SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:9
Porque entonces volveré yo a los pueblos el lenguaje puro, para que todos invoquen el nombre del SEŃOR, para que de un solo consentimiento le sirvan.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Zephaniah 3:9
Verse 9. Will I turn to the people] This promise must refer to the conversion of the Jews under the Gospel. That they may all call] That the whole nation may invoke God by Christ, and serve him with one consent; not one unbeliever being found among them.
The pure language, hrwrb hpŤ saphah berurah, may here mean the form of religious worship. They had been before idolaters: now God promises to restore his pure worship among them. The word has certainly this meaning in Psa. lxxxi. 6; where, as God is the speaker, the words should not be rendered, "I heard a language which I understood not," but, "I heard a religious confession, which I approved not." See Isa. xix. 18; Hos. xiv. 3; and see Joel ii. 28, where a simiiar promise is found.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language , etc.] That is, at or about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; when the Jews, both in their own land, and in the Gentile world, would have the Gospel first preached to them, but would reject it; upon which the apostles and first ministers of the word would turn to the Gentiles, as the Lord commanded them; when he would turn or change his speech and language towards them, and their speech and language towards him would be turned and changed also: for the words may be taken either way; either of God’s speech to the Gentiles, which is his Gospel sent unto them; as it was quickly after Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and the rejection of it by the Jews; for many hundred years the Lord took no notice of them; winked at the times of their ignorance; sent no prophet to them, nor any message by anyone to instruct them; yea, he spake roughly to them, in a providential way; in the way of his judgments; particularly they raging and imagining vain things against his Messiah, he spake to them in his wrath, and vexed them in his sore displeasure; (see Acts 17:30 Psalm 2:1,5) but now he alters the tone of his voice, changes his language, and sends his Gospel to them; which is a “language” of love, grace, and mercy; of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation; encouraging souls to believe in Christ for those things: and this is a “pure” speech or language; a pure doctrine, fetched out of the sacred Scriptures; free from the dross of error; unmixed, consistent, and all of a piece; and which has a tendency to promote purity of heart, life, and conversation: or, is a “choice speech” f110 ; as some render it; it speaks of choice things, more valuable than gold and silver, pearls, and precious stones; the doctrines of it being an inestimable treasure, the unsearchable riches of Christ; and this, by the commission of Christ, upon his resurrection from the dead, was ordered to be spoke unto all nations, ( Matthew 28:19 Mark 16:15) or this may respect the different language spoken by the converted Gentiles, when the Gospel should come with power to them; who should speak, as all converted persons do, a different language than they spake before; instead of swearing and cursing, lying, filthy, and frothy speaking, now they speak the language of repentance towards God, confessing their sins, and praying for the pardon of them; the language of faith in Christ, first in a more weak and feeble manner, then with more strength and assurance, believing their interest in him, and in the everlasting love of God, and the covenant of grace; the language of love to Christ, his people, truths, and ordinances; a soul abasing, Christ exalting, and free grace magnifying language; the language of praise and gratitude for mercies received, temporal and spiritual; and especially for Christ, and grace and glory by him: they then speak the language of gracious experience to one another; and in the language of the Scriptures, in the taught words of the Holy Ghost; and, in common conversation, their language is pure, and free from that corruption and vitiosity it was before tainted with: this arises from pureness of heart; from a rich experience of the grace of God; from the teachings of the Spirit of God; and which betrays a man, and shows that he has been with Jesus; this is the language of Canaan, ( Isaiah 19:18): that they may all call upon the name of the Lord ; which sometimes takes in the whole worship and service of God; but, since that is later expressed, it rather intends, in particular, prayer to God; for which men are fitted and qualified, by having a pure language turned to them; or through the Gospel coming with power on them; and by virtue of efficacious grace converting them, and causing them to speak differently from what they did before; and then it is their voice is heard in prayer to God; and which is delightful and pleasant to him, ( Acts 9:11 Song of Solomon 2:14) and this is the case of “all” such that have this pure language; there is not a prayerless soul among them: it follows, to serve him with one consent ; or, “with one shoulder” f111 ; the allusion is, either to bearers of burdens, that join together in carrying any burden, who put shoulder to shoulder as they carry it; or else to oxen drawing in a yoke, who are yoked together shoulder by shoulder; hence the Septuagint version renders it “under one yoke”: in which it is followed by the Syriac and Arabic versions. The phrase signifies, that the Gentiles having the Gospel brought to them, and they called by it, and all speaking the same language, should join in fellowship with one another, and sing the praises of God together; agree in prayer to ask of God the same things; stand fast in the faith of the Gospel, and strive for it, being of the same mind; meet constantly together to carry on the several branches of religious worship, and promote the Redeemer’s interest; all drawing the same way, like a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots; having one heart, and one way given them to fear the Lord; and so, with one mind and one mouth, glorify God; so Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it with one heart and one mind.
This passage is applied to the times of the Messiah by the Jews, ancient and modern f112 .
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-13 - The preaching of the gospel is predicted, when vengeance would be executed on the Jewish nation. The purifying doctrines of the gospel or the pure language of the grace of the Lord, would teach men to us the language of humility, repentance, and faith. Purity and piety is common conversation is good. The pure and happy state of the church in the latter days seems intended. The Lord will shut out boasting, an leave men nothing to glory in, save the Lord Jesus, as made of God to them wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Humiliatio for sin, and obligations to the Redeemer, will make true believer upright and sincere, whatever may be the case among mere professors.
Original Hebrew
כי 3588 אז 227 אהפך 2015 אל 413 עמים 5971 שׂפה 8193 ברורה 1305 לקרא 7121 כלם 3605 בשׁם 8034 יהוה 3068 לעבדו 5647 שׁכם 7926 אחד׃ 259
