Zephaniah 1:13

Translation
King James Version
Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Therefore their goods H2428 shall become a booty H4933, and their houses H1004 a desolation H8077: they shall also build H1129 houses H1004, but not inhabit H3427 them; and they shall plant H5193 vineyards H3754, but not drink H8354 the wine H3196 thereof.
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Complete Jewish Bible
For this, their wealth will be plundered; and their houses will be destroyed. Yes, they will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine."
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Berean Standard Bible
Their wealth will be plundered and their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.
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American Standard Version
And their wealth shall become a spoil, and their houses a desolation: yea, they shall build houses, but shall not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink the wine thereof.
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World English Bible Messianic
Their wealth will become a plunder, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Therefore their goods shall be spoyled, and their houses waste: they shall also build houses, but not inhabite them, and they shall plant vineyards, but not drinke the wine thereof.
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Young's Literal Translation
And their wealth hath been for a spoil, And their houses for desolation, And they have built houses, and do not inhabit, And they have planted vineyards, And they do not drink their wine.
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See also
Amos 5:11Micah 6:15Deuteronomy 28:30Jeremiah 9:19Jeremiah 15:13Ezekiel 7:21Deuteronomy 28:39
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The Vision of Zephaniah
The Vision of Zephaniah View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 22,801 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Zephaniah 1:13 delivers a severe prophetic warning to Judah, declaring that their material wealth will be plundered, their homes left desolate, and their diligent labor rendered futile. This verse vividly portrays the comprehensive economic and social consequences of their spiritual rebellion and idolatry, serving as a stark illustration of God's impending judgment during the "Day of the Lord." It underscores the vanity of earthly pursuits when detached from divine favor and obedience.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Zephaniah 1:13 is situated within the initial and most intense section of Zephaniah's prophecy (Zephaniah 1:2-18), which focuses on the coming "Day of the Lord" as a day of universal judgment, specifically targeting Judah and Jerusalem. The verses immediately preceding Zephaniah 1:13 detail the sweeping nature of this judgment, describing how God will "cut off man from the land" (Zephaniah 1:3), punish idolaters, those who turn away from the Lord, and those who are complacent (Zephaniah 1:4-6). The prophet then calls for silence before the Lord, for His day is near (Zephaniah 1:7). The judgment progresses from the general to the specific, identifying various groups within Jerusalem who will face divine wrath, including those who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit (Zephaniah 1:9). Zephaniah 1:10-12 describe the sounds of wailing from various gates and districts of Jerusalem as the judgment unfolds, culminating in God's search for those who are complacent. Thus, verse 13 serves as a concrete manifestation of the economic and social devastation that accompanies this divine reckoning, illustrating the direct consequences of their unfaithfulness.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of King Josiah (640-609 BC), a period marked by significant religious syncretism and moral decay in Judah, despite Josiah's later reforms. Before Josiah's reforms began in earnest (around 622 BC), the nation had endured decades of idolatry under Manasseh and Amon. Jerusalem was a hub of pagan worship, with altars to Baal and the host of heaven (Zephaniah 1:4-5), and its inhabitants were characterized by spiritual indifference and a self-assured belief that "the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil" (Zephaniah 1:12). Economically, Judah was likely engaged in trade, accumulating goods and building houses, reflecting a sense of stability and prosperity. The imagery of plundered goods and desolate houses would have resonated deeply with a people accustomed to the spoils of war and the vulnerability of their cities to invading empires. The curse of building and not inhabiting, or planting and not enjoying, was a well-known covenant curse, understood within the cultural framework of the Mosaic Law as a direct consequence of disobedience to God.
