Zephaniah 2:3

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.

In this time of great apostasy, there was a remnant according to the election of grace, whom the Lord reserved for himself, and bestowed his grace upon; and it is for the sake of these that the general exhortations to repentance and reformation are given out, to whom alone they were to be useful, that they might be protected and preserved from the general ruin; for such as are here described are persons the Lord takes great notice of; he gives them more grace; he lifts them up when bowed down; he beautifies them with salvation; he feeds them to full satisfaction; he teaches them his ways, his mind and will; he dwells with them here, and will cause them to inherit the new heaven and new earth hereafter: they are such who have a true sense of sin, and the exceeding sinfulness of it, which humbles them; and, conscious of the imperfection of their own righteousness, submit to the righteousness of Christ; acknowledge they are saved alone by the grace of God; and that all they have and expect to enjoy is owing to that; they are humble under the mighty hand of God, in every afflictive providence; patiently take all wrongs, abuses, and injuries done them by men; and not envious at the superior gifts, grace, and usefulness of others, but rejoice therein; have mean sentiments of themselves, and very high ones of others that excel in grace and holiness; these are truly gracious persons; and are like unto, and are followers of, the meek and lowly Jesus: and are here exhorted "to seek the

Zephaniah 2:3 . Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek — Here the prophet addresses some others, different from those addressed before, namely, the few pious, who still remained in Jerusalem and Judah amidst the general corruption; which have wrought his judgment — Who have obeyed his laws, and done his will. Seek righteousness — That is, continue to seek it; persevere in the practice of every branch of piety and virtue. Seek meekness — Patiently wait on the holy and gracious God. It may be ye shall be hid, &c. — That ye shall be protected and preserved by the divine providence, amidst the dangers and calamities of that dreadful time, when God shall execute his judgments.

Seek ye the Lord; turn to him with sound and true repentance, pray for pardon, engage in new obedience, inquire in the law what is your duty, and do it; fear, worship, depend on the Lord alone. All ye meek ; ye humble ones, who have not hardened yourselves with the stubborn, proud, idolatrous hypocrites, but have trembled at the word of the Lord. Of the earth; of Judea, which is here spoken of, as Zephaniah 1:2 . Which have wrought his judgment; obeyed his precepts; so doth the Scripture express obedience to the law of God by doing judgment, Deu 4:5 Psalm 119:121 . Seek righteousness; inquire and know the righteousness which God commandeth, which you ought to persist in, and continue ye in it. Seek meekness; carry it humbly towards God, and patiently under his corrections; so wait on the just and merciful God. It may be: this is sufficient to raise hope; if it be not sure, if it be hard, yet it is not impossible. Ye shall be hid; under the wing of Divine protecting Providence kept safe from, or in, these troubles they shall be either averted or abated.

3. As in Zep 2:1 (compare Note, see on [1170]Zep 1:12) he had warned the hardened among the people to humble themselves, so now he admonishes "the meek" to proceed in their right course, that so they may escape the general calamity (Ps 76:9). The meek bow themselves under God's chastisements to God's will, whereas the ungodly become only the more hardened by them. Seek ye the Lord—in contrast to those that "sought not the Lord" (Zep 1:6). The meek are not to regard what the multitudes do, but seek God at once. his judgment—that is, law. The true way of "seeking the Lord" is to "work judgment," not merely to be zealous about outward ordinances. seek meekness—not perversely murmuring against God's dealings, but patiently submitting to them, and composedly waiting for deliverance. it may be ye shall be hid—(Isa 26:20; Am 5:6). This phrase does not imply doubt of the deliverance of the godly, but expresses the difficulty of it, as well that the ungodly may see the certainty of their doom, as also that the faithful may value the more the grace of God in their case (1Pe 4:17-19) [Calvin]. Compare 2Ki 25:12.

Verse 3. - The prophet here addresses especially the pious among the people, urging them to perseverance in the right way. Ye meek of the earth. The humble, peaceable, religious, among the Israelites are primarily meant; whose character is the direct contrary of the proud, self-confident infidels mentioned above (comp. Isaiah 11:4 ; Amos 2:7 ). But there is no reason why the admonition should not include the heathen who are striving to live after the light of conscience ( Isaiah 24:5 ; Romans 2:14 , etc.). Which have wrought his judgment. Who have fulfilled the ordinances of God's Law. Seek righteousness. This and the following injunction explain what is meant by "seek the Lord" at the beginning of the verse ( Deuteronomy 16:20 ). Seek meekness. Persevere in showing a humble, gentle temper. Septuagint, καὶ ἀποκρίνασθε αὐτά "and answer them." It may be. Even the righteous shall scarcely be saved (comp. 1 Peter 4:17, 18 ). Ye shall be hid. Ye shall be preserved in the time of judgment ( Psalm 27:5 ; Psalm 31:20 ; Isaiah 32:2 ). This recalls the prophet's name, which is interpreted, "Whom the Lord hides" (comp. Amos 5:14, 15 ). Zephaniah 2:3

3 . all ye meek of the earth ] Though the exhortation to seek the Lord ( Amos 5:6 ; Isaiah 55:6 ) be addressed specially to the prophet’s own people of Judah, there is no necessity for rendering, meek of the land . The “meek” are those humble before Jehovah, cf. Zephaniah 3:12 ; they are further described as those that do His judgment or ordinance , that is, obey in life the statutes of the Lord. They are exhorted to renew, or to continue more importunately, their seeking of the Lord in face of the approaching day of trouble. It may be ye shall be hid ] The figure is that of finding refuge from a storm passing over, or a foe sweeping past. Isaiah 26:20 , “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers; hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast”; Job 14:13 , “Oh that thou wouldst hide me in Sheòl, that thou wouldst keep me secret until thy wrath be past.” Even amidst what looks like absolute certainty of the divine judgment, the prophets cannot renounce the idea of the possibility of the people’s repenting and averting the impending wrath; cf. Jeremiah 7:5-7 ; Jeremiah 26:3 ; Jeremiah 36:3 ; Jeremiah 36:5 ; Amos 5:6 ; Amos 5:15 .