Discovery BoxZephaniah 1:15 
Context1:15 That day will be a day of God’s anger, 1
a day of distress and hardship,
a day of devastation and ruin,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and dark skies,
Zephaniah 2:2
Context2:2 before God’s decree becomes reality 2 and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, 3
before the Lord’s raging anger 4 overtakes 5 you –
before the day of the Lord’s angry judgment overtakes you!
1 tn Heb “a day of wrath.” The word “God’s” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
2 tn Heb “before the giving birth of a decree.” For various alternative readings, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 187-88.
3 tn The second half of the line reads literally, “like chaff it passes by a day.” The translation above assumes the “day” is the brief time God is giving the nation to repent. The comparison of this quickly passing opportunity to chaff is consistent with the straw imagery of v. 1.
4 tn Heb “the fury of the anger of the
5 tn Heb “comes upon.” This phrase occurs twice in this verse.
