Discovery BoxZephaniah 1:4 
Contextand all who live in Jerusalem. 2
I will remove 3 from this place every trace of Baal worship, 4
as well as the very memory 5 of the pagan priests. 6
Zephaniah 1:8
Context1:8 “On the day of the Lord’s sacrificial meal,
I will punish the princes 7 and the king’s sons,
and all who wear foreign styles of clothing. 8
Zephaniah 3:7
Context3:7 I thought, 9 ‘Certainly you will respect 10 me!
Now you will accept correction!’
If she had done so, her home 11 would not be destroyed 12
by all the punishments I have threatened. 13
But they eagerly sinned
in everything they did. 14
Zephaniah 3:9
Context3:9 Know for sure that I will then enable
the nations to give me acceptable praise. 15
All of them will invoke the Lord’s name when they pray, 16
and will worship him in unison. 17
Zephaniah 3:11
Context3:11 In that day you 18 will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, 19
for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, 20
and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.
Zephaniah 3:20
Context3:20 At that time I will lead you –
at the time I gather you together. 21
Be sure of this! 22 I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you 23
when you see me restore you,” 24 says the Lord.
1 tn Heb “I will stretch out my hand against,” is an idiom for hostile action.
2 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
3 tn Heb “cut off.”
4 tn Heb “the remnant of Baal.”
5 tn Heb “name.” Here the “name” is figurative for the memory of those who bear it.
6 tc Heb “of the pagan priests and priests.” The first word (כְּמָרִים, kÿmarim) refers to idolatrous priests in its two other appearances in the OT (2 Kgs 23:5, Hos 10:5), while the second word (כֹּהֲנִים, kohanim) is the normal term for “priest” and is used of both legitimate and illegitimate priests in the OT. It is likely that the second term, which is omitted in the LXX, is a later scribal addition to the Hebrew text, defining the extremely rare word that precedes (see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah [OTL], 167-68; cf. also NEB, NRSV). Some argue that both words are original; among the modern English versions that include both are NASB and NIV. Possibly the first word refers to outright pagan priests, while the second has in view once-legitimate priests of the Lord who had drifted into idolatrous practices. Another option is found in Adele Berlin, who translates, “the idolatrous priests among the priests,” understanding the second word as giving the general category of which the idolatrous priests are a part (Zephaniah [AB 25A], 75).
7 tn Or “officials” (NRSV, TEV); NLT “leaders.”
8 sn The very dress of the royal court, foreign styles of clothing, revealed the degree to which Judah had assimilated foreign customs.
9 tn Heb “said.”
10 tn Or “fear.” The second person verb form (“you will respect”) is feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed.
sn God’s judgment of the nations (v. 6) was an object lesson for Israel’s benefit.
11 tn Or “dwelling place.”
12 tn Heb “cut off.”
13 tn Heb “all which I have punished her.” The precise meaning of this statement and its relationship to what precedes are unclear.
14 tn Heb “But they got up early, they made corrupt all their actions.” The phrase “they got up early” probably refers to their eagerness to engage in sinful activities.
15 tn Heb “Certainly [or perhaps, “For”] then I will restore to the nations a pure lip.”
sn I will then enable the nations to give me acceptable praise. This apparently refers to a time when the nations will reject their false idol-gods and offer genuine praise to the one true God.
16 tn Heb “so that all of them will call on the name of the
17 tn Heb “so that [they] will serve him [with] one shoulder.”
18 sn The second person verbs and pronouns are feminine singular, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed here.
19 tn Heb “In that day you not be ashamed because of all your actions, [in] which you rebelled against me.”
20 tn Heb “the arrogant ones of your pride.”
21 tn In this line the second person pronoun is masculine plural, indicating that the exiles are addressed.
22 tn Or “for.”
23 tn Heb “I will make you into a name and praise among all the peoples of the earth.” Here the word “name” carries the nuance of “good reputation.”
24 tn Heb “when I restore your fortunes to your eyes.” See the note on the phrase “restore them” in 2:7.
