Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zephaniah 1:16
A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
16. Besides the supernatural terrors of the judgment there is the hostile assault which the supernatural terrors accompany.
A day of the trumpet and alarm ] The “trumpet” was blown amidst the attack (Jdg 7:19), as now martial music accompanies the advance. Amo 2:2, “Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.” The word “alarm” here is that rendered “shouting,” Amo 1:14; Amo 2:2, in accordance with its literal sense “to arms!” (Ital. all’ arme). The “shouting” ( ter‘ah), originally that of battle (Jer 4:19), became in later and more peaceful times the shout of the glad worshippers on the feast days (Ezr 3:11-13).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A day of the trumpet and alarm – o that is, of the loud blast of the trumpet, which sounds alarm and causes it. The word is especially the shrill loud noise of the trumpet (for sacred purposes in Israel itself, as ruling all the movements of the tabernacle and accompanying their feasts); then also of the battle cry. They had not listened to the voice of the trumpet, as it called them to holy service; now they shall hear the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God 1Th 4:16.
Against the high towers – Literally, corners , and so corner-towers. This peculiarity describes Jerusalem, whose walls were made artificially standing in a line curved inwards, so that the flanks of assailants might be exposed. By this same name Jdg 20:2; 1Sa 14:38; Isa 19:13; Zec 10:4 are called the mighty men and chiefs of the people, who, humanly speaking, hold it together and support it; on these chiefs in rebellion against God, whether devils or evil men, shall punishment greatly fall.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The trumpet; Gods trumpet calling the Chaldeans, the Chaldeans trumpet also gathering together their troops.
Alarm, threatening and affrighting, against the fenced cities of Judah.
The high towers; stately palaces and strong munitions, fortified with high towers, built at the angles of walls, and therefore the Hebrew calls them high corners; it may mean also the great men, which, as corners well built are the strength and beauty of a wall, so they of a state, Jdg 20:2; Zec 10:4.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. the trumpetnamely, of thebesieging enemy (Am 2:2).
alarmthe war shout[MAURER].
towersliterally,”angles”; for city walls used not to be built in a directline, but with sinuous curves and angles, so that besiegers advancingmight be assailed not only in front, but on both sides, caught as itwere in a cul-de-sac; towers were built especially at the angles. SoTACITUS describes thewalls of Jerusalem [Histories, 5.11.7].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities,…. The trumpet of the enemy, sounding the alarm of war against the fenced cities of Judea, which were taken before Jerusalem; calling and gathering the soldiers together, and animating them to the assault of them; and blowing them in a way of triumph; and as expressive of victory, having got possession of them:
and against the high towers; or “corners” x; towers being usually built corner-wise, and full of corners, and on the corners of walls of cities; sometimes these signify princes, magistrates, and great men,
Zec 10:4.
x “pinnas”, Montanus, Castalio; “angulos”, Junius & Tremellius, Burkius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) Alarm.Better, war cry.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Zep 1:16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
Ver. 16. A day of the trumpet ] With its horrid taratantara and alarm; not of those that shout and praise God, neither with a noise of joy and triumph, as Num 23:21 Psa 67:5 Ezr 3:11-12 ; but of those that shout with broken sounds in the day of battle, as Amo 1:14 , in classico, in a war trumpet with a vociferation and horrible howling, such as the Turks to this day make when they storm a city.
Against the fenced cities, and against the high towers
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the trumpet and alarm = an alarming trumpet. Figure of speech Hendiadys = a trumpet, yea, a trumpet [call] “to arms”! Compare Zep 2:2.
towers. Hebrew corners. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for the towers usually fixed there.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
day: Isa 59:10, Jer 4:19, Jer 4:20, Jer 6:1, Jer 8:16, Hos 5:8, Hos 8:1, Amo 3:6, Hab 1:6-10, Hab 3:6
and against: Psa 48:12, Psa 48:13, Isa 2:12-15, Isa 32:14
Reciprocal: Num 10:9 – then ye shall Isa 13:10 – General Jer 18:22 – a cry Jer 20:16 – let him Joe 2:1 – and sound
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Zep 1:16. The trumpet was sounded in a time of war and this is a prediction of such an occasion. Fenced cities were those that were walled and fortified, but all such means of protection or defence were destined to prove insufficient.