Zephaniah 3:8

Zephaniah 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Therefore wait for me," declares the Lord, "for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Therefore wait for Me,” says the Lord, “Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the nations To My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured With the fire of My jealousy.

Context of Zephaniah 3:8

6“I [the Lord] have cut off and destroyed nations [as a warning to Judah]; Their corner towers (battlements) are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate So that no one passes by; Their cities are destroyed So that there is no man, there is no inhabitant. 7I said, ‘Most certainly you will [reverently] fear Me; Accept correction.’ So Jerusalem’s dwelling will not be cut off In accordance with all that I have appointed concerning her [punishment], But they were eager [even rising early] to make all their deeds corrupt. “Therefore [you of the godly remnant of Judah, patiently] wait for Me,” declares the Lord, “[Wait] for the day when I rise up as a witness [against the nations]. For it is My decision and My right to gather the nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All [the heat of] My burning anger; For [in that day] all the earth shall be consumed By the fire of My zeal. 9Then I will give to the peoples [clear and pure speech from] purified lips [which reflect their purified hearts], That all of them may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder (united). 10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, [the descendants of] My dispersed ones, Will bring My offerings.

Zephaniah 3:8 word by word

לָכֵ֤ן חַכּוּ־לִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה לְי֖וֹם קוּמִ֣י לְעַ֑ד כִּ֣י מִשְׁפָּטִי֩ לֶאֱסֹ֨ף גּוֹיִ֜ם לְקָבְצִ֣י מַמְלָכ֗וֹת לִשְׁפֹּ֨ךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם זַעְמִי֙ כֹּ֚ל חֲר֣וֹן אַפִּ֔י כִּ֚י בְּאֵ֣שׁ קִנְאָתִ֔י תֵּאָכֵ֖ל כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore waitחָכָהchâkâh · to waitH2442
• ye upon me, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• until the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• that I rise upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• to the preyעַד‛ad · preyH5706
• for my determinationמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
• to gatherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
• the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• that I may assembleקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
• the kingdomsמַמְלָכָהmamlâkâh · kingdomH4467
• to pourשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: pourH8210
• upon them mine indignationזַ֫עַםza‛am · indignationH2195
• all my fierceחָרוֹןchârôn chârôn · burning angerH2740
• angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• for all the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• shall be devouredאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• with the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• of my jealousyקִנְאָהqin'âh · jealousyH7068

Cross-references for Zephaniah 3:8

• Psalms 27:14Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.
• Psalms 37:7Be still before the Lord; wait patiently for Him and entrust yourself to Him; Do not fret (whine, agonize) because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
• Psalms 62:1For God alone my soul waits in silence; From Him comes my salvation.
• Psalms 123:2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, And as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious and favorable toward us.
• Psalms 130:5I wait [patiently] for the Lord, my soul [expectantly] waits, And in His word do I hope.
• Proverbs 20:22Do not say, “I will repay evil”; Wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue and save you.
• Isaiah 30:18Therefore the Lord waits [expectantly] and longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed (happy, fortunate) are all those who long for Him [since He will never fail them].
• Lamentations 3:25The Lord is good to those who wait [confidently] for Him, To those who seek Him [on the authority of God’s word].
• Hosea 12:6Therefore, return [in repentance] to your God, Observe and highly regard kindness and justice, And wait [expectantly] for your God continually.
• Micah 7:7But as for me, I will look expectantly for the Lord and with confidence in Him I will keep watch; I will wait [with confident expectation] for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
• James 5:7So wait patiently, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits [expectantly] for the precious harvest from the land, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains.
• Psalms 12:5“Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
• Psalms 78:65Then the Lord awakened as from sleep, Like a [mighty] warrior who awakens from the sleep of wine [fully conscious of his power].
• Isaiah 42:13The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will stir up His zeal like a man of war; He will shout out, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail [mightily] against His enemies.
• Isaiah 59:16He saw that there was no man, And was amazed that there was no one to intercede [on behalf of truth and right]; Therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His own righteousness sustained Him.
• Ezekiel 38:14“Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On that day when My people Israel live securely, will you not become aware of it [and become active]?

Commentaries on Zephaniah 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Wait ye upon me - Expect the fulfilment of all my promises and threatenings: I am God, and change not. For all the earth - All the land of Judah.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Therefore wait ye upon - (for) Me God so willeth not to punish, but that all should lay hold of His mercy, that He doth not here even name punishment. Judah had slighted His mercies; He was ready to forgive all they had sinned, if they would “now” receive instruction; they in return set themselves to corrupt “all” their doings. They had wholly forsaken Him. “Therefore” - we should have expected, as elsewhere, “Therefore I will visit all your iniquities…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 The preaching of the gospel is predicted, when vengeance would be executed on the Jewish nation. The purifying doctrines of the gospel, or the pure language of the grace of the Lord, would teach men to use the language of humility, repentance, and faith. Purity and piety in common conversation is good. The pure and happy state of the church in the latter days seems intended. The Lord will shut out boasting, and leave men nothing to glory in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8wait for Me: See Habakkuk 2:3. rise to testify: The prophet describes a courtroom scene. God first acts as a witness (see also Jeremiah 29:23; Malachi 3:5) on his own behalf, then serves as judge (see also Job 9:15; Psalm 50:6) to give his fair sentence. The fire of my jealousy refers to the Lord’s rightful anger against sin. It also shows his care for his holy name and his people's well-being (see Isaiah 66:13–16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. 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, Is 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Zephaniah 3:8

• Jealousy
• Nation
• Waiting

In the dictionaries

• Pride
• Zephaniah, Book of

Commentaries on Zephaniah 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings