เศฟันยาห์ 2:13 วิจารณ์

In this chapter we have, I. An earnest exhortation to the nation of the Jews to repent and make their peace with God, and so to prevent the judgments threatened before it was too late (Zep 2:1-3), and this inferred from the revelation of God's wrath against them in the foregoing chapter. II. A denunciation of the judgments of God against several of the neighbouring nations that had assisted, or rejoiced in, the calamity of Israel. 1. The Philistines (Zep 2:4-7). 2. The Moabites and Ammonites (Zep 2:8-11). 3. The Ethiopians and Assyrians (Zep 2:12-15). All these shall drink of the same cup of trembling that is put into the hands of God's people, as was also foretold by other prophets before and after.

And he will stretch out his hand against the north Either the Lord, or Nebuchadnezzar his sword; who, as he would subdue the nations that lay southward, he would lead his army northward against the land of Assyria, which lay to the north of Judea, as next explained: and destroy Assyria; that famous monarchy, which had ruled over the kingdoms of the earth, now should come to an end, and be reduced to subjection to the king of Babylon: and will make Nineveh a desolation; which was the capital city, the metropolis of the Assyrian monarchy: Nahum prophesies at large of the destruction of this city: [and] dry like a wilderness; which before was a very watery place, situated by rivers, particularly the river Tigris; so that it was formerly like a pool of water, ( Nahum 2:6 Nahum 2:8 ) but now should be dry like a heath or desert, Dr. Prideaux places the destruction of Nineveh in the twenty ninth year of Josiah's reign; but Bishop Usher earlier, in the sixteenth year of his reign; and, if so, then Zephaniah, who here prophesies of it, must begin to prophesy in the former part of Josiah's reign.

