Discovery BoxZephaniah 2:8-9 
Context2:8 “I have heard Moab’s taunts
and the Ammonites’ insults.
They 1 taunted my people
and verbally harassed those living in Judah. 2
2:9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” says the Lord who commands armies, the God of Israel,
“be certain that Moab will become like Sodom
and the Ammonites like Gomorrah.
They will be overrun by weeds, 3
filled with salt pits, 4
and permanently desolate.
Those of my people who are left 5 will plunder their belongings; 6
those who are left in Judah 7 will take possession of their land.”
1 tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
2 tn Heb “and they made great [their mouth?] against their territory.” Other possible translation options include (1) “they enlarged their own territory” (cf. NEB) and (2) “they bragged about [the size] of their own territory.”
3 tn The Hebrew text reads מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל (mimshaq kharul, “[?] of weeds”). The meaning of the first word is unknown. The present translation (“They will be overrun by weeds”) is speculative, based on the general sense of the context. For a defense of “overrun” on linguistic grounds, see R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 347. Cf. NEB “a pile of weeds”; NIV “a place of weeds”; NRSV “a land possessed by nettles.”
4 tn The Hebrew text reads וּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַח (umikhreh-melakh, “and a [?] of salt”). The meaning of the first word is unclear, though “pit” (NASB, NIV, NRSV; NKJV “saltpit”), “mine,” and “heap” (cf. NEB “a rotting heap of saltwort”) are all options. The words “filled with” are supplied for clarification.
5 tn Or “The remnant of my people.”
6 tn Heb “them.” The actual object of the plundering, “their belongings,” has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Heb “[the] nation.” For clarity the “nation” has been specified as “Judah” in the translation.
