Zephaniah 2:12 — Word Study
WLCגַּם־ אַתֶּ֣ם כּוּשִׁ֔ים חַֽלְלֵ֥י חַרְבִּ֖י הֵֽמָּה׃
BSAYou tooʼattâh [also, even] O CushitesKûwshîy [Ethiopians, descendants of Cush] willgam be slainchâlâl [put to death, killed] by My swordchereb [cutting instrument, knife]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| גַּם־ | also | Adverb |
| אַתֶּ֣ם | you | Pronoun |
| כּוּשִׁ֔ים | O Cushites | Noun gentilic, masculine plural absolute |
| חַֽלְלֵ֥י | [are those] slain of | Adj |
| חַרְבִּ֖י | sword my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| הֵֽמָּה׃ | they | Pronoun |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “You too, O Cushites, will be slain by My sword.” |
| KJV | ¶ Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. |
| ASV | Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. |
| YLT | Also ye, O Cushim, pierced of My sword [are] they. |
| WEB | You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword. |
| BBE | And you Ethiopians will be put to death by my sword. |
Where they part company is חַֽלְלֵ֥י — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, with one main clause followed by a predicate that describes the action of slaying.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהֵמָּה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Zephaniah 2:12
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Prophecy Against the Nationsgenerated
Zephaniah 2:12 is part of a larger prophetic message where God announces judgment on various nations, including the Cushites. This verse emphasizes that no one is exempt from His judgment, highlighting His sovereignty over all peoples. The surrounding verses detail the fate of other nations, reinforcing the theme of divine retribution.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 18:1–7 | Woe to the land of whirring wings, along the rivers of Cush, |
| 2 | 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. |
| 3 | 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. |
| 4 | 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. |
| 5 | 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. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חַֽלְלֵ֥י, cha.Leigenerated
The word חַֽלְלֵ֥י (cha.Lei) is derived from the root חָלָל meaning 'to pierce' or 'to slay.' It describes those who have been killed, often in a violent or profane manner. In this context, it indicates the fate of the Cushites as being slain by God's sword, emphasizing the severity of the judgment.
The parsing as an adjective suggests a descriptive role, indicating the state of those referred to as 'slain.' This word carries a weight of finality, marking the end of life and the consequences of divine judgment.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB has slain, and so do the KJV and ASV: all three keep the directness of חַֽלְלֵ֥י.
Where others part company with the BSB they part company over the rendering of חַֽלְלֵ֥י. Killed (FBV, WEB) emphasizes the act, while put to death (BBE) carries a more formal tone. The distinctions highlight different nuances in the understanding of the judgment being proclaimed.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb חַֽלְלֵ֥י governs the main clause, with a noun phrase following that describes the subject of the judgment. The structure emphasizes the direct address to the Cushites, highlighting their inclusion in the prophetic warning.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subjects being judged, with the verb indicating the action of slaying, thus framing the verse as a stark declaration of impending doom.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חַֽלְלֵ֥י as τραυματίαι, which means 'wounds' or 'injuries.' This choice suggests a focus on the consequences of violence, possibly emphasizing the suffering that accompanies divine judgment.
This translation reflects a broader interpretation of the Hebrew term, shifting the emphasis from mere death to the implications of being slain, which may include the pain and aftermath of such an event.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Zephaniah 2:12 tells us that the Cushites, like other nations, will face God's judgment. The verse emphasizes that they will be slain by God's sword, highlighting the seriousness of divine retribution against all peoples.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that they will face judgment and destruction as a consequence of their actions, similar to other nations.
This inclusion emphasizes that God's authority and judgment extend to all nations, regardless of their distance or status.
Cushites are descendants of Cush, historically associated with the region of Ethiopia.
It fits within a broader prophetic message about divine judgment on various nations, showing that none are exempt from God's sovereignty.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this verse teach us about God's judgment on nations?
- How can we understand the significance of being included in God's prophetic messages?
- In what ways does this verse challenge our understanding of justice?
- What implications does this have for how we view other nations today?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Jerome comments on this verse, noting the judgment against the Ethiopians, which serves to illustrate God's power over all nations.
But even you, Ethiopians, will be killed by my sword: and he will stretch out his hand over the North, and will destroy Assyria: and he will make a beautiful place desolate, and like a deserted wilderness.Early Church Fathers on Zephaniah 2 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Zephaniah 2:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleYe 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
Read John Gill on Zephaniah 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryYe Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
Read Robert Jamieson on Zephaniah 2 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe 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.
Read Matthew Poole on Zephaniah 2 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsZephaniah 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…
Read John Trapp on Zephaniah 2 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(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.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Zephaniah 2 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 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.
Read AdamClarke on Zephaniah 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12. 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.
Read Cambridge on Zephaniah 2 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleYe 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;
Read Albert Barnes on Zephaniah 2 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
“You too, O Cushites, will be slain by My sword.”
You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
“You too, O Cushites, will be slain by My sword.”
“You Ethiopians will also die by my sword!”
Tyndale line
¶ Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall 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.
Ye Cushites also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
Ye Morians also shalbe slaine by my sword with them.
Strictly literal
Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be the slain of my sword.