  • Key Themes: Zephaniah 1:13 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Zephaniah and broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment and Retribution, demonstrating that God's justice is not abstract but manifests in tangible, devastating consequences for sin. The loss of material possessions and the destruction of homes are direct retributions for Judah's spiritual rebellion and idolatry, as seen throughout the warnings in Zephaniah 1. Secondly, the verse underscores the Futility of Earthly Labor and Materialism. The repeated phrase, "they shall also build houses, but not inhabit [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof," powerfully illustrates the vanity of human effort and the accumulation of wealth when it is pursued apart from God's blessing and in defiance of His commands. This theme is echoed in other prophetic warnings about misplaced trust in worldly security, such as those found in Haggai 1:6. Finally, the verse exemplifies the Reversal of Blessings and Covenant Curses. What were once symbols of prosperity and blessing—goods, houses, and vineyards—become instruments of suffering and loss. This serves as a stark reminder that true security and lasting enjoyment come from God's favor and obedience to His covenant, not from material abundance alone, aligning with the curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28:30.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Goods (Hebrew, chayil', H2428): This word (H2428) is rich in meaning, referring to "force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength." In this context, it specifically denotes "wealth" or "substance." The use of chayil here emphasizes that not just any possessions, but their very "strength" or "substance" – that which they relied upon for security and prosperity – will be utterly stripped away. It encompasses their accumulated riches, their economic power, and the very foundation of their material well-being.
  • Desolation (Hebrew, shᵉmâmâh', H8077): Derived from a root meaning "to be desolate or waste," shᵉmâmâh (H8077) signifies a state of ruin, emptiness, and utter waste. It paints a vivid picture of abandoned and destroyed homes, not merely damaged but rendered uninhabitable and void. This term conveys the thoroughness and severity of the impending judgment, indicating a complete and devastating destruction that leaves nothing but emptiness where life once thrived.
  • Inhabit (Hebrew, yâshab', H3427): The verb yâshab (H3427) fundamentally means "to sit down," but broadly implies "to dwell, to remain, to settle." In the context of building houses but not inhabiting them, it highlights the cruel irony of their labor. They will expend effort and resources to construct dwellings, but they will never experience the peace, security, and permanence that dwelling implies. This word underscores the complete frustration of their efforts and the denial of the most basic human need for a stable home.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Therefore their goods shall become a booty,": This clause immediately establishes the consequence of their actions. The word "therefore" links this outcome directly to the preceding pronouncements of judgment against Judah's sin. "Goods" (their wealth, substance, and possessions) are destined to become "booty," meaning spoils taken in war by an invading force. This signifies a violent, complete, and uncompensated seizure of their material assets, leaving them impoverished and vulnerable.
  • "and their houses a desolation:": Following the loss of their movable wealth, their fixed assets—their homes—will also suffer. "Desolation" implies not just damage, but utter ruin, emptiness, and abandonment. This paints a picture of once-vibrant dwellings becoming desolate wastes, uninhabitable and devoid of life, a stark symbol of the collapse of their societal structure and personal security.
  • "they shall also build houses, but not inhabit [them];": This phrase introduces a profound irony and a classic covenant curse. Despite their efforts to construct new homes, they will be prevented from dwelling in them. This speaks to the futility of their labor and the frustration of their aspirations. Their diligent work will yield no personal benefit or security; the fruit of their toil will be denied to them, either by death, exile, or the destruction of the very structures they erect.
  • "and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.": This second parallel clause reinforces the theme of unfulfilled labor and denied enjoyment. Just as with their houses, their agricultural efforts—planting vineyards, a common source of wealth and joy—will also be in vain. They will not taste the wine produced from their own vines, symbolizing a complete forfeiture of the blessings of the land and the simple pleasures of life. This emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the judgment, affecting every aspect of their material existence and personal satisfaction.

