Zephaniah 2:12 kjv
Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
Zephaniah 2:12 nkjv
"You Ethiopians also, You shall be slain by My sword."
Zephaniah 2:12 niv
"You Cushites, too, will be slain by my sword."
Zephaniah 2:12 esv
You also, O Cushites, shall be slain by my sword.
Zephaniah 2:12 nlt
"You Ethiopians will also be slaughtered
by my sword," says the LORD.
Zephaniah 2 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zephaniah 2:10 | "This they shall have for their pride, because they taunted and boasted..." | Judgment against Philistia |
| Isaiah 18:1-7 | "Woe to the land of the wingèd ships, beyond the rivers of Cush..." | Prophecy concerning Cush |
| Jeremiah 13:23 | "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then also..." | Impossibility of changing ingrained sin |
| Amos 9:7 | "Are you not like the Ethiopians to me, O people of Israel? declares the Lord..." | God's sovereignty over all nations |
| Isaiah 11:11 | "Then the Lord will extend his hand a second time to recover the remnant..." | God's redemptive plan includes nations |
| Jeremiah 46:7-12 | "Who is this that comes up like the Nile, whose waters surge like rivers?" | Judgment on Egypt (Cush's neighbor) |
| Ezekiel 29:1-16 | Judgment on Egypt | God's judgment extends to Egypt |
| Nahum 3:8-10 | "Are you not better than No-amon... Yet she was carried into captivity..." | Judgment on Egypt (Thebes) |
| Psalm 72:9 | "May the desert tribes bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust!" | Universal reign and submission |
| Psalm 87:4 | "I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who know me; behold, Philistia..." | Nations associated with God's people |
| Revelation 5:9 | "And they sing a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and..." | Redemption purchased for all peoples |
| Revelation 7:9 | "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could count..." | Heavenly multitude from all nations |
| Acts 8:26-40 | Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch | Ethiopian encountering the Gospel |
| Romans 1:23 | "exchange[d] the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the..." | Gentile idolatry and judgment |
| Romans 2:14-16 | "For when Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires..." | God judges based on inner conviction |
| Revelation 20:12 | "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne..." | Final judgment of all humanity |
| Matthew 24:14 | "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world..." | The Gospel reaches all nations |
| Malachi 1:11 | "For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the..." | Universal worship |
| Psalm 68:31 | "Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall speed to God with offerings." | Ethiopians offering worship to God |
Zephaniah 2 verses
Zephaniah 2 12 Meaning
Zephaniah 2:12 declares that the people of Cush (Ethiopia) will also be slain by the sword of the Lord. This judgment extends beyond the surrounding nations to this distant land, indicating the universal scope of God's impending wrath against sin and rebellion. It signifies that no nation, however geographically separated, will escape God's righteous judgment for their transgressions.
Zephaniah 2 12 Context
This verse is part of a prophecy within Zephaniah chapter 2, which denounces and pronounces judgment upon several surrounding nations: Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, and Assyria. The prophet calls for gathered nations to assemble to face the Lord's anger. Zephaniah 2:12 specifically addresses Cush, identifying its inhabitants and the consequences of their pride and the sin of oppressive violence they have engaged in, not explicitly detailed in this verse but implied in the surrounding prophetic pronouncements against oppressive nations. Historically, Cush, or Ethiopia, was a significant ancient civilization south of Egypt. The message of judgment serves as a warning to all nations that no one is exempt from God's reckoning for their sins, including arrogance and oppression.
Zephaniah 2 12 Word Analysis
- Also (Hebrew: gam): A conjunctive particle indicating inclusion or addition, signifying that Cush is another nation subject to the Lord's judgment alongside those previously mentioned.
- Ye (Hebrew: ’af): An intensifier, often translated as "also" or "even," emphasizing that Cush, despite its distance, will also face God's striking hand.
- Mee (Hebrew: mi): A preposition meaning "from." Here, it signifies the source or agent of their destruction.
- Na-kuh-vo (Hebrew: naḵūva): "those struck down" or "the slain." It refers to the victims of the Lord's judgment, specifically by the sword.
- Buh-naa-svee (Hebrew: bənōṯ ’ayim): "daughters of slaughter," a poetic way of referring to those who will be killed or the violence that will be enacted. This emphasizes the thoroughness and brutality of the coming destruction. The plural form suggests a multitude of victims.
- L’a-do-naa-ye (Hebrew: ləYəHōwāh): "of the Lord." This explicitly states that the agency of destruction is divine.
Grouped Words Analysis:
- "’af naḵūva bənōṯ ’ayim”: This phrase ("even the slain daughters of slaughter") emphasizes the comprehensive nature of God's judgment. It portrays a scene of widespread death and destruction brought about by the Lord, affecting all, even symbolically represented by "daughters of slaughter." It speaks of severe and absolute destruction.
- “mi-nāšîyîm ləYəHōwāh”: Meaning "from those struck down of the Lord." This further reinforces that the judgment originates from Yahweh. It’s not just a random event but a targeted action of divine justice.
Zephaniah 2 12 Bonus Section
The phrase "daughters of slaughter" (Hebrew: bənōṯ ’ayim) is a powerful Hebrew idiom. It’s not suggesting that only female victims will be slain, but rather it emphasizes the extremity of the violent judgment, painting a picture of overwhelming destruction and carnage. This vivid imagery aims to instill a deep sense of the terrifying power of God's impending wrath. While the immediate context is judgment, broader biblical themes connect this to God’s ultimate desire for all nations to be reconciled to Him. Scriptures speak of Ethiopians (Cushites) eventually coming to worship God (Psalm 68:31), indicating a turn from judgment to salvation for those who repent and believe. The judgment announced here against Cush reflects the universal standard of righteousness that God imposes on all people, regardless of their lineage or geographical location, prior to His overarching redemptive plan for all humanity through Christ.
Zephaniah 2 12 Commentary
Zephaniah 2:12 underscores God's universal sovereignty and His ultimate justice against all sin. The inclusion of Cush, a distant nation, highlights that no ethnic group or geographic location is beyond God's reach or exemption from His judgment when they persistently sin, especially through pride and oppressive actions. This verse serves as a stark reminder that God holds all nations accountable for their conduct. It is not just a pronouncement of doom, but a foundational statement on divine justice that ultimately prepares for a future of global redemption as indicated by other scriptures that speak of all nations coming to worship the Lord.