Zephaniah 2:7

“And the strip will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; on them they will graze; in the houses of Ashkelon in the evening they will lie down; for YHWH their Elohim will attend to them and turn back their captivity.”

Zephaniah 2:7 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

7

Zephaniah 2:7, word by word

And the stripחֶבֶלchevel

allotment

A plot measured with a rope, a portion of land.

Where else “chevel” appears
will belongהָיָהhaya

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “haya” appears
to the remnantשְׁאֵרִיתsheerit

remnant

Remnant: those left alive after a disaster.

Where else “sheerit” appears
of the houseבֵּיתbet

dynasty

Someone's descendants: "the house of David".

Where else “bet” appears
of Judahיְהוּדָהyehuda

Judah

Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah; also the tribe that came from him and its land, and later the southern kingdom; King David came from it. The name sounds like "give thanks". Borne also by other Israelites.

Where else “yehuda” appears
they will grazeיִרְעוּyiru

graze

To tend a flock, or eat grass.

Where else “yiru” appears
of Ashkelonאַשְׁקְלוֹןashklon

Ashkelon

See it on the mapWhere else “ashklon” appears
in the eveningעֶרֶבerev

evening

Evening, when the sun goes down. Each day of Genesis 1 is counted "evening and morning"; so in Israel the day begins at sunset.

Where else “erev” appears
they will lie downיִרְבָּצוּyirbatsu

lie down, crouch

Lie down, crouch, like an animal at rest or lying in wait.

Where else “yirbatsu” appears
YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
their Elohimאֱלֹהֵיelohe

Elohim

The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.

Where else “elohe” appears
will attend to themיִפְקְדֵyifkde

attend to

To attend to someone; God comes to help.

Where else “yifkde” appears
and turn backשָׁבshav

bring back

To return something, restore.

Where else “shav” appears
their captivityשְׁבִיתָshevita

captivity, fortunes

Captivity: the condition of those taken away as prisoners far from their land. "Turn back the captivity" is to restore someone to his former state.

Where else “shevita” appears

Places in this verse

JerusalemAshkelon
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • Ashkelon

    Today: Ashkelon, Israel

    A Philistine city on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 miles (65 km) southwest of Jerusalem.

    Samson killed thirty men there to pay a bet (Judg 14:19). It was one of the five main Philistine cities (1 Sam 6:17).

    Judges 14:191 Samuel 6:17Jeremiah 47:5

The context

6And the strip of the sea will become pastures, meadows for shepherds, and folds for sheep.

7 · This verse (above)

8“I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, with which they reproached my people and made themselves great against their territory.

Read all of Zephaniah 2

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