Names of the Book
English: | Zephaniah |
Hebrew: | צפניה |
Transliterated: | Tz'fanyah |
Other names: |
Who
Wrote the book: | Zephaniah |
Are the key people: | Zephaniah, the people of Jerusalem |
Is it written to: | The people of Jerusalem |
What
The day of judgment (Zephaniah 1:1-3:7) |
The day of hope (Zephaniah 3:8-20) |
When
Was it written: | c 640-621 BCE |
Did the events occur: | c 640-621 BCE |
Was it canonized: | c 499-100 BCE |
(see the Timeline of the Tanakh) |
Where
Was it written: | in or near Jerusalem |
Did the events occur: | Jerusalem |
Why
Zephaniah was written to inform us that: |
There will be a day of judgment. |
Indifference to G-d has severe consequences. |
There is hope. |
Introduction
The historical and prophetic book of Zephaniah relates events from the reign of Josiah, king of Judah. Josiah enacted laws to bring about religious revival after the spiritual degradation that occurred during the reign of his predecessor, Manasseh. Much like the prophet Amos' message to Israel, Zephaniah delivers G-d's stinging rebuke to Judah for the nation's apostasy and corruption but at the same time, he announces G-d's plan to restore Judah. Like Amos, Zephaniah sounds a call to repentance and warns of the coming "day of the Lord" when G-d would judge the nation, sin would be punished, and a faithful remnant would be saved.
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