Zephaniah 2:9

Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. MOAB SHALL BE AS SODOM, AND THE CHILDREN OF AMMON AS GOMORRAH, EVEN THE BREEDING OF NETTLES - or, the overspreading of nettles - i:e., a place overrun with them. AND SALT PITS - found at the south of the Dead Sea. The water overflows in spring, and salt is left by the evaporation. Salt land is barren (whence arose the usage of "sowing with salt" a destroyed city and depopulated region, ; margin, saltness for "barrenness," ). The remnant of my peop...

In order to cheer the miserable Jews by some consolation, God said, in what we considered yesterday, that the wantonness of Moab was known to him; he now adds, that he would visit with punishment the reproaches which had been mentioned. For it would have availed them but little that their wrongs had been observed by God, if no punishment had been prepared. Hence the Prophet reminds them that God is no idle spectator, who only observes what takes place in the world; but that there is a reward laid up for all the ungodly. And these verses are to be taken in connection, that the faithful may know that their wrongs are not unknown to God, and also that he will be their defender. But that the Jews might have a more sure confidence that God would be their deliverer, he interposes an oath. God at the same time shows that he is really touched with when he sees his people so cruelly and immoderat...

4-15 Those are really in a woful condition who have the word of the Lord against them, for no word of his shall fall to the ground. God will restore his people to their rights, though long kept from them. It has been the common lot of God's people, in all ages, to be reproached and reviled. God shall be worshipped, not only by all Israel, and the strangers who join them, but by the heathen. Remote nations must be reckoned with for the wrongs done to God's people. The sufferings of the insolent and haughty in prosperity, are unpitied and unlamented. But all the desolations of flourishing nations will make way for the overturning Satan's kingdom. Let us improve our advantages, and expect the performance of every promise, praying that our Father's name may be hallowed every where, over all the earth....

Verse 9. _THE BREEDING OF NETTLES_] That is, their land shall become desolate, and be a place for nettles, thorns, c., to flourish in, for want of cultivation....

THEREFORE AS I LIVE, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS - Life especially belongs to God, since He Alone is Underived Life. “He hath life in Himself” John 5:26. He is entitled “the living God,” as here, in tacit contrast with the dead idols of the Philistines 1 Samuel 17:26, 1 Samuel 17:36, with idols generally Jeremiah 10:10; or against the blasphemies of Sennacherib 2 Kings 19:4, 2 Kings 19:16, the mockeries of scoffers...

EXPOSITION. VERSE 2:1-3:8 Part II. EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE AND TO PERSEVERANCE. ZEPHANIAH 2:1 § 1. The prophet urges all to examine their ways before the day of the Lord come; and he prays the righteous to seek the Lord more earnestly, in order that they may be safe in the judgment. ZEPHANIAH 2:1 GATHER YOURSELVES TOGETHER. So the versions; and this rendering is probably correct. The prophet calls upon his nation to assemble themselves together in order to take mutual counsel or to make general confession and supplication to God. Another rendering, based on some alteration

THEREFORE [AS] I LIVE, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL,.... The Lord here swears by himself, by his life; partly to show how provoked he was at, and how grievously he resented, the injuries done to his people; and partly to observe the certain fulfilment of what is after declared; and it might be depended upon it would surely be done, not only because of his word and oath, which are immutable; but because of his ability to do it, as "the Lord of hosts", of armies above and below; and because of the covenant relation that subsisted between him and Israel, being their God; and therefore would avenge the insults and injuries done them: SURELY MOAB SHALL BE AS SODOM, AND THE CHILDREN OF AMMON AS GOMORRAH; that is, should be utterly destroyed, as these cities were; whose destruction is often made use of to express the utter ruin and destruction of any other people; otherwise it is...

CHAPTER S 2-3:8 The Call to Repentance in View of the Judgment _ 1. The call to repentance (Zephaniah 2:1) _ 2. The judgment of the Philistines (Zephaniah 2:4) 3. The judgment of Moab and Ammon (Zephaniah 2:8) 4. The judgment of the other nations (Zephaniah 2:11) 5. The woe and warning to Jerusalem and His people (Zephaniah 3:1) Zephaniah 2:1. As we found it in Joel, so it is here. In view of the co

Into the natural context of the passage a later writer has woven a prophecy of vengeance on Moab and Ammon for their revilings and insults heaped upon Judah (on the day of Jerusalem's downfall), For this their land _shall_ become waste as Sodom and Gomorrah, a perpetual desolation, overrun by nettles and saltpits, while the remnant of Judah shall plunder them and hold them in bondage. ZEPHANIAH 2:9. A POSSESSION: an obscure word, probably meaning inherited by. The desolation of Sodom and Gomorrah was proverbial (_cf._ Isaiah 1:9). ZEPHANIAH 2:11. A still later addition, universalising the judgment, but following it up with a prophecy of Yahweh s world-wide reign....

SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS. [is] the oracle of Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on 1 Samuel 1:3. THE GOD OF ISRAEL. See note on Isaiah 29:23. SHALL BE AS SODOM. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 19:24; Genesis 19:25). App-92. THE BREEDING OF NETTLES, &C. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 29:23, &c.) OF MY PEOPLE. Some codices, with two early printed editions (one Rabbinic), read "of the nations". PEOPLE. nation. POSSESS. inherit....