Was the previous Chapter against the nations around Yehudah, from the context we may conclude that this prophesy in the following verses is directed against Yerushalaim.
Zephaniah 3:1.
Alas! she filthy and she be polluted the city the oppressed.
One thing we can say about Yerushalaim to day and that is she is surely oppressed, that is burdened and being done wrong to. The next verses are going to show us why!
Zephaniah 3:2-4.
Not she listen to and heeded voice, not she to take discipline, in Yahweh not she trusted , to her Elohiem not she drew near. Her leaders in her midst are lions roaring, her judges wolves of the evening they do not reserve towards morning. Her prophets reckless ones, peoples of treacherousness. Her priests profaned the set apart, they wronged Torah.
Now this sums up nicely what is and has been wrong with Yerushalaim. Roaring Lions, which is making a lot of noise to scare but no action. A hunting lion makes no noise. They look at the moment and not to the future. The priestly system as set apart by Yahweh has been corrupted for centuries. The Torah or teaching, (law is wrong interpretation), has been wrongly interpreted and made to conform to human philosophy.
Zephaniah 3:5
Yahweh righteous in her midst not He do unrighteousness, morning by morning his justice it gives to light not lacking and not know unrighteous shame.
"Now why does Yahweh let those things happen to the Jews and to Yerushalaim?" ask many people. The answer is here!
Because Yahweh is righteous.
His righteousness is among them, meaning that His actions are governed by righteousness and righteousness demands that they are given the opportunity to turn to Him or to reject Him. However, the unrighteous ones, who deny Yahweh's rights, have no shame and carry on, even in the face of Yahweh's justice which is shown day by day.
What ever is happening to them is a result of Yahweh's justice.
compare this, with Judges Capter 2.
Zephaniah 3:6.
I have cut off nations, be made desolate their corners I made desolate their streets because of without crossing over nobody, her cities because of without man and there are no dwellers.
Yahweh gives here a warning to Yerushalaim that they should take notice of what He did to nations. In the next verse Yahweh implies that this example should have caused them to revere Him.
Zephaniah 3:7.
I said but she fear me she to take correction and not cut off her dwelling all which I appointed to her yet they make an early start and they corrupted all their practises.
Yahweh starts talking in the feminine, about her, when He talks about Yerushalaim but then changes to the masculine plural indicating that He is talking about the inhabitants of that city. Yahweh said she fear me because she has seen what I did to the nations and her dwellings and all He appointed or counted to her will not be cut off. However, Yahweh concludes that they, the inhabitants, already made an early start by corrupting all their practises or workings.
Zephaniah 3:8.
Therefore you long for me declares Yahweh for the day I stand up for continuation (time following)because my decision is to gather nations to assemble kingdoms to pour out on them my indignation all fierceness my anger because in fire of my jealousy to be consumed all the country.
There is no other way, they are not going to change, therefore you should long for me says Yahweh because at a certain time (The day of Yahweh) I will stand up and all the country be consumed by fire of Yahweh's jealous anger. He is jealous because they have not looked upon Him for aid nor did they serve Him. We can say no they do not, when looking at the present day majority in, and the leaders of, Israel. Compare this verse with Joel Chapter 2.
Zephaniah 3:9.
Because then I turn around the people their speech to be pure to call all of them on name Yahweh to serve Him shoulder one.
They will not do it from out of themselves, so Yahweh shall turn them around. He shall do this by purifying them, as we can read in: Malachi, Chapter 3 & Zechariah 13:8-9 & Jeremiah 33:8. & Isaiah 1:24-28. Therefore this is still future since it did not happened yet. The old Hebrew expression, "shoulder one," we would quote in English as, "one body." Also note that they do not call on one of the names Judaism or Christianity are using today, which all the other religions are using also. No they call on the name Yahweh!
Zephaniah 3:10.
From over towards the hills of cush my plentiful my scattered daughters bring my offerings.
We could say, "from over the Hills of Africa." This is a general acknowledgment of all the dispersed Jews.
Zephaniah 3:11.
