The Pulpit Commentary — Zephaniah — Section 31

with ruins, and remains of houses, temples, judgment on the nations of the south and and other buildings nre strewn over a con- north, the prophet showA the object of llll siderable section of the adjoining plain. these chastisements : God deetroya idolatry All is desolate, Not e. building, and in order that pu,•e ,·eligion may reign over sce.rcely a fragment of e. we.11, is standing; all the earth. The Lord will be terrible yet, though deserted for centuries, it bears unto them. The Lord shows himself as a its ancient n1tme. I looked from Heshbon terrible God over the Moabites 11nd Am- far Rnd wide over the ancient territory of monites, but only as parts of the hellthen the Mo~ites, and saw desolation every- world, and with a view to e. universal where. The old towns and "illo.ges are all result. This ia the purpose of the revela- deserted and in ruins. In fact, there is not tion of himself as Judge. Septuagint,• E,r1- e.t this moment a single inhabited town or 4>a.v-l,u,Ta.1 Kvpws ,.,. a.bTovs, "The Lord nllage in ll'loe.b, except Kerak, which stands will appear ag11iust them." l!'or he will on the extreme southern border. The sites of famish all the gods of the earth. The verb many were visible-grey mounds dotting the means literally, "to mako lean," and then pie.in" (' Illust. of Bible Proph.,' pp. 24, 25). "to destroy;" hence the LXX., i{o)t.o9p,v- " 'l'he cities. towns, villages, are all in ruins. trEL. The word may be chosen in order to ... And no attempt is c-ver made to rebuild express the idea that worshippers will no or repair; no man ventures to seek even a more be found to offer sacrifices e.ud clrink- temporary nbcde among the ruined cities oft'erings to the gods (see Bel and the of l\1oab. The local Arab avoids the old Dragon 6, 12). The nations being de- sites, and seeks rest and security a.mid rocks stroyed, the gods reverenced by them would and ra"\'"ine• ; the powerful desert tribes vanish and be heud of no more. Meu shall sweep over the country periodically, and worship him. Idolatry abolished, men shall devour and destroy all in their track" learn to worship Jehovah. Every one from (ihid., p. 28). Even the breeding of nettles; his place. Every one shall worship God in rather, a possession of nettles; a place where his own place and country ; the Lord shall nettles only grow. Vulgate, siccitas spin- be universally recognized, and his worship arum. The identification of the ple.nt she.II no longer be confined to one tem pie or 1:1,arul is uncertain. In Job (xxx. 7) it ia one land, but wherever men dwell there represented as of sufficient growth to con- shall they offer their homage 11nd adoration ceal fugitives ; hence some think it is the (comp. Isa. xix. 18, 19; Me.I. i. ll, where wild mustarJ. Dr. Pusey, relying on a the same truth is signified). Such passages notice of Professor Palmer, considers it to as Micah iv_ 1 and Zech. xiv. 16, wliich be the mallow, which grows in rank luxuri- seem to imply that a.II nations are to come ance in Moab. The LXX., reading daleth up to the material Jerusalem to pay their inst.ead of mem in the ii·.-a.( A<-y&µ.,11011 devotions, require evidently a spiritual mi=haq, rendered "breeding," has t.a.µ.a.- interpret.o.tion, and denote that the heathen trKOs h<A<AELµ.µ.eVT}, "Damascw; shall be left.'' converted to Christ she.II be received into Salt-pits. All travellers note the abun- the Church, and join in the worship of the dance of rock-salt in the vicinity of the true Israel. The isles of the heathen; or, Dead Sea (see Deut. xxix. 23; and comp. coasts of the nations ; the moat distant Ps. evil. 34; Jer_ xvii. 6). A perpetual countries that lie across the seas (Gen. x. desolation. The prophecy intimates that 5; Ps. lxxii. 10; lee.. xi. II, eto.). this country should never recover its pros- Vera. 12-15.--§ 5. The judgment shall perity (comp. Ezek.. :x:xv.). The residue of my people shall spoil them. A partial fall upon tl,e Ethiopians and .A.ssyrians, fulfilment of this provhecy occurred when representing the south and run·th. Judas Maccabmns smote .Ammon (1 Mace. Ver. 12.-Ethiopians; Oushites. These are v. 6, etc.), and Alexander Je.nnmus sub- named as the most remote inhabitants of dued the Moahites (Josephus, 'Ant.,' xiii. the south with which the Israelites were 13. 5); but the prophet looks forward to a e.cq uainted (Ezek. xxxviii. 5). Ye shall be spiritual fulfilment under the Messiah, as slain by my sword ; the slain of my sword are we see from ver. II (comp. Isa.. xiv. l, 2; they, the second person being dropped, as xlix. 23, etc.). The faithful remnant shall one ce.nuot addrnas the dead (Orelli). The win possession of the heathen strongholds, Lord's sword is the instrument which he Rnd con ve1t the nations to Cl.Jrist, and in- uses to effect hie purpose of punishment corporate them in the Church. (comp. Isa. xxvii. l; xxxiv. 5; lxvi. 16), Ver. 10. - Thill shall they have. All 'l'J,e Ethiopians a.re reckoned among the these cale.witiee mentioned above elie.ll fall forces of Egypt (2 Chron. xii. 3; Nab. iii. 9, on the Ammonites and Moe.bites in punish- etc.). The prediction had a fulfilment when ment of tlieir pride and apite and insolence the A.sayriane conquered Egypt, and e.gllin (sec note 011 ver. 8). under Nebuchadnezzar. It shall have a. Ver. 11.-§ 4. Before pa$Bing to the more aublime accomplillhmeut when th<J Cl!. 11, 1-15.] THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH. 29