Author: There are at least four men in the Old Testament that share the name Zephaniah. One of them is a Levite from the family of Tahath found in 1 Chronicles 6:36-38. Another is found in Zechariah (6:10-14) and is the father of one Josiah (not the king; 2 Kings 21:24). The third is mentioned several times, especially in the book of Jeremiah (2 Kings 25:18; Jeremiah 21:1; 29:25-29; 37:3; 52:24). This one was a priest who lived at the same time as Jeremiah, who prophesied "in the days of Josiah" (Jeremiah 1:2). The author of this book also lived "in the days of Josiah" (Zephaniah 1:1). However, because this character was both a priest and a prophet, it is not the same man as “our” Zephaniah. Of course, nothing prevents him from holding both offices. Ezekiel occupied both (Ezekiel 1:3). Nevertheless, most scholars believe the Zephaniah mentioned in 1:1 is the only reference to this particular Zephaniah.

 

The name Zephaniah translates in four or five different ways: “Watchman for the Lord,” “Yahweh hides,” “Yahweh has hidden,” “Yahweh treasured,” and “Jehovah is darkness.” The one most favored is “Yahweh hides,” as the name may reflect the terror of the days of Manasseh at the time of Zephaniah’s birth. He may have been hidden for protection.

 

The prophet traces his genealogy back four generations. Usually, only the name of the next of kin is given (Isaiah 1:1; Jeremiah 1:1; Ezekiel 1:3; Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1; etc.). So why does Zephaniah give four? There are at least two reasons. First, he may have been trying to distinguish himself from the other men with that name. Second, for some important reason, he wanted to show he was related to Hezekiah. If this is King Hezekiah, then the purpose is obvious. Zephaniah not only had royal blood in him, but he was a distant relative of the current king, Josiah. It could be they worked together to reform Judah.

 

Date: Some radical suggestions have been proposed as to the approximate date of Zephaniah’s ministry. A few scholars place it in Jehoiakim’s reign (609-598 BC). They understand “the remnant of Baal” (Zephaniah 1:4) to indicate that the reforms of Josiah were not totally successful, and thus the book must be set later. Others assert the book of Zephaniah was put together piecemeal (believing most of the verses are not authentic to Zephaniah) and so did not achieve its final form until 200 BC. Obviously, such theories have no manuscript support and ignore the very first verse, which clearly states the prophet ministered “in the days of Josiah.” 

 

Josiah was on the throne from 640 to 609 BC. A handful of factors come into play in trying to narrow the date down from there. It seems likely the latest time for the writing of this book would have to be 612 BC, the year Nineveh, Assyria’s capital, fell. Zephaniah 2:13 implies those fearsome warriors were yet to be defeated. The following factors also come into play in this discussion. Josiah’s revival and reforms began in the twelfth year of his reign (628 BC; 2 Chronicles 34:3). Judah was under the harsh rule of the Assyrian Empire until 626 BC, when their last powerful leader died, Ashurbanipal. Josiah felt freer to assert himself (in his reforms) now that Assyria was on the decline, "extending them even to the northern kingdom" (2 Kings 23:1-25; 2 Chronicles 34:32-35:19). Soon thereafter, the Book of the Law was found in the Temple (622 BC; 2 Kings 22:3, 8). It is assumed the judgment spoken of in Zephaniah 1:4 was fulfilled by an attack by a foreign empire, which is a common way for the Lord to discipline His people. On the other hand, the severity of the opening verse seems to indicate something more than a foreign siege. 

 

The question then is: what occasioned Zephaniah’s ministry, the invasion by the Assyrians (or Scythians), or the moral decline of Judah? A definitive answer is virtually impossible, and, of course, it could be both. There is simply not enough information. The Bible does not say how or when 1:4 was fulfilled.

 

Historical Background: Politically Judah was benefiting from a power vacuum among the superpowers of the day, so much so that King Josiah extended his influence militarily as far north as Naphtali. At that time Assyria--which had carried off the 10 Northern tribes in 722 B.C., under Sargon II--was rapidly suffering eclipse. When Sinshar-ishkun (623-612 B.C.), Ashurbanipal’s son, was reigning over Assyria, the Neo-Babylonian Empire began to emerge under Nabopolassar in 626. Also the Medes, under Cyaxares II in 625, pulled out from under Assyrian authority. So Josiah was encouraged to remove Assyrian religious practices from Judah. As a result Judah prospered politically. The collapse of the Assyrian Empire was delayed as the Egyptians under Psamtik I (664-609) allied with them, but a coalition of Medes and Babylonians destroyed Assyria’s capital city, Nineveh, in 612. 

 

Before Josiah’s reign, Manasseh (695-642) and Manaseh’s son Amon (642-640) had introduced wicked practices into Judah. Manasseh built altars to Baal and worshiped the sun, moon, and stars. He built altars to these stellar objects and placed them in the temple courts (2 Kings 21:4-5) and he made a carved Asherah pole (an image of the goddess Asherah) and placed it in the temples. Child sacrifice and  prospered (2 Kings 21:6; 23:10-11). King Amon, who may have been named after an Egytian deity, continued his father’s policies until his assassination (2 Kings 21:19-26; 2 Chronicles 33:21-25). Josiah succeeded Amon in 640 at the age of 8. In 632, at age 16, Josiah began to seek after the God of his forefather David. In 628, Josiah started a reform movement in which much of the idolatry was purged from Jerusalem and Judah. Unfortunately the promising reform movement was superficial for it did not deeply affect the politico-religious life of the nation. Worship of Yahweh was reestablished, but idolatry was not entirely removed. Both Zephaniah and Jeremiah prophesied to a politically prospering people of coming judgment because Josiah’s reform movement still went unheeded. 

 

Occasion: The purpose of Zephaniah’s prophecy is to set forth what the day of the Lord will mean, both to ungodly Judah and the world powers and to the godly remnant. God’s judgment must fall because of sin, and the nation is exhorted to return. Through the prophecy, the nation of the prophet’s day is faced with its sin, reminded of coming judgment, and instructed concerning the ultimate glory that will come to Israel. Historically, the book was used in the providence of God to prepare the nation for the reforms and revival under King Josiah.

 

Zephaniah 1 Commentary

Zephaniah 1:1 KJV:

“The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.”

 

“The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah”

 

God gave Zephaniah the message (“word,” דָּבָר), which means it is authentic and authoritative. This “word” includes all that the Lord told the prophet that He also led him to record for posterity (Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1; Micah 1:1).

 

“Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.”

 

Zephaniah recorded his genealogy- the longest genealogy of a writing prophet in any prophetic book. It goes back four generations to his great-great-grandfather, or possibly more distant relative, Hezekiah. 

 

Cushi- “Ethiopians, blackness.”

 

Gedaliah- “made great by God.”

 

Amariah- "God has said” or “Promised by God.”

 

Hezekiah/Hizkiah- “Yahweh strengthens.”

 

1) Does the name Cushi (1:1) mean Zephaniah was an Ethiopian since Cush is often used in the Bible for Ethiopia (Gen. 2:13 and many other passages, especially Isaiah)? The short answer is: I don’t think so. To conclude Zephaniah was an Ethiopian is based on flimsy evidence. The name Cushi does not automatically indicate that person was from Cush. In Psalm 7:1, a man named Cush is identified as a Benjamite. However, there are some scholars who are of the opinion that Cushi was an Ethiopian. 

 

This issue may be related as to why the genealogy for Zephaniah is so lengthy (see commentary). Just in case people did get the idea that the prophet was an Ethiopian, and thus a foreigner, the author made Zephaniah’s ethnicity certain by mentioning Hezekiah specifically. The Jews would have been very skeptical about a message from a Gentile. 

 

2) Is this Hezekiah the man who was king of Judah (716-687 BC)? Some scholars assert this person is not that Hezekiah. They reason that if this were the Hezekiah there would be the word “King” before his name. After all, they would continue, Hezekiah was a common name. That reasoning is understandable, but the question must be asked: why would verse 1 mention this Hezekiah if he weren’t important? The lengthy genealogy of Zephaniah 1:1 served at least two purposes. First, it proved Zephaniah was indeed a Jew (see above). Second, it suggests the prophet had royal blood in him, as implied by the fact that King Hezekiah was his great-great grandfather. This second point explains how and why Zephaniah was able to be so familiar with the royalty at the time of Josiah’s reign (see commentary). 

