Zephaniah 3:7

“I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, etc.] This is spoken after the manner of men; as if God should say within himself, and reason in his own mind, upon a view of things, surely the people of the Jews will take notice of my judgments executed on other nations, and will stand in awe of me on account of them; and fear to offend me, lest the same calamities should come upon them; this, humanly speaking, might be reasonably thought would be the case: thou wilt receive instruction; by these judgments, taking warning by them; repent, reform, and amend, and thereby escape the like: so their dwelling should not be cut off; or, “its dwelling”; the dwelling of the city of Jerusalem, the houses in it; the…”

“I said, Surely, &c.--God speaks after the manner of men in condescension to man's infirmity; not as though God was ignorant of the future contingency, but in their sense, Surely one might have expected ye would under such circumstances repent: but no! thou--at least, O Jerusalem! Compare "thou, even thou, at least in this thy day" (Luk 19:42). their dwelling--the sanctuary [BUXTORF]. Or, the city. Compare Jesus' words (Luk 13:35), "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Lev 26:31-32; Psa 69:25); and used as to the temple (Mic 3:12). "Their" is used instead of "thy"; this change of person implies that God puts them to a greater distance. howsoever I punished them--Howsoever I might…”

“I said, surely thou wilt fear Me - God speaks of things here, as they are in their own nature. “It could not but be,” that in the very presence of the Hand of God, destroying others but as yet sparing them, they must learn to fear Him; they must stand in awe of Him for His judgments on others; they must be in filial fear of Him for His loving longsuffering toward themselves. “Thou ‘wilt’ receive instruction,” corrected and taught through God’s correction of others and the lighter judgments on themselves, as Solomon says, “I looked, I set my heart: I saw, I received instruction” Proverbs 24:32. He saith, “receive,” making it man’s free act. God brings it near, commends it to him, exhorts,…”

“I said - I thought (speaking after the manner of men). Thou - O Jerusalem. Fear me - For the many and great judgments executed upon others. I punished them - In some measure. Zephaniah 3:8”

“3:7 get up early: Jerusalem’s citizens couldn’t wait to jump out of bed in the morning and do more evil deeds (cp. Prov 1:16). They had moved far from the ways of their ancestor Abraham, who arose early to obey God’s command (Gen 22:3).”

“Surely: Zep 3:2; Isa 5:4, Isa 63:8; Jer 8:6, Jer 36:3; Luk 19:42-44; Pe2 3:9 so: Jer 7:7, Jer 17:25-27, Jer 25:5, Jer 38:17 howsoever: Ch2 28:6-8, Ch2 32:1, Ch2 32:2, Ch2 33:11, Ch2 36:3-10 they: Mic 2:1, Mic 2:2 corrupted: Gen 6:12; Deu 4:16; Hos 9:9 Zephaniah 3:8”

“In Zep 3:7 and Zep 3:8 the prophet sums up all that he has said in Zep 3:1-6, to close his admonition to repentance with the announcement of judgment. Zep 3:7. "I said, Only do thou fear me, do thou accept correction, so will their dwelling not be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning them: but they most zealously destroyed all their doings. Zep 3:8. Therefore wait for me, is the saying of Jehovah, for the day when I rise up to the prey; for it is my right to gather nations together, to bring kingdoms in crowds, to heap upon them my fury, all the burning of my wrath: for in the fire of my zeal will the whole earth be devoured." God has not allowed instruction and warning…”