Zep 1:1
1:1 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of
    Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of
    Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of
    Judah.

  The Argument - Seeing the great rebellion of the people, and
    that there was now no hope of amendment, he gives notice of
    the great judgment of God, which was at hand, showing that
    their country would be utterly destroyed, and they would be
    carried away captives by the Babylonians.  Yet for the comfort
    of the faithful he prophesied of God's vengeance against their
    enemies, such as the Philistines, Moabites, Assyrians, and
    others, to assure them that God had a continual care over them.
    And as the wicked would be punished for their sins and
    transgressions, so he exhorts the godly to patience, and to
    trust to find mercy by reason of the free promise of God made
    to Abraham: and therefore quietly to wait until God shows them
    the effect of that grace, by which in the end they should be
    gathered to him, and counted as his people and children.

Zep 1:3
1:3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the {a} fowls
    of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the
    stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from
    off the land, saith the LORD.

    (a) Not that God was angry with these dumb creatures, but
        because man was so wicked for whose cause they were
        created, God makes them to take part of the punishments
        with him.

Zep 1:4
1:4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all
    the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant
    of Baal from this place, [and] the name of the {b} Chemarims
    with the priests;

    (b) Who were an order of superstitious priests appointed to
        minister in the service of Baal, and were as his special
        chaplains; read 2Ki 23:5, Ho 10:5.

Zep 1:5
1:5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops;
    and them that worship [and] that swear by the LORD, and that
    swear by {c} Malcham;

    (c) He alludes to their idol Molech, which was forbidden;
        read Le 20:2, yet they called him their king, and
        made him as a god: therefore he here notes those that
        will both say they worship God, and yet will swear by
        idols and serve them: which faltering is here condemned,
        as in Eze 20:39, 1Ki 18:21, 2Ki 17:33.

Zep 1:8
1:8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S
    sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's
    children, and all such as are clothed with {d} strange
    apparel.

    (d) Meaning, the courtiers, who did imitate the strange
        apparel of other nations to win their favour by it, and
        to appear glorious in the eyes of all others; read
        Eze 23:14-15.

Zep 1:9
1:9 In the same day also will I punish all those that {e} leap
    on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with
    violence and deceit.

    (e) He means the servants of the rulers who invade other
        men's houses, and rejoice and leap for joy, when they
        can get any gain to please their master with.

Zep 1:10
1:10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD,
     [that there shall be] the noise of a cry from the {f} fish
     gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing
     from the hills.

     (f) Signifying that all the corners of the city of
         Jerusalem would be full of trouble.

Zep 1:11
1:11 Howl, ye inhabitants of {g} Maktesh, for all the merchant
     people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.

     (g) This is meant of the street of the merchants which was
         lower than the rest of the place around it.

Zep 1:12
1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time, [that] I will
     search Jerusalem with {h} candles, and punish the men that
     are settled {i} on their lees: that say in their heart, The
     LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.

     (h) So that nothing will escape me.
     (i) By their prosperity they are hardened in their
         wickedness.

Zep 1:14
1:14 The great day of the LORD [is] near, [it is] near, and
     hasteth greatly, [even] the voice of the day of the LORD:
     {k} the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

     (k) They that trusted in their own strength and condemned
         the Prophets of God.