Zephaniah 2:12
Zephaniah 2:12 in Multiple Translations
“You too, O Cushites, will be slain by My sword.”
¶ Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
And you Ethiopians will be put to death by my sword.
You Ethiopians will be killed by the sword.
Ye Morians also shalbe slaine by my sword with them.
Also ye, O Cushim, pierced of My sword [are] they.
You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
Ye Cushites also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
You Ethiopians, also shall be slain with my sword.
Yahweh says that he will also slaughter the people of Ethiopia.
Berean Amplified Bible — Zephaniah 2:12
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Zephaniah 2:12 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
גַּם
אַתֶּ֣ם
כּוּשִׁ֔ים
חַֽלְלֵ֥י
חַרְבִּ֖/י
הֵֽמָּה
גַּם
gam
H1571
also
DirObjM
אַתֶּ֣ם
ʼattâh
H859
you(m.s.)
Pron
כּוּשִׁ֔ים
Kûwshîy
H3569
Cushite
Ngmpa
חַֽלְלֵ֥י
châlâl
H2491
slain
Adj
חַרְבִּ֖/י
chereb
H2719
sword
N-fs | Suff
הֵֽמָּה
hêm
H1992
they(masc.)
Pron
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Zephaniah 2:12
גַּם
gam
H1571
"also"
DirObjM
Also means 'even' or 'too', used for emphasis or to connect ideas, like 'both...and' or 'neither...nor'. It can introduce a climax or show contrast.
Definition: 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike
Usage: Occurs in 661 OT verses. KJV: again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea. See also: Genesis 3:6; Exodus 19:9; 1 Samuel 14:21.
אַתֶּ֣ם
ʼattâh
H859
"you(m.s.)"
Pron
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Definition: you (second pers. sing. masc.)
Usage: Occurs in 997 OT verses. KJV: thee, thou, ye, you. See also: Genesis 3:11; Exodus 23:9; Deuteronomy 14:1.
כּוּשִׁ֔ים
Kûwshîy
H3569
"Cushite"
Ngmpa
A Cushite is a descendant of Cush, referring to someone from Ethiopia. They are mentioned as a distinct group in the Bible.
Definition: Someone from Cush Group of kush (כּוּשׁ "Cush" H3568A) § Cushi or Ethiopian, of Cush "their blackness" one of the descendants of Cush the grandson of Noah through Ham and a member of that nation or people (TWOT) Ethiopian
Usage: Occurs in 19 OT verses. KJV: Cushi, Cushite, Ethiopian(-s). See also: 2 Samuel 18:21; 2 Chronicles 16:8; Jeremiah 13:23.
חַֽלְלֵ֥י
châlâl
H2491
"slain"
Adj
This word describes something or someone that has been profaned or hurt, like in Numbers 35:33. It can also mean to be pierced or wounded, as in physically harmed.
Definition: : killed 1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced 1a) pierced, fatally wounded 1b) slain Also means: cha.lal (חָלָל ": wounded" H2491H)
Usage: Occurs in 85 OT verses. KJV: kill, profane, slain (man), [idiom] slew, (deadly) wounded. See also: Genesis 34:27; Isaiah 66:16; Psalms 69:27.
חַרְבִּ֖/י
chereb
H2719
"sword"
N-fs | Suff
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Definition: 1) sword, knife 1a) sword 1b) knife 1c) tools for cutting stone
Usage: Occurs in 372 OT verses. KJV: axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool. See also: Genesis 3:24; 2 Samuel 2:16; Psalms 7:13.
הֵֽמָּה
hêm
H1992
"they(masc.)"
Pron
This Hebrew word is used to refer to a group of men, emphasizing that it is specifically them. It is often translated as 'they' or 'them' in the Bible, and appears in books like Exodus and Isaiah.
Definition: they, these, the same, who
Usage: Occurs in 524 OT verses. KJV: it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye. See also: Genesis 3:7; Deuteronomy 19:17; 2 Kings 1:18.
Study Notes — Zephaniah 2:12
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Zephaniah 2:12 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Zephaniah 2:12
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Zephaniah 2:12
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
- Trapp's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
- Ellicott's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
- Cambridge Bible on Zephaniah 2:12
- Barnes' Notes on Zephaniah 2:12
- Whedon's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
- Sermons on Zephaniah 2:12
Context — Judgment on Cush and Assyria
10This they shall have in return for their pride, for taunting and mocking the people of the LORD of Hosts.
11The LORD will be terrifying to them when He starves all the gods of the earth. Then the nations of every shore will bow in worship to Him, each in its own place.
12“You too, O Cushites, will be slain by My sword.”
