Bible Commentaries
Zephaniah

Zep ZEPHANIAH. THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE. Zephaniah 1:1 - Zephaniah 3:8 . MINATORY. Zephaniah 3:9-20 . PROMISSORY. For the CANONICAL order and place of the Prophets, see Appdx-1, and pp. 1206 and 1207. For the CHRONOLOGICAL order of the Prophets, see Appdx-77. For the Inter-relation of the Prophetic Books, see Appdx-78. For the Formulae, of Prophetic Utterance, see Appdx-82. For References to the Pentateuch by the Prophets, see A p. 92. For the Inter-relation of the Minor (or Shorter) Prophets, see pp. 1206 and 1207. The last of the Prophets immediately preceding the Captivity. Unlike all the other Prophets, Zephaniah''s genealogy is traced back for four generations; and, as Hezekiah of Proverbs 25:1 and Hizkiah of Zephaniah 1:1 are the same word in Hebrew as Hezekiah King of Judah, he was not improbably his great-great-grandson. Zephaniah''s prophecy is dated in Zephaniah 1:1 , as being given "in the days of Josiah". In Ch. Zephaniah 2:13 he says that Assyria shall be destroyed, and Nineveh made a desolation. Therefore it was before the fall of Nineveh, 515 B. C. according to The Companion Bible dating (Appdx-50), or 625 B. C. (according to "received" dating). Zephaniah was the contemporary of Jeremiah. By a comparison with 2 Kings 28, which records the destruction of "the remnant of Baal" (Zephaniah 1:4 ), Josiah''s reformation had not been completed. The prophecy may therefore he dated as coming between the twelfth and the eighteenth year of Josiah say 518 B. C, or about three years before the fall of Nineveh. Zephaniah 1:1 - Zephaniah 3:8 . EDOM. DESTRUCTION. Zephaniah 1:1-3 . Judgments. General. The Land. Zephaniah 1:4-6 . Judah and Jerusalem. Zephaniah 1:7-18 . The Day of Jehovah. Zephaniah 2:1-3 . Call to Repentance. Zephaniah 2:4-15 . Judgments. General. Nations. Zephaniah 3:1-5 . Jerusalem. Zephaniah 3:6-7 . Charge of Impenitence. Zephaniah 3:8 . The Day of Jehovah. Zephaniah 1:7-18 . THE DAY OF JEHOVAH. Zephaniah 1:7 . Its nearness. Zephaniah 1:8-13 . Judgments. Zephaniah 1:14-16 . Its nearness. Zephaniah 1:17-18 . Judgments. Zephaniah 1:8-13 . JUDGMENTS. Zephaniah 1:8 . Princes. Zephaniah 1:9 . People. Zephaniah 1:10-11 . Merchants. Zephaniah 1:12-13 . People. Zephaniah 2:4-15 . JUDGMENTS. GENERAL. NATIONS. Zephaniah 3:9-20 . PROMISSORY. Zephaniah 3:9-10 . Good bestowed. Gentiles and Israel. Conversion. Zephaniah 3:11-13 . Evil removed. Zephaniah 3:14 . Zion and Jerusalem to praise. (Positive.) Zephaniah 3:15 -. Jehovah in the midst. - Zephaniah 3:15 . Evil no more seen. Zephaniah 3:16 . Zion and Jerusalem. Not to Fear. (Negative.) Zephaniah 3:17 . Jehovah in the midst. Zephaniah 3:18 -. Good bestowed. Israel and Gentiles. Restoration. - Zephaniah 3:20 . Evil removed.