Literary Devices

Zephaniah 1:13 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message of judgment. Parallelism is prominently featured, particularly in the concluding clauses: "they shall also build houses, but not inhabit [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof." This synonymous or antithetical parallelism emphasizes the consistent theme of unfulfilled labor and denied enjoyment, reinforcing the severity and comprehensiveness of the divine curse. The verse also utilizes profound Irony, as the very activities that signify prosperity and security—accumulating goods, building homes, and cultivating vineyards—become the means by which their judgment is manifested. Their efforts to establish themselves are precisely what will be undone. Furthermore, the vivid Imagery of "booty" and "desolation" creates a stark and memorable picture of utter ruin and loss, allowing the audience to viscerally grasp the impending devastation. The cumulative effect of these devices is to convey a sense of inescapable and total reversal of fortune, highlighting the futility of human endeavor when it stands in opposition to God's will.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Zephaniah 1:13 profoundly articulates the Old Testament principle of divine retribution, where covenant disobedience leads to tangible curses. It demonstrates that God's justice is not merely punitive but also serves to reveal the emptiness of a life lived apart from Him, especially when trust is placed in material possessions rather than the divine provider. The futility of labor described here is a direct reversal of the blessings promised for obedience, highlighting that true security and enjoyment are contingent upon a right relationship with God. This passage underscores the theological truth that all earthly blessings are gifts from God, and when His people turn away, even their most diligent efforts can be rendered meaningless, serving as a stark warning against idolatry and spiritual complacency.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Zephaniah 1:13 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of materialism and spiritual complacency. In a world that often equates success with accumulated wealth and possessions, this verse reminds us that true security and lasting satisfaction are not found in earthly endeavors or material abundance. It challenges us to examine where our ultimate trust lies. Are we building our lives on a foundation that can be shaken by economic downturns, natural disasters, or geopolitical instability, or are we investing in that which is eternal? The prophet's words call us to prioritize our relationship with God above all else, recognizing that He is the ultimate source of all blessings and the only true guarantor of peace and security. When we diligently pursue worldly gain without seeking God's kingdom and righteousness, our efforts, however well-intentioned, can ultimately prove futile. This passage encourages a posture of humility, dependence on God, and a re-evaluation of what truly constitutes a "good" or "blessed" life.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might I be placing my trust in material possessions or worldly security rather than in God?
  • How does the concept of "building but not inhabiting" or "planting but not drinking" challenge my understanding of success and fulfillment?
  • What practical steps can I take to reorient my priorities towards God's kingdom and away from excessive materialism?
  • How can this verse encourage me to cultivate a deeper dependence on God for all my needs, rather than relying solely on my own efforts?

FAQ

What is the "Day of the Lord" mentioned in Zephaniah, and how does this verse relate to it?

Answer: The "Day of the Lord" in Zephaniah, particularly described in Zephaniah 1:14-18, refers to a specific time of divine intervention and judgment. It is portrayed as a day of wrath, distress, desolation, and darkness, bringing about the swift and comprehensive punishment of the wicked, particularly those in Judah and Jerusalem who have turned away from God. Zephaniah 1:13 directly relates to this "Day" by detailing the economic and social consequences of that judgment. The loss of goods, the desolation of houses, and the futility of labor are not merely general misfortunes but specific manifestations of God's wrath poured out on a disobedient people during this prophesied day of reckoning. It illustrates how the "Day of the Lord" impacts the everyday lives and material security of those being judged.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Zephaniah 1:13 speaks of the Old Covenant curses for disobedience, its message finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Covenant. The futility of building and planting without enjoying the fruit foreshadows the ultimate vanity of any life or pursuit not centered on Christ. In the Old Testament, material blessings and curses were often immediate and tangible; however, in Christ, the focus shifts to spiritual realities and an eternal inheritance. Jesus Himself taught against the accumulation of earthly treasures, which "moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19), urging His followers instead to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:20). The judgment described in Zephaniah highlights the insecurity of an existence built on human effort and material possessions, a stark contrast to the secure and eternal "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4) that believers receive through Christ. Furthermore, the curse of not inhabiting what one builds or enjoying what one plants is reversed in Christ, who promises true rest and satisfaction for those who come to Him (Matthew 11:28). He is the true "vine" (John 15:1), and those who abide in Him bear much fruit, experiencing the fullness of joy and purpose that the Old Covenant could not ultimately provide. Thus, Zephaniah's warning ultimately points to the necessity of Christ as the only secure foundation for life and the source of true, lasting fulfillment, where our labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

