Literal Commentary on Zephaniah

The Literal Commentary on Zephaniah the Prophet The literal commentary on Zephaniah the prophet. It is close in its prophecy to that of Habakkuk and in the time of Josiah, it is said. (Zephaniah) And in that time also Jeremiah was. It is said that Zephaniah prophesied concerning the house of Judah because the ten tribes had been led away in the time of Sennacherib. The first destruction was not a complete destruction, but it came upon those in the land of the kingdoms when it was brought about by the Babylonians also upon those who remained from the sword of the Assyrians. It was brought about by the Chaldeans with the sword of the Assyrians. It was brought about by the Chaldeans. For he calls "ravens" and "partridges" the troops of their house. "Partridges" for those who go up with others and clerics to the hunt of the weak. "Ravens" however for the priests, like the quail which also, when they fly to the yoke, one devours the other. Others say that it is said literally, as when the Chaldeans passed by, the need for cattle and for ravens and partridges was lost. Because there is no one in the beginning who is in need of them, and not even ravens passed by, he says: "And he will destroy with the land this remainder of Baal." That is, he says that he will destroy the idols with their ministers. Concerning the priests of demons he says "Tartak," that secretly they used to sacrifice to demons. "The Lord" — "by his priests" — that is, by the priests of the Lord he calls to the assembly of the people. And "he will summon his priests" — his priests to the Babylonians who will summon with God for this in the manner of summonses that are called to the camp or to the sacrifice. And concerning all who were wearing — that is, foreign garments — he says concerning those who did not permit them with the law to wear.

The likeness of the gate is like a gate. And the mixing and the garments of the peoples who worship idols. It begins from the gate of hunting, that is, from the place where it is said that he was hunting, or to the Babylonians he calls hunting, when they entered through the gate of the city like fierce hunters, they seized the Jews at that time, a great cry occurred there. Alas, alas, they cried out over the calamities that came upon you. He says, "Jerusalem will be stripped," as it was destined to be stripped by the hand of the Babylonians. Because they stood in the gate and in the calamity, all of them were like beasts in their deeds. That day, he says, because God brings forth the work of wrath that was full of reproach against them. They were stripped and bound in their own misery; he considers and says, "They were stripped." Now also, because of the error of your house of God, you will be guided in the fear of God, lest like the blind who pass by, you be taken away with divine wrath. Because he says, wrath is kindled against the peoples around them, because they did evil to the people, and they began with the Philistines, because they were very close to them. "She will be abandoned," he says, because her inhabitants abandoned her and she is desolate by captivity. Woe to those who dwell in the destruction of the sea, and to the people, he says, the Ashdodites with the sons of Crete came in ships and settled in the cities of the Philistines on the seacoast, and he says that the Levites are equal to the inhabitants of this land with the Cretans who settled with them. "The destruction of the sea," he says, is a region of land on the seacoast, as it is measured in measures. In the evening, they go out at night, the Philistines enter and go out in their cities with the fear of enemies.

Again the saying of what is sown among the people to their land of the Philistines, then in the evening they circumcise their children in the houses of the Philistines, because the commandment of their God was that they should do thus when the commandment of God and the work for his people said again concerning the Ammonites and Moabites that they also were destroyed by the Babylonians because they envied the people of God and blasphemed against him, and he incites everyone to his own worship, instead of the wonders he performed among them. Also you, Cushites, and you, the rest of the peoples, are covered by my people. He calls Cushites those who are in the vicinity of Egypt, that is, the Medes. And he raises his hand against the north, that is, he hints at the Assyrians, because at that time their kingdom was uprooted. He calls the Assyrians the northerners who were destroyed by the Babylonians. Where is the sword that envies their shame, and astonishment and gnashing of teeth while marveling at its change. Woe to the city that is known and famous in war and in the deliverance that happened to it from God through the prophet, whom he calls the city because it was delivered by his hand and his preaching from destruction. She did not believe as the prophet preached to her. Her great ones within were boastfully remembering the power that had been with them. And her judges, like fathers, were lightly fulfilling their duties while not being hindered and were separating for the last day. Her prophets were shameless, her fasts and those who served her in the spirit of demons. Her priests hid, he says concerning those who were serving in her to the demons who were ruling to their subjects who went up to Jerusalem and hid the temple within.

