Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
I said, Surely, etc.—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" (Luke 19:42).
their dwelling—the sanctuary [BUXTORF]. Or, the city. Compare Jesus' words (Luke 13:35), "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Leviticus 26:31-32; Psalms 69:25); and used as to the temple (Micah 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 have punished them, I would not have cut off their dwelling. CALVIN, "Howsoever I had marked them out for punishment" because of their provocations, still, if even then they had repented, taught by My corrections, I was ready to have pardoned them. MAURER, "Altogether in accordance with what I had long ago decreed (ordained) concerning you" (Deuteronomy 28:1-14, and, on the other hand, Deu. 28:15-68; Deuteronomy 27:15-26). English Version, or CALVIN'S view, is better.
rose early, and corrupted, etc.—Early morning is in the East the best time for transacting serious business, before the relaxing heat of midday comes on. Thus it means, With the greatest earnestness they set themselves to "corrupt all their doings" (Genesis 6:12; Isaiah 5:11; Jeremiah 11:7; Jeremiah 25:3).
The Jews regard not God's justice manifested in the midst of them, nor His judgments on the guilty nations around.
The just Lord—Why then are ye so unjust?
is in the midst thereof—He retorts on them their own boast, "Is not the Lord among us" (Micah 3:11)? True He is, but it is for another end from what ye think [CALVIN]; namely, to lead you by the example of His righteousness to be righteous. Leviticus 19:2, "Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy" [MAURER]. But CALVIN, "That ye may feel His hand to be the nearer for taking vengeance for your crimes: 'He will not do iniquity' by suffering your sins to go unpunished" (Deuteronomy 32:4).
every morning—literally, "morning by morning." The time in the sultry East for dispensing justice.
bring . . . to light—publicly and manifestly by the teaching of His prophets, which aggravates their guilt; also by samples of His judgments on the guilty.
he faileth not—He is continually setting before you samples of His justice, sparing no pains. Compare Isaiah 5:4; Isaiah 50:4, "he wakeneth morning by morning."
knoweth no shame—The unjust Jews are not shamed by His justice into repentance.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Zephaniah 3:7:
Zephaniah 3:11
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