The Message of the Text: Zephaniah
The King’s University, Southlake, Texas
Biblical Background and Interpretation (2021FA-BIBL-2301-ONL)
Professor: Dr. J. Wallace
11/21/2021
By Darrell Wolfe
Zephaniah (Circa 640-609 BCE)
Understanding the message of Zephaniah can be enhanced by contextualizing the history, intertextual factors, and biblical hyperlinks to the Hebrew matrix of ideas. Zephaniah’s message was that “the Day of Yahweh” would purge the land of Israel, allowing a remnant to return, so he could continue to bring all nations back to himself.
Historical factors
During the days leading up to King Josiah’s reign (~640-609 BCE), the kings and priests of the land of Israel/Judah practiced the worship of a plurality of gods.[1] They maintained surface-level ritual obedience to Yahweh; however, included devotion to other gods.[2] The influence of these neighboring cultures from even as early as Moses can be seen in the very structure of the Genesis 1-11 accounts, all aimed at making theological counterclaims to the neighboring god-stories.[3] It was into the early days of Josiah’s reign that Zephaniah came warning of a day when Yahweh would cleanse the land of faithless covenant breaking, and restore it to his purposes.
In the year 641 BCE, at the age of 8-years old, Josiah became the fourth and final “good” king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah (following Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah). However, “Josiah’s reforms were more extensive than those of any of his predecessors”.[4] Following Josiah’s reforms, a quick succession of bad kings would lead Judah into its final days. In 586 BCE, just 55 years after Josiah first took his throne, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, took Judah’s capital Jerusalem captive, destroying the temple of Solomon.[5] The remnant reformers, including Nehemiah and Ezra, would not return to the land for 70-years and it remained largely desolate for that period.
Intertextual factors
The accounts of Josiah can be found in 2 Chronicles 34-35 and 2 Kings 22-23. However, the prophet Jeremiah also operated at this time out of the region of the tribe of Benjamin (Jer 1:1-3), as did the Prophetess Huldah (2 Chr 34:22), and possibly Nahum.[6] Josiah became king at 8-years old, and at 16-years old began seeking the “God of David, his ancestor” (2 Chr 34:3-7). At 20-years old, he began cleansing the land of the symbols of the other gods, going so far as to burn the bones of false priests. Jeremiah began prophesying in the 13th year of Josiah’s reign (when Josiah was 21-years old) (Jer 1:3).
When Josiah was 26, after he had purged the land of other gods, he sent people into the Temple to repair the Temple of Yahweh, originally built by Solomon. As they repaired the temple, they found the Torah (five books of Moses) and read them out loud to Josiah. Even after all his reforms, at the hearing of these words, Josiah tore his robes on behalf of the nation. He sent his people to seek Yahweh on his behalf, and they found the Prophetess Huldah who told him that Judah would be destroyed but because he was faithful, he would go to his grave in peace before it happened.
While no text specifies they are the same individual, the “second priest Zephaniah” was among those who were killed by Nebuchadnezzar at the fall of Jerusalem (2 Kgs 25:18–21; Jer 52:24–27). Yates notes, if these were the same individual “Zephaniah lived to see his prophecy fulfilled and was murdered by the King of Babylon at the end of the reign of Israel's kings.”[7]
The message and theme of Zephaniah
One key to understanding Hebrew literature is to see how key phrases are used to hyperlink ideas and concepts into the text from other scriptures. In this way, a few well-placed phrases can do the heavy lifting by carrying pre-loaded meaning and significance into the text.[8]
Face of the ground: Some of the phrasing used by Zephaniah is thought by Fee and Stuart to be a hyperbolic reference to the Genesis 6 flood accounts “he predicts at several points that God will destroy the whole earth and all its inhabitants”.[9] The Hebrew Phrase "פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה" (the face of the ground") occurs several times in the Hebrew Bible,[10] and it occurs twice in Zephaniah (1:2-3). The word translated “the earth” הָאֲדָמָ֖ה (the adama) means dirt or ground. The inhabitants of the Ancient Near East (ANE) had no concept of a globe circling a sun; the term would more immediately refer to the ground upon which they walked and lived.[11] In this way, wiping the “whole adama” could simply be a reference to the “adama” Yahweh cares about, namely the border of Israel, in this case, the southern kingdom of Judah and all the nations using that land. This is why other nations get wrapped into Zephaniah’s prophecy. Anyone who defiles Yahweh’s territory will be removed. This is further supported by Zephaniah’s later reference to “Canaan, land of the Philistines” which is the land of Israel (2:4-7). The purpose of this purge is to “remove from your midst those exulting in your pride and you shall no longer be haughty in MY holy mountain” (3:11).
