Zephaniah 3:19

Zep 3:19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.

Ver. 19. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee] Heb. Behold me; look not to thyself as unworthy or unlikely to inherit such precious promises; for, "not for your sakes do this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you; but for mine own holy name’s sake," Eze 36:22; Eze 36:32 : your unworthiness shall serve for a foil to set forth the freeness of my love; your unlikeliness the greatness of my power; "my grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is perfected in thy weakness," 2Co 12:9. Again, look not to thine enemies, how many and mighty they are, how witty and wealthy, how active and combined ( loricatus incedit Satan et cataphractus, saith Luther), let thine eyes be upon me, as Jehoshaphat’s were, when he knew not whither else to look, 2Ch 20:12; let thine heart be lift up in my ways, as his was, 2Ch 17:6; behold me, behold me, Isa 65:1. Look not downward on the rushing and roaring streams of miseries and troubles which run so swiftly under thee, for then thou wilt be giddy; but look upward, and steadfastly fasten on my power and promise; believe in the Lord thy God, so shalt thou be established; believe his prophets, so shalt thou prosper, 2Ch 20:20; thine enemies also shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places, Deu 33:29. I will undo them, saith God here; Heb. I will do them ( per antiphrasin); or, I will bruise them and break them in pieces, as R. David rendereth it, by comparing Eze 23:3; Eze 23:21. I will not only repress them, but root them out. Those that offer violence to the Church, like blind Samson, they lay hands upon their pillars, to pluck the house upon their own heads.

And I will save her that halteth] As enemies shall not hinder the Church’s happiness, so neither shall her own infirmities. Grant she be lame and luxated, maimed and disjointed, so that she goeth sidling and halteth downright, Psa 38:17; say she be driven out of her country as an exile, out of all companies, as an outcast (whom no man seeketh after, Jer 30:17), and out of all good conceit of herself, as an abject, vile in her own eyes not fit for the communion of saints or kingdom of heaven; yet I will save her, I will gather her, like as the gathering host in the wilderness {see Jos 6:9} took up the lame, feeble and those that were left behind, see Mic 4:6, {See Trapp on "Mic 4:6"} and Eze 32:16; I will seek that which was lost and reduce that which was driven away.

And I will get them praise and fame in every land, &c.] So that glorious things shall be spoken of thee, O city of God; as thy sin shall be remitted, so thy name shall be healed thy fame spread, per ora hominum volitabis I will fashion men’s opinions of thee, so that those that formerly shamed and shunned thee shall highly esteem thee, and stand for thee.

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.

3:19 God will turn his people’s former shame into glory and fame (see Deut 26:19; Isa 62:7; Mic 4:6-8; cp. 1 Pet 5:4).

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

General Information:

In verses Zep 3:19-20, Yahweh speaks directly to the remnant of Israel who survived the judgment and tells them that they should rejoice.

Behold

This tells the reader to pay special attention to what follows. AT: "Look" or "Pay attention"

I am about to deal with all your oppressors

It is understood that "deal with" means to punish the oppressors. This can be stated explicitly. AT: "I will severely punish all those who oppressed you" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

I will rescue the lame and gather up the outcast

Here the Israelites who suffered in exile are spoken of as if they were lame and outcast sheep. This can be stated as a simile. AT: "I will rescue and bring together the remnant of Israel who are like lame and outcast sheep" (See: Metaphor and Simile)

the lame

This refers to people or animals that cannot walk.

I will make them as praise

The full thought here is, "I will make them to be objects of praise," that is, "I will make them to be praised by others." (See: Simile)

I will change their shame into renown

The abstract nouns "shame" and "renown" can be stated as actions. AT: "I will cause them to no longer be ashamed, but for people to respect them" (See: Abstract Nouns)

At that time I will lead you; at that time I will gather you together

These two lines mean basically the same thing and imply that Yahweh will bring the exiled people back to their homeland. AT: "At that time I will gather you together and lead you home" (See: Parallelism)

translationWords

earth

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

I will deliver the Church, which now is afflicted, as Mic. 4:6.

As among the Assyrians and Chaldeans which did mock them and put them to shame.

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

undo--MAURER translates, "I will deal with," that is, as they deserve. Compare Eze 23:25, where the Hebrew is similarly translated. The destruction of Israel's foes precedes Israel's restoration (Isa 66:15-16).

her that halteth--all that are helpless. Their weakness will be no barrier in the way of My restoring them. So in Psa 35:15, Margin, "halting" is used for adversity. Also Eze 34:16; Mic 4:6-7.

I will get them praise, &c.--literally, "I will make them (to become) a praise and a name," &c.

shame-- (Eze 34:29).

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 19. I will undo all that afflict thee] They who have persecuted you shall be punished for it. It shows much malignity and baseness of mind, to afflict or reproach those who are lying under the chastising hand of God. This was the conduct of the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites, when the Jews were in adversity; and how severely did the Lord punish them for it! And he gave this as the reason for the severity of the punishment.

The first clause here is translated thus by Abp. Newcome: "Behold I will work with thee for thy sake at that time." The original is obscure; and it may bear the above sense.

