| 1. Woe to her who is filthy and polluted-the dove-like city. |
|
א. |
| Woe to her who is filthy and polluted: Until now, Zephaniah was speaking of Ninveh, but now he refers to Jerusalem: Woe to her who is destined to be plundered and sullied like dung. It will be polluted with the filth of its iniquity. |
|
: |
| filthy: as in (Lev. 1:16) “its crop” ; and (Nahum 3:6) “And I will make you like dung.” |
|
: |
| the dove like city: Like a silly dove, without a heart. |
|
: |
|
| 2. She did not obey, she did not accept reproof. She did not trust in the Lord. She did not draw near to her God. |
|
ב. |
| 3. Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges, wolves of the evening. They did not leave over the bones for morning. |
|
ג. |
| wolves of the evening: who hasten to devour their prey at night. |
|
: |
| They did not leave over the bones for morning: They did not leave over even the bones to gnaw in the morning. |
|
: |
|
| 4. Her prophets are unstable, treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary; they have removed the Torah. |
|
ד. |
| they removed the Torah: They did not teach it to those who inquired of them. |
|
: |
|
| 5. The Lord is just in her midst; He commits no injustice. Every morning He brings His judgment to light. It does not fail. But the one who commits injustice knows no shame. |
|
ה. |
| The Lord is just: He caused His Shechinah to rest in their midst; therefore, He cannot look upon their evil deeds. He is just, and there is no injustice before Him. |
|
: |
| He brings His judgment to light: He judges a true judgment to its absolute truth. |
|
: |
| But the one who commits injustice knows no shame: But the unjust judges do not take it to heart, to be ashamed because of the Righteous One Who dwells among them. |
|
: |
|
| 6. I have cut off nations; their towers have become desolate. I have destroyed their streets so that no one passes by. Their cities have become waste so that there is no man-so that there is no inhabitant. |
|
ו. |
| I have cut off nations: I brought retribution upon the nations so that you should see and fear as He concludes, “I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me.’” |
|
: |
|
| 7. I said, "Surely you will fear Me, you will accept reproof, and her dwelling shall not be cut off, all that I ordained upon her." But they arose early and corrupted all their deeds. |
|
ז. |
| I said, “Surely you will fear Me… and her dwelling shall not be cut off”: Her dwellings shall not be destroyed. |
|
: |
| all that I ordained upon her: And all the good that I ordained to bring upon her shall not be cut off from her. |
|
: |
|
| 8. Therefore, wait for Me, says the Lord, for the day that I will rise up to meet [with you]. For it is My judgment to assemble nations, to gather kingdoms, to pour out My fury upon them; yea, all the kindling of My wrath, for with the fire of My jealousy all the earth shall be consumed. |
|
ח. |
| That I will rise up to meet: When I will rise to meet with you. |
|
: |
|
| 9. For then I will convert the peoples to a pure language that all of them call in the name of the Lord, to worship Him of one accord. |
|
ט. |
| 10. From the other side of the rivers of Cush, My supplicants, the community of My scattered ones-they shall bring Me an offering. |
|
י. |
| From the other side of the rivers of Cush: They will bring Me an offering. |
|
: |
| My supplicants: those who pray to me. |
|
: |
| the community of My scattered ones: The gatherings of My scattered ones, whom I scattered. |
|
: |
|
| 11. On that day you shall not be ashamed of all your deeds [with] which you rebelled against Me, for then I will remove from your midst those who rejoice in your pride, and you shall no longer continue to be haughty on My holy mount. |
|
יא. |
| you shall not be ashamed of all your deeds: Because you have already suffered, and your iniquity has been expiated. |
|
: |
|
| 12. And I will leave over in your midst a humble and poor people, and they shall take shelter in the name of the Lord. |
|
יב. |
| a humble and poor people: A humble people that submits to humiliation. |
|
: |
|
| 13. The remnant of Israel shall neither commit injustice nor speak lies; neither shall deceitful speech be found in their mouth, for they shall graze and lie down, with no one to cause them to shudder. |
|
יג. |
| 14. Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Rejoice and jubilate wholeheartedly, O daughter of Jerusalem! |
|
יד. |
| 15. The Lord has removed your afflictions; He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst-you shall no longer fear evil. |
|
טו. |
| your afflictions: justice in French. |
|
: |
|
| 16. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, "Have no fear! O Zion, let your hands not be slack. |
|
טז. |
| 17. The Lord your God is in your midst-a Mighty One Who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will be silent in His love. He will jubilate over you with song." |
|
יז. |
| A Mighty One will save: He is a Mighty One, Who will save [Israel] from the enemy. |
|
: |
| He will be silent in His love: He will conceal your transgressions with His love. So did Jonathan render: He will cover your sins with His love. |
|
: |
|
| 18. Those who are removed from the appointed season I have destroyed. They were of you-it was a burden of shame upon her. |
|
יח. |
| Those who are removed from the appointed season: I destroyed those removed from My appointed seasons, those who did not keep the Sabbaths and the festivals. |
|
: |
| I have destroyed: lit., I gathered in. |
|
: |
| they were of you: They were of your people. |
|
: |
| it was a burden of shame upon her: That guilt was a burden of shame to you. |
|
: |
| Those who are removed: an expression of taking out, as in (Prov. 25:4) “Take away the dross from the silver”; and (II Sam. 20:13) “When he was removed from the highway.” The only radical letter is the “gimel.” |
|
: |
|
| 19. Behold, I wreak destruction upon all those who afflict you at that time. And I will save the one who limps, and I will gather the stray one, and I will make them a praise and a name throughout all the land where they suffered shame. |
|
יט. |
| Behold, I wreak destruction: Jonathan rendered: Behold I wreak destruction. It may also be interpreted as an expression of crushing, as in (Mal. 3:21): “And you shall crush the wicked.” |
|
: |
| throughout all the land where they suffered shame: Every place where they were for their shame, there I will make them to be a praise and a name. |
|
: |
|
| 20. At that time I will bring them, and at [that] time I will gather you, for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your captivities before your eyes, said the Lord. |