Zephaniah 1:1
New International Version
The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah 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.

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.

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:

King James 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 Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

New King James Version
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 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:

NASB 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:

NASB 1977
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:

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:

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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For the choir director: on stringed instruments. 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.

American Standard Version
The word of Jehovah which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amarah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the 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.

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is the word that the LORD spoke to Zephaniah, who was the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. The LORD spoke his word in the days of Judah's King Josiah, son of Amon.

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.)

International Standard Version
This message from the LORD came to Cushi's son Zephaniah, the grandson of Gedaliah and great-grandson of Hezekiah's son Amariah, during the reign of Amon's son Josiah, king of Judah:

Majority 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:

NET Bible
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 Heart English 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.

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.

World English Bible
Yahweh’s word 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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
A word of YHWH that has been to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezikiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amoz, 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:

Smith's Literal Translation
The word of Jehovah which was to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.
Catholic Translations
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The word of the Lord 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 the son of Amon, king of Judah.

New American 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.

New Revised Standard Version
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.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa 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 Helakiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The answer of LORD JEHOVAH that was upon Tsephania, son of Kushi, son of Gedalia, son of Amaria, the son of Khelakia, in the days of Yoshia, son of Amon, King of Judea
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Zephaniah Prophesies Judgment on Judah
1This 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: 2“I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.…

Cross References
2 Kings 22:1-2
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. / And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

2 Chronicles 34:1-2
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. / And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

Jeremiah 1:1-3
These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. / The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, / and through the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

2 Kings 23:25
Neither before nor after Josiah was there any king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, according to all the Law of Moses.

2 Chronicles 35:18
No such Passover had been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present, and the people of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 25:3-5
“From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—twenty-three years—the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. / And the LORD has sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear. / The prophets told you, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and deeds, and you can dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.

Hosea 1:1
This is the word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and of Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel.

Amos 1:1
These are the words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders of Tekoa—what he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, in the days when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.

Micah 1:1
This is the word of the LORD that came to Micah the Moreshite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem:

Isaiah 1:1
This is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Kings 21:1-2
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. / And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

2 Chronicles 33:1-2
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. / And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

Matthew 1:10
Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,

Luke 3:30-31
the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, / the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

Acts 13:21-22
Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. / After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’


Treasury of Scripture

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.

word.

Ezekiel 1:3
The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

Hosea 1:1
The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

2 Timothy 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

in the days.

2 Kings 22:1-23:37
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath…

2 Chronicles 34:1-35:27
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years…

Jeremiah 1:2
To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

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Amariah Amari'ah Amon Amoz Cushi Gedaliah Gedali'ah Hezekiah Hezeki'ah Hizkiah Josiah Josi'ah Judah Reign Word Zephaniah Zephani'ah
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Amariah Amari'ah Amon Amoz Cushi Gedaliah Gedali'ah Hezekiah Hezeki'ah Hizkiah Josiah Josi'ah Judah Reign Word Zephaniah Zephani'ah
Zephaniah 1
1. The time when Zephaniah prophesied.
2. God's severe judgments against Judah.














This is the word of the LORD
The phrase indicates divine revelation, emphasizing that the message originates from God, not human invention. This underscores the authority and authenticity of the prophecy. The concept of "the word of the LORD" is a common biblical theme, seen in other prophetic books such as Jeremiah and Isaiah, where God communicates His will and intentions to His people.

that came to Zephaniah
Zephaniah is identified as the recipient of God's message. His name means "Yahweh has hidden" or "Yahweh has treasured," suggesting a divine protection or purpose. Zephaniah is one of the Minor Prophets, and his role is to convey God's impending judgment and call for repentance. His prophetic ministry is part of a larger tradition of prophets who served as God's messengers.

son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah
This genealogy is unique among the Minor Prophets, providing a four-generation lineage. The mention of Hezekiah suggests a possible royal connection, as Hezekiah was a king of Judah. This lineage may lend Zephaniah credibility and authority, as he could be a descendant of a revered king known for his faithfulness to God.

in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah
Zephaniah's ministry occurred during the reign of King Josiah, who ruled from 640 to 609 BC. Josiah is known for his religious reforms and efforts to return Judah to the worship of Yahweh, as detailed in 2 Kings 22-23. This historical context is significant, as Zephaniah's prophecies likely contributed to or were influenced by these reforms. The period was marked by political upheaval and the threat of Assyrian and Babylonian dominance, setting the stage for Zephaniah's warnings of judgment and calls for repentance.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Zephaniah
A prophet whose name means "Yahweh has hidden" or "Yahweh has treasured." He is the central figure through whom God delivers His message.

