Zephaniah 3:6

Zephaniah 3:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
• New International Version (NIV)“I have destroyed nations; their strongholds are demolished. I have left their streets deserted, with no one passing through. Their cities are laid waste; they are deserted and empty.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“I have cut off nations, Their fortresses are devastated; I have made their streets desolate, With none passing by. Their cities are destroyed; There is no one, no inhabitant.

Context of Zephaniah 3:6

4Its prophets do not know what to think. People cannot trust them. Its priests have done wrong things, even in God's holy house. They have also made changes to God's rules. They have made changes that they want. 5But the Lord is among all the people in the city. He will do what is right. He is always the honest judge. He never fails. But the bad people do not know how to be ashamed. ‘I have destroyed nations,’ the Lord says. ‘There is nobody in their strong towers now. I have made their streets empty, so no people are there. I have destroyed their cities. So nobody lives in them now. 7I said, “Now people in the city will respect me! Now they will agree when people warn them.” The people would have been safe if they had accepted it. Then I would not have to destroy them. But it did not happen. I had to punish them. Still, the people got up early to do bad things. 8So wait for me, I will stand up and I will punish the nations. I have decided to bring together the nations and the people that kings rule over. Then I will punish them very, very much. They will see how angry I am. They will see it because, on that day, I will burn all the earth.’ That is what the Lord says.

Zephaniah 3:6 word by word

הִכְרַ֣תִּי גוֹיִ֗ם נָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ פִּנּוֹתָ֔ם הֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּי חֽוּצוֹתָ֖ם מִבְּלִ֣י עוֹבֵ֑ר נִצְדּ֧וּ עָרֵיהֶ֛ם מִבְּלִי־אִ֖ישׁ מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I have cut offכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772
• the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• their towersפִּנָּהpinnâh · cornerH6438
• are desolateשָׁמֵםshâmêm · be desolate: destroyedH8074
• I made their streetsחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
• wasteחָרֵבchârab chârêb · to destroyH2717
• that none passeth byעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• their citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• are destroyedצָדָהtsâdâh · to wasteH6658
• so that there is no manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• that there is none inhabitantיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427

Cross-references for Zephaniah 3:6

• Isaiah 10:1It will be very bad for people who make cruel laws that are not fair.
• Isaiah 15:1This is a message about Moab: In one night an enemy has destroyed Ar. In one night they have destroyed Kir. Those towns in Moab are now a heap of stones!
• Isaiah 19:1This is a message about Egypt. Look! The Lord is coming to Egypt! He is riding quickly on a cloud and he will soon arrive! The idols of Egypt will shake with fear when he comes. All the people in Egypt will be very afraid.
• Isaiah 37:11You have heard how the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed all other countries. So do not think that your God will rescue you.
• Jeremiah 25:9So I, the Lord, tell you that I will call the nations in the north to come. I will call my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, to come. I will bring them to attack this land and the people who live here. They will also attack all the nations that are around you. I will completely destroy this land, its people and all the nations around it. Their houses will become heaps of stones for ever. The land will become a terrible place. People will always see how foolish my people are.
• Jeremiah 25:18I went to Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah. I made the people of Judah, its kings and its officers drink from the cup. It was to destroy them all. Judah would become a terrible place. People would see that its people are very foolish. They would use their name as a curse. That is already happening today.
• Nahum 2:1An enemy is coming to attack you, people of Nineveh. Watch carefully from the city's walls! Prepare your army to protect the city. Watch the road. Get ready to fight with all your strength!
• 1 Corinthians 10:6We must learn from those things that happened to our ancestors. We must not want to do very bad things, like they did.

Commentaries on Zephaniah 3:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6I have cut off the nations - Syria, Israel, and those referred to, Isaiah 36:18, Isaiah 36:20. - Newcome.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6I have cut off the nations - God appeals to His judgments on pagan nations, not on any particular nation, as far as we know; but to past history, whether of those, of whose destruction Israel itself had been the instrument, or others. The judgments upon the nations before them were set forth to them, when they were about to enter on their inheritance, as a warning to themselves. “Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things, for in all these have the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-8Zephaniah delivers a message of sorrow for Judah and Jerusalem. He advises them to wait patiently for God's fair judgment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-75-7. 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" (Mi 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Zephaniah 3:6

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Nation

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