Zephaniah Chapter 2 צְפַנְיָה

The prophets of Israel do not speak what they want to see happen to their people but what is just and established by God unto the redemption of their people. There is great mercy in the warning of coming wrath. An unjust God would not warn or give opportunity for repentance and atonement.

Review:

• The prophet’s name means “Hidden in/by YHVH (God)”
• Zephaniah is of royal blood
• He prophecies during the early part of King Josiah’s reign
• He prophecies the imminent wrath of God upon Judah and the nations surrounding her and on those pagans living within her midst
• God begins His discipline with Judah/Israel and then extends it to the nations
• As we look to the conclusion of this prophetic work God begins His redemption, restoration and blessing with Judah/Israel and then extends it to the nations

 
Introduction:
The previous chapter (although there are no chapters and verses in the scroll itself) concludes with a specific indictment against the land of Israel/Judah, and a reminder that worldly wealth cannot save the wicked. This sets up the first verse of chapter two as a sober warning for self-reflection. The verses that follow offer a practical solution for the repentant among Judah. An opportunity to receive mercy even as the coming wrath is casting a shadow on the land of Israel.
 
Zephaniah Chapter 2:

הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁ֖וּ וָק֑וֹשּׁוּ הַגּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א נִכְסָֽף׃ 1
 
1 Gather together, gather (assemble yourselves) like collected straw, dry wood (kindling), a nation not longed for (alt. a nation not desiring).
 
“Gather, gather” is not just any call to assemble. The repeated Hebrew kashash קשש denotes the intense, diligent gathering of straw and dry wood, to be purposed as kindling for starting a fire.
 
The gathering begins with Judah, a challenge to soberly assess herself before the fire of judgement consumes her on its way to consuming the idolatrous nations around her.
 
The Talmud Bavliy rightly understands this opening verse to be a challenge to Judah to consider her own sin before accusing the pagan nations around her of sin.
 
Judah is to gather sticks and kindling for her own judgement fire before kindling is gathered for the judgement of her enemies, the idolatrous foreigners both within and without.
 
“The Gemara asks: But why did he tell the man to return the next day? Let him say to him: Go cut down your tree, and then I will cut mine down. The Gemara answers: Because of the statement of Reish Lakish, who said: The verse states: “Gather yourselves together and gather [hitkosheshu vakoshu]” (Zephaniah 2:1), and this can be explained homiletically to mean: Adorn [keshot] yourself and afterward adorn others, i.e., act properly before requiring others to do so.”
 
-Bava Batra 60b:3
 
Yeshua teaches this very principle long before the Talmud Bavliy was codified (the earliest date of codification of certain parts of Talmudic literature being the 4th century C.E.):
 
“1 Don’t condemn, so that you won’t be condemned. 2 For the condemnation you use, will be turned on you: and with the measure of punishment you dish out, it will be measured to you. 3 And why do you criticize and point out the stick that is in your sibling's eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? 4 for example, how do you pretend to have the chutzpah to say to your sibling, ‘Let me pull out the stick from your eye;’ and yet, behold, there is a beam in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first cast the beam out of your own eye; and then you will be able to see clearly to cast out the stick from your brother's eye.”
 
-Matisyahu (Matthew) 7:1-5 [Author’s translation]
 
The first 3 verses of chapter 2 continue to warn Judah of the coming wrath, and provide opportunity for the remnant among her to repent and walk rightly before God prior to the manifestation of that wrath.
 
The phrase, “A nation not longed for,” can also be translated “A nation not desiring,” and leads to at least two possible interpretations:
 
1.     Judah/Israel is called an “undesirable nation” meaning that she has prostituted herself and become a stench in the nostrils of her Husband YHVH.
 
2.     Alternatively, some sage voices read it to mean that Judah has not desired the Word of the LORD, His Torah.
 
The Targum reads:
 
“Gather together, and come, and draw near, this people who desire not to return to
the Torah.”
 
-Targum Yonatan on Zephaniah 2:1
 
The former chapter alluded to the flames that would search out the dark corners of the city of Jerusalem exposing sin and conflating to cleanse the city in fiery judgement. Now the judgement that has begun with Judah will be extended toward the pagan peoples living among them and in the lands surrounding the land of Israel. They are being gathered like kindling for a fire. The gathering process being a merciful opportunity for sober self-reflection and repentance.
 
