Bible Strands
Zephaniah 1:1
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:
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The text identifies the prophet Zephaniah, a descendant of King Hezekiah, as the recipient of a message during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. This anchors the oracle in a specific historical period of royal succession and national history.
The words — The phrase דְּבַר יְהוָה (de.var Yah.weh) translates literally to "word of Yahweh," marking the content as direct divine speech. The verb הָיָה (ha.Yah) indicates its arrival, framing the oracle as a concrete historical event rather than abstract teaching.
The thread — This introductory formula parallels Jeremiah 1:2, where divine words similarly arrive to a prophet during the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign. The chronological marker corresponds to the thirty-one-year reign recorded in 2 Chronicles 34:1 and 2 Kings 22:1.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to accept the following declaration as authoritative divine speech rather than human speculation. It demands situating the coming judgment within a precise historical timeline to grasp its immediate political and spiritual weight.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James 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 Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 1:2 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,
- 2 Chronicles 34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.
- 2 Kings 22:1 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.
- Jeremiah 25:3 “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.
- Ezekiel 1:3 the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.
- 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.
- 2 Peter 1:19 We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
- 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,