Zephaniah 2:11
"The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

The Lord will be terrible unto them,.... To the Moabites and Ammonites in the execution of his judgments upon them, and make their proud hearts tremble; for with him is terrible majesty; he is terrible to the kings of the earth, and cuts off the spirit of princes, Job 37:22 or, as Kimchi observes, this may be understood of the people of God reproached by the Moabites and Ammonites, by whom the Lord is to be feared and reverenced with a godly and filial fear: so it may be rendered, "the Lord is to be feared by them" (e); and to this inclines the Targum, "the fear of the Lord is to redeem them;'' for he will famish all the gods of the earth;

particularly of those countries mentioned in the context, the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Ethiopians, and Assyrians; as Dagon, Chemosh, Molech, Bel, and others; called "gods of the earth", in distinction from the God of heaven, to whom they are opposed; and because made of earthly matter, and worshipped by earthly and carnal men; these the Lord, who is above them, and can destroy them at pleasure, threatens to "famish"; or to bring "leanness" (f) upon them, as the word signifies; to bring them into a consumption, and cause them to pine away gradually, by little and little, till they are no more; and that by reducing the number of their worshippers, so that they shall not have the worship and honour paid them, nor the sacrifices offered to them, supposed by the heathens to be the food of their gods; and, this being the case, their priests would be starved and become lean, who used to be fat and plump. The Septuagint version renders it, "he will destroy all the gods of the nations of the earth"; which is approved of by Noldius, and preferred by him to other versions. This had its accomplishment in part, when these nations were subdued by Nebuchadnezzar; for idols were usually demolished when a kingdom was taken; and more fully when the Gospel was spread in the Gentile world by the apostles of Christ, and first ministers of the word; whereby the oracles of the heathens were struck dumb, and men were turned everywhere from the worship of idols; the idols themselves were destroyed, and their temples demolished, or converted to better uses; and will have a still greater accomplishment in the latter day, at the conversion of the Jews, and the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles, when the worship of idols will cease everywhere. The Syriac version renders it, "all the kings of the earth"; very wrongly: and men shall worship him, everyone from his place; or, "in his place" (g); that is, every man shall worship the true God in the place where he is; he shall not go up to Jerusalem to worship, but in every place lift up holy bands to God, pray unto him, praise and serve him; the worship of God will be universal; he will be King over all the earth, and his name and service one, and shall not be limited and confined to any particular place, Mal 1:11 , even all the isles of the heathen; or "Gentiles"; not only those places which are properly isles, as ours of Great Britain and Ireland; though there may be a particular respect had to such, and especially to ours, who have been very early and long favoured with the Gospel, and yet will be; but all places beyond the seas, or which the Jews went to by sea, they called isles. (e) "timendus Jehovah super ipsis", Cocceius, Burkius. (f) "emaciabit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "quasi macie consumit", Vatablus; "quum emaciaverit", Cocceius; "quia emaciavit", Burkius. (g)

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (15 words)

H3372 יָרֵא
Definition:

A primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. To frighten -- affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness A primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. To frighten -- affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness

Possible Meanings:
  • shoot (semantic_range)
  • pour (semantic_range)
  • shoot with arrows (semantic_range)
  • and they shot at (semantic_range)
  • the shooters (semantic_range)
H3068 יְהוָֹה
Definition:

7;Leviticus 24:11יהוהwas regarded as anomen ineffabile(see Philode Vita Mosis iii. 519, 529), called by the Jewsהַשֵּׁםand by the Samaritansשׁימא. The pronunciationJehovahwas unknown until 1520, when 7;Leviticus 24:11יהוהwas regarded as anomen ineffabile(see Philode Vita Mosis iii. 519, 529), called by the Jewsהַשֵּׁםand by the Samaritansשׁימא. The pronunciationJehovahwas unknown until 1520, when

Possible Meanings:
  • Yahweh (semantic_range)
  • the one bringing into being (semantic_range)
  • life-giver (semantic_range)
H5921 עַל
Definition:

“The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the

Possible Meanings:
  • upon (semantic_range)
  • on account of (semantic_range)
  • to (semantic_range)
H3588 כִּי
Definition:

Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic, Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic,

Possible Meanings:
  • for (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
H7329 רָזָה
Definition:

11object false gods, apparentlymake lean(ᵑ9attenuavit;ᵐ5isἐξολεθρύσει), but sense strange, <רִזָּה(see Arabic above), yet even this very doubtful.Niph`albe made lean, Imperfect3masculine singularמִשְׁ 11object false gods, apparentlymake lean(ᵑ9attenuavit;ᵐ5isἐξολεθρύσει), but sense strange, <רִזָּה(see Arabic above), yet even this very doubtful.Niph`albe made lean, Imperfect3masculine singularמִשְׁ

H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H3605 כֹּל
Definition:

