Zephaniah1
New International Version
1The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:
2“I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
3“I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea— and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.” “When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth,” declares the Lord,
4“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests—
5those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek,
6those who turn back from following the Lord and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.”
7Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited.
8“On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all those clad in foreign clothes.
9On that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit.
10“On that day,” declares the Lord, “a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the New Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills.
11Wail, you who live in the market district; all your merchants will be wiped out, all who trade with silver will be destroyed.
12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.’
13Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. Though they build houses, they will not live in them; though they plant vineyards, they will not drink the wine.”
14The great day of the Lord is near— near and coming quickly. The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter; the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.
15That day will be a day of wrath— a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness—
16a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers.
17“I will bring such distress on all people that they will grope about like those who are blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung.
18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath.” In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Zephaniah 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Threatenings against sinners. (1–6). More threatenings. (7–13). Distress from the approaching judgments. (14–18).
vv1-6
Ruin is coming, utter ruin; destruction from the Almighty. The servants of God all proclaim, There is no peace for the wicked. The expressions are figurative, speaking every where desolation; the land shall be left without inhabitants. The sinners to be consumed are, the professed idolaters, and those that worship Jehovah and idols, or swear to the Lord, and to Malcham. Those that think to divide their affections and worship between God and idols, will come short of acceptance with God; for what communion can there be between light and darkness? If Satan have half, he will have all; if the Lord have but half, he will have none. Neglect of God shows impiety and contempt. May none of us be among those who draw back unto perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
vv7-13
God's day is at hand; the punishment of presumptuous sinners is a sacrifice to the justice of God. The Jewish royal family shall be reckoned with for their pride and vanity; and those that leap on the threshold, invading their neighbours' rights, and seizing their possessions. The trading people and the rich merchants are called to account. Secure and careless people are reckoned with. They are secure and easy; they say in their heart, the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil; that is, they deny his dispensing rewards and punishments. But in the day of the Lord's judgment, it will clearly appear that those who perish, fall a sacrifice to Divine justice for breaking God's law, and because they have no interest by faith in the Redeemer's atoning sacrifice.
vv14-18
This warning of approaching destruction, is enough to make the sinners in Zion tremble; it refers to the great day of the Lord, the day in which he will show himself by taking vengeance on them. This day of the Lord is very near; it is a day of God's wrath, wrath to the utmost. It will be a day of trouble and distress to sinners. Let them not be laid asleep by the patience of God. What is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? And what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Let us flee from the wrath to come, and choose the good part that shall never be taken from us; then we shall be prepared for every event; nothing shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
צְפַנְיָה: Tsephanjah, the name of four Israelites
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
כּוּשִׁי: Cushi, the name of two Israelites
גְּדַּלְיָה: Gedaljah, the name of five Israelites
אֲמַרְיָה: Amarjah, the name of nine Israelites
חִזְקִיָּה: Chizkijah, a king of Judah, also the name of two other Israelites
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
יֹאשִׁיָּה: Joshijah, the name of two Israelites
אָמוֹן: Amon, the name of three Israelites
Cross References
Zephaniah 1Condemns the syncretistic halting between two opinions, matching those who swear by Yahweh and Malcham.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Provides the historical fulfillment of Josiah putting down the Chemarims (idolatrous priests) and roof-top astral worship.
Supported by JFB
Illuminates 'leap on the threshold' as a superstitious practice derived from the Philistines at Dagon's temple.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Defines the spiritual state of being 'settled on their lees' as stagnant, secure, and indifferent complacency.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the exact warning that silver and gold cannot deliver in the day of the Lord's wrath.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament parallel affirming that one cannot divide worship between God and Mammon/Malcham.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallels the solemn command to 'Hold thy peace' or keep silence before the sovereign Lord God.
Supported by JFB
Establishes the image of God's terrible judgment described metaphorically as a sacrificial slaughter.
Supported by JFB
A parallel prophetic depiction of the day of the Lord as a sacrificial day of slaughter.
Supported by JFB
Shows the historical fulfillment of judgment upon Josiah's children (Jehoahaz and Eliakim) under Babylonian invasion.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the futility curse of building houses but not dwelling in them, and planting vineyards in vain.
Supported by Matthew Poole, Matthew Henry
Matches the alarm of the trumpet in Zion warning of the near, dark day of the Lord.
Supported by JFB
Fulfills the covenant curse where sinners are struck with blindness and grope helplessly at noonday.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Wisdom parallel confirming that accumulated riches utterly fail to deliver in the day of wrath.
Supported by Matthew Poole