2 בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ לֶ֣דֶת חֹ֔ק כְּמֹ֖ץ עָ֣בַר י֑וֹם בְּטֶ֣רֶם׀ לֹא־יָב֣וֹא עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם חֲרוֹן֙ אַף־יְהוָ֔ה בְּטֶ֙רֶם֙ לֹא־יָב֣וֹא עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם י֖וֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃
 
2 Before the decree is born, like chaff the day passes, before the fierce nostril snorting anger of YHVH the Lord (Mercy) comes upon you (plural), beforehand, ask is it not coming upon you (plural)? The day of YHVH the Lord’s nostril flaring anger!
 
The Day of the LORD is coming upon all the people inhabiting the land of Israel, in particular, the land of Judah. It is firmly established even before the prophetic word is spoken.
 
The Hebrew describes the anger of God as nostril flaring fury. How often we neglect this aspect of the expression of God’s Person due to our escapist delusions concerning Who God is.
 
The wicked, are chaff that blow away in the wind and like the passing day, will suffer God’s fierce wrath.
 
“The wicked will not prosper: but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.”
 
-Tehillim (Psalms) 1:4
 
We note that this is a warning. “Before,” is a word of mercy. This judgement is firmly established but before it comes swiftly about God affords the potentially repentant an opportunity to turn to Him.
 
The prophets of Israel do not speak what they want to see happen to their people but what is just and established by God unto the redemption of their people. There is great mercy in the warning of coming wrath. An unjust God would not warn or give opportunity for repentance and atonement.
 
3 בַּקְּשׁ֤וּ אֶת־יְהוָה֙ כָּל־עַנְוֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ פָּעָ֑לוּ בַּקְּשׁוּ־צֶ֙דֶק֙ בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ עֲנָוָ֔ה אוּלַי֙ תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּ בְּי֖וֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃
 
3 Seek, desire YHVH the Lord, specifically, all you humbly vulnerable of the land HaAretz (of Israel), who have practised His justice. Seek, desire righteousness, seek, desire humble vulnerability. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of YHVH the Lord’s nostril flaring anger.
 
Notice the repetition of the Hebrew bakash בקש (seek, desire), it’s the counterpoint to the wilful trifold rejection of God recorded in 1:6. Here, the threefold seeking (בקש) indicates a remnant of repentant and devoted worshippers of YHVH.
 
We note that this is being spoken to the people of the land of Israel (הָאָרֶץ HaAretz), in particular, at this time, Judah.
 
This warning is being repeated prior to the destruction that is to come, so that both mercy and judgement are established according to the manifest attributes of God.
 
“Ask - If you have practiced justice until now, ask for it and add humility before that day comes. Ask, do not seek help from the Philistines.”
 
-Iben Ezra on Zephaniah 2:3
 
Iben Ezra uses this verse as an admonition, challenging Judah to look to YHVH rather than seeking help from pagan nations and their false deities.
 
“Perhaps you will hide on that day of wrath, and the Lord will pour out His wrath on the rest of the nations. Now, if so, he did not say, ‘Perhaps you will hide to satisfy Him with the benefit of repentance,’ but rather to say that perhaps they will hide and the evil will not pass over them, or perhaps it will pass over easily…”
 
-Abarbanel on Zephaniah 2:3
 
Like the prophet for whom the scroll is named, God will hide away the repentant righteous remnant, keeping them safely in the palm of His closed hand while the fire of judgement passes by.
 
4 כִּ֤י עַזָּה֙ עֲזוּבָ֣ה תִֽהְיֶ֔ה וְאַשְׁקְל֖וֹן לִשְׁמָמָ֑ה אַשְׁדּ֗וֹד בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙ יְגָ֣רְשׁ֔וּהָ וְעֶקְר֖וֹן תֵּעָקֵֽר׃
 
4 For Gaza (the strong) will be forsaken, and Ashkelon (fire resulting from being weighed on the scales of justice) made desolate; Ashdod (violent power) will be driven out at noon, and Ekron (pluck up) shall be uprooted.
 
