The prophesies of Zephaniah seem to be very appropriate for our times. since they mostly reflect prophesies fulfilled but also matters that are still to come.
Tzepanyah in English called Zephaniah lived in Judah around 650 BeforeCommonEra. This was after the deportation of the 10 tribes and before the exile to Babylon. He was a contemporary of Nahum,Habakkuk and Jeremiah. He is introduced to us in the first verse.
Zephaniah 1:1.
Word of Yahweh as it was to Tzepanyah son of kushiy, son of gedalyah, son of amaryah, son of chizkiyah in the days of Yoshiyahu son of amon king of yehudah.
Tzepanyah, means 'hidden treasure of Yahweh.' He was a descendant of the Judean king chizkiyah (Hezekiah) Yoshiyahu (Joshiah) was the king that restored the worship of Yahweh to Judah as is related to us in 2Kings 22&23.and 2Chronicles 34&35. To help us to better understand the prophesies of Tzepanyah, we should have a look at 2Kings 23:26-27.
Zephaniah 1:2;
" I gather I cause to cease all from off face of the Earth!" declares Yahweh.
There is a bit of Hebrew word play in here, it starts of with; 'asoph aseph.' asoph is a form of the verb asaph= 'gathering' but aseph is a form of the verb suph= 'come to an end' or 'cease'. This verse by itself says not that everything shall now be removed from the Earth. It is a prelude to the following verses where 'all' is further defined and it is used as an warning example about what Yahuweh is going to do to Judah and Yerushalaim. We have to remember that Hebrew is a very 'context dependent' language, meaning that the correct interpretation always has to be determined from the context.
Zephaniah 1:3.
"I cause to cease mankind and animal, I cause to cease birds of heaven and fish of the sea and the stumbling blocks the wicked and I cause to cut off the man from upon the face of the Earth!" declares Yahweh.
Man = Ha'adam and Earth = ha'adamah, indicating that man is to cut of from the earth he is made off. The Hebrew indicates that the stumbling blocks are connected to the wicked, so we could say that the wicked are the stumbling blocks.
Zephaniah 1:4.
"And I stretch out my hand upon Yehudah and upon all inhabitants of Yerushalaim and I to destroy from the place this remnant the baal reputation of idolatrous priest with the priests!"
Although Josiah had restored the worship of Yahweh, the worship of Baal was still alive in Yerushalaim. Not everybody was following Josiah in worshipping Yahweh. This was the reason that Yahweh was still angry with Judah.
Zephaniah 1:5.
"And the worshippers upon the roofs to the hosts of heaven and the worshippers the oath takers by Yahweh and the oath takers in malkam."
Sun and Moon worship has been and is always a favorite form of idolatry. To get as close as possible to them they worshipped on the roofs of their houses, see 2Kings 23:12. Then there are those who worship Yahweh and also worship Malkam, the national idol of the Ammonites. The Hebrew word be'malkam, can also be translated as: "In their king." However in this context it is most likely the Idol Malkam or Malcham. Through the ages Israel has worshipped many idols in addition to worshipping Yahweh.
Zephaniah 1:6.
"And they that turn themselves away from following after Yahweh and who not seek to find Yahweh and not seek with care."
Seek with care or do not enquire about Yahweh. All these are included in the ones to be cut off from the face of the Earth. To understand the why and when, of the following verses we have to read, 2Kings 22:16-20 & 23:26-27, where we read that Yahweh's anger still is against Yehudah. This indicates that the following shall be after Josiah's death, when Yehudah felt back to its old way's.
Zephaniah 1:7.
Be silent before Adonai Yahweh because near day Yahweh, because set up Yahweh sacrifice, they are set apart his called ones.
This is basic Hebrew, which sometimes is translated differently. We must realize that the Hebrew word kadosh, which is usually translated as 'holy' or 'sanctified,' actually simply means; 'set apart.' In the Tanakh it can be comprehended as; 'set apart by Yahweh for Yahweh' The Hebrew here simply states that there is a day near on which Yahweh will sacrifice and those called to be sacrificed or slaughtered are set apart. The word used for sacrifice can also be used for slaughter. The next verses indicates who are set apart for this slaughter.
