Zephaniah 1.10-Zephaniah Predicts the Anguish of the Citizens of Jerusalem (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Sunday July 5, 2026

Zephaniah Series: Zephaniah 1:10-Zephaniah Predicts the Anguish of the Citizens of Jerusalem

Lesson # 18

Zephaniah 1:10 “Consequently, there will certainly be during this particular period,” declares the Lord, “a sound of a scream of anguish from the Fish Gate as well as wailing from the Second District and in addition a loud crash from the hills.” (Pastor’s translation)

The three prophecies contained in Zephaniah 1:10 present the result of the previous prophetic statements recorded in Zephaniah 1:8-9.

In verse 8, the prophet Zephaniah under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit predicts that during the period of the Lord’s sacrificial meal He will certainly inflict punishment against the leaders of Judah.

He asserts that the Lord will inflict punishment against the King of Judah’s sons as well as against each and every one in the kingdom of Judah who wear foreign clothing.

Then, in verse 9, he asserts that during this period of the Lord’s sacrificial meal, the Lord will certainly inflict punishment against each and every one of those in Judah who leap over the threshold and are characterized as causing Solomon’s temple to be filled with violence and deceit.

Now, here in verse 10, the prophet first asserts that during this period of the Lord’s sacrificial meal, there will be the sound of a scream of anguish coming from the Fish Gate in Jerusalem.

Secondly, he asserts that there will certainly be a wailing from the Second Quarter in this city.

Thirdly, he asserts that there will certainly be a loud crash from the hills surrounding Jerusalem.

This prediction in verse 10 refers to the invasion of Jerusalem by a foreign army coming from the north which is the result of the idolatrous behavior of Jerusalem’s citizens.

The Lord will send a foreign army to attack Jerusalem from the north as a result of her citizens’ idolatrous and unfaithful behavior.

“During this particular period” refers to the period of time in which the God of Israel judged the citizens of the kingdom of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem between 605-587 B.C. through the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar’s attack of Jerusalem in 605 B.C. during the third year of Jehoiakim, Judah’s king resulted in the first of three deportations of the Jewish people (Daniel 1:1; 2 Kings 24:1-2, 13; 2 Chronicles 36:5, 6, 7).

Nebuchadnezzar captured the city of Jerusalem in 597 B.C. and in 587 B.C. destroyed the city and the temple.

That this attack is from north is indicated by the reference to the “Fish Gate” and the “Second District” since the Fish Gate was the north gate of the second district or quarter of Jerusalem.

Researchers have been unable to determine a precise location or date range for the Fish Gate, neither by biblical references nor archaeological findings.

However, it was probably located near the northwest corner of the Temple Mount.

The Fish Gate is mentioned in connection with fortifications built by Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:14).

It was rebuilt during the time of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:3; 12:39).

The name is perhaps derived from the proximity of the gate to the fish market (cf. Nehemiah 13:16-22).

The “Second District” or “Second Quarter” was a residential area of Jerusalem which is mentioned three times in the Old Testament and likely extended west of the City of David and the Temple Mount.

There are two main locations which have been proposed by archaeologists.

The first is west of the city of Jerusalem on the Western Hill and the other is north of Jerusalem.

The hills mentioned in Zephaniah 1:10 were situated on the western, central and eastern sides of the city of Jerusalem.

Mount Zion was located in the west, while Mount Moriah was situated centrally and the Mount of Olives was located on the eastern border.

The north provided easier access to Jerusalem due to these hills located on the west, east and centrally.

So the Fish Gate and the Second Quarter mentioned in Zephaniah 1:10 were situated on the norther sector of the city of Jerusalem.

Fortifications for Jerusalem were customarily located in the north which was the place most vulnerable in time of an enemy attack.

The crumbling and collapse of these fortifications on the hills of Mount Moriah, Olives and Zion would lead the citizens of this city to scream out in anguish and wail.

Zephaniah 1:10 reveals that the prophet Zephaniah knew the city of Jerusalem and in particular its layout.

This prophecy was fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon three invasions of Jerusalem in 605, 597 and 586 B.C.

This army attacked Jerusalem from the north in fulfillment of this prophecy.

So Zephaniah 1:10 is describing the anguish of the citizens of Jerusalem during these three invasions.

It is also describing the sound of this attack.

Interestingly, God’s destruction of the capital city of the kingdom of Judah would start in the commercial or financial district of the city and not the Temple.

This attack from the north would be against the “Wall Street” of the kingdom of Judah.