The judgement against Judah’s close neighbors is prophesied in the meaning of their names, which reflect their wicked actions.
 
In Hebrew the alliteration and meanings give the rhythm of the text a weighty poetic sense.
 
“Ki Azah azuvah” (כִּ֤י עַזָּה֙ עֲזוּבָ֣ה) uses the Hebrew noun Azah (Gaza) meaning strong followed by the similar sounding Hebrew azuvah meaning left, abandoned, forsaken.
 
“Ve’Ashkelon lishmamah” (וְאַשְׁקְל֖וֹן לִשְׁמָמָ֑ה) alliterates the noun Ashkelon (fire from weighing) with lishmamah (desolation).
 
“Ve’ekron teiaker” (וְעֶקְר֖וֹן תֵּעָקֵֽר) follows the driving out of Ashdod (violent power) [אַשְׁדּ֗וֹדבַּֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙ יְגָ֣רְשׁ֔וּהָ] with a repetition of plucking up (weeding) in the wordplay between the noun Ekron and the Hebrew word from which it is derived עקר akar.
 
Concerning the phrase “Gaza (the strong) will be forsaken” Rashi indicates that this will happen if Judah obeys the instruction to examine herself (v.1). Likewise, he says that all the nearby enemies of Judah will face like punishment.
 
“For, if you will do so, [as in verse 1,] I will visit retribution upon your evil neighbors; Philistia, Ammon, and Moab. The prophet proceeds to mention them [the neighbors] in [geographical] order.”
 
-Rashi on Zephaniah 2:4
 
Rashi goes on to explain that the driving out of Ashdod at noon relates to the fact that she was a city of sheep herders and that at noon (the heat of the day) sheep are difficult to move, thus the invasion of the Babylonians will cause great distress over livelihood as well as loss of life.
 
“[Ashdod] was a place to pasture sheep, and it is hard for the sheep to go out at noontime; so Scripture says (Song 1:7): ‘How do you make them lie down at noon?’”
 
-Rashi on Zephaniah 2:4b
 
5 ה֗וֹי יֹֽשְׁבֵ֛י חֶ֥בֶל הַיָּ֖ם גּ֣וֹי כְּרֵתִ֑ים דְּבַר־יְהוָ֣ה עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם כְּנַ֙עַן֙ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְהַאֲבַדְתִּ֖יךְ מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃
 
5 Hoiy (wow, oiy, ho) inhabitants of the coast of the sea (Mediterranean), a nation, the Kereitiym (cutters/killers)! The Word of YHVH the Lord is against you, Canaan (lowland), land of the Pelishtiym (Philistines: invaders, immigrants, usurpers) “I will destroy you; from you there will be none to sit (inhabit) on the land.”
 
The prophet Ezekiel also prophecies the destruction of the Pelishtiym and Kereitiym:
 
“Therefore thus says the Adonay YHVH the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out My hand upon the Pelishtiym, and I will cut off the Kereitiym, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.”
 
-Yechezkiel (Ezekiel) 25:16
 
“The Word of the LORD is against you” can be read, “Yeshua is against you.” (John 1)
 
It’s interesting to note that while the Philistines of this period were long ago entirely wiped out, leaving no modern equivalent people (an ethnicity that ceased prior to the first century C.E), the Hebrew name Pelishtiym nonetheless means invader/immigrant, thus imposing a present indictment against the modern day “Palestinian” lie promoting Arab indigeneity in connection to the land of Israel.
 
6 וְֽהָיְתָ֞ה חֶ֣בֶל הַיָּ֗ם נְות כְּרֹ֥ת רֹעִ֖ים וְגִדְר֥וֹת צֹֽאן׃


6 The coast of the sea (Mediterranean) will become pasturelands, with shelters for shepherds and folds for flocks.
 
The coastal land, once inhabited by wicked pagan peoples known for their acts of murder and invasion, will be transformed into lands populated with sheep and shepherds, farmers living in peace.
 
“breakfast nooks for shepherds a temporary dwelling where the shepherds eat bread in the morning. כְּרֹת kerot is an expression related to (II Kings 6:23) ‘He prepared for them a lavish feast.’”
 
