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, ‘Surely you will revere Me, Accept instruction.’ So her dwelling will not be cut off According to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds. 8“Therefore wait for Me,” declares the Lord, “For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal. For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, That all of them may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder. 10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, Will bring My offerings. 11In that day you will feel no shame Because of all your deeds By which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst Your proud, exulting ones, And you will never again be haughty On My 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

• For thenאָז'âz · thenH227
• giveהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• to the peoplesעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• purifiedבָּרַרbârar · to purifyH1305
• lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lip: wordsH8193
• That allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• on the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• To serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• shoulderשְׁכֶםshekem · shoulderH7926

Cross-references for Zephaniah 3:9

• Isaiah 19:18In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to the Lord of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction.
• Matthew 12:35The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.
• Ephesians 4:29Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
• Genesis 11:1Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words.
• 1 Kings 8:41“Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake
• Psalms 22:27All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before You.
• Psalms 86:9All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And they shall glorify Your name.
• Psalms 113:3From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the Lord is to be praised.
• Jeremiah 16:19O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, And my refuge in the day of distress, To You the nations will come From the ends of the earth and say, “Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood, Futility and things of no profit.”
• Habakkuk 2:14For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.
• Zechariah 2:11“Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
• Zechariah 8:20“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities.
• Zechariah 14:9And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.
• Acts 2:4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
• Romans 15:6so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Revelation 11:15Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and 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