Zephaniah 1:8.
And it shall be in the day sacrifice yahweh I pay attention upon the leaders and upon the children of the king and upon all the clothed apparel harlot.
The Children of Josiah the king did not follow their father in worshipping Yahweh, see 2Kings 23:30-32. The Hebrew word nakhriy means strange, but also strange woman and harlot. Taking the context in consideration I think that Harlot should be the right translation. It most likely point to the special garb worn by the male and female temple prostitutes, in the context of the next verse.
Zephaniah 1:9.
Then I pay attention upon all the leapers upon the threshold on that day, the fillers of house their masters with violence and deceit.
Leapers upon the threshold, means in this context those that invade a building. It is those who invade and fill the house of their master with violence and deceit, whereby we might conclude that the house of their master is the Temple. In other words, they that defile the house of Yahweh. On that day, is the day that Yahweh set apart for His slaughter.
Zephaniah 1:10.
And it shall be on that day, declares Yahweh, voice cry out from gate the fish and wailing from the second quarter and shattering great from the hills.
The fish gate and the second quarter are indicating that the cry be all over Yerushalaim. For the hills we could also say, the places of illicit worship. There could be a great crushing or shattering of the pagan implements.
Zephaniah 1:11
Wail inhabitants of the makhtes because to be undone all merchants and cut off all the ones laden with silver.
Makhtes means grove. Apparently a district of commerce in Yerushalaim. Taking the context of Yahweh's statement, it could be a place that traded in pagan attributes. Also groves, like high places, were places of idol worship.
Zephaniah 1:12.
And it shall be at that time I search Yerushalaim by lamps and I look about for the men the ones thickening upon their dregs, the ones saying in their hearts not to do good Yahweh and not to do evil.
Because nobody knows the meaning anymore of the old Hebrew saying about 'Men thickening or settle upon their dregs,' most people have translated it the way they think it should have been. However, looking at the context it could have been depicting people who are satisfied with the sediments of live, in other words no-hopers who did not expect anything from Yahweh./div>
Zephaniah 1:13.
But it shall be their wealth to be booty and their houses to be waste and they build houses but not they inhabit and they plant vineyards but not they drink their wine.
Compare this with Deuteronomy 28:15-68,especially verse 30.
Zephaniah 1:14.
Near day of Yahweh the great near hurrying much, sound day Yahweh bitter shall cry there strong man.
The day of Yahweh, this could be the day that Yahweh sends Yehuda into exile. However, taking the context of the next chapter it is more likely to be that day which is still to come and is also predicted in: Isaiah 2:12; 34:8; Ezekiel 13:5; 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1.11.31; 3:14; Amos 5:18.20; Obadiah 1:15; Zechariah 14:1-8; Malachi 4:1-6.
Zephaniah 1:15-16.
Day of wrath that day, day of trouble and distress, day of ruin and desolation, day of darkness and gloom, day of cloud and darkness, day of shofar and alarm of war against the cities the fortified and against the corners the high ones.
This brings this prophecy in line with Zechariah 14:1-8. but it is also a warning for the time when the Assyrians come to beleaguer Yerushalaim.
Zephaniah 1:17.
Then I cause distress to mankind and they walk like blind ones because to Yahweh they sinned and poured out their blood like dust and their intestines like balls of dung.
Compare this with Ezekiel 39:1-24.
Zephaniah 1:18.
Even their silver even their gold not have power to deliver them in day wrath of Yahweh but in fire of his ardour He shall devastate all the country because complete destruction also to be terrifying, He shall do to all the inhabitants of the country.
The Hebrew word adamah, means 'earth or soil. However in this verse we find the Hebrew word eretz, and this means country or land. The translations which translate 'the Earth' in this verse are therefore in error. Again this verse could point to the Babylonian exile, but it also could relate to the exile around 70CE. Also a complete destruction does not mean a complete end to the population. A destruction can be a total upheaval of normal family live and dislocation of people. We know from History that the people of Israel never where completely removed from the country Israel, nor should they be according to he Tanakh.
Again comparing this with other translations might show some differences. However, these translations are perfectly legal alternatives and I have chosen to use those English words that fit the best way into the context.