Introduction to Zephaniah Zephaniah writes his prophecy during the reign of Josiah, Judah’s king between circa 640 and 608 BCE. Following the disasters of the previous century, Josiah instituted a religious reform aimed at eliminating pagan worship The Book of Zephaniah from Judah’s life. Zephaniah gives voice to this reforming impulse, anticipating the de st r u c tion of pagan worshipers both within and outside of the kingdom. Far from being simply a denunciation, Zephaniah’s book also anticipates the coming of God’s reign. ©2009, John G. Cunyus The Book of Zephaniah All Rights to the English Translation Reserved www.JohnCunyus.com Zephaniah 1:1 verbum Domini quod factum est ad Latin text from “The Latin Sofoniam filium Chusi filium Vulgate.” Biblia Sacra Iuxta Godoliae filii Amariae filii Vulgatam Versionem, Fourth Ezechiae in diebus Iosiae filii Revised Edition, edited by Roger Gryson, © 1994 Deutsche Amon regis Iuda Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. Used by permission. The Lord’s word, which came to Zephaniah, son of Chusi, son of Godolias, son of The Book of Zephaniah, 2 Amariah, son of Ezekiel, in reliquias Baal et nomina the days of Josiah, Amon’s aedituorum cum sacerdotibus son, Judah’s king.1 And I will stretch out my hand 1:2 congregans congregabo over Judah and over all omnia a facie terrae dicit Jerusalem’s inhabitants. And Dominus I will destroy from this place Baal’s2 remnants, and his Gathering, I will gather all temple keepers’ names, with from the land’s face, the Lord the priests – says – 1:5 et eos qui adorant super 1:3 congregans hominem et tecta militiam caeli et adorant pecus congregans volatile et iurant in Domino et iurant caeli et pisces maris et ruinae in Melchom impiorum erunt et disperdam homines a facie terrae dicit and those who adore the sky’s Dominus armies on their rooftops, and adore and swear by the Lord gathering men and cattle, and swear by Melchom3 – gathering sky’s birds and sea’s fish. And the lawless’s ruin 1:6 et qui avertuntur de post will happen, and I will destroy tergum Domini et qui non men from the land’s face, the quaesierunt Dominum nec Lord says. investigaverunt eum 1:4 et extendam manum meam super Iudam et super omnes habitantes Hierusalem 2 Baal was a Canaanite god, et disperdam de loco hoc whose cult was often in bitter competition with the Lord’s worship. Baal is first mentioned in scripture at Numbers 22:41. 3 Melchom was the native deity of 1 Josiah’s story begins in 1 Kings the Ammonites. Melchom is first mentioned 13. in 2 Kings 23:13. The Book of Zephaniah, 3 and those who turn aside from limen in die illa qui conplent the Lord’s covering, and who domum Domini Dei sui have not sought the Lord or iniquitate et dolo studied Him. And I will visit on that day all 1:7 silete a facie Domini Dei who go in arrogantly over the quia iuxta est dies Domini threshold, who fill up the Lord quia praeparavit Dominus their God’s house with hostiam sanctificavit vocatos treachery and deceit. suos 1:10 et erit in die illa dicit Be silent before the Lord Dominus vox clamoris a porta God’s face, because the Lord’s Piscium et ululatus a secunda day is at hand, because the et contritio magna a collibus Lord has prepared His offering! He has sanctified And there will be in that day, His called ones. the Lord says, a shouting voice from the Fish Gate4, and 1:8 et erit in die hostiae wailing from the second, and Domini visitabo super great dismay from the hills. principes et super filios regis et super omnes qui induti sunt 1:11 ululate habitatores pilae veste peregrina conticuit omnis populus Chanaan disperierunt omnes And it will happen in the day involuti argento of the Lord’s offering, I will visit against princes and Wail, all the pillar’s against the king’s sons, and inhabitants! All Canaan’s against all who are dressed in foreign clothing. 4 The Fish Gate’s construction is recounted in Nehemiah 3:3. Since 1:9 et visitabo omnem qui Zephaniah’s prophecy predates that event, there must have been a Fish Gate in arroganter ingreditur super Jerusalem prior to its destruction by the Babylonians as well. The Book of Zephaniah, 4 people have fallen silent. All houses and not live in them, who are wrapped in silver and will plant vineyards and have been destroyed.5 not drink their wine. 1:12 et erit in tempore illo 1:14 iuxta est dies Domini scrutabor Hierusalem in magnus iuxta et velox nimis lucernis et visitabo super viros vox diei Domini amara defixos in fecibus suis qui tribulabitur ibi fortis dicunt in cordibus suis non faciet bene Dominus et non The Lord’s great day is at faciet male hand, at hand and exceedingly swift! The Lord’s day’s