Bible Commentary

Zephaniah 1:17

The Pulpit Commentary on Zephaniah 1:17

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

In this storming of cities and universal ruin, sinners shall perish without hope. I will bring distress upon men. I will drive them into the utmost straits (comp. , ).

They shall walk like blind men. Not knowing where they go in their terror and confusion, seeking a way of escape and finding none (see , on which this passage is founded; comp. ; ).

Because they have sinned, as shown in vers. 4-12. Their blood shall be poured out as dust. The point of comparison is rather in the worthlessness than in the abundance of dust. Bloodshed is as little regarded as dust that is trodden under foot.

The comparison with water is found elsewhere (cf. ). Their flesh as the dung. The verb from the preceding clause may be taken by zeuguna with this clause; then the meaning is that their dead bodies are left unburied to rot on the ground ().

Or the substantive verb may be supplied (comp. ).

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