Zephaniah 2:14 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 2:14

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her ,.... In the midst of the city of Nineveh; in the streets of it, where houses stood, and people in great numbers walked; but now only should be seen the cottages of shepherds, and flocks of sheep feeding or lying down, as is before observed of the sea coast of the Philistines, Zephaniah 2:6 , all the beasts of the nations ; that is, all sorts of beasts, especially wild beasts, in the several parts of the world, should come and dwell here;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 2:14

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her - Nineveh was so completely destroyed, that its situation is not at present even known. The present city of Mossoul is supposed to be in the vicinity of the place where this ancient city stood. The cormorant קאת kaath ; and the bittern, קפד kippod . These Newcome translates, "The pelican and the porcupine." Their voice shall sing in the windows - The windows shall be all demolished; wild fowl shall build their nests in them, and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 2:14

Verse 14 The Prophet describes here the state of the city and the desolation of the country. He says, that the habitations of flocks would be in the midst of the city Nineveh. The city, we know, was populous; but while men were so many, there was no place for flocks, especially in the middle of a city so celebrated. Hence no common change is here described by the Prophet, when he says, that flocks would lie down in the middle of Nineveh; and he adds, all wild beasts. For beasts, which seek... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 2:12-15

5. The judgment shall fall upon the Ethiopians and Assyrians, representing the south and north. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 2:14

Flocks ; herds. The prophet describes graphically the desolation mentioned in the preceding verse. The "herds" are not sheep and cattle, as in parallel cases ( Isaiah 17:2 ; Isaiah 27:10 ; Isaiah 32:14 ), but all the beasts of the nations — all the wild beasts that infest the country. Septuagint, πάντα τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς . The Hebrew will hardly hear Keil's rendering, "all kinds of beasts in crowds." (Compare similar predictions, Isaiah 13:21 ; Isaiah 34:11 , Isaiah... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Zephaniah 2:14

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her - No desolation is like that of decayed luxury. It preaches the nothingness of man, the fruitlessness of his toils, the fleetingness of his hopes and enjoyments, and their baffling when at their height. Grass in a court or on a once beaten road, much more, in a town, speaks of the passing away of what has been, that man was accustomed to be there, and is not, or is there less than he was. It leaves the feeling of void and forsakenness. But in... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Zephaniah 2:13-14

Zephaniah 2:13-14. And he will stretch out his hand against the north Nor will the southern nations only be punished, but judgments will be executed by the divine justice on the nations lying toward the north; and will make Nineveh a desolation What is here foretold was fulfilled before the predictions recorded in the foregoing verses. Dr. Prideaux observes, that “Chyniladanus being king of the Assyrian and Babylonian empire, Nabopolassar, his general, took the latter from him, in the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 2:1-15

The certainty of judgment (2:1-15)In spite of the certainty of judgment, there is still hope for those who will turn to God in humility and faith. The only ones to escape the divine wrath will be those who renounce their former wrongdoing and determine to live in obedience to God (2:1-3).To impress upon the Jerusalemites that no sinners will escape God’s wrath, Zechariah gives them examples of coming judgment on neighbouring nations. The first judgment concerns regions to the west of Judah. The... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Zephaniah 2:14

all = all kinds of. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus), App-6 . upper lintels = chapiters, or carved capitals. cedar work: i.e. the wainscotting. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Zephaniah 2:14

"And herds shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations; both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals thereof; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar work."This verse is a further delineation of the desolation of Assyria. Space is taken up in a number of commentaries regarding whether or not "pelican" and "porcupine" are properly rendered, some suggesting other creatures than these... read more