Zephaniah 2:8

2:8 “I have heard Moab’s taunts

and the Ammonites’ insults.

They ¹  taunted my people

and verbally harassed those living in Judah. ² 

Zephaniah 3:2

3:2 She is disobedient; ³ 

she refuses correction. ⁴ 

She does not trust the Lord;

she does not seek the advice of ⁵  her God.

[2:8]  ¹ tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:8]  ² 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.”

[3:2]  ³ tn Heb “she does not hear a voice” Refusing to listen is equated with disobedience.

[3:2]  ⁴ 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).

[3:2]  ⁵ 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).