against Israel and or Judah and before oracles dealing with Israel's res...
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This oracle is similar to the one in Isaiah 15 and 16.555Other oracles against Moab appear in Ezekiel 25:8-11, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:9, but this is the longest one. It is very difficult to say when Jeremiah gave this or...
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It is appropriate that this section appears at this point in Ezekiel, between the messages announcing judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for sin (chs. 4-24) and the messages announcing future blessings for Israel (chs. 33-48). I...
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Ezekiel previously recorded an oracle against Ammon (21:28-32). Its placement there was evidently due to the presence of "sword of the Lord"terminology in that oracle, which the other prophecies in that chapter also contain.2...
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25:8 The residents of Moab and Seir (Edom) had regarded Judah as just one of the other nations even though the Judahites were blood relatives of theirs (cf. Jer. 48:27; Zeph. 2:8-9). This attitude reflected disrespect for Yah...
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25:15-16 The Philistines to Judah's west had also scorned the Israelites and had sought to destroy them (cf. Judg. 13-16; 1 Sam. 4; 13; 31; 2 Sam. 5; 2 Kings 18:8; 2 Chron. 21:16-17; 28:18). Therefore the Lord would stretch o...
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8:2 Evidently Daniel was in Babylon when he had this vision, but what he saw, including himself, was in Susa (Shushan, AV; cf. Ezek. 8:3; 40:1).293Daniel probably knew where he was in his vision because he had visited Susa. I...
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4:6 The Lord had brought famine throughout the land to warn His people about their disobedience and His displeasure, but this judgment did not move them to repent (cf. 1 Kings 8:37). Famine was one of the curses that God said...
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"It is in 2:1-5 that the prophet establishes the basis for the national crisis and the future collapse of the nation. It was not the imperialism of Assyria or the fortunes of blind destiny that brought the house of Israel to ...
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The Book of Zephaniah has been called "a compendium of the oracles of the prophets."9This is true for two reasons. First, Zephaniah's general message is similar to that of most of the other writing prophets. Second, he used t...
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The key to the Book of Zephaniah is the phrase "the day of the Lord."This phrase appears in most of the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. As we saw in Joel, "the day of the Lord"can be a past day, a day in the relati...
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I. Heading 1:1II. The day of Yahweh's judgment 1:2-3:8A. Judgment on the world 1:2-3B. Judgment on Judah 1:4-2:31. The cause for Judah's judgment 1:4-62. The course of Judah's judgment 1:7-133. The imminence and horrors of Ju...
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Zephaniah's prophecies are all about "the day of the LORD."He revealed two things about this "day,"first, that it would involve judgment (1:2-3:8) and, second, that it would eventuate in blessing (3:9-20). The judgment portio...
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The Lord gave more details about this worldwide judgment. It would include Judah. Zephaniah gave more particulars concerning the fate of Judah (1:4-2:3) and Jerusalem (3:1-7) than about the fate of the rest of humanity (1:2-3...
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1:7 In view of the inevitability of coming judgment for idolatry, it was appropriate for the Judeans to be quiet before sovereign Yahweh (cf. Hab. 2:20)."This is a call to the people of Judah to cease every manner of oppositi...
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This section of the book (1:4-2:3) concludes with an appeal to the Judeans to repent and so avoid the punishment destined to come on them if they did not repent."The prophet meant in that terrible description of approaching j...
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Since all people need to seek the Lord (v. 3), Zephaniah revealed that judgment was headed for the nations around Judah as well as for Judah. He selected nations that lived in four directions from Judah to represent all the n...
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2:4 The prophet announced that destruction would overtake four of the five cities of the Philistine pentapolis (cf. Isa. 14:28-32; Jer. 47; Ezek. 25:15-17; Amos 1:6-8). He listed them from south to north. Gath had evidently d...
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2:8 Probably Zephaniah linked Moab and Ammon because both nations descended from Lot (Gen. 19:30-38) as well as because both lay to Judah's east. Both nations had taunted and reviled the Israelites from their earliest history...
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Having announced that divine judgment would come on the nations around Judah (2:4-15), the prophet returned to the subject of Yahweh's judgment on the Chosen People (cf. 1:4-2:3), but this time he focused more particularly on...
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The people of Jerusalem needed to wait a little longer. The Lord would soon rise up as a devouring animal to consume His prey. He had determined to gather nations and kingdoms that were wicked, including Judah, and pour His b...
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Having finished the revelation dealing with God's judgment of the world in a coming day (1:2-3:8), Zephaniah now announced that He would bring great blessing to all humankind after that judgment (3:9-20). As in the section of...
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"Then"signals a major change in time as well as in the focus of Zephaniah's prophecy. It is a hinge word that serves as a transition from judgment in the Tribulation to blessing in the Millennium. Then, after these judgments ...
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3:10 The descendants of the Lord's dispersed ones, the Jews, would bring him offerings of worship from the farthest corners of the earth. The rivers of Ethiopia, probably the Nile and its tributaries, were at the edge of the ...
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3:18 In the past Jews who lived far from Jerusalem were very sad because they could not travel to Jerusalem to observe Israel's annual feasts. They suffered a certain criticism from their fellow Jews for living far away from ...
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Chisholm, Robert B., Jr. "A Theology of the Minor Prophets."In A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 397-433. Edited by Roy B. Zuck. Chicago: Moody Press, 1991.Christensen, Duane L. "Zephaniah 2:4-15: A Theological Ba...
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Luke recorded this incident to show the method and direction of the church's expansion to God-fearing Gentiles who were attracted to Judaism at this time. This man had visited Jerusalem to worship, was studying the Old Testam...