Zephaniah 1:4

Zephaniah 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 Chemarims with the priests;

a. NLT: “I will crush Judah and Jerusalem with my fist and destroy every last trace of their Baal worship. I will put an end to all the idolatrous priests, so that even the memory of them will disappear.

b. NIV: “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests—

c. YLT: And stretched out My hand against Judah, And against all inhabiting Jerusalem, And cut off from this place the remnant of Baal, The name of the idolatrous priests, with the priests,

d. Amplified Bible: I will also stretch out My hand over Judah and over all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place and the name of the idol priests with the [false] priests,

e. Septuagint: And I will stretch out mine hand upon Juda, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will remove the names of Baal out of this place, and the names of the priests;

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place any remnant of the Baal and the memory of the misisters with the priests;

1. “I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah…”

a. I will also stretch out [5186 * natah] [Strong: a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application (as follows):--+ afternoon, apply, bow (down, - ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield.]

b. mine hand [3027 * yad] [Strong: a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, (broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X yourselves.]

c. upon Judah [3063 * Yhuwdah] [Strong: from 3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory:--Judah.]

2. “…and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem…”

a. and upon all the inhabitants [3427 * yashab] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle), (down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.]

b. of Jerusalem [3389 * Yruwshalaim] [Strong: a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine:--Jerusalem.]

3. “…and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place…”

a. and I will cut off [3772 * karath] [Strong: a primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces):--be chewed, be con-(feder-)ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league ((covenant)), X lose, perish, X utterly, X want.]

1). It is extremely interesting to me that the word used here for “cut off” is the same word used “to covenant with”.  There is no question in my mind that this is a covenant keeping element of the LORDS covenant on the LORDS side.

b. the remnant [7605 * sh’ar] [Strong: from 7604; a remainder:--X other, remnant, residue, rest.]

c. of Baal[ 1168 * Ba’al] [Strong: the same as 1167; Baal, a Phoenician deity:--Baal, (plural) Baalim.]

d. from this place [4725 * maqowm] [Strong: also (feminine) mqowmah {mek-o-mah'}; or mqomah {mek-o-mah'}; from 6965; properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind):--country, X home, X open, place, room, space, X whither(-soever).]

4. “…and the name of the Chemarims with the priests:”

a. and the name [8034 * shem] [Strong: a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; Compare 8064); an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character:--+ base, (in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.]

b. Chemarims [3649 * kamar] [Strong: from 3648; properly, an ascetic (as if shrunk with self-maceration), i.e. an idolatrous priest (only in plural):--Chemarims (idolatrous) priests.] Gesenius: idolatrous priests, blackness, sadness, one who goes about in black attire, mourning.] [Unger’s Bible Dictionary: (kem-a-rim) idolatrous priests, the priests appointed by the kings of Judah for the worship of the high places and the idolatrous worship of Jehovah.]

1). This word “Chemarims” is definitely a word I need to remember for future use in relation to ministers who are pro-choice/pro-abortion. The term is used in relation with those “that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham” [Zephaniah 1:5]. Malcham is a variant spelling of Molech, which is established below. I believe this term could be applied to all pro-abortion so called, ministers of the gospel.

a). Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) Our Mission: “The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice brings the moral power of religious communities to ensure reproductive choice through education and advocacy. The Coalition seeks to give clear voice to the reproductive issues of people of color, those living in poverty, and other underserved populations. RCRC was founded in 1973 to safe guard the newly won constitutional right to abortion. The Coalition founders were clergy and lay leaders from mainstream religions, many of whom had provided women with referrals to safe abortion services before the Supreme Court legalized abortion in Roe v. Wade. The founders believed that there would be at most a ten year struggle to secure to secure the right to choose. In fact the struggle is far from over. It has changed and intensified, and the stakes are growing.”

b). The so called clergy in this group are nothing more than modern day Chemarims, upholding modern day child sacrifice/abortion on demand/a woman’s right to choose. As we will see whole denominations are pro-abortion.

c. with the priests [3548 * Kohen] [Strong: active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal officer.]