---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Zephaniah 2"
description: "CHAPTER 2   :-. EXHORTATION TO
REPENT BEFORE THE CHALDEAN
INVADERS COME.
DOOM OF JUDAH"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/zephaniah/2"
---

CHAPTER 2

. EXHORTATION TO
REPENT BEFORE THE CHALDEAN
INVADERS COME.
DOOM OF JUDAH'S
FOES, THE PHILISTINES,
MOAB, AMMON,
WITH THEIR IDOLS,
AND ETHIOPIA AND
ASSYRIA.

**1. Gather yourselves**—*to a
religious assembly,* to avert the judgment by prayers () [GROTIUS]. Or,
so as not to be dissipated "as chaff" (). The *Hebrew* is akin to a root meaning "chaff."
Self-confidence and corrupt desires are the dissipation from which
they are exhorted to *gather themselves* [CALVIN].
The foe otherwise, like the wind, will scatter you "as the
chaff." Repentance is the *gathering of themselves* meant.
**nation not desired**—(Compare
[2 Chronicles 21:20](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/21/20)), that is, not
desirable; unworthy of the grace or favor of God; and yet God so
magnifies that grace as to be still solicitous for their safety,
though they had destroyed themselves and forfeited all claims on His
grace [CALVIN]. The *Margin*
from *Chaldee Version* has, "not desirous," namely of
returning to God. MAURER
and GESENIUS translate,
"Not waxing pale," that is, dead to shame. *English
Version* is best.

**2. Before the decree bring
forth**—that is, Before God's decree against you announced by me
([Zephaniah 1:1-18](../../../kjv/zephaniah/1/1-18)) *have its
fulfilment.* As the embryo lies hid in the womb, and then emerges
to light in its own due time, so though God for a time hides His
vengeance, yet He *brings* it *forth* at the proper season.
**before the day pass as the
chaff**—that is, before *the day* for repentance *pass,*
and with it you, the ungodly, pass away *as the chaff* ([Job 21:18](../../../kjv/job/21/18);
[Psalms 1:4](../../../kjv/psalms/1/4)). MAURER
puts it parenthetically, "the day (that is, time) passes as the
chaff (that is, most quickly)." CALVIN,
"before the decree bring forth" (the predicted vengeance),
(then) the chaff (the Jews) shall pass in a day, that is, in a
moment, though they thought that it would be long before they could
be overthrown. *English Version* is best; the latter clause
being explanatory of the former, and so the *before* being
understood, not expressed.

**3.** As in (compare *Note,* see on ) he had warned the hardened among the people to humble
themselves, so now he admonishes "the meek" to proceed in
their right course, that so they may escape the general calamity (). The *meek* bow themselves under God's chastisements
to God's will, whereas the ungodly become only the more hardened by
them.
**Seek ye the Lord**—in
contrast to those that "sought not the Lord" (). The *meek* are not to regard what the multitudes do,
but seek God at once.
**his judgment**—that is,
law. The true way of "seeking the Lord" is to "work
judgment," not merely to be zealous about outward ordinances.
**seek meekness**—not
perversely murmuring against God's dealings, but patiently submitting
to them, and composedly waiting for deliverance.
**it may be ye shall be hid**—
([Isaiah 26:20](../../../kjv/isaiah/26/20); [Amos 5:6](../../../kjv/amos/5/6)).
This phrase does not imply doubt of the deliverance of the godly, but
expresses the difficulty of it, as well that the ungodly may see the
certainty of their doom, as also that the faithful may value the more
the grace of God in their case ([Amos 5:6](../../../kjv/amos/5/6)) [CALVIN].
Compare [2 Kings 25:12](../../../kjv/2-kings/25/12).

**4. For**—He makes the punishment
awaiting the neighboring states an argument why the ungodly should
repent ([Zephaniah 2:1](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/1)) and the godly
persevere, namely, that so they may escape from the general calamity.
**Gaza shall be forsaken**—In
the *Hebrew* there is a play of similar sounds, *Gaza Gazubah;*
Gaza shall be forsaken, as its name implies. So the *Hebrew* of
the next clause, *Ekron teeakeer.*
**at the noonday**—when on
account of the heat Orientals usually sleep, and military operations
are suspended ([2 Samuel 4:5](../../../kjv/2-samuel/4/5)). Hence
an attack *at noon* implies one sudden and unexpected ([Jeremiah 6:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/6/4);
[Jeremiah 6:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/6/5); [Jeremiah 15:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/8)).
**Ekron**—*Four*
cities of the Philistines are mentioned, whereas *five* was the
normal number of their leading cities. Gath is omitted, being at this
time under the Jews' dominion. David had subjugated it ([Jeremiah 15:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/8)). Under Joram the Philistines almost regained it ([Jeremiah 15:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/8)), but Uzziah ([2 Chronicles 26:6](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/26/6))
and Hezekiah ([2 Kings 18:8](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/8)) having
conquered them, it remained under the Jews. [Amos 1:6](../../../kjv/amos/1/6);
[Zechariah 9:5](../../../kjv/zechariah/9/5); [Zechariah 9:6](../../../kjv/zechariah/9/6);
[Jeremiah 25:20](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/20), similarly mention only
*four* cities of the Philistines.

**5. inhabitants of the seacoast**—the
Philistines dwelling on the strip of seacoast southwest of Canaan.
Literally, the "cord" or "line" of sea (compare
[Jeremiah 47:7](../../../kjv/jeremiah/47/7); [Ezekiel 25:16](../../../kjv/ezekiel/25/16)).
**the Cherethites**—the
Cretans, a name applied to the Philistines as sprung from Crete
([Deuteronomy 2:23](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/2/23); [Jeremiah 47:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/47/4);
[Amos 9:7](../../../kjv/amos/9/7)). *Philistine* means
"an emigrant."
**Canaan . . . land of the
Philistines**—They occupied the southwest of *Canaan*
([Joshua 13:2](../../../kjv/joshua/13/2); [Joshua 13:3](../../../kjv/joshua/13/3));
a name which hints that they are doomed to the same destruction as
the early occupants of the land.

**6. dwellings*****and*****cottages for shepherds**—rather, "dwellings with cisterns"
(that is, water-tanks *dug* in the earth) *for shepherds.*
Instead of a thick population and tillage, the region shall become a
pasturage for nomad shepherds' flocks. The *Hebrew* for "dug
cisterns," *Ceroth,* seems a play on sounds, alluding to
their name Cherethites ([Zephaniah 2:5](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/5)):
Their land shall become what their national name implies, a land of
*cisterns.* MAURER
translates, "*Feasts* for shepherds' (flocks)," that
is, one wide pasturage.

**7. remnant of . . . Judah**—those
of the Jews who shall be left after the coming calamity, and who
shall return from exile.
**feed thereupon**—namely,
in the pastures of that seacoast region ().
**visit**—in mercy ().

**8. I have heard**—A seasonable
consolation to Judah when wantonly assailed by Moab and Ammon with
impunity: God saith, "I have heard it all, though I might seem
to men not to have observed it because I did not immediately inflict
punishment."
**magnified themselves**—acted
haughtily, invading the territory of Judah ([Jeremiah 48:29](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/29);
[Jeremiah 49:1](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/1); compare [Zephaniah 2:10](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/10);
[Psalms 35:26](../../../kjv/psalms/35/26); [Obadiah 1:12](../../../kjv/obadiah/1/12)).

**9. the breeding of nettles**—or,
*the overspreading* of nettles, that is, a place overrun with
them.
**salt pits**—found at the
south of the Dead Sea. The water overflows in the spring, and salt is
left by the evaporation. Salt land is barren ([Judges 9:45](../../../kjv/judges/9/45);
[Psalms 107:34](../../../kjv/psalms/107/34), *Margin*).
**possess them**—that is,
their land; in retribution for their having occupied Judah's land.