 

One other related issue needs to be addressed. At least one conservative scholar has noted that Manasseh, Hezekiah’s oldest son, was 12 when he became king (2 Kings 21:1), which was about 697 BC. If that is the case, then there would not be enough time for Zephaniah to be a man by the time Josiah took the throne (640 BC) and thus that scholar maintains this was not the Hezekiah. Specifically what this scholar is thinking is this: 1) Manasseh had to have been born about 708 BC if he were 12 in 697 BC. 2) Hezekiah’s second son was Amariah (Zeph. 1:1). 3) Thus, Amariah had to have been born after 708 BC. 4) Therefore, even if Amariah had been born in 707 BC, one would have to “squeeze” in Cushi and Gedaliah before Zephaniah was even born, much less a grown man, in order to be in Josiah’s administration. Even if each of these men were 20 when their eldest son was born, that would mean Zephaniah would have been born about 647 BC, making him just 7 when Josiah became king. It is not likely Josiah (or anyone else) would believe a little kid had received a message from the Lord.

 

Zephaniah 1:2 KJV:

“I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord.”

 

The audience was likely unprepared for such shocking statements in this verse and subsequent verses. Indeed, the books of the Prophets (Major and Minor) often begin with judgment, but to bring such “on the face of the earth” is extreme (Zephaniah 3:8). The word “land” (אדמה) can mean earth, so it's likely the Lord has the entire globe in mind. The Hebrew words behind "utterly consume" or “completely remove” actually come from two different verbal roots even though they look the same in Hebrew. The first one comes from אמע (“gather,” “remove”). The second word derives from מדע, which has the idea of “ceasing,” “coming to an end," and even “destroying.” Therefore, we could say the Lord is gathering everything up in order to remove it. 

 

Does God want to destroy the whole world as He did with Noah’s flood? Scholars have answered this question in at least three different ways. Some take “earth” to mean “land,” thus, only Israel or the Mesopotamian region is in view. However, since verse 4 specifically names Judah and Jerusalem, the area in mind in verse 2 might indeed be the whole world (a second possible answer). A third possibility is that these declarations are hyperbolic: that is, exaggerated for effect. These choices are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Asking the question “when?” might help come to a conclusion.

 

Concerning the first option, Zephaniah may have had a foreign invasion in mind, which would totally destroy the land around Jerusalem and Judah. It’s a little more difficult to answer the “when” question for the second option. Will there ever be a time when not a single thing will be on planet Earth? Unless this is an exaggeration, the only time the Bible speaks of such a situation is after the Millennial Kingdom when the entire world “will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10, where the Day of the Lord is mentioned).

 

Zephaniah 1:3 KJV:

“I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord.”

 

In this verse and the previous one, strong emphasis is placed on the judgment’s certainty and pervasiveness. At the end of both, we have the authoritative “…saith the Lord.” This potent, intimate expression makes it clear that God and not man will commence these terrifying events. In addition, we have four “I will” statements. Similarly, four times we see “consume" or the stronger “cut off” (כךח). The latter can mean “exterminate.”

 

This verse particularizes the general statement in verse 2 (Genesis 1:1-2 and 3-31). The Lord will remove animal life, not that plants will survive—if animals die, plants will undoubtedly die too—but animal life was His focus of interest. "Man and beast" includes human beings, beasts of all types, birds, and fish; in other words, animal life on the land, in the air, and in the water. "Ruins" still standing from previous destructions or, perhaps, from false religious practices that have caused people to stumble, would perish, as would the wicked. The Lord repeated that He would "cut off man" to make that fact indisputable- this would be a reversal of Creation (Genesis 1:20-26). The order in which things are listed for destruction is exactly the reverse from which they appear in the Creation narrative. Zephaniah pictured a judgment similar to the Flood in its scope (Genesis 6:17; 7:21-23).

 

In the last part of verse 3, God reiterates the wiping out of man and does so with a powerful verb. Why is man emphasized here and not the other creatures? Because man is the only one with moral responsibility (Zephaniah 1:6). Animals are not made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 27). The verb here is “cut off,” a different word from "consume" or “remove.” “Cut off” (כךח) has various shades of meaning. Literally, it can refer to severing something (Exodus 4:25). Figuratively, it has to do with making (cutting) a covenant (Genesis 15:18). Here, it means exterminating man from the land, a very vivid image.

 

Zephaniah 1:4 KJV:

“I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;”

 

Interestingly, God’s chosen people are the ones who are first in line to receive the judgment (1 Peter 4:17; Leviticus 10:3; Ezekiel 9:6). All the people of Judah and Jerusalem are the target of this judgment. No one is immune. Those who live in Jerusalem were in the very presence of the Lord (Deuteronomy 12:5).

 

The expression “stretch out Mine hand” is a figure of speech for bringing judgment upon something (Exodus 7:5, 9:22; Isaiah 5:25, 14:26, 27). The addition of the word "upon" or “against'' reinforces the terrifying tone of the phrase. At other times God stretches out His hand to create positive events (Jeremiah 32:17).

 

“Cut off” is the same powerful verb used in verse 3. The Lord will not be endlessly patient with usurping gods, and when the time comes, He will deal finally with whatever remains– that is, all that’s found then.

 

Baal was the main false god from Canaan. Unfortunately, the Jews began worshipping it as well. The Lord wanting to remove what remained of Baalism suggests Josiah had already begun his religious reforms or possibly was near the end of doing so. “Remnant” has various shades of meaning, including “the rest of" (Daniel 2:18), “left” (Genesis 7:23), “survivors” (Isaiah 14:22), and “those escaped” (2 Chronicles 36:20).

 

“This place” could refer to Jerusalem or to the Temple. Zephaniah has narrowed it down further to the people directly responsible for the spiritual welfare of the populace: the priests. God expects His leaders to do what is right. To cut off the “name” of something means eliminating everything about it, even from memory.

 

This reference has suggested to some that Zephaniah wrote after Josiah began his reforms since Josiah revived the worship of Yahweh and tried—unsuccessfully—to eliminate idolatry (2 Chronicles 34:4). 

 

Others use this verse to argue for a time of writing before Josiah began his reforms. However, this verse may simply mean that the Lord would judge the idolaters in Judah. "Baal" being a figure (synecdoche) for all idolatry.

 

“Chemarims” is a transliteration of a Hebrew word and is used only in the KJV and a few other translations, such as the American Standard Version and English Revised Version. Other versions render the word Chemarim as “idolatrous priests” (NIV) or “pagan priests” (NET). The KJV translates the same Hebrew word as “idolatrous priests” in 2 Kings 23:5. The Chemarim were false priests who may have claimed to serve the Lord but, in reality, sacrificed to Baal, Molech, and other pagan deities. The Chemarim were the “pagan priests” whom Zephaniah pronounced judgment against. Baal-worship in Judah was overthrown by King Josiah, who did away with the pagan priests who had been appointed by former kings (2 Kings 23:5). In his reforms, Josiah stopped the practice of burning incense to Baal and to the sun, moon, and stars. He also tore down the altars and shrines to false gods, destroyed the Asherah poles, and eliminated anything associated with pagan worship practices (verses 6–20). Josiah then reinstituted the observance of Passover (verses 21–23).

 

Zephaniah 1:5 KJV:

“And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham;”

 

The Lord would also judge those who worshipped "the host of heaven"—the sun, moon, stars, and planets—which the idolatrous Israelites did on their flat "housetops" (Deuteronomy 4:19; 2 Kings 21:3, 5; 23:4-5; Jeremiah 19:13). This superstition persists today among believers in horoscopes. He would also punish the Judeans who worshipped both Yahweh and the pagan gods of the nations (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6; Jeremiah 32:35). "Milcom" (Molech, the god of Ammon; 1 Kings 11:33) probably represents all foreign gods. Syncretism also exists today whenever someone worships the true God but, at the same time, chooses something over Him. Swearing to and by a deity meant pronouncing an oath that called on that god to punish the oath-taker if he or she failed to do what he or she promised. Swearing by another god involved acknowledging its authority, which God prohibited in Israel. "Milcom" could have been spelled "malcam," meaning "their king." The original Hebrew morphology did not contain vowels.

 

This syncretism is a common feature of Baal worship (also mentioned in the previous verse). It is somewhat surprising that they would want to have anything to do with Yahweh in the first place since He “will not do good or evil” (Zephaniah 1:12) anyways (in their opinion). Second Chronicles 33 clearly states the people were blending the worship of Yahweh and Baal. This particular passage took place during the reign of Manasseh (693-641 BC). “Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the Lord their God” (v. 17). The worshippers were trying to cover all the possibilities for a favorable outcome of their obeisance. Second Kings 21:3 is equally clear: “For he [Manasseh] rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; he raised up altars for Baal, and made a wooden image [Asherah]. . .and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them” (v. 5).

 

Zephaniah 1:6 KJV:

“And them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor enquired for him.”

 

Judgment would come, too, on all God's people who had apostatized, namely, departed from loving and following Yahweh and had stopped praying to Him. They might not have participated in pagan idolatry, but if their love had grown cold, they were still guilty (Revelation 2:1-7). The Lord commanded His people to love Him wholeheartedly (Deuteronomy 6:5). They may have forgotten Him, but He had not forgotten them. 

