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Zep 3:1-20.

RESUMPTION OF THE DENUNCIATION OF JERUSALEM, AS BEING UNREFORMED BY THE PUNISHMENT OF OTHER NATIONS: AFTER HER CHASTISEMENT JEHOVAH WILL INTERPOSE FOR HER AGAINST HER FOES; HIS WORSHIP SHALL FLOURISH IN ALL LANDS, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM, WHERE HE SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF HIS PEOPLE, AND SHALL MAKE THEM A PRAISE IN ALL THE EARTH.

1. filthy--MAURER translates from a different root, "rebellious," "contumacious." But the following term, "polluted," refers rather to her inward moral filth, in spite of her outward ceremonial purity [CALVIN]. GROTIUS says, the Hebrew is used of women who have prostituted their virtue. There is in the Hebrew Moreah; a play on the name Moriah, the hill on which the temple was built; implying the glaring contrast between their filthiness and the holiness of the worship on Moriah in which they professed to have a share.

oppressing--namely, the poor, weak, widows, orphans and strangers

(Jer 22:3).

2. received not correction--Jerusalem is incurable, obstinately rejecting salutary admonition, and refusing to be reformed by "correction"

(Jer 5:3).

trusted not in . . . Lord--Distrust in the Lord as if He were insufficient, is the parent of all superstitions and wickednesses [CALVIN].

drew not near to her God--Though God was specially near to her

(De 4:7)

as "her God," yet she drew not near to Him, but gratuitously estranged herself from Him.

3. roaring--for prey

(Pr 28:15; Eze 22:27; Am 3:4; Mic 2:2).

evening wolves--which are most ravenous at evening after being foodless all day

(Jer 5:6; Hab 1:8).

they gnaw not the bones till the morrow--rather, "they put not off till to-morrow to gnaw the bones"; but devour all at once, bones and flesh, so ragingly ravenous are they [CALVIN].

4. light--in whose life and teaching there is no truth, gravity, or steadiness.

treacherous--false to Jehovah, whose prophets they profess to be

(Jer 23:32; Eze 22:28).

polluted . . . sanctuary--by their profane deeds.

5-7. The Jews regard not God's justice manifested in the midst of them, nor His judgments on the guilty nations around.

The just Lord--Why then are ye so unjust?

is in the midst thereof--He retorts on them their own boast, "Is not the Lord among us"

(Mic 3:11)?

True He is, but it is for another end from what ye think [CALVIN]; namely, to lead you by the example of His righteousness to be righteous.

Le 19:2,

"Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy" [MAURER]. But CALVIN, "That ye may feel His hand to be the nearer for taking vengeance for your crimes: 'He will not do iniquity' by suffering your sins to go unpunished"

(De 32:4).

every morning--literally, "morning by morning." The time in the sultry East for dispensing justice.

bring . . . to light--publicly and manifestly by the teaching of His prophets, which aggravates their guilt; also by samples of His judgments on the guilty.

he faileth not--He is continually setting before you samples of His justice, sparing no pains. Compare

Isa 5:4; 50:4,

"he wakeneth morning by morning."

knoweth no shame--The unjust Jews are not shamed by His justice into repentance.

6. I had hoped that My people by My judgments on other nations would be led to amendment; but they are not, so blinded by sin are they.

towers--literally, "angles" or "corners"; hence the towers built at the angles of their city walls. Under Josiah's long and peaceful reign the Jews were undisturbed, while the great incursion of Scythians into Western Asia took place. The judgment on the ten tribes in a former reign also is here alluded to.

7. I said, Surely, &c.--God speaks after the manner of men in condescension to man's infirmity; not as though God was ignorant of the future contingency, but in their sense, Surely one might have expected ye would under such circumstances repent: but no!

thou--at least, O Jerusalem! Compare "thou, even thou, at least in this thy day"

(Lu 19:42).

their dwelling--the sanctuary [BUXTORF]. Or, the city. Compare Jesus' words

(Lu 13:35),

"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate"

(Le 26:31, 32; Ps 69:25);

and used as to the temple

(Mic 3:12).

"Their" is used instead of "thy"; this change of person implies that God puts them to a greater distance.

howsoever I punished them--Howsoever I might have punished them, I would not have cut off their dwelling. CALVIN, "Howsoever I had marked them out for punishment" because of their provocations, still, if even then they had repented, taught by My corrections, I was ready to have pardoned them. MAURER, "Altogether in accordance with what I had long ago decreed (ordained) concerning you"

(De 28:1-14,

and, on the other hand,

De 28:15-68; 27:15-26).

English Version, or CALVIN'S view, is better.

rose early, and corrupted, &c.--Early morning is in the East the best time for transacting serious business, before the relaxing heat of midday comes on. Thus it means, With the greatest earnestness they set themselves to "corrupt all their doings"

(Ge 6:12; Isa 5:11; Jer 11:7; 25:3).

8. wait ye upon me--Here Jehovah turns to the pious Jews. Amidst all these judgments on the Jewish nation, look forward to the glorious time of restoration to be ushered in by God's precious outpouring of wrath on all nations,

Isa 30:18-33;

where the same phrase, "blessed are all they that wait for Him," is used as to the same great event. CALVIN erroneously makes this verse an address to the ungodly; and so MAURER, "Ye shall not have to wait for Me in vain"; I will presently come armed with indignation: I will no longer contend with you by My prophets.

until the day--that is, waiting for the day

(Hab 2:3).

rise up to the prey--like a savage beast rising from his lair, greedy for the prey (compare

Mt 24:28).

Or rather, as a warrior leading Israel to certain victory, which is expressed by "the prey," or booty, which is the reward of victory. The Septuagint and Syriac versions read the Hebrew, "I rise up as a witness" (compare

Job 16:8; Mal 3:5).

Jehovah being in this view witness, accuser, and judge. English Version is better (compare

Isa 33:23).

gather the nations--against Jerusalem

(Zec 14:2),

to pour out His indignation upon them there

(Joe 3:2; Zec 12:2, 3).