Zephaniah 1:8-10

1:8 “On the day of the Lord’s sacrificial meal,

I will punish the princes ¹  and the king’s sons,

and all who wear foreign styles of clothing. ² 

1:9 On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, ³ 

who fill the house of their master ⁴  with wealth taken by violence and deceit. ⁵ 

1:10 On that day,” says the Lord,

“a loud cry will go up ⁶  from the Fish Gate, ⁷ 

wailing from the city’s newer district, ⁸ 

and a loud crash ⁹  from the hills.

Zephaniah 2:3

2:3 Seek the Lord’s favor, ¹⁰  all you humble people ¹¹  of the land who have obeyed his commands! ¹² 

Strive to do what is right! ¹³  Strive to be humble! ¹⁴ 

Maybe you will be protected ¹⁵  on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

[1:8]  ¹ tn Or “officials” (NRSV, TEV); NLT “leaders.”

[1:8]  ² sn The very dress of the royal court, foreign styles of clothing, revealed the degree to which Judah had assimilated foreign customs.

[1:9]  ³ sn The point of the statement all who hop over the threshold is unclear. A ritual or superstition associated with the Philistine god Dagon may be in view (see 1 Sam 5:5).

[1:9]  ⁴ tn The referent of “their master” is unclear. The king or a pagan god may be in view.

[1:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “who fill…with violence and deceit.” The expression “violence and deceit” refers metonymically to the wealth taken by oppressive measures.

[1:10]  ⁵ tn The words “will go up” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[1:10]  ⁶ sn The Fish Gate was located on Jerusalem’s north side (cf. 2 Chr 33:14; Neh 3:3; 12:39).

[1:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “from the second area.” This may refer to an area northwest of the temple where the rich lived (see Adele Berlin, Zephaniah [AB 25A], 86; cf. NASB, NRSV “the Second Quarter”; NIV “the New Quarter”).

[1:10]  ⁸ tn Heb “great breaking.”

[2:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “seek the Lord,” but “favor” seems to be implied from the final line of the verse.

[2:3]  ⁸ tn Or “poor.” The precise referent of this Hebrew term is unclear. The word may refer to the economically poor or to the spiritually humble.

[2:3]  ⁹ tn The present translation assumes the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) here refers to God’s covenantal requirements and is a synonym for the Law. The word can mean “justice” and could refer more specifically to the principles of justice contained in the Law. In this case the phrase could be translated, “who have promoted the justice God demands.”

[2:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Seek what is right.”

[2:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “Seek humility.”

[2:3]  ¹² tn Heb “hidden.” Cf. NEB “it may be that you will find shelter”; NRSV “perhaps you may be hidden.”