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 3:15

3:15 The Lord has removed the judgment against you; ³ 

he has turned back your enemy.

Israel’s king, the Lord, is in your midst!

You no longer need to fear disaster.

Zefanya 3:8

3:8 Therefore you must wait patiently ⁴  for me,” says the Lord,

“for the day when I attack and take plunder. ⁵ 

I have decided ⁶  to gather nations together

and assemble kingdoms,

so I can pour out my fury on them –

all my raging anger.

For ⁷  the whole earth will be consumed

by my fiery anger.

Zefanya 1:8

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

I will punish the princes ⁸  and the king’s sons,

and all who wear foreign styles of clothing. ⁹ 

[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.

[3:15]  ³ tn Heb “your judgments,” that is, “the judgments directed against you.” The translation reflects the implications of the parallelism.

[3:8]  ⁴ tn The second person verb form (“you must wait patiently”) is masculine plural, indicating that a group is being addressed. Perhaps the humble individuals addressed earlier (see 2:3) are in view. Because of Jerusalem’s sin, they must patiently wait for judgment to pass before their vindication arrives.

[3:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “when I arise for plunder.” The present translation takes עַד (’ad) as “plunder.” Some, following the LXX, repoint the term עֵד (’ed) and translate, “as a witness” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV). In this case the Lord uses a legal metaphor to picture himself as testifying against his enemies. Adele Berlin takes לְעַד (lÿ’ad) in a temporal sense (“forever”) and translates “once and for all” (Zephaniah [AB 25A], 133).

[3:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “for my decision is.”

[3:8]  ⁷ tn Or “certainly.”

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

[1:8]  ⁹ sn The very dress of the royal court, foreign styles of clothing, revealed the degree to which Judah had assimilated foreign customs.