13And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert. 14Herds will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. Both the desert owl and screech owl will roost atop her pillars. Their calls will sound from the window, but desolation will lie on the threshold, for He will expose the beams of cedar.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 30:4–9 | A sword will come against Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush when the slain fall in Egypt, its wealth is taken away, and its foundations are torn down. Cush, Put, and Lud, and all the various peoples, as well as Libya and the men of the covenant land, will fall with Egypt by the sword. For this is what the LORD says: The allies of Egypt will fall, and her proud strength will collapse. From Migdol to Syene they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Lord GOD. They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities. Then they will know that I am the LORD when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are shattered. On that day messengers will go out from Me in ships to frighten Cush out of complacency. Anguish will come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom. For it is indeed coming. |
| 2 | Isaiah 43:3 | For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 51:20–23 | “You are My war club, My weapon for battle. With you I shatter nations; with you I bring kingdoms to ruin. With you I shatter the horse and rider; with you I shatter the chariot and driver. With you I shatter man and woman; with you I shatter the old man and the youth; with you I shatter the young man and the maiden. With you I shatter the shepherd and his flock; with you I shatter the farmer and his oxen; with you I shatter the governors and officials. |
| 4 | Isaiah 18:1–7 | Woe to the land of whirring wings, along the rivers of Cush, which sends couriers by sea, in papyrus vessels on the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people widely feared, to a powerful nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers. All you people of the world and dwellers of the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it; when a ram’s horn sounds, you will hear it. For this is what the LORD has told me: “I will quietly look on from My dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” For before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, He will cut off the shoots with a pruning knife and remove and discard the branches. They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey, and to the beasts of the land. The birds will feed on them in summer, and all the wild animals in winter. At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD of Hosts— from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people widely feared, from a powerful nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers— to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the LORD of Hosts. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 46:9–10 | Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth— Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow. For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates. |
| 6 | Isaiah 13:5 | They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the LORD and the weapons of His wrath— to destroy the whole country. |
| 7 | Isaiah 20:4–5 | so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame. Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed. |
| 8 | Isaiah 10:5 | Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath. |
| 9 | Psalms 17:13 | Arise, O LORD, confront them! Bring them to their knees; deliver me from the wicked by Your sword, |
| 10 | Jeremiah 47:6–7 | ‘Alas, O sword of the LORD, how long until you rest? Return to your sheath; cease and be still!’ How can it rest when the LORD has commanded it? He has appointed it against Ashkelon and the shore of its coastland.” |
Zephaniah 2:12 Summary
This verse is saying that God will judge the Cushites, a people group in Northeast Africa, using His powerful sword, which represents His righteous judgment. This is a reminder that God is in control of all nations and will judge those who do not obey Him, as seen in other parts of the Bible, such as in Romans 2:6-11. Just like the Cushites, we all need to be humble and obey God, trusting in His love and mercy, as seen in verses like Psalm 103:8-12 and John 3:16. By doing so, we can avoid facing God's judgment and instead experience His love and salvation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Cushites mentioned in Zephaniah 2:12?
The Cushites were a people group located in Northeast Africa, and God is warning them of impending judgment, similar to other nations mentioned in the Bible, such as in Isaiah 18:1 and Ezekiel 30:4-5.
What does it mean to be slain by God's sword?
To be slain by God's sword means to face God's judgment and wrath, as seen in other parts of the Bible, such as in Deuteronomy 32:41 and Isaiah 34:6, where God's sword is a symbol of His righteous judgment.
Is this verse still relevant today?
Yes, this verse is still relevant today, as it reminds us of God's power and authority over all nations, and the importance of humility and obedience to Him, as seen in verses like Proverbs 21:30 and Daniel 4:35.
How does this verse relate to God's plan of salvation?
This verse, while focusing on God's judgment, also points to His ultimate plan of salvation, as seen in verses like Isaiah 2:2-4 and Revelation 15:4, where all nations will worship Him and acknowledge His sovereignty.
Reflection Questions
- What does this verse reveal about God's character and His relationship with the nations?
- How does the warning to the Cushites apply to my own life and my relationship with God?
- What does it mean to trust in God's sovereignty, especially in the face of uncertainty or judgment?
- How can I balance the idea of God's judgment with His love and mercy, as seen in verses like Psalm 103:8-12 and John 3:16?