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Commentary on Zephaniah 1 verses 7–13

Notice is here given to Judah and Jerusalem that God is coming forth against them, and will be with them shortly; his presence, as a just avenger, his day, the day of his judgment and his wrath, are not far off, Zep 1:7. Those that improve not the presence of God with them as a Father, but sin away that presence, may expect his presence with them as a Judge, to call them to an account for the contempt put upon his grace. The day of the Lord will come. Men have their day now, when they take a liberty to do what they please; but God's day is at hand; it is here called his sacrifice, a sacrifice of his preparing, for the punishing of presumptuous sinners is a sacrifice to the justice of God, some reparation to his injured honour. Those that brought their offerings to other gods were themselves justly made victims to the true God. On a day of sacrifice great slaughter was made; so shall there be in Jerusalem; men shall be killed up as fast as lambs for the altar, with as little regret, with as much pleasure: The slain of the Lord shall be many. On a day of sacrifice great feasts were made upon the sacrifices; so the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem shall be feasted upon by their enemies the Chaldeans; these are the guests God has prepared and invited to come and glut themselves - their revenge with slaughter and their covetousness with plunder. Now observe,

I. Who those are that are marked to be sacrificed, that shall be visited and punished in this day of reckoning, and what it is they shall be called to an account for. 1. The royal family, because of the dignity of their place, shall be first reckoned with for their pride, and vanity, and affectation (Zep 1:8): I will punish the princes, and the king's children, who think themselves accountable to God, and that, high as they are, he is above them. They shall be punished, and all such as, like them, are clothed with strange apparel, such as, in contempt of their own country (where, probably, it was the custom to go in a very plain dress, as became the seed of Jacob that plain man), affected to appear in the fashion of other nations and introduced their modes in apparel, studying to resemble those from whom God had appointed them, even in their clothes, industriously to distinguish themselves. The princes and the king's children scorned to wear any home-made stuffs, though God had provided them fine linen and silks (Eze 16:10), but they must send abroad to strange countries for their clothes, which would not please unless they were far-fetched and dear-bought; and even those of inferior rank affected to imitate the princes and the king's children. Pride in apparel is displeasing to God, and a symptom of the degeneracy of a people. 2. The noblemen, and their stewards and servants, come next to be reckoned with (Zep 1:9): In the same day will I punish those that leap on the threshold, a phrase, no doubt, well understood then, and which probably signified the invading of their neighbour's rights. Entering their houses by force and violence, and seizing their possessions, they leap on the threshold, as much as to say that the house is their own and they will keep their hold of it; and, accordingly, they make all in it their own that they can lay their hands on, and so fill their masters' houses with goods gotten by violence and deceit and with all the guilt thereby contracted. Nor shall it suffice them to say that the ill-gotten gains were not for themselves but for their masters, and that what they did was by their order; for the obligations we lie under to keep God's commandments are prior and superior to the obligations we lie under to serve the interests of any master on earth. 3. The trading people, and the rich merchants, are next called to account. Iniquity is found in their end of the town, among the inhabitants of Maktesh, a low part of Jerusalem, deep like a mortar (for so the word signifies); the goldsmiths lived there (Neh 3:32) and the merchants; and they are now cut down (they are broken, and have shut up their shops, and become bankrupts); nay, All those that bear silver are cut off, in the first place, by the invaders, for the sake of the silver they carry, which is so far from being a protection to them that it will expose and betray them. The conquerors aimed at the wealthy men, and carried them off first, while the poor of the land escaped. Or it may be meant of a general decay of trade, which was a preface and introduction to the general destruction of the land. It is the token of a declining state when great dealers are cut down, and great bankers are cut off and become bankrupts, who cannot fall alone, but with themselves ruin many. 4. All the secure and careless people, the sons of pleasure, that live a loose idle life, are next reckoned with (Zep 1:12); they come from all parts of the country, to take up their quarters in the head-quarters of the kingdom, where