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The Prophet Zephaniah

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- Chapter 3 -

1
Woe to the provocatrix and the redeemed city, the dove.(a)
2
She has not heeded the voice, nor has she accepted discipline. She has not trusted in the Lord; she did not draw near to her God.(b)
3
Her leaders are in her midst like roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing for the morning.
4
Her prophets are crazed; men without faith. Her priests have polluted what is holy; they have acted unjustly against the law.(c)
5
The just Lord is in their midst; he will not do iniquity. In the morning, in the morning, he will bring his judgment into the light, and it will not be hidden. But the impious one has not known shame.(d)

Purification of the Nations

6
I have dispersed the nations, and their towers have been torn down. I have made their ways deserts, until there were none who passed through. Their cities have become desolate, with no man remaining, nor any inhabitant.
7
I said: Nevertheless, you will fear me; you will accept discipline. And her dwelling place will not perish, despite all the things about which I have visited her. Yet truly, they arose with the dawn and corrupted all their thoughts.
8
Because of this, expect me, says the Lord, in the day of my resurrection in the future, for my judgment is to gather together the Gentiles, and to collect the kingdoms, and to pour out over them my indignation, all the fury of my anger. For by the fire of my zeal, all the earth will be devoured.

A Faithful Remnant

9
For then I will restore to the people a chosen lip, so that all may invoke the name of the Lord and may serve him with one shoulder.
10
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my supplicants, the sons of my diaspora, will carry a gift to me.(e)
11
In that day, you will not be ashamed over all of your inventions, by which you have transgressed against me. For then I will take away from your midst your arrogant boasters, and you will no longer be exalted on my holy mountain.
12
And I will bequeath into your midst a poor and needy people, and they will hope in the name of the Lord.
13
The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. For they will pasture and will recline, and there will be no one to strike them with terror.(f)

Israel’s Restoration

14
Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully, Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15
The Lord has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil.
16
In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Do not be afraid,” and to Zion, “Do not let your hands be weakened.”
17
The Lord your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In his love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise.
18
The triflers who withdrew from the law, I will gather together, because they were from you, so that you may no longer suffer disgrace over them.(g)
19
Behold, I will execute all who have afflicted you in that time, and I will save those who are lame, and I will gather together her who had been cast out. And I will place them in praise and in renown, in all the land where they had been put to shame,(h)
20
in that time, when I will lead to you, and in the time when I will gather for you. For I will deliver you into renown and into praise, among all the peoples of the earth, when I will have converted your captivity before your very eyes, says the Lord.

Footnotes

(a)3:1 The word ‘provocatrix’ refers to a female who provokes or instigates trouble. The term as used in this verse does not merely refer to the city (the word for which happens to be feminine in Latin). Rather, it refers to a particular woman who provokes trouble for the people of God. The provocatrix and the city that thinks itself to be redeemed are two separate, but related things. The provocatrix is the false prophet who assists the Antichrist (Assur). The city is a city that thinks itself redeemed by being favored by the false prophet. The name of the city is a name that means ‘dove.’ Perhaps this word should be capitalized.(Conte)
(b)3:2 The pronoun ‘she’ in this verse refers both to the provocatrix and to the city.(Conte)
(c)3:4 The word ‘vesani’ refers to insane behavior and/or to wild or furious behavior. The translation ‘crazed’ captures both of these meanings.(Conte)
(d)3:5 Or, ‘early in the morning,’ with the repetition indicating intensity.(Conte)
(e)3:10 The word ‘dispersorum’ refers to a Christian diaspora, when the Christian people of God will become scattered because the world will reject Christianity.(Conte)
(f)3:13 The translation, ‘there will be no one to make them afraid,’ is also possible, but seems more mild than the meaning of the Latin.(Conte)
(g)3:18 The triflers are those who complain about every little problem in the Church, and who have many small complaints about the teaching of the Church. They draw away from the teaching of the Church and the moral law.(Conte)
(h)3:19 The phrase ‘her who had been cast out’ refers to those women who will have left the Church or been cast out of the Church. Many of these return, in humility and repentance. Those who are lame are not so much the physically lame, but those who are spiritually lame, having many spiritual faults and sins.(Conte)
1
Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
2
She didn’t obey the voice. She didn’t receive correction. She didn’t trust in the LORD. She didn’t draw near to her God.
3
Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
4
Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
5
The LORD, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame.

Purification of the Nations

6
I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.
7
I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction,” so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.
8
“Therefore wait for me”, says the LORD, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

A Faithful Remnant

9
For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the LORD’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
10
From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
11
In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.
12
But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the LORD’s name.
13
The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

Israel’s Restoration

14
Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15
The LORD has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.
16
In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.”
17
The LORD, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
18
I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.
19
Behold,(a) at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; and I will save those who are lame and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth.
20
At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.

Footnotes

(a)3:19 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
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