The Prophets · Old Testament
Zephaniah 2
Zephaniah 2: seek the Lord, and oracles against Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Ethiopia and Assyria
General context
The nation "not desired" is told to gather itself before the decree brings forth, before the day passes as chaff and the Lord's anger comes. The meek of the earth are told to seek the Lord, righteousness and meekness, for it may be they will be hidden in the day of his anger. Then oracles against nations follow. Gaza will be forsaken, Ashkelon desolate, Ashdod driven out at noon, Ekron rooted up; woe is on the sea coast, the Cherethites, and Canaan the land of the Philistines, which will become pasture and folds and finally the possession of the remnant of Judah, who will lie down in Ashkelon's houses when the Lord turns their captivity. The Lord has heard Moab's reproach and Ammon's revilings against his people, and swears that Moab will be as Sodom and Ammon as Gomorrah, nettles and saltpits, spoiled and possessed by the residue of his people, because of their pride. He will famish all the gods of the earth, and men will worship him each from his place. The Ethiopians will be slain by his sword. He will stretch his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, making Nineveh a desolation where flocks lie down and cormorant and bittern lodge in the lintels. The chapter ends on the rejoicing city that said in her heart, "I am, and there is none beside me," now a place for beasts, hissed at by all who pass.
Cited passages: Zephaniah 2:1, Zephaniah 2:2, Zephaniah 2:3, Zephaniah 2:4, Zephaniah 2:5, Zephaniah 2:6, Zephaniah 2:7, Zephaniah 2:8, Zephaniah 2:9, Zephaniah 2:10, Zephaniah 2:11, Zephaniah 2:12, Zephaniah 2:13, Zephaniah 2:14, Zephaniah 2:15
Zephaniah 2 (KJV)
1Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
2Before 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.
3Seek 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.
4For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5Woe 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.
6And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
7And 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.
8I 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.
9Therefore 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.
10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11The 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.
12Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
13And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
14And 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.
15This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that 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.
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Historical context
The nations are named by region and city: four Philistine cities (Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron), the Cherethites, Canaan as the land of the Philistines, Moab, the children of Ammon, the Ethiopians, Assyria and Nineveh. The only reason stated for Moab and Ammon is their reproach and pride against the Lord's people; for the others no charge is spelled out except Nineveh's boast, "I am, and there is none beside me." The Philistine oracle is the one that ends with the land given to "the remnant of the house of Judah," and the Moab oracle likewise with "the residue of my people," so the chapter ties the nations' fall to Judah's return from captivity without saying when either happens. Assyria is placed "against the north." The verse on Ethiopia is a single line. Verse 1's "nation not desired" is unnamed; given the preceding chapter it is read as Judah, but the chapter itself does not say so. The address to "all ye meek of the earth" in verse 3 uses "it may be," so the text presents hiding in the day of anger as a possibility rather than a promise. No dates appear beyond the heading of 1:1.
Cited passages: Zephaniah 2:4, Zephaniah 2:5, Zephaniah 2:8, Zephaniah 2:10, Zephaniah 2:15, Zephaniah 2:7, Zephaniah 2:9, Zephaniah 2:13, Zephaniah 2:12, Zephaniah 2:1, Zephaniah 2:3, Zephaniah 1:1
Literary context
The chapter opens with four "before" clauses that press the urgency of chapter 1, then offers its only conditional hope, "it may be ye shall be hid." The oracles then move from nation to nation: the sea coast, Moab and Ammon, Ethiopia, and Assyria "against the north." Each oracle turns a populated place into a pasture or a waste: the coast becomes cottages for shepherds, Moab becomes nettles and saltpits, Nineveh becomes a place where flocks lie down and birds sing in the windows. Sodom and Gomorrah are invoked as the measure for Moab and Ammon. The remnant appears twice as the one who inherits, so judgment on the nations and mercy to Judah are the same movement. The last verse gives Nineveh a self-description in her heart and answers it with a question, "how is she become a desolation!", and with the gesture of passers-by. Chapter 3 immediately turns the same "Woe" on the oppressing city closer to home.
Cited passages: Zephaniah 2:2, Zephaniah 2:3, Zephaniah 2:5, Zephaniah 2:8, Zephaniah 2:12, Zephaniah 2:13, Zephaniah 2:6, Zephaniah 2:9, Zephaniah 2:14, Zephaniah 2:7, Zephaniah 2:15, Zephaniah 3:1
Key moments
- Gather before the decree (Zephaniah 2:1). The nation not desired is told to gather itself before the day passes as chaff.
- It may be ye shall be hid (Zephaniah 2:3). The meek are told to seek righteousness and meekness.
- Gaza forsaken (Zephaniah 2:4). Four Philistine cities are named for desolation.
- The coast for Judah's remnant (Zephaniah 2:7). The remnant of Judah will lie down in Ashkelon's houses when their captivity turns.
- Moab as Sodom (Zephaniah 2:9). The Lord swears Moab and Ammon will become nettles and saltpits for their pride.
- Assyria destroyed (Zephaniah 2:13). The Lord stretches his hand against the north to make Nineveh a desolation.
- I am, and there is none beside me (Zephaniah 2:15). The rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly becomes a place for beasts.
For reflection
The meek are told to seek the Lord and that it may be they will be hidden in the day of his anger. What does that "it may be" ask of a reader who wants assurance rather than possibility?
