Chapter 1

(Verse 1) The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Ammon, king of Judah.

Thus the prophet tells us who he is, and from whence he received his message, as well as about what time he received it.

(Verses 2 through 6) I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. I will also stretch out Mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; and them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor inquired for Him.

This is the beginning of the message Zephaniah received from the LORD. He is going to send upon the land total devastation. It will not only affect men, but even the beasts of the earth, the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea. This is looking at the general nature of this judgment. He will also cut off the wicked and their stumbling blocks. Specifically, He will stretch out His hand upon Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem . Baal, the Chemarims, and Malcham, were all idols of the nations around Judah . And the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem had let themselves be led away from the LORD to worship these idols. The LORD declares that He will cut off these, together with their priests and worshippers. He will also take away those who worship the host of heaven. Their houses were usually built with flat roofs upon which the people could stand or sit, as well as they could in the houses. And on the housetops were the places where they carried on their worship of the host of heaven, the sun, moon, stars, etc. He will also cut off those “that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham.” There were some that tried to worship both the LORD and Malcham. The LORD has declared that He will not share His glory with another. Therefore those who try to worship both are worshipping in vain. He will cut them off also. Then there are some that have not “sought the LORD, nor inquired for Him.” They too will be cut off. Thus He will make a clean sweep of the matter.

(Verses 7 through 9) Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, He hath bid His guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit

Since the day of the LORD is at hand, there is no need, and no time to make a lot of ado about it. And neither is there anything to gain by trying to make a change in their lives in the hope of averting His judgment. The only thing to do is to keep silence before Him. He has already prepared His sacrifice, and bidden His guests for the feast. “The day of the LORD” is an expression that always denotes a time of judgment. It is sometimes used in reference to the great day of final judgment. But, in this case, it refers to the judgment He is going to send upon Judah and Jerusalem , the Babylonian captivity. When that day comes, He will punish, not only the people, but even their princes, and all they of the king’s family. And He will even punish the servants that have carried out the violence of their masters.

(Verses 10 through 13) And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down: all they that bear silver are cut off. And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will He do evil. Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.

When this great Day of the LORD comes, there will be a great cry from the fish gate, a great howling from the next gate, and a great crashing from the hills. That is, there will be much crying and confusion everywhere. In that day all who have depended upon the merchants of Judah will be making a great lamentation, because “all merchant people are cut down.” All who have money will be cut off. In addition to this, the LORD will search Jerusalem as if He were searching with candles, that He may punish all that are sitting back resting in the thought that He will not do anything about what they have done. They are saying that He is not going to do either good or evil. They think He is unconcerned about their conduct. Or they just do not believe that He is God. That seems to be the problem with many even today. Since they are sitting there in unbelief, their goods will be taken as a prey by those the LORD is sending against them. Even their houses shall be left desolate. They may build houses, but they will be taken away captive, and not allowed to live in the houses they have built. The same will be true of their vineyards. They will not be left there to eat of them, or to drink the wine they might produce.

(Verses 14 through 18) The great Day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the Day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Having already described much of what the LORD is going to bring upon the people of Judah and Jerusalem , Zephaniah declares to them that this great day is near. Because of the urgency of the message, he repeats, “it is near,” and further declares that it is hasting, or coming very swiftly. So swiftly, in fact, that its sound can already be heard. And when it arrives even the mighty man shall cry bitterly. In verses 15 and 16 he again describes that day. And His language is so clear that it seems impossible to make it any more understandable. In verse 17, the LORD speaks, declaring that it is He that will bring this distress, and that it is “because they have sinned against the LORD.” Their blood shall be poured out on the ground as dust, and their carcasses left to rot on the ground. No matter how wealthy they may be, their silver and gold will do them no good at all; “but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.” In short, those who are not killed will be carried away as captives.

(Verses 1 through 3) Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.

This seems to be an address from the LORD to Judah . For Judah was a “nation not desired,” in that the LORD had determined to send judgment upon her, and the nations round about her cared nothing about her. In fact, they had long wanted her destroyed. He calls upon her to gather herself together before the decree He has made is fulfilled, and the fierce anger of the LORD is brought upon her. The call also seems to embrace all of those in the earth who are meek and have been trying to keep the commandments of the LORD—“which have wrought judgment.” They are all called upon to seek meekness, and given hope that they may be hidden in the day of the anger of the LORD. In fact, as we shall see, this call leaps far ahead to the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem , and even Israel , as the following verses will show.

(Verses 4 through 7) For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you: O Canaan the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah ; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.

The names of these cities and nations that are here given are the ones of the area around the land of Judah and Israel . And the desolation here spoken of is that which the LORD will bring upon them in the day of the restoration of Judah and Israel . All of the enemies of Judah in the land shall be destroyed, and their properties will be given to the remnant of Judah that are brought back when the LORD visits them, and turns away their captivity.

(Verses 8 through 11) I have heard the reproach of Moab , and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached My people, and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom , and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah , even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of My people shall spoil them, and the remnant of My people shall possess them. This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. The LORD will be terrible unto them: for He will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship Him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.

In Genesis 19, we learn that Moab and Benammi were the sons of Lot , the nephew of Abraham. Moab , as the name is here used, refers to the descendants of that Moab , and Ammon to the descendants of Benammi. One would think that, since they were blood related to the children of Israel , there would have been more friendship between them. But such was not the case. (Inasmuch as Ishmael was the brother of Isaac, and Esau the brother of Jacob, one might also think that their descendants, the Arabs, would also have some feeling of love for the Israelites. But we can see, even today, that there is no indication of such.) When Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians, and when Judah was carried away to Babylon , Moab and Ammon both showed enmity toward them, and reproached and reviled them. This is the charge the LORD lays against them now. He declares that He was fully aware of all of this. And because of this, He will be terrible unto them. “He will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship Him, every one from his own place, even all the isles of the heathen.” Some may try to interpret this as a reference to the spread of the gospel throughout the world. But, in view of the fact that this whole chapter has so far been concerned with the return of Judah to her land, and it did not take place when the Babylonian captivity was broken, it has to be looking beyond, to the final restoration of Israel and Judah .

