Richard Challoner

SOPHONIAS, whose name, saith St. Jerome, signifies The Watchman of the Lord, or The hidden of the Lord, prophesied in the beginning of the reign of Josias. He was a native of Sarabatha, and of the tribe of Simeon, according to the more general opinion. He prophesied the punishments of the Jews, for their idolatry and other crimes; also the punishments that were to come on divers nations; the coming of Christ, the conversion of the Gentiles, the blindness of the Jews, and their conversion towards the end of the world.

Gathering, I will gather: That is, I will assuredly take away, and wholly consume, either by captivity, or death, both men and beasts out of this land.

The wardens: Viz., of the temples of the idols. AEdituos, in Hebrew, the Chemarims, that is, such as kindle the fires, or burn incense.

Melchom: The idol of the Ammonites.

The Second: A part of the city so called.

The Morter: Maktesh. A valley in or near Jerusalem

The people of Chanaan: So he calls the Jews, from their following the wicked ways of the Chanaanites.

Settled on their lees: That is, the wealthy, and such as live at their ease, resting upon their riches, like wine upon the lees.

The beautiful city: viz. Ninive, which was destroyed soon after this, viz., in the sixteenth year of the reign of Josias.