Zephaniah 3:6

Authorized King James Version

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

Word-by-Word Analysis

הִכְרַ֣תִּי

H3772

I have cut off

to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e., make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutt

גוֹיִ֗ם

H1471

the nations

a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts

נָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙

H8074

are desolate

to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e., devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense)

פִּנּוֹתָ֔ם

H6438

their towers

an angle; by implication, a pinnacle; figuratively, a chieftain

הֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּי

H2717

waste

to parch (through drought) i.e., (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill

חֽוּצוֹתָ֖ם

H2351

I made their streets

properly, separate by a wall, i.e., outside, outdoors

מִבְּלִ֣י

H1097

properly, failure, i.e., nothing or destruction; usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc

עוֹבֵ֑ר

H5674

that none passeth by

to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in

נִצְדּ֧וּ

H6658

are destroyed

to chase; by implication, to desolate

#10

עָרֵיהֶ֛ם

H5892

their cities

a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)

#11

מִבְּלִי

H1097

properly, failure, i.e., nothing or destruction; usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc

#12

אִ֖ישׁ

H376

so that there is no man

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

#13

מֵאֵ֥ין

H369

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

#14

יוֹשֵֽׁב׃

H3427

that there is none inhabitant

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing covenant community contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

How does the salvation theme in this verse connect to the overarching narrative of Scripture, and what does this reveal about God's character and purposes?
In what ways does this verse's emphasis on covenant community address religious pluralism and questions about the necessity of Christ, and how should the church respond?
What systematic theological implications arise from this verse's treatment of salvation, and how does it contribute to a biblical theology of soteriology and the doctrine of salvation?