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Library > Commentaries > Wesley's Explanatory Notes > Zephaniah > 2 > Zephaniah 2
  Zephaniah 2  
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The Book of Zephaniah
Chapter 2

Chapter Overview:


An exhortation to repentance, ver. 1 - 3.
A denunciation of the judgments of God against the Philistines, ver. 4 - 7.
The Moabites and Ammonites, ver. 8 - 11.
The Arabians and Assyrians, ver. 12 - 15.
Verses:
2:1Gather yourselves - Call a solemn assembly, proclaim a fast.Not desired - Or, not desirous. Unwilling to return, and unworthy to be received on your return.
2:2The decree - Before God's decree is put in execution.The day - Before the day of your calamities.As the chaff - Carry you away as the wind carries chaff away.
2:3Seek - Fear, worship, depend on him alone.Ye meek - Ye humble ones. Wrought his judgment - Obeyed his precepts.Seek righteousness - Continue therein. Seek meekness - Patiently wait on the just and merciful God. Hid - Under the wing of Divine Providence.
2:4For - It is time to seek God; for your neighbours, as well as you, shall be destroyed. Gaza - A chief city of the Philistines.They - The Babylonians. Shall drive - Into captivity.At the noon day - It shall be taken by force at noon.
2:5The inhabitants - All the Philistines. Cherethites - Or destroyers, men that were stout, fierce, and terrible to their neighbours. O Canaan - That part that the Philistines kept by force from the Jews.
2:6For shepherds - Instead of cities full of rich citizens, there shall be only cottages for shepherds.
2:7The coast - The sea - coast, the land of the Philistines.The remnant - That survive the captivity. Shall feed - Their flocks.In the houses - In places where these formerly stood.They - Both shepherds and flocks. Shall visit - In mercy.
2:8I - God. Magnified themselves - Invading their frontiers.
2:9Of nettles - Not cultivated, but over - run with nettles.Salt - pits - A dry, barren earth, fit only to dig salt out of.The residue - That return out of Babylon. Possess them - Settle upon those parts of their lands, that are fit for habitation.
2:11Famish - Take away all their sacrifices and drink - offerings.The gods - Idols of those lands.From his place - Not only at Jerusalem, but every where.
2:12By my sword - The Chaldeans are called God's sword; because God employed them.
2:13He - God. The north - Assyria, which lay northward of Judea, and due north from Babylon.
2:14All the beasts - All sorts of beasts which are found in those countries. The bittern - A bird that delights in desolate places.
2:15This - So the prophet triumphs over her.There is none - None like me, or that can contend with me.