The Meaning of Zephaniah 3:17 Explained

Zephaniah 3:17

KJV: The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

YLT: Jehovah thy God is in thy midst, A mighty one doth save, He rejoiceth over thee with joy, He doth work in His love, He joyeth over thee with singing.'

Darby: Jehovah thy God is in thy midst, a mighty one that will save: he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will exult over thee with singing.

ASV: Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  thy God  in the midst  of thee [is] mighty;  he will save,  he will rejoice  over thee with joy;  he will rest  in his love,  he will joy  over thee with singing. 

What does Zephaniah 3:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Zephaniah 3:1-20 - Fullness Of Salvation
The sins of Jerusalem, Zephaniah 3:1-7. Uninfluenced by judgments upon other nations, Jerusalem pursued her course, morally impure, oppressive, refusing instruction, estranged from God. Yet God still dwelt in the city which He had chosen. Morning by morning His Spirit was appealing for repentance and righteousness. Through His faithful ones He was still shedding the light and glory of a holier civilization through the community, but the population at large refused to heed.
The effects of cleansing judgment, Zephaniah 3:8-20. These closing verses are marked by great tenderness, showing as they do, the results that God's dealings are designed to effect. A pure life; service with one consent; the trust of the afflicted soul in the love of God; the weaning of the heart from all iniquity-what great and lovely results of that long captivity! Let God have His way with you! He will change your sorrow into songs; will cast out your enemies and turn again your captivity; will manifest His infinite love, now in brooding tenderness, and then in outbursting songs. Those who have been filled with sorrow, and have borne the burden of reproach for God, shall be comforted. Even the halt and exiled shall participate, and become a name and a praise. The captives would be liberated and the dispersed would be gathered home [source]

Chapter Summary: Zephaniah 3

1  A sharp reproof of Jerusalem for various sins
8  An exhortation to wait for the restoration of Israel,
14  and to rejoice for their salvation by God

What do the individual words in Zephaniah 3:17 mean?

Yahweh your God in your midst the Mighty one will save He will rejoice over you with gladness He will quiet [you] with His love He will rejoice with singing
יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהַ֛יִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ך‪‬ גִּבּ֣וֹר יוֹשִׁ֑יעַ יָשִׂ֨ישׂ עָלַ֜יִךְ בְּשִׂמְחָ֗ה יַחֲרִישׁ֙ בְּאַ֣הֲבָת֔וֹ יָגִ֥יל בְּרִנָּֽה

יְהוָ֧ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהַ֛יִךְ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ך‪‬  in  your  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
גִּבּ֣וֹר  the  Mighty  one 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גִּבֹּור  
Sense: strong, mighty.
יוֹשִׁ֑יעַ  will  save 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
יָשִׂ֨ישׂ  He  will  rejoice 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּשׂ  
Sense: to exult, rejoice.
עָלַ֜יִךְ  over  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בְּשִׂמְחָ֗ה  with  gladness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
יַחֲרִישׁ֙  He  will  quiet  [you] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרַשׁ 
Sense: to cut in, plough, engrave, devise.
בְּאַ֣הֲבָת֔וֹ  with  His  love 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַהֲבָה 
Sense: love.
יָגִ֥יל  He  will  rejoice 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גִּיל  
Sense: to rejoice, exult, be glad.
בְּרִנָּֽה  with  singing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: רִנָּה  
Sense: ringing cry.