Zephaniah 2 · Verse 1

Zephaniah 2:1

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

Zephaniah 2:1, King James Version

Zephaniah 2:1 in other translations

BSB	Gather yourselves, gather together, O shameful nation,
WEB	Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,
ASV	Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;
YLT	Bend yourselves, yea, bend ye, O nation not desired,
DARBY	Collect yourselves and gather together, O nation without shame,
BBE	Come together, make everyone come together, O nation without shame;
Webster	Assemble yourselves, yes, assemble, O nation not desired;

What does Zephaniah 2:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Zep 2:1-15. Exhortation to Repent before the Chaldean Invaders Come. Doom of Judah's Foes, the Philistines, Moab, Ammon, with Their Idols, and Ethiopia and Assyria.

1. Gather yourselves--to a religious assembly, to avert the judgment by prayers (Joe 2:16) [Grotius]. Or, so as not to be dissipated "as chaff" (Zep 2:2). The Hebrew is akin to a root meaning "chaff." Self-confidence and corrupt desires are the dissipation from which they are exhorted to gather themselves [Calvin]. The foe otherwise, like the wind, will scatter you "as the chaff." Repentance is the gathering of themselves meant. nation not desired--(Compare 2Ch 21:20), that is, not desirable; unworthy of the grace or favor of God; and yet God so magnifies that grace as to be still solicitous for their safety, though they had destroyed themselves and forfeited all claims on His grace [Calvin]. The Margin from Chaldee Version has, "not desirous," namely of returning to God. Maurer and Gesenius translate, "Not waxing pale," that is, dead to shame. English Version is best.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The prophet, having declared the judgments which were ready to fall on his people, earnestly exhorts them to repentance, that these judgments may be averted, Zep 2:1-3. He then foretells the fate of other neighboring and hostile nations: the Philistines, Zep 2:4-7; Moabites and Ammonites, Zep 2:8-11; Ethiopians, Zep 2:12; and Assyrians, Zep 2:13. In the close of the chapter we have a prophecy against Nineveh. These predictions were accomplished chiefly by the conquests of Nebuchadnezzar. Verse 1 Gather yourselves - Others, sift yourselves. Separate the chaff from the wheat, before the judgments of God fall upon you. O nation not desired - unlovely, not delighted in; hated because of your sin. The Israelites are addressed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zephaniah 2:1-3

The prophet calls to national repentance, as the only way to prevent national ruin. A nation not desiring, that has not desires toward God, is not desirous of his favour and grace, has no mind to repent and reform. Or, not desirable, not having any thing to recommend them to God; to whom God might justly say, Depart from me; but he says, Gather together to me that you may seek my face. We know what God's decree will bring against impenitent sinners, therefore it highly concerns all to repent in the accepted time. How careful should we all be to seek peace with God, before the Holy Spirit withdraws from us, or ceases to strive with us; before the day of grace is over, or the day of life; before our everlasting state is determined! Let the poor, despised, and afflicted, seek the Lord, and seek to understand and keep his commandments better, that they may be more humbled for their sins. The chief hope of deliverance from national judgments rests upon prayer.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Zephaniah 2:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּhit.ko.she.Shugather yourselves togetherH7197

וָק֑וֹשּׁוּva.Ko.o.shuand gather togetherH7197

הַגּ֖וֹיha.GoyO nationH1471

לֹ֥אlo'notH3808

נִכְסָֽף\׃nikh.SafashamedH3700

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zephaniah 2:1

Joel 1:14
Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord,
2 Chronicles 20:4
And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
Nehemiah 9:1
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.
Nehemiah 8:1
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
Esther 4:16
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Jeremiah 6:15
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
Zechariah 11:8
Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Jeremiah 3:3
Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
Jeremiah 12:7-9
I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it. Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
Joel 2:12-18
Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: …
Isaiah 26:8-9
Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 An exhortation to repentance.
4 The judgment of the Philistines,
8 of Moab and Ammon,
12 of Ethiopia,
13 and of Assyria.

gather together.
2Ch 20:4; Ne 8:1; 9:1; Es 4:16; Joe 1:14; 2:12-18; Mt 18:20
O nation.
Isa 1:4-6,10-15; Jer 12:7-9; Zec 11:8
desired. or, desirous.
Isa 26:8,9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Zephaniah 2:1
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
Zephaniah 2:2
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.

Read all of Zephaniah 2

Zephaniah 2:1 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	CONGREGAOS y meditad, gente no amable,
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Assemblez-vous, rassemblez-vous, nation sans honte,
German Elberfelder 1871	Gehet in euch und sammelt euch, du Nation ohne Scham,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Convenite, congregamini, gens non amabilis,