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New Revised Standard

Zephaniah 1:1

The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Amariah;   Amon;   Cushi;   Gedaliah;   Hizkiah;   Zephaniah;   Thompson Chain Reference - Leaders;   Prophets;   Religious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gedaliah;   Josiah;   Zephaniah;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Amariah;   Cushite;   Gedaliah;   Hizkiah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Amariah;   Cushi;   Gedaliah;   Habakkuk;   Hezekiah;   Hizkiah;   Zephaniah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amariah;   Cushi;   Gedaliah;   Hizkiah;   Zephaniah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Amariah;   Cushi, Cushite;   Gedaliah;   Hezekiah;   Zephaniah (1);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Amariah ;   Amon ;   Cushi ;   Gedaliah ;   Hizkiah ;   Zephaniah ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Amari'ah;   Hezeki'ah;   Hizki'ah;   Zephani'ah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amariah;   Cushi;   Ethiopia;   Gedaliah;   Hezekiah (1);   Hizkiah;   Zephaniah, Book of;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Amariah;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Zephaniah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.
Hebrew Names Version
The word of the LORD which came to Tzefanyah, the son of Kushi, the son of Gedalyahu, the son of Amaryah, the son of Hizkiyahu, in the days of Yoshiyahu, the son of Amon, king of Yehudah.
King James Version (1611)
The worde of the Lord which came vnto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the sonne of Amariah, the sonne of Hizkiah, in the dayes of Iosiah, the sonne of Amon king of Iudah.
King James Version
The word 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.
English Standard Version
The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
New American Standard Bible
The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:
New Century Version
This is the word of the Lord that came through Zephaniah while Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, who was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Hezekiah.
Amplified Bible
The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah:
Geneva Bible (1587)
The word of the Lord, which came vnto Zephaniah ye sonne of Cushi, the sonne of Gedaliah, the sonne of Amariah, the sonne of Hizkiah, in the dayes of Iosiah, the sonne of Amon King of Iudah.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:
Legacy Standard Bible
The word of Yahweh which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:
Berean Standard Bible
This is the word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:
Contemporary English Version
I am Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, the great-grandson of Amariah, and the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah. When Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah, the Lord gave me this message.
Complete Jewish Bible
This is the word of Adonai that came to Tz'fanyah the son of Kushi, the son of G'dalyah, the son of Amaryah, the son of Hizkiyah, during the reign of Yoshiyahu the son of Amon, king of Y'hudah:
Darby Translation
The word of Jehovah that came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Easy-to-Read Version
This is the message that the Lord gave to Zephaniah. He received this message during the time that Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, who was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Hezekiah.
George Lamsa Translation
THE word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Helakiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Good News Translation
This is the message that the Lord gave to Zephaniah during the time that Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. (Zephaniah was descended from King Hezekiah through Amariah, Gedaliah, and Cushi.)
Lexham English Bible
The word of Yahweh that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.
Literal Translation
The Word of Jehovah which was to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah:
American Standard Version
The word of Jehovah which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Bible in Basic English
The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The worde of the Lord which came vnto Sophoni the sonne of Chusi, the sonne of Gedaliah, the sonne of Amariah, the sonne of Hezekiah in the time of Iosia the sonne of Amon king of Iuda.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The word of the Lord which came to Sophonias the son of Chusi, the son of Godolias, the son of Amorias, the son of Ezekias, in the days of Josias son of Amon, king of Juda.
English Revised Version
The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
World English Bible
The word of Yahweh which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The word of the Lord, that was maad to Sofonye, sone of Chusi, sone of Godolie, sone of Amasie, sone of Ezechie, in the daies of Josie, the sone of Amon, king of Juda.
Update Bible Version
The word of Yahweh which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Webster's Bible Translation
The word of the LORD which came to 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.
New English Translation
This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah:
New King James Version
Amos 5:18-20">[xr] The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
New Living Translation
The Lord gave this message to Zephaniah when Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah.
New Life Bible
This is the Word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Godaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The word of Yahweh which came unto Zephaniah, son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, - in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The word of the Lord that came to Sophonias the son of Chusi, the son of Godolias, the son of Amarias, the son of Ezechias, in the days of Josias, the son of Amon king of Juda.
Revised Standard Version
The word of the LORD which came to Zephani'ah the son of Cushi, son of Gedali'ah, son of Amari'ah, son of Hezeki'ah, in the days of Josi'ah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Young's Literal Translation
A word of Jehovah that hath been unto Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezikiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amoz, king of Judah:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This is the worde of the LORDE, which came vnto Sophony the sonne of Chusi, the sonne of Gedolias, the sonne of Amarias ye sonne of Hezechias: in the tyme of Iosias the sonne of Amon kinge of Iuda.
THE MESSAGE
God 's Message to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. It came during the reign of Josiah son of Amon, who was king of Judah:

