Zephaniah 2:12

2:12 “You ¹  Ethiopians ²  will also die by my sword!” ³ 

Zephaniah 3:10

3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, ⁴ 

those who pray to me ⁵  will bring me tribute.

Zephaniah 3:8

3:8 Therefore you must wait patiently ⁶  for me,” says the Lord,

“for the day when I attack and take plunder. ⁷ 

I have decided ⁸  to gather nations together

and assemble kingdoms,

so I can pour out my fury on them –

all my raging anger.

For ⁹  the whole earth will be consumed

by my fiery anger.

Zephaniah 2:8-9

2:8 “I have heard Moab’s taunts

and the Ammonites’ insults.

They ¹⁰  taunted my people

and verbally harassed those living in Judah. ¹¹ 

2:9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” says the Lord who commands armies, the God of Israel,

“be certain that Moab will become like Sodom

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah.

They will be overrun by weeds, ¹² 

filled with salt pits, ¹³ 

and permanently desolate.

Those of my people who are left ¹⁴  will plunder their belongings; ¹⁵ 

those who are left in Judah ¹⁶  will take possession of their land.”

Zephaniah 1:4

1:4 “I will attack ¹⁷  Judah

and all who live in Jerusalem. ¹⁸ 

I will remove ¹⁹  from this place every trace of Baal worship, ²⁰ 

as well as the very memory ²¹  of the pagan priests. ²² 

Zephaniah 3:11

3:11 In that day you ²³  will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, ²⁴ 

for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, ²⁵ 

and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.

Zephaniah 3:7

3:7 I thought, ²⁶  ‘Certainly you will respect ²⁷  me!

Now you will accept correction!’

If she had done so, her home ²⁸  would not be destroyed ²⁹ 

by all the punishments I have threatened. ³⁰ 

But they eagerly sinned

in everything they did. ³¹ 

Zephaniah 1:6

1:6 and those who turn their backs on ³²  the Lord

and do not want the Lord’s help or guidance.” ³³ 

Zephaniah 3:19

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

I will rescue the lame sheep ³⁴ 

and gather together the scattered sheep.

I will take away their humiliation

and make the whole earth admire and respect them. ³⁵ 

[2:12]  ¹ sn Though there is no formal introduction, these words are apparently spoken by the Lord (note my sword).

[2:12]  ² tn Heb “Cushites.” This is traditionally assumed to refer to people from the region south of Egypt, i.e., Nubia or northern Sudan, referred to as “Ethiopia” by classical authors (not the more recent Abyssinia).

[2:12]  ³ tn Heb “Also you Cushites, who lie dead by my sword.”

[3:10]  ⁴ tn Or “Nubia”; Heb “Cush.” “Cush” is traditionally assumed to refer to the region south of Egypt, i.e. Nubia or northern Sudan, referred to as “Ethiopia” by classical authors (not the more recent Abyssinia).

[3:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “those who pray to me, the daughter of my dispersed ones.” The meaning of the phrase is unclear. Perhaps the text is corrupt at this point or a proper name should be understood. For a discussion of various options see Adele Berlin, Zephaniah (AB 25A), 134-35.

[3:8]  ⁷ tn The second person verb form (“you must wait patiently”) is masculine plural, indicating that a group is being addressed. Perhaps the humble individuals addressed earlier (see 2:3) are in view. Because of Jerusalem’s sin, they must patiently wait for judgment to pass before their vindication arrives.

[3:8]  ⁸ tn Heb “when I arise for plunder.” The present translation takes עַד (’ad) as “plunder.” Some, following the LXX, repoint the term עֵד (’ed) and translate, “as a witness” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV). In this case the Lord uses a legal metaphor to picture himself as testifying against his enemies. Adele Berlin takes לְעַד (lÿ’ad) in a temporal sense (“forever”) and translates “once and for all” (Zephaniah [AB 25A], 133).

[3:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “for my decision is.”

[3:8]  ¹⁰ tn Or “certainly.”

[2:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and they made great [their mouth?] against their territory.” Other possible translation options include (1) “they enlarged their own territory” (cf. NEB) and (2) “they bragged about [the size] of their own territory.”

[2:9]  ¹³ tn The Hebrew text reads מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל (mimshaq kharul, “[?] of weeds”). The meaning of the first word is unknown. The present translation (“They will be overrun by weeds”) is speculative, based on the general sense of the context. For a defense of “overrun” on linguistic grounds, see R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 347. Cf. NEB “a pile of weeds”; NIV “a place of weeds”; NRSV “a land possessed by nettles.”

[2:9]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew text reads וּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַח (umikhreh-melakh, “and a [?] of salt”). The meaning of the first word is unclear, though “pit” (NASB, NIV, NRSV; NKJV “saltpit”), “mine,” and “heap” (cf. NEB “a rotting heap of saltwort”) are all options. The words “filled with” are supplied for clarification.

[2:9]  ¹⁵ tn Or “The remnant of my people.”

[2:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “them.” The actual object of the plundering, “their belongings,” has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “[the] nation.” For clarity the “nation” has been specified as “Judah” in the translation.

[1:4]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “I will stretch out my hand against,” is an idiom for hostile action.

[1:4]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “cut off.”

[1:4]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “the remnant of Baal.”

[1:4]  ²⁰ tn Heb “name.” Here the “name” is figurative for the memory of those who bear it.

[1:4]  ²¹ tc Heb “of the pagan priests and priests.” The first word (כְּמָרִים, kÿmarim) refers to idolatrous priests in its two other appearances in the OT (2 Kgs 23:5, Hos 10:5), while the second word (כֹּהֲנִים, kohanim) is the normal term for “priest” and is used of both legitimate and illegitimate priests in the OT. It is likely that the second term, which is omitted in the LXX, is a later scribal addition to the Hebrew text, defining the extremely rare word that precedes (see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah [OTL], 167-68; cf. also NEB, NRSV). Some argue that both words are original; among the modern English versions that include both are NASB and NIV. Possibly the first word refers to outright pagan priests, while the second has in view once-legitimate priests of the Lord who had drifted into idolatrous practices. Another option is found in Adele Berlin, who translates, “the idolatrous priests among the priests,” understanding the second word as giving the general category of which the idolatrous priests are a part (Zephaniah [AB 25A], 75).

[3:11]  ¹⁹ sn The second person verbs and pronouns are feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed here.

[3:11]  ²⁰ tn Heb “In that day you not be ashamed because of all your actions, [in] which you rebelled against me.”

[3:11]  ²¹ tn Heb “the arrogant ones of your pride.”

[3:7]  ²² tn Heb “said.”

[3:7]  ²³ tn Or “fear.” The second person verb form (“you will respect”) is feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed.

[3:7]  ²⁴ tn Or “dwelling place.”

[3:7]  ²⁵ tn Heb “cut off.”

[3:7]  ²⁶ tn Heb “all which I have punished her.” The precise meaning of this statement and its relationship to what precedes are unclear.

[3:7]  ²⁷ tn Heb “But they got up early, they made corrupt all their actions.” The phrase “they got up early” probably refers to their eagerness to engage in sinful activities.

[1:6]  ²⁵ tn Heb “turn back from [following] after.”

[1:6]  ²⁶ 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.

[3:19]  ²⁸ 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]  ²⁹ 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.