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◄ Zephaniah ►

New American Bible Revised Edition

* [1:1] Hezekiah: it is possible, but not certain, that Zephaniah’s ancestor was King Hezekiah who reigned in Judah from 715 to 687 B.C. (2 Kgs 18–20).

* [1:5] The host of heaven: the sun, moon, planets, and stars, the worship of which became widespread in Judah under Assyrian influence. Milcom: the god of the Ammonites; cf. 1 Kgs 11:5, 7, 33; 2 Kgs 23:13.

* [1:7] He has consecrated his guests: God has consecrated the troops, presumably foreign, who have been invited to share in the spoil on the day of slaughter.

* [1:9] Leap over the threshold: the reference may be to a religious ritual like that practiced by the priests of the Philistine deity Dagon (1 Sm 5:5).

* [1:10–11] The Second Quarter…Maktesh: sections of Jerusalem (cf. 2 Kgs 22:14).

* [1:12] Settle like dregs in wine: those who are overconfident because, like the sediment that settles to the bottom of a bottle of wine, they have remained at peace and undisturbed for a long time.

* [2:1–3] This oracle is a classic description of the day of the Lord as an overwhelming disaster, concluding with a call for repentance and reform. Nation without shame: Judah.

* [2:4] Gaza…Ashkelon…Ashdod…Ekron: cities of the Philistine confederation.

* [2:5] Cherethites: a synonym for, or subgroup of, the Philistines, which may be associated with Crete, a part of the larger Aegean area from which the Philistines came.

* [2:8] Moab…Ammonites: Judah’s neighbors to the East across the Jordan.

* [2:12] Cushites: the Ethiopians, who had ruled Egypt a generation before Zephaniah’s career.

* [2:15] The exultant city: Nineveh. Hiss, and shake their fists: gestures of derision.

* [3:1] The tyrannical city: Jerusalem.

a. [1:3] Hos 4:3.

b. [1:5] Jer 8:2; 2 Kgs 23:13.

c. [1:7] Is 34:6; Am 5:18.

d. [1:13] Am 5:11.

e. [1:15] Is 13:9; Jl 2:1–2.

f. [1:16] Am 2:2.

g. [1:18] Zep 3:8; Jer 4:26–27.

a. [2:3] Am 5:14–15.

b. [2:4] Jer 47:5; Am 1:6–8.

c. [2:8] Jer 48:1; 49:1.

d. [2:12] 2 Chr 14:7–14.

e. [2:13] Na 3:7.

f. [2:14] Is 34:11.

a. [3:2] Jer 2:30; 7:28.

b. [3:3] Ez 22:27; Mi 3:11.

c. [3:4] Ez 22:26; Hb 1:4.

d. [3:6] Jer 2:15.

e. [3:8] Zep 1:18; Jl 4:2.

f. [3:12] Is 57:13; Ob 17.

g. [3:13] Mi 4:4.

h. [3:14] Zec 9:9.

i. [3:17] Jl 2:27.

j. [3:19] Mi 4:6.

k. [3:20] Jl 4:1.

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Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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