Zephaniah 3:8-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zephaniah 3:8-13

Things looked very bad with Jerusalem in the Zeph. 3:1-7; she has got into a very bad name, and seems to be incorrigible, incurable, mercy-proof and judgment-proof. Now one would think it should follow, Therefore expect no other but that she should be utterly abandoned and rejected as reprobate silver; since they will not be wrought upon by prophets or providences, let them be made a desolation as their neighbours have been. But behold and wonder at the riches of divine grace, which takes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 3:8

Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord ,.... Or "nevertheless" F6 לכן , as in Hos. ii. 14. See Noldius. : this is said to the disciples and followers of Christ among the Jews; for there were some few that did fear the Lord, and received his doctrine, and submitted to his ordinances, and walked in his ways; and these are encouraged to wait upon the Lord; upon the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; or for him, and to expect that he would appear, and work salvation and deliverance for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 3:9

For then will I turn to the people a pure language ,.... That is, at or about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; when the Jews, both in their own land, and in the Gentile world, would have the Gospel first preached to them, but would reject it; upon which the apostles and first ministers of the word would turn to the Gentiles, as the Lord commanded them; when he would turn or change his speech and language towards them, and their speech and language towards him would be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 3:8

Wait ye upon me - Expect the fulfilment of all my promises and threatenings: I am God, and change not. For all the earth - All the land of Judah. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 3:9

Will I turn to the people - This promise must refer to the conversion of the Jews under the Gospel. That they may all call - That the whole nation may invoke God by Christ, and serve him with one consent; not one unbeliever being found among them. The pure language, ברורה שפה saphah berurah , may here mean the form of religious worship. They had been before idolaters: now God promises to restore his pure worship among them. The word has certainly this meaning in Psalm 81:6 ;... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 3:8

Verse 8 God here declares that the last end was near, since he had found by experience that he effected nothing by long forbearance, and since he had even found the Jews becoming worse, because he had so mercifully treated them. Some think that the address is made to the faithful, that they might prepare themselves to bear the cross; but this view is foreign to the subject of the Prophet: and though this view has gained the consent of almost all, I yet doubt not but that the Prophet, as I have... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 3:9

Verse 9 The Prophet now mitigates the asperity of his doctrine, which might have greatly terrified the godly; nay, it might have wholly disheartened them, had no consolation been applied. God then moderates here what he had previously threatened; for if the Prophet had only said this—My purpose is to gather all the nations, and thus the whole earth shall be devoured by the fire of indignation, what could the faithful have concluded but that they were to perish with the rest of the world? It was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 3:1-8

Having taken a mental survey of the surrounding heathen nations, the seer returns again in thought to his own people. It was, indeed, in their interest that he had been led to take this wide review of God's dealings with men. He desired to make very real to them the Divine law that sin cannot go unpunished, and that national guilt must inevitably be followed by chastisement; yea, more, that if this law operated in heathen lands, much more might they expect to come under it who had enjoyed the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 3:1-8

Zephaniah 3:1-8 . - Jerusalem the rebellious and polluted; or, the wickedness and woe of a degenerate city. I. THE NUMBER AND VARIETY OF HER SINS . 1 . Rebellion. This, marking her attitude towards God, is amplified and detailed as consisting in four transgressions. 2 . Pollution. This declares what the city was in herself. The completeness of her defilement discovered itself in the wickedness of all classes of her population, but more especially of her... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 3:6-8

§ 7. Obdurate and blinded as nations are, these extreme measures are the only way left to secure salvation for Israel and the whole world. read more

Group of Brands