Zephaniah 2:4
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
Original Language Analysis
כִּ֤י
H3588
כִּ֤י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
1 of 11
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
עֲזוּבָ֣ה
shall be forsaken
H5800
עֲזוּבָ֣ה
shall be forsaken
Strong's:
H5800
Word #:
3 of 11
to loosen, i.e., relinquish, permit, etc
תִֽהְיֶ֔ה
H1961
תִֽהְיֶ֔ה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
4 of 11
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙
at the noon day
H6672
בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙
at the noon day
Strong's:
H6672
Word #:
8 of 11
a light (i.e., window); dual double light, i.e., noon
יְגָ֣רְשׁ֔וּהָ
they shall drive out
H1644
יְגָ֣רְשׁ֔וּהָ
they shall drive out
Strong's:
H1644
Word #:
9 of 11
to drive out from a possession; especially to expatriate or divorce
Historical Context
The Philistines had been Israel's archenemies since the judges period. By Zephaniah's time, they had been weakened by Assyrian campaigns but still controlled strategic coastal territory. Nebuchadnezzar's campaigns (604-586 BC) devastated these cities as predicted.
Questions for Reflection
- Why does God judge the nations surrounding His people before judging His own people?
- What does the specific judgment of Philistine cities teach about God's detailed attention to historical enemies of His people?
- How should Christians view the judgment of hostile powers and ideologies that oppose God's kingdom?
Analysis & Commentary
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation (עֲזָה עֲזוּבָה תִהְיֶה Azah azuvah tihyeh)—A Hebrew wordplay: 'Gaza' (Azah) sounds like 'forsaken' (azuvah). Similarly, Ekron is 'rooted up' (te'aqer), using assonance for emphasis. The Philistine pentapolis (Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath) dominated Judah's coastal plain.
They shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day—Typically armies attacked at dawn. Capturing a fortified city at high noon implies either overwhelming force or divine intervention making defense impossible. This prophecy was fulfilled when Assyria conquered these cities (Isaiah 20:1), then later by Babylon and ultimately by Alexander the Great (332 BC).