 

In this pericope, the prophet identified three types of idolatry: "the overtly pagan, the syncretistic, and the religiously indifferent." Practitioners of all three would draw punishment from Yahweh. 

 

How does this promise to judge the Israelites harmonize with the earlier prophecy that God would destroy the whole earth (vv. 2-3)? This is an example of a prophet's foreshortened view of the future, in which he could not see the difference in time between some events that he predicted (Isaiah 61:1-3; Daniel 11:35-36). God judged Israel when the Babylonians overran Judah and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C. He will also judge the Israelites in the Tribulation (Jeremiah 30:7; Revelation 6—18). Zephaniah described God's judgment of the people of Judah without specifying exactly when He would judge them. Most of what Zephaniah prophesied in this pericope found fulfillment, at least initially, in 586 B.C.

 

Zephaniah 1:7 KJV:

“Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.”

 

In view of the inevitability and imminence of coming judgment for idolatry, it was appropriate for the Judeans to be silent or hold their peace before sovereign Yahweh (Habakkuk 2:20). 

 

Why be silent? Because (“for”) the Day of the Lord is not far away, the day when God will mete out His judgment. “It is a call for submission, fear, and consecration.” “Let noisy, rebellious men (Psalm 2:1-3) ‘be silent’…, for He is about to intervene visibly and publicly to chastise His sinning people and, having accomplished that, to punish their wicked punishers…” In fact, the sacrifice is already prepared! The “sacrifice” here is probably Judah and Jerusalem. They were to be punished for their false worship. 

 

“he hath bid his guests” or “he hath consecrated his called”;  “Consecrated” means “set apart,” but it could also have the idea of inviting (see NIV and KJV). We may be able to establish a more specific definition once we figure out who the “guests” are. There are fundamentally two possibilities. One is that the “guests” are Judah and Jerusalem. That, of course, would make them both the sacrifice and the diners. Second, it makes more sense to understand them to be a foreign-invading army. The Lord often uses other nations as the instrument by which He disciplines His people. The Assyrians were on the decline at this time- thus, it is more likely the Babylonians were the ones who marched on Jerusalem. Therefore, “consecrated” in this context may have a combined connotation. God has set aside the Babylonians as His tool and has also invited them to come to the feast. 

 

Zephaniah 1:8 KJV:

“And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.”

 

There is an interesting literary device used in this verse. The verse switches from a third-person reference of God (“Lord”) to first person (“I”). That change may show God’s personal involvement in the judgments. The Hebrew word used here for “punish” (פָּקַד) has a vast range of meanings. It is sometimes translated as “visit,” which can be either for positive purposes (Psalm 106:4) or negative purposes (such as here). 

 

When the Lord slaughtered Judah like a sacrifice, He would "punish. . .the king's children [specifically, their sons]," and those who wore foreign clothing. The king's sons, the future rulers of the nation, bore distinct responsibility for conditions in the land. Josiah's sons did indeed suffer Yahweh's punishment. Jehoahaz was taken captive to Egypt (2 Kings 23:34). Jehoiakim was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar and died in Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:1-6). Josiah's grandson, Jehoiachin, was taken captive to Babylon (2 Kings 24:8-16). The last son of Josiah to rule over Judah, Zedekiah, was blinded and also taken captive to Babylon (2 Kings 24:18—25:7). 

 

Zephaniah 1:9 KJV:

“In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.”

 

The Hebrew verb דָּלַג (“leap”) could mean those who leap on the threshold or over it. The Lord would also punish those who leaped on or over the thresholds of their neighbors in their zeal to plunder them, as well as those who filled the temple with gifts taken through "violence and deceit.”

 

“Which fill their masters' houses”: These retainers plunder and steal so that they may increase their masters' treasures. The king, though not Josiah, may be meant, the plural being the plural of majesty or the idol temples. The LXX., followed by Jerome, renders, "who fill the house of the Lord their God." This is plainly erroneous, as there is no question here about the temple at Jerusalem. “Violence and deceit”: i.e., the fruits of what they have extorted by violence and fraud (Jeremiah 5:27). 

 

Zephaniah 1:10 KJV:

“And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.”

 

When the Lord brought judgment on Judah, there would be crying out from various parts of Jerusalem—representing the total destruction of the city. The "Fish Gate" was the gate through which the fishermen ordinarily entered the city with their catches. It was a gate that pierced Jerusalem's north wall close to the fish market (2 Chronicles 33:14; Nehemiah 3:3; 12:39). It was probably through this gate that Nebuchadnezzar entered Jerusalem since he invaded it from the north. The modern name of this gate is the Damascus Gate. The "Second (or New) Quarter" was a district of Jerusalem northwest of the temple area (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22). The "hills'' may refer to the hills on which Jerusalem stood, the hills surrounding the city, or both. In any case, the Babylonian army doubtlessly caused loud "crashing" on all the hills in and around Jerusalem, as the soldiers destroyed the whole city and its environs.

 

Zephaniah 1:11 KJV:

“Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.”

 

Zephaniah called on the “inhabitants of Maktesh” (also known as Mortar), which is the market and business district of Jerusalem, to wail and cry out because of the judgment that had taken place in previous verses. “Wail” or "Howl" comes from the Hebrew word יָלַל , which, when used in various prophetic contexts, does not connote ordinary mourning, but rather the public reaction to extraordinary, large-scale destruction (Amos 5:16-17; Micah 1:8). Not only would they be cut down, but their wealth would also be cut down, which is their judgment. They will be either slain or taken captive, and their wealth will be taken as booty of warfare. 

 

(NASB) The Canaanites ("people of Canaan" or "merchant people") who did business there would fall silent because commerce would cease. Or, perhaps, it was the Judeans, who were behaving like Canaanites, that were on Zephaniah's mind. Those who weighed silver—i.e., who conducted commercial transactions—would also perish from the city.

 

Maktesh/Mortar: This is a place that is either near or inside Jerusalem (the latter being most likely). It was inhabited by silver merchants and has been conjectured that it was the "Phoenician quarter" of the city, where the traders of that nation resided after the Oriental custom.  

 

Zephaniah 1:12 KJV:

“And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.”

 

During the days of Josiah’s son Zedekiah (597-586 BC), much destruction and looting took place in the holy city (2 Kings 25:13-17; 2 Chronicles 36:17-19; Jeremiah 52:17-23). That situation was the immediate fulfillment of this passage. However, the ultimate fulfillment will be at the end times, as suggested by the expression “at that time.” Similar expressions were encountered in recent verses such as “the day of the Lord” (vv. 7, 8) and “on that day” (vv. 9, 10). The Lord would carefully search among the residents of Jerusalem then, as one searches by using a lamp (Luke 15:8). He would punish the people whose love for Him had stagnated, like wine left undisturbed too long (Revelation 3:15- 16), and who concluded indifferently that He was complacent and would not act (Isaiah 32:9; Ezekiel 30:9; Amos 6:1). Their complacency led them to believe that He was similarly complacent.

 

Zephaniah 1:13 KJV:

“Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.”

 

Verse 13 specifies the punishment mentioned in verse 12. The language is reminiscent of the curses in Deuteronomy 28, especially verses 30 and 39. The treasures of the Jerusalemites, and all the Judeans, would "become a booty" or "plunder" for the enemy, and "their houses" would become vacant if not destroyed. They would "build houses"—but "not" be able to live in them—because the Babylonian invasion would come quickly. They would "plant vineyards"—but "not" be able to "drink the wine"—for the same reason (Leviticus 26:32-33; Deuteronomy 28:30, 39; Amos 5:11; Micah 6:15).

 

Zephaniah 1:14-15 KJV:

“The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,”

 

Interestingly, the Hebrew word tsarah translated "trouble" here is also translated by the LXX (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament created nearly two centuries before the time of Christ) with the Greek word thlipsis, or "tribulation." Thus, far from separating divine wrath or the Day of the Lord from the preceding Great Tribulation as is maintained by pre-wrath rapture advocates, notice that Zephaniah 1:14-15 indicates that the Day of the Lord constitutes both a time of divine wrath and tribulation. Additionally, it is lexically and grammatically difficult, if not impossible, to embrace the argument advanced by the pre-wrath rapturist that the actual wrath of the Lamb does not really begin until the opening of the sixth seal judgment (Revelation 6:12-17). 

 

Zephaniah reported that this "great day of the Lord" was "near," very near, and "coming very quickly." His hearers needed to realize that it would be a day in which Yahweh would act (v. 12). When it came, warriors would cry out bitterly because that day would involve fierce fighting. The first deportation of Judeans to Babylon came in 605 B.C., not many years from whenever Zephaniah must have first announced this message. The prophet wanted to emphasize, even more strongly, the danger his complacent hearers faced. He described the effects of "the day of wrath" on people by using four synonymous word pairs. It would be a day marked by emotional "distress" and anguish ("trouble"), as well as physical "destruction" and devastation ("desolation"; Deuteronomy 28:53, 55, 57). The prophet described the terror as "darkness and gloominess," and "clouds" and blackness ("thick darkness"; Deuteronomy 4:11).

