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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Zephaniah 3:1-7

One would wonder that Jerusalem, the holy city, where God was known, and his name was great, should be the city of which this black character is here given, that a place which enjoyed such abundance of the means of grace should become so very corrupt and vicious, and that God should permit it to be so; yet so it is, to show that the law made nothing perfect; but if this be the true character of Jerusalem, as no doubt it is (for God's judgments will make none worse than they are), it is no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 3:7

I said, Surely thou wilt fear me ,.... This is spoken after the manner of men; as if God should say within himself, and reason in his own mind, upon a view of things, surely the people of the Jews will take notice of my judgments executed on other nations, and will stand in awe of me on account of them; and fear to offend me, lest the same calamities should come upon them; this, humanly speaking, might be reasonably thought would be the case: thou wilt receive instruction ; by these... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Zephaniah 3:7

Surely thou wilt fear me - After so many displays of my sovereign power and judgments. But they rose early - And instead of returning to God, they practiced every abomination. They were diligent to find out times and places for their iniquity. This is the worst state of man. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 3:1-8

Having taken a mental survey of the surrounding heathen nations, the seer returns again in thought to his own people. It was, indeed, in their interest that he had been led to take this wide review of God's dealings with men. He desired to make very real to them the Divine law that sin cannot go unpunished, and that national guilt must inevitably be followed by chastisement; yea, more, that if this law operated in heathen lands, much more might they expect to come under it who had enjoyed the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 3:1-8

Zephaniah 3:1-8 . - Jerusalem the rebellious and polluted; or, the wickedness and woe of a degenerate city. I. THE NUMBER AND VARIETY OF HER SINS . 1 . Rebellion. This, marking her attitude towards God, is amplified and detailed as consisting in four transgressions. 2 . Pollution. This declares what the city was in herself. The completeness of her defilement discovered itself in the wickedness of all classes of her population, but more especially of her... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 3:6-8

§ 7. Obdurate and blinded as nations are, these extreme measures are the only way left to secure salvation for Israel and the whole world. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zephaniah 3:7

Taught by such examples, the Jews might have learned to repent and amend their ways. I said. God represents himself as reasoning as a man would reason. Surely thou wilt fear me; Septuagint, "only fear me." This is the one condition for salvation. Or, according to our version, Judah must learn experience from my threats and visitations, and return unto me. Thou wilt.; receive instruction; Septuagint, "receive ye discipline," accept the correction and learn the lesson which it is meant to... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Zephaniah 3:7

I said, surely thou wilt fear Me - God speaks of things here, as they are in their own nature. “It could not but be,” that in the very presence of the Hand of God, destroying others but as yet sparing them, they must learn to fear Him; they must stand in awe of Him for His judgments on others; they must be in filial fear of Him for His loving longsuffering toward themselves. “Thou ‘wilt’ receive instruction,” corrected and taught through God’s correction of others and the lighter judgments on... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Zephaniah 3:6-7

Zephaniah 3:6-7. I have cut off the nations I have executed vengeance upon that great city Nineveh, Zephaniah 2:15, and have brought my judgments nearer to you, by giving up your brethren of the ten tribes into the hands of Shalmaneser; who hath put an end to that kingdom, and hath carried its inhabitants captive into a strange land: see 2 Kings 17:6. I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction This is addressed to the city of Jerusalem. And God is here introduced as... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 3:1-8

More sins of Jerusalem (3:1-8)Zephaniah now returns to consider further the sins of Jerusalem. Injustice and oppression are widespread, and people who are guilty of such evils take no notice of the prophet’s rebukes (3:1-2). Officials and judges are corrupt. More savage than lions and greedier than wolves, they favour only those who pay them well. Religious leaders are just as bad, and use their position to gain benefits for themselves (3-4).Daily, God has showed the people what is right, but... read more

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