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Selected Verse: Zephaniah 1:6 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Zep 1:6 |
King James |
And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| This verse describes more comprehensively those guilty of defection from Jehovah in any way (Jer 2:13, Jer 2:17). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And them that are turned back from - (Literally, have turned themselves back from following after) the Lord From this half-service, the prophet goes on to the avowed neglect of God, by such as wholly fall away from Him, not setting His will or law before them, "but turning away from" Him. It is their misery that they were set in the right way once, but themselves "turned themselves back," now no longer "following" God, but "their own lusts, drawn away and enticed" Jam 1:14 by them. How much more Christians, before whose eyes Christ Jesus is set forth, not as a Redeemer only but as an Example that they should "follow His steps!" Pe1 2:21.
And those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired for Him - This is marked to be a distinct class. "And those who." These did not openly break with God, or turn away overtly from Him; they kept (as men think) on good terms with Him, but, like "the slothful servant," rendered Him a listless heartless service. Both words express diligent search. God is not found then in a careless way. They who "seek" Him not "diligently" Mat 2:8, do not find Him. "Strive," our Lord says, "to enter in at the strait gate, for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able" Luk 13:24. She who had lost the one piece of silver, "sought" "diligently" Luk 15:8, until she had found it.
Thus, he has gone through the whole cycle. First, that most horrible and cruel worship of Baal, the idolatrous priests and those who had the name of priests only, mingled with them, yet not openly apostatizing; then the milder form of idolatry, the star-worshipers; then those who would unite the worship of God with idols, who held themselves to be worshipers of God, but whose real king was their idol; then those who openly abandoned God; and lastly those who held with Him, just to satisfy their conscience-qualms, but with no heart-service. And so, in words of Habakkuk and in reminiscence of his awful summons of the whole world before God, he sums up; |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Them that are turned back - Who have forsaken the true God, and become idolaters.
Nor inquired for him - Have not desired to know his will. |
17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.