Zephaniah 2:8 (YLT)

Passage

I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the revilings of the sons of Ammon, Wherewith they reproached My people, And magnify <FI>themselves<Fi> against their border.

Nearby Context

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

Zephaniah 2:7 And the coast hath been for the remnant of the house of Judah, By them they have pleasure, In houses of Ashkelon at even they lie down, For inspect them doth Jehovah their God, And He hath turned back <FI>to<Fi> their captivity.

Zephaniah 2:8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the revilings of the sons of Ammon, Wherewith they reproached My people, And magnify <FI>themselves<Fi> against their border.

Zephaniah 2:9 Therefore, I live, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Surely, Moab is as Sodom, And the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, An overrunning of nettles and salt-pits, And a desolation--unto the age. A residue of My people do seize them, And a remnant of My nation inherit them.

Zephaniah 2:10 This <FI>is<Fi> to them for their arrogancy, Because they have reproached, And they magnify <FI>themselves<Fi> against the people of Jehovah of Hosts.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "heard", "reproach", "moab", "revilings", "sons", "ammon", "wherewith", and "reproached". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heard" and "reproach", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "And the coast hath been for the..." into verse 9's "Therefore I live An affirmation of Jehovah...", so "heard" and "reproach" 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 "heard" and "reproach" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.