they take private lodgings, and indulge themselves in ease and luxury; but God will find them out, and punish them: At that time I will search Jerusalem with candles, to discover them, that they may be brought out to condign punishment. This intimates that they conceal themselves, as being either ashamed of the sin or afraid of the punishment of it; when the judgments of God are abroad they hope to escape by absconding and getting out of the way, but God will search Jerusalem, as search is made for a malefactor in disguise, that is harboured by his accomplices. God's hand will find out all his enemies, wherever they lie hid, and will punish not only the secret idolaters, but the secret epicures and profane; and those are the persons that are here described, and marks are given by which they will be discovered when strict search is made for them. (1.) Their dispositions are sensual: They are settled on their lees, intoxicated with their pleasures, strengthening themselves in their wealth and wickedness; they are secure and easy, and, because they have had no changes, they fear none, as Moab, Jer 48:11. They have not been emptied from vessel to vessel. They fill themselves with wine and strong drink, and banish all thought, saying, Tomorrow shall be as this day, Isa 56:12. Their being settled on their lees signifies the same with being enclosed in their own fat, Psa 17:10. (2.) Their notions are atheistical. They could not live such loose lives but that they say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil; that is, He will do nothing. They deny his providential government of the world: "What good and evil there is in the world comes by the wheel of fortune, and not by the disposal of a wise and supreme director." They deny his moral government, and his dispensing rewards and punishments: "The Lord will not do good to those that serve him, nor do evil to those that rebel against him; and therefore there is nothing got by religion, nor lost by sin." This was the effect of their sensuality; if they were not drowned in sense, they could not be thus senseless, nor could they be so stupid if they had not stupefied themselves with the love of pleasure. It was also the cause of their sensuality; men would not make a god of their belly if they had not at first become so vain, so vile, in their imaginations, as to think the God that made them altogether such a one as themselves. But God will punish them; their end is destruction, Phi 3:19.

II. What the destruction will be with which God will punish these sinners, and what course he will take with them. 1. He will silence them (Zep 1:7): Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord. He will force them to hold their peace, will strike them dumb with horror and amazement. They shall be speechless. All the excuses of their sin, and exceptions against the sentence, will be overruled, and they shall not have a word to say for themselves. 2. He will sacrifice them, for it is the day of the Lord's sacrifice (Zep 1:8); he will give them into the hands of their enemies, and glorify himself thereby. 3. He will fill both city and country with lamentation (Zep 1:10): In that day there shall be a noise of a cry from the fish-gate, so called because near either to the fish-ponds or to the fish-market. It belonged to the city of David (Ch2 33:14; Neh 3:3); perhaps the same with that which is called the first gate (Zac 14:10), and, if so, it will explain what follows here, And a howling from the second, that is, the second gate, which was next to that fish-gate. The alarm shall go round the walls of Jerusalem from gate to gate; and there shall be a great crashing from the hills, a mighty noise from the mountains round about Jerusalem, from the acclamations of the victorious invaders, or from the lamentations of the timorous invaded, or from both. The inhabitants of the city, even of the closest safest part of the city, shall howl (Zep 1:11), so clamorous shall the grief be. 4. They shall be stripped of all they have; it shall be a prey to the enemy (Zep 1:13): Their household goods, and shop-goods, shall become a booty, and a rich booty they shall be; their houses shall be levelled with the ground and be a desolation; those of them that have built new houses shall not inherit them, but the invaders shall get and keep possession of them. And the vineyards they have planted they shall not drink the wine of, but, instead of having it for the relief of their friends that faint among them, they shall part with it for the animating of their foes that fight against them, Deu 28:30.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 7–13. Public domain.
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CyprianAD 258
Treatise XII. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS 12:3.61
The lust of possessions and money are not to be sought for. In Solomon, in Ecclesiastes: “He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver.” Also in Proverbs: “He who holds back the corn is cursed among the people; but blessing is on the head of him that communicates it.” Also in Isaiah: “Woe to them who join house to house, and lay field to field, that they may take away something from their neighbor. Will you dwell alone upon the earth?” Also, in Zephaniah: “They shall build houses, and shall not dwell in them; and they shall appoint vineyards, and shall not drink the wine of them, because the Day of the Lord is near.” Also in the Gospel according to Luke: “For what does it profit a man to make a gain of the whole world, but that he should lose himself?”
