Zephaniah 3:10

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,.... Either the African Ethiopia, or Arabia Chusea, which lay between Judea and Egypt: here some particular places and people are mentioned, in whom the preceding prophecy would be fulfilled.

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

From beyond the rivers; the coasts which lie beyond the rivers of India, saith the Chaldee paraphrast, but I doubt whether the captive Jews were carried so far. Of Ethiopia, in Arabia, bordering on Egypt, whither it is easy to conceive many Jews might betake themselves, who are here called dispersed, or dispersion, somewhat distinguished from captives. My suppliants; praying to me, saith one version. The daughter of my dispersed: this explains who the suppliant is; the praying remnant of the scattered Jews, who had gotten into those parts of Arabia that were coasting along the rivers which divided Ethiopia Cusaea from the rest of Arabia. Shall bring mine offering; shall return to their land and bring themselves an offering unto the Lord, which was done when Cyrus, in league with these Ethiopians, procured their favour for the dispersed Jews, that they might return to Jerusalem, meet their captive brethren, and offer a gift to God.

Zephaniah 3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, [even] the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.Ver. 10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia] Heb. Of Chush, that is of Arabia Chusaea, which lay between Judea and Egypt. Confer Isaiah 18:1; Isaiah 18:7. Some understand it of Ethiopia, which is beyond the river Nile, and hath two very great rivers. See this in part fulfilled by that Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8:26-40; neither may we think that he was alone in that country. Matthias the apostle is said to have preached the gospel to the Ethiopians (Euseb. i. 1). The large region of Nubia there had from the apostles’ time (as it is thought) professed the Christian faith, till about two hundred years since it forsook the same (Alvarez, Hist. Aethiopic.). The kingdom of Habassia, held by presbyter John, are yet Christians, differing from us in a few ceremonies only. My suppliants] My praying people, that ply the throne of grace, and multiply strong suits, pouring out a flood of words in humble supplication (as the Hebrew signifieth), continuing instant in prayer, as knowing that their safety here and salvation hereafter is of me alone. Even the daughter of my dispersed] Jews and Gentiles, elect of both sorts, John 11:52, scattered here and there, as the salt of the earth upon the face thereof, to keep it from putrefying. Danaeus thinketh that there is mention made of the daughter of the dispersed affectionately; namely, both to describe the earnestness of the saints in serving God (for women, quicquid volunt, valde volunt whatever they wish, they greatly prefer), and that this so goodly and joyful a spectacle or sight of women worshipping and serving God, and of virgins especially, might stir up and move affections. It is easy to observe that the New Testament affordeth more store of good women than the old, who can make masculine prayers, mingled with tears; and as music upon the waters sounds further and more harmoniously than upon the land, so do prayers well watered. Shall bring mine offering] Heb. My meat offering, or rather my wheat offering (Minchathi), their bodies and souls, Romans 12:1, that best of sacrifices, for a reasonable service, a solemn present; such that the Chaldee paraphrast might express; he translateth it thus: They shall bring as presents unto me the banished of my people, who were carried captive, and shall return by my mercies.

(10) The daughter of my dispersed.—i.e., dropping the Hebrew idiom, “my dispersed people.” Even from the southern limit of the known world shall the new Church draw adherents. The “dispersed people” are not Jewish exiles, but the Gentile tribes of the dispersion (of Genesis 11:8) which have been hitherto alienated from their Creator by ignorance and vice. Similarly, Caiaphas prophesies that Christ should not only die for the Jewish nation, but that “He should gather together in one” the children of God that “were scattered abroad” (John 11:51-52). Bring mine offering.—The minchâh or bloodless oblation. The phrase here merely represents homage rendered to Jehovah as paramount. So in Malachi 1:11 it is foretold that “in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure minchâh.” In Isaiah 66:20, on the other hand, the Gentiles are represented as bringing the dispersed Jews back to Jerusalem “as a minchâh to Jehovah.” De Wette and others (wrongly, as we believe), give this passage the same force, rendering, “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia shall men bring my suppliants, even my dispersed people, as my offering.”

Verse 10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia] This may denote both Africa and the southern Arabia. Bochart thinks that Arabia Chusaer is meant; and that the rivers are Besor, which flows into the Mediterranean; Rhinocorura, which flows into the Lake Sirbonis; Trajanus Amnis, which flows into the Red Sea; and the river Corys. Calmet thinks that these rivers mean the Nile, which by seven mouths falls into the Mediterranean. The Nile comes from Ethiopia, properly so called; and runs through all Egypt, and falls into the sea at that part of Arabia which the Scripture calls Cush or Ethiopia. My dispersed] The Jews, scattered through different parts of the world. Shall bring mine offering. Shall acknowledge my mercy in sending them the Messiah to bless them, by turning every one of them away from their iniquities.

10. The verse is obscure on account of the uncertain meaning of several expressions in it. Its general sense is that the heathen nations, even those most distant, shall do homage to Jehovah and present offerings to Him. Jeremiah already predicts the conversion of the nations (Jeremiah 3:17, Jeremiah 16:19). From beyond the rivers] This meaning is possible, but the usual sense would be: beyond the rivers—in answer to the question where, not, whence (Isaiah 18:1). On Ethiopia or Cush see on ch. Zephaniah 2:12. My suppliants] The word does not occur again in this sense, though a verb to supplicate, from which it might be derived, is not uncommon (Genesis 25:21). In the sing, the word occurs Ezekiel 8:11 in the sense of vapour or odour (R.V.) of incense, and this sense, being parallel to “mine offering,” might be adopted here. even the daughter of my dispersed] Phrases like “daughter of Zion” (Zephaniah 3:14), of Babylon (Psalms 137:8), of Edom (Lamentations 4:21), signify the city or country named with its inhabitants. There is always in such phrases the name of a place, and this suggests that under the word “my dispersed” (pûtsai) there lurks some proper name. Ewald suggested Put, which is often named in connexion with Cush (cf. on Nahum 3:9). “The daughter of Put” would then be parallel to “beyond the rivers of Cush.” Others have assumed that somewhat after the analogy of “daughter of Zion” in the sense of Zion with those inhabiting it, “the daughter of my dispersed” might mean those composing (comprised in) my dispersed. “My dispersed” must certainly refer to Jews; the view of Hitzig that they are the same as “those that escape” of the Gentiles and carry tidings of the greatness of Jehovah to all nations (Isaiah 66:18-19), has no probability. The general meaning of the verse would be that the most distant nations would bring back God’s dispersed people the Jews as an offering to Him (Isaiah 66:20): From beyond the rivers of Cush shall they bring my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed as mine offering. The term “suppliants” seems unnatural in the connexion. After all, the other sense appears at least equally probable: Beyond the rivers of Cush they shall offer me incense, the daughter of [Put] shall bring me an offering, the reference being to the service of Jehovah by all the nations. Comp. Isaiah 18:7; Isaiah 45:14; Psalms 72:10.

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia - (See Isaiah 18:1.) The farthest southern people, with whom the Jews had contact, stand as the type of the whole world beyond.

THE WORLD AND ITS EFFECTS, Zephaniah 3:8-13.Since all warnings have failed, the judgment is inevitable. But in the midst of the rebellious nation there is a faithful remnant (Zephaniah 2:3); to it are addressed Zephaniah 3:8 ff.