Zephaniah 1:6

1:6 and those who turn their backs on the Lord

and do not want the Lord’s help or guidance.”

Zephaniah 2:6

2:6 The seacoast will be used as pasture lands by the shepherds

and as pens for their flocks.

Zephaniah 1:7

1:7 Be silent before the Lord God,

for the Lord’s day of judgment is almost here.

The Lord has prepared a sacrificial meal;

he has ritually purified his guests.

Zephaniah 3:2

3:2 She is disobedient; 10 

she refuses correction. 11 

She does not trust the Lord;

she does not seek the advice of 12  her God.

Zephaniah 1:18

1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them

in the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

The whole earth 13  will be consumed by his fiery wrath. 14 

Indeed, 15  he will bring terrifying destruction 16  on all who live on the earth.” 17 


tn Heb “turn back from [following] after.”

tn Heb “who do not seek the Lord and do not inquire of him.” The present translation assumes the first verb refers to praying for divine help and the second to seeking his revealed will through an oracle. Note the usage of the two verbs in 2 Chr 20:3-4.

tn The NIV here supplies the phrase “where the Kerethites dwell” (“Kerethites” is translated in v. 5 as “the people who came from Crete”) as an interpretive gloss, but this phrase is not in the MT. The NAB likewise reads “the coastland of the Cretans,” supplying “Cretans” here.

tn The Hebrew phrase here is נְוֹת כְּרֹת (nÿvot kÿrot). The first word is probably a plural form of נָוָה (navah, “pasture”). The meaning of the second word is unclear. It may be a synonym of the preceding word (cf. NRSV “pastures, meadows for shepherds”); there is a word כַּר (kar, “pasture”) in biblical Hebrew, but elsewhere it forms its plural with a masculine ending. Some have suggested the meaning “wells” or “caves” used as shelters (cf. NEB “shepherds’ huts”); in this case, one might translate, “The seacoast will be used for pasturelands; for shepherds’ wells/caves.”

tn Heb “Lord Lord.” The phrase אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה (adonai yÿhvih) is customarily rendered by Jewish tradition as “Lord God.”

tn Heb “the day of the Lord.”

tn Or “near.”

tn Heb “a sacrifice.” This same word also occurs in the following verse.

tn Or “consecrated” (ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

tn Heb “she does not hear a voice” Refusing to listen is equated with disobedience.

tn Heb “she does not receive correction.” The Hebrew phrase, when negated, refers elsewhere to rejecting verbal advice (Jer 17:23; 32:33; 35:13) and refusing to learn from experience (Jer 2:30; 5:3).

tn Heb “draw near to.” The present translation assumes that the expression “draw near to” refers to seeking God’s will (see 1 Sam 14:36).

tn Or “land” (cf. NEB). This same word also occurs at the end of the present verse.

10 tn Or “passion”; traditionally, “jealousy.”

11 tn Or “for.”

12 tn Heb “complete destruction, even terror, he will make.”

13 tn It is not certain where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s words begin. It is possible that Zephaniah begins speaking in the middle of v. 17 or at the beginning of v. 18 (note the third person pronouns referring to the Lord).