(Verse 12 and following) But even you, Ethiopians, will be killed by my sword: and he will stretch out his hand over the North, and will destroy Assyria: and he will make a beautiful place desolate, and like a deserted wilderness. And flocks will lie down in the midst of it: all the beasts of the nations, and the pelican, and the hedgehog will dwell in its thresholds: the voice of the singer in the window, the raven on the top. For I will weaken its strength. This is the glorious city, dwelling in confidence, which said in her heart: I am, and there is no other besides me: how has she become a dwelling place of beasts in the wilderness? Everyone who passes by it will hiss and shake his hand. LXX: And you, Ethiopians, wounded by my sword will be; and I will stretch out my hand over the North and destroy Assyria, and make Nineveh a desolation, a dry and desolate land. And flocks will graze in its midst, and all the beasts of the earth; and chameleons and hedgehogs will lie down in its folds, and the beasts will cry out in their dens, and the ravens at its gates: for its height is like a cedar; this is the city devoted to evil, which dwells in hope and says in its heart: I am, and there is none after me; how has it become a pasture for beasts? Everyone who passes through it will hiss and shake their hands. The Jews interpret this whole chapter and the two preceding ones against the Philistines, Moab, and the sons of Ammon, referring to the coming of Christ, whom they believe will come at the end of the world to rebuild Jerusalem and deliver his people from the hand of the nations by which they are held captive. And this is what is meant by what is said: 'And men shall worship him, every man from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.' But not only the nations mentioned above, but also the Ethiopians and Assyrians and the city of Nineveh at that time must be laid waste and become a habitation for all the beasts of the earth, or as it is written in Hebrew, 'all the beasts of the nations.' From this, they believe it is intended to signify all the nations that will overthrow Nineveh. And because Nineveh, which means ‘beautiful,’ in the present place is referred to as beautiful in relation to Babylon. And everything that follows: the pelican and the hedgehog will dwell in its thresholds, and so on, rather applies to Babylon, of which the same desolation is predicted in Isaiah. And on the contrary, others assert that it is clearly about Assyria, of which it was already said: It will stretch out its hand against the north, and it will destroy Assyria, and it will make Nineveh a desolation. According to Al. Post, the Assyrians are better understood as being associated with Nineveh rather than Babylon, which is a city of the Chaldeans. And when he says that the Onocrotalus and the Hedgehog are signs of solitude, it should be understood as signs of judgment. There are two kinds of Onocrotalus: one that is aquatic, and another that is associated with solitude. And when he says the singing voice in the window, it can be understood as either demons or the voices of various birds that are known to inhabit deserted cities. Furthermore, both we and the Seventy similarly translated: 'Corvus' is placed on the threshold in Hebrew, which, according to the differences in reading (), is understood either as drought, or sword, or raven. Therefore, the Eagle, others interpreted as sword or drought. And after its overthrow, as if mocking its ruin, the prophetic speech says: 'This is the glorious city, dwelling in confidence, which said in its heart: I am, and besides me there is no other; how has it become a dwelling place of beasts in the desert?' Anyone who passes by it will hiss and shake his hand. According to what we have said above, either true beasts will dwell in the deserted city, or the varied multitude of nations is certainly indicated under the form of beasts. But if anyone asks how this prophecy applies to the time of Nebuchadnezzar according to the history: let him read the histories about the Ethiopians and Assyrians, to whom the Medes and Persians did nothing, and he will see that the Assyrians and Ethiopians were also subject to the Medes, and that Cyrus had a kingdom, and the power of Cyrus, and everything that has followed thereafter. Let these words be said in Hebrew. However, if we observe in all the Scriptures that the Ethiopians are called those who are deeply sunk in vices, according to what we read in Jeremiah: 'Can the Ethiopian change his skin?' (Jer. XIII, 23). With the Ethiopians turned to better things, there will be hope for anyone who wishes to repent, that they will not be excluded from salvation. Hence, the previously defiled soul, and stained with the filth of sins, says: 'I am black' (Cant. I, 4). And afterwards, at the end of the Song of Songs, it is written about the same, now purified and washed through repentance: Who is she who ascends, all white? (Song of Songs 8:5); Moses also, that is, the Law of the Lord in a spiritual sense, took an Ethiopian woman from the nations as his wife (Exodus 2); and Mary, that is, the synagogue of the Jews, and Aaron, that is, the carnal priesthood, not according to the order of Melchizedek, murmured against the Law, but in vain. For immediately the synagogue is struck with leprosy, and cast out outside the camp, for the entire time, while Moses himself is praying, it is brought back into the camp. For the hand of Ethiopia had already reached God (Psalm 68). Therefore, the divine word now threatens those who cling to sins and forget the filth of their offenses, who do not want to turn to better things and wash away their dark color. And it threatens them with a sword, which I think is written about in Genesis: He placed Cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned to guard the way of the tree of life. And in Isaiah: He will bring forth a great and holy sword against the twisted serpent dragon, and he will kill him on that day (Isa. XXVII, 1, sec. LXX). And he says that they should be wounded or killed with a sword, so that, fearing punishment, they may imitate Nineveh, and repent (Jonah III), and not endure what the Lord threatens. Indeed, this is also the prophecy of Jeremiah: I will speak, he says, concerning the nation and the kingdom, and I will remove and destroy them: and if they repent, then I will also repent of all the evils that I have spoken to do to them (Jer. XVIII, 7, 8). And so, in order that you may know, for this reason the Lord now threatens the Ethiopians with a sword, so that he may turn them to better things. He introduces this in a little while in this very book about the Ethiopians: Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my dispersed sons will bring me an offering. (Below III, 10) Or, as it is found in the Septuagint: From the borders of the rivers of Ethiopia, I will receive my dispersed ones, and they will offer sacrifices to me. After this, the Lord does not speak as before; but the prophetic spirit speaks about him: And he will stretch out his hand over the north, and he will destroy Assyria. (Jer. I, 14). The North wind, of which Jeremiah wrote: ‘Out of the north evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.’ And of which Solomon speaks: ‘The north wind bringeth forth rain; so doth a backbiting tongue, (Prov. 25:23). Therefore God stretches out His hand to inflict punishment, so that both the North wind may feel its penalties, and those who dwell in its land, to which the black horses hasten, concerning which it is said: ‘There were (or, in which were) black horses, and they went into the north country’ (Zech. 6:6). And beautifully, he who moves his feet and withdraws from the East, of whom the same prophet says, Behold a man, his name is the Orient (Ibid., 12), and he looks towards the West, immediately goes to the North, which is not on the right, but is called the right by name. And this is understood both literally, so that whoever stands in the East and turns towards the West, has the North on his right, which they call the right because those who are refreshed by its breath, which is only called the right by name, but in reality and in deed it is rather on the left. But after the Lord has extended His hand over the North, He will also destroy Assyria, which is interpreted as 'the one who directs', which many think means 'the one who directs', but it is false: for 'the one who directs' is said to be the one who accuses and convicts. And since the devil himself is an enemy and an avenger, and he himself suggests sins, and then accuses sinners of their sins, therefore he is called 'the one who directs'. I believe this to be the prince of the Assyrians, who dwells in the North, and has Nineveh as his capital, and he says in Isaiah: With strength I will act, and with wisdom I will remove the boundaries of nations, and I will plunder their powers (Isaiah 10, LXX). Moreover, what follows about the destruction of Nineveh seems to me to be understood according to what is written either in the prophet Jonah or in Nahum. In Jonah, indeed, we interpret Nineveh, that is, the beautiful city that repented at the preaching of Jonah, that is, the dove, as the Church gathered from the Gentiles. But indeed, we have ordered intelligence upon the world. And of the world, it is not difficult to interpret and say that when the Ethiopians have been wounded by the sword of the Lord and have stretched out their hand upon the north, and have destroyed the Assyrian prince of the world, then the world itself shall perish with its prince, and be reduced to the greatest solitude, and be miserable to no one, but all shall hiss and wave their hands at its ruin. But on first appearance the Church seems blasphemous because it is destined to become impassable and deserted, and beasts will inhabit it, and afterwards it is insultingly said to it: This is a city given over to evil, which dwelt in hope, which said in its heart: I am, and there is no other besides me, how is it made into a wilderness, a pasture for beasts? But anyone who considers that saying of the Apostle in which it is said: In the last times there will be times of great evil, and people will be lovers of themselves, greedy, arrogant, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, without peace, accusers, unrestrained, cruel, hating good, traitorous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God: having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:1, following). Moreover, this is also written in the Gospel, that because of the increase of wickedness, the love of many will grow cold, so much so that during that time it will be fulfilled: Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, do you think he will find faith on earth? (Matthew 24:12) It will not be surprising that the Church will be severely devastated at the end, when the Antichrist reigns, and will be reduced to desolation, handed over to beasts, and will suffer all the things that the prophet now describes. For if God spared not the natural branches on account of unbelief, perhaps He broke them off, and set rivers in the desert, and fountains in the thirsty land, turning fruitful land into salt, because of the wickedness of its inhabitants; why did He not on the contrary do the same to those concerning whom He had said: He turned the desert into pools of water, and the dry land into fountains of water, and made the hungry dwell there; and the rest, and those whom He had grafted from the wild olive tree into the good olive tree, if they, being forgetful of the benefit, have departed from their Creator and worshipped Assyria, may He overturn and lead them back to the same thirst in which they were before? Although it can generally be understood in the coming of the Antichrist, or in the end of the world: nevertheless, it can be understood daily in those who pretend to be of the Church of God, and deny it by their works, and are hearers of the law, and not doers, who vainly boast of being beautiful, while they dwell in them, namely, a multitude of vices, and brute animals serving the body, and all the beasts of the earth, which devour their hearts, and chameleons which do not have one color; but are changed by various sins, now by greed, now by luxury, now by cruelty, now by lust, now by sadness, now by joy, in moments. And in their mangers there will be hedgehogs, a spiky and thorny animal, and it will wound whatever it touches. And the animals will lie in their burrows, that is, in their hearts, and unclean birds will be in their gates, either in their mouths or in their ears, so that they may always speak or hear evil. After this it is brought forth and said: therefore the Church will suffer or has already suffered these things, because it has lifted itself up in pride and has raised its peak like a cedar, given over to wicked deeds, and yet promising itself future happiness, despising others in its heart, thinking that there is no one besides itself, and saying: I am, and there is no other besides me: so how has the pasture of the beasts become a wilderness? For where the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit formerly dwelt, and the angels presided over their ministries, then the beasts will dwell, of whom the prophet also laments, saying: Do not deliver the soul confessing to you to the beasts (Ps. LXXIII, 19). Everyone who passes through it will hiss and move their hands. But if we understand this about the angels, we will interpret it thus: when the angels pass through it, and do not remain in it as they used to do before, they will be amazed and astonished: and they will not support it, and they will not sustain it as it falls with their hand, but they will lift up their hands and pass through it. Certainly, when they raise their hands with a hiss, and they will crackle like mourners in the manner of lamenting. But if we want to understand this about the devil and his angels, who also devastated the vineyard that had been transferred from Egypt: we will say that, by the soul from which Christ has departed, which was previously the temple of God and has ceased to be, the serpent passes through it and hisses, and vomits the poison of malice; and not only does it do this, but it also moves its works, which are figuratively called hands. So that you do not think that we have named it ‘snake’ just for the sake of it, understand violently, as it were, the hands of the snake in the work. Take the testimony of Solomon: Death and life are in the hands of the tongue (Prov. XVIII, 21). We have said these things, serving as best we could the allegorical interpretation. But if someone finds something more plausible and reasonable than what we have discussed, let the authority of that reader prevail.