Contextual Overview

1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah. 2 I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth, says the Lord . 3 I will sweep away humans and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. I will make the wicked stumble. I will cut off humanity from the face of the earth, says the Lord . 4 I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests; 5 those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens; those who bow down and swear to the Lord , but also swear by Milcom; 6 those who have turned back from following the Lord , who have not sought the Lord or inquired of him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

word: Ezekiel 1:3, Hosea 1:1, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:19

in the days: 2 Kings 22:1 - 2 Kings 23:37, 2 Chronicles 34:1 - 2 Chronicles 35:27, Jeremiah 1:2, Jeremiah 25:3

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 9:26 - Egypt Jeremiah 36:14 - Cushi Luke 3:2 - the word

Cross-References

Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:5
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Genesis 1:11
Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so.
Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:16
God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.
Genesis 1:17
God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth,
Genesis 1:19
And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
Genesis 1:20
And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky."
Genesis 1:22
God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
Genesis 1:30
And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi,.... This is the title of the book, which expresses the subject matter of it, the word of the Lord; the word of prophecy from the Lord, as the Targum; and shows the divine authority of it; that it was not of himself, nor from any man, but was of God; as well as describes the penman of it by his descent: who or what this his father was; whether a prophet, according to the rule the Jews give, that, when the name of a prophet and his father's name are mentioned, he is a prophet, the son of a prophet; or, whether a prince, a person of some great family, and even of the blood royal, as some have thought, is not certain; or who those after mentioned:

the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah; which last name, consisting of the same letters with Hezekiah, king of Judah, some have thought, as Aben Ezra, that he is intended; and that Zephaniah was a great-grandson of his; and which some think is confirmed by his style and diction, and by the freedom he used with the king's family, Zephaniah 1:8 but it is objected, that, if so it was, Hizkiah, or Hezekiah, would have been called king of Judah; that it does not appear that Hezekiah had any other son besides Manasseh; and that there was not a sufficient distance of time from Hezekiah for four descents; and that, in fact, there were but three generations from him to Josiah, in whose days Zephaniah prophesied, as follows; though it is very probable that these progenitors of the prophet were men of note and character, and therefore mentioned, as well as to distinguish him from others of the same name, who lived

in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah: not Amos, as the Arabic version: Amon and Manasseh, who reigned between Hezekiah and Josiah, were both wicked princes, and introduced idolatrous worship among the Jews; which Josiah in the twelfth year of his reign began to purge the people from, and endeavoured a reformation; but whether it was before or after that Zephaniah delivered out this prophecy is not certain; it may seem to be before, by the corruption of the times described in it; and so it may be thought to have some influence upon the after reformation; though it is thought by many it was after; since, had he been in this office before the finding of the book of the law, he, and not Huldah the prophetess, would have been consulted,

2 Kings 22:14 nor could the people so well have been taxed with a perversion of the law, had it not been as yet found, Zephaniah 3:4 and, besides, the reformation seems to be hinted at in this prophecy, since mention is made of the remnant of Baal, which supposes a removal of many of his images; and also notice is taken of some that apostatized after the renewal of the covenant, Zephaniah 1:4 moreover, the time of the Jews' destruction and captivity is represented as very near, Zephaniah 1:7 which began a little after the death of Josiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim; to which Dr. Lightfoot f adds, that the prophet prophesies against the king's children, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah, for their new fashions, and newfangled apparel, Zephaniah 1:8 and therefore it must be in the latter part of his reign; and, if so, it shows how a people may relapse into sin after the greatest endeavours for their good, and the best of examples set them. Mr. Whiston g and Mr. Bedford h place him in the latter part of his reign, about 611 or 612 B.C.: there were three that prophesied about this time, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Huldah the prophetess; of whom the Jewish Rabbins say, as Kimchi quotes them, Jeremiah prophesied in the streets, Zephaniah in the synagogues, and Huldah among the women.