2. Cushi
Zephaniah's father, indicating Zephaniah's lineage. The name suggests a possible connection to Cush, a region in Africa, though it is more likely a personal name here.

3. Gedaliah, Amariah, Hezekiah
Ancestors of Zephaniah. Hezekiah is particularly notable as he is likely the same Hezekiah who was a king of Judah, suggesting Zephaniah's royal lineage.

4. Josiah
The king of Judah during whose reign Zephaniah prophesied. Josiah was known for his religious reforms and efforts to return Judah to the worship of Yahweh.

5. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, where Zephaniah's prophecies were directed. It was a time of both political and spiritual turmoil.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Lineage and Heritage
Zephaniah's lineage, tracing back to King Hezekiah, highlights the importance of spiritual heritage. It reminds us to value and uphold the godly legacies passed down to us.

God's Word in Times of Reform
Zephaniah's prophecy during Josiah's reign underscores the need for God's word to guide true reform. In our lives, we must seek God's guidance for genuine transformation.

The Role of Prophets
Zephaniah's role as a prophet emphasizes the importance of listening to God's messengers. We should be attentive to those who speak God's truth into our lives today.

Judgment and Hope
While Zephaniah's message includes judgment, it also offers hope for those who turn back to God. This dual theme encourages us to examine our lives and seek God's mercy.Verse 1. - § 1. Title and inscription. The word of the Lord (see note on Micah 1:1). Zephaniah, "Whom the Lord shelters" (see Introduction, § II.). The son of, etc. The genealogy thus introduced shows that the prophet was of illustrious descent; or it may be inserted to distinguish him from others who bore the same name. Hizkiah. The same name which is elsewhere written in our version Hezekiah. Whether the great King of Judah is here meant may well be questioned (see Introduction). Other prophets have prefixed their genealogies to their books (see Zechariah 1:1; and in the Apocrypha, Baruch 1:1). In the days of Josiah. Zephaniah here gathers into one volume the denunciations and predictions which he had uttered daring the reign of Josiah, both before and after the great reformation effected by that good king (2 Kings 23.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[This is] the word
דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD
יְהוָ֣ה ׀ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

that
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

came
הָיָ֗ה (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Zephaniah
צְפַנְיָה֙ (ṣə·p̄an·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6846: Zephaniah -- 'Yah has treasured', four Israelites

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Cushi,
כּוּשִׁ֣י (kū·šî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3569: Cushite -- descendant of Cush

the son
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Gedaliah,
גְּדַלְיָ֔ה (gə·ḏal·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1436: Gedaliah -- 'Yah is great', three Israelites

the son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Amariah,
אֲמַרְיָ֖ה (’ă·mar·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 568: Amariah -- 'Yah has promised', the name of several Israelites

the son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Hezekiah,
חִזְקִיָּ֑ה (ḥiz·qî·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2396: Hezekiah -- 'Yah has strengthened', a king of Judah, also several other Israelites

in the days
בִּימֵ֛י (bî·mê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117: A day

of Josiah
יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ (yō·šî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2977: Josiah -- 'Yah supports', two Israelites

son
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Amon
אָמ֖וֹן (’ā·mō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 526: Amon -- 'masterworkman', three Israelites

king
מֶ֥לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Judah:
יְהוּדָֽה׃ (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites


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OT Prophets: Zephaniah 1:1 The word of Yahweh which came (Zeph. Zep Zp)
Habakkuk 3:19
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