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Zephaniah
(Verse 13, 14.) And their strength shall be for plunder, and their houses for desolation. And they shall build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine. The great day of the Lord is near, it is near and hastens quickly. LXX: And their strength shall be for robbery, and their houses shall be destroyed. And they shall build houses, but shall not live in them; and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink their wine, for the great day of the Lord is near; it is near and hastens quickly. It is evident that, according to both captivities, their entire army has been cut down and their houses have been destroyed, and the fields and vineyards have been laid waste: and no longer will God delay his patience towards them. But when they spoke to the prophets, they said, this will be in the time to come, and for many days, a great and exceedingly swift day of the Lord will come upon them. According to the interpretation, however, when the time of judgment comes, whether for the death of each individual or the departure from the world: then all their strength will be turned to ruin, so that what was once strong and lifted up against the Lord will become weak and broken, turned to something better. Just as if someone were to rob the strength of a bandit, a pirate, and a thief, and render them weak, their weakness benefits them: for their weakened limbs, which they were previously not using well, will cease from evil work. And that which follows: 'And their houses become a desert,' many in the Church are building Zion in blood, and Jerusalem in iniquity, to whom such houses being destroyed benefits. Let us read Leviticus, where it is commanded to destroy a leprous house (Lev. 14). And because leprosy remains and spreads, its stones and wood and all dust are commanded to be thrown outside the city into an unclean place. But also in the beginning of Jeremiah, something such is written, 'Behold, I have given my words in your mouth: behold, I have set you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms: to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant' (Jeremiah 1:9-10). The wicked construction is destroyed so that later a good construction may be built: the unjust plantation is uprooted so that a righteous plantation may be placed nearby. And in Solomon we read: It is better to dwell under the open sky than in a disputed house with iniquity, and in a new house (Prov. 21:9). As if God, therefore, brought ruin upon the homes of those who were fixed in their own filth and said in their hearts: The Lord will not do good, nor will he do evil. He does not allow them to dwell in leprous and impure houses, nor does he allow them to drink wine from the vines they have planted. For if they had planted the vine of Sorek and the chosen vineyard, they would have drunk their wine and become intoxicated with the patriarch Noah and Joseph at noon (Gen. 9 and 43). But because they said: The Lord will not do good, nor will he do evil (Deut. 32:32-33), and their vineyard was the vineyard of Sodom, and their offspring was from Gomorrah, their grapes were grapes of gall, and their clusters were bitter, their wine was the fury of dragons and the incurable madness of asps (Jer. 9:23), therefore they planted vineyards and will not drink their wine. And mystically it is said of Sodom and Gomorrah, that all their plantation perished. For if they had remained in what they had begun, so as to be as it were the paradise of God, and had not ended in evil, so as to be as it were the land of Egypt, their plantation would certainly have remained. Such a thing and that sounds above the Egyptians in the Psalms: He destroyed their vineyards with hail, and their mulberry trees with frost. (Ps. LXXVII, 47). Indeed, as a most merciful God, He killed and overturned all the Egyptian plantation and little trees, which have blood-like fruits rooted in Egypt, so that those who planted evilly may not drink and eat from them. The day of the Lord is near and very swift, to which no one can resist: it is near either because of eternity, since nothing is long to it, or because of the magnitude of punishment, since to the one who endures, the punishment that is to be inflicted never seems far away. Whether near, as we have said, when we depart from the world, and the death of each person will bring about the end of the world; and not only near, but also very swift, as the speed of his coming is shown in the fact that it is added, very swift.
CassiodorusAD 585
EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 6:1
With reference to that day the prophet Amos says, “Woe to them that desire the Day of the Lord. To what end is this Day of the Lord for you? The day itself is darkness and not light.” The prophet Zephaniah says the same thing: “The voice of the Day of the Lord is grim and bitter.” That is why the penitent now introduced before us earnestly supplicates in the ordered divisions of his prayer that he may not be convicted for his deeds on that day of judgment. What is more beneficial and farsighted for the person who could have no hope in his own deserts because of the sins which he has committed than to decide to pray to God’s fatherly love while in this world, where there is opportunity for repentance?
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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