 

Zephaniah 1:16 KJV:

“A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.”

 

As with verse 15, this verse is both depressing and frightening. The cities of the area are about to be attacked, with Jerusalem, even given her strong and fortified walls, being no exception. Again, there is a crying out as in verse 14. The sounds depicted here (trumpet and battle cry) would alert the citizens to immediate assault. The trumpet is actually the shofar, a ram’s horn used to give out instructions. The “trumpet” pictures the tumult of the coming day. The Babylonians conquered the Holy City in 586 BC, and it seems God Himself will besiege the city in the end times, as strange as that sounds. 

 

Zephaniah 1:17 KJV:

“And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.”

 

This verse describes more specific distress while also relaying the reason the Lord (“I”) is doing all this. The Lord would "distress" His people so severely that they would grope around as though they were "blind." He would do this because they had sinned against Him. Blindness is often used as a form of punishment (Deuteronomy 28:28; Acts 13:11). Their precious "blood" would lie all over the ground like common "dust," and their dead "flesh" would lie in the streets like putrid, decaying "dung." 

 

Zephaniah 1:18 KJV:

“Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.”

 

The Judeans would not be able to buy themselves out of their trouble when the Lord poured forth His "wrath" (Ezekiel 7:19). He would devour the whole earth with "the fire" of His jealous rage, "jealousy" provoked by His people's preference for various forms of idolatry (v. 4-6; Deuteronomy 32:21-22). He would destroy completely and terribly "all the inhabitants of the earth" (v. 2-3; Joel 2:1-11). The comprehensive nature of this judgment suggests that, at this point, the prophet's perspective again lifted to—what we can now see—will be the eschatological fulfillment of this prophecy. The Babylonian invasion only previewed it. Another possibility is that we should understand "all the earth" as referring only to the Promised Land. However, other descriptions of the worldwide extent of God's eventual judgment of sin and sinners, in this book and others, make this interpretation unattractive.

 

Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, including 4Q77 (4QXIIb; 150–125 BCE).

 

Zephaniah 2 Commentary

Zephaniah 2:1-3: Having described the awful day of God’s wrath on Judah, the prophet, at last, brought his audience to his purpose. His goal was not to lead the people to despair but to repentance and obedience. As Matthew Henry so appropriately stated, Zephaniah intended “not to frighten them out of their wits, but to frighten them out of their sins” (Commentary on the Whole Bible in One Volume, p. 1168).

 

Zephaniah 2:1 KJV:

“Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;”

 

The first two Hebrew words of this verse are two forms of one rare word. The more common term behind these forms is a word that means “gather straw” or “gather stubble.” The idea seems to be that the people are to come together (like straw) in order to prepare themselves for judgment (Exodus 5:7, 12). The shameful nation is Judah. It is shameful because it has acted wickedly before the Lord (idolatry, pride, etc.) for some time. They needed to “gather” before the Lord's decree to punish them took effect, and His "burning anger" overtook them. Nineveh trend from their wicked ways, and the Lord repented from judging and destroying Nineveh. Perhaps He would do the same if the Judeans did the same. 

 

Zephaniah 2:2 KJV:

“Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you.”

 

The word “before” is found three times in this verse. A sense of urgency is clear. Multiple times Zephaniah warns the people to repent before the judgments of chapter one take place (lit., “be born”). 

 

“Before the decree bring forth.” Before the result follows the fiat. The Divine purpose is represented as a woman labouring with child, travailing before it comes to execution. This is thrice repeated in substance to show the certainty and speed of its arrival. The “decree” must refer to the horrors of the Day of the Lord (v. 2).

 

“Before the day pass as the chaff.” That day was coming as swiftly as chaff blows before the wind, so they needed to act immediately.

 

“Before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you.” The prophet could not be more forceful in his emphasis on portraying the holy anger of God. The destruction is likened to chaff being blown away in the wind – quick and thorough. 

 

Zephaniah 2:3 KJV:

“Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.”

 

The invitation in this verse expresses the key thought in this book. The prophet urged his "humble" hearers, who had sought to be obedient to the Lord, to continue to seek Him in prayerful dependence. He was appealing to the faithful remnant in particular (cf. 3:12; Isaiah11:4; Amos 8:4; Matthew 5:3). They needed to continue to pursue righteous behavior and place themselves under the Lord's sovereign authority by listening to Him and obeying Him. If they did this, the Lord might "hide" them when He poured out His "anger" on the unrepentant.

 

Here Zephaniah made a play on words (paronomasia) with his own name: "Hidden by Yahweh." The Hebrew word satar is the root of the word translated "hidden." Satar is a synonym of saphan, which may be part of Zephaniah's name. If it is, "Zephaniah" probably means "Hidden by Yahweh." Thus, his name could have had a connection with his message of preservation for the godly remnant.

 

Returning was open to anyone. God did indeed protect some Judeans from destruction when the Babylonians invaded (cf. 2 Kings 24:14-16). Zephaniah's exhortation appears to have been effective. Zephaniah called on the "humble of the earth" to seek the Lord. While the Promised Land may be in view, this is probably a worldwide invitation. All people need to seek the Lord by returning. 

 

Zephaniah 2:4-15: Zephaniah turned from warning Judah to prophesy similar wrath on her equally idolatrous neighbors. God is the God of all the nations, and those nations that led Judah to stumble would not escape the fury of His wrath. Since He would punish Judah, He surely would punish Judah; He surely would not overlook the sins of others. Zephaniah began with the nation to Judah’s west, Philistia (vv. 4-7), then moved east to Moab and Ammon(vv. 8-11), then south to Ethiopia (v. 12), and north to Assyria (vv. 13-15). 

 

Zephaniah 2:4 KJV:

“For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.”

 

The prophet announced that destruction would overtake four of the five cities of the Philistine pentapolis (cf. Isaiah 14:28-32; Jeremiah 47; Ezekiel 25:15-17; Amos 1:6-8). He listed them from south to north. Gath had evidently declined already (cf. 2 Chronicles 26:6; Amos 1:6-8; Zechariah 9:5-7), or perhaps Zephaniah selected only four towns to preserve literary parallelism. A better option follows: Uzziah and Hezekiah had kept Gath in subjection- 2 Kings 18:8 and 2 Chronicles 26:6. "Gaza" and "abandoned" sound similar in Hebrew, as do "Ekron" and "uprooted." Being "driven out at noon" may imply an unexpected time since people commonly rested during the hottest part of the day. Gaza will be deserted like a betrothed woman deserted by her fiancé. The other three cities (Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron) will likewise be attacked and demolished. The fact that Ashdod will be overrun at noon is unusual. Fighting normally doesn’t occur in the middle of the day since that is a hot time, if not the hottest time, of the day since the sun is high in the sky. One of two possibilities exists which may explain this note. First, perhaps it is a surprise attack because Ashdod would not be expecting a battle at midday. Second, the verse may mean Ashdod will be overrun by noon. 

 

Zephaniah 2:5 KJV:

“Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.”

 

This “woe” is the first of two found in Zephaniah (3:1). It indicates a round of judgment is coming (Matthew 23). In the immediate context, the judgment is to fall on Philistia, as detailed in verse 4. We see Moab, Ammon, Ethiopia, and Assyria next on the hit list. No specific reason is presented. 

 

The Cherethites (“Kerethite,” NIV) were originally from Crete and lived on the shores of the area variously called Canaan or the land of the Philistines (1 Samuel 30:14; 2 Samuel 8:18; 20:23; 1 Chronicles 18:17; Ezekiel 25:16). Yahweh's powerful word was all it took to afflict them, and it would come against them. He promised to "destroy" them and their land, the coastal plain of Canaan, so no one would live there any longer. Pharaoh Neco II of Egypt (609- 594 B.C.) initially fulfilled this prophecy (cf. Jeremiah 47). 

 

Zephaniah 2:6 KJV:

“And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.”

 

This verse explains the result of the judgment and destruction of verse 5. Canaan will be a flat, open land good for animals instead of people. A region once thriving with civilization will now be meadows. 

 

Zephaniah 2:7 KJV:

“And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.”

 

The land will not be desolate forever. The Lord will allow His people, “the remnant of the house of Judah,” to settle on it. It is a remnant because they will be the ones who survive the Babylonian exile. Theologically, the word [שְׁאֵרִית, “remnant, leftover”] describes the people through whom God carries on his redemptive activity (Genesis 45:7; Isaiah 37:32; Micah 2:12, 4:7).

