ZEPHANIAH THE ARGUMENT This prophet, by a somewhat larger account of his pedigree, gives us ground to guess of what family he might be; the last named may possibly be the good king Hezekiah; the names are the same in Zeph. 1:1, 2 Kings 18:1.

The word; the declaration of the purpose of God, either spoken audibly, or clearly manifested by signs. Of the Lord, God of Israel; here is the Divine authority of this prophecy with which the prophet’s word is seconded.

I will utterly consume, Heb. Gathering up I will gather up, or take up, intimating particularly the manner how all should be consumed, i.e. swept away as a prey to the Babylonians. From off the land of Judah, the two tribes. Saith the Lord: this is added to confirm and assure the truth hereof.

The former verse denounced the future desolation in general terms. This verse specifieth what desolation in particular God would bring upon the land. I will consume man and beast; man shall be consumed for his own sin, and the beasts consumed for man’s sake; men by the pestilence and famine, the…

I will also, Heb. And I will, or, And I have; so prophets speak of what shall most certainly be as if already done. Stretch out mine hand: this seems to intimate. some immediate stroke from God, he speaks so in Jer. 51:25, Ezek. 6:14, Ezek. 14:13, Ezek. 25:13.

And them that worship; those among the people that adhered to this idolatry. The host of heaven; the sun, moon, and stars, frequently in the Scripture called the host of heaven.

Them that are turned back; apostates, who have forsaken the Lord and his worship, or that are turned atheists, or that in matter of religion have taken up not what is purest and truest, but what is nearest and most in fashion.

Hold thy peace; thou that murmurest in discontent, or disputest out of frowardness against God, his worship, and his government, that thinkest of him but little better than of Baal or Malcham, cease all thy quarrels and dispute, stand in awe.

It shall come to pass; it shall most certainly be fulfilled what I threaten I will most surely execute. In the day of the Lord’s sacrifice; of slaughter to be made by the Babylonians, called here a day of sacrifice, that we might see clearly the just and exemplary proceedings of God; these people…

In the same day; not to be taken for a single day, but more largely for that time wherein God would visit and punish. That leap on the threshold; insolently, and with rage, break open the doors of such whose goods they seize, upon pretence of forfeitures or fines; a sin that Ezekiel both taxed and…

In that day: see Zeph. 1:9. Saith the Lord; to assure us of the certainty of the thing. The noise, Heb. the voice, of a cry, i.e. a very great outcry and lamentation, from the fish-gate, which was on the west side of Jerusalem, through which gate they brought in fish from Joppa and other sea towns…

Howl, cry aloud, and bitterly, ye inhabitants of Maktesh: some read it appellatively: the mortar in which of old, before the corn-mill was known and used, they did pound and beat their corn for bread; they also pounded spices.

At that time; it was day. Zeph. 1:10, which see. I will search Jerusalem with candles: God speaks after the manner of man, who searcheth dark places with candles in hand.

Therefore; as a punishment for other sins, so for this secure, atheistical denial of Providence; though they have denied, they shall feel, and confess, that the evil they suffer is both just, and from my hand too.

The great day; not the day of general judgment, but the day in which the great God will bring his great armies against Judah and Jerusalem, and do great things by those armies. Of the Lord; appointed, foretold, and now actually brought on them by the Lord.

That day, great day, Zeph. 1:14, is a day of wrath, from the Chaldeans; and from the Lord, actively, upon the Jews, passively. A day of trouble and distress: here the prophet heapeth up words of much the same sense, to express the grievousness of the troubles of those times which shall suddenly…

The trumpet; God’s trumpet calling the Chaldeans, the Chaldeans’ trumpet also gathering together their troops. Alarm, threatening and affrighting, against the fenced cities of Judah.

I will bring distress; cast them into, and surround or besiege them with distress, calamities which shall greatly trouble and perplex. Upon men; the chiefest among them, the richest, and who think themselves safest; the mighty men, as Zeph.

Neither their silver nor their gold: sometimes these have purchased friends, and redeemed a life at the hand of greedy soldiers, who have spared on promise of money; but now it shall not be so, neither silver nor gold shall help.