Zephaniah 1

The Great Day of the Lord

1 The wordWord: דָּבָר (Davar). The Hebrew davar (דָּבָר) means word, thing, or matter—God's creative and authoritative speech. 'By the word of the LORD were the heavens made' (Psalm 33:6). of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. Kingdom: Jeremiah 1:2, 25:3, Hosea 1:1. Word: Ezekiel 1:3, 2 Peter 1:19

2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty.. Parallel theme: Micah 7:13

3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heavenHeaven: שָׁמַיִם (Shamayim). The Hebrew shamayim (שָׁמַיִם) means heaven or sky—God's dwelling place and the realm above earth. 'The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's' (Psalm 115:16), yet 'the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him' (1 Kings 8:27)., and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. References Lord: Ezekiel 7:19. Parallel theme: Hosea 4:3

4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; Parallel theme: Hosea 10:5, Micah 5:13

5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; References Lord: 1 Kings 18:21, 2 Kings 17:33, 17:41, 23:12, Isaiah 44:5, 48:1. Worship: 1 Kings 11:33. Parallel theme: Isaiah 45:23, Jeremiah 19:13, Amos 5:26 +5

6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him. References Lord: Psalms 125:5, Isaiah 1:4, 9:13, Jeremiah 2:17, 3:10, 15:6, Hebrews 2:3. Parallel theme: Psalms 10:4, Jeremiah 2:13, Hosea 11:7 +5

7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrificeSacrifice: זֶבַח (Zevach). The Hebrew zevach (זֶבַח) denotes a sacrifice or offering—an animal slaughtered for worship. Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed Christ, 'the Lamb of God' (John 1:29)., he hath bid his guests. References Lord: Zephaniah 1:14, Isaiah 2:12, 13:6, Joel 2:31, Habakkuk 2:20, Zechariah 2:13. Sacrifice: 1 Samuel 16:5, Isaiah 34:6, Jeremiah 46:10. Parallel theme: Matthew 22:4 +5

8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. Kingdom: Isaiah 10:12, 24:21, 39:7

9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. Parallel theme: 1 Samuel 5:5, Amos 3:10

10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. References Lord: Amos 8:3. Parallel theme: 2 Kings 22:14, 2 Chronicles 33:14, Nehemiah 3:3

11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. Parallel theme: Jeremiah 25:34, Ezekiel 21:12, James 5:1

12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. References Lord: Psalms 94:7, Ezekiel 8:12, 9:9. Parallel theme: Jeremiah 48:11, Amos 6:1

13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. Parallel theme: Deuteronomy 28:30, 28:39, Jeremiah 9:19, 15:13, Ezekiel 7:21, Amos 5:11, Micah 6:15 +2

14 The great day of the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. References Lord: Zephaniah 1:7, Ezekiel 30:3, Joel 2:11, Malachi 4:5, Acts 2:20, 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Parallel theme: Isaiah 15:4, 33:7, Ezekiel 7:12, James 5:9 +5

15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, Judgment: Revelation 6:17. Darkness: Joel 2:2. Parallel theme: Isaiah 22:5

16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. Parallel theme: Isaiah 32:14, Hosea 8:1, Amos 3:6

17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their bloodBlood: דָּם (Dam). The Hebrew dam (דָּם) means blood—representing life itself. 'The life of the flesh is in the blood' (Leviticus 17:11), and blood was required for atonement, foreshadowing Christ's sacrifice. shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Parallel theme: Psalms 83:10, Micah 7:13, Revelation 3:17

18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. References Lord: Zephaniah 3:8, Genesis 6:7, Psalms 79:5, Isaiah 1:24. Judgment: Job 21:30, Proverbs 11:4, Ezekiel 7:19. Parallel theme: Psalms 78:58, Proverbs 18:11, Matthew 16:26 +5