Chapter 2 YHWH's Judgment Will Also Come On The Surrounding Nations For Their Sins.
A Final Plea to Judah and Jerusalem (Zephaniah 2:1-3).
“Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together,
O nation which has no shame (or ‘is not longed for'),
Before the decree brings forth,
The day passes as the chaff,
Before the fierce anger of YHWH comes on you,
Before the day of YHWH's anger comes on you.”
The ‘shameless' (a translation based on an Aramaic root) or ‘not longed for' (i.e. unloved = the literal Hebrew) people of Judah are commanded to come together, to assemble themselves, before God's decree produces its final result in the coming of the invader. Before ‘the day passes as the chaff'. The chaff is the waste matter which is rapidly blown away once the threshing of the grain takes place. So as quickly as the chaff is blown away will the time pass before God visits them in judgment. The idea is that they should come together to consider their position and repent before it is too late, before YHWH's fierce anger comes on them. For all too soon will come the day of YHWH's anger.
‘Seek you YHWH, all you humble of the land,
Who have wrought His demands (His judgment).
Seek righteousness, seek humbleness,
It may be that you will be hid in the day of YHWH's anger.'
The message is brought home. The purpose of the warning is that men might seek YHWH. Indeed had they all repented the day of YHWH would have been delayed (Jonah 3:10). But Zephaniah, who as a member of the royal house had no hope that they would respond, calls to the ‘humble' of the land, those who have listened to Him and have wrought His demands as revealed in the covenant, the Law of Moses.
The ‘humble' are often paralleled with ‘the needy' (Job 24:4; Psalms 9:18; Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 32:7), and with the broken-hearted (Isaiah 61:1), for riches are often a hindrance to godliness (although we must remember that Zephaniah was probably from a wealthy family), and broken-heartedness is the sign of a godly spirit (Psalms 34:18; Isaiah 57:15). They are those who are ready to be taught His way (Psalms 25:9), they are those who hear YHWH (Psalms 34:2), they are those to whom He gives His kindness and favour because they are not scornful (Proverbs 3:34), and they do not hunger after wealth (Proverbs 16:19). They are the godly.
They are to continue to seek righteousness and godliness. For them there may be a way of escape from the coming wrath (compare Amos 5:15). Or they will find it easier to bear.
God's Judgment on the Surrounding Nations.
These judgments on the surrounding nations were declared to Israel as an assurance to them that they will not be alone in coming under God's judgment, and to demonstrate that God was the Judge of all the world. All nations came under His jurisdiction. All would be dealt with in accordance with His word. Their own gods are disregarded. And in the case of the first two they will finally be possessed by God's people.