Zephaniah

Definition and Meaning

Zephaniah is the ninth of the Minor Prophets (the twelve shorter prophetic books) of the Old Testament. It is preceded by Habakkuk and followed by Haggai. The book consists of three chapters and 53 verses. The Hebrew name Tsephanyah is usually interpreted as "the LORD has hidden" or "the LORD has protected."

Biblical and Historical Background

Zephaniah 1:1 states that this prophecy came "in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah." The same verse traces the prophet's genealogy back four generations to "Hizkiah" (Hezekiah). Many interpreters identify this Hezekiah with the king of Judah of that name, though some hold that there is no firm basis for the identification. Josiah reigned in the latter part of the seventh century BC. Because the book contains extensive denunciations of idolatry, a widely held view dates it before Josiah's religious reforms were fully under way.

The content generally falls into three parts:

• Chapter 1: Proclaims "the day of the LORD" that will come upon Judah and Jerusalem, that is, the day on which God Himself executes judgment. Zephaniah 1:14–18 is the best-known passage. The medieval Latin hymn Dies Irae ("Day of Wrath") takes its opening line from 1:15 in the Latin Bible (the Vulgate).
• Chapter 2: Announces judgment on the surrounding nations, including Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Ethiopia (Cush), and Assyria (Nineveh).
• Chapter 3: Rebukes the sins of Jerusalem and concludes with the promise that God will leave a humble "remnant" and restore it (3:12–20).

The theme of "the day of the LORD" also links the book with Joel and Amos.

Use in Korean Churches

The best-known verse among Korean churches is Zephaniah 3:17. The New Korean Revised Version renders it in words close to the KJV's "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy…" The verse is frequently used for Scripture memorization, as a word of encouragement and blessing, and in the lyrics of praise songs.

Churches that use a lectionary (a list of passages appointed for reading each Sunday) based on the church year also read this book. In churches following the Revised Common Lectionary, 3:14–20 is read on the Third Sunday of Advent in Year C (the third year of the three-year cycle). This practice is found mainly in churches that use a lectionary, such as the Anglican Church of Korea and some Methodist churches. In Presbyterian, Baptist, Full Gospel, and other churches that emphasize expository preaching (preaching that works through a biblical text in order) or reading through the Bible, the book is often covered in sermon series on the Minor Prophets or in Bible-reading programs.

Interpretations of "the day of the LORD" vary among churches and scholars. Those who follow dispensationalism tend to read it in connection with a future Great Tribulation and the restoration of Israel. In covenant theology and the Reformed tradition, interpreters often look first to its historical fulfillment, such as the Babylonian invasion, and understand that fulfillment as a foreshadowing of the Last Judgment. These differences are bound up with each church's understanding of eschatology.