-Rashi on Zephaniah 2:6
 
7 וְהָ֣יָה חֶ֗בֶל לִשְׁאֵרִ֛ית בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָ֖ה עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם יִרְע֑וּן בְּבָתֵּ֣י אַשְׁקְל֗וֹן בָּעֶ֙רֶב֙ יִרְבָּצ֔וּן כִּ֧י יִפְקְדֵ֛ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם וְשָׁ֥ב ׳שְׁבוּתָם׳ ״שְׁבִיתָֽם׃״
 
7 It will come to pass that the coast (Mediterranean) will be for the remnant in the house of Judah; upon them (the coastal pastures) they will feed; In the houses of Ashkelon (fire from weighing) they will lie down in the evening. For YHVH the Lord their Elohim God/Judge will attend to them, and return their captives.
 
The Babylonians would make this area desolate for a time, however, Jews returned from Babylonian exile and repopulated this coastal land. This happened during the days of the Maccabees when Jews rebuilt the cities deserted by the Pelishtiym.
 
There is a correlation to be made here between this ancient prophecy and the return of Israeli captives in recent years.
 
The prophet is pointing to the ultimate outcome of the Day of the LORD, that of redemption, restoration through atonement and victory over the enemies of God and of Israel/Judah.
 
The last sentence, “For the Lord their God will attend to them, and return their captives,” finds its ultimate fulfilment in the Person of Yeshua the King Messiah, both during His first coming and at His return. The Father and the Son will be the present manifest Light of the New Jerusalem, and that Light will illuminate the entire new creation.
 
8 שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ חֶרְפַּ֣ת מוֹאָ֔ב וְגִדּוּפֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן אֲשֶׁ֤ר חֵֽרְפוּ֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וַיַּגְדִּ֖ילוּ עַל־גְּבוּלָֽם׃
 
8 “I have heard the scorn of Moab (from his father), and the taunting insults of the people of Amon (tribes), with which they have insulted My people (Amiy), making arrogant threats against their borders.
 
Wordplay is again used for emphasis. The tribes Amon (Israel’s enemies) are called out for their mockery of the Tribe (Judah/Israel) who belong to God as Amiy, My tribe (and in whom Zephaniah finds his lineage). Make no mistake, YHVH is Creator of all things, and He is the Tribal God of Israel, distinct from all other gods (though they are no gods at all).
 
The God of Israel detests the taunts and insults levelled against His chosen people. This taunting harkens back to when Israel was journeying from the Exodus toward the promised land under the leadership of Joshua. (Joshua 24:2)
 
“Who taunted My people When [the people of] Israel were being led into exile toward the land of the Chaldeans, and they were passing through Ammon and Moab, and they would see Israel weeping, sighing, and crying out, they would taunt them and say, “Why are you suffering? Aren’t you going to your father’s house? Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river from earliest times.” (Josh. 24:2)”
 
-Rashi on Zephaniah 2:8
 
Yeshua the King Messiah reaffirms the fierce love of God for the ethnic, religious, chosen people of Israel saying, “I have come only for the lost sheep of Israel,” and, “It’s not right to give the children’s (Israel’s) food to their little dogs (defeated enemies)!”
 
9 לָכֵ֣ן חַי־אָ֡נִי נְאֻם֩ יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כִּֽי־מוֹאָ֞ב כִּסְדֹ֤ם תִּֽהְיֶה֙ וּבְנֵ֤י עַמּוֹן֙ כַּֽעֲמֹרָ֔ה מִמְשַׁ֥ק חָר֛וּל וּמִכְרֵה־מֶ֥לַח וּשְׁמָמָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם שְׁאֵרִ֤ית עַמִּי֙ יְבָזּ֔וּם וְיֶ֥תֶר ׳גּוֹי׳ ״גּוֹיִ֖י״ יִנְחָלֽוּם׃
 
9 Therefore, as I live,” says YHVH the Lord Who goes warring (of hosts), HaElohim the God/Judge of Israel, “Certainly Moab (from his father) will be as Sodom (burning), and the people of Amon (tribes) like Gomorrah (submersion)—giving birth to and overrun by nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remainder of My people will plunder them, and the remnant of My people will possess them.”
 
