Sofonias 3

ARC · Chapter 3/3

1Ai da suja e da contaminada, da cidade oppressora.

2Não ouve a voz, não acceita o castigo: não confia no Senhor; nem se approximou do seu Deus.

3Os seus principes são leões bramantes no meio d'ella; os seus juizes lobos da tarde, que não deixam os ossos até á manhã.

4Os seus prophetas são levianos, homens aleivosos: os seus sacerdotes profanaram o sanctuario, e fizeram violencia á lei.

5O Senhor, o Justo, está no meio d'ella; elle não faz iniquidade: cada manhã tira o seu juizo á luz; nunca falta; porém o perverso não conhece a vergonha.

6Exterminei as nações, as suas torres estão assoladas: fiz desertar as suas praças, até não ficar quem passe: as suas cidades estão destruidas, até não ficar ninguem, até não haver quem as habite.

7Eu dizia: Certamente me temerás, e acceitarás a correcção, para que a sua morada não seja destruida, por tudo pelo que a visitei, mas elles se levantaram de madrugada, corromperam todas as suas obras.

8Portanto esperae-me a mim, diz o Senhor, no dia em que eu me levantar para o despojo; porque o meu juizo é ajuntar as nações e congregar os reinos, para sobre elles derramar a minha indignação, e todo o ardor da minha ira; porque toda esta terra será consumida pelo fogo do meu zelo.

9Porque então darei beiço puro aos povos, para que todos invoquem o nome do Senhor, para que o sirvam com um mesmo hombro.

10D'além dos rios dos ethiopes, meus zelosos adoradores, e a filha de minha espargida, me trarão sacrificio.

11N'aquelle dia não te envergonharás de nenhuma das tuas obras, com as quaes te rebellaste contra mim; porque então tirarei do meio de ti os que exultam na tua soberba, e tu nunca mais te ensoberbecerás no meu monte sancto.

12Mas deixarei no meio de ti um povo humilde e pobre; mas elles confiarão no nome do Senhor.

13O resto de Israel não fará iniquidade, nem fallará mentira, e na sua bocca não se achará lingua enganosa; mas serão apascentados, e deitar-se-hão, e não haverá quem os espante.

14Canta alegremente, ó filha de Sião: jubila, ó Israel: goza-te, e exulta de todo o coração, ó filha de Jerusalem.

15O Senhor affastou os teus juizos, exterminou o teu inimigo: o Senhor, o rei d'Israel, está no meio de ti; tu não verás mais mal algum.

16N'aquelle dia se dirá a Jerusalem: Não temas, ó Sião, não se enfraqueçam as tuas mãos.

17O Senhor teu Deus está no meio de ti, poderoso te salvará; elle se deleitará em ti com alegria; calar-se-ha por seu amor, regozijar-se-ha em ti com jubilo.

18Os entristecidos por causa do ajuntamento solemne congregarei, para quem a affronta foi um peso.

19Eis que, n'aquelle tempo desfarei a todos os teus oppressores, e salvarei a que coxeia, e recolherei a que foi expulsa; e farei d'elles um louvor e um nome em toda a terra em que foram envergonhados.

20N'aquelle tempo vos trarei para cá, a saber, no tempo em que vos recolher: certamente farei de vós um nome e um louvor entre todos os povos da terra, quando reconduzir os vossos captivos diante dos vossos olhos.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Zephaniah condemns the corruption of Jerusalem and its leaders, but the book closes with one of the most joyful and tender promises in the entire Old Testament: God will rejoice over His restored people with songs of joy.

Explanation

The first part of the chapter repeats the pattern of accusation against the leaders (princes like roaring lions, judges like evening wolves, reckless prophets, priests who profane the sanctuary), showing that Jerusalem's corruption was just as serious as that of the pagan nations already condemned. The dramatic turn begins in verse 9, when God promises to purify the lips of the peoples so that they may call on Him together, and continues through to the book's glorious ending, where God is described not merely forgiving but 'rejoicing' and 'exulting with joy' over His people, like someone singing for joy over a love regained. The promise that God will remove the shame of exile and gather the scattered offers a hopeful ending that stands in sharp contrast to the somber tone of the rest of the book. The application for today: however serious God's discipline may be, His ultimate goal is always restoration and renewed joy with His people.

