Zephaniah

Zephaniah, prophet in the Bible

Zephaniah (zĕf'ənī`ə), in the Bible.

1 Prophet, author of the book of Zephaniah.

2 Father of Hen.

3 Father of Josiah (2.)

4 Singer.

5 Important priest at the time of the Captivity.

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Zephaniah, book of the Bible

Zephaniah (zĕf'ənī`ə), prophetic book of the Bible. The prophet, who lived in the reign (c.640–609 B.C.) of King Josiah of Judah, traces his genealogy to King Hezekiah. Zephaniah denounces Judah for idolatry, luxury, and for presuming on God's protection. The Day of the Lord, the prophet announces, will bring doom on Judah's people and on the nations. However, the book ends with a prediction of salvation and the return from captivity of a remnant of Israel. One oracle in chapter 3, a picture of restored Jerusalem, is almost certainly a post-exilic addition.

Bibliography

See studies by D. Baker (1988), O. P. Robertson (1990), and J. J. M. Roberts (1990).

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Zephaniah

(flourished 7th century BC) One of the 12 Minor Prophets of the Hebrew scriptures, traditional author of the book of Zephaniah. (The work is part of a larger book, The Twelve, in the Jewish canon.) He prophesied in the reign of Josiah, denouncing the worship of foreign gods, which suggests that he preached before the reforms instituted by Josiah. His dominant theme is the coming “day of the Lord,” a time of divine judgment for Judah's sins.

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Zephaniah¹ Old Testament

1. a Hebrew prophet of the late 7th century bc

2. the book containing his oracles, which are chiefly concerned with the approaching judgment by God upon the sinners of Judah

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Zephaniah²

Benjamin. born 1958, British poet, writer, and activist, born in Jamaica. His poetry collections include The Dread Affair (1985) and Too Black, Too Strong (2001)