While some commentaries note the negative connection to the flood by the usage of this phrase “the face of the ground”, this phrase is almost exclusively used in connection to Yahweh's blessing the "face of the ground". Even its use in Gen 6 shows that mankind has multiplied as Yahweh intended, and the curse was not yet part of the discussion. This phrase precedes the sin of the Watchers in Gen 6:2-8. Only here, in Zephaniah, connected with the "Day of Yahweh" is the phrase used to indicate destruction. In this chapter, the phrase "face of the ground" is tied with two parallel Hebrew phrasings (1) אָסַף ʾāsap to gather/take away + סוּף sûp to sweep away/ demolish; and, (2) כָּרַת kārat to cut off (often related to creating or breaking covenant). The use of the phrase “the face of the ground” carries with it the pre-loaded conceptualization of ground that is to be “fruitful and multiply”. While the judgments of Yahweh are hard; Zephaniah concludes that a remnant that returns to the land and becomes fruitful as always was Yahweh’s will and intention for his people.
The Divine Council and “other gods”: Another set of hyperlinks within Zephaniah, come with the phrase “host of heaven” in connection with the judgment of not only the human inhabitants but the other gods they worshiped (1:4-5). This phrasing brings hyperlinks to texts regarding the fallen Watchers and rebel Divine Council members (Psalms 82, 89; Duet 32).[12] The presence of Baal, Asherah, and Milcom in Yahweh’s land was the ultimate afront to Yahweh’s honor. The first three of Yahweh’s ten words (decalogue, aka Ten Commandments) were to have no other gods, make no idols, and carry the name of Yahweh as an image-bearer, his very representative (Exod 34:28, Deut 4:13; 10:4).[13] Judah failed to live the three most important instructions, and by extension, the rest as well. By the time of Josiah, the time had come to deliver a final verdict to Judah. Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Huldah would provide this verdict.
Day of the Lord: The day of Yahweh (aka the day of the sacrifice of Yahweh, the great day of Yahweh, day of wrath, day of trouble, distress, disaster, ruination, darkness, deep gloom, clouds, thick clouds, trumpet, and trumpet blast) (1:6-7; 14-17) is a major theme in the Hebrew scriptures. The rest of the book outlines the “Day of Yahweh” and its results. The Day is intended to be a judgment for all those who rejected Yahweh and followed other gods. In the middle of describing all the horror to come, the prophet pauses to call those who will listen to “gather” (echoed in Jesus’ ministry Luke 13:34; Mat 23:37). Zephaniah calls for repentance with the possibility that those might be spared in the coming judgment (2:2-3).
Conclusion
After bringing the Day of Yahweh to purge His land of the fallen Divine Council and their worshipers, what result will come? He says, “I will leave in your midst a people afflicted and poor, and they shall take refuge in the name of Yahweh” (3:12). Yahweh promises to annul the judgments after His enemies are purged, save and gather the lame and outcast, and change their shame to glory throughout the land (אֶרֶץ), translated “whole world”. This was always Yahweh’s plan from the day he told Abram “through your seed all the lands (אֶרֶץ) will be blessed”. From the day Yahweh divorced the nations at Babel, he has worked through Abraham’s seed to get them all back. Thus, the Day of Yahweh becomes a symbol not just for restoring His territory to fruitfulness but of his eventual restoration of all people unto himself through “the seed”. Yahweh always intended that this land be his territory, that all nations would be brought back to him through this land, and that this land would be praised by the nations.
The book of Zephaniah cannot be understood without contextualizing the history, intertextual factors, and biblical hyperlinks to the Hebrew matrix of ideas. Zephaniah’s message was that the Day of Yahweh would purge the land of Israel, allowing a remnant to return, so he could continue to bring all nations back to himself.
Bibliography
“Enuma Elish - New World Encyclopedia.” Accessed November 17, 2021. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Enuma_Elish.
Faithlife Study Bible, via Logos Software. Faithlife / Logos Bible Software, 2018.
Fee, Gordon D., and Douglas K. Stuart. How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2002.
Goodrich, Richard J, Albert L Lukaszewski, A. Philip Brown, and Bryan W Smith. A reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible: 2nd edition., 2020.
Heiser, Michael. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. First edition. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015.
Heiser, Michael S. Demons: What the Bible Really Says about the Powers of Darkness. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020.
Imes, Carmen Joy. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2019.
