Zephaniah 2:2

Zephaniah 2:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.
• New International Version (NIV)before the decree takes effect and that day passes like windblown chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)before the decree takes effect —before the day passes away like chaff— before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Before the decree is issued, Or the day passes like chaff, Before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, Before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!

Context of Zephaniah 2:2

1Gather yourselves together; gather together, undesirable nation, before the decree takes effect and the day passes like chaff, before the burning of the Lord’s anger overtakes you, before the day of the Lord’s anger overtakes you. 3Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who carry out what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be concealed on the day of the Lord’s anger. 4For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon will become a ruin. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be uprooted.

Zephaniah 2:2 word by word

בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ לֶ֣דֶת חֹ֔ק כְּמֹ֖ץ עָ֣בַר י֑וֹם בְּטֶ֣רֶם׀ לֹא־יָב֣וֹא עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם חֲרוֹן֙ אַף־יְהוָ֔ה בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ לֹא־יָב֣וֹא עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם י֖וֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Before the decreeחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
• bring forthיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• passעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• as the chaffמוֹץmôts môts · chaffH4671
• beforeלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• the fierceחָרוֹןchârôn chârôn · burning angerH2740
• angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935

Cross-references for Zephaniah 2:2

• Zephaniah 3:8Therefore, wait for me — this is the Lord’s declaration — until the day I rise up for plunder. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, in order to pour out my indignation on them, all my burning anger; for the whole earth will be consumed by the fire of my jealousy.
• 2 Kings 22:16‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, fulfilling all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read,
• 2 Kings 23:26In spite of all that, the Lord did not turn from the fury of his intense burning anger, which burned against Judah because of all the affronts with which Manasseh had angered him.
• Ezekiel 12:25But I, the Lord, will speak whatever message I will speak, and it will be done. It will no longer be delayed. For in your days, rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”
• Matthew 24:35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
• 2 Peter 3:4saying, “Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised? Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.”
• Job 21:18Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff a storm sweeps away?
• Psalms 1:4The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
• Isaiah 17:13The nations rage like the rumble of a huge torrent. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills and like tumbleweeds before a gale.
• Isaiah 41:15See, I will make you into a sharp threshing board, new, with many teeth. You will thresh mountains and pulverize them and make hills into chaff.
• Hosea 13:3Therefore, they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes, like chaff blown from a threshing floor, or like smoke from a window.
• Zephaniah 1:18Their silver and their gold will be unable to rescue them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of his jealousy, for he will make a complete, yes, a horrifying end of all the inhabitants of the earth.
• 2 Chronicles 36:16But they kept ridiculing God’s messengers, despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets, until the Lord’s wrath was so stirred up against his people that there was no remedy.
• Psalms 2:12Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for his anger may ignite at any moment. All who take refuge in him are happy.
• Psalms 50:22“Understand this, you who forget God, or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to rescue you.
• Jeremiah 23:20The Lord’s anger will not turn away until he has completely fulfilled the purposes of his heart. In time to come you will understand it clearly.

Commentaries on Zephaniah 2:2

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Before the decree bring forth - God‘s word is full (as it were) of the event which it foretelleth; it contains its own fulfillment in itself, and “travaileth” until it come to pass, giving signs of its coming, yet delaying until the full time. Time is said to bring forth what is wrought in it. “Thou knowest not, what a day shall bring forth.” Before the day pass as the chaff - Or, parenthetically, “like chaff the day passeth by.” God‘s counsels lie wrapt…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Farmers threshed grain on windy hilltops. They tossed the mixed grain and chaff into the air. The wind blew the chaff away, while the heavier grain fell to the ground. The chance to repent was brief.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Before the decree bring forth--that is, Before God's decree against you announced by me (Zep 1:1-18) have its fulfilment. As the embryo lies hid in the womb, and then emerges to light in its own due time, so though God for a time hides His vengeance, yet He brings it forth at the proper season. before the day pass as the chaff--that is, before the day for repentance pass, and with it you, the ungodly, pass away as the chaff (Job 21:18; Psa 1:4). Maurer…Read the comment

Topics related to Zephaniah 2:2

• Day
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Chaff
• Cottage
• Thereupon
• Zephaniah, Book of

Commentaries on Zephaniah 2

• 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