Zefanya 1:2

The Lord’s Day of Judgment is Approaching

1:2 “I will destroy ¹  everything 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 ²  will be consumed by his fiery wrath. ³ 

Indeed, ⁴  he will bring terrifying destruction ⁵  on all who live on the earth.” ⁶ 

[1:2]  ¹ 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.

[1:18]  ² tn Or “land” (cf. NEB). This same word also occurs at the end of the present verse.

[1:18]  ³ tn Or “passion”; traditionally, “jealousy.”

[1:18]  ⁴ tn Or “for.”

[1:18]  ⁵ tn Heb “complete destruction, even terror, he will make.”

[1:18]  ⁶ 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).