God & Savior

Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17
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Study notes

The Lord is with His people as a mighty saviour; He delights in them, quiets them with His love, and rejoices over them with singing.

Explanation

Zephaniah warns of judgment, but ends with God restoring His people (3:14-20). God is pictured as a warrior who saves and as one who sings over His people with joy.

Original language
  • בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ך (be.kir.Bekh): among
    Hebrew · Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular · Strong's H7130G · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    In your midst.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Zephaniah 3:17, word 3

  • גִּבּ֣וֹר (gi.Bor): mighty
    Hebrew · Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H1368 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Warrior, mighty one.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Zephaniah 3:17, word 4

  • יָשִׂ֨ישׂ (ya.Sis): to rejoice
    Hebrew · Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · Strong's H7797 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    He will rejoice.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Zephaniah 3:17, word 6

  • בְּאַ֣הֲבָת֔וֹ (be.'A.ha.va.To): love
    Hebrew · Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · Strong's H0160 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Love.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Zephaniah 3:17, word 10

  • בְּרִנָּֽה (be.ri.Nah): cry
    Hebrew · Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · Strong's H7440 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    A shout of joy, singing.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Zephaniah 3:17, word 13

Cross-references
  • Zephaniah 3:14 · Surrounding passage

    Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion.

  • Isaiah 62:5 · Same theme

    As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

  • Luke 15:7 · Same theme

    Joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

Sources

Original language and places

Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.

Original language (Hebrew)

יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהַ֛יִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ך גִּבּ֣וֹר יוֹשִׁ֑יעַ יָשִׂ֨ישׂ עָלַ֜יִךְ בְּשִׂמְחָ֗ה יַחֲרִישׁ֙ בְּאַ֣הֲבָת֔וֹ יָגִ֥יל עָלַ֖יִךְ בְּרִנָּֽה׃

  1. יְהוָ֧הYah.weh“Yahweh”
    Noun, proper name, title · from יהוה · “LORD” · Strong's H3068G
  2. אֱלֹהַ֛יִךְ'e.lo.Ha.yikh“God your”
    Noun, masculine, plural, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular · from אֱלֹהִים · “God” · Strong's H0430G
  3. בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ךbe.kir.Bekh“[is] in midst your”
    Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular · from קֶ֫רֶב · “among” · Strong's H7130G
  4. גִּבּ֣וֹרgi.Bor“a warrior”
    Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from גִּבּוֹר · “mighty” · Strong's H1368
  5. יוֹשִׁ֑יעַyo.Shi.a'“[who] he will give victory”
    Verb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from יָשַׁע · “to save” · Strong's H3467
  6. יָשִׂ֨ישׂya.Sis“he will rejoice”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from שׂוּשׂ · “to rejoice” · Strong's H7797
  7. עָלַ֜יִךְ'a.La.yikh“on you”
    Preposition + Suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular · from עַל · “upon” · Strong's H5921A
  8. בְּשִׂמְחָ֗הbe.sim.Chah“with joy”
    Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · from שִׂמְחָה · “joy” · Strong's H8057
  9. יַחֲרִישׁ֙ya.cha.Rish“he will be silent”
    Verb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from חָרֵשׁ · “be quiet” · Strong's H2790B
  10. בְּאַ֣הֲבָת֔וֹbe.'A.ha.va.To“in love his”
    Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from אַהֲבָה · “love” · Strong's H0160
  11. יָגִ֥ילya.Gil“he will be glad”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from גִּיל · “to rejoice” · Strong's H1523
  12. עָלַ֖יִךְ'a.La.yikh“on you”
    Preposition + Suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular · from עַל · “upon” · Strong's H5921A
  13. בְּרִנָּֽה׃be.ri.Nah“with a shout of joy”
    Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · from רִנָּה · “cry” · Strong's H7440
  • Prepared by the God & Savior team. Not yet reviewed by an editor.
  • Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)