 

As suggested in verse 6, they will use it as pasture land for their animals. That they will live in Ashkelon indicates the Jews will be settling securely on the region of their former enemies, the Philistines. The Lord will “care for them” as His sheep as they will shepherd their actual sheep. God will indeed bless their efforts. 

 

Zephaniah 2:8 KJV:

“I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.”

 

This verse begins a section (vv. 8-11) that describes the judgment on Moab and Ammon. These two nations are mentioned together likely because they were both ethnically related to the Jews. Sadly, Moab and Ammon were the results of the incestuous union between Lot and his daughters (Gen 19:36-38). The northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to the Assyrians in 722 BC, and the southern kingdom of Judah during Zephaniah’s ministry was now in decline (about 640 BC). Such circumstances bolstered the pride of their eastern neighbors Moab and Ammon. The Lord Himself (“I have heard...”) announces that He is aware that these two peoples are ridiculing His people. The implication is that He will do something about it. 

 

Zephaniah 2:9 KJV:

“Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.”

 

Following God’s indictment (v. 8), His punishment was pronounced (v. 9), intensified by the twice repeated word “surely.” The Lord here made a very firm and somber vow or oath as shown by “as surely as I live.” In effect, God is saying this doom will come about as definitely as the Person I Am. 

 

“Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah”

 

Because of the hostility toward the Israelites, God would destroy these nations as He did “Sodom” and “Gomorrah” (cf. Isaiah 15-16; Jeremiah 48:1-49:22; Ezekiel 25:1-14; 35; Amos 1:11-2:3). God had completely destroyed these cities --that stood in the territory later occupied by Moab-- shortly before either of these nations came into existence (Genesis 19:23-29). This analogy was used to show that those nations would be reduced to complete ruin. 

 

“even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation”

 

Sodom and Gomorrah had become a notorious “perpetual desolation,” a place of “salt pits” where nothing but “nettles” grew (cf. Jeremiah 48:9), and that would be what Yahweh would make of Moab and Ammon. As sterile as a wasteland, it would no longer be fruitful. Being near the Dead Sea, much of Moab and Ammon is salty, barren land, though the final fulfillment of the prophecies in Zephaniah 2:8-10 is yet future in view of the words in verse 11. 

 

“the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.”

 

Zephaniah added that the Moabites and Ammonites will be enslaved by the Jews and that the Jewish remnant will possess those territories (cf. Isaiah 11:14). 

 

Zephaniah 2:10 KJV:

“This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.”

 

Zephaniah repeated the reasons for the judgment described in verse 9. The sin of Moab and Ammon was their pride (cf. Isaiah 16:6; Jeremiah 48:29), which is evidenced by how they “reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.” Zephaniah had already heard of their arrogance (v. 8), and earlier, God had graciously warned Moab about its pride (Isaiah 16:6-14; 25:10-11; Jeremiah 48:29). 

 

Zephaniah 2:11 KJV:

“The Lord will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.”

 

This verse explains how the Lord will destroy His and Israel’s enemies. The Lord will judge them with His power and will destroy all their idols. 

 

“he will famish all the gods of the earth”

 

There are two possible meanings to this verse, as it could mean that God will stop the food being brought to these idols (which supposedly feeds them), or it could have the idea of causing all worship of them to cease. These idols are described as deities “of the earth” in contrast to the God of heaven. These idols are really no gods because there is only one true and living Lord (Isaiah 46:9; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6).

 

“and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.”

 

The prophet here made a statement that awaits future fulfillment during the Millennium. In the Millennium, people in all nations will worship the true God (cf. Malachi 1:11); everyone in his own land. The removal of all idolatry will pave the way for worldwide worship when Christ rules as King on earth.

 

Biblical Archaeology: The word 'famish' here appears nowhere else in the Bible. Many translators, unable to understand how God could starve pagan gods, may have mistranslated the word as 'shrivel,' 'reduce to beggary,' 'destroy,' 'enfeeble,' or even 'rule over' (Rudman 2002:37). However, 'famish' is perfectly correct. Its related Biblical words make its true meaning clear: 'The glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean [yeirazeh]' (Is 17:4); 'Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean [razah] cattle' (Ez 34:20). Moreover, the related Arabic word radhiya means 'grow thin' or 'grow weak' (Rudman 2002:38).

 

Now, since pagans in Mesopotamia treated the statues of their gods as fully imbued with the divine presence, the logical conclusion was that the statues had to be fed since the gods themselves needed to eat. At the temple of Uruk in southern Babylonia (the Erech of Gn 10:10), idols of gods and goddesses were provided two meals a day, according to a text from that city dating in the second millennium BC (Rudman 2002:39). During the 'Opening of the Mouth' ceremony, statues that had been thoroughly imbued with the divine presence 'dined' on beer, honey, fruit, and fine cuts of meat served on gold platters. After the meal, water was brought so that the statues could 'wash' their hands (Rudman 2002:38). An Assyrian inscription from the mid-ninth century BC describes King Nabu-apla-iddina's role in the Opening of the Mouth ritual performed on a statue of the sun-god Shamash. After washing the statue's mouth, the king bestowed on it food and clothing. According to an Assyrian hymn dated two centuries later, a statue of the moon god could not 'smell incense, eat food, [or] drink water' until King Ashurbanipal performed the Opening of the Mouth ritual on it (Rudman 2002:38-39). The translation of rzh as 'famished' is thus perfectly correct. Zephaniah's use of this word reveals his knowledge of the foolish pagan practices of his day. As with Isaiah, this minor prophet was not ignorantly misrepresenting pagan idol-worship but was correctly describing the pagan beliefs and practices of the era and region in which he lived.

 

Zephaniah 2:8-11 and refuting Replacement Theology:

 

Replacement Theology is the belief the Church has replaced Israel as the recipient of God’s promises. Zephaniah 2:8-11 presents a problem to this belief due to the contradiction caused by these verses. In this section (Zephaniah 2:8-11), the prophet repeats his message in a threefold argument: reasons for judgment (vv. 8, 10), nature of the judgment (vv. 9a, 11a), and the ultimate provision of blessing (vv. 9b, 11b). The judgment was against the enemies of Israel and awaits complete fulfillment during the Millennium. If the Church replaced Israel and is now the recipient of God’s promises, then Ammon and Moab are enemies of the Church as they await complete destruction as described in verse 9. The contradiction presents itself when compared to Ephesians 6:12, which describes the Church's battles and enemies. The passage states, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV). The Church's enemies and battles are not against any earthly nation- instead, our enemies are spiritual. Therefore, Replacement Theologians, if believing that the Church has replaced Israel as the recipient of God’s promises, must also believe Moab and Ammon are their enemies, which contradicts Ephesians 6:12. 

 

Zephaniah 2:12 KJV:

“Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.”

 

The Ethiopians, also known as Cushites, are descendants of Cush, a son of Ham (Genesis 10:6; 1 Chronicles 1:8). Some suggest that Zephaniah may have meant Egypt rather than Ethiopia as Biblical Ethiopia occupied the territory of modern-day southern Egypt, Sudan, and northern Ethiopia. The Ethiopians were the southernmost people known to the Judeans. Zephaniah’s oracle against Ethiopia is very brief (cf. Isaiah 18-20; Jeremiah 46; Ezekiel 29-32). Zephaniah’s words concerning them were few, and one wonders if his choice of them, rather than, say, the troublesome Edomites, was simply to stretch the points of the compass to the known extremes. 

 

Cushite kings dominated Egypt until their defeat by the Assyrian king Esarhaddon in 670 B.C. King Asa of Judah defeated a large Cushite expedition under Zerah that threatened Judah (2 Chronicles 14:9-13). The Lord’s judgment on the Cushites is that they, like all of Israel’s enemies, would be killed in battle. The fulfillment of this prophecy was at least partially realized by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. (cf. Ezekiel 30:4-5, 9). Since the Babylonians were God’s instrument, God called the attackers’ swords “My sword.”

 

Zephaniah 2:13 KJV:

“And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.”

 

The focus now changes from Ethiopia to Assyria, a state north of Israel and the “superpower” of that time. For more than a century, Assyria dominated the region and forced subservience from small nations such as Judah. Though Assyria lay to the distant northeast of Judah, Zephaniah designated them as from “the north” because invaders from that area followed the Fertile Crescent westward and then proceeded southward. Zephaniah predicted that the Lord would destroy Assyria and leave Nineveh, Assyria’s capital and a city well known for its impregnability, a wasteland. “Desolation” (שְׁמָמָ֔ה) has more to do with the desolation itself, whereas with “wilderness” (מִּדְבָּֽר׃), the emphasis is on the result of the devastation. This was the nation that conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. Assyria was a much-feared nation because of its ruthless atrocities on its captives. An alliance of Babylonians and Medes destroyed Nineveh in 612 B.C., with the Assyrian king Sin-shar-ishkun dying while trying to defend his city. A remnant of the Assyrians escaped the fall of the city under their new king Ashur-uballit II. Though aided by an alliance with Pharaoh Neco II of Egypt, the Assyrian Empire was crushed in 609 B.C. Zephaniah’s prediction was fulfilled (And another prophetic description of the fall of Nineveh is given in Nahum 3). Zephaniah’s words that Nineveh would come “dry like a wilderness” were fitting because the city had many irrigation canals. Nahum’s words were equally appropriate (Nahum 1:8; 2:6-8). 