In the morning and in the morning, that is, quickly and without delay, with a clear and manifest beginning. And he casts it. Here "morning" denotes swiftness, and "light" denotes clarity. That clarity is that in the days of this prophet the Assyrians perished together with the Babylonians. The Lord of all destroyed that land; he destroyed the nations that were helping the wicked and they were ruined together with the Babylonians. The Jews. He speaks concerning these people. Now, therefore, understand and consider, O world, concerning the judgment now. With these who are the prey of the Assyrians, it is fitting for you, O Israelites, to look to me and to wait for the day of judgment, that in which the Lord establishes the testimony through the prophets, through the destruction of Babylon and the judgment of yours. Because my hand has come to humble the nations that are with the house of Gog and to bring near their kingdoms. My hand calls for a grievous requital that they receive. For it is not that he humbles them, but that he leaves them to be humbled, he hints. Concerning the nations, the tribes. With the multitude of those who are active in the destruction of the house of Gog, amazement will seize all the nations when they move their tribes to the praise of God, and in one assembly they will be subjected to him under the yoke of his lordship. Likewise also that the chosen tribe, as an example of these impure and deceitful tribes, indicates words that are drunken. Thus also that chosen tribe, for the words of praise that are chosen, together with the speech of the rest, he says: "Do not be ashamed in the smallness that it is fitting to be called, lest the thing that I have done before me be hidden from you. Shame with those who now in the valley are active before you, as for the youths of mine, as in Judaism.

not by chance, a brief moment, but a pause, so that not in haste immediately, but freed from shame. He says: "And you shall not add again, nor shall you leave the divine service which was appointed for you on Mount Zion, and you went to the mountains and the heights, to the altars, as he begins against the ten free tribes his word, and he leaves among you that which is pure from all boasting." That which helps because at the time of the Passover the people were still required. The Lord will pass over your knowledge, showing the cause of the people's joy. And he will save from your midst, for the Jews and the enemies, the Babylonians and the Assyrians, he binds. The king of Israel, God, did these things, for he is the bishop and king of the people. Completed is the writing of the Apodictic Gabriel bar [...] for the joy of the brothers. At the time it was difficult, the commentary of Zephaniah the prophet, Zephaniah's deposit, the interpretation of the signs. Zephaniah was in the days of Jeremiah and was taken in the time of Josiah. He prophesied and rebuked and prophesied against the Moabites. Because of the Messiah, the beginning of the sign. The fulfillment of those who believed in the Messiah. He passed over to the people of the Jews who were taken by Nebuchadnezzar and destroyed with the land. To the gods and their worship, to Baal and to Milcom. The Lord prepared sacrifices among the sons of Judah. They called to the Babylonians and the beasts. The sacrifice of the Lord is his crucifixion, as the Father said: "Behold, my beginning is prepared." He commanded concerning the thieves, for on the day of the Lord's sacrifice, a new letter was learned, that not only should one not steal, but that one should hang up what is cut for the thresholds.

and concerning all who wore foreign garments, the Hebrew priests were not wearing foreign garments because of the reason of the gospel, but rather they wore foreign garments as a custom of garments of humility and holiness. The Tyrians, or the Hebrews, what are they among the Tyrians, or the Tyrians who remained and were mingled with them? Their mountains and their valleys. That day when the sign was given concerning the cup that was mixed for all peoples. The goat is the treasure. They took away the key that is destroyed, even that one. The inhabitants of Crete are the cities of Palestine that dwell by the sea. And the inhabitants of Puteoli are called the inhabitants of Crete. For what reason is this? Crete is far from Libya, very much, while the sea lies in the middle. When the wind blows from the roots of Crete, the breezes run and kill the beasts and reptiles, and cast poison into Libya, and from there the ships go out from them and change their dwelling and seek the cities of Puteoli. The destruction of his strength is his boundaries and of Damascus the head of the cities of Puteoli, for life, that is, for blindness and destruction it shall be. And he makes it a ruin for destruction, and owls and crows and vultures dwell in it. Its valleys are the ravines of the ruin. And these are those who were taught to Job. He destroyed Jerusalem, the house of good for evil. To their mountain, to the Messiah. The Lord appeared when he was crucified, and all the islands worshipped him through the apostles. Now, then, finish for me the day of the crucifixion and resurrection. And that witness which turned against the peoples, the chosen language, that all of them were called by the name of the Lord.

and they served in one temple with one new confession, that of the Lord. And the daughter of Zion rejoiced, and Jerusalem gave praise. He calls Jerusalem and Zion the apostles and the faithful. These indicate the revelation of Emmanuel, who appeared in the flesh in Zion. The enemies of Israel were the Assyrians, and the judges of Zion were the Babylonians. They also indicate the mystery of the Church, which was redeemed from the slanderer and the demons who were her judges and oppressed her with idol worship. The man and savior who saved Israel from the house of Gog, and the Church from demons, and brought them to pass. He who spoke evil against the Church, like the accusations of the gatekeepers and the wicked, and did away with all of them while humbling the Edomites and the sons of Lot before Zerubbabel. He subdued Samaria, and he cast far off Jerusalem. He adorned Jerusalem with a lamp, that is, with the perceptible voice, and expelled those evil-doers from the Church. The willing, the evil-doers, and the wicked deeds he expelled with the manifest light of his word. The end of Zephaniah.