Zephaniah 3:16
“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →In the day of restoration God will tell His people not to fear and not to grow weak or discouraged.
What Does Zephaniah 3:16 Mean?
On that day a word of comfort will be spoken over Jerusalem: fear not. And to Zion: let not your hands be slack, do not grow weary or let them fall in discouragement. The God who once thundered judgment now speaks gentle reassurance. The posture of His people changes from dread to confident strength.
Fear not is among the most frequent words God speaks to His people throughout Scripture, and here it crowns the book's turn from terror to joy. Slack hands are the hands of the discouraged, hanging down in defeat; God lifts them. Because the LORD is present as King and the enemy is cast out, there is no longer reason for paralyzing fear. This same word steadies the believer still: in the presence of God, fear gives way to faith, and tired hands are strengthened for the work He gives.
In the Original Language
raphah (רָפָה), 'slack' -- to sink, drop, or grow feeble, describing hands that hang limp from discouragement, which God here forbids.