Zephaniah – A Pure Language
Hebrew will be the future language of the world. The nations will be gathered together against Israel for battle, but Moshiach will come and Israel will be saved. Yerushalayim will be the future capital of the world; and out of Zion will go forth the Law.
ח לָכֵן חַכּוּ-לִי נְאֻם ה' לְיוֹם קוּמִי לְעַד כִּי מִשְׁפָּטִי- לֶאֱסֹף גּוֹיִם לְקָבְצִי מַמְלָכוֹת לִשְׁפֹּךְ עֲלֵיהֶם זַעְמִי כֹּל חֲרוֹן אַפִּי כִּי בְּאֵשׁ קִנְאָתִי תֵּאָכֵל כָּל-הָאָרֶץ:
ט כִּי-אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל-עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם ה' לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד:
Zephaniah 3:8-9; "Therefore wait ye upon me, says HaShem, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent."
Hebrew will be the 'pure language' that the people will turn to, that they may call to HaShem with one consent. While this is interesting in a translation, this verse is even more remarkable when we look at it in Hebrew.
In Hebrew, verse 8 contains every single one of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet! Even more all the five Hebrew letters in their final forms are also present in this verse. That's remarkable! Zephaniah talks about Hebrew being the universal uniting language of the whole world, and the verse actually contains every letter plus every final form!
The graphic above shows the Hebrew text of Zephaniah 3:8. The verse surrounded by red contains all the Hebrew letters and all the final forms. The blue letters show each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and the orange letters show the five final forms.
Avodah Zara 24a: R. Eliezer: In the future, they will convert without Beis Din (this is invalid, but in any case they will guard the Mitzvos).
(Rav Yosef): He learns from "Ehfoch El Amim... Likro Kulam b'Shem HaShem." (Zephaniah 3,9)
(Abaye): Perhaps they will cease only idolatry!
(Rav Yosef): The verse ends "Le'avdo Shechem Echad." (they will guard the Mitzvos)