The Meaning of Zephaniah 3:15 Explained

Zephaniah 3:15

KJV: 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.

YLT: Jehovah hath turned aside thy judgments, He hath faced thine enemy, The king of Israel, Jehovah, is in thy midst, Thou seest evil no more.

Darby: Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy; the King of Israel, Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more.

ASV: Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Zephaniah 3:15 Mean?

Study Notes

the midst of thee
That this, and all like passages in the Prophets (see "Kingdom (O.T.)," Genesis 1:26 ; Zechariah 12:8 cannot refer to anything which occurred at the first coming of Christ is clear from the context. The precise reverse was true.
shall come forth a rod
This chapter is a prophetic picture of the glory of the future kingdom. This is the kingdom announced by John Baptist as "at hand." It was then rejected, but will be set up when David's Son returns in glory Luke 1:31 ; Luke 1:32 ; Acts 15:15 ; Acts 15:16 .
Branch (See Scofield " Isaiah 4:2 ")
The Davidic kingdom
The order of events in Isaiah 10, 11, is noteworthy. Isaiah 10. gives the distress of the Remnant in Palestine in the great tribulation. Psalms 2:5 ; Revelation 7:14 and the approach and destruction of the Gentile host under the Beast.; Daniel 7:8 ; Revelation 19:20 . Is. 11. immediately follows with its glorious picture of the kingdom-age. Precisely the same order is found in Revelation 19, 20. (See "Kingdom," O.T.,; Genesis 1:26-28 ; Zechariah 12:8 N.T.; Luke 1:31-33 ; 1 Corinthians 15:28 . Also (See Scofield " Matthew 3:2 ") See Scofield " Matthew 6:33 ".
That nothing of this occurred at the first coming of Christ is evident from a comparison of the history of the times of Christ with this and all the other parallel prophecies. So far from regathering dispersed Israel and establishing peace in the earth, His crucifixion was soon followed (A.D. 70) by the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter scattering of the Palestinian Jews amongst the nations.
shall come forth a rod
This chapter is a prophetic picture of the glory of the future kingdom. This is the kingdom announced by John Baptist as "at hand." It was then rejected, but will be set up when David's Son returns in glory Luke 1:31 ; Luke 1:32 ; Acts 15:15 ; Acts 15:16 .
Branch (See Scofield " Isaiah 4:2 ")

Verse Meaning

The reason for rejoicing is that Yahweh will have removed His judgment and Israel"s enemies from her (cf. Zephaniah 3:8; Zephaniah 3:19). Yahweh, Israel"s true and omnipotent king, will be in the midst of His people (in the person of Messiah, Jesus Christ, during the Millennium; Zephaniah 3:17; cf. Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 44:6; Zechariah 14:9). Consequently they will fear disaster no more ( Zephaniah 3:13).

Context Summary

Zephaniah 3:1-20 - Fullness Of Salvation
The sins of Jerusalem, Zephaniah 3:1-7. Uninfluenced by judgments upon other nations, Jerusalem pursued her course, morally impure, oppressive, refusing instruction, estranged from God. Yet God still dwelt in the city which He had chosen. Morning by morning His Spirit was appealing for repentance and righteousness. Through His faithful ones He was still shedding the light and glory of a holier civilization through the community, but the population at large refused to heed.
The effects of cleansing judgment, Zephaniah 3:8-20. These closing verses are marked by great tenderness, showing as they do, the results that God's dealings are designed to effect. A pure life; service with one consent; the trust of the afflicted soul in the love of God; the weaning of the heart from all iniquity-what great and lovely results of that long captivity! Let God have His way with you! He will change your sorrow into songs; will cast out your enemies and turn again your captivity; will manifest His infinite love, now in brooding tenderness, and then in outbursting songs. Those who have been filled with sorrow, and have borne the burden of reproach for God, shall be comforted. Even the halt and exiled shall participate, and become a name and a praise. The captives would be liberated and the dispersed would be gathered home [source]

Chapter Summary: Zephaniah 3

1  A sharp reproof of Jerusalem for various sins
8  An exhortation to wait for the restoration of Israel,
14  and to rejoice for their salvation by God

What do the individual words in Zephaniah 3:15 mean?

Has taken away Yahweh your judgments He has cast out your enemy the King of Israel Yahweh [is] in your midst no You shall see disaster more
הֵסִ֤יר יְהוָה֙ מִשְׁפָּטַ֔יִךְ פִּנָּ֖ה אֹֽיְבֵ֑ךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל ׀ יְהוָה֙ בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ לֹא־ תִֽירְאִ֥י רָ֖ע עֽוֹד

הֵסִ֤יר  Has  taken  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִשְׁפָּטַ֔יִךְ  your  judgments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
פִּנָּ֖ה  He  has  cast  out 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
אֹֽיְבֵ֑ךְ  your  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  King 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל ׀  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh  [is] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ  in  your  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִֽירְאִ֥י  You  shall  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
רָ֖ע  disaster 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
עֽוֹד  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.