Also ye, O Cushim, pierced of My sword [are] they.
“Also you, O Cushim, they [are] pierced of My sword.”
Also ye Ethiopians shall be those slain by my sword.
You Cushites also will be pierced by my sword,
From the Latin
You Ethiopians, also shall be slain with my sword.
Simplified
You Ethiopians will be killed by the sword.
And you Ethiopians will be put to death by my sword.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording, matching six out of six words. The Dead Sea Scrolls show one word on the leather with five supplied by an editor, indicating a degree of textual preservation despite some editorial intervention.
גַּם־ אַתֶּ֣ם כּוּשִׁ֔ים חַֽלְלֵ֥י חַרְבִּ֖י הֵֽמָּה׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
גם [אתם] [כושים] [חללי] [חרב׳י] [המה]
1 word on the leather — 5 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Zephaniah 2:12
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
גַּם (gam) is an adverb meaning 'also' or 'moreover,' indicating addition or emphasis. It can express various nuances, such as 'even,' 'indeed,' or 'but.' The term is often used in a correlational manner, as in 'both...and.' It appears in contexts that require clarification or reinforcement of a statement.
גַּם 768 adv. denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
base
H1571 גַּם denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
1571 gam gam
by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea,
though; often repeated as correl. both...and:--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.
גַּם (gam) — also.
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
DirObjM — AdverbHD
ol'-so: In the Greek kai, when it is equivalent to "also" or "even," is always placed before the word or phrase which it is intended to emphasize (e.g. Ac 12:3; 1 Joh 4:21). Mt 6:14 should therefore read, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you also"; Lu 6:13, "Whom also he named apostles"; Heb 8:6, "The mediator of a better covenant also"; and 1Th 4:14, `If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also (we believe that) those who are fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Pron — PronounHPp2mp
כּוּשִׁי (kuwshiy) refers to a Cushite or Ethiopian, a descendant of Cush, the grandson of Noah. The entries describe it as someone from Ethiopia, highlighting connections to blackness and the land of Cush. It also mentions a specific individual named Cushi, who is noted in Zephaniah 1:1 as the father of Zephaniah.
כּוּשִׁי adj.gent.
sg. agreeing with noun
= subst., a Cushite
id. c. art., the Cushite, of Joab’s adjutant
pl. = subst.
base
H3569 כּוּשִׁי, כּוּשִׁית
3569 Kuwshiy koo-shee'
patronymically from 3568; a Cushite, or descendant of
Cush:--Cushi, Cushite, Ethiopian(-s).
see HEBREW for 03568
כּוּשִׁי (ku.shi) — Ethiopian.
Someone from Ethiopia
Group of kush (כּוּשׁ "Ethiopia" H3568H)
§ Cushi or Ethiopian, of Cush "their blackness"
inhabitant of Ethiopia, land of one of the descendants of Cush the grandson of Noah
כּוּשִׁי (ku.shi) — Cushi.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at Zep.1.1;
son of: Gedaliah (H1436H);
father of: Zephaniah (H6846H)
§ Cushi or Ethiopian, of Cush "their blackness"
1) one of the descendants of Cush the grandson of Noah through Ham and a member of that nation or people
2) one of Joab's couriers
3) (TWOT) Ethiopian
כּוּשִׁי (ku.shi) — Cushite.
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
Ngmpa — Noun gentilic · masculine plural absoluteHNgmpa
חָלָל (chalal) primarily means 'pierced' or 'slain,' often in a context of fatal wounding. It can also refer to something that is 'profaned' or 'defiled.' The word is built from the root associated with piercing and carries both literal and figurative meanings related to death and pollution.
חָלָל 90 n.m. pierced
pierced, fatally wounded
slain
base
חָלָל adj. profaned
base
H2491a חָלָל pierced H2491b חָלָל profaned
2491 chalal khaw-lawl'
from 2490; pierced (especially to death); figuratively,
polluted:--kill, profane, slain (man), X slew, (deadly)
wounded.
see HEBREW for 02490
חָלָל (cha.lal) — slain: killed.
: killed
1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced
1a) pierced, fatally wounded
1b) slain
Also means: cha.lal (חָלָל ": wounded" H2491H)
חָלָל (cha.lal) — profaned.
adj
1) (CLBL) profaned
1a) defiled, profaned (by divorce)
חָלָל (cha.lal) — slain: wounded.
: wounded
1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced
1a) pierced, fatally wounded
1b) slain
Adj — AdjHAampc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.
חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)
base
H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)
2719 chereb kheh'-reb
from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its
destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp
implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.
see HEBREW for 02717
חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.
1) sword, knife
1a) sword
1b) knife
1c) tools for cutting stone
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
הֵ֫מָּה (hemmah) is a masculine plural pronoun meaning 'they.' The entries indicate that it can also mean 'these,' 'the same,' or refer to people in an emphatic context. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its usage.
הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they
base
H1992 הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) they
1992 hem haym
or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from
1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so)
many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such,
their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.
see HEBREW for 01981
הֵ֫מָּה (hem.mah) — they(masc.).
they, these, the same, who
HPp3mp — PronounHPp3mp