Zep 2:14 | JFB | STEP | 14. flocks-- of sheep; answering to "beasts" in the parallel clause. Wide pastures for sheep and haunts for wild beasts shall be where once there was a teeming population (compare ). Maurer, needlessly for the parallelism, makes it "flocks of savage animals." beasts of the nations-- that is, beasts of the earth ( ). Not as Rosenmuller, "all kinds of beasts that form a nation," that is, gregarious beasts ( , ). cormorant-- rather, the "pelican" (so ; , Margin). bittern-- ( ). Maurer translates, "the hedgehog"; Henderson, "the porcupine." upper lintels-- rather, "the capitals of her columns," namely, in her temples and palaces [Maurer]. Or, "on the pomegranate-like knops at the tops of the houses" [Grotius]. their voice shall sing in the windows-- The desert-frequenting birds' "voice in the windows" implies desolation reigning in the upper parts of the palaces, answering to "desolation ... in the thresholds," that is, in the lower. he shall uncover the cedar work-- laying the cedar wainscoting on the walls, and beams of the ceiling, bare to wind and rain, the roof being torn off, and the windows and doors broken through. All this is designed as a consolation to the Jews that they may bear their calamities patiently, knowing that God will avenge them.

‏ Zephaniah 2:14

14. flocks--of sheep; answering to "beasts" in the parallel clause. Wide pastures for sheep and haunts for wild beasts shall be where once there was a teeming population (compare Zep 2:6). Maurer, needlessly for the parallelism, makes it "flocks of savage animals."

beasts of the nations--that is, beasts of the earth (Ge 1:24). Not as Rosenmuller, "all kinds of beasts that form a nation," that is, gregarious beasts (Pr 30:25, 26).

cormorant--rather, the "pelican" (so Psa 102:6; Is 34:11, Margin).

bittern--(Is 14:23). Maurer translates, "the hedgehog"; Henderson, "the porcupine."

upper lintels--rather, "the capitals of her columns," namely, in her temples and palaces [Maurer]. Or, "on the pomegranate-like knops at the tops of the houses" [Grotius].

their voice shall sing in the windows--The desert-frequenting birds' "voice in the windows" implies desolation reigning in the upper parts of the palaces, answering to "desolation ... in the thresholds," that is, in the lower.

he shall uncover the cedar work--laying the cedar wainscoting on the walls, and beams of the ceiling, bare to wind and rain, the roof being torn off, and the windows and doors broken through. All this is designed as a consolation to the Jews that they may bear their calamities patiently, knowing that God will avenge them.