Zefanya 1:10

1:10 On that day,” says the Lord,

“a loud cry will go up ¹  from the Fish Gate, ² 

wailing from the city’s newer district, ³ 

and a loud crash ⁴  from the hills.

Zefanya 1:2

The Lord’s Day of Judgment is Approaching

1:2 “I will destroy ⁵  everything from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.

Zefanya 3:10

3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, ⁶ 

those who pray to me ⁷  will bring me tribute.

Zefanya 1:6

1:6 and those who turn their backs on ⁸  the Lord

and do not want the Lord’s help or guidance.” ⁹ 

Zefanya 2:14

2:14 Flocks and herds ¹⁰  will lie down in the middle of it,

as well as every kind of wild animal. ¹¹ 

Owls ¹²  will sleep in the tops of its support pillars;

they will hoot through the windows. ¹³ 

Rubble will cover the thresholds; ¹⁴ 

even the cedar work ¹⁵  will be exposed to the elements. ¹⁶ 

Zefanya 1:4

1:4 “I will attack ¹⁷  Judah

and all who live in Jerusalem. ¹⁸ 

I will remove ¹⁹  from this place every trace of Baal worship, ²⁰ 

as well as the very memory ²¹  of the pagan priests. ²² 

Zefanya 2:11

2:11 The Lord will terrify them, ²³ 

for ²⁴  he will weaken ²⁵  all the gods of the earth.

All the distant nations will worship the Lord in their own lands. ²⁶ 

Zefanya 2:5

2:5 Those who live by the sea, the people who came from Crete, ²⁷  are as good as dead. ²⁸ 

The Lord has decreed your downfall, ²⁹  Canaan, land of the Philistines:

“I will destroy everyone who lives there!” ³⁰ 

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.) ³¹ 

I will remove ³²  humanity from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.

Zefanya 3:7

3:7 I thought, ³³  ‘Certainly you will respect ³⁴  me!

Now you will accept correction!’

If she had done so, her home ³⁵  would not be destroyed ³⁶ 

by all the punishments I have threatened. ³⁷ 

But they eagerly sinned

in everything they did. ³⁸ 

Zefanya 3:11

3:11 In that day you ³⁹  will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, ⁴⁰ 

for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, ⁴¹ 

and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.

Zefanya 1:14

1:14 The Lord’s great day of judgment ⁴²  is almost here;

it is approaching very rapidly!

There will be a bitter sound on the Lord’s day of judgment;

at that time warriors will cry out in battle. ⁴³ 

Zefanya 3:18

3:18 “As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals –

I took them away from you;

they became tribute and were a source of shame to you. ⁴⁴ 

Zefanya 2:2

2:2 before God’s decree becomes reality ⁴⁵  and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, ⁴⁶ 

before the Lord’s raging anger ⁴⁷  overtakes ⁴⁸  you –

before the day of the Lord’s angry judgment overtakes you!

Zefanya 1:1

Introduction

1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to ⁴⁹  Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of ⁵⁰  King Josiah son of Amon of Judah:

Zefanya 2:8-9

2:8 “I have heard Moab’s taunts

and the Ammonites’ insults.

They ⁵¹  taunted my people

and verbally harassed those living in Judah. ⁵² 

2:9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” says the Lord who commands armies, the God of Israel,

“be certain that Moab will become like Sodom

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah.

They will be overrun by weeds, ⁵³ 

filled with salt pits, ⁵⁴ 

and permanently desolate.

Those of my people who are left ⁵⁵  will plunder their belongings; ⁵⁶ 

those who are left in Judah ⁵⁷  will take possession of their land.”

Zefanya 1:16

1:16 a day of trumpet blasts ⁵⁸  and battle cries. ⁵⁹ 

Judgment will fall on ⁶⁰  the fortified cities and the high corner towers.

