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Zephaniah 3:8

in Zephaniah 3

Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “until the day I rise to testify. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation—all My burning anger. For all the earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Therefore wait ye for me, saith Jehovah, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

KJV

Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

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This verse in Zephaniah 3

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

Commentary on Zephaniah · Written before 420.

(Verse 8, 9.) Therefore, wait for me, says the Lord, in the day of my resurrection in the future: because I will gather the nations and gather the kingdoms to judge them, and I will pour out my indignation, all the fury of my wrath, for in the fire of my zeal all the earth shall be consumed. For then I will restore to the peoples a pure speech, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord and serve Him with one accord.

This site's exposition

until the day that I rise up to the prey

Wait ye upon me turns a verse of universal indignation into an unexpected invitation, the same waiting that described predatory judges at verse 3 here commanded of the faithful as patient trust in the Lord's own timing. Rising up to the prey pictures the Lord himself as the hunter now, gathering nations and assembling kingdoms the way a lion gathers what it means to devour, judgment pronounced on the whole earth rather than one city alone. The fire of my jealousy repeats the same phrase closing chapter 1, tying the book's darkest threat to its covenant root, jealousy for a people rather than mere anger at a world.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Fulgentius of Ruspe

TO MONIMUS 2:5.1 · Written before 533.

proposed

Nevertheless, lest under the cover of abundance anyone think that we are concealing a lack of defense, we shall bring forward one testimony from the prophets, by which it can clearly be shown that they are holy prophets, divinely inspired. They predicted with a certain …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

5, 6 ); his determination is to gather the nations and to assemble the kingdoms. By the gospel of Christ preached to every creature all nations are summoned, as it were, to appear in a body before the Lord Jesus, who is about to set up his kingdom in the world.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens

Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Wait ye upon me - Expect the fulfilment of all my promises and threatenings: I am God, and change not. For all the earth - All the land of Judah.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

Or rather, as a warrior leading Israel to certain victory, which is expressed by "the prey," or booty, which is the reward of victory. The Septuagint and Syriac versions read the Hebrew, "I rise up as a witness" (compare Job 16:8;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Therefore wait ye upon - (for) Me God so willeth not to punish, but that all should lay hold of His mercy, that He doth not here even name punishment. Judah had slighted His mercies; He was ready to forgive all they had sinned, if they would “now” receive instruction; they in return set themselves to corrupt “all” their doings. They had wholly forsaken Him. “Therefore” - we should have expected, as elsewhere, “Therefore I will visit all your iniquities upon you.” But not so. The chastisement is all veiled; the prophet points only to the mercy beyond. “Therefore wait ye for Me.” All the interval of chastisement is summed up in these words; that is, since neither My mercies toward you, nor My chastisement of others, lead you to obey Me, “therefore” the time shall be, when My Providence shall not seem to be over you, nor My presence among you (see Hos 3:3-5); but then, “wait ye for Me” earnestly, intensely, perseveringly, “until the day, that I rise up to the prey.” “The day” is probably in the first instance, the deliverance from Babylon. But the words seem to be purposely enlarged, that they may embrace other judgments of God also. For the words to “gather the nations, assemble the kingdoms,” describe some array of nations against God and His people; gathering themselves for their own end at that time, but, in His purpose, gathering themselves for their own destruction, rather than the mere tranquil reunion of those of different nations in the city of Babylon, when the Medes and Persians came against them. Nor again are they altogether fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem, or any other event until now. For although then a vast number of the dispersed Jews were collected together, and were at that time “broken off” Rom 11:20 and out of covenant with God, they could hardly be called “nations,” (which are here and before Zeph. […]

The words behind it

26 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • לָכֵ֤ן<to> therefore

    lakhenH3651 →

  • חַכּוּ־wait

    chaku-H2442 →

  • לִי֙for me

    li

  • נְאֻם־[the] utterance of

    neum-H5002 →376 times

  • יְהוָ֔הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • לְי֖וֹםfor [the] day

    leyomH3117 →2304 times

  • קוּמִ֣יto arise I

    kumiH6965 →

  • לְעַ֑דfor booty

    leadH5707 →

  • כִּ֣יfor

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • מִשְׁפָּטִי֩judgment my

    mishpatiH4941 →422 times

  • לֶאֱסֹ֨ף[is] to gather

    leesofH622 →200 times

  • גּוֹיִ֜םnations

    goyimH1471 →561 times

  • לְקָבְצִ֣יto assemble I

    lekavetziH6908 →127 times

  • מַמְלָכ֗וֹתkingdoms

    mamlakhotH4467 →

  • לִשְׁפֹּ֨ךְto pour out

    lishpokhH8210 →

  • עֲלֵיהֶ֤םon them

    ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times

  • זַעְמִי֙indignation my

    za'miH2195 →

  • כֹּ֚לall

    kolH3605 →5413 times

  • חֲר֣וֹן[the] burning of

    charonH2740 →

  • אַפִּ֔יanger my

    ʾapiH639 →276 times

  • כִּ֚יfor

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • בְּאֵ֣שׁin [the] fire of

    beeshH784 →

  • קִנְאָתִ֔יjealousy my

    kinatiH7068 →

  • תֵּאָכֵ֖לit will be consumed

    teakhelH398 →

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • הָאָֽרֶץ׃the earth

    haaretzH776 →2504 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Revelation 16:1Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out on the earth the seven bowls of God’s wrath.”11 worksZephaniah 1:18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.9 worksDeuteronomy 4:24For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.9 worksLamentations 3:25The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.8 worksJoel 3:2I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning My people, My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations as they divided up My land.7 worksZephaniah 2:2before the decree takes effect and the day passes like chaff, before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the Day of the LORD’s anger comes upon you.6 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Jeremiah 45:5But as for you, do you seek great things for yourself? Stop seeking! For I will bring disaster on every living creature, declares the LORD, but wherever you go, I will grant your life as a spoil of war.”6 worksZechariah 2:13Be silent before the LORD, all people, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”6 worksPsalms 27:14Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!5 worksMicah 7:7But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.5 worksIsaiah 42:13The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:5 worksPsalms 62:5Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.5 works2 Peter 3:10But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.4 worksPsalms 79:5How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?4 worksIsaiah 31:2Yet He too is wise and brings disaster; He does not call back His words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against the allies of evildoers.4 worksHaggai 2:22I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their riders; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.4 worksPsalms 82:8Arise, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are Your inheritance.4 worksHabakkuk 2:3For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.3 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Psalms 27:14

    Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 40:31

      But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

    • Psalms 31:24

      Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the LORD.

    • Isaiah 30:18

      Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He rises to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. Blessed are all who wait for Him.

    • Psalms 37:34

      Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will raise you up to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

    • Psalms 130:5

      I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope.

  • Through

    Micah 7:7

    But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

    it leads to

    • Lamentations 3:25–26

      The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.

    • Psalms 37:7

      Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.

  • Through

    2 Peter 3:10

    But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid…

    it leads to

    • Revelation 21:1

      Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Where this verse is studied

About Zephaniah

Zephaniah: the study guide →Read Zephaniah 3 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Edward Bouverie Pusey, The Minor Prophets: A Commentary; Fulgentius of Ruspe, TO MONIMUS 2:5.1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Zephaniah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Zephaniah 3 →