Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley, [1754-65], at sacred-texts.com
Zephaniah 3:1
zep 3:1
To her - Jerusalem.
Zephaniah 3:2
zep 3:2
The voice - Of God by his mercy and judgments crying aloud.
Zephaniah 3:3
zep 3:3
Her princes - Persons of principal place and authority. Lions - Which hunt for prey, and are ever affrighting or devouring. Wolves - Insatiable and cruel, like wolves of the evening, whetted with hunger. Gnaw not the bones - They leave nothing but the bones to be eaten on the morrow.
Zephaniah 3:4
zep 3:4
Her prophet - So called, false prophets. Light - Unstable and inconstant. Violence to the law - Wresting it by perverse interpretation.
Zephaniah 3:5
zep 3:5
In the midst - Observing all. Not do iniquity - He will judge them righteously. Every morning - Daily he discovers his displeasure against the wicked. Faileth not - Lets no season slip to convince them, by public and visible punishments. The unjust - But the wicked Jews proceed without shame, and without fear.
Zephaniah 3:6
zep 3:6
The nations - Of old, the Canaanites, lastly the ten tribes, and later yet, the Assyrians.
Zephaniah 3:7
zep 3:7
I said - I thought (speaking after the manner of men). Thou - O Jerusalem. Fear me - For the many and great judgments executed upon others. I punished them - In some measure.
Zephaniah 3:8
zep 3:8
Therefore - Since you will not be amended. Wait ye - Attend my resolution. Until - Until I rise up to destroy first, and next to take the spoil. Upon them - The incorrigible Jews. Devoured - Consumed as if burnt up. My jealousy - That jealousy wherewith God is jealous for his own glory.
Zephaniah 3:9
zep 3:9
A pure language - I will give them a pure way of worshipping me, the issue of a pure heart.
Zephaniah 3:10
zep 3:10
My dispersed - The praying remnant of the scattered Jews shall return to their own land, and bring themselves an offering unto the Lord.
Zephaniah 3:11
zep 3:11
Thy doings - Thy sins formerly committed. In thy pride - Proud formalists. No more be haughty - Ye shall no more boast, because of the city, or the temple.
Zephaniah 3:12
zep 3:12
Of thee - In Judea and Jerusalem.
Zephaniah 3:13
zep 3:13
Shall feed - Shall enjoy peace and plenty.
Zephaniah 3:15
zep 3:15
Taken away - Abolished, and put an end to the judgments thy sins brought upon thee. Thine enemy - The Babylonian. Is in the midst - He is returned to redeem and govern thee. Any more - While thy carriage is as becomes my presence with thee, thou shalt neither fear, nor feel the like evils.
Zephaniah 3:18
zep 3:18
Sorrowful - That mourn their distance from the solemn worship of God. Who are of thee - Thy children. Reproach - The taunts of their enemies.
Zephaniah 3:19
zep 3:19
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.
Zephaniah 3:20
zep 3:20
A praise - So the universal church of the first - born will be, in the great day. And then the Israel of God be made a name and a praise to all eternity.