Zephaniah 1:8-9

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 

Zephaniah 2:3

2:3 Seek the Lord’s favor, ⁶  all you humble people ⁷  of the land who have obeyed his commands! ⁸ 

Strive to do what is right! ⁹  Strive to be humble! ¹⁰ 

Maybe you will be protected ¹¹  on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

Zephaniah 3:19

3:19 Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you.

I will rescue the lame sheep ¹² 

and gather together the scattered sheep.

I will take away their humiliation

and make the whole earth admire and respect them. ¹³ 

[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.

[2:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “seek the Lord,” but “favor” seems to be implied from the final line of the verse.

[2:3]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Heb “Seek what is right.”

[2:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “Seek humility.”

[2:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “hidden.” Cf. NEB “it may be that you will find shelter”; NRSV “perhaps you may be hidden.”

[3:19]  ⁷ tn The word “sheep” is supplied for clarification. As in Mic 4:6-7, the exiles are here pictured as injured and scattered sheep whom the divine shepherd rescues from danger.

[3:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “I will make them into praise and a name, in all the earth, their shame.” The present translation assumes that “their shame” specifies “them” and that “name” stands here for a good reputation.