Zefanya 2:4

Judgment on Surrounding Nations

2:4 Indeed, ⁶¹  Gaza will be deserted ⁶² 

and Ashkelon will become a heap of ruins. ⁶³ 

Invaders will drive away the people of Ashdod by noon, ⁶⁴ 

and Ekron will be overthrown. ⁶⁵ 

Zefanya 2:3

2:3 Seek the Lord’s favor, ⁶⁶  all you humble people ⁶⁷  of the land who have obeyed his commands! ⁶⁸ 

Strive to do what is right! ⁶⁹  Strive to be humble! ⁷⁰ 

Maybe you will be protected ⁷¹  on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

Zefanya 2:7

2:7 Those who are left from the kingdom of Judah ⁷²  will take possession of it. ⁷³ 

By the sea ⁷⁴  they ⁷⁵  will graze,

in the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down in the evening,

for the Lord their God will intervene for them ⁷⁶  and restore their prosperity. ⁷⁷ 

Zefanya 2:15

2:15 This is how the once-proud city will end up ⁷⁸  –

the city that was so secure. ⁷⁹ 

She thought to herself, ⁸⁰  “I am unique! No one can compare to me!” ⁸¹ 

What a heap of ruins she has become, a place where wild animals live!

Everyone who passes by her taunts her ⁸²  and shakes his fist. ⁸³ 

Zefanya 1:13

1:13 Their wealth will be stolen

and their houses ruined!

They will not live in the houses they have built,

nor will they drink the wine from the vineyards they have planted.

Zefanya 3:5-6

3:5 The just Lord resides ⁸⁴  within her;

he commits no unjust acts. ⁸⁵ 

Every morning he reveals ⁸⁶  his justice.

At dawn he appears without fail. ⁸⁷ 

Yet the unjust know no shame.

The Lord’s Judgment will Purify

3:6 “I destroyed ⁸⁸  nations;

their walled cities ⁸⁹  are in ruins.

I turned their streets into ruins;

no one passes through them.

Their cities are desolate; ⁹⁰ 

no one lives there. ⁹¹ 

[1:10]  ¹ tn The words “will go up” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[1:10]  ² sn The Fish Gate was located on Jerusalem’s north side (cf. 2 Chr 33:14; Neh 3:3; 12:39).

[1:10]  ³ tn Heb “from the second area.” This may refer to an area northwest of the temple where the rich lived (see Adele Berlin, Zephaniah [AB 25A], 86; cf. NASB, NRSV “the Second Quarter”; NIV “the New Quarter”).

[1:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “great breaking.”

[1:2]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew text combines the infinitive absolute of אָסַף (’asaf, “gather up, sweep away”) with a Hiphil prefixed first person form of סוּף (suf, “come to an end”; see Jer 8:13 for the same combination). This can be translated literally, “Sweeping away, I will bring to an end.” Some prefer to emend the text so that the infinitive and finite form of the verb are from the same root (“I will certainly sweep away,” if from אָסַף [cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV]; “I will certainly bring to an end,” if from סוּף). For a discussion of proposals see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 167, 169.

[3:10]  ⁶ tn Or “Nubia”; Heb “Cush.” “Cush” is traditionally assumed to refer to the region south of Egypt, i.e. Nubia or northern Sudan, referred to as “Ethiopia” by classical authors (not the more recent Abyssinia).

[3:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “those who pray to me, the daughter of my dispersed ones.” The meaning of the phrase is unclear. Perhaps the text is corrupt at this point or a proper name should be understood. For a discussion of various options see Adele Berlin, Zephaniah (AB 25A), 134-35.

[3:10]  sn It is not certain if those who pray to me refers to the converted nations or to God’s exiled covenant people.

[1:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “turn back from [following] after.”

[1:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “who do not seek the Lord and do not inquire of him.” The present translation assumes the first verb refers to praying for divine help and the second to seeking his revealed will through an oracle. Note the usage of the two verbs in 2 Chr 20:3-4.

[2:14]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “flocks.” The Hebrew word can refer to both flocks of sheep and herds of cattle.

[2:14]  ¹¹ tn Heb “[and] all the wild animals of a nation.” How גוֹי (goy, “nation”) relates to what precedes is unclear. It may be a corruption of another word. See J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 193.

