Zephaniah 2:1

2:1-3 The prophet calls to national repentance, as the only way to prevent national ruin. A nation not desiring, that has not desires toward God, is not desirous of his favour and grace, has no mind to repent and reform. Or, not desirable, not having any thing to recommend them to God; to whom God might justly say, Depart from me; but he says, Gather together to me that you may seek my face. We know what God's decree will bring against impenitent sinners, therefore it highly concerns all to repent in the accepted time. How careful should we all be to seek peace with God, before the Holy Spirit withdraws from us, or ceases to strive with us; before the day of grace is over, or the day of life; before our everlasting state is determined! Let the poor, despised, and afflicted, seek the Lord, and seek to understand and keep his commandments better, that they may be more humbled for their sins. The chief hope of deliverance from national judgments rests upon prayer.

Gather yourselves together,.... This is said to the people of the Jews in general; that whereas the judgments of God were coming upon them, as predicted in the preceding chapter Zephaniah 1:1 , it was high time for them to get together, and consider what was to be done at such a juncture; it was right to call a solemn assembly, to gather the people, priests, and elders, together, to some one place, as Joel directs, Joel 1:14 the inhabitants of Jerusalem to the temple, and the people of the land to their respective synagogues, and there humble themselves before the Lord; confess their sins, and declare their repentance for them; and pray that God would show favour to them, and avert his wrath and judgments from them: or, "gather the straw" (y); from yourselves, and then gather it from others, as follows: or, "first adorn yourselves", and "then others", as in the Talmud (z); and the sense is the same with the words of Christ, "first cast out the beam out of thine own eye", &c.

Matthew 7:3 and the meaning of both is, first correct and amend yourselves, and then reprove others: this sense is given by the Jewish commentators, and is approved by Gussetius (a): or "search yourselves" (b); as some render the word; and that very diligently, as stubble is searched into, or any thing searched for in it; let the body of the people inquire among themselves what should be the cause of these things; what public sins prevailed among them, for which they were threatened with an utter destruction; and let everyone search into his own heart and ways, and consider how much he has contributed to the bringing down such sad calamities upon the nation: thus it became them to search and inquire into their state and circumstances of affairs, in a way of self-examination; or otherwise the Lord would search them in a way of judgment, as threatened Zephaniah 1:12 or "shake out" (c), or "fan yourselves", as others; remove your chaff by repentance and reformation, that you be not blown away like chaff in the day of God's wrath, as afterwards suggested: yea, gather together; or "search", or "shake out", or "fan", as before: this is repeated, to show the necessity and importance of it, and the vehemency of the prophet in urging it: O nation not desired; by other nations, but hated by them, as Abarbinel observes; not desirable to God or good men; not amiable or lovely for any excellencies and goodness in them, but the reverse; being a disobedient and rebellious people; a seed of

Zephaniah 2:1-2 . Gather yourselves together, &c. — Assemble yourselves to make a public humiliation: see Joel 2:16 . O nation not desired — Or coveted, as the word נכס Šproperly signifies. The Vulgate renders it, non amabilis, not lovely; and the Greek, το απαιδευτον , uninstructed, or, that will not receive instruction; that is, not to be amended but by the discipline of God’s judgments. Before the decree bring forth, before the day, &c. — Before the decree of God shall bring forth the day that shall be like the passing of chaff; that is, wherein the wicked shall be dispersed, as the chaff is by the wind. God’s consuming the wicked is often compared in Scripture to the dispersing of chaff.

CHAPTER 2 Zep 2:1-15. Exhortation to Repent before the Chaldean Invaders Come. Doom of Judah's Foes, the Philistines, Moab, Ammon, with Their Idols, and Ethiopia and Assyria. 1. Gather yourselves—to a religious assembly, to avert the judgment by prayers (Joe 2:16) [Grotius]. Or, so as not to be dissipated "as chaff" (Zep 2:2). The Hebrew is akin to a root meaning "chaff." Self-confidence and corrupt desires are the dissipation from which they are exhorted to gather themselves [Calvin]. The foe otherwise, like the wind, will scatter you "as the chaff." Repentance is the gathering of themselves meant. nation not desired—(Compare 2Ch 21:20), that is, not desirable; unworthy of the grace or favor of God; and yet God so magnifies that grace as to be still solicitous for their safety, though they had destroyed themselves and forfeited all claims on His grace [Calvin]. The Margin from Chaldee Version has, "not desirous," namely of returning to God. Maurer and Gesenius translate, "Not waxing pale," that is, dead to shame. English Version is best.An exhortation to repentance, Zephaniah 2:1-3. The judgment of the Philistines, Zephaniah 2:4-7 of Moab and Ammon, Zephaniah 2:8-11\, of Ethiopia, Zephaniah 2:12, and Assyria, Zephaniah 2:13-15. Gather yourselves together; call a solemn assembly, as Joel 1:14, proclaim a fast. Let all have notice given to meet on this work, and, being gathered together, search yourselves, your hearts and ways, and repent.

