King James Version
What Does Zephaniah 1:4 Mean?
“I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;”
Context
2
I will utterly consume all things from off the land , saith the LORD. I will: Heb. By taking away I will make an end the land: Heb. the face of the land
3
I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. stumblingblocks: or, idols
4
I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;
5
And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; by the: or, to the LORD
6
And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.
Commentary
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible CommentaryCHAPTER 6 Da 6:1-28. Darius' Decree: Daniel's Disobedience, and Consequent Exposure to the Lions: His Deliverance by God, and Darius' Decree.
**1. Darius--**Grotefend has read it in the cuneiform inscriptions at Persepolis, as Darheush, that is, "Lord-King," a name applied to many of the Medo-Persian kings in common. Three of that name occur: Darius Hystaspes, 521 B.C., in whose reign the decree was carried into effect for rebuilding the temple (Ezr 4:5; Hag 1:1); Darius Codomanus, 336 B.C., whom Alexander overcame, called "the Persian" (Ne 12:22), an expression used after the rule of Macedon was set up; and Darius Cyaxares II, between Astyages and Cyrus [ÆSCHYLUS, The Persians, 762, 763].
**hundred and twenty--**satraps; set over the conquered provinces (including Babylon) by Cyrus [Xenophon, Cyropædia, 8.6.1]. No doubt Cyrus acted under Darius, as in the capture of Babylon; so that Daniel rightly attributes the appointment to Darius.
Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, David Brown. Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Zephaniah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Zephaniah 1:4 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Zephaniah 1:4
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge