Zefanya 2:14

2:14 Flocks and herds ¹  will lie down in the middle of it,

as well as every kind of wild animal. ² 

Owls ³  will sleep in the tops of its support pillars;

they will hoot through the windows. ⁴ 

Rubble will cover the thresholds; ⁵ 

even the cedar work ⁶  will be exposed to the elements. ⁷ 

Zefanya 3:7

3:7 I thought, ⁸  ‘Certainly you will respect ⁹  me!

Now you will accept correction!’

If she had done so, her home ¹⁰  would not be destroyed ¹¹ 

by all the punishments I have threatened. ¹² 

But they eagerly sinned

in everything they did. ¹³ 

Zefanya 3:11

3:11 In that day you ¹⁴  will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, ¹⁵ 

for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, ¹⁶ 

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

[2:14]  ¹ tn Heb “flocks.” The Hebrew word can refer to both flocks of sheep and herds of cattle.

[2:14]  ² 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]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word translated “cedar work” (so NASB, NRSV) is unclear; NIV has “the beams of cedar.”

[2:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “one will expose.” The subject is probably indefinite, though one could translate, “for he [i.e., God] will lay bare.”

[3:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “said.”

[3:7]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Or “dwelling place.”

[3:7]  ¹¹ tn Heb “cut off.”

[3:7]  ¹² tn Heb “all which I have punished her.” The precise meaning of this statement and its relationship to what precedes are unclear.

[3:7]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ sn The second person verbs and pronouns are feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed here.

[3:11]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “In that day you not be ashamed because of all your actions, [in] which you rebelled against me.”

[3:11]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “the arrogant ones of your pride.”