I will save her that halteth] See Mic 4:6, where there is a parallel place.

And gather her that was driven out] By captivity. The reference may be to renewing the covenant with the Jews, who were considered as an unfaithful spouse divorced by her husband. I will bring her back to my house.

I will get them praise and fame in every land] They shall become a great, a good, and a useful people. And as they are now a proverb of reproach, full of base wiles and degrading selfishness, they shall lose this character, and be totally changed; and they shall be as eminent for excellence, as they were before for baseness, in those countries where they had sojourned.

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

He confirms here what I have referred to in the last verse that God would overcome all obstacles, when his purpose was to restore his people. On this the Prophet, as we have said, dwells, that the Jews might in their exile sustain themselves with the hope of deliverance. As, then, they could not instantly conceive what was so incredible according to the perceptions of the flesh, he testifies that there is sufficient power in God to subdue all enemies.

At that time, he says, he repeats what had been stated before—that his people must wait as long as God pleases to exercise them under the cross; for if their option had been given to the Jews, they would have willingly continued at their ease; and we know how men are wont to exempt themselves from every trouble, fear, and sorrow. As therefore men naturally desire rest and immunity from all evil, the Prophet here exhorts the faithful to patience, and shows, that it cannot be that God will become their deliverer, except they submit to his chastisement; at that time then. It is ever to be observed, that the Prophet condemns that extreme haste which usually takes hold of men when God chastises them. However slowly then and gradually God proceeds in the work of delivering his own, the Prophet shows here, that there was no reason for them to despair, or to be broken down in their spirits.

He then subjoins, that he would save the halting, and restore the driven away. By these words he means, that though the Church would be maimed and torn, there would yet be nothing that could hinder God to restore her: for by the halting and the driven away he understands none other than one so stripped of power as wholly to fail in himself. He therefore compares the Church of God to a person, who, with relaxed limbs, is nearly dead. Hence, when we are useless as to any work, what else is our life but a languor like to death? But the Prophet declares here, that the seasonable time would come when God would relieve his own people: though they were to become prostrate and fallen, though they were to be scattered here and there, like a torn body of man, an arm here and a leg there, every limb separated; yet he declares that nothing could possibly prevent God to gather his Church and restore it to its full vigor and strength. In short, he means that the restoration of the Church would be a kind of resurrection; for the Lord would humble his people until they became almost lifeless, so as not to be able to breathe: but he would at length gather them, and so gather them that they would not only breathe but be replenished with such new vigor as though they had received no loss. I cannot finish the whole today.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(19) I will undo.—Better, I will deal with, as in Eze_23:25. The clauses following are based on Mic_4:6; Deu_26:19.

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

19. I will undo all that afflict thee] As R.V., I will deal with all.

I will save her that halteth] The people are spoken of under the metaphor of a flock, in which are some that are lame, and to which belong some that have been driven away. Hence the use of the fem. gender. Comp. Eze_34:16, “I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back again that which was driven away.” Mic_4:6-7.

I will get them praise] As R.V., I will make them (to be) a praise and a name. Jer_33:9, “and this city shall be to me for a name of joy, for a praise and for a glory before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them.” Cf. Jer_13:11. The precise sense is not clear. In the passages in Jer. the people, being righteous and blessed, are the source of praise and renown to Jehovah, whose people they are. But the meaning might be that the people themselves are the object of praise by the nations; Isa_61:9; Isa_62:7. Both ideas are elsewhere expressed; Jehovah bestows His glory on Israel (Isa_60:2), and this glory is reflected back upon Him, and He is glorified in Israel (Isa_44:23; Isa_49:3; Isa_60:21; Isa_61:3).

In every land … put to shame] A.V. marg., Heb. (every land) of their shame. R.V. renders: whose shame hath been in all the earth. Both renderings are possible, but both are unnatural. R.V. lays an unnatural emphasis upon the pronoun: “I will make them a praise and a name, whose shame,” &c., whereas “them” seems rather to refer back to “her that halteth” and “her that was driven away,” or, to the people generally. On the other hand, the construction assumed by A.V. is ungrammatical, although occasional instances of it appear. The Sept. rightly felt that the natural sense of the passage was: and I will make them a praise and a name in all the earth (Zep_3:20), and so rendered. The Heb. word their shame, still remaining undisposed of in this rendering, the Sept. attached to the next verse: and they shall be ashamed at that time. This is quite unsatisfactory. But the analogy of Zep_3:20, a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, suggests that the expression their shame is not original.

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.

Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee Or, "I will do" F23; their business for them; "slay" them, as the Vulgate Latin version; and make an entire destruction of them, as the Targum; bring them to utter ruin. This must be understood of antichrist, both eastern and western, the Turk and Pope, and all the antichristian states that have afflicted the Jews, or shall attempt to distress them at the time of their conversion; and will be fulfilled at the time of the pouring out of the seven vials of God's wrath upon them, which will issue in the entire undoing and ruin of them, especially the seventh and last of them; which, when poured out, will clear the world of all the enemies of Christ, his church and people; and because this will be a wonderful event, and of great moment and importance, hence the word "behold" is prefixed to it, as exciting attention, as well as a note of admiration and asseveration: "and I will save her that halteth", that has sinned, and is weak in faith, and cannot walk, at least but haltingly; which is like a lame and maimed sheep, of which there is danger of its being left behind and lost; but the Lord here promises he will take care of such, and save them from all their sins, and out of the hands of all their enemies; and bring them through all difficulties and discouragements into his church, and to their own land; they shall none of them be lost, even the meanest and weakest of them, any more than the healthful and strong: and gather her that was driven out; even everyone that was scattered abroad in each of the nations of the world; (See Gill on Micah 4:6) (See Gill on Micah 4:7): and I will get them praise and fame in every land, where they have been put to shame; being converted, they shall be spoke well of everywhere; they shall be praised for their ingenuous acknowledgment of their sins; for their sincere repentance of them; and for their faith in Christ, and for their ready submission to his Gospel and ordinances; and the fame of their conversion shall be spread everywhere; and they shall be in great credit and esteem in all Christian countries, where their name has been used for a taunt and a proverb; and so, "instead of their shame", as R. Moses interprets it, they shall have glory and honour in all places. FOOTNOTES: F23 (hvwe) "agam", Tigurine version; "conficiam", Castalio; "ego conficiens", Calvin; "ego faciens, [vel] facio", Burkius.

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

Behold, at that time I will undo - (Literally, I deal with . While God punisheth not, He seemeth to sit still Isa 18:4, be silent Hab 1:13, asleep Psa 44:23. Then He shall act, He shall “deal” according to their deserts with “all,” evil men or devils, “that afflict thee,” His Church. The prophecy looked for a larger fulfillment than the destruction of Jerusalem, since the Romans who, in God’s Hands, avenged the blood of His saints, themselves were among those who “afflicted her.” “And will save her,” the flock or sheep “that halteth” (see Mic 4:6-7), Dionysius: “imperfect in virtue and with trembling faith,” “and gather,” like a good and tender shepherd, “her that was driven out” (see Isa 40:11); scattered and dispersed through persecutions. All infirmities within shall be healed; all troubles without, removed.

And I will get them praise and fame - (Literally, I will make them a praise and a name) “in every land where they have been put to shame.” . Throughout the whole world have they been “the offscourings of all things” 1Co 4:13; throughout the whole world should their praise be, as it is said, “Thou shalt make them princes in all lands” Psa 45:16. One of themselves saith, “Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of this world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are” 1Co 1:26-28. Rup.: “These He maketh a praise and a name there, where they were without name and dispraised, confounding by them and bringing to nought those wise and strong and mighty, in whose sight they were contemptible.”

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

Cut. Septuagint, "do in thee, for thy sake at," &c. (Haydock) --- Halteth, and have no children, (Micheas iv. 7.) denoting the Gentiles. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "squeezed out," like grapes, being in distress. (St. Jerome) --- Where. Septuagint, "and they shall be ashamed at," &c.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Behold; mark well.

I will undo; I will deal with them, do their work for them, as we say, I will break their power and dissolve their kingdom.

All that afflict thee; Babylonians who afflicted the Jews. and who were undone by Cyrus and his Persians.

I will save her that halteth; who is in great trouble and ready to fall, as Psa 38:16,17; who is under greatest distress, and hath least strength to bear, or get out.

Driven out; by force of the enemy, carried away captives, and scattered into far remote countries.

Get them praise and fame; vindicate them, as a people that are not rejected of their God, as the people of the great God of heaven and earth, as Psa 121:2.

In every land; among all people with whom they dwelt as strangers.

Where they have been put to shame; were scorned and reproached as slaves and abjects, whose God could not, or would not, help them, or had cast them off, and none other would take care of them. But now, gathered together by the Lord, they shall appear to be still his peculiar people and his delight.

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

I will undo all that afflict thee; I will deal with in punishment; (Jer_18:23) Vulgate, "I will slay." The restoration of Israel is preceded by the destruction of the enemies of God and the Church. Septuagint, Poiw en soi eneken sou en tw kairw ekeinw legei Kuriov , "Dominus dicet ad Sion, Ecce, ego faciam in te propter te, id est, faciam ultionem tuam" (St. Jerome). Her that halteth. (Mic_4:6) The afflicted of Israel, here compared to a lame and footsore flock of sheep. Septuagint, thnhn , "pressed," like grapes or olives, to extract the juice. Her that was driven out. The exiled and dispersed. I will get them praise and fame; I will make them to be a praise and a name. This is in accordance with the promise in Deu_26:19. In every land where they have been put to shame; literally, in every land of their shame. The scene of their shame should be the scene of their glorification. The prophet does not consider that the restored theocracy shall be confined to the geographical limits of the Holy Land; he looks to its dissemination throughout the world. Wide as the dispersion itself shall be the diffusion of the knowledge of Goal and the admiration of his doings towards Israel. (comp. Zep_2:11 Zep_3:9 Eze_20:41 Eze_28:25 Zec_8:23)

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

Undo - I will break their power and dissolve their kingdom. That halteth - Who is in trouble and ready to fall. Driven out - Into remote countries.

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

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.

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.