There is indescribable terror and immutable security in the phrase “As I live says YHVH!” Immutable security for those who belong to Him and indescribable terror for those who wilfully and continually rebel against Him.
 
Moab and Amon are the descendants of Lot through his daughters. They are peoples who from birth were steeped in incestuous sin. They became generational enemies of Jacob/Israel and are singled out here for that, among other reasons. (ref. Genesis 19:30-38)
 
Ultimately these wicked peoples will be removed and the remnant of Israel/Judah will inhabit their land. This is prophetic of the days of Messiah according to the Jewish sage Kimchi.
 
10 זֹ֥את לָהֶ֖ם תַּ֣חַת גְּאוֹנָ֑ם כִּ֤י חֵֽרְפוּ֙ וַיַּגְדִּ֔לוּ עַל־עַ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
 
10 This they will have beneath their pride (an underlying desolation), because they have insulted and made arrogant threats against the people (Judah/Israel) of YHVH the Lord Who goes warring (of hosts).
 
Beneath their pride and taunting, lies the desolation and horror established as a foundation for the coming judgement against them.
 
“6 We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is exceedingly proud: of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: his lies will not be so. 7 Therefore, Moab will howl for Moab, every one will howl: for the foundations of Kir-chareset (a capital of Moab) you will mourn; surely they are struck down.”
 
-Isaiah 16:1-7
 
“And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against YHVH the LORD.”
 
-Jeremiah 48:42
 
11 נוֹרָ֤א יְהוָה֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כִּ֣י רָזָ֔ה אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִמְּקוֹמ֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל אִיֵּ֥י הַגּוֹיִֽם׃
 
11 YHVH The Lord is dreadful, terrifying to them, for He will starve to nothing all the gods of the land (of Israel: the gods of the pagan residents that have been syncretised into Judah’s religious practice); every man (one) will worship Him, from his place, all the islands of the nations (idolaters).
 
False gods, being the progeny of fallen human imagination and demonic influence, can be starved to death. Ultimately, a god who can be killed is no god at all.
 
We note that the result of the fear of the LORD will be the destruction of the gods of the nations and the repentance of many among the nations who will worship from every Island, from wherever they may be. In short, the outcome is redemption for all who humble themselves before the LORD. The Targum agrees:
 
“the fear of the Lord is to redeem them;”
 
-Targum Yonatan on Zephaniah 2:11
 
12 גַּם־אַתֶּ֣ם כּוּשִׁ֔ים חַֽלְלֵ֥י חַרְבִּ֖י הֵֽמָּה׃
 
12 “You Cushiym (blackness), you will also be slain by My sword.”
 
Those ancient Cushiym who had at times come out against Israel and sought to usurp the inheritance of God’s people were also being charged with capital crimes against Judah. The Christian commentator John Gill notes that these Cushiym were not Ethiopians from Africa but rather the inhabitants of Arabia Chusea, or that Ethiopia which bordered Moab and Ammon, who distressed the Jewish people from time to time (ref. 2 Chronicles 14:9)
 
13 וְיֵ֤ט יָדוֹ֙ עַל־צָפ֔וֹן וִֽיאַבֵּ֖ד אֶת־אַשּׁ֑וּר וְיָשֵׂ֤ם אֶת־נִֽינְוֵה֙ לִשְׁמָמָ֔ה צִיָּ֖ה כַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
 
13 And He will stretch out His hand against the north, and destroy Assyria (a step), and make Nineveh (capital of Assyria) a desolation, dry like a wilderness.
 
The Hebrew מִּדְבָּֽר midbar (desert/wilderness) is a blended word made up of the Hebrew meaning from and word/essence/thing. The dry desolation that results for Nineveh is from the Word Himself.
 
The events concerning Nineveh recorded in the work of the eight century prophet Jonah had occurred approximately 100 years earlier (Jonah 786-746 B.C.E). It seems that the repentance of the people of Nineveh lasted less than three generations. In fact, given how established Nineveh’s wickedness is at this time (approx.. 635 B.C.E), and given the actions of Assyria against the northern tribes, it’s clear that Nineveh’s repentance didn’t last more than a single generation.
 