 

Zephaniah 2:14 KJV:

“And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he shall uncover the cedar work.”

 

This verse is a continuation of verse 13 as having stated Syria’s destruction (v. 13).  Zephaniah then elaborated on the nature of that nation's utter demise (v. 14). The “flocks” or "herds'' are not sheep and cattle, as in parallel cases (Isaiah 17:2; Isaiah 27:10; Isaiah 32:14), but “all the beasts of the nations” - all the wild beasts that infest the country. The cormorant (kaath); probably the pelican; Vulgate, onocrotalus; the Septuagint gives, χαμαιλέοντες, which word Schleusner thinks to have been interchanged with κόρακες that follows soon afterward. The pelican is found in the Assyrian monuments tinder more than one appellation (see 'Transact. of See. of Bibl. Archaeol.,' 8:93, etc., and 141). The bittern (kippod): Most recent critics translate this by "hedgehog" or "porcupine." The Septuagint has, ἐχῖνοι: the Vulgate, ericius. But, neither hedgehog nor porcupine utters cries or frequents pools of water, and it may be well-doubted whether some marsh-loving bird is not in mind. Certainly, the following clause suits the habits of a bird better than those of a hedgehog. No notice of the bittern seems to be found in the Assyrian monuments, though the mention of the heron is not uncommon. “Their voice shall sing in the windows;” literally, the voice of the songster in the window. Birds shall perch and sing in the apertures of the ruined palaces. Others translate, "Hark! it singeth in the windows." There are no traces of windows in any of the Assyrian palaces, even in the case of chambers next to the outer walls. If daylight were admitted, it must have entered through openings in the ceilings (Layard, 'Nineveh.' 2:260). “Desolation shall be in the thresholds:” The word rendered "desolation" (chorebh) may be read as meaning "sword," "drought," and "raven.” But it seems best to take the term as signifying "desolation;" no human creature shall be found there, only ruin and rubbish. 

 

“for he shall uncover the cedar work.”

 

God, or the enemy, has destroyed the palaces such that the cedar panelling is exposed to the weather. We see by Sennacherib's boast (Isaiah 37:24) that the Assyrians imported cedars for building purposes. And we have monumental evidence of the employment of cedar in palaces at least since the time of Assurnazirpal, B.C. 860. Esar-haddon reports that he received cypress and cedar from Lebanon as tribute; Assurbanipal states that, in erecting his palace, he used cedar pillars from Sirjon and Lebanon (Schrader, 'Die Keilinschrift. und Alt. Test.,' pp. 183, 453). Neriglissar, King of Babylon, B.C. 559, in rebuilding his palace, records that he "arranged tall cedars for its roof" ('Records of the Past,' 5:142).

 

Creation Science: Researchers uncovered the remains of the earliest known pelican, including a preserved beak, in southwest France. What has surprised researchers most about this ancient pelican is that it is almost identical to modern species. The oldest fossil representation of a pelican had a beak that looked very much like pelican beaks do today. Considering researchers, using evolutionary assumptions, date this fossil to be around 30 million years old, it is interesting that it lacks any mutations when compared to modern pelicans. 

 

Zephaniah 2:15 KJV:

“This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.”

 

Verse 15 is the completion of Nineveh’s destruction as the prophet reiterated that the city, while quite secure, would be shamed. In Zephaniah’s day, Nineveh was proud, carefree, and apparently impregnable. Its residents boasted of being citizens of the most important city in the world. Its king was also arrogant (cf. Isaiah 10:12) because of its supposed impregnability. 

 

“This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly”

 

The inhabitants carelessly dwelt because the populace that lived in it felt they were in complete safety. The city was quite large, having its suburban areas a circumference of 60 miles and a population of at least 120,000 (See notes on Jonah 4:11). In addition to an extensive outer wall, there was an inner wall with an 8-mile circumference, being 50 feet thick and 100 feet high. Between the two walls was enough agricultural land to support the enormous population the city had. 

 

“that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me”

 

The sentiment expressed here comes very near to what the Lord says about Himself: “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me” (Isaiah 46:9; cf. 45:6). Thus, Nineveh is associating itself with divinity. This claim by Nineveh was no idle boast. For approximately 200 years, she was superior in strength to any other city of her time. 

 

“how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.”

 

An attack on the outer wall, begun in 614 B.C. by the Medes and Babylonians, was initially withstood by the Ninevites, but a combination of trickery by the attackers, carelessness by the attacked, and a natural disaster, finally brought victory to the attackers (cf Nahum 1:10; 2:3-5; 3:11). The exceptional inner wall collapsed due to inundation because of an unexpected deluge that swelled the Tigris River in a normally dry season of the year. Thus the city was unexpectedly defeated (cf. Nahum 1:8; 2:6-8; 3:12). The carefree boasting of the city was hushed by her enemies- and all who later saw its ruins scoffed at her former haughtiness (cf. Nahum 3:19). 

 

“shall hiss, and wag his hand.”

 

He shall “hiss” in scorn (Micah 6:16). He shall shake or wave his hand with the gesture of dismissal as if saying, "Away with thee! get thee gone!" - a rehearsal of the awful "Depart ye!" in the final judgment (comp. Nahum 3:19).

 

Fragments cumulatively containing all verses of this chapter (a revision of the Septuagint) were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, i.e., Naḥal Ḥever (8ḤevXIIgr; 1st century CE).

 

Zephaniah 3 Commentary 

Zephaniah 3:1-8: Having described God’s impending judgment on the countries surrounding Judah, the Prophet Zephaniah again returned to the theme of Jerusalem’s doom (cf. 1:4-2:3). He emphasized the need for the wicked Jews to seek Him. The prophet listed God’s grievances against His people (3:1-5) and then pronounced God’s inevitable judgment (vv. 6-7).

 

Zephaniah 3:1 KJV:

“Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!”

 

The prophet made a general statement about Jerusalem’s wickedness: she had sunk to the level of the heathen nations (cf. Habakkuk 1:2-4). Zephaniah pronounced another “woe,” which has not appeared since Zephaniah 2:5. As noted there, this word is an indication that judgment is near. Though Zephaniah does not name Jerusalem in this verse, it is shown by verse 2 that Jerusalem is what Zephaniah meant. No other city fits as well with this context.

 

“Filthy;” rather, rebellious, i.e. against God. 

 

Her “pollution” comes from bloodshed (Isaiah 1:15, “your hands are full of blood;” Ezekiel 24:9, “Woe to the bloody city”), but is also partly possibly from other sins, cf. Isaiah 4:4, “the filth of the daughters of Zion.” The term “polluted” is specially connected with blood- Isaiah 59:3; Lamentations 4:14.

 

"To the oppressing city!" That oppressed the poor, the widow, and the fatherless- this may have respect to the inhabitants of Jerusalem stoning the prophets of the Lord sent unto them. To the discouragements they laid the followers of Christ under, by not suffering such to come to hear him that were inclined.

 

Zephaniah 3:2 KJV:

“She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.”

 

The “she” (4 times) refers to Jerusalem. In considering Judah’s history, the prophet focuses on what she has been in the past (v. 2) and what she is in the present (v. 3-4). Her past history has not been very commendable, for four accusations are brought against her:

 

1. “She obeyed not the voice”: She was disobedient to the will of God as revealed through the Law and the prophets that God sent unto them.

 

2. “she received not correction”: When God brought punishment upon her for her sins, she did not learn from that correction but rather repeated the same error over and over.

 

3. “she trusted not in the Lord”: In the time of crisis, instead of trusting in Jehovah who hand-bound her to Himself by covenant relation, she trusted in herself and tried to stand in her own might, only to fail. 

 

4. “she drew not near to her God”: In spite of all of God’s provision and blessings, Judah did not draw nigh to God; rather, she went further and further from Him until now, judgment must fall. 

 

Zephaniah 3:3 KJV:

“Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.”