(Verses 12 through 15) Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by My sword. And He will stretch out His hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for He shall uncover the cedar work. This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, and said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.

In the early part of this chapter the LORD declared His judgment upon the cities and areas near Judah and Israel . He gradually spread out this declaration to other surrounding nations. And now He has included such far away places as Ethiopia and Assyria, and especially Nineveh , the capitol of Assyria . So it is evident that His judgment at this time will be world wide instead of just on the local people. In fact, He makes this plain in verse 11, when He says, “The LORD will be terrible unto them: for He will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship Him, every one from his own place, even all the isles of the heathen.” Here, however, He singles out Nineveh for special description. Her desolation will be such that the only inhabitants that will be left therein are the wild creatures of the forests. And anyone who may pass by her shall ridicule her. They will show her no mercy.

(Verses 1 through 7) Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. The just LORD is in the midst thereof; He will not do iniquity: every morning doth He bring His judgment to light, He faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. I said, Surely thou wilt fear Me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose up early, and corrupted all their doings.

The first verse of this might cause one to think that the LORD is continuing His speech about Nineveh . But such is not the case, as we soon realize, as we continue. Instead He is addressing Jerusalem . For only in Jerusalem were the priests and the sanctuary. Therefore we have to conclude that He has returned to what was then the present with Judah . He declares that she did not obey the “voice,” or the word that was sent to her. She refused to receive correction, and did not trust in the LORD, as she was directed. Instead, “Her princes within her are roaring lions, her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.” What a terrible situation! This seems to also describe some times I have seen in the present day church. That is the scary part of this for us. Let us keep in mind that, “The just LORD is in the midst thereof; He will not do iniquity: every morning doth He bring His judgment to light, He faileth not.” This is just as sure today as it was when first penned down. In spite of this, “the unjust knoweth no shame.” It will not turn him away from his evil. The LORD recalls to Jerusalem some of the judgments He has sent upon cities and nations for their iniquities that it may cause them to repent of their evil. But in spite of His having punished these other evil ones, Jerusalem seems more determined than ever to continue in her sins. “They rose early, and corrupted all their doings.”

(Verses 8 through 13) Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My suppliants, even the daughter of My dispersed, shall bring Mine offering. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against Me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of My holy mountain. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

Since Jerusalem would not be corrected, but continued on worse and worse in her evils. Her people will have to wait on the LORD, till He shall rise up to the prey; the day when He shall assemble all nations that He may pour out His indignation and His fury upon them. Both Ezekiel and Zechariah give more details of that great day. After that is done, and they have been devoured by the fire of His jealousy, He will “turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent.” Through the millennia ever since the confusion of tongues at Babel , each language has absorbed words from the other languages around it so that there cannot be found today a pure language in the respect of not having words from some other. And, perhaps, that may be the reason for many misunderstandings between nations. But the pure language of which the Lord speaks here, is one in which there will not be any names of other gods, or of any wickedness. It will be a language that will enable all the people to agree with one consent to worship and serve the LORD. He will put full agreement in their hearts. And that agreement will be that He is God; and there is none else. Although some of His people have been dispersed beyond the rivers of Ethiopia , they shall be found, and will bring their offerings to Him. In that day He will take away out of the midst of Jerusalem those who rejoice in their pride, and in the holy mountain of the LORD. Instead, they will rejoice in the LORD Himself. Therefore they will no more bear their shame because of their disobedience. In the midst of Jerusalem will be left the LORD’S remnant. They will be “an afflicted and poor people,” who shall trust in the name of the LORD. This does not necessarily mean that those left in Jerusalem will be sickly, lame, blind, or have other natural afflictions. And neither does it mean that they are poor, in the sense of being poverty stricken. What it does mean, as it immediately follows His declaration, “For I will take out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of My holy mountain,” is that all pride in self and in the material things, even such as the holy mountain of the LORD, will be taken away, and this remnant shall rely upon the LORD, and Him only. They will trust in His name. Verse 13 seems to need no explanation. It cannot be made clearer. “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”

(Verses 14 through 17) Sing, O daughter of Zion ; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem . The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem , Fear thou not: and to Zion , Let not thine hands be slack. The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.

Here the LORD addresses Jerusalem and Israel with a message of great comfort. It looks forward to the day when He will have restored them ,and given them rest on all sides. It will be a day of great rejoicing for them. He even declares that He also shall rejoice over them, even with singing. He will then have taken away all of their sins, and their judgments that were sent upon them to chastise them for their evils. All of this will be forever put away. Since the LORD will then be in the midst of Jerusalem , there will be no more need to fear. For He is mighty: and He will save. He will forever be with them, and they shall no more stray from Him.

(Verses 18 through 20) I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that is driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.

This is the LORD’S promise to restore Israel and Jerusalem . This, unquestionably, refers to His re-gathering them in their final restoration. For, indeed, Israel has never been re-gathered, and Judah was only partially restored at the end of their seventy years captivity by the Babylonians. And never has either of them been given the name and the praise among all the people of the earth that the LORD here promises. And since His word is always true, and cannot fail, the day for its fulfillment is yet to come. And what a day that will be!