[2:14]  ¹² tn The Hebrew text reads here גַּם־קָאַת גַּם־קִפֹּד (gam-qa’at gam-qippod). The term קָאַת refers to some type of bird (see Lev 11:18; Deut 14:17) that was typically found near ruins (Isa 34:11); one of the most common translations is “owl” (cf. NEB “horned owl”; NIV, NRSV “desert owl”; contra NASB “pelican”). The term קִפֹּד may also refer to a type of bird (cf. NEB “ruffed bustard”; NIV, NRSV “screech owl”). Some suggest a rodent may be in view (cf. NASB “hedgehog”); this is not unreasonable, for a rodent or some other small animal would be able to sleep in the tops of pillars which would be lying in the ruins of the fallen buildings.

[2:14]  ¹³ tn Heb “a sound will sing in the window.” If some type of owl is in view, “hoot” is a more appropriate translation (cf. NEB, NRSV).

[2:14]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “rubble [will be] on the threshold.” “Rubble” translates the Hebrew word חֹרֶב (khorev, “desolation”). Some emend to עֹרֵב (’orev, “raven”) following the LXX and Vulgate; Adele Berlin translates, “A voice shall shriek from the window – a raven at the sill” (Zephaniah [AB 25A], 104).

[2:14]  ¹⁵ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word translated “cedar work” (so NASB, NRSV) is unclear; NIV has “the beams of cedar.”

[2:14]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “one will expose.” The subject is probably indefinite, though one could translate, “for he [i.e., God] will lay bare.”

[1:4]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “I will stretch out my hand against,” is an idiom for hostile action.

[1:4]  ¹⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:4]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “cut off.”

[1:4]  ²⁰ tn Heb “the remnant of Baal.”

[1:4]  ²¹ tn Heb “name.” Here the “name” is figurative for the memory of those who bear it.

[1:4]  ²² tc Heb “of the pagan priests and priests.” The first word (כְּמָרִים, kÿmarim) refers to idolatrous priests in its two other appearances in the OT (2 Kgs 23:5, Hos 10:5), while the second word (כֹּהֲנִים, kohanim) is the normal term for “priest” and is used of both legitimate and illegitimate priests in the OT. It is likely that the second term, which is omitted in the LXX, is a later scribal addition to the Hebrew text, defining the extremely rare word that precedes (see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah [OTL], 167-68; cf. also NEB, NRSV). Some argue that both words are original; among the modern English versions that include both are NASB and NIV. Possibly the first word refers to outright pagan priests, while the second has in view once-legitimate priests of the Lord who had drifted into idolatrous practices. Another option is found in Adele Berlin, who translates, “the idolatrous priests among the priests,” understanding the second word as giving the general category of which the idolatrous priests are a part (Zephaniah [AB 25A], 75).

[2:11]  ²³ tn Heb “will be awesome over [or, “against”] them.”

[2:11]  ²⁴ tn Or “certainly.”

[2:11]  ²⁵ tn The meaning of this rare Hebrew word is unclear. If the meaning is indeed “weaken,” then this line may be referring to the reduction of these gods’ territory through conquest (see Adele Berlin, Zephaniah [AB 25A], 110-11). Cf. NEB “reduce to beggary”; NASB “starve”; NIV “when he destroys”; NRSV “shrivel.”

[2:11]  ²⁶ tn Heb “and all the coastlands of the nations will worship [or, “bow down”] to him, each from his own place.”

[2:5]  ²⁷ tn Heb “Kerethites,” a people settled alongside the Philistines in the coastal areas of southern Palestine (cf. 1 Sam 30:14; Ezek 25:16). They originally came from the island of Crete.

[2:5]  ²⁸ tn Heb “Woe, inhabitants of the coast of the sea, nation of Kerethites.” The Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy, “ah, woe”), is used to mourn the dead and express outwardly one’s sorrow (see 1 Kgs 13:30; Jer 22:18; 34:5). By using it here the prophet mourns in advance the downfall of the Philistines, thereby emphasizing the certainty of their demise (“as good as dead”). Some argue the word does not have its earlier connotation here and is simply an attention-getting interjection, equivalent to “Hey!”

[2:5]  ²⁹ tn Heb “the word of the Lord is against you.”

[2:5]  ³⁰ tn Heb “I will destroy you so there is no inhabitant [remaining].”

[1:3]  ³¹ 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]  ³² tn Heb “cut off.”

[3:7]  ³³ tn Heb “said.”

[3:7]  ³⁴ tn Or “fear.” The second person verb form (“you will respect”) is feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed.

