The Meaning of Zephaniah 3:9 Explained

Zephaniah 3:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: For 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.

Darby: For 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.

ASV: For 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.

Discover Zephaniah 3:9

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Zephaniah 3:9?

MEANING: What does Zephaniah 3:9 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Zephaniah 3:9 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Zephaniah 3:9?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Zephaniah 3:9 Mean?

Study Notes

then will I turn
In Zephaniah the conversion of "the peoples" is stated out of the usual prophetic order, in which the blessing of Israel and the setting up of the kingdom precedes the conversion of the Gentiles. See Scofield " Zechariah 12:8 ". But the passage gives clear testimony as to when the conversion of the nations will occur. It is after the smiting of the nations. Cf. Isaiah 11:9 with context; Daniel 2:34 ; Daniel 2:35 ; Psalms 2:5-8 ; Acts 15:15-17 ; Revelation 19:19 to Revelation 20:6 .
burden
Zechariah 12-14. from one prophecy the general theme of which is the return of the Lord and the establishment of the kingdom. The order is:
(1) The siege of Jerusalem preceding the battle of Armageddon ( Zechariah 12:1-3 );
(2) the battle itself ( Zechariah 12:4-9 );
(3) the "latter rain" in the pouring out of the Spirit and the personal revelation of Christ to the family of David and the remnant in Jerusalem, not merely as the glorious Deliverer, but as the One whom Israel pierced and has long rejected ( Zechariah 12:10 );
(4) the godly sorrow which follows that revelation ( Zechariah 12:11-14 );
(5) the cleansing fountain Zechariah 13:1 then to be effectually "opened" to Israel.

Verse Meaning

"Then" signals a major change in time as well as in the focus of Zephaniah"s prophecy. It is a hinge word that serves as a transition from judgment in the Tribulation to blessing in the Millennium. Then, after these judgments ( Zephaniah 1:2 to Zephaniah 3:8), the Lord promised to give the peoples of the world lips that would speak truth and grace rather than lies and defiled speech (cf. Isaiah 6:5-7).
"Lip does not stand for language, but is mentioned as the organ of speech, by which a man expresses the thoughts of his heart, so that purity of the lips involves or presupposes the purification of the heart." [1]
Yahweh would effect this change in all the people of the world so they would worship Him (cf. Genesis 4:26) and serve Him as one united family of nations. This event has been seen as a reversal of Babel ( Genesis 11:1; Genesis 11:6-7; Genesis 11:9). [2] This revelation indicates that everyone living on the earth at the beginning of the Millennium will be a believer in Jesus Christ (cf. Matthew 25:31-46).

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 3:9 mean?

For then I will restore to the peoples a language pure that may call they all on the name of Yahweh to serve Him with accord one
כִּֽי־ אָ֛ז אֶהְפֹּ֥ךְ אֶל־ עַמִּ֖ים שָׂפָ֣ה בְרוּרָ֑ה לִקְרֹ֤א כֻלָּם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה לְעָבְד֖וֹ שְׁכֶ֥ם אֶחָֽד

אֶהְפֹּ֥ךְ  I  will  restore 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
עַמִּ֖ים  the  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
שָׂפָ֣ה  a  language 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
בְרוּרָ֑ה  pure 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular
Root: בָּרוּר 
Sense: to purify, select, polish, choose, purge, cleanse or make bright, test or prove.
לִקְרֹ֤א  that  may  call 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
כֻלָּם֙  they  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בְּשֵׁ֣ם  on  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְעָבְד֖וֹ  to  serve  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
שְׁכֶ֥ם  with  accord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁכֶם  
Sense: shoulder, back.
אֶחָֽד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).

What are the major concepts related to Zephaniah 3:9?

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Similar Scriptures for Zephaniah 3:9

Genesis 11:1 [8]
Isaiah 19:18 [7]
Psalms 22:27 [7]
Habakkuk 2:14 [5]
Zechariah 8:20-23 [4]
Zechariah 2:11 [4]
Acts 2:4-13 [3]
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