I. Name

Zephaniah, "One whom God protects," or "Watchman of Jehovah," according to 1:1 was a descendant of Hezekiah, generally supposed to be the king of that name. This fact probably accounts for his lengthy pedigree. Beyond this we know nothing. Jeremiah was his companion prophet.

II. Date

The date is fixed by the words, "In the days of Josiah," 639-608 B. C. From the description of sins prevailing in Jerusalem and the prophecy concerning Nineveh, it seems probable that he prophesied during the early part of Josiah's reign, before 621.

III. Unity

The unity of the book has been assailed by some but without much reason. Especially has the latter part of Chapter 3 been assigned to a much later date, on account of its hopeful tone as contrasted with the severe threatenings of the preceding sections. But in this Zephaniah follows the example of other prophets and presents a logical order of thought. The design in rebuking sin is to awaken repentance, and repentance leads to a restoration of the divine favor, and the divine favor is the overflowing fountain of all blessing. This is the line of thought which pervades all prophecy from the beginning, and instead of these verses being out of place, they form a fitting conclusion by revealing the mercy of God toward the penitent and the universal blessing which will fill the earth when God's kingdom everywhere prevails.

IV. Style and Teaching

The style of Zephaniah lacks the fine lyrical tone of Habakkuk and is often abrupt in thought, but a deep earnestness pervades it and the conception of his theme is broad and clear. He has a strong hold of the spiritual nature of the kingdom of God and of the divine supervision of all human affairs, regulating them and by means of them perfecting his own everlasting kingdom of righteousness and truth.

V. Contents

The book is a continuous composition in which the thought proceeds in an orderly way from beginning to end. We may note three stages in the development of the theme.

1. The Judgment. Ch. 1. The Day of Jehovah is near, a day of universal and overwhelming punishment of transgressors. It will sweep away all the ungodly, especially those of Judah and Jerusalem, 4; and will reach all manner of transgression, luxury, dishonesty, indifference. No sinner can hope to escape when that day comes, 18.

2. The Admonition. Chs. 2:1 to 3:7. Ruin stares the nations in the face. Philistia, Moab, Ethiopia, Assyria, Nineveh, all will fall. Jerusalem also, full of godless sinners, will be overthrown.

3. The Promise. Ch. 3:8-20. The God-fearing are not to be dismayed by all this proclamation of doom. The depisers of God will perish but the faithful will find protection and deliverance. Out of their trials they will come with songs from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, and God will rejoice over them and save them and make them a name and a praise among all the people of the earth.

LITERATURE

Commentaries: Orelli; G. A. Smith, The Book of the Twelve Prophets; Keil and Delitzsch; Pusey. Hengstenberg's Christology; Robertson Smith, The Prophets of Israel; Farrar, The Minor Prophets; article "Hosea" in Bible Dictionaries of Smith and Hastings; Introductions of Driver, Keil, Bleek; Stanley, History of the Jewish Church.