f Works, vol. 1. p. 117. g Chronological Tables, cent. 9. h Scripture Chronology, p. 674.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah - It seems likely that more forefathers of the prophet are named than is the wont of Holy Scripture, because the last so named was some one remarkable. Nor is it impossible that Zephaniah should have been the great grandson of the King Hezekiah, for although Holy Scripture commonly names the one son only who is in the sacred line, and although there is one generation more than to Josiah, yet if each had a son early, Zephaniah might have been contemporary with Josiah. The names seem also mentioned for the sake of their meaning; at least it is remarkable how the name of God appears in most. Zephaniah, “whom the Lord hid;” Gedaliah, “whom the Lord made great;” Amariah, “whom the Lord promised;” Hezekiah, “whom the Lord strengthened.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ZEPHANIAH

Chronological Notes relative to this Book, upon the supposition that it was written in the twelfth year of the reign of Josiah, king of Judah

-Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3374.

-Year of the Julian Period, 4084.

-Year since the Flood, 1718.

-Year from the vocation of Abram, 1291.

-Year from the foundation of Solomon's temple, 382.

-Year since the division of Solomon's monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 346.

-Year since the conquest of Coroebus at Olympia, usually called the first Olympiad, 147.

-Third year of the thirty-seventh Olympiad.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to the Varronian computation, 124.

-Year of the era of Nabonassar, 118.

-Year since the destruction of the kingdom of Israel by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, 92.

-Year before the birth of Christ, 626.

-Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 630.

-Cycle of the Sun, 24.

-Cycle of the Moon, 18.

-Eighteenth year of Phraortes, king of Media. This monarch is supposed by some to have been the same with the Arphaxad of the Apocrypha.

-Eleventh year of Philip I., king of Macedon.

-Twenty-second year of Archidamus, king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Proclidae.

-Fifteenth year of Eurycrates II., king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Eurysthenidae.

-Twenty-ninth year of Cypselus, who had seized upon the government of Corinth.

-Forty-second year of Psammitichus, king of Egypt, according to Helvicus.

-Tenth year of Kiniladachus, king of Babylon, according to the same chronologer. This monarch was the immediate predecessor of Nabopolassar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar.

-Second year of Sadyattes, king of Lydia.

-Eleventh year of Ancus Martius, the fifth king of the Romans.

-Twelfth year of Josiah, king of Judah.

CHAPTER I

This chapter begins with denouncing God's judgments against

Judah and Jerusalem, 1-3.

Idolaters, and sinners of several other denominations, are then

particularly threatened; and their approaching visitation

enlarged on, by the enumeration of several circumstances which

tend greatly to heighten its terrors, 4-18.

NOTES ON CHAP. I

Verse Zephaniah 1:1. The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah — Though this prophet has given us so large a list of his ancestors, yet little concerning him is known, because we know nothing certain relative to the persons of the family whose names are here introduced. We have one chronological note which is of more value for the correct understanding of his prophecy than the other could have been, how circumstantially soever it had been delivered; viz., that he prophesied in the days of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah; and from the description which he gives of the disorders which prevailed in Judea in his time, it is evident that he must have prophesied before the reformation made by Josiah, which was in the eighteenth year of his reign. And as he predicts the destruction of Nineveh, Zephaniah 2:13, which, as Calmet remarks, could not have taken place before the sixteenth of Josiah, allowing with Berosus twenty-one years for the reign of Nabopolassar over the Chaldeans; we must, therefore, place this prophecy about the beginning of the reign of Josiah, or from B.C. 640 to B.C. 609. But see the chronological notes.


 
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