The Pulpit Commentary — Zephaniah — Section 5

the.t of bee.thane. Renee it is e.dded, upon that, etc. ; rather, the ,corshippere who, elo. all the inhabitants of Jernsalem, bec.auee, These were people who endeavoured to having in their very midst the temple of blend the worship of God with that of God, ~-itl, its eervioeB and priests, they ought BAAi, or halted between two opinions eepeci•lly to have abhorred idolatry e.nd (1 Kings xviii. 21). Swear by the Lord; maintained I.be true faith. The remnant of rather, swear to the Loi·d; i.e. bind them- Baal; i.e. the last vestige. One oannot selves by oath to him, and CLt the sCLmo argne from this expression that the reform time swear by Me.loham; swear by their kiny, was nlready carried BO far that Bll.'ll-worship Baal, or Molooh; call upon him as god, had almost di-appeared. The next verse Septungint, 1<47"4 "TOV {3au,>..l{J)S avTwv, "by shows that idolatry ~till flourislwd ; but thci~ king." But it is, perhaps, beet to the term implies merely that God would retam the name untranslated, in which case exterminate it eo entirely thRt no trace of it would be the appellation of the god it should remain. The LXX. has, "the Moloch, who could hardly be omitted in names of Be.al," Trt ov&µ.a"Ta T,js Bcfa.>.. (Hos. enumerating the objects of idolatrous ii. 17). (For Josiah's reform of these worship (see Jer. xlix. 1, 3; and notes on iniquities, see 2 Kings xxiii. 4, etc.) The Amos i. 15; v. 26). name of the Chemarims (Chemarim). The Ver. 6.-Them that a.re turned be.ok from word means " black-robed," and is applied the Lord. This is a third class, viz. apos- to the idolatrous priests whom the kings tates and open despisers. Those who follow had appointed to oonduct worship in high him no more, renegades who have left his places (2 Kin~ xxiii. 5 ; Hos. L 5). service. The Vulge.te reproduces the original " The name," says Dr. Pnsey, "is probably by, qui a'/Jertuntur de post tergum Domini. the Syrie.c name of 'priest,' used in Holy Those that have not sought the Lord. These Seri pture of idolatrous priests, because the are the indifferent, who do not trouble them- Syrians were idolaters." Not only shall selves about religion. The chief classes the persons of these priests be cut off, but mentioned in these two verses are three, their very name and memory shall vanish viz. the open idolaters, the syncretists who (Zech. xiii. 2). With the prievts (kohanim). mingled the worship of Be.al with that ol Together with the legitimate priests who Jehovah, e.nd those who despised religion had corrupted the worship of Jehovah (eh. altogether. iii. 4; Jer. ii. 8; Ezek. viii 11). Vera. 7-13.-4. Thejudgment is described Ver. 5.-Tut worship the host of heaven with regard to those whom # will affect, -viz. upon the house-tops. In this verse two the princes, the traders, the irreligious and classee of false worshippers are mentioned, viz. star-worshippers, e.nd waverers. The profligate. worship of the sun, moon, and stars we.a e. Ver. 7.-This judgment, so fearful, is very ancient form of error, the heavenly near at hand, and must needs occasion the bodies being regarded e.s the representatives utmost terror and dismay. Hold thy pee.oe of the powers of nature e.nd the originators at the presence of the Lord God ; literally, of events on earth (see Dent. iv.19; xvii 3; Hmh, from the face of the Lord Jeho'IJah I Job xxxi. 26, 27; 2 Kings xvii. 16). It Ev>..aJ3eiu8e (Septuagint); silete a facie we.s especially prevalent in the time of Domini Dei (Vulgate). The expression is Mane.see!., (2 Kings xri 3). On the fia.t like Hab. ii. 20. The reason of this silent roofs of the houses, which were used as awe is next given. For the day of the Lord places of meditation, recreation, or confer- is e.t ha.nd, The day of judgment is thus ence (comp. Josh. ii 6; I Sam. ix. 25; called (Joel i. 15; Isa. xiii. 6; Amos v. 18, 2 Sam. xi 2; Acts L 9), they erected altars 20; Obad. 15). The Lord hath prepared a for family worship of the heavenly bodies. sacriftce. The words are from Isa. xxxi v. 6 Here they both burned incense (Jer, xix. (comp. Jer. xlvi. 10; Ezek. xxxix. 17, 19). 13) and offered anima.l sacrifices (2 Kings The sacrifice is the guilty Jewish nation. xxiii. 12). "In Syrian cities," says Dr. The punishment of the wicked is regarded Thomson, "the roofs are e. great comfort. as a satisfaction offered to the Divine justice. The ordinary houses have no other place He he.th bid bis guests ; he hath consecrated. where the inmates ce.n either see the sun, his called. The " called ones " are the smell the air, dry their clothes, set out their strange nations whom God sum'mone t.o flower-pots, or do numberless other things execute his vengeance. Septuagint, iry/a,ce essential to their bee.Ith e.nd comfort. 'Tous r,>,,71.,.ous avTOii. These are said to be During a large part of the year the roof " sanctified," as if engaged in e. holy war, is the most agreeable place about the when summoned to punish those who hod e.;tablishment, especially in the morning become as bee.then. So those who nre e.nd evening. There mnltitudes sleep called to chastise Babylon are termed" my during the summer" (' The Land e.nd the sanctified ones" (Isa. xiii. 3), e.s being tl1e Book,' p. 39). Them that worahip aucl instruments appointed and set apart to OS:, I. 1-18.] THE BOOK OF ZEPH.A.N I.A.H. 3