Zephaniah 3:9

Zephaniah 3:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.
• New International Version (NIV)“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him with one accord.

Context of Zephaniah 3:9

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. ‘Then I will give to people lips that I have made pure. With those lips, they will call me Lord. And then, all the people will agree to work together for me.’ 10‘Some people live a long way beyond the rivers of Cush. Yes, my people who pray went away to many other countries. They will return and they will carry their gifts to me. 11At that time, you will not have to be ashamed of the wrong things that you have done against me. But I will take away those who do not see anything wrong in themselves. Those people will not call each other “the people who live on God's holy mountain”.

Zephaniah 3:9 word by word

כִּֽי־אָ֛ז אֶהְפֹּ֥ךְ אֶל־עַמִּ֖ים שָׂפָ֣ה בְרוּרָ֑ה לִקְרֹ֤א כֻלָּם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה לְעָבְד֖וֹ שְׁכֶ֥ם אֶחָֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For then will I turnהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• to the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• a pureבָּרַרbârar · to purifyH1305
• languageשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lip: wordsH8193
• that they may all callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• upon the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• to serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• him with oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• consentשְׁכֶםshekem · shoulderH7926

Cross-references for Zephaniah 3:9

• Isaiah 19:18At that time, five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan. The people in those cities will promise to obey the Lord Almighty. One of the cities will have the name ‘Sun City’.
• Matthew 12:35It is like things that you bring out of a room where you keep them. The good man says good things because he keeps good thoughts in his mind. The bad man says bad things because he keeps bad thoughts in his mind.
• Ephesians 4:29Do not say bad things that hurt or insult people. Instead, say only good things that will help people. Your words should help people to become strong when they hear them.
• Genesis 11:1At this time, everyone who lived on the earth spoke one language. They used the same words.
• 1 Kings 8:41Foreigners, who do not belong to your people, the Israelites, will hear how great you are. Then they will come here from other countries far away.
• Psalms 22:27People everywhere in the world will respect the Lord. They will turn to him for help. Families from all nations will worship you.
• Psalms 86:9You have made all the nations of the world, and they will all come to worship you, my Lord. They will agree that your name is great.
• Psalms 113:3The Lord deserves that people praise him, from where the sun rises in the east, to where it goes down in the west.
• Jeremiah 16:19Lord, you give me strength. You are the safe place where I can hide. When I am in trouble, I can run to you and be safe. People will come from nations all over the earth, to give you honour. They will say, ‘Our ancestors worshipped false gods. Those gods were useless and they could not help us.
• Habakkuk 2:14But people everywhere will one day recognize the Lord's great glory. Those people will fill the whole earth, as the waters fill the sea.
• Zechariah 2:11‘On that day, the people from many countries will come to me, the Lord, and they will become my people. I will live among you. You will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.
• Zechariah 8:20‘People that live in many countries will come to Jerusalem,’ says the Lord Almighty.
• Zechariah 14:9The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day, there will be only one Lord and he will have only one name.
• Acts 2:4All the believers became full with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages that they had not learned. They spoke whatever language the Holy Spirit helped them to speak.
• Romans 15:6As a result, all of you will praise God together with the same thoughts. You will all agree that God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is very great.
• Revelation 11:15The seventh angel made a sound with his trumpet. Then there was the sound of loud voices in heaven. They shouted: ‘Our Lord God and his Messiah now have all authority! The whole world has become their kingdom. God will rule as King for ever!’

Commentaries on Zephaniah 3:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Will I turn to the people - This promise must refer to the conversion of the Jews under the Gospel. That they may all call - That the whole nation may invoke God by Christ, and serve him with one consent; not one unbeliever being found among them. The pure language, ברורה שפה saphah berurah, may here mean the form of religious worship. They had been before idolaters: now God promises to restore his pure worship among them. The word has certainly this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9For then - In the order of God‘s mercies. The deliverance from Babylon was the forerunner of that of the Gospel, which was its object. The spread of the Gospel then is spoken of in the connection of God‘s Providence and plan, and time is overlooked. Its blessings are spoken of, as “then” given when the earnest was given, and the people, from whom according to the flesh Christ was to be born, were placed anew in the land where He was to be born. Lap.: “The…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. 9God plans for the blessings promised to the faithful remnant in Zephaniah 3:9–13 to reach people from every nation. Not just Israel, but all people will transform, call on the Lord (see Isaiah 55:5), and serve him (see Isaiah 59:19–21; Zechariah 14:16). Spreading the good news to all nations helped fulfill this vision (Matthew 28:19–20; Romans 10:9–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. For--The blessed things promised in this and Zep 3:10 are the immediate results of the punishment inflicted on the nations, mentioned in Zep 3:8 (compare Zep 3:19). turn to the people a pure language--that is, changing their impure language I will give to them again a pure language (literally, "lip"). Compare for this Hebrew idiom, 1Sa 10:9, Margin. The confusion of languages was of the penalty sin, probably idolatry at Babel (Ge 11:1-6, Margin, where…Read the comment

Topics related to Zephaniah 3:9

• Church

In the dictionaries

• Pride
• Zephaniah, Book of
• Ethiopia, Ethiopian

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