On that day not you feel shame because of all your practises that which you rebelled with me, because then I take away from your midst the ones that exults in your pride and not you do again to be arrogant anymore on the mountain set apart by Me.
Yahweh uses here the feminine gender, indicating Yerushalaim or the nation as a whole. This verse points again to the purification, because the ones exulting in their pride instead of in Yahweh, will be removed. There will be a Yahweh worshipping remnant of Israel. Again I translated kadosh not as holy but as set apart, which is the literal meaning.
Zephaniah 3:12.
And I leave among you people humble and low and they shall trust in the name Yahweh.
This is why people who replace the Name Yahweh with something else in the translations, or by their reading, have a lot to answer for.
Yahweh is not just a calling name, it is an organised system about which we do know nothing nor are able to understand it. It is the fulfiment of our belief, the ultimate Torah and above all the personification of our worship. The name by which we are set free from our own sin.
Humble and low means they have understood that by themselves, without Yahweh, they are nothing.
Zephaniah 3:13.
Remnant Yisrael not they do unrighteousness and not they speak falsehood and not be found in their mouth tongue deceitful, while they shall feed and they shall lie down and there is no cause to be anxious.
This is the remnant which whom Yahweh shall make the New covenant as it is set out in Jeremiah 31:27-39.
Zephaniah 3:14-15.
Shout for joy daughter of Tziyon shout in triumph Yisrael you rejoice and you exult in all your heart daughter Yerushalaim. Has removed Yahweh your sentence put out of the way your enemy King of Yisrael Yahweh in your midst not you fear evil anymore.
Compare this with Zechariah 14:9-11. Yahweh will actually reign on Earth from Yerushalaim, because Yahweh Himself is the promised Moshiya, the deliverer and the King of Israel. This is confirmed in the following verses.
Zephaniah 3:16-17.
In that day to be said to Yerushalaim do not be afraid, Tziyon do not drop your hand. Yahweh your Elohiem in your midst mighty to deliver, to exult on you because of joy, shall engrave you in His love, shall enjoy on you in praise.
"Do not drop your hand," means "Do not give up." to deliver is Yoshiya in the Hebrew text. The Hebrew word charash, means to cut in or engrave. It signifies making it permanent.
Zephaniah 3:18.
The ones grieving because of the appointed feasts I gather from you, being her burden on her scorn.
Many who profess to believe in God, do not adhere to the appointed feasts of Yahweh. They scorn those who still keep the appointed feasts. This is a burden on those who keep them. Many of my acquaintances to day, who keep the Shabbat and the appointed feasts, are feeling this burden because of the scorn of family and society. Taking this in the context of the following verses, this verse indicates that Yahweh will gather them to comfort them. It also means that He will gather together all those among the nations who have kept His Mo'eds (appointed times).
Zephaniah 3:19.
Watch me deal with all that mishandle you at that time and I deliver the lame and the banisht ones I gather, setting them to praise and to reputation in all the country of their shame.
Jews all over the world have been maltreated over the ages and still are in our days. Especially Messianic Jews are discriminated by Jews as wel as by Christians. But not only Jews, others who believe in Yahweh and keep His Torah also are scorned. I personally know of a Christian Pastor who forbade members of his congregation to associate with people who kept Yahweh's Shabbat. These people will be rehabilitated and praised in the countries they live in. Compare this with Isaiah 25:8.
Zephaniah 3:20.
In that time I bring you in and in the time I gather you together because I give to you for reputation and to praise for all the people of the countries in Me turning back your captiveties to your eyes says Yahweh.
From other Scriptures such as Isaiah 11:11-12; Zech. 10:8-10; Amos 9:14-15; Ezek. 34:11-16; 39:25-29, and many more, we know that Yahweh will bring back the people of Israel to the country Israel. Then Yahweh will receive the respect and adoration due to Him and this will reflect on Israel as His Chosen people and the people will say that which is recorded in Isaiah 12 & Micah 7:7-13.. I like to close this study with:
Habakkuk 2:3.
Since still prophecy for the appointed time and shall breath (come to live) towards the end and is not deception, if it tarries wait for it, because comes to come not stay behind.