ZEP 1

Zephaniah 1:18

WEB

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.

BSB

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.

KJV

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.

Matthew Henry

Verses 14–18

Zephaniah 1:14–18

Nothing could be expressed with more spirit and life, nor in words more proper to startle and awaken a secure and careless people, than the warning here given to Judah and Jerusalem of the approaching destruction by the Chaldeans. That is enough to make the sinners in Zion tremble - that it is the day of the Lord, the day in which he will manifest himself by taking vengeance on them. It is the great day of the Lord, a specimen of the day of judgment, a kind of doom's-day, as the last destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans is represented to be in our Saviour's prediction concerning it, Mat 24:27.

I. This day of the Lord is here spoken of as very near. The vision is not for a great while to come, as those imagine who put the evil day far from them. Those deceive themselves who look upon it as a thing at a distance, for it is near - it is near - it hastens greatly. The prophet gives the alarm like one that is in earnest, like one that awakens a family with the cry of Fire! fire! when it is at the next door that the danger is: "It is near! it is near! and therefore it is high time to bestir yourselves, and do what you can for your own safety before it be too late." It is madness for those to slumber whose damnation slumbers not, and to linger when it hastens.

II. It is spoken of as a very dreadful day. The very voice of this day of the Lord, the noise of it, when it is coming, shall be so terrible as to make the mighty men cry there bitterly, cry for fear as children do. It shall be a vexation to hear the report of it. In the last great day of the Lord the mighty men shall cry bitterly to rocks and mountains to shelter them; but in vain. Observe how emphatically the prophet speaks of this day approaching (Zep 1:15): It is a day of wrath, God's wrath, wrath in perfection, wrath to the utmost. It will be a day of trouble and distress to the sinners; they shall be in pain, and shall see no ways of easing or helping themselves. The miseries of the damned are summed up (perhaps with reference to this) in the indignation and wrath of God, which are the cause, and the tribulation and anguish of the sinner's soul, which are the effect, Rom 2:8, Rom 2:9. It will be a day of trouble and distress to the inhabitants, and a day of wasteness and desolation to the whole land; that fruitful land shall be turned into a wilderness. It shall be a day of darkness and gloominess; every thing shall look dismal, and there shall not be the least gleam of comfort, or glimpse of hope; look round, and it is all black. It is a day of clouds and thick darkness; there is not only nothing encouraging, but every thing threatening; the thick clouds are big with storms and tempests.

III. It is spoken of as a destroying day, Zep 1:16, Zep 1:17. It shall be destroying, 1. To places, even the strongest and best fortified: A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, to break into them, and against the high towers, to bring them down; for what forts, what fences, can hold out against the wrath of God? 2. To persons (Zep 1:17): "I will bring distress upon men, the strongest and stoutest of men; their hearts and hands shall fail them; they shall walk like blind men, wandering endlessly, because they have sinned against the Lord." Note, Those that walk as bad men will justly be left to walk as blind men, always in the dark, in doubt and danger, without any guide or comfort, and falling at length into the ditch. Because they have sinned against the Lord he will deliver them into the hands of cruel enemies, that shall pour out their blood as dust, so profusely, and with as little regret, and their flesh shall be thrown as dung upon the dunghill.

IV. The destruction of that day will be unavoidable and universal, Zep 1:18. 1. There shall be no escaping it by ransom: Neither their silver nor their gold, which they have hoarded up so covetously against the evil day, or which they have spent so prodigally to make friends for such a time, shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath. Another prophet borrowed these words from this, with reference to the same event, Eze 7:19. Note, Riches profit not in the day of wrath, Pro 11:4. Nay, riches expose to the wrath of men (Ecc 5:13.), and riches abused to the wrath of God. 2. There shall be no escaping it by flight or concealment; for the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy, and where then can a hiding-place be found? See what the fire of God's jealousy is, and what the force of it; it will devour whole lands; how then can particular persons stand before it? He shall make riddance, a speedy riddance, of all those that dwell in the land, as the husbandman, when he rids his ground, cuts up all the briers and thorns for the fire. Note, Sometimes the judgments of God make riddance, even utter riddance, with sinful nations, a speedy riddance; their destruction is effected, is completed, in a little time. Let not sinners be laid asleep by the patience of God, for when the measure of their iniquity is full his justice will both overtake and overcome, will make quick work and thorough work.

