Zephaniah 1 Study Notes

1:10-11 Verse 10 lists three sounds of destruction that will be heard in various parts of Jerusalem. The Hollow in v. 11 was apparently another district of the city, where the merchants did business. It was probably in what was later called the Tyropoeon Valley.

1:12-13 Verse 12 speaks of the Lord’s meticulous (none will escape) search (cp. Pr 20:27) to punish (cp. vv. 8-9) men who settle down comfortably. The relative clause is literally “who thicken or congeal [like wine] upon their dregs.” The image may suggest drunkenness. The end of v. 13 quotes Dt 28:30b (cp. Am 5:11), which is one of the curses for refusing to follow the Lord’s “commands and statutes” (Dt 28:15).

1:14 The day of the Lord was imminent (near, v. 7; cp. Is 13:6; Ezk 30:3; Jl 2:1; 3:14; Ob 15) and rapidly approaching. On this day God would judge Judah for its rampant idolatry (vv. 4-7). On an impending day of wrath (vv. 15,18), God’s rage would overflow to those who, by sinning against him (v. 17), had become his enemies. He would unleash a storm of destruction (v. 15), primarily by enemy invaders (Ezk 38:9; cp. Jl 2:1-11). The Lord’s destruction of Judah by the Babylonians in 586 BC (Lm 2:1-3,22; 4:11) partially fulfilled this day of his burning anger (Zph 1:18; 2:2-3) as he punished them for abominable idolatries (1:4-11; cp. Ezk 7:8-11,14-21; 8:5-18). Ultimately all earthly inhabitants would be judged (Jl 3:1-2,12-16; Zph 1:2-3) and consumed by his fiery anger (vv. 17-18; 3:8; cp. 2Pt 3:10-12).

1:15-16 Marvin Sweeney (Zephaniah) explains that the word for destruction, sho’ah, “is now employed in place of ‘Holocaust’ to designate the murder of some six million Jews and others by the Nazis and their sympathizers in World War II.” Johannes Vlaardingerbroek (Zephaniah) is correct that the message here goes beyond what is stated. Assumed is that these cities and battlements will be overrun. “It ends the security people thought to find in them and very often did in fact find there. . . On that day no one will find shelter anywhere. Those who seek protection in human fortifications are deceiving themselves.”

‘Evrah suggests extreme anger and sometimes human arrogance (Is 14:6; 16:6). The fury of brothers destroys an entire tribe for someone’s rape of their sister (Gn 49:7). ‘Evrah is wrath and rage (Is 9:19; 10:6), perhaps in outbursts (Jr 48:30). Fury is poured out (Hs 5:10). Adjectivally, ‘evrah suggests excessive (Pr 21:24) and raging (Jb 40:11). ‘Evrah occurs with synonyms ’aph (“wrath,” 12x) and za‘am (“indignation”) (Ps 78:49). Ezekiel mentions “fire of my ‘evrah” (4x). “Rod of his ‘evrah” (Lm 3:1) occurs twice. Day is modified by wrath five times (Jb 21:30), and wrath by Lord four times (Ezk 7:19). Related reflexive ‘abar (8x), different from the homonym meaning “pass,” means be angry (Dt 3:26), furious, enraged (Ps 78:21,62), or easily angered (Pr 14:16). One provokes another (Pr 20:2) or meddles in quarrels (Pr 26:17). Both noun and verb describe God more than twice as often as men.

1:17 The judgment walk like the blind is based on Dt 28:28-29: “The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness, and mental confusion, so that at noon you will grope as a blind person gropes in the dark. You will not be successful in anything you do. You will only be oppressed and robbed continually, and no one will help you.” Thus blindness represents ignorance of God, helplessness, and hopelessness.

1:18 When King Asa of Judah was threatened by Israel, he sent silver and gold to Aram to purchase deliverance (2Ch 16:1-3). When Ahaz king of Judah was threatened by the kings of Aram and Israel, he sent silver and gold to the king of Assyria to purchase deliverance (2Kg 16:7-9). King Jehoiakim of Judah gave silver and gold to Pharaoh Neco for deliverance (2Kg 23:35). But all the silver and gold in the earth will not be able to deliver anyone on the day of the Lord. The motif is also found in Is 13:17, which declares judgment against Babylon from the Medes who “cannot be bought off with silver and who have no desire for gold.” Ezekiel 7:19 quotes Zephaniah: “Their silver and gold will be unable to save them in the day of the Lord’s wrath.” The only hope of deliverance from the Lord’s wrath is through “the precious blood of Christ” (1Pt 1:18-19).