Zefanya 1:3

1:3 “I will destroy people and animals;

I will destroy the birds in the sky

and the fish in the sea.

(The idolatrous images of these creatures will be destroyed along with evil people.) ¹ 

I will remove ²  humanity from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.

Zefanya 1:18

1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them

in the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

The whole earth ³  will be consumed by his fiery wrath. ⁴ 

Indeed, ⁵  he will bring terrifying destruction ⁶  on all who live on the earth.” ⁷ 

Zefanya 3:20

3:20 At that time I will lead you –

at the time I gather you together. ⁸ 

Be sure of this! ⁹  I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you ¹⁰ 

when you see me restore you,” ¹¹  says the Lord.

[1:3]  ¹ tn Heb “And the stumbling blocks [or, “ruins”] with the evil”; or “the things that make the evil stumble.” The line does not appear in the original form of the LXX; it may be a later scribal addition. The present translation assumes the “stumbling blocks” are idolatrous images of animals, birds, and fish. See J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 167, and Adele Berlin, Zephaniah (AB), 73-74.

[1:3]  ² tn Heb “cut off.”

[1:18]  ³ tn Or “land” (cf. NEB). This same word also occurs at the end of the present verse.

[1:18]  ⁴ tn Or “passion”; traditionally, “jealousy.”

[1:18]  ⁵ tn Or “for.”

[1:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “complete destruction, even terror, he will make.”

[1:18]  ⁷ tn It is not certain where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s words begin. It is possible that Zephaniah begins speaking in the middle of v. 17 or at the beginning of v. 18 (note the third person pronouns referring to the Lord).

[3:20]  ⁸ tn In this line the second person pronoun is masculine plural, indicating that the exiles are addressed.

[3:20]  ⁹ tn Or “for.”

[3:20]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I will make you into a name and praise among all the peoples of the earth.” Here the word “name” carries the nuance of “good reputation.”

[3:20]  ¹¹ tn Heb “when I restore your fortunes to your eyes.” See the note on the phrase “restore them” in 2:7.