Zephaniah 3 · Verse 9

Zephaniah 3:9

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.
Zephaniah 3:9, King James Version

Zephaniah 3:9 in other translations

BSBFor then I will restore pure lips to the peoples, that all may call upon the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
WEBFor then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the LORD’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
ASVFor then will I turn to the peoples of a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent.
YLTFor then do I turn unto peoples a pure lip, To call all of them by the name of Jehovah, To serve Him with one shoulder.
DARBYFor then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent.
BBEFor then I will give the people a clean language, so that they may all make prayer to the Lord and be his servants with one mind.
WebsterFor 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.

What does Zephaniah 3:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. 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 also "lip" expresses language, and perhaps also religion; Zep 3:4, "a tower whose top may reach unto heaven," or rather, points to heaven, namely, dedicated to the heavens idolized, or Bel); certainly, of rebellion against God's will. An earnest of the removal of this penalty was the gift of tongues on Pentecost (Ac 2:6-13). The full restoration of the earth's unity of language and of worship is yet future, and is connected with the restoration of the Jews, to be followed by the conversion of the world. Compare Is 19:18; Zec 14:9; Ro 15:6, "with one mind and one mouth glorify God." The Gentiles' lips have been rendered impure through being the instruments of calling on idols and dishonoring God (compare Psa 16:4; Ho 2:17). Whether Hebrew shall be the one universal language or not, the God of the Hebrews shall be the one only object of worship. Until the Holy Ghost purify the lips, we cannot rightly call upon God (Is 6:5-7). serve him with one consent--literally, "shoulder" or "back"; metaphor from a yoke, or burden, borne between two (Nu 13:23); helping one another with conjoint effort. If one of the two bearers of a burden, laid on both conjointly, give way, the burden must fall to the earth [Calvin]. Christ's rule is called a burden (Mt 11:30; Ac 15:28; Re 2:24; compare 2Co 6:14 for the same image).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Will 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, שפה ברורה 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 meaning in Psa 81:6; where, as God is the speaker, the words should not be rendered, "I heard a language which I understood not," but, "I heard a religious confession, which I approved not." See Isa 19:18; Hos 14:3; and see Joe 2:28, where a similar promise is found.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zephaniah 3:8-13

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…

Read the full comment on Zephaniah 3:8-13 →

Zephaniah 3:9 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.

כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
אָ֛ז'azthenH227
אֶהְפֹּ֥ךְ'eh.PokhI will restoreH2015
אֶל\־'el-toH413
עַמִּ֖ים'a.MimpeoplesH5971
שָׂפָ֣הsa.Faha lipH8193
בְרוּרָ֑הve.ru.RahpurifiedH1305
לִקְרֹ֤אlik.Ro'to callH7121
כֻלָּם֙khu.Lamall of themH3605
בְּשֵׁ֣םbe.Shemon [the] name ofH8034
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לְעָבְד֖וֹle.'a.ve.Doto serve himH5647
שְׁכֶ֥םshe.Khema shoulderH7926
אֶחָֽד\׃'e.ChadoneH259

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

Cross references for Zephaniah 3:9

  • Genesis 11:1

    And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

  • Isaiah 19:18

    In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the Lord of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.

  • Psalms 22:27

    All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

  • Acts 2:4-13

    And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? …

  • Psalms 86:9-10

    All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

  • Zechariah 2:11

    And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.

  • Habakkuk 2:14

    For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

  • Zechariah 8:20-23

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

  • Matthew 12:35

    A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

  • Romans 15:6-11

    That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. …

  • Ephesians 4:29

    Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

  • Zechariah 14:9

    And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
will.
Isa 19:18; Mt 12:35; Eph 4:29
language. Heb. lip.
Ge 11:1; *marg:
that.
1Ki 8:41-43; Ps 22:27; 86:9,10; 113:3; Jer 16:19; Hab 2:14; Zec 2:11
Zec 8:20-23; 14:9; Ac 2:4-13; Ro 15:6-11; Re 11:15
consent. Heb. shoulder.

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

Context

  • Zephaniah 3:8

    Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

  • Zephaniah 3:9

    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.

  • Zephaniah 3:10

    From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

Read all of Zephaniah 3

Zephaniah 3:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Por entonces volveré yo á los pueblos el labio limpio, para que todos invoquen el nombre de Jehová, para que de un consentimiento le sirvan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car alors, je changerai la langue des peuples en une langue purifiée, pour qu’ils invoquent tous le nom de l’ Éternel pour le servir d’un seul cœur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn alsdann werde ich die Lippen der Völker in reine Lippen umwandeln, damit sie alle den Namen Jehovas anrufen und ihm einmütig dienen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quia tunc reddam populis labium electum, ut invocent omnes in nomine Domini, et serviant ei humero uno.