The prophet, having declared the judgments which were ready to fall on his people, earnestly exhorts them to repentance, that these judgments may be averted, Zep 2:1-3. He then foretells the fate of other neighboring and hostile nations: the Philistines, Zep 2:4-7; Moabites and Ammonites, Zep 2:8-11; Ethiopians, Zep 2:12; and Assyrians, Zep 2:13. In the close of the chapter we have a prophecy against Nineveh. These predictions were accomplished chiefly by the conquests of Nebuchadnezzar.

He will - destroy Assyria - He will overthrow the empire, and Nineveh, their metropolitan city. See on Jonah and Nahum.

EXHORTATION TO REPENT BEFORE THE CHALDEAN INVADERS COME. DOOM OF JUDAH'S FOES, THE PHILISTINES, MOAB, AMMON, WITH THEIR IDOLS, AND ETHIOPIA AND ASSYRIA. (Zep 2:1-15) 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 Ch2 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.

Here he passes suddenly to the north. Nineveh was destroyed by Cyaxares and Nabopolassar, 625 B.C. The Scythian hordes, by an inroad into Media and thence in the southwest of Asia (thought by many to be the forces described by Zephaniah, as the invaders of Judea, rather than the Chaldeans), for a while interrupted Cyaxares' operations; but he finally succeeded. Arbaces and Belesis previously subverted the Assyrian empire under Sardanapalus (that is, Pul?),877 B.C.

Exhortation to Repentance in View of the Judgment - Zephaniah 2:1-3:8 Zephaniah, having in the previous chapter predicted the judgment upon the whole world, and Judah especially, as being close at hand, now summons his people to repent, and more especially exhorts the righteous to seek the Lord and strive after righteousness and humility, that they may be hidden in the day of the Lord (Zep 2:1-3). The reason which he gives for this admonition to repentance is twofold: viz., (1) that the Philistians, Moabites, and Ammonites will be cut off, and Israel will take possession of their inheritances (Zep 2:4-10), that all the gods of the earth will be overthrown, and all the islands brought to worship the Lord, since He will smite the Cushites, and destroy proud Asshur and Nineveh (Zep 2:11-15); and (2) that even blood-stained Jerusalem, with its corrupt princes, judges, and prophets, will endure severe punishment. Accordingly, the call to repentance is not simply strengthened by the renewed threat of judgment upon the heathen and the ungodly in Judah, but is rather accounted for by the introduction of the thought, that by means of the judgment the heathen nations are to be brought to acknowledge the name of the Lord, and the rescued remnant of Israel to be prepared for the reception of the promised salvation.