Zephaniah 2:7

Zep 2:7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.

Ver. 7. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah] Who had not only their own country kept empty for them all the seventy years of captivity, and not any displaced to make room at their return {See Trapp on "Zec 7:14"} but liberty to make use of the Philistines’ country; which was also further subdued by the Maccabees, but especially by the apostles, who preached the gospel, and planted Churches in those parts, as we read in the Acts, Act 8:26; Act 8:40; Act 9:32; Act 9:35-36.

They shall feed thereupon] They shall go in and out, and find pasture, under the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls, who shall feed them daily and daintily among the lilies, by the powerful preaching of the gospel among them, Joh 10:9 1Pe 2:25.

In the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening] Ubi temporis circumstantia securitatem notat, saith Gualther, The circumstance of time noteth their spiritual security; evenings are often dark and dangerous. They shall lie down as cattle do, that take no care; they know whom they have trusted, and are fearless.

For the Lord their God shall visit them] Visit and redeem his people, raising up a horn of salvation for them, Luk 1:68-69. His visits are not empty visits; Psa 8:5; his favours are not like the winter sun, that lighteth, but heateth not.

And turn away their captivity] To their inexpressible comfort, Psa 126:1, but especially when Christ, ascending up on high, leadeth captivity captive, Col 2:14-15 Eph 4:8.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:7 The Baal worshipers (1:4) and the Philistines would never be restored (2:4-6; see also Amos 1:8). By contrast, God promised to return the remnant of his people to their land, care for them, and restore them to prosperity (Zeph 3:18-20; Isa 11:11-16; Jer 23:1-8; Ezek 34:11-16, 20-31).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He showeth why God would destroy their enemies, because their country might be a resting place for his Church.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

remnant of . . . Judah--those of the Jews who shall be left after the coming calamity, and who shall return from exile.

feed thereupon--namely, in the pastures of that seacoast region (Zep 2:6).

visit--in mercy (Exo 4:31).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 7. The coast shall be for the remnant] Several devastations fell on the Philistines. Gaza was ruined by the army of Alexander the Great, and the Maccabees finally accomplished all that was predicted by the prophets against this invariably wicked people. They lost their polity, and were at last obliged to receive circumcision.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(7) Visit them.—For their relief, not their punishment. This is plain from the context; but such a use of the verb is rare.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. The promise of the surrounding countries to Israel as its possession is more common in later writings; Oba_1:19 ff.; Zec_9:7; but comp. already Amo_9:12; Isa_11:14; Jer_49:2.

turn away their captivity] R.V. bring again their captivity. The sense of the expression is not quite certain. Others render: restore their prosperity (Job_42:10), or, turn their fortunes, Hos_6:11; Amo_9:14. The phrase does not imply that the Exile had taken place.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah The same tract of land become so desolate through the Chaldeans, should in future time, when those that remained of the Jews were returned from their captivity in Babylon, be inhabited by them. This was fulfilled in the times of the Maccabees, when the cities of Palestine, being rebuilt, were subdued by the Jews, and fell into their hands; and it is plain that in the times of the apostles those places were inhabited by the Jews, as Gaza, Ashdod, and others, ( Acts 8:26 Acts 8:40 ) and perhaps will, have a further accomplishment in the latter day, when they shall be converted and return to their own land: they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; either the shepherds shall feed their flocks here, and cause them to lie down in the evening on the very spot of ground where the houses of Ashkelon stood. This place is very properly represented as on the sea coast; for so it was; Philo F19 says, who some time dwelt there, that it was a city of Syria by the sea: or rather the remnant of Israel shall feed and dwell here, and lie down in safety; and this was made good in a spiritual sense, when the apostles of Christ preached the Gospel in those parts, and were the instruments of converting many; and there they fed them with the word and ordinances, and caused them to lie down in green pastures, in great ease and security: for the Lord their God shall visit them: in a way of grace and mercy, bringing them out of Babylon into their own land, and enlarging their borders there; and especially by raising up Christ, the horn of salvation, for them; and by sending his Gospel to them, and making it effectual to their conversion and salvation: and turn away their captivity; in a literal sense from Babylon; and in a spiritual sense from sin, Satan, and the law; and may have a further respect to their present captivity in both senses. FOOTNOTES: F19 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 8. p. 398.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And the coast shall be - Or probably, “It shall be a portion for the remnant of the house of Judah.” He uses the word, employed in the first assignment of the land to Israel ; and of the whole people as belonging to God, “Jacob is the ‘lot’ of His inheritance” Deu 32:9. “The tract of the sea,” which, with the rest, was assigned to Israel, which, for its unfaithfulness, was seldom, even in part, possessed, and at this time, was wholly forfeited, should be a portion for the mere “remnant” which should be brought back. David used the word in his psalm of thanksgiving, when he had brought the ark to the city of David, how God had “confirmed the covenant to Israel, saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance” 1Ch 16:18; Psa 105:11; and Asaph, “He cast out the he athen before them and divided to them an inheritance by line” Psa 78:55. It is the reversal of the doom threatened by Micah, “Thou shalt have none, that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord” Mic 2:5. The word is revived by Ezekiel in his ideal division of the land to the restored people Eze 47:13. “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance” Rom 11:29. The promise, which had slumbered during Israel’s faithlesshess, should be renewed to its old extent. : “There is no prescription against the Church.” The boat threatens to sink; it is tossed, half-submerged, by the waves; but its Lord “rebukes the wind and the sea; wind and sea obey Him, and there is a great calm” Mat 8:26-27.

