Zephaniah 1:18

1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them

in the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

The whole earth ¹  will be consumed by his fiery wrath. ² 

Indeed, ³  he will bring terrifying destruction ⁴  on all who live on the earth.” ⁵ 

Zephaniah 2:3

2:3 Seek the Lord’s favor, ⁶  all you humble people ⁷  of the land who have obeyed his commands! ⁸ 

Strive to do what is right! ⁹  Strive to be humble! ¹⁰ 

Maybe you will be protected ¹¹  on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

Zephaniah 3:8

3:8 Therefore you must wait patiently ¹²  for me,” says the Lord,

“for the day when I attack and take plunder. ¹³ 

I have decided ¹⁴  to gather nations together

and assemble kingdoms,

so I can pour out my fury on them –

all my raging anger.

For ¹⁵  the whole earth will be consumed

by my fiery anger.

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¹ tn Or “land” (cf. NEB). This same word also occurs at the end of the present verse.

² tn Or “passion”; traditionally, “jealousy.”

³ tn Or “for.”

⁴ tn Heb “complete destruction, even terror, he will make.”

⁵ tn It is not certain where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s words begin. It is possible that Zephaniah begins speaking in the middle of v. 17 or at the beginning of v. 18 (note the third person pronouns referring to the Lord).

⁶ tn Heb “seek the Lord,” but “favor” seems to be implied from the final line of the verse.

⁷ tn Or “poor.” The precise referent of this Hebrew term is unclear. The word may refer to the economically poor or to the spiritually humble.

⁸ tn The present translation assumes the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) here refers to God’s covenantal requirements and is a synonym for the Law. The word can mean “justice” and could refer more specifically to the principles of justice contained in the Law. In this case the phrase could be translated, “who have promoted the justice God demands.”

⁹ tn Heb “Seek what is right.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “Seek humility.”

¹¹ tn Heb “hidden.” Cf. NEB “it may be that you will find shelter”; NRSV “perhaps you may be hidden.”

¹² 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.

¹³ 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).

¹⁴ tn Heb “for my decision is.”

¹⁵ tn Or “certainly.”