Zephaniah 2:3

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Zephaniah addresses the humble who practice justice, in the narrow window before the Day of the LORD's anger falls and before the Philistine coastal cities are destroyed (vv. 2, 4).

The words — בּקשו (baqešû), "seek," is a plural imperative repeated three times (seek the LORD, seek righteousness, seek humility), making the command the structural spine of the verse. ענוים ('anavîm) marks the audience as the humble or afflicted, the same class Psalm 76:9 says God rises up to save.

The thread — Amos 5:14 pairs "seek good" with the promise of divine presence; Isaiah 26:20 instructs hiding until wrath passes, a parallel to the "perhaps you will be sheltered" here.

Why it lands — The outcome is conditional ("perhaps," 'ûlî), not a guarantee, and the requirement is active pursuit of God, righteousness, and humility—not passive waiting.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

בַּקְּשׁ֤וּba.ke.Shuseek אֶת־'et-<obj.>יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh כָּל־kol-O all עַנְוֵ֣י'an.Vei[the] humble [people] of הָאָ֔רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwho מִשְׁפָּט֖וֹmish.pa.T/ojudgment/ his פָּעָ֑לוּpa.'A.luthey have done בַּקְּשׁוּ־ba.ke.shu-seek צֶ֙דֶק֙tze.dekrighteousness בַּקְּשׁ֣וּba.ke.Shuseek עֲנָוָ֔ה'a.na.Vahhumility אוּלַי֙'u.Laiperhaps תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּti.Sa.te.Ruyou will be hidden בְּי֖וֹםbe./Yomon/ [the] day of אַף־'af-[the] anger of יְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehYahweh

King James Version

Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.

Cross-references

Amos 5:14 Seek good, not evil, so that you may live. And the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed.
Isaiah 26:20 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed.
Psalms 76:9 when God rose up to judge, to save all the lowly of the earth. Selah
Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Psalms 22:26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!
Jonah 3:9 Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”
Psalms 105:4 Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.
Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
Psalms 57:1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.