**10.** (Compare ).
**their pride**—in
antithesis to the *meek* ().

**11. famish**—bring low by taking
from the idols their former fame; as beasts are famished by their
food being withheld. Also by destroying the kingdoms under the
tutelage of idols ([Psalms 96:4](../../../kjv/psalms/96/4);
[Isaiah 46:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/46/1)).
**gods of the earth**—who
have their existence only *on earth,* not in heaven as the true
God.
**every one from his place**—each
*in his own* Gentile *home,* taught by the Jews in the true
religion: not in Jerusalem alone shall men worship God, but
everywhere ([Psalms 68:29](../../../kjv/psalms/68/29); [Psalms 68:30](../../../kjv/psalms/68/30);
[Malachi 1:11](../../../kjv/malachi/1/11); [John 4:21](../../../kjv/john/4/21);
[1 Corinthians 1:2](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/1/2); [1 Timothy 2:8](../../../kjv/1-timothy/2/8)).
It does not mean, as in [Isaiah 2:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/2);
[Micah 4:1](../../../kjv/micah/4/1); [Micah 4:2](../../../kjv/micah/4/2);
[Zechariah 8:22](../../../kjv/zechariah/8/22); [Zechariah 14:16](../../../kjv/zechariah/14/16)
that they shall come *from* their several *places* to
Jerusalem to worship [MAURER].
**all . . . isles of . . .
heathen**—that is, all the maritime regions, especially the west,
now being fulfilled in the gathering in of the Gentiles to Messiah.

**12.** Fulfilled when
Nebuchadnezzar (God's *sword,* ) conquered Egypt, with which Ethiopia was closely connected
as its ally ([Jeremiah 46:2-9](../../../kjv/jeremiah/46/2-9);
[Ezekiel 30:5-9](../../../kjv/ezekiel/30/5-9)).
**Ye**—literally, "They."
The third person expresses estrangement; while doomed before God's
tribunal in the second person, they are spoken of in the third as
aliens from God.

**13.** Here he passes suddenly to
the north. Nineveh was destroyed by Cyaxares and Nabopolassar, 625
B.C. The Scythian hordes,
by an inroad into Media and thence in the southwest of Asia (thought
by many to be the forces described by Zephaniah, as the invaders of
Judea, rather than the Chaldeans), for a while interrupted Cyaxares'
operations; but he finally succeeded. Arbaces and Belesis previously
subverted the Assyrian empire under Sardanapalus (that is, Pul?), 877
B.C.

**14. flocks**—of sheep; answering
to "beasts" in the parallel clause. Wide pastures for sheep
and haunts for wild beasts shall be where once there was a teeming
population (compare [Zephaniah 2:6](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/6)).
MAURER, needlessly for the
parallelism, makes it "flocks *of savage animals.*"
**beasts of the nations**—that
is, beasts of the earth ([Genesis 1:24](../../../kjv/genesis/1/24)).
Not as ROSENMULLER, "all
kinds of beasts that form a nation," that is, gregarious beasts
([Proverbs 30:25](../../../kjv/proverbs/30/25); [Proverbs 30:26](../../../kjv/proverbs/30/26)).
**cormorant**—rather, the
"pelican" (so [Psalms 102:6](../../../kjv/psalms/102/6);
[Isaiah 34:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/34/11), *Margin*).
**bittern**— ([Isaiah 34:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/34/11)). MAURER
translates, "the hedgehog"; HENDERSON,
"the porcupine."
**upper lintels**—rather,
"*the capitals* of her columns," namely, in her
temples and palaces [MAURER].
Or, "on the pomegranate-like knops at the tops of the houses"
[GROTIUS].
**their voice shall sing in the
windows**—The desert-frequenting birds' "voice in the
windows" implies desolation reigning in the upper parts of the
palaces, answering to "desolation . . . in the thresholds,"
that is, in the lower.
**he shall uncover the cedar
work**—laying the cedar wainscoting on the walls, and beams of
the ceiling, bare to wind and rain, the roof being torn off, and the
windows and doors broken through. All this is designed as a
consolation to the Jews that they may bear their calamities
patiently, knowing that God will avenge them.

**15.** Nothing then seemed more
improbable than that the capital of so vast an empire, a city sixty
miles in compass, with walls one hundred feet high, and so thick that
three chariots could go abreast on them, and with fifteen hundred
towers, should be so totally destroyed that its site is with
difficulty discovered. Yet so it is, as the prophet foretold.
**there is none beside me**—This
peculiar phrase, expressing self-gratulation as if peerless, is
plainly adopted from [Isaiah 47:8](../../../kjv/isaiah/47/8).
The later prophets, when the spirit of prophecy was on the verge of
departing, leaned more on the predictions of their predecessors.
**hiss**—in astonishment at
a desolation so great and sudden ([Isaiah 47:8](../../../kjv/isaiah/47/8)); also in derision ([Job 27:23](../../../kjv/job/27/23);
[Lamentations 2:15](../../../kjv/lamentations/2/15); [Ezekiel 27:36](../../../kjv/ezekiel/27/36)).

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