Gill's Exposition on Zephaniah 2:12
Ye Ethiopians also,.... Or, "as for ye Ethiopians also" (h); not the Ethiopians in Africa beyond Egypt, at a distance from the land of Israel, and the countries before mentioned; but the inhabitants
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Zephaniah 2:12
Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
The prophet doth not speak of the African Ethiopians, south of Egypt, but of the Arabian Ethiopians, much nearer to Canaan, whose country was called Cusaea, with the addition Ethiopia Cusaea. See . Ye shall be slain, punished by war, and your people cut off, by my sword; Nebuchadnezzar and his Chaldeans, called here God’ s sword, for God employed and prospered them.
Trapp's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
Zephaniah 2:12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye [shall be] slain by my sword.Ver. 12. Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword] Which is long enough to reach you, though far remote. The poets feign that Jupiter was wont to be feasted by the Ethiopians; but that shall not save them from God’ s sore and great strong sword. Nebuchadnezzar, to whom God had given Ethiopia, and Egypt, and Saba as a ransom for his people, Isaiah 43:3. See Proverbs 11:8. The Ethiopians and Egyptians were subdued together, Jeremiah 46:2 Isaiah 18:1-2. It is now inhabited by the Abyssinians (a kind of mongrel Christians), and called Prester John’ s country; where they say they have this custom, among others: In their great solemnities they have a cup of gold borne before them, filled within, and besmeared without with dirt, yet so as the gold appeareth; and next to this cup is carried a crucifix. Hereby they would show that man should be pure as gold; but being within and without defiled by sin, he is restored by Christ crucified, so as that the gold of God’ s graces appeareth in him here in part, and shall do hereafter in all perfection.
Ellicott's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
(12) Ethiopia is to suffer by the sword in the execution of God’s purpose of magnifying His people. The conjunction of Ethiopia and Assyria is probably suggested by the earlier passage in Nahum 3:8. et seq. In addition to its earlier vicissitudes at the hands of Assyrian invaders, Ethiopia perhaps suffered as an ally of Egypt after the battle of Carchemish. It was probably invaded by Nebuchadnezzar; see on Ezekiel 30:4. With the Median ascendancy came a fresh series of calamities. Cambyses, the successor of Cyrus, reduced the country to a condition of vassalage, B.C. 525; and in the time of Xerxes the Ethiopians had to furnish a contingent against the Greeks.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
Verse 12. Ye Ethiopians also] Nebuchadnezzar subdued these. See Jeremiah 46:2; Jeremiah 46:9; Ezekiel 30:4; Ezekiel 30:10. See also on Amos 9:1-7.
Cambridge Bible on Zephaniah 2:12
12. Threat against Ethiopia Ethiopia or Cush was the country lying south of Egypt. Stretching from Syene (Assouan) southward, it corresponded to Nubia and the modern Soudan. Its capital is supposed to have lain near the 4th Cataract, on the great western bend of the Nile, about midway between Abu Hamed and Old Donkola. ye shall be slain] lit. are the slain of my sword, Isaiah 66:16. Comp. Jeremiah 25:33. The words are a prediction.
Barnes' Notes on Zephaniah 2:12
Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by My sword - Literally, “Ye Ethiopians also, the slain of My sword are they.” Having summoned them to His throne, God speaks of them, not to them anymore;
Whedon's Commentary on Zephaniah 2:12
12. The doom of Ethiopia. Ethiopians — Or, Cushites. The inhabitants of the vast and undefined territory immediately south of Egypt.
Sermons on Zephaniah 2:12
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
How to Come Savingly to Christ by Rolfe Barnard | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of not just listening to the word of God, but also taking action. He warns against being complacent and thinking that there i |
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Rev. 3:8. the Church's Little Strength, and the Lord's Great Love by Horatius Bonar | Horatius Bonar emphasizes the tender love and gracious character of Christ as depicted in Revelation 3:8, where He acknowledges the Church's little strength while offering an open |
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Christ the Ransom Found. by John Gill | John Gill preaches on the theme of Christ as the ransom found, emphasizing the grace of God in providing a means of redemption through Jesus Christ. He reflects on the significance |
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(Saved Through the Fire) 13 - God's True Message by Milton Green | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the concept of the day of the Lord, where God will judge and punish all nations based on their actions. He warns that whatever one gives out |
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God's Agency in War by A.W. Pink | A.W. Pink emphasizes God's sovereignty and agency in the affairs of nations, particularly in times of war and judgment. He argues that just as God punished nations in the Old Testa |
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(The Word for Today) Isaiah 18:1 - Part 1 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith emphasizes the importance of standing up for righteousness in a fallen world. He encourages young adults to abstain from the immorality of the cu |
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(Isaiah) the Pain of the Prophet by David Guzik | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the book of Isaiah and its message of judgment and refuge. He describes how Isaiah shifts his gaze between the refugees fleeing from Moab an |