Zephaniah 3:8

“Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, etc.] Or “nevertheless”f107: this is said to the disciples and followers of Christ among the Jews; for there were some few that did fear the Lord, and received his doctrine, and submitted to his ordinances, and walked in his ways; and these are encouraged to wait upon the Lord; upon the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; or for him, and to expect that he would appear, and work salvation and deliverance for them, when distress should come upon the unbelieving Jews: until the day that I rise up to the prey: until the day that he rose from the dead, quickly after which he ascended to heaven, leading captivity captive; Satan, and his principalities and…”

“wait ye upon me--Here Jehovah turns to the pious Jews. Amidst all these judgments on the Jewish nation, look forward to the glorious time of restoration to be ushered in by God's precious outpouring of wrath on all nations, Isa. 30:18-33; where the same phrase, "blessed are all they that wait for Him," is used as to the same great event. CALVIN erroneously makes this verse an address to the ungodly; and so MAURER, "Ye shall not have to wait for Me in vain"; I will presently come armed with indignation: I will no longer contend with you by My prophets. until the day--that is, waiting for the day (Hab 2:3). rise up to the prey--like a savage beast rising from his lair, greedy for the prey…”

“Therefore wait ye upon - (for) Me God so willeth not to punish, but that all should lay hold of His mercy, that He doth not here even name punishment. Judah had slighted His mercies; He was ready to forgive all they had sinned, if they would “now” receive instruction; they in return set themselves to corrupt “all” their doings. They had wholly forsaken Him. “Therefore” - we should have expected, as elsewhere, “Therefore I will visit all your iniquities upon you.” But not so. The chastisement is all veiled; the prophet points only to the mercy beyond. “Therefore wait ye for Me.” All the interval of chastisement is summed up in these words; that is, since neither My mercies toward you, nor My…”

“Therefore - Since you will not be amended. Wait ye - Attend my resolution. Until - Until I rise up to destroy first, and next to take the spoil. Upon them - The incorrigible Jews. Devoured - Consumed as if burnt up. My jealousy - That jealousy wherewith God is jealous for his own glory. Zephaniah 3:9”

“3:8 be patient: See Hab 2:3. • stand and accuse: The prophet portrays a courtroom scene where God rises first as witness (see also Jer 29:23; Mal 3:5) on his own behalf, and then presides as judge (see also Job 9:15; Ps 50:6) to deliver his righteous sentence. • The fire of my jealousy describes the Lord’s righteous hatred of sin, as well as his concern for his holy name and for the welfare of his people (see Isa 66:13-16).”

“wait: Psa 27:14, Psa 37:7, Psa 37:34, Psa 62:1, Psa 62:5, Psa 123:2, Psa 130:5, Psa 130:6; Pro 20:22; Isa 30:18; Lam 3:25, Lam 3:26; Hos 12:6; Mic 7:7; Jam 5:7, Jam 5:8 rise: Psa 12:5, Psa 78:65, Psa 78:66; Isa 42:13, Isa 42:14, Isa 59:16-18 to gather: Eze 38:14-23; Joe 3:2, Joe 3:9-16; Mic 4:11-13; Zac 14:2, Zac 14:3; Mat 25:32; Rev 16:14, Rev 19:17-19 for all: Zep 1:18; Deu 32:21, Deu 32:22; Sol 8:6; Eze 36:5, Eze 36:6, Eze 38:19; Pe2 3:10 Zephaniah 3:9”