Chapter 1

God’s severe judgment against Judah for divers sins.

1. Word of the Lord. The message was not Zephaniah’s, but God’s (see 2 Sam. 23:1, 2; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:21).

Hizkiah. Identical in Hebrew with “Hezekiah.” The fact that Zephaniah’s ancestry is traced back four generations, whereas usually only a prophet’s father is mentioned, if any ancestry is given at all, lends weight to the view that this “Hezekiah” was especially noteworthy, most likely the king of Judah by that name. Also, the time interval between these personages in such that Zephaniah could well have been the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah, the king.

2. From off the land. Literally, “from upon the face of the ground”; this expression, especially when taken with the first part of the verse, indicates the severity of the coming judgments. The prophet here refers specifically to the land of Judah, to whose rulers and people his message of judgment was originally addressed (see chs. 1:1, 4, 12; 2:1).

3. Man and beast. The curse resulting from sin rests, not on man only, but on the remainder of creation as well (Gen. 3:17; Rom. 8:19–22).

Stumblingblocks. All idols, wicked schemes, errors, deceptions, all the “fruit” of iniquity, will be destroyed along with the sinners themselves (see Jer. 17:10; Matt. 7:17–19; Rom. 6:21).

4. Mine hand. The hand is a symbol of power, for it is the instrument by which a man exercises his power (see Joshua 4:24).

Remnant. All that remains of Baal. The LXX of this clause reads, “I will remove the names of Baal” (see on Hosea 2:17).

Chemarims. Idolatrous priests appointed by the kings of Judah to conduct worship in high places (see on Hosea 10:5).

5. Host of heaven. From ancient times the sun, moon, and stars have been worshiped as representatives of the powers of nature and prime movers of earthly events (see Jer. 8:2; 19:13; see on Deut. 4:19). Manasseh, king of Judah, and probably a great-great-uncle of Zephaniah (see on Zeph. 1:1), especially fostered this worship (see 2 Kings 21:3).

Housetops. On these flat roofs families made altars to worship the heavenly bodies, offered animal sacrifices, and burned incense (see on Jer. 19:13).

That swear. The last half of v. 5 refers to the compromisers who combined the worship of the Lord with that of stars and other gods.

Malcham. The Ammonite god, more correctly called Milcom, mentioned in several ancient documents. See on 1 Kings 11:7.

6. Turned back. Here the prophet denounces the out-and-out apostates, who have rejected the worship of the true God.

Not sought. The last half of v. 6 refers to those who were indifferent to the Lord, and without interest in religion.

7. Hold thy peace. Silence and awe are in order because fearful judgments will come upon various classes of people (vs. 7–13). Compare Hab. 2:20.

Day of the Lord. Here the prophet is referring to the impending punishment attending the Babylonian invasion (see on Isa. 13:6). Nevertheless, it must be remembered that Zephaniah’s “prophecies of impending judgment upon Judah apply with equal force to the judgments that are to fall upon an impenitent world at the time of the second advent of Christ” (PK 389). For the principles involved in making last-day applications see pp. 34–38.

Sacrifice. A graphic picture, representing the guilty nation of Judah as a slaughtered animal (see Isa. 34:6; Eze. 39:17–20).

Bid his guests. Literally, “consecrated his guests”; that is, the Babylonians are depicted as being set apart, according to God’s purpose, to carry out the punishment of the transgressors (see on Isa. 13:3).

8. Princes. This includes the chief officials of the state.

King’s children. The members of the royal family. Very likely, the king, Josiah, was not mentioned here because he was loyal to the Lord (see 2 Chron. 34:1, 2, 26–28).

Strange. Heb. nakri, “foreign,” or “alien.” Foreign dress may have indicated heathen manners and customs among the people (see Isa. 3:16–24). The children of Israel were to be reminded by their dress that they were a special people, dedicated to God’s service (see Num. 15:37–41).

