Zephaniah 2:9-12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zephaniah 2:8-11

The Moabites and Ammonites were both of the posterity of Lot; their countries joined, and, both adjoining to Israel, they are here put together in the prophecy against them. I. They are both charged with the same crime, and that was reproaching and reviling the people of God and triumphing in their calamities (Zeph. 2:8): They have reproached my people; while God's people kept close to their duty it is probable that they reproached them for the singularities of their religion; and now that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 2:9

Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel ,.... The Lord here swears by himself, by his life; partly to show how provoked he was at, and how grievously he resented, the injuries done to his people; and partly to observe the certain fulfilment of what is after declared; and it might be depended upon it would surely be done, not only because of his word and oath, which are immutable; but because of his ability to do it, as "the Lord of hosts", of armies above and below;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 2:10

This shall they have for their pride ,.... This calamity shall come upon their land, the land of the Moabites and Ammonites, for their pride, which often goes before a fall; and has frequently been the cause of the ruin of kingdoms and states, and of particular persons; and indeed seems to have been the first sin of the apostate angels, and of fallen man. Of the pride of Moab see Isaiah 16:6 , because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 2:11

The Lord will be terrible unto them ,.... To the Moabites and Ammonites in the execution of his judgments upon them, and make their proud hearts tremble; for with him is terrible majesty; he is terrible to the kings of the earth, and cuts off the spirit of princes, Job 37:22 or, as Kimchi observes, this may be understood of the people of God reproached by the Moabites and Ammonites, by whom the Lord is to be feared and reverenced with a godly and filial fear: so it may be rendered, "the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 2:12

Ye Ethiopians also ,.... Or, "as for ye Ethiopians also" F8 גם א־תאם כושים "etiam ad vos Aethiopes quod attinet", Piscator. ; not the Ethiopians in Africa beyond Egypt, at a distance from the land of Israel, and the countries before mentioned; but the inhabitants of Arabia Chusea, or Ethiopia, which lay near to Moab and Ammon; these should not escape, but suffer with their neighbours, who sometimes distressed the people of the Jews, and made war with them, being nigh them; see 2... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 2:9

The breeding of nettles - That is, their land shall become desolate, and be a place for nettles, thorns, etc., to flourish in, for want of cultivation. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 2:10

Because they have reproached - See on Zephaniah 2:8 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 2:11

He will famish all the gods of the earth - They shall have no more sacrifices; their worship shall be entirely destroyed. Idolaters supposed that their gods actually fed on the fumes and spirituous exhalations that arose from the burnt-offerings which they made unto their idols. It is in reference to this opinion that the Lord says, "He will famish all the gods of the land." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 2:12

Ye Ethiopians also - Nebuchadnezzar subdued these. See Jeremiah 46:2 , Jeremiah 46:9 ; Ezekiel 30:4 , Ezekiel 30:10 . See also on Amos 9:7 ; (note). read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 2:9

Verse 9 In order to cheer the miserable Jews by some consolation, God said, in what we considered yesterday, that the wantonness of Moab was known to him; he now adds, that he would visit with punishment the reproaches which had been mentioned. For it would have availed them but little that their wrongs had been observed by God, if no punishment had been prepared. Hence the Prophet reminds them that God is no idle spectator, who only observes what takes place in the world; but that there is a... read more

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