voice And in that time I will search is bitter. It will trouble the Jerusalem with lanterns, and mighty there. will visit against men buried in their filth, who say in their 1:15 dies irae dies illa dies hearts, ‘The Lord will not do tribulationis et angustiae dies good, and the Lord will not do calamitatis et miseriae dies harm.’ tenebrarum et caliginis dies nebulae et turbinis 1:13 et erit fortitudo eorum in direptionem et domus eorum That day is anger’s day, in desertum et aedificabunt trouble and anxiety’s day, domos et non habitabunt et calamity and misery’s day – a plantabunt vineas et non day of shadows and gloom – a bibent vinum earum day of clouds and tornados – And their strength will be for 1:16 dies tubae et clangoris plundering, and their house in super civitates munitas et the desert. And they will build super angulos excelsos a day of trumpets and clashing 5 Statues of gods were often over fortified cities, and over covered with silver in ancient societies. The Book of Zephaniah, 5 their highest recesses. inhabitants. 1:17 et tribulabo homines et ambulabunt ut caeci quia Domino peccaverunt et effundetur sanguis eorum sicut humus et corpus eorum sicut stercora And I will trouble men, and they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. And their blood will be poured out like dirt, and their bodies like dung. 1:18 sed et argentum eorum et aurum eorum non poterit liberare eos in die irae Domini in igne zeli eius devorabitur o m n i s t e r r a q u i a c o n s u m m a t i o n e m c u m festinatione faciet cunctis habitantibus terram Yet not even their silver and their gold will be able to free them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. His jealousy will devour all the land in fire, when He will quickly make an end to all the land’s The Book of Zephaniah, 6 Zephaniah 2:1 convenite of the Lord’s fury! congregamini gens non amabilis 2:4 quia Gaza destructa erit et Ascalon in desertum Azotum Come together! Gather, in meridie eicient et Accaron unlovable nation – eradicabitur 2:2 priusquam pariat iussio For Gaza will be destroyed quasi pulverem transeuntem and Ashkelon left in desert. diem antequam veniat super Azotus will be thrown day at vos ira furoris Domini midday and Accaron pulled antequam veniat super vos out by the roots. dies furoris Domini 2:5 vae qui habitatis before the command may funiculum maris gens bring forth, passing away like perditorum verbum Domini dust, before the Lord’s anger super vos Chanaan terra comes over you, before the Philisthinorum et disperdam te day of the Lord’s fury comes ita ut non sit inhabitator over you! Woe to you who live in the 2:3 quaerite Dominum omnes seacoast, ruined nation! The mansueti terrae qui iudicium Lord’s word is over you, eius estis operati quaerite Canaan, Philistines’ land. iustum quaerite mansuetum si And I will destroy you so quo modo abscondamini in die completely that you will not furoris Domini have an inhabitant. Seek the Lord, all the land’s 2:6 et erit funiculus maris gentle ones, who have worked requies pastorum et caulae His judgment! Seek fairness! pecorum Seek gentleness, if, somehow, you may be hidden in the day And the seacoast will be the The Book of Zephaniah, 7 shepherds’ rest and the flocks’ Dominus exercituum Deus folds. Israhel quia Moab ut Sodoma erit et filii Ammon quasi 2:7 et erit funiculus eius qui Gomorra siccitas spinarum et remanserit de domo Iuda ibi acervi salis et desertum usque pascentur in domibus in aeternum reliquiae populi Ascalonis ad vesperam mei diripient illos residui requiescent quia visitabit eos gentis meae possidebunt eos Dominus Deus eorum et avertet captivitatem eorum Therefore, as I live, the Lord of armies, Israel’s God, says – And it will be his coast who Moab will be like Sodom, and will be left from Judah’s Ammon’s children like house. They will feed there, Gomorrah: dried up thorns and in Ashkelon’s houses. They salt piles and desert, even in will rest at evening, because eternity! My people’s the Lord their God will visit survivors will plunder them. them, and will turn aside their Those left over from my captivity. nation will possess them. 2:8 audivi obprobrium Moab 2:10 hoc eis eveniet pro et blasphemias filiorum s u p e r b i a s u a q u i a Ammon quae exprobraverunt b l a s p h e m a v e r u n t e t populo meo et magnificati sunt magnificati sunt super super terminos eorum populum Domini exercituum I heard Moab’s criticism, and This will come to them A m m o n ’ s c h i l d r e n ’ s because of their pride, because blasphemies, who condemned they blasphemed and were My people, and who were lifted up against the Lord of built up on their borders.