Zephaniah 2:4 (YLT)

Passage

For Gaza is forsaken, And Ashkelon <FI>is<Fi> for a desolation, Ashdod! at noon they do cast her forth, And Ekron is rooted up.

Nearby Context

Zephaniah 2:2 Before the bringing forth of a statute, As chaff hath the day passed on, While yet not come in upon you doth the heat of the anger of Jehovah, While yet not come in upon you doth a day of the anger of Jehovah,

Zephaniah 2:3 Seek Jehovah, all ye humble of the land, Who His judgment have done, Seek ye righteousness, seek humility, It may be ye are hidden in a day of the anger of Jehovah.

Zephaniah 2:4 For Gaza is forsaken, And Ashkelon <FI>is<Fi> for a desolation, Ashdod! at noon they do cast her forth, And Ekron is rooted up.

Zephaniah 2:5 Ho! O inhabitants of the sea-coast, Nation of the Cherethites, A word of Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines, And I have destroyed thee without an inhabitant.

Zephaniah 2:6 And the sea-coast hath been habitations, Cottages <FI>for<Fi> shepherds, and folds <FI>for<Fi> a flock.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "gaza", "forsaken", "ashkelon", "desolation", "ashdod", "noon", "cast", and "forth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "gaza" and "forsaken", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Seek Jehovah all ye humble of the..." into verse 5's "Ho O inhabitants of the sea-coast Nation...", so "gaza" and "forsaken" belong inside that flow. In Zephaniah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "gaza" and "forsaken" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.