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Zephaniah 1

Zeph 1, Zep 1, Zp 1


Zephaniah 1

1 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.

2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.

3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, 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.

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;

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;

6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.

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 sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.

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.

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.



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.

11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.

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.

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.

14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

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,

16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

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.

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Summary and the Meaning of Chapter 1 of the Book of Zephaniah in the KJV Holy Bible

Chapter 1 of the Book of Zephaniah in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is a profound testament to the divine judgment and wrath of God. The chapter is a prophetic message that unveils the cataclysmic destruction that awaits the unrepentant people of Judah and Jerusalem, and by extension, the entire world. It is a stark reminder of God's sovereignty and the unavoidable consequences of disobedience and idolatry. The chapter is imbued with themes of divine judgment, idolatry, complacency, and the Day of the Lord.

Divine Judgment and the Day of the Lord

The chapter begins with a chilling declaration of the impending judgment of God. The prophet Zephaniah, whose name means "the Lord has hidden", delivers a message of divine judgment that is both sweeping and total. He declares, "I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD" (Zephaniah 1:2). The vision of judgment is not limited to human beings alone; it extends to animals, birds, and fish. This comprehensive judgment underscores the magnitude of God's wrath against sin and disobedience.

The Day of the Lord, a central theme in this chapter, is portrayed as a day of wrath, distress, wasteness, desolation, darkness, and gloominess. It is a day of trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities and high towers (Zephaniah 1:15-16). The Day of the Lord is not a day of salvation and blessing, as some might expect, but a day of divine judgment and retribution. This portrayal is intended to shatter any false sense of security and complacency among the people and to prompt them to repentance.

Idolatry and Apostasy

The chapter also highlights the grave sin of idolatry, which was rampant among the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Zephaniah prophesies that God will cut off the names of the idolatrous priests and those who worship the host of heaven upon the housetops (Zephaniah 1:4-5). This prophecy is a stern indictment against the religious apostasy of the people. The worship of Baal, the Canaanite storm god, and the worship of the celestial bodies were direct violations of the first two commandments of the Decalogue, which prohibit the worship of other gods and the making of graven images (Exodus 20:3-4).

The people's apostasy is further evidenced by their syncretistic worship practices. They swear by the Lord and by Malcham, a pagan god, thereby attempting to combine the worship of Yahweh with pagan worship. This syncretism is a blatant disregard for the holiness of God and the exclusivity of His worship. It is a clear violation of the commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3).

Complacency and the Call to Repentance

Complacency is another major theme in this chapter. Zephaniah condemns those who are settled in their complacency, who say in their hearts, "The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil" (Zephaniah 1:12). This complacency is a form of practical atheism, where people live as though God is irrelevant or non-existent. Such complacency results in moral and spiritual decay, and it is a direct affront to the sovereignty and providence of God.

But even in the midst of the dire prophecies of judgment, there is a glimmer of hope. The chapter concludes with a call to repentance: "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand" (Zephaniah 1:7). This call to silence is a call to humble submission and repentance before the Lord. It is a reminder that even in the face of divine judgment, there is an opportunity for repentance and restoration.

Conclusion: The Significance of Zephaniah 1

In conclusion, Chapter 1 of the Book of Zephaniah is a powerful exposition of the divine judgment that awaits the unrepentant. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin, disobedience, idolatry, and complacency. The themes of divine judgment, the Day of the Lord, idolatry, and complacency are interwoven to create a tapestry of prophetic warning and admonition. Yet, in the midst of the dire prophecies, there is a ray of hope in the call to repentance.

This chapter has profound implications for contemporary readers. It underscores the gravity of sin and the certainty of divine judgment. It challenges complacency and calls for humble submission and repentance. It reminds us of the sovereignty of God and the urgency of living in obedience to His commands. In a world that is often characterized by religious syncretism and moral relativism, the message of Zephaniah 1 is a timely and relevant call to faithfulness and obedience to God.



This article is informed by the King James Version of the Holy Bible, the authors' personal knowledge, considerations and experience, and additional materials and resources available in internet.

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