Zephaniah 2:4

Zephaniah 2:4

For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

a. ASV: For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT:  For Gaza is forsaken, And Ashkelon is for a desolation, Ashdod! at noon they do cast her forth, And Ekron is rooted up. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: For [hear the fate of the Philistines:] Gaza shall be forsaken and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; the people of Ashdod shall be driven out at noonday and Ekron shall be uprooted.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. NLT: Gaza and Ashkelon will be abandoned, Ashdod and Ekron torn down.  [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings:For Gaza will be deserted; and Ashkelon become a wasteland; they will drive out Ashdod’s residents at noon; and Ekron will be uprooted.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

f. The Israel Bible: Indeed, Azza shall be deserted And Ashkelon desolate; Ashdod’s people shall be expelled in broad daylight, And Ekron shall be uprooted.  [The English Translation was adapted by Israel 365 from the JPS Tanakh. Copyright Ⓒ 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.]

1. “For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation…”

a. For [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. Gaza [Strong: 5804 `Azzah az-zaw' feminine of 5794; strong; Azzah, a place in Palestine:--Azzah, Gaza.]

c. [shall] be [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

d. forsaken [Strong: 5800 `azab aw-zab' a primitive root; to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.:--commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, X surely.]

e. [and] Ashkelon [Strong: 831 'Ashqlown ash-kel-one' probably from 8254 in the sense of weighing-place (i.e. mart); Ashkelon, a place in Palestine:--Ashkelon, Askalon.]

f. [a] desolation [Strong: 8077 shmamah shem-aw-maw' or shimamah {shee-mam-aw'}; feminine of 8076; devastation; figuratively, astonishment:--(laid, X most) desolate(- ion), waste.]

2. “...they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.”

a. [they shall] drive out [Strong: 1644 garash gaw-rash' a primitive root; to drive out from a possession; especially to expatriate or divorce:--cast up (out), divorced (woman), drive away (forth, out), expel, X surely put away, trouble, thrust out.]

b. Ashdod [Strong: 795 'Ashdowd ash-dode' from 7703; ravager; Ashdod, a place in Palestine:--Ahdod.]

c. [at the] noon day [Strong: 6672 tsohar tso'-har from 6671; a light (i.e. window): dual double light, i.e. noon:--midday, noon(-day, -tide), window.]

d. [and] Ekron [Strong: 6138 `Eqrown ek-rone' from 6131; eradication; Ekron, a place in Palestine:--Ekron.]

e. [shall be] rooted up [Strong: 6131 `aqar aw-kar' a primitive root; to pluck up (especially by the roots); specifically, to hamstring; figuratively, to exterminate:--dig down, hough, pluck up, root up.]