 

What Judah had been in the past is evidenced by her leaders of the present. Four categories of leaders are cited; their offenses indicated. (1) The princes are "roaring lions" in that they devour the people, showing no regard or respect. They gobbled up all the possessions of vulnerable people that they could (cf. 1:8; Ezekiel 3:9-10; Micah 2:1-3, 9-10). (2) Her judgers are no better as, they too, are described as animals. They go out at night to do their devious deeds. In fact, their actions are so thorough there is nothing left by sunrise. The ones who should be setting the godly example are evil to the core. Thus justice is perverted in the insatiable greed of Jerusalem’s leadership. 

 

Zephaniah 3:4 KJV:

“Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.”

 

(3) Her prophets, of course, are false prophets who distorted and repudiated messages delivered by the true prophets of Jehovah. They are “light” in that their messages comfort people in their sin, and they are “treacherous” in that they distort and refute the true message of God to the detriment of the people. (4) Her priests “polluted the sanctuary” by sticking meticulously to the outward performance of religious deeds without the heart reality and did violence to the law by making it an end in itself. In other words, the priests did not observe the laws of holiness that God had prescribed for worship, and they twisted the meaning of the Mosaic law to suit their purposes. 

 

Zephaniah 3:5 KJV:

“The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.”

 

The Lord--in contrast with the people in general (v. 2), their civil leaders (v. 3), and their religious leaders (v. 4)--is righteous, does no wrong, exercises justice, and never fails. In spite of the nation’s sin and defection, the “just” (Hebrew צָדַק or tsadeq, right or righteous). Jehovah is in their midst, ever ready to minister to and restore them. He remains totally separated from their sin. Though the Lord is in their midst and continually faces the nation and leaders with their sin, the testimony goes unheeded; for the “unjust” (Heb עַוָּ֖ל or ‘aw-wāl means perverse) “knoweth no shame.” In other words, their hearts are so hard that they feel no remorse when injustices mount. 

 

Zephaniah 3:6 KJV: 

“I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.”

 

God here begins to speak in the first person, lending even more authority to what is revealed. This verse describes the judgment that Jehovah executed upon Judah’s enemies so that Judah could dwell in peace and return to the Lord. The Lord reminded the inhabitants of Jerusalem that He had already destroyed other nations. This probably refers to the nations around Judah that He had already allowed to fall to the Assyrians. He compared such a fallen nation to a city with strong corner "towers" that now lay in ruin because of the enemy's destruction. The "streets" of this representative "city" also lay deserted. The real "cities" of these already defeated nations were in ruins, without any inhabitants. Samaria was one such city, and the numerous towns of the former Northern Kingdom were others. 

 

A classic example for Judah would be the 10 Northern tribes dispersed by Sargon II of Assyria in 722 B.C. 

 

Zephaniah 3:7 KJV:

“I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.”

 

The Lord expected the people of Jerusalem to learn from the fate of the Northern Kingdom and other fallen nations. God pleaded with His people to follow His ways, accepting His correction (cf. v. 2) in order to avoid being cut off (כָּרַת or karath) (cf. 1:3-4) and having to face His punishments (cf. 1:9-13; 2:1-3). The word “but” in the last sentence of 3:7 has a sad implication. Instead of responding to the Lord’s unceasing mercies, Judah consciously and purposely repudiated Him and was even eager to continue in her corrupt ways. 

 

“so their dwelling should not be cut off”: His destruction of her place of abode is what the Lord has appointed for her. His desire was that she would receive instruction so that her dwelling place should remain forever. 

 

Zephaniah 3:8 KJV:

“Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.”

 

“Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord”

 

The word “therefore” causes one to conclude that the Lord is about to summarize His judgment on Judah and the nations. The godly of Judah are exhorted to “wait” upon the Lord until his program of judgment of the nations and restoration of Israel is completed.

 

“until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.”

 

Now He ended this long section with another general summary of universal judgment. In the Lord’s impending universal judgment on the nations, His cup of wrath was about to be poured out; at that time, His grace would take second place to His anger. At the end of the Tribulation, God will cause the nations’ armies to assemble towards Jerusalem, and in the battle of Armageddon (cf. Zechariah 14:2; Revelation 16:14-16), He will pour out on them His wrath (za’am, from “foam”), all His fierce anger and the fire of His jealous anger. 

 

Zephaniah 3:9-20: The word “then” in verse 9 signifies a major pivot in the prophet’s message, both in tone and in content; he shifted from frightful predictions of destructions to prophecies of blessing and peace. After destroying the nations’ armies, God will restore the same to His favor. Instead of horrifying threats, here are comforting promises of love, mercy, and restoration. These promises look forward to the Millenium when Christ will rule as King on the earth. Zephaniah had received from the Lord much more revelation about what He would for Israel following the period of worldwide punishment. This verse is also chiastic in structure.

 

1. Israel’s purification and restoration 3:11-13

 

2. Israel’s and Yahweh’s rejoicing 3:14-17

 

3. Israel’s regathering 3:18-20

 

Zephaniah 3:9 KJV:

“For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.”

 

“Then” signals a major change in time, as well as in the focus of Zephaniah’s prophecy. It is a hinge word that serves as a transition from judgment in the Tribulation to blessing in the Millenium. Zephaniah predicted that the nations will be renewed both morally (v. 9) and spiritually (v. 10). The purifying of the lips of the peoples does not mean they will speak a new language. Instead, it means the renewal of once-defiled speech. One’s lips represent what he says (the words spoken by his lips), which in turn reflect his inner life (cf. Isaiah 6:5-7). The nations, formerly perverted by the blasphemy of serving idols, will be cleansed by God for true worship. As a result, the nations, turning to reverential trust in God, will “all call upon the name of the Lord” and will evidence their dependence on Him by their united service. This revelation indicates that everyone living on the earth at the beginning of the Millennium will be a believer in Jesus Christ (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). 

 

Zephaniah 3:10 KJV:

“From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.”

 

The descendants of the Lord's "dispersed ones," the Jews, will bring Him offerings of worship from the farthest corners of the earth. "The rivers of Ethiopia," probably the Nile and its tributaries (the Atbara, the Astasobas, the Blue Nile, and the White Nile), were at the edge of the known world in the prophet's day (cf. 2:12). The implication is that the Jews will come to Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose as the place where He would dwell among His people (cf. Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 66:18, 20). I prefer with others to understand the words 'my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed' as the object of the verb and not the subject. In other words, the Lord's people dispersed in Ethiopia will be brought by the Gentiles to their homeland as an offering to the Lord. Therefore, the meaning is the following: The most remote of the heathen nations will prove that they are worshippers of Jehovah by bringing to Him the scattered members of His nation or by converting them to the living God.

 

Zephaniah 3:11 KJV:

“In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.”

 

"In that day," at the beginning of the Millennium, the day of blessing to follow the day of judgment, Zephaniah's hearers, the Jews, will not feel any more "shame" for all their previous rebellion against the Lord. She will have no shame before God because her sins for God will have removed them from the city all those guilty of pride or haughtiness- this will occur in the judgment of Israel (Ezekiel 20:34-38; Matthew 25:1-13). Evildoers full of shame will be judged, and God’s holy mountain (Jerusalem; cf. Psalm 2:6; 3:4; 15:1; 24:3; 78:54; Daniel 9:16-20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Obadiah 16) will be inhabited by only a pure people. 

 

Zephaniah 3:12 KJV:

“I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.”

 

The Israelites of that day will be afflicted, and poor “humbly and lowly” (NASB) in heart (cf. 2:3), and they will seek the Lord as their "refuge" rather than turning from Him to idols and self-exaltation. Seeking the Lord is an indication of humility, whereas forsaking Him, even by not praying, demonstrates a spirit of independence from God (cf. 1:6). Again, "Hidden by Yahweh," Zephaniah's name, comes into view. God would hide His people—He would be their hiding place, and they would "take refuge" in Him. This will be the characteristic of the 144,000 sealed Israelites (Revelation 7:1- 8; 14:1-5).

 

Zephaniah 3:13 KJV:

“The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”

 

This verse further describes the wholesomeness and blessings which will mark the restoration after the judgment. The word “remnant” indicates the judgment is indeed completed (cf. Zephaniah 2:7, 9). Yahweh will never break His promises nor totally do away with His chosen ones. The Lord always provides hope for His people. The Jews will be in a world where there is no lying, want, or fear. The words “feed and lie down” reminds one of the first two verses of Psalm 23. What a picture of contentment and peace of mind. No doubt the Millennial Kingdom is in Zephaniah’s thoughts here. This society, in contrast with the pre-judgment one (3:3, 4), will not offend the Lord again. He forecasted this arrangement centuries earlier (Leviticus 26:5, 6).

 

Although not stated specifically, one can safely assume the Lord has dealt with the hearts of those in this remnant. This verse is not implying these virtues are merely external shows. Jesus made it very clear that what comes out of the mouth had its source in the heart (Matthew 15:11, 18). 

