The phrase “accept correction” appeared earlier in Zephaniah 3:2. The two references correspond to one another: Zephaniah 3:2 points to Zion’s stubborn refusal to change her course of action; Zephaniah 3:7 points to the Lord’s “hopes” of his people accepting his discipline and changing course.
7 I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’ But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt.