Zephaniah 1
1
The Day of Yahweh
1This is the prophetic message Yahweh gave to Zephaniah son of Cushi, # 1:1 Or “The word of Yahweh came to Zephaniah, son of Cushi.” Zephaniah means “the Lord hides” or “the Lord treasures.” Both Zephaniah and you are treasured by the Lord and hidden in his heart (see Col. 3:2–3). Cushi (see Jer. 36:14) is not to be confused with the land of Cush, which was called Ethiopia in Greco-Roman times and included portions of modern Sudan and part of present-day Ethiopia. It is possible, however, that Zephaniah’s father was Ethiopian or Sudanese and that Zephaniah himself was a Black man. grandson of Gedaliah, great-grandson of Amariah, great-great-grandson of Hezekiah. Zephaniah received this message during the time when Josiah, the son of Amon, ruled Judah.
2-3“I, Yahweh, declare that I will certainly sweep away
every living thing from the land—
animals and humans, birds and fish.
I will topple the wicked and their idols # 1:2–3 Or “I will sweep away these stumbling blocks with the wicked.” The context implies that the idols (stumbling blocks) are images of previously mentioned “animals and humans, birds and fish.” See J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Old Testament Library Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1991), 167; Adele Berlin, Zephaniah, Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries, vol. 25a (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1994), 73–74.
and sweep away man # 1:2–3 Or “Adam.” There is a powerful wordplay in Hebrew: “I will cut off Adam from the very ʾadamah [dirt] from which he came.” from the land.”
Judah’s Idolatry Punished
4“I will punish Judah and all who live in Jerusalem.
I will wipe out every trace of Baal from the land
along with the names of the pagan priests
or any priest who has turned away from me.
5I will punish those who bow down on their rooftops
to worship the sun, moon, and stars # 1:5 Or “the host [armies] of heaven.” See Deut. 4:19; 17:3–7; Jer. 19:13; 32:29.
and those with divided loyalties who bow before Yahweh
and swear allegiance to me
but also swear their oaths in the name of their king. # 1:5 This “king” is likely a reference to the pagan god they worshiped, possibly Baal or Molech or a Canaanite god known by the Ammonites as Milcom. See E. R. Clendenen, “Religious Background of the Old Testament,” in Foundations for Biblical Interpretation, ed. D. S. Dockery et al. (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1994), 298–99. See also Deut. 6:13; 10:20.
6I, Yahweh, will punish those
who have turned their back on me,
who do not seek me nor pray for me to guide them.”
The Day of Yahweh Is Near
7Be silent before the Lord God,
for the day of Yahweh is near.
“I have prepared a sacrifice # 1:7 The Hebrew word zabach means both “sacrifice” and “slaughter.”
and have consecrated my invited guests. # 1:7 This passage describes the day of Yahweh with stinging irony, using the technical language of sacrificial ritual. God’s metaphorical banquet is his punishment, the sacrifices are his people, and the invited guests are Israel’s enemies whom God uses to punish his people. See Isa. 34:6; Jer. 12:3; 46:10; Ezek. 39:17.
8On the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice,
I will punish the royal family, your officials,
and all who dress like pagan priests. # 1:8 Or “in foreign attire,” likely a reference to the cultic clothing of pagan religions. See 2 Kings 10:22.
9At that time, I will punish
all who worship Dagon # 1:9 Or “who leap over the threshold,” likely a reference to the superstitious custom of those who worshiped the fish-god Dagon. See 1 Sam. 5:4–5.
and fill the palace of their rulers
with violence and deception.
10“I, Yahweh, declare:
A cry for help will be heard from the Fish Gate in Jerusalem, # 1:10 The Fish Gate was on the northern side of Jerusalem, the closest gate both to the fishing port of Tyre and to Lake Galilee, where fishermen caught, dried, and sold fish in Jerusalem. Jewish scholars believe the Fish Gate was also called the Ephraim Gate.
wailing from the wealthier, newer part # 1:10 Or “Second Quarter” or “Mishneh,” a section of the city possibly near the Fish Gate. See 2 Kings 22:14. of the city.
A loud crash will echo from the hills. # 1:10 The approaching armies coming to attack Jerusalem are the cause of the uproar, the wailing, and the crashing (of buildings) on the hills surrounding the city.
11Wail, you who live in the market area # 1:11 Or “Makhtesh.” Probably the lower area later known as the Tyropoeon Valley that separates the Upper City from the Temple Mount. The word means “mortar” or “depression.” According to this verse, the merchants conducted their business here. The Targum reads “Kidron wadi.” See Berlin, Zephaniah, AYBC, 87.
because all the merchants will be dead,
and those who weigh out silver will be wiped out.
12“When that time comes,
I will search Jerusalem with lamps # 1:12 Or “I will illumine Jerusalem with lamps,” a figure of speech for light exposing what is taking place in the dark. The lamp of God’s Word and his holy gaze will uncover what is hiding in people’s hearts.
and punish those stagnating
in their self-satisfied smugness. # 1:12 Or “those who are thickening upon their lees [sediment],” a metaphor referring to the process of making wine. During fermentation, wine must be poured from one vessel to another to separate the lees or sediment (see Jer. 48:11). Failure to do this ruins the wine. Those who are “thickening upon their lees” are entrenched in their smugness; they are the self-satisfied wealthy who are overconfident in themselves. The Hebrew words for “search” and for “lees” sound nearly the same when spoken. During the days of Zephaniah, the people of Jerusalem worshiped the god Dionysus along with Yahweh. Dionysus was the god of wine and pleasure. The Romans called this god Bacchus. This religious syncretism was offensive to God, so he told them that his searchlight would uncover the darkness of their syncretism so that the people could see it for what it was.
They say in their hearts,
‘Yahweh is aloof and can do nothing for us,
either good or bad.’
13Yet all their hoarded wealth will be looted
and their houses leveled.
They will build houses but never move in,
plant vineyards but never drink the wine.”
Judgment Day
14The great day of Yahweh is near,
right around the corner, closer than you think and coming fast.
How bitter will be the sound of the day of Yahweh,
when even the brave warriors weep in anguish. # 1:14 This sentence in Hebrew is somewhat uncertain. It is literally “the sound of the day of Yahweh, bitter [is] one crying out there, a warrior.”
15It will be a day of wrath,
a day of terror and trouble,
a day of desolation and distress,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16a day of shofar # 1:16 Or “trumpet” or “horn.” The shopar (or shophar) is a ram’s or goat’s horn that one blows as one would a trumpet. blasts and battle shouts
against fortified cities
and all the lofty towers. # 1:16 Zephaniah employed many Hebrew words that sound similar and filled vv. 15–16 with wordplay. This is a brilliant literary stanza. “This passage [vv. 15–16a] is probably the most classical description of [the day of Yahweh] in Israelite literature. . . . Each saying has 7 syllables and the word ywm [day] occurs 7 times. A complete stanza is thus formed” (P. J. Nel, “Structural and Conceptual Strategy in Zephaniah, Chapter 1,” Journal of Northwestern Semitic Languages 15 [1989]: 164).
17“I will bring such distress on people
that they will grope their way like the blind
for having sinned against me.
Their blood will be poured out like dust,
yes, their flesh like dung.
18On that day, I will display my great anger,
and none of their silver or gold will save them.
My avenging zeal will burn like a fire on that day,
to consume the entire land.
For I will bring a terrible and sudden end
that will destroy everyone living in the land.”
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Zephaniah 1: TPT
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The Passion Translation ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ತಿಳಿಯಿರಿZephaniah 1
1
The Day of Yahweh
1This is the prophetic message Yahweh gave to Zephaniah son of Cushi, # 1:1 Or “The word of Yahweh came to Zephaniah, son of Cushi.” Zephaniah means “the Lord hides” or “the Lord treasures.” Both Zephaniah and you are treasured by the Lord and hidden in his heart (see Col. 3:2–3). Cushi (see Jer. 36:14) is not to be confused with the land of Cush, which was called Ethiopia in Greco-Roman times and included portions of modern Sudan and part of present-day Ethiopia. It is possible, however, that Zephaniah’s father was Ethiopian or Sudanese and that Zephaniah himself was a Black man. grandson of Gedaliah, great-grandson of Amariah, great-great-grandson of Hezekiah. Zephaniah received this message during the time when Josiah, the son of Amon, ruled Judah.
2-3“I, Yahweh, declare that I will certainly sweep away
every living thing from the land—
animals and humans, birds and fish.
I will topple the wicked and their idols # 1:2–3 Or “I will sweep away these stumbling blocks with the wicked.” The context implies that the idols (stumbling blocks) are images of previously mentioned “animals and humans, birds and fish.” See J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Old Testament Library Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1991), 167; Adele Berlin, Zephaniah, Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries, vol. 25a (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1994), 73–74.
and sweep away man # 1:2–3 Or “Adam.” There is a powerful wordplay in Hebrew: “I will cut off Adam from the very ʾadamah [dirt] from which he came.” from the land.”
Judah’s Idolatry Punished
4“I will punish Judah and all who live in Jerusalem.
I will wipe out every trace of Baal from the land
along with the names of the pagan priests
or any priest who has turned away from me.
5I will punish those who bow down on their rooftops
to worship the sun, moon, and stars # 1:5 Or “the host [armies] of heaven.” See Deut. 4:19; 17:3–7; Jer. 19:13; 32:29.
and those with divided loyalties who bow before Yahweh
and swear allegiance to me
but also swear their oaths in the name of their king. # 1:5 This “king” is likely a reference to the pagan god they worshiped, possibly Baal or Molech or a Canaanite god known by the Ammonites as Milcom. See E. R. Clendenen, “Religious Background of the Old Testament,” in Foundations for Biblical Interpretation, ed. D. S. Dockery et al. (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1994), 298–99. See also Deut. 6:13; 10:20.
6I, Yahweh, will punish those
who have turned their back on me,
who do not seek me nor pray for me to guide them.”
The Day of Yahweh Is Near
7Be silent before the Lord God,
for the day of Yahweh is near.
“I have prepared a sacrifice # 1:7 The Hebrew word zabach means both “sacrifice” and “slaughter.”
and have consecrated my invited guests. # 1:7 This passage describes the day of Yahweh with stinging irony, using the technical language of sacrificial ritual. God’s metaphorical banquet is his punishment, the sacrifices are his people, and the invited guests are Israel’s enemies whom God uses to punish his people. See Isa. 34:6; Jer. 12:3; 46:10; Ezek. 39:17.
8On the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice,
I will punish the royal family, your officials,
and all who dress like pagan priests. # 1:8 Or “in foreign attire,” likely a reference to the cultic clothing of pagan religions. See 2 Kings 10:22.
9At that time, I will punish
all who worship Dagon # 1:9 Or “who leap over the threshold,” likely a reference to the superstitious custom of those who worshiped the fish-god Dagon. See 1 Sam. 5:4–5.
and fill the palace of their rulers
with violence and deception.
10“I, Yahweh, declare:
A cry for help will be heard from the Fish Gate in Jerusalem, # 1:10 The Fish Gate was on the northern side of Jerusalem, the closest gate both to the fishing port of Tyre and to Lake Galilee, where fishermen caught, dried, and sold fish in Jerusalem. Jewish scholars believe the Fish Gate was also called the Ephraim Gate.
wailing from the wealthier, newer part # 1:10 Or “Second Quarter” or “Mishneh,” a section of the city possibly near the Fish Gate. See 2 Kings 22:14. of the city.
A loud crash will echo from the hills. # 1:10 The approaching armies coming to attack Jerusalem are the cause of the uproar, the wailing, and the crashing (of buildings) on the hills surrounding the city.
11Wail, you who live in the market area # 1:11 Or “Makhtesh.” Probably the lower area later known as the Tyropoeon Valley that separates the Upper City from the Temple Mount. The word means “mortar” or “depression.” According to this verse, the merchants conducted their business here. The Targum reads “Kidron wadi.” See Berlin, Zephaniah, AYBC, 87.
because all the merchants will be dead,
and those who weigh out silver will be wiped out.
12“When that time comes,
I will search Jerusalem with lamps # 1:12 Or “I will illumine Jerusalem with lamps,” a figure of speech for light exposing what is taking place in the dark. The lamp of God’s Word and his holy gaze will uncover what is hiding in people’s hearts.
and punish those stagnating
in their self-satisfied smugness. # 1:12 Or “those who are thickening upon their lees [sediment],” a metaphor referring to the process of making wine. During fermentation, wine must be poured from one vessel to another to separate the lees or sediment (see Jer. 48:11). Failure to do this ruins the wine. Those who are “thickening upon their lees” are entrenched in their smugness; they are the self-satisfied wealthy who are overconfident in themselves. The Hebrew words for “search” and for “lees” sound nearly the same when spoken. During the days of Zephaniah, the people of Jerusalem worshiped the god Dionysus along with Yahweh. Dionysus was the god of wine and pleasure. The Romans called this god Bacchus. This religious syncretism was offensive to God, so he told them that his searchlight would uncover the darkness of their syncretism so that the people could see it for what it was.
They say in their hearts,
‘Yahweh is aloof and can do nothing for us,
either good or bad.’
13Yet all their hoarded wealth will be looted
and their houses leveled.
They will build houses but never move in,
plant vineyards but never drink the wine.”
Judgment Day
14The great day of Yahweh is near,
right around the corner, closer than you think and coming fast.
How bitter will be the sound of the day of Yahweh,
when even the brave warriors weep in anguish. # 1:14 This sentence in Hebrew is somewhat uncertain. It is literally “the sound of the day of Yahweh, bitter [is] one crying out there, a warrior.”
15It will be a day of wrath,
a day of terror and trouble,
a day of desolation and distress,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16a day of shofar # 1:16 Or “trumpet” or “horn.” The shopar (or shophar) is a ram’s or goat’s horn that one blows as one would a trumpet. blasts and battle shouts
against fortified cities
and all the lofty towers. # 1:16 Zephaniah employed many Hebrew words that sound similar and filled vv. 15–16 with wordplay. This is a brilliant literary stanza. “This passage [vv. 15–16a] is probably the most classical description of [the day of Yahweh] in Israelite literature. . . . Each saying has 7 syllables and the word ywm [day] occurs 7 times. A complete stanza is thus formed” (P. J. Nel, “Structural and Conceptual Strategy in Zephaniah, Chapter 1,” Journal of Northwestern Semitic Languages 15 [1989]: 164).
17“I will bring such distress on people
that they will grope their way like the blind
for having sinned against me.
Their blood will be poured out like dust,
yes, their flesh like dung.
18On that day, I will display my great anger,
and none of their silver or gold will save them.
My avenging zeal will burn like a fire on that day,
to consume the entire land.
For I will bring a terrible and sudden end
that will destroy everyone living in the land.”
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