9. Leap on the threshold. The meaning of this expression is not clear. Perhaps a pagan custom is here described (see on 1 Sam. 5:5). Some think the words express the eagerness with which the servants carry out the commands of their wicked masters. Others refer the “threshold” to the houses of the poor who are being robbed. Those who, as retainers of others, carry out “violence and deceit” to enrich their masters must suffer with the masters in the coming punishments.

Violence. Heb. chamas (see on Hab. 1:2).

10. Noise. The Babylonians are now pictured as breaking into the places where the merchants and usurers dwelt.

Fish gate. Probably in the middle of the northern wall of the city. It was so called because nearby was a fish market, where the Tyrians sold their fish (see on Neh. 3:3).

Second. Heb. mishneh, the second district, or quarter. See on 2 Kings 22:14.

11. Maktesh. Literally, “the mortar,” “the grinder,” or “the molar [tooth].” Many scholars think that maktesh is here the name of a section of Jerusalem. The context (see v. 10) seems to favor this view.

Bear silver. Literally, “lift silver,” or “weigh silver.” This refers to those who added to their wealth through trade, or those who, as usurers, weighed out silver. The LXX of this final clause reads: “and all that were exalted by silver have been utterly destroyed.”

12. Jerusalem. The capital and representative of the whole nation.

With candles. A figure showing the intensity of the search that the enemies of Judah will carry out in order to slaughter or capture as many as possible.

On their lees. Or, “on their dregs.” That is, the people were hardened in their iniquitous ways. The professed followers of the Lord in the days of Zephaniah did not realize, as many Christians do not realize today, that there must be no relaxation in our spiritual warfare this side of heaven. No one should rest content with his present spiritual attainments. Only as we show continual progress are we living up to our God-given opportunities. Complacency is the greatest enemy of a living Christian experience.

Say in their heart. A false concept of God always results in a wrong pattern of conduct. The people here referred to were practically deists. They agreed there was a God but conceived of Him as an absentee Ruler who cared little for His people and paid little attention to them. His promises of blessing and warnings of punishment were alike meaningless. He was no different from the gods of the heathen.

13. But not inhabit. Those who were continual transgressors of the law of God would receive a punishment, the very opposite of the reward given to those who remain faithful to the Lord (see Isa. 65:21).

14. Great day of the Lord. See on v. 7.

Near. Having pointed out particularly those who will experience the divine chastisement, Zephaniah again warns (see v. 7) that this punishment is so close that its “voice,” the sound of its approach, can be heard.

Bitterly. Heb. mar, “bitter.” As an alternate translation, this word may be taken as an adjective modifying “voice.” Thus the RSV reads: “The sound of the day of the Lord is bitter.”

15. That day. The prophet graphically describes the fearful effects of that day: the blazing forth of God’s “wrath” (see Isa. 9:19), the “trouble and distress” upon men (see Job 15:23, 24), “a day of darkness and gloominess” (see Joel 2:2; Amos 5:18, 20).

16. Trumpet. The signal for battle, or of the enemy’s approach (see Amos 2:2; see on Jer. 4:5). The battle here signaled would result in the destruction of the nation of Judah.

Fenced cities. That is, strongly fortified cities.

High towers. Turrets were usually placed at the angles of the walls for adequate defense against besiegers.

17. Like blind men. A description of the fearful confusion coming upon the nation.

As the dung. The unburied corpses of the people will be left rotting on the ground (see on Jer. 9:22).

18. Silver. The wealth of the people would be unable to purchase security from destruction (see Isa. 13:17; Eze. 7:19). How little value are riches to men in their times of deepest distress!

In the land. Or, “in the earth.”

Ellen G. White comments

2, 3, 8, 9        9T 95

12   FE 240; TM 448; 3T 271; 5T 99, 211, 308

12, 13  GC 310

12–189T 95

14   CS 35; Ed 270; Ev 40, 218; 1T 361; 5T 101, 266; 6T 14, 22; 7T 272; 9T 48, 101

14–175T 98; 8T 278

14–18PK 390; 3T 271

15   1T 135

15, 16, 18        GC 310

18        3T 549