[3:7]  sn God’s judgment of the nations (v. 6) was an object lesson for Israel’s benefit.

[3:7]  ³⁵ tn Or “dwelling place.”

[3:7]  ³⁶ tn Heb “cut off.”

[3:7]  ³⁷ tn Heb “all which I have punished her.” The precise meaning of this statement and its relationship to what precedes are unclear.

[3:7]  ³⁸ tn Heb “But they got up early, they made corrupt all their actions.” The phrase “they got up early” probably refers to their eagerness to engage in sinful activities.

[3:11]  ³⁹ sn The second person verbs and pronouns are feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed here.

[3:11]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “In that day you not be ashamed because of all your actions, [in] which you rebelled against me.”

[3:11]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “the arrogant ones of your pride.”

[1:14]  ⁴² tn Heb “The great day of the Lord.” The words “of judgment” are supplied in the translation here and later in this verse for clarity. See the note on the expression “day of judgment” in v. 7.

[1:14]  ⁴³ tn Heb “the sound of the day of the Lord, bitter [is] one crying out there, a warrior.” The present translation does four things: (1) It takes מַר (mar, “bitter”) with what precedes (contrary to the accentuation of the MT). (2) It understands the participle צָרַח (tsarakh, “cry out in battle”) as verbal with “warrior” as its subject. (3) It takes שָׁם (sham, “there”) in a temporal sense, meaning “then, at that time.” (4) It understands “warrior” as collective.

[3:18]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “The ones grieving from an assembly I gathered from you they were, tribute upon her, a reproach.” Any translation of this difficult verse must be provisional at best. The present translation assumes three things: (1) The preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “assembly” is causal (the individuals are sorrowing because of the assemblies or festivals they are no longer able to hold). (2) מַשְׂאֵת (mas’et) means “tribute” and refers to the exiled people being treated as the spoils of warfare (see R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah [WEC], 385-86). (3) The third feminine singular suffix refers to personified Jerusalem, which is addressed earlier in the verse (the pronominal suffix in “from you” is second feminine singular). For other interpretive options see Adele Berlin, Zephaniah (AB 25A), 146.

[2:2]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “before the giving birth of a decree.” For various alternative readings, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 187-88.

[2:2]  ⁴⁶ tn The second half of the line reads literally, “like chaff it passes by a day.” The translation above assumes the “day” is the brief time God is giving the nation to repent. The comparison of this quickly passing opportunity to chaff is consistent with the straw imagery of v. 1.

[2:2]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “the fury of the anger of the Lord.” The synonyms are combined to emphasize the extreme degree of the Lord’s anger.

[2:2]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “comes upon.” This phrase occurs twice in this verse.

[1:1]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “The word of the Lord which came to.”

[1:1]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “in the days of.” The words “Zephaniah delivered this message” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[2:8]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:8]  ⁵² tn Heb “and they made great [their mouth?] against their territory.” Other possible translation options include (1) “they enlarged their own territory” (cf. NEB) and (2) “they bragged about [the size] of their own territory.”

[2:9]  ⁵³ tn The Hebrew text reads מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל (mimshaq kharul, “[?] of weeds”). The meaning of the first word is unknown. The present translation (“They will be overrun by weeds”) is speculative, based on the general sense of the context. For a defense of “overrun” on linguistic grounds, see R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 347. Cf. NEB “a pile of weeds”; NIV “a place of weeds”; NRSV “a land possessed by nettles.”

[2:9]  ⁵⁴ tn The Hebrew text reads וּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַח (umikhreh-melakh, “and a [?] of salt”). The meaning of the first word is unclear, though “pit” (NASB, NIV, NRSV; NKJV “saltpit”), “mine,” and “heap” (cf. NEB “a rotting heap of saltwort”) are all options. The words “filled with” are supplied for clarification.

[2:9]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “The remnant of my people.”

[2:9]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “them.” The actual object of the plundering, “their belongings,” has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:9]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “[the] nation.” For clarity the “nation” has been specified as “Judah” in the translation.

[1:16]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “a ram’s horn.” By metonymy the Hebrew text mentions the trumpet (“ram’s horn”) in place of the sound it produces (“trumpet blasts”).

