Zephaniah
The Prophet of Judgment
Zephaniah was of royal lineage, a descendant of King Hezekiah. He prophesied during the early reign of King Josiah, before the great reformation. His message about the Day of the Lord as a day of wrath and judgment helped prepare the people for Josiah's reforms.
Key events
The Day of the Lord
Zephaniah proclaimed the Day of the Lord as a day of wrath, distress, and destruction.
14The great day of the LORD is near—near and coming fast. Listen! The day of the LORD is bitter; there the warrior cries aloud.
קָר֤וֹב יוֹם־יְהוָה֙ הַגָּד֔וֹל קָר֖וֹב וּמַהֵ֣ר מְאֹ֑ד ק֚וֹל י֣וֹם יְהוָ֔ה מַ֥ר צֹרֵ֖חַ שָׁ֥ם גִּבּֽוֹר׃
15That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
י֥וֹם עֶבְרָ֖ה הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא י֧וֹם צָרָ֣ה וּמְצוּקָ֗ה י֤וֹם שֹׁאָה֙ וּמְשׁוֹאָ֔ה י֥וֹם חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ וַאֲפֵלָ֔ה י֥וֹם עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃
16a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty corner towers.
י֥וֹם שׁוֹפָ֖ר וּתְרוּעָ֑ה עַ֚ל הֶעָרִ֣ים הַבְּצֻר֔וֹת וְעַ֖ל הַפִּנּ֥וֹת הַגְּבֹהֽוֹת׃
17I will bring such distress on humankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.
וַהֲצֵרֹ֣תִי לָאָדָ֗ם וְהָֽלְכוּ֙ כַּֽעִוְרִ֔ים כִּ֥י לַֽיהוָ֖ה חָטָ֑אוּ וְשֻׁפַּ֤ךְ דָּמָם֙ כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר וּלְחֻמָ֖ם כַּגְּלָלִֽים׃
18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD's wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth.
גַּם־כַּסְפָּ֨ם גַּם־זְהָבָ֜ם לֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהַצִּילָ֗ם בְּיוֹם֙ עֶבְרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה וּבְאֵשׁ֙ קִנְאָת֔וֹ תֵּאָכֵ֖ל כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־כָלָ֤ה אַךְ־נִבְהָלָה֙ יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֵ֥ת כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ס
Call to Repentance
Zephaniah urged the people to seek the Lord, to pursue righteousness and humility.
1Gather yourselves, gather together, you shameless nation—
הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּ וָק֑וֹשּׁוּ הַגּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א נִכְסָֽף׃
2before the decree takes effect, before the day blows past like chaff, before the LORD's burning anger comes upon you, before the day of the LORD's wrath overtakes you.
בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ לֶ֣דֶת חֹ֔ק כְּמֹ֖ץ עָ֣בַר י֑וֹם בְּטֶ֣רֶם ׀ לֹא־יָב֣וֹא עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם חֲרוֹן֙ אַף־יְהוָ֔ה בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ לֹא־יָב֣וֹא עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם י֖וֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃
3Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who carry out his commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will find shelter on the day of the LORD's wrath.
בַּקְּשׁ֤וּ אֶת־יְהוָה֙ כָּל־עַנְוֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ פָּעָ֑לוּ בַּקְּשׁוּ־צֶ֙דֶק֙ בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ עֲנָוָ֔ה אוּלַי֙ תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּ בְּי֖וֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃
Judgment on the Nations
Zephaniah prophesied judgment against Judah's neighboring nations and ultimately over the whole earth.
4For Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins; Ashdod will be driven out at midday, and Ekron uprooted.
כִּ֤י עַזָּה֙ עֲזוּבָ֣ה תִֽהְיֶ֔ה וְאַשְׁקְל֖וֹן לִשְׁמָמָ֑ה אַשְׁדּ֗וֹד בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙ יְגָ֣רְשׁ֔וּהָ וְעֶקְר֖וֹן תֵּעָקֵֽר׃ ס
5Woe to you who live along the sea, you nation of Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines: I will destroy you, and no one will be left.
ה֗וֹי יֹֽשְׁבֵ֛י חֶ֥בֶל הַיָּ֖ם גּ֣וֹי כְּרֵתִ֑ים דְּבַר־יְהוָ֣ה עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם כְּנַ֙עַן֙ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְהַאֲבַדְתִּ֖יךְ מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃
12You Cushites too will be slain by my sword.
גַּם־אַתֶּ֣ם כּוּשִׁ֔ים חַֽלְלֵ֥י חַרְבִּ֖י הֵֽמָּה׃
13He will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria; he will leave Nineveh in ruins, as dry as the desert.
וְיֵ֤ט יָדוֹ֙ עַל־צָפ֔וֹן וִֽיאַבֵּ֖ד אֶת־אַשּׁ֑וּר וְיָשֵׂ֤ם אֶת־נִֽינְוֵה֙ לִשְׁמָמָ֔ה צִיָּ֖ה כַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
The Promise of Restoration
Zephaniah concluded with a beautiful promise that God will save and rejoice over His people.
14Sing aloud, daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem!
רָנִּי֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן הָרִ֖יעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל שִׂמְחִ֤י וְעָלְזִי֙ בְּכָל־לֵ֔ב בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
15The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; never again will you fear disaster.
הֵסִ֤יר יְהוָה֙ מִשְׁפָּטַ֔יִךְ פִּנָּ֖ה אֹֽיְבֵ֑ךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל ׀ יְהוָה֙ בְּקִרְבֵּ֔ךְ לֹא־תִֽירְאִ֥י רָ֖ע עֽוֹד׃
17The LORD your God is in your midst, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you with his love; he will exult over you with singing."
יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהַ֛יִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ך גִּבּ֣וֹר יוֹשִׁ֑יעַ יָשִׂ֨ישׂ עָלַ֜יִךְ בְּשִׂמְחָ֗ה יַחֲרִישׁ֙ בְּאַ֣הֲבָת֔וֹ יָגִ֥יל עָלַ֖יִךְ בְּרִנָּֽה׃
19See, at that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will save the lame and gather the scattered, and I will make them a praise and a name in every land where they were put to shame.
הִנְנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֛ה אֶת־כָּל־מְעַנַּ֖יִךְ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י אֶת־הַצֹּלֵעָ֗ה וְהַנִּדָּחָה֙ אֲקַבֵּ֔ץ וְשַׂמְתִּים֙ לִתְהִלָּ֣ה וּלְשֵׁ֔ם בְּכָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּשְׁתָּֽם׃
20At that time I will bring you home; at that time I will gather you. For I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes, says the LORD.
בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ אָבִ֣יא אֶתְכֶ֔ם וּבָעֶ֖ת קַבְּצִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֶתֵּ֨ן אֶתְכֶ֜ם לְשֵׁ֣ם וְלִתְהִלָּ֗ה בְּכֹל֙ עַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּשׁוּבִ֧י אֶת־שְׁבוּתֵיכֶ֛ם לְעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