Zefanya 1:1

Introduction

1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to ¹  Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of ²  King Josiah son of Amon of Judah:

Zefanya 1:8

1:8 “On the day of the Lord’s sacrificial meal,

I will punish the princes ³  and the king’s sons,

and all who wear foreign styles of clothing. ⁴ 

Zefanya 1:10

1:10 On that day,” says the Lord,

“a loud cry will go up ⁵  from the Fish Gate, ⁶ 

wailing from the city’s newer district, ⁷ 

and a loud crash ⁸  from the hills.

Zefanya 1:12

1:12 At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps.

I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin, ⁹ 

those who think to themselves, ¹⁰ 

‘The Lord neither rewards nor punishes.’ ¹¹ 

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

[1:1]  ² tn Heb “in the days of.” The words “Zephaniah delivered this message” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[1:8]  ³ tn Or “officials” (NRSV, TEV); NLT “leaders.”

[1:8]  ⁴ sn The very dress of the royal court, foreign styles of clothing, revealed the degree to which Judah had assimilated foreign customs.

[1:10]  ⁵ tn The words “will go up” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[1:10]  ⁶ sn The Fish Gate was located on Jerusalem’s north side (cf. 2 Chr 33:14; Neh 3:3; 12:39).

[1:10]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Heb “great breaking.”

[1:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “who thicken on their sediment.” The imagery comes from wine making, where the wine, if allowed to remain on the sediment too long, will thicken into syrup. The image suggests that the people described here were complacent in their sinful behavior and interpreted the delay in judgment as divine apathy.

[1:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “who say in their hearts.”

[1:12]  ¹¹ tn Heb “The Lord does not do good nor does he do evil.”