[1:16]  ⁵⁹ sn This description of the day of the Lord consists of an initial reference to anger, followed by four pairs of synonyms. The joining of synonyms in this way emphasizes the degree of the characteristic being described. The first two pairs focus on the distress and ruin that judgment will bring; the second two pairs picture this day of judgment as being very dark (darkness) and exceedingly overcast (gloom). The description concludes with the pairing of two familiar battle sounds, the blast on the ram’s horn (trumpet blasts) and the war cries of the warriors (battle cries).

[1:16]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “against.” The words “judgment will fall” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[2:4]  ⁶¹ tn Or “for” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).

[2:4]  ⁶² tn There is a sound play here in the Hebrew text: the name Gaza (עַזָּה, ’azzah) sounds like the word translated “deserted” (עֲזוּבָה, ’azuvah).

[2:4]  ⁶³ tn Or “a desolate place.”

[2:4]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “[As for] Ashdod, at noon they will drive her away.”

[2:4]  sn The reference to noon may suggest a sudden, quick defeat (see Jer 6:4; 15:8).

[2:4]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “uprooted.” There is a sound play here in the Hebrew text: the name “Ekron” (עֶקְרוֹן, ’eqron) sounds like the word translated “uprooted” (תֵּעָקֵר, te’aqer).

[2:3]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “seek the Lord,” but “favor” seems to be implied from the final line of the verse.

[2:3]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “poor.” The precise referent of this Hebrew term is unclear. The word may refer to the economically poor or to the spiritually humble.

[2:3]  ⁶⁸ tn The present translation assumes the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) here refers to God’s covenantal requirements and is a synonym for the Law. The word can mean “justice” and could refer more specifically to the principles of justice contained in the Law. In this case the phrase could be translated, “who have promoted the justice God demands.”

[2:3]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “Seek what is right.”

[2:3]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “Seek humility.”

[2:3]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “hidden.” Cf. NEB “it may be that you will find shelter”; NRSV “perhaps you may be hidden.”

[2:7]  ⁷² tn Heb “the remnant of the house of Judah.”

[2:7]  ⁷³ tn Or “the coast will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah.”

[2:7]  ⁷⁴ tc Heb “on them,” but the antecedent of the masculine pronoun is unclear. It may refer back to the “pasture lands,” though that noun is feminine. It is preferable to emend the text from עֲלֵיהֶם (’alehem) to עַל־הַיָּם (’al-hayyam, “by the sea”) an emendation that assumes a misdivision and transposition of letters in the MT (cf. NEB “They shall pasture their flocks by the sea”). See J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 192.

[2:7]  ⁷⁵ tn The referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) is unclear. It may refer (1) to the shepherds (in which case the first verb should be translated, “pasture their sheep,” cf. NEB), or (2) to the Judahites occupying the area, who are being compared to sheep (cf. NIV, “there they will find pasture”).

[2:7]  ⁷⁶ tn Or “will care for them.”

[2:7]  ⁷⁷ tn Traditionally, “restore their captivity,” i.e., bring back their captives, but it is more likely the expression means “restore their fortunes” in a more general sense (cf. NEB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[2:15]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “this is the proud city.”

[2:15]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “the one that lived securely.”

[2:15]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “the one who says in her heart.”

[2:15]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “I [am], and besides me there is no other.”

[2:15]  ⁸² tn Heb “hisses”; or “whistles.”

[2:15]  ⁸³ sn Hissing (or whistling) and shaking the fist were apparently ways of taunting a defeated foe or an object of derision in the culture of the time.

[3:5]  ⁸⁴ tn The word “resides” is supplied for clarification.

[3:5]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “he does no injustice.”

[3:5]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “gives”; or “dispenses.”

[3:5]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “at the light he is not missing.” Note that NASB (which capitalizes pronouns referring to Deity) has divided the lines differently: “Every morning He brings His justice to light; // He does not fail.”

[3:6]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “cut off.”

[3:6]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “corner towers”; NEB, NRSV “battlements.”

[3:6]  ⁹⁰ tn This Hebrew verb (צָדָה, tsadah) occurs only here in the OT, but its meaning is established from the context and from an Aramaic cognate.

[3:6]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “so that there is no man, without inhabitant.”