Gd forezelleth the deſolation of Feruſalem and Judah by the Batylonians r. their idolatry and many other ſins : exhorteth them to repentance : ſheweth the nearneſs of their captivity : nothing ſhall be able 19 deli- ver 'em from deſtruftion, 1 — 18. HE word a of the LORD 6 which came c to Zephaniah d the fon of Cuſhi e, the ſon of - Gedaliak, the fon of Amariah, the fon of Hiz- Tad in the days of Joſiah f, the ſon of Amon g king * udah,
to be thankful to, and rejoyce in their God, who in the
midſt of their Sins, and his Wrath for thoſe Sins, yet remembred his own Mercies and Covenant for them.
a The Declaration of the Purpoſe of God, citker ſpoxen audiblys or clearly manifeſted by Signs, b God of Jſraz!: here is the Divine Authority of this Prophecy with whick theProphet's word is ſecond» ed. c The preciſe manner how it came, we need not enquire into Zephaniah did not hammer out of his own Brain any ſuch News, he received from God what he communicated to them. 4 By deri- vation of the Name, it is one hidden of the Lord, whom God doth hide, or God's Secretary, or elſe one that is God's Watch-may, whom God hath ſet over the Houſe of Zudar, as Exeh.3. is faid to be. e His Pedigree here gives us no certainty what his Progenitors were, whether Princes (as ſome think him the great Grand-ſon of Herzekiah,
_ Chap. I.
Chap
T Heh. By Taking a- wiiy I will 714he an end.
+ Heb.
the fice of
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Fezebiah, the Name heir; ihe faine, or whether Prophets, or only eminent known Meo. 7 Eciore the Captivity he was then contempo rary wich Jeremiah and Fze\icl, propheſicd before the Caprivity, and foretels much like what 7eremiah, or Frekrel did. g Whoſe Reign was very full of Impicty and 1dolatry, and haſtued the Captivity upon Fudah. This 4m ſacrificed to all the carved Images which Mana/- jeh had made, 2 Chron. 33- 22,
2 + 1 will uticrly conſume þ all :bizgs from oft t the land z, {aith the LORD K. i
h Heb. Gathering up, I will gather up, or take up, mtmarting particularly the manner how all ſhould he conſumed, 72.,0. ſwept away as a Prey to the Babylonians. i Of Judah, the two Tribes. & This 1s added to confirm and afſure the Truth hereot.
3 * I will conſume man and beaſt /- I will con- ſume the fowls 2 of the heaven, and the fiſhes z of the ſea, and the || ftumbling-blocks o with the wicked p. and I will cut of man 9 from oft rhe land -, faith the LORD. is
The former Verſe denounced the furure Deſolation 1n general Terms. This Verſe ſpecifieth what D-iolation 1n particular God
would bring upon the Land. Man ſhall be conſumed for þis own Sin, and the Beaſts conſumed for Man's ſake ; Men by the Peſtilence
and Famine, the Beaſts by Murrain, and devoured by multitudes oft
hungry Souldiers that ſhall make greater havock than any Murrain ordinarily doth, m Either by ſome unknown Diſeaſe among them, or elſe by a diſtaſte ar the ſtench of purifying Carcaſes they fled away, fo that none, or very few appeared, infomuch that it Jook'd as 1t they were all conſumed. n By Sea ſome underſtand Ponds, Lakes or ſmaller Scas, ſuch as that of Genezareth and Tibertas, the Waters whereof might be made noiſom to the Fiſh by the Streams of Blood, and Carcaſes which might poſſibly be caſt into them; or God mighr deſtroy the Fiſhes by ſome conſuming Diſeaſe toov- He hath ways to do it, who hath once ſaid he will do it. o The Idols. þ The idolatrous Prieſts and others who worſhipp'd them. q Al! ſhall diſ- appear. yr Of Fudah.. |
+ T will alio s ſtretch out mine hand 7 upon Ju: dah z, 2nd upon all the inhabitants x of Jerulalem y. and * { will cur off the remnant of Baal 2 trom this place 7, and the names bþ of the chemarims c with the priefts & , |
s Av4 1 will, or, And I have, Hebr. ſo Prophets ſpeak of what ſa\, molt certainly be, asif already done. t This ſeems to intimare ſore immediate ſtroke from God, He ſpeaks fo in Jer. 51. 25. Exek. 6. 14. and i4. 13. and 25. 13, # Benjamin is included, though f4zan only is named. x It will be univerſal Deſtruion ot them, eiche1 by Sword, Fainine, Peſtilence or Captivity ; both Citizens and So- J-urners, all ſhall periſh, or ſuffer by ſome or other of theſc ways.
» Though 'twas the Holy Gity beautified with the Temple of God,
yet all ſhould not ſecure it, Jer. 7. 4. and Ezeks 9.6. x Whatſoevyer remains cf the Idolatry of Baal, both the Idols, their Temples, Sa- crifices, Prieſts, Ornaments and Worſhippers. Whether this refer to times after the Reformation by Feſ14h, or to times before 1t, needs not ſcrupulouſly be enquired into. 4 This Idolatry had filled Zeryſa- tein it feclf. b Both the Perſons avd the Memory of them allo, tor Names includeth both. c Either calld ſo from their black Gar- mc.ts they went in, or from their [warthy Colour occaſioned by the black 1moke of Incenſe, which they were almoſt continually in ; or Door-kcepers, Sextons cf Baal; or voluntary Scrvants3 cr ſuch as the Popiſh Monks, ſome Miniſters of Baa/diſtint from the Priefts. d Kicher the Pricſts of Baal, or the Apoſtatcs of Aaron's Houſe, who (though Frieſts by Birth and Office ) ſhould have been ſtedfaft to, but had fallea from the true God and his Worſhip, to Baal and his Worſhip.
5 And them * that worſhip e the hoſt f of heaven upon the houſe tops g, and them that worſhip, ard that wear || by the LORD Þ, and thar fear by Mal- cnam 2z 5
e Thoſe among rhe People that adhered to this Idolatry. f The San, Moon and Stars, frequently in rhe Scripture called the Hoſt of Heaven. g Openly, as the manner of toc Idolarers was, either be- cauſe they thovght thoſe Deities they imagined to dwell in the Body &f thoſe Stars better ſaw them, cr were better pleaſed thus ; or be- cauſe thele places were nearer Heaven. On the flat Roofs cf their Houles they were uſed to have their Altars and Worſhip. h Or, to the Lord, (as the Heb bears) pertons that mix Idol-worſhip, and the worſhip of the rrue God 3 that devore themſelves tro God, and Baal, or Mulcham. 7 Called Milcom, and Molech, and Moloch, Amys 8. 26, probably twas their chief Idol, fanfied to be King of Gods and Men.
6 And * them that are turned back # from rhe LORD, and zho/e that have nor ſought / the LORD, nor en- quired 2 tor him.
k &poſtares who have forſaken the Lord and his Worſhip, or that