The Pulpit Commentary — Zephaniah — Section 7

hero need in tho aense of " va.lle:v ," and in all tbe.t happens, but, seoure l\nd cl\reless pr~ba.bly refeni ~o the Tyropamm, 'or pa.rt in their worldly prosperity, they assign all of 1t, the depression tha.t ran down the city, events to chance or natural law, placing having Acrn a.nd Zion on its west side, and Jehov&h in the 111\me category as the idols llfori&b &nd Ophel on its e&st, and extended ,vorshipped by hel\thens ( comp. Job xxii. S(lufh as far as the pool of Silo&m. It docs 12, etc.: Ps. x. 4, etc.; xciv. 7). not seem a ,ery appropriate appellation for Ver. 13. -Their goods; lit~rally, their n lengthy -alley like the Tyropreum, nor is strength; their wealth in which they trusted there any trace of such a name being ap- shall becomo the prey of the enemy, and plied to it elsewhere. It may hn,e been a thus they shall learn that God ruleth in n&me affixed to a certain loc11lity where a the affairs of men. They shall also build h&zaar was situated or certain special in- houses, etc. They shall prove in their dustries h&d their seat; or it mav ha,e been own case the reality of the punishment inrnnted by Zephaniah to intimate the fate threatened in the Law (Lev. xxvi. 32, etc.; that awaited the e,il merchants, that they Dent. xxviii. 30, 39; comp. Amos v. 11; should be, as it were, brayed in a mortar Micah vi. 15). by their enemies. The merchant people; Vers. 14-18.-§ 5. To arouse the ,elf- literally, pe<>ple of Canaan. So Septu&gint and Yulgate (comp. Hos. xii. 7; Hist. of confili,ent sinners, the prophet here enlarges Susannah 56; Zech. xiv. 21). The iniqui- upon the near approacl1 a11d terrible nature tons traders are called " people of Canaan," of thu coming judgment. because they acted like the heathens Ver. 14.-Having signified the victims of around them, especirtlly the Phreniciaus, the judgment, Zephaniah recurs to what he who were unscrupulous a:ul dishonest in had said in ver. 7, &nd enforces upon his their transactions. Are cut down ; ar6 hearers its near approach. The great day of silenced; ,. ulgate, conticuit (Isa. -d. 5 ; Hos. the Lord (Joel ii. 1, 11). Even the voioe x. 7). They that bear (are I.a.den with) of the day of the Lord. The day is so close silver. Those who have ama•sed wealth by at hand, that the sound of its coming can be trade and usury. The LXX. has, o/ heard. Some translate, "Hark I the day of •7r1/pµivo, tl.p-yvpl<p, "those who are elated Jehovah." The mightyman shall ory ( crieth) with silver;" St. Jerome, im,oluti argent-0. there bitterly. Thero, on the battle-field, ,er. 12.-The third class which shall be the hero is panic-stricken, and cries ont for smitten, viz. the profligate and riotous. I fear. The Greek and Latin Versions con- will search Jerusalem with candles (lights). nect "bitter" with the former clo.uee. No evil-doer shall escape. The enemy Thus the Vulgate, Vaz dies Domini amar11; whom God summons to execute his wrath Septuagint, 4'Cdv~ 71µ.lpa, Kvp!ov ,..,,cpcl. ,cal shall leave no corner unsearched where the cr1</l.71p~ -rlra.,c-ra.,, "The voice of the day of debauchees hide themselves (comp. Luke the Lord is made bitter and harsh." xv. 8J. Jerome and commentators after Ver. 15.-That day is a day of wrath; him refer to Josephus's account of the last Vulgate, Dies ir2, diea illa, words which siege of Jerusalem for a parallel to these form the commencement of the famous hymn. predicted proceedings of the Chaldeans. The better to describe the terrible nature of Here we read how princes und priests and the judgment, the prophet crowds together chieftains were dragged from sewers, and all available expressions of terror and pits, and caves, and tombs, where tbey had calamity. First, it is a day when God's hidden themseh·esin fear of de1tth, and were anger shall blaze forth (Isa. ix. 18). Of mercilessly slain wherever they were found trouble and distress. In its effects upon (Josepbus, 'Bell. Jud.,' vi. 9). The men sinners (Job xv. 24). Of wasteness ·and that are settled on their lees; i.e. coufirmed, desolation. A.s if things returned to the hardcntd, and inveterate in their evil habits. primeval chaos (Gen. i. 2; comp. Job xxx. The metaphor is derived from old wine not 3; xxxviii. 27, where there is a similar racked off, which retains all its flavour and combination; see note on Nah. ii. 10). Of odour, and Lecomes thick and viscid (see darkness and gloominess (Joel ii. 2; Amos Isa. xxv. 6; Jer. xlviii. 11). The LXX. v. 18, 20). Of clouds and thiok darkneBB paraphrases, Tol,s 1<a-ra,ppo11oi,,,,,-a.s /,rl -ra; (Deut. iv. 11; comp. Hah. iii. 11). q,v>..a-yµa-ra. a~-rtii11, which Jerome renders, Ver. 16.-A day of the trumpet and alarm. qui oontemnunt cUBtoduu IIUIU. That aay in "Alarm " means " the sound of alarm." their heart. They do not openly scoff at Among the Jews trumpets were used to relibrion, but think within themselves these announce the festivals (Numb. xxix. 1), and infidel tnonghts. The Lord will not do to gi vc the signal for battle or of the ap• good, etc. J uot what God says of idols (Isa. proach of an enemy (Jer. iv. 5, 19; Ezek. xli. 23). These "fools" (Ps. xiv. 1) deny xxxiii. 4). Here it is the signal of destruo- G()d's moral government of the world; tl1ey tion (Amos ii. 2). The fenced cities. The v.ill uot sec the w()rking of Divine providence strongest fortresses shall feel tlte irresistible Clll. I. 1~18.] THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH,