Zephaniah 3 · Verse 16

Zephaniah 3:16

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
Zephaniah 3:16, King James Version

Zephaniah 3:16 in other translations

BSBOn that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.
WEBIn that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.”
ASVIn that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack.
YLTIn that day it is said to Jerusalem, ‘Fear not, O Zion, let not thy hands be feeble.
DARBYIn that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear not; Zion, let not thy hands be slack.
BBEIn that day it will be said to Jerusalem, Have no fear: O Zion, let not your hands be feeble.
WebsterIn that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thy hands be slack.

What does Zephaniah 3:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Let not thine hands be slack--(He 12:12). Do not faint in the work of the Lord.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Fear thou not - Thou shalt have no more captivities nor national afflictions. Let not thine hands be slack - This may refer, first, to the rebuilding of the temple of God, after the return from Babylon; and, secondly, to their diligence and zeal in the Christian Church.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zephaniah 3:14-20

After the promises of taking away sin, follow promises of taking away trouble. When the cause is removed, the effect will cease. What makes a people holy, will make them happy. The precious promises made to the purified people, were to have full accomplishment in the gospel. These verses appear chiefly to relate to the future conversion and restoration of Israel, and the glorious times which are to follow. They show…

Read the full comment on Zephaniah 3:14-20 →

Zephaniah 3:16 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.

בַּיּ֣וֹםbai.Yomon the dayH3117
הַה֔וּאha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
יֵאָמֵ֥רye.'a.Merit will be saidH559
לִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֖םli.ru.sha.Limto JerusalemH3389
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תִּירָ֑אִיti.Ra.'iyou be afraidH3372
צִיּ֖וֹןtzi.YonO ZionH6726
אַל\־'al-may notH408
יִרְפּ֥וּyir.Puthey dropH7503
יָדָֽיִךְ\׃ya.Da.yikhhands yourH3027

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

Cross references for Zephaniah 3:16

  • Hebrews 12:12

    Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

  • Isaiah 35:3-4

    Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

  • Isaiah 41:10

    Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

  • Ephesians 3:13

    Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

  • Galatians 6:9

    And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

  • Revelation 2:3

    And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

  • Isaiah 44:2

    Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

  • 2 Corinthians 4:1

    Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

  • John 12:12

    On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

  • Isaiah 40:9

    O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

  • Zechariah 8:15

    So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

  • Jeremiah 46:27-28

    But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the Lord: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
be said.
Isa 35:3,4; 40:9; 41:10,13,14; 43:1,2; 44:2; 54:4; Jer 46:27,28
Hag 2:4,5; Zec 8:15; Joh 12:12; Heb 12:12
slack. or, faint.
2Co 4:1; Ga 6:9; Eph 3:13; Heb 12:3-5; Re 2:3

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

Context

  • Zephaniah 3:15

    The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

  • Zephaniah 3:16

    In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

  • Zephaniah 3:17

    The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Read all of Zephaniah 3

Zephaniah 3:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		En aquel tiempo se dirá á Jerusalem: No temas: Sión, no se debiliten tus manos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		En ce jour-là, il sera dit à Jérusalem: Ne crains pas! Sion, que tes mains ne soient pas lâches!
German
Elberfelder 1871		An jenem Tage wird zu Jerusalem gesagt werden: Fürchte dich nicht! Zion, laß deine Hände nicht erschlaffen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In die illa dicetur Jerusalem: Noli timere; Sion: Non dissolvantur manus tuæ.