The Pulpit Commentary — Zephaniah — Section 53

So Keil. None inhabitant (comp. Jer. up to the prey. This ie e. phroee denoting iv. 7). effort and the effecting of some great Ver. 7.-Tang-ht by BUoh examples, the object. Jehovah seizes the prey when Jew• might hR'l'o learned to repont and the nations, roused by judgmcnt inllioted, amenrl their ways. I Hid. God represents a.re converted unto him (Isn. !iii. 12; P~. himl'elf "" reasoning as a m11,n would reRson. lxviii. 18). 'fhe LXX., pointing the last Surely thou wilt fear me; Septuagint, word ditforently (iy),'. reuders, ,ls -1,µlpav "onll- fear me." This is the one condition li.vaaT&tr,cf,s /J.OV •ls µaprdp1011: "until tho dny for sa.lvation. Or, according to our version, of my risi11g up for testimony." Jerome, Judah must learn experience from my "In die rosurreotionis mcro in futurum." threats and visitations, and return unto me. The Fathers interpreted this of the times of Thon wilt . . . reoeive instruction ; Sep- Messiah-some, of Christ's resurrection from tuagint, " reoeive ye discipline," aocept the dead; some, of his rising up to divide the oorrec.tion e.nd learn the lesson which the spoil (Gen. xlix. 9, 27. See St. Augus- it is meant to teach (Prov. xxiv. 32). tine, • De Civit.,' xviii. 33; Eusehius,' Dern. Their (her) dwelling. Jerusalem or Judma. Ev.,' ii. l7; and Jerome o.ud Cyril, in loc.). The temple is never called the dwelling- But suoh interpretations are a.lien from the place of the people. This sudden change intention of the passage, however e.llowe.ble of person is very common in the prophets. o.s glosses. For my determination is; Howsoever I punished them; ra.ther, accord- literally, my judgment (mishpat) is. My ing to all that I appoint,ed concerning her. justioe is displnyed, as ver. 5. The word, God had orde.ined certain punishment for according to Keil, never meo.ns, "decree" Jerusalem if she reformed not. The or "decision." That I may assemble the Anglican Version mea.ns that God would kingdoms. Not for utter extermination, but never cut them off wholly, however severely to bring them to a better mind (Isa. xxvi. he might ch11stise them. 'l'he Hebrew will 9 ; J ool iii. 11, etc.). Fire of my jealousy not carry this; nor a.re the Greek and (ob. i. 18). God will allow no rive.I any- Latin Versions qnite correct. Septuagint, where (Nnh. i. 2). This is the reason of the O~ /J.1/ ,. •l;0Ao8~•11871n ~E ?,pS~v a/n71s severity and universality of the judgment. ,ravTa otra •E•li11<71tra. hi av.-f/v, And ye The Me.sorites note that this is the only shall not be cut off from the face thereof for verse in the Bible whioh contains the·'whole all the punishment that I inflicted upon it;" Hebrew alphabet. • Vulgate, Propter omnia in quibU,B vuitam eam. Bnt they rose early. W e.rning, re- Vera. 9-20.-Pe.rt m. PROMISE OF T!l.lil proof, e.nd cha.stisemeni were expended in CoNVEBSION OF THE W OBLD AND THE vain; the people only gave themselves up HAPPINESS OF ISRAEL. more ardently to their evil doings. "To Vers. 9, 10.-§ I. The heathen shall bii rise early to do a thing," is a phrase used to signify the acting with zeal e.nd full purpose comierted, and shall help in the restoration of (comp. Jer. vii. 13, 25; ::ti. 7, etc.). Cor- Israel. rupted all their doings. Like the in- Ver. 9 .-Willi turn to the people (peoples) Labita.nts of the earth before the Flood e. pure langnage (lip). When his judgments (Gen. vi. 12; comp. Ps. xiv. 1). The be.ve done their work, God will bring the Septuagint rendering is peculiar, •Ero,- heathen to the knowledge of him. He will ,,.&(ov, tpBp,tro11, t,pB"flT<i< 1ra.~a 1/ i1r,rt,11M.ls purify their lips, which have been polluted ainw11, " Prepare thyself, rise early, all with the no.mes of idols nnd the wol'ehip their produce is spoiled." St. Jerome, offered to false gods (Ps. xvi. 4; Hos. ii. 17); moralizing on this, add~, "Nisi p~mp~r_e.ti the confllllion of Be.be! shall be done a.way, fuerimus uon nobis onetur sol JUBt1tJm. and all she.II speak the language of faith in Orto e.u~m sole. omnes raoemi de vinea one God. This, of course, points to Messianic Sodomoru.m dissipantur et pere1lllt; ut non times. For "pure lip," the Vulge.te he.a, solum grandee botri, sedetiam quod pe.rvwn labium electum; the LXX., by a mistake of es11e videbe.tur in nobis, Christi luoerna a letter (bhedurah for bherurah), -yAwtrtrav re.die.nte dispereat." ,ls 'Y'"'"" a.b.-71s (sc. -y71s), "o. tongue for her Ver. 8.-Therefore, Because of the out- generation," With one consent; literally, mge done to God's "long-suffering," h~ with one shoulder; v1ro (u-ybv Iva, " under must needs punish. We.it ye upon me; wait one yoke" (Septuagint); hlJ/1/'lm'o uno (Vul• ye /<Yr me. The exhortation is e:ddres~~ to gate), The metaphor implies that all will the piollll e.mong the Jews, e.s m c~: .11. 3, help to carry the same burden, e.nd to and is used in e. good sense (Ps. m11L 2~ ; o.ccomplish the same work, bee.ring the lee.. viii. 17), urging them not to despe.ll', gospel throughout the world, and being but to be patient under the affliction, in all of one mind in the service of Jehovah the assured hope of salvation. The same (Jer. nxii. 39; Isa. xix, 23, 2¼; Ruv. expression is IU!ed ill He.b. il. a. :i fist xi. 15.), OH, III, 1-20,] THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH. 51