Cross-references: Matt 24:27 · Zeph 1:15 · Rom 2:8 · Rom 2:9 · Zeph 1:16 · Zeph 1:17 · Zeph 1:18 · Ezek 7:19 · Prov 11:4 · Eccl 5:13

Hebrew interlinear

H1571

גַּםgam/gam/

adv — assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

Derivation: by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;

properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and

KJV: again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.

גַּם

adv — also

גַּם 768 adv. denoting addition, also, moreover, yea

H3701

כֶּסֶףkeçeph/keh'-sef/

n-m — silver, pale, money

Derivation: from 3700;

silver (from its pale color); by implication, money

KJV: money, price, silver(-ling).

כֶּ֫סֶף

n.m — silver

כֶּ֫סֶף 402 n.m. silver, money

1. = silver ore, raw silver

2. silver as bright, shining

3. silver, as wealth

4. silver as spoil of war

5. silver as merchandise

6. silver as costly gift

7. silver as material

8. silver as measure of weight and value

9. among vbs. and phr.

H2091

זָהָבzâhâb/zaw-hawb'/

n-m — gold, something gold-colored, oil, clear sky

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to shimmer;

gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky

KJV: gold(-en), fair weather.

זָהָב

n.m — gold

זָהָב 385 n.m. gold

1. = gold-ore, gold in raw state

2. gold as wealth

3. gold as spoil of war

4. gold as merchandise

5. gold as costly gift

6. gold as material

7. gold described by its source

8. gold defined by var. adj. and pts.

9. as measure of weight and value

10. = golden oil, from colour

11. often named with

12. the chief vbs. used

H3808

לֹאlôʼ/lo/

adv — not, no

Derivation: or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

KJV: × before, or else, ere, except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, surely, as truly as, of a truth, verily, for want, whether, without.

לֹא

adv — not

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

H3201

יָכֹלyâkôl/yaw-kole'/

v — be able, can, could, may, might

Derivation: or (fuller) יָכוֹל; a primitive root;

to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)

KJV: be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.

יָכֹל

vb — be able

יָכֹל, יָכוֹל 193 vb. be able, have power, prevail, endure

Qal

1. be able, to do a thing,, whether ability be physical, moral, constitutional, or dependent on external authority

2. prevail

3. abs. have ability, strength, only neg.

H5337

נָצַלnâtsal/naw-tsal'/

v — snatch

Derivation: a primitive root;

to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense

KJV: × at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, × without fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save, spoil, strip, × surely, take (out).

נָצַל

vb — strip

[נָצַל] 212 vb. not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver

Niph.

1. reflex. tear oneself away, deliver oneself

2. passive, be torn out or away

Pi.

1. strip off, spoil

2. deliver

Hiph.

1. take away, snatch away

2. rescue, recover

3. deliver from

4. deliver from sin and guilt

Hoph. as a brand plucked out of the burning

Hithp. and they stripped themselves of their ornaments.

H3117

יוֹםyôwm/yome/

n-m — day

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to be hot;

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)

KJV: age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, × required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.

יוֹם

n.m — day

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

1. day, opp. night

2. Day as division of time

3. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

4. Pl. days of anyone

5. Days

6. יוֹם = time

7. Phrases

H5678

עֶבְרָהʻebrâh/eb-raw'/

n-f — outburst

Derivation: feminine of 5676;

an outburst of passion

KJV: anger, rage, wrath.

עֶבְרָה

n.f — overflow

עֶבְרָה n.f. overflow, arrogance, fury

H3068

יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/

n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah

Derivation: from 1961;

(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God

KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

יהוה

n.pr.dei — God

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

II.

1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

H784

אֵשׁʼêsh/aysh/

n-f — fire

Derivation: a primitive word;

fire (literally or figuratively)

KJV: burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

אֵשׁ

n.f — fire

אֵשׁ 377 n.f. fire

1. fire, of conflagration

2. of supernatural fire

3. fire for cooking, roasting, parching

4. esp. of altar fire

5. fig. of Yahweh's anger

6. in various combinations

H7068

קִנְאָהqinʼâh/kin-aw'/

n-f — jealousy, envy

Derivation: from 7065;

jealousy or envy

KJV: envy(-ied), jealousy, × sake, zeal.

קִנְאָה

n.f — ardour

קִנְאָה n.f. ardour, zeal, jealousy

H398

אָכַלʼâkal/aw-kal'/

v — eat

Derivation: a primitive root;

to eat (literally or figuratively)

KJV: × at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, × freely, × in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, × quite.

אָכַל

vb — eat

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

1. eat, human subject

2. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

3. fig. of fire, devour, consume

4. of sword, devour, slay

5. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

6. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

1. be eaten by man

2. be devoured by fire, consumed

3. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

1. cause to eat, feed with

2. cause to devoure, obj. sword

H3605

כֹּלkôl/kole/

n-m — whole, all, any, every

Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).

כֹּל

n.m — the whole

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

2. Absolutely:

a. without the art., all things, all

b. with the art. הַכֹּל

(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

H776

אֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/

n-f — earth, land

Derivation: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm;

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

KJV: × common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × natins, way, + wilderness, world.

אֶ֫רֶץ

n. f — earth

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

1.

a. earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

b. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

c. earth = inhabitants of earth

2. land =

a. country, territory

b. district, region

c. trial territory

d. piece of ground

e. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

f. = inhabitants of land

g. used even of Shᵉʼôl

3.

a. ground, surface of ground

b. soil, as productive

4. אֶרֶץ in phrases

a. people of the land

b. in measurements of distance

c. the country of the plain, level or plain country

d. land of the living

e. end(s) of the earth

5. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

H3588

כִּיkîy/kee/

conj — relative conjunction

Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

כִּי

conj — that

כִּי conj. that, for, when

1. that

2.

a. Of time, when, of the past

b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

3. Because, since

כִּי אם־

relative conjunction

כִּי אם־

1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

a. that if

b. for if

2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

a. limiting the prec. clause, except

b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

c. after an oath, surely

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

H3617

כָּלָהkâlâh/kaw-law'/

n-f — completion, completely, destruction

Derivation: from 3615;

a completion; adverb, completely; also destruction

KJV: altogether, (be, utterly) consume(-d), consummation(-ption), was determined, (full, utter) end, riddance.

כָּלָה

n.f — completion

כָּלָה n.f. completion, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation

H389

אַךְʼak/ak/

adv — affirmation, surely, only

Derivation: akin to 403;

a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) only

KJV: also, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, wherefore, yet (but).

אַךְ

adv — surely

אַךְ 159 adv. 1. surely. 2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows

H926

בָּהַלbâhal/baw-hal'/

v — tremble, palpitate, be, make, alarmed, agitated, hasten

Derivation: a primitive root;

to tremble inwardly (or palpitate), i.e. (figuratively) be (causative, make) (suddenly) alarmed or agitated; by implication to hasten anxiously

KJV: be (make) affrighted (afraid, amazed, dismayed, rash), (be, get, make) haste(-n, -y, -ily), (give) speedy(-ily), thrust out, trouble, vex.

בָּהַל

vb — tremble

[בָּהַל] vb.

Niph.

1. be disturbed, dismayed, terrified

2. be in haste, hasty

Pi.

1. dismay, terrify

2. hasten, make haste, act hastily

Pu. hastened; hastily gained

Hiph.

1. dismay, terrify

2. (late) hasten, hurry

H6213

עָשָׂהʻâsâh/aw-saw'/

v — do, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, × certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, feast, (fight-) ing man, finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, hinder, hold (a feast), × indeed, be industrious, journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, × sacrifice, serve, set, shew, × sin, spend, × surely, take, × thoroughly, trim, × very, vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.

עָשָׂה

vb — do

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

I.

1. do (1560 t.)

2. deal with

3. oft. in phr. do kindness with

4. abs. act, act with effect

II.

1. make (670 t.)

2. produce, yield

3. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

4. make offering

5. attend to, put in order

6. observe, celebrate, religious festival

7. acquire property of various kinds

8. appoint priests

9. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

10. use

11. spend, pass, days of life

Niph. 97

1. be done

2.

a. be made, of concr. things

b. be produced from vine

c. be prepared, of food

d. be offered

e. be observed, passover

f. be used

Pu. I was made

עָשָׂה

vb — press

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H3427

יָשַׁבyâshab/yaw-shab'/

v — sit, dwell, remain, settle, marry

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

KJV: (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, × fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, × marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.

יָשַׁב

vb — sit

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

1.

a. sit

b. sit, sit down

c. sit down

d. sit = be set (as a jewel)

2.

a. remain, stay, tarry

b. with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

3. dwell, have one’s abode

4. of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

1. cause to sit

2. cause to abide

3.

a. cause to dwell

b. cause cities to be inhabited

4. marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

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