 

The Day of the Lord is not over, however. The prophet continues to refer to “that day” (Zephaniah 3:16) and to “at that time” (vv. 19, 20) later in this passage. The Day of the Lord does not involve judgment only. The term has to do with any direct intervention into the world by God, whether judgment or blessing. 

 

These last few verses (vv. 9-13) suggest the Gentiles will experience the favor of God as well (“peoples,” v. 9). Also, in verse 8, He declared, “all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal.” This worldwide provision and protection is the appropriate response to the global destruction depicted in Zephaniah 1:2, 3.

 

Zephaniah 3:12-13 and Refuting Amillennialism:

 

Amillennialists interpret Zephaniah 3:13 as a passage about the eternal state since they don’t believe in an intermediate kingdom. However, this presents a problem as the passage directly before Zephaniah 2:13 states, “I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people” (Zephaniah 3:12a). If Zephaniah 2:13 is about the eternal state then Amillennialists must believe that there will be an afflicted and poor people in the eternal state. 

 

Zephaniah 3:14 KJV:

“Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.”

 

The first word in Hebrew (רני) is an interesting word in that it can have so many nuances. The basic idea is to raise one’s voice. It was utilized as a cry of lamentation (Lam. 2:19), awe (Lev. 9:24), and joy (here and Psalm 96:12). The phrase “daughter of” is a way of referring to the citizens of Zion (Jerusalem) as the children of the city. Children born in any city are the children of that city, in a metaphorical sense, as well as the children of their physical parents in a literal sense.

 

In view of such restoration, peace, and security, Judah and Israel can confidently rejoice and praise Jehovah. The nation is exhorted to give heartfelt expression to singing, shouting, gladness, and rejoicing.

 

Zephaniah 3:15-20: Four causes for rejoicing are given: (1) Jehovah has removed his judgment (vv. 15-16); (2) Jehovah dwells among His people (vv. 17-18); (3) Jehovah will deal with all enemies (vs. 19); and (4) Jehovah will restore His people (vs. 20). 

 

Zephaniah 3:15 KJV:

“The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.”

 

Shouts of joy will arise because Israel’s Redeemer, the Messiah King, will be in her midst (cf. Isaiah 9:7; Zechariah 14:9). The long-promised Deliverer will protect them. Wrath from God’s hand (Zephaniah 3:8) and oppression by her enemy, which is not specified to any nation but would certainly include Assyria and all other foreign powers which might affect the Jews, (cf. v. 19) will be gone, and, the Lord, the King of Israel, will be with her (cf. v. 17) and she will have no fear (cf. v. 13). 

 

“in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.”

 

Yahweh, Israel’s true omnipotent King, will be “in the midst” of His people in the person of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, during the Millennium (v. 17; cf. Isaiah 9:7; 44:6; Zechariah 14:9). 

 

Zephaniah 3:16 KJV:

“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.”

 

The opening words “in that day” make it clear Zephaniah primarily has the future in mind. God is going to bless Israel after the exile (the near-future fulfillment of these recent verses), yet a thorough fulfillment awaits the end times. However, this verse raises a question: Why was Jerusalem told not to be afraid? What did they have to fear? Perhaps this is a “leftover” reaction. The Jews of Zephaniah’s day were so used to constant fear of invasion that they might have a difficult time trying to break this “habit.” In addition, it is likely many Jews were in near-constant fear that the Lord would rain down judgment for the nation’s wickedness.

 

In Hebrew culture, the hands represented power. Thus, for one’s hands to “fall limp” meant there was no strength to go on in life. The person was basically paralyzed in the face of fear. The verb “be slack” is one word in Hebrew (רָפָה). The idea is to relax or sink down. An example is found in Judges 19:9, “the day has drawn to a close.” “In the parallelism of these two lines, fear is the inward state and listless hands the external evidence and consequence.” By contrast, Israelites would lift their hands in prayer (Psalm 28:2), praise (Psalm 63:40), and worship (Psalm 134:2).

 

Zephaniah 3:17 KJV:

“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

 

In addition to being with His redeemed remnant and delivering them, He will delight in them. The nation will again be the object of God’s love, not His wrath. The Millennium will indeed be a time of peace for His troubled people; Israel will rejoice (v. 14). But more than that, God will rejoice! (v. 17) In fact, He will be singing with delight and joy because His Chosen People will be in the land under His blessing. 

 

This passage of Zephaniah speaks of a future time when God has ended His judgment upon Israel. All of their enemies have been destroyed, and Israel is entering a time of safety and blessing (verses 8, 15, 19). Zephaniah is speaking of the future millennial kingdom when the Messiah Jesus will reign with His people in Jerusalem (Isaiah 9:7; Revelation 20:1–6).

 

The word picture in Zephaniah 3:17 is full of emotion. God the Father is the One who holds His daughter Jerusalem and sings joyfully in her presence. Just as a loving parent cradles a child and sings out of love, so God’s song over His people is born of His great love. After a time of hardship, our loving Lord dries His people’s tears, comforts their hearts, and welcomes them to a new world.

 

Zephaniah 3:18-20: Seven times in these concluding verses, the Lord said, “I will.” He wanted to place a strong hope before the believing remnant in Zephaniah’s day since His judgment was imminent and His restoration mercies remote. The prophet, despite dark days, wanted the believers to grasp firmly God’s promises for comfort and strength.

 

Zephaniah 3:18 KJV:

“I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.”

 

After the exile, Jews who lived a far distance from Jerusalem were filled with sorrow because they could not travel to Jerusalem to observe Israel’s annual “feasts.” They suffered a certain criticism from their fellow Jews for living far away from Jerusalem. But in this time of blessing (the Millennium), the Lord will enable them to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts. The feasts of Israel during the Millennium will be somewhat different from those that the Old Covenant specified, but there will be annual feasts in Jerusalem in the Millennium (cf. Ezekiel 45:9—46:24).

 

Zephaniah 3:19-20 and refuting Replacement Theology: To bolster itself scripturally, Replacement Theology must insist that all biblical prophecies about Israel have already been fulfilled. Thus, it insists that passages such as Isaiah 11:11-12, Isaiah 43:4-8; Jeremiah 23:3-8, Jeremiah 31:7-11, Jeremiah 32:37-42; Ezekiel 11:17-19, Ezekiel 20:41-42, Ezekiel 36:16-38 and Zephaniah 3:19-20 were fulfilled following the return from the Babylonian exile in the 6th Century BC. But this interpretation is a misreading, as shown by the direct context of the verses below.

 

Zephaniah 3:19 KJV:

“Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.”

 

The word “behold” is meant to get the audience's attention and connotes a measure of certainty. In this verse, Zephaniah specifies exactly what the Lord is going to do for His repressed people. As Zephaniah had already stated (2:4-15; 3:8-15), God will remove Israel’s foreign oppressors (cf. Genesis 12:3, “whoever curses you I will curse”), gather His people scattered in other lands, and give them a favorable reputation (“praise and fame”; cf. Deuteronomy 26:19; Zephaniah 3:20) in all places where they are held in disrepute (cf. v. 11). The word “fame” (שֵׁ֔ם) is most frequently translated “name,” usually in the sense of good reputation. 

 

Zephaniah 3:20 KJV:

“At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.” 

 

Even a brief reading of this verse leads to the correct conclusion that it is very similar to the previous verse. No doubt the Lord did so to make sure we got the point: He is going to bless and restore His people. Note some parallels:

 

Verse 19 

Verse 20

“gather”

“bring in/gather”*

“praise and fame”

“name and a praise”

“at that time”

“at that time”

“every land”

“all people of the earth”

“I will” (twice)

“I will/will I” (twice)

 

When Yahweh promises, “will I bring you again,” He is referring to the Promised Land. This verse summarizes Israel’s yet-future blessings: regathering in the Promised land, a favorable reputation among all the nations, and a restoring of her fortunes ( שְׁבוּת can be translated “captives” as the KJV states so it may be a bringing back of her captives. Zephaniah’s prophecy more than likely took place between 635 and 630 BC. The return from the seventy years of captivity was about a century later. Thus, Zephaniah’s contemporaries returning to the land was the immediate fulfillment, and the return after the seventy years was the ultimate fulfillment). This will happen before her very eyes. In the Millennium, Israel will possess her land as God promised (Genesis 12:1-7; 13:14-17; 15:7-21; 17:7-8), and the Messiah, Israel’s King, will establish His kingdom and will reign (2 Samuel 7:16; Psalm 89:3-4; Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 7:27; Zephaniah 3:15).

 

To emphasize the divine authority of his message as well as the certainty of God’s comfort, Zephaniah ended his book with the words, “saith the Lord.”

 

*Both occurrences of “gather” are the same Hebrew verb, קַבֵּ֔ץ

 

Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Greek (a revision of the Septuagint) were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, Naḥal Ḥever (8ḤevXIIgr; 1st century CE) with extant verses 6–7.