Jackson, Jeffrey Glen. Synopsis of the Old Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Logos Bible Software 8.17 SR-38.17.0.0022. Faithlife Corporation, 2000. logos.com.
Mackie, Tim, and Jon Collins. “BibleProjectTM Videos and Podcasts.” Accessed June 18, 2021. https://bibleproject.com/.
Mounce, William D., ed. Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2006.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary - Barry, J. D., Bomar, D., Brown, D. R., Klippenstein, R., Mangum, D., Sinclair Wolcott, C., … Widder, W. (Eds.). (2016). In The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. Billingham, WA: Leham Press, 2016. LexhamPress.com.
The Lexham English Bible (LEB), Fourth Edition. Logo Bible Software. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2010. http://www.lexhampress.com.
Walton, John H. The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2010. https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=2030851.
Walvoord, John F., Roy B. Zuck, and Dallas Theological Seminary, eds. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, Ill: Victor Books, 1983.
[1] Faithlife Study Bible, via Logos Software (Faithlife / Logos Bible Software, 2018), Infographics “The United Kingdom” & “The Divided Kingdom.” Details: In 1051 BCE Saul became the first king of Israel, David took his place in 1041 BCE and lead Israel into becoming one united Kingdom of Israel, leaving his legacy to Solomon in 971 BCE. While much is made of David’s kingdom, and the legacy of Solomon, Israel fractured into civil war afterward and never recovered. The northern Kingdom of Israel, based in Samaria (a name that comes up in the gospels frequently), fell in 722 BCE and the ten northern tribes never returned (in mass) to the land but remained as the “diaspora” among the nations. The southern Kingdom of Judah did not fare much better but did have several reformers.
[2] The Lexham Bible Dictionary - Barry, J. D., Bomar, D., Brown, D. R., Klippenstein, R., Mangum, D., Sinclair Wolcott, C., … Widder, W. (Eds.). (2016). In The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. (Billingham, WA: Leham Press, 2016), LBD Entries: Baal (בַּעַל), Asherah (אֲשֵׁרָה), Milcom (מִלכֹּם), LexhamPress.com. Detail: such as Baal (בַּעַל) (originally a Ugaritic god eventually became the most common "other god" worshipped by fallen Israel). Also mentioned in the Josiah/Zephaniah accounts are Asherah (אֲשֵׁרָה) the Canaanite fertility goddess, and Milcom (מִלכֹּם) who was considered the chief god of the Ammonites.
[3] “Enuma Elish - New World Encyclopedia,” accessed November 17, 2021, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Enuma_Elish; Michael Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, First edition (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015); John H Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate. (Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2010), https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=2030851.
[4] John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, and Dallas Theological Seminary, eds., The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, Ill: Victor Books, 1983), 581-Thomas L. Constable, “2 Kings,”.
[5] Lexham Bible Dictionary, Elliot Ritzema, “Nebuchadnezzar,.”
[6] Jeffrey Glen Jackson, Synopsis of the Old Testament (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), “Josiah’s Reign”; Lexham Bible Dictionary, NAHUM THE PROPHET (נחום, nchwm).
[7] Lexham Bible Dictionary, Gary E. Yates, “Zephaniah, Book of,”.
[8] Tim Mackie and Jon Collins, “BibleProjectTM Videos and Podcasts,” The phrase “hyperlinking the text” originally Dr Tim Mackie’s work at BibleProject., accessed June 18, 2021, https://bibleproject.com/.
[9] Gordon D. Fee and Douglas K. Stuart, How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2002), 248–49.
[10] Logos Bible Software 8.17 SR-38.17.0.0022 (Faithlife Corporation, 2000), Search Function, logos.com; Richard J Goodrich et al., A reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible: 2nd edition., 2020; William D. Mounce, ed., Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2006), H622; H5486; H3772. Note: Genesis 2:5 referring to water the whole face of the ground (first occurrence), Gen 6:1 referring to humanity multiplying, Gen 7:3 preserving animals, Gen 8:8 the dove or preservation checking for new growth, Num 12:3 Moses was the most humble on the face of the earth, Jeremiah 35:7, during the days of the son of Josiah (so after Zeph's days) regarding the faithfulness of the Rechabites allowing them to prosper on the "face of the ground" in comparison to the faithlessness of Israel.
[11] The Lexham English Bible (LEB), Fourth Edition, Logo Bible Software, Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.) (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2010), Zeph 3:11-CAPS added for emphasis., http://www.lexhampress.com.
[12] Heiser, The Unseen Realm; Michael S. Heiser, Demons: What the Bible Really Says about the Powers of Darkness (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).
[13] Carmen Joy Imes, Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2019).
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