Nineveh was destroyed in 612 B.C.E. Therefore, given that Zephaniah is probably prophesying early in Josiah’s reign (approx.. 635 B.C.E), the destruction being prophesied here is only 23 years away from coming to fruition.
 
At the end of the scroll of Jonah the prophet Jonah waits on the vengeance of the LORD. Jonah is rebuked and left waiting. Jonah gives no response having been rebuked, and the scroll ends without really ending. Jonah waits…
 
Jonah longs for the redemption of Israel and the ultimate defeat of Israel’s enemies, Assyria (Nineveh) among them. So he awaits the Day of the LORD. What Jonah looked forward to is prophesied by Zephaniah as being close at hand. In addition, the outcome of the prophecy is the redemption of Judah and blessing upon all nations.
 
14 וְרָבְצ֨וּ בְתוֹכָ֤הּ עֲדָרִים֙ כָּל־חַיְתוֹ־ג֔וֹי גַּם־קָאַת֙ גַּם־קִפֹּ֔ד בְּכַפְתֹּרֶ֖יהָ יָלִ֑ינוּ ק֠וֹל יְשׁוֹרֵ֤ר בַּֽחַלּוֹן֙ חֹ֣רֶב בַּסַּ֔ף כִּ֥י אַרְזָ֖ה עֵרָֽה׃
 
14 The flocks will lie down in the midst, all the beasts of a nation. Both the pelican and the bittern will nest on the lintels of her pillars; a voice will sing in the windows; Desolation, dryness, drought will be at the threshold; For He will uncover the cedar work.
 
Where the first chapter detailed the destruction measured out against human and animal alike, this verse speaks of that time in the aftermath when birds will return and nest and feed among the dry remnants of the destroyed city of Nineveh.
 
The Assyrians had thought themselves indestructible as they invaded the north and sought to control the south. They will receive their just reward as victims of God’s wrath at the hands of the Babylonians.
 
The threshold once defiled by witchcraft (1:9) will be stripped of all that soiled it.
 
15 זֹ֠֞את הָעִ֤יר הָעַלִּיזָה֙ הַיּוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת לָבֶ֔טַח הָאֹֽמְרָה֙ בִּלְבָבָ֔הּ אֲנִ֖י וְאַפְסִ֣י ע֑וֹד אֵ֣יךְ׀ הָיְתָ֣ה לְשַׁמָּ֗ה מַרְבֵּץ֙ לַֽחַיָּ֔ה כֹּ֚ל עוֹבֵ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ יִשְׁרֹ֖ק יָנִ֥יעַ יָדֽוֹ׃
 
15 This the city of the exultation that dwelt securely, saying in her heart, “I am, and there is none besides me.” How has she become a horrifying waste, a place where beasts lie down! Each one who passes by her shall whistle, hiss and shake his fist.
 
It seems Zephaniah views Nineveh with the same disdain that Jonah viewed her, and for good reason.
 
As alluded to earlier, Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, is not more than three generations (100 years) away from her former repentance. Within that short period of time she has re-established her pagan pride of place and is in fact (albeit collectively) calling herself “God,” saying “I am, and there is none besides me!” This is a brazen appropriation of the words of the God of Israel (Isaiah 45:5-6, 18, 21). It’s possible that the Assyrian capital adopted this blasphemous phrase from reading the works of the eight century prophet Isaiah, having obtained a copy during their invasion of northern Israel.
 
Babylon is indicted by the prophet Isaiah in a similar way to the present indictment against Assyria (Isa. 47:10).
 
Jonah’s consternation saw foreword to the destruction of Nineveh some hundred years later. As I have previously stated, the book of Jonah has no ending. Jonah is rebuked by HaShem while awaiting the redemption of his people Israel. The prophecy of Zephaniah concludes with an affirmation of what Jonah hoped for. The redemption of Judah and all Israel.
 
The next chapter begins by addressing “her that is filthy… the oppressing city.” Therefore, the city being addressed there cannot be Nineveh, which has been indicted to destruction and subsequently unable to oppress others. Thus, the next chapter begins by addressing Jerusalem.
 
Copyright 2026 Yaakov (Brown) Ben Yehoshua