Gather together; repeated to affect them the more, and to hasten them to it, and make them serious in it. O nation of the Jews, yet a people, yet my people, though next door almost to being no people. Not desired; neither desirous to return, nor desirable in your return; foolishly unwilling to return, and utterly unworthy to be received on your return: yet gather together, search your ways, and try what you may do for your safety.

Verse 1-ch.3:8. - Part II. EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE AND TO PERSEVERANCE. Verses 1-3. - § 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. Verse 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 of letters, is, "Set yourselves to be ashamed; yea, be ashamed" (comp. Isaiah 46:8 ). Yea, gather together. The LXX. renders the two words, συνάχθητε καὶ συνδέθητε , "be ye gathered and bound together;" "Id est," says Jerome, "estote vobis caritatis vinculo copulati." O nation not desired; Vulgate, gens non amabilis - a litotes for abominable, hated for its sins, unworthy of God's love and care. The Septuagint rendering, ἀπαίδευτον , "unchastened," points to the meaning affixed by the Chaldee paraphrase, that does not wish to be converted," having no desire for amendment; like what is said in Jeremiah 2:30 , "they received no correction." Others render, "which does not turn pale," i.e. which is not ashamed, comparing Isaiah 29:22 .

The verb kasaph seems to have this meaning in niphal, according to Talmudic use; but its usual signification is "to pine" or "long for." The Revised Version gives in the margin, "that hath no longing" - a rendering adopted by Professor Gandell, implying that the people are quite satisfied with their present condition, and have no aspiration for anything better or higher (comp. Hosea 12:8 ). This is a very apposite interpretation; but there is no sufficient ground for rejecting the translation of the Authorized Version, which is supported by high authority, is agreeable to the use of the word, and affords a satisfactory sense. Zephaniah 2:1

Chap. Zephaniah 2:1-3 . Exhortation to men to seek righteousness, if perchance they may be hid in the Day of the Lord 1 . The prophet addresses himself to Judah. Gather yourselves together ] The sense is obscure. The verb ( ḳash ) is used of gathering straw , Exodus 5:12 , sticks , Numbers 15:32 ; 1 Kings 17:10 ; 1 Kings 17:12 , and does not otherwise occur. It is very doubtful if the word could be used in a metaphorical or mental sense, collect yourselves , that is, reflect, that ye may understand and repent. Rothstein (in Kautzsch’s Bible) suggests a root ḳûsh , and renders, Bow yourselves and be bowed , but the Arabic verb on which he bases this sense ( ḳáwisa , 5 taḳáwwasa ) is a denominative from ḳaus “a bow,” and does not mean to bow down but to be bow-shaped, or curved in the back. With more plausibility Ewald appealed to the Aramaic word signifying to be old ( ḳâsh ), assuming that the primary sense of the word was to be (become) withered , grey in colour. If this primary sense could be established his rendering turn pale! i.e. be ashamed, might be accepted, as it would agree very well with the next clause. Budde proposes at once to read be ashamed (root, bôsh ), but if this common word had originally stood in the text it is not easy to understand how the present difficult reading could have arisen. There is a similarly obscure word in Isaiah 46:8 . O nation not desired ] R.V. O nation that hath no shame , marg. longing .

In usage the Heb. word means to long , to desire greatly, but this sense is supposed to be secondary, the primary meaning being to be pale, whitish (hence the word silver in Heb., = “white money”). The radical meaning of most Heb. words signifying “to be ashamed” is to be (become) white , because to be ashamed meant, to be practically confounded, and terror or dismay was an element in the feeling.