8 Kt.),noun masculinethe whole, all(Moabite, Phoenician,id.; Aramaicכּוֺל,; Arabic; Sabeanכל, compare DHMEpigr. Denk. 36-38; EthiopicAssyriankullatu) — absoluteכֹּל, constructכֹּלGenesis 2:5,16,20 #NA 8 Kt.),noun masculinethe whole, all(Moabite, Phoenician,id.; Aramaicכּוֺל,; Arabic; Sabeanכל, compare DHMEpigr. Denk. 36-38; EthiopicAssyriankullatu) — absoluteכֹּל, constructכֹּלGenesis 2:5,16,20 #NA

H0430 אֱלהִים
Definition:

33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power 33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

Possible Meanings:
  • divine ones (semantic_range)
  • angels (semantic_range)
  • gods (semantic_range)
H0776 אֶרֶץ
Definition:

11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,) 11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,)

H7812 שָׁחָה
Definition:

23bow down.Hiph`ilImperfect3masculine singular suffixיַשְׁחֶ֑נָּהProverbs 12:25, figurative, anxietydepresses it(that isלֵב; opposed toשִׂמֵּחַ).Hithpa`lel170(Ges§ 75kk)Perfect3masculine singularהִשְׁ 23bow down.Hiph`ilImperfect3masculine singular suffixיַשְׁחֶ֑נָּהProverbs 12:25, figurative, anxietydepresses it(that isלֵב; opposed toשִׂמֵּחַ).Hithpa`lel170(Ges§ 75kk)Perfect3masculine singularהִשְׁ

Possible Meanings:
  • prostrate oneself (semantic_range)
H0376 אִישׁ
Definition:

23+; constructGenesis 25:27+; suffixאִישִׁיGenesis 29:32+, etc.; pluralאִישִׁיםPsalm 141:42t. (Phoenicianאשם); usuallyאֲנָשִׁיםGenesis 12:20+, from √אנשׁq. v.; constructאַנְשֵׁיJudges 6:27+; suffixאֲנ 23+; constructGenesis 25:27+; suffixאִישִׁיGenesis 29:32+, etc.; pluralאִישִׁיםPsalm 141:42t. (Phoenicianאשם); usuallyאֲנָשִׁיםGenesis 12:20+, from √אנשׁq. v.; constructאַנְשֵׁיJudges 6:27+; suffixאֲנ

Possible Meanings:
  • man (semantic_range)
H4725 מָקוֹם
Definition:

Places Chosen by God• From Creation onward, God orders space. “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered into one place” (Genesis 1:9).• After the flood, mountains of Ararat become a place of rest Places Chosen by God• From Creation onward, God orders space. “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered into one place” (Genesis 1:9).• After the flood, mountains of Ararat become a place of rest

Possible Meanings:
  • standing-place (semantic_range)
  • standing-place (semantic_range)
  • station (semantic_range)
  • post (semantic_range)
H3605 כֹּל
Definition:

8 Kt.),noun masculinethe whole, all(Moabite, Phoenician,id.; Aramaicכּוֺל,; Arabic; Sabeanכל, compare DHMEpigr. Denk. 36-38; EthiopicAssyriankullatu) — absoluteכֹּל, constructכֹּלGenesis 2:5,16,20 #NA 8 Kt.),noun masculinethe whole, all(Moabite, Phoenician,id.; Aramaicכּוֺל,; Arabic; Sabeanכל, compare DHMEpigr. Denk. 36-38; EthiopicAssyriankullatu) — absoluteכֹּל, constructכֹּלGenesis 2:5,16,20 #NA

H0339 אִי
Definition:

5(feminineIsaiah 23:2) coast, region339(contracted fromאֱוִיso Ol§ 152 b; place whither one betakes oneself for resting, etc., originally from mariner's standpoint) —אִיabsoluteIsaiah 20:6+; construct 5(feminineIsaiah 23:2) coast, region339(contracted fromאֱוִיso Ol§ 152 b; place whither one betakes oneself for resting, etc., originally from mariner's standpoint) —אִיabsoluteIsaiah 20:6+; construct

Possible Meanings:
  • not (semantic_range)
H1471 גּוֹי
Definition:

2nation, people(Late Hebrewid. Gentiles, Phoenicianגוcommunity,, Sabeanגוid., DHMZMG 1883, 348) —׳גGenesis 12:2121t.; suffix 1 singularגּוֺיִZephaniah 2:9,גּוֺיֶ֑ךָPsalm 106:5,גּוֺיֵךְKtEzekiel 36:13, 2nation, people(Late Hebrewid. Gentiles, Phoenicianגוcommunity,, Sabeanגוid., DHMZMG 1883, 348) —׳גGenesis 12:2121t.; suffix 1 singularגּוֺיִZephaniah 2:9,גּוֺיֶ֑ךָPsalm 106:5,גּוֺיֵךְKtEzekiel 36:13,

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