Fun facts

  • Verse 17, which describes God 'singing' for joy over His people, is one of the very few passages in the entire Old Testament that literally attributes the act of singing to God — an image of extraordinarily personal intimacy and affection.
  • The expression 'fear thou not... let not thine hands be slack' (v.16) follows a pattern of encouragement repeated in several post-exilic prophets, showing thematic continuity between Zephaniah and later books such as Haggai and Zechariah.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Sofonias 3:1After judging the neighboring nations, the focus shifts to Jerusalem: ‘the filthy and polluted’ city is Judah’s own capital, showing that the book does not spare God’s chosen people the same charge it brought against foreigners.
  2. Sofonias 3:2The central charge against Jerusalem is spiritual deafness: she does not listen, does not accept correction, does not trust in the Lord — the opposite of what the capital of the chosen people should be.
  3. Sofonias 3:3The list of corrupt leaders — princes like roaring lions, judges like evening wolves, prophets and priests who betray their calling — describes the collapse of the city’s entire leadership structure, not just one isolated group.
  4. Sofonias 3:4Lying prophets and priests who defile the very sanctuary complete the picture of corrupted religious leadership in the city.
  5. Sofonias 3:5In the midst of so much human injustice, the Lord remains just, renewing His judgment ‘every morning’ without fail — the contrast between a faithful God and a shameless people.
  6. Sofonias 3:6God recalls that He has already destroyed other nations as a warning — but this did not make Jerusalem learn the lesson, as the next verse shows.
  7. Sofonias 3:7God expected the people to learn from correction and change, but they only rushed to corrupt their ways even further.
  8. Sofonias 3:8That is why the people must wait for the day of judgment: God will gather nations and kingdoms to pour out His wrath, a fire that will consume the whole earth.
  9. Sofonias 3:9‘A pure language’ speaks of purified speech among the nations, allowing everyone to call on the name of the Lord together — a vision of religious unity among nations that today would be rivals.
  10. Sofonias 3:10Even from distant lands, beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, scattered worshippers will bring an offering to the Lord — a sign of a restoration that crosses every border.
  11. Sofonias 3:11The shame of the past will disappear because the Lord will remove from among the people the arrogant ones who took too much pride in themselves — pride is the root of the problem being cut off.
  12. Sofonias 3:12In place of the proud, an afflicted and poor people remains, who learn to trust in the name of the Lord instead of their own strength.
  13. Sofonias 3:13This faithful remnant of Israel will live without lies or deceit, described as a flock that finally grazes and rests in safety, with nothing to frighten it.
  14. Sofonias 3:14The tone shifts completely to celebration: after so much judgment, the invitation now is to sing and rejoice with a whole heart.
  15. Sofonias 3:15The reason for joy is concrete: the Lord has taken away the judgment, cast out the enemy, and is personally in the midst of His people as King — disaster will no longer visit Zion.
  16. Sofonias 3:16The word to Jerusalem shifts from accusation to encouragement: ‘Fear thou not… let not thine hands be slack’ — it is time to lift her head again.
  17. Sofonias 3:17This is one of the tenderest verses in the book: after so much judgment, the image of God ‘rejoicing over thee with joy’ and almost singing for gladness over His people contrasts with the harshness of the earlier chapters.
  18. Sofonias 3:18God promises to gather those who grieved over the religious feasts that were interrupted — no one who carried that burden will be forgotten.
  19. Sofonias 3:19The promise reaches those who were hurt and scattered: God will turn their old shame into praise and renown before all the earth.
  20. Sofonias 3:20The book ends with a promise of visible return: the people will see with their own eyes God bringing back those who were carried into captivity.

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