For the remnant of the house of Juda - Yet, who save He in whose hand are human wills, could now foresee that Judah should, like the ten tribes, rebel, be carried captive, and yet, though like and worse than Israel in its sin Jer 3:8-11; Eze 16:48-52; Eze 23:11, should, unlike Israel, be restored? The re-building of Jerusalem was, their enemies pleaded, contrary to sound policy Ezr 4:12-16 : the plea was for the time accepted, for the rebellions of Jerusalem were recorded in the chronicles of Babylon Ezr 4:19-22. Yet the falling short of the complete restoration depended on their own wills. God turned again their captivity; but they only, “whose spirit God stirred,” willed to return. The temporal restoration was the picture of the spiritual. They who returned had to give up lands and possessions in Babylonia, and a remnant only chose the land of promise at such cost. Babylonia was as attractive as Egypt formerly.

In the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening - One city is named for all. “They shall lie down,” he says, continuing the image from their flocks, as Isaiah, in a like passage, “The first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety” Isa 4:1-6 :30.

The true Judah shall overspread the world; but it too shall only be a remnant; these shall, in safety, “go in and out and find pasture” Joh 10:9. “In the evening” of the world they shall find their rest, for then also in the time of antichrist, the Church shall be but a remnant still. “For the Lord their God shall visit them,” for He is the Good Shepherd, who came to seek the one sheep which was lost and who says of Himself, “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick” Eze 34:16; and who in the end will more completely “turn away their captivity,” bring His banished to their everlasting home, the Paradise from which they have been exiled, and separate forever the sheep from the goats who now oppress and scatter them abroad Ezek. 17–19.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The coast, the sea-coast, the land of the Philistines,

shall be for the remnant, either that escaped, as some did, or else survived the captivity;

of the house of Judah; the two tribes, one named, both included.

They shall feed thereupon; their Rocks.

In the houses of Ashkelon, in places where houses of Ashkelon formerly stood,

shall they lie down in the evening; both shepherds and flocks too.

The Lord, the everlasting Jehovah,

their God, from their fathers by covenant,

shall visit them, in mercy remembering his covenant with them,

and turn away their captivity, or shall send to receive their prisoners or captives; or return their captivity, and by the command of Cyrus give them liberty of returning into their own country.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And the coast shall be for the remnant, etc.; it will be a tract.for the remnant. The district will be the possession of the Jews, who should be restored to their land. (Oba_1:19) Zephaniah virtually predicts the Captivity and the return, and intimates that the destruction of hostile nations is the means of advancing true religion. They shall feed their flocks thereupon. Where the Philistine cities stood shall be the pasture ground of the Israelites" flocks. Ashkelon. One city is mentioned as a type of all. For. This is the reason why they are permitted to triumph thus. Shall visit. In a good sense, to protect and cherish. (Exo_4:31 Rth_1:6 Psa_8:4 Zec_10:3 Luk_1:68) Turn away (reverse) their captivity. Bring them back from their exile to their own land. (comp. Joe_3:1 Mic_4:10) The phrase, however, is often (and possibly here) used metaphorically for the abolishment of misery and the restoration to a happy condition. (comp. Deu 30:3Jo Deu 42:10 Jer_29:14) The full accomplishment of this prophecy concerning the overthrow of Philistia is of a spiritual nature, and must be looked for in the Messianic era, when the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of Christ; and so in the subsequent predictions.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The coast - The sea-coast, the land of the Philistines. The remnant - That survive the captivity. Shall feed - Their flocks. In the houses - In places where these formerly stood. They - Both shepherds and flocks. Shall visit - In mercy.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

remnant

(See Scofield "Jer 15:21").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it shall be a lot for the remnant of the house of Judah And that border shall be a lot for the remnant. This חֶבֶל is an expression of a lot. In this manner, Jonathan rendered: And it shall be a lot for the remnant of the house of Judah.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.