Condemnation of Moab and Ammon; Yahweh's Sovereignty Over the Nations
Zephaniah 2:8-11
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Zep.2.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- שמעתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,sg
- חרפת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- מואב: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- וגדופי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- עמון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- חרפו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- עמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- ויגדילו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- על: PREP
- גבולם: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3mp
Parallels
- Ezekiel 25:3-7 (quotation): Ezekiel condemns the Ammonites for saying 'Aha!' when Jerusalem was profaned and for gloating over Israel's calamity—closely parallels Zephaniah's charge that Ammon reproached and exulted over God's people.
- Jeremiah 48:1-7 (thematic): An oracle against Moab for pride and hostility toward Israel; like Zephaniah 2:8 it castigates Moab for its scorn and foretells judgment for that contempt.
- Psalm 83:8 (verbal): This psalm lists Moab and Ammon among the nations plotting against Israel, echoing Zephaniah's naming of those peoples as enemies who reproached and opposed God's people.
- Numbers 22:4-6 (thematic): Balak king of Moab's fear of and hostility toward Israel—seeking Balaam to curse them—provides a historical background to Moabite enmity and the reproachful stance reflected in Zephaniah.
Alternative generated candidates
- I have heard the taunt of Moab and the reviling of the sons of Ammon—who have taunted my people and exalted themselves over their border.
- I have heard the taunt of Moab and the revilings of the sons of Ammon—how they have insulted my people and vaunted themselves over their border.
Zep.2.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- לכן: ADV
- חי: ADJ,m,sg
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- נאם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- מואב: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- כסדם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- תהיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,f,sg
- ובני: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,cons
- עמון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כעמרה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ממשק: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חרול: ADJ,m,sg
- ומכרה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מלח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ושממה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- עד: PREP
- עולם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שארית: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- עמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- יבזום: VERB,qal,impf,3,pl+PRON,3,pl(obj)
- ויתר: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg,abs
- גויי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- ינחלום: VERB,qal,impf,3,pl+PRON,3,pl(obj)
Parallels
- Genesis 19:24-26 (allusion): The image of Moab and Ammon being like Sodom and Gomorrah echoes the destruction of those cities (fire and brimstone) and the salt motif (Lot’s wife becoming a pillar of salt), supplying the archetype of utter desolation used here.
- Isaiah 13:19 (allusion): Isaiah compares Babylon’s fate to Sodom and Gomorrah—same trope of total, shameful overthrow—showing a common prophetic device of invoking Sodom/Gomorrah to signal irreversible ruin.
- Amos 2:1-3 (thematic): Amos pronounces judgment on Moab for its transgressions and foretells devastation; thematically parallel in targeting Moab for punishment and describing its overthrow and loss.
- Jeremiah 48 (thematic): Jeremiah’s oracle against Moab depicts extensive destruction, desolation, and exile—a sustained treatment of Moab’s doom that parallels Zephaniah’s condemnation and imagery of permanent waste.
- Jeremiah 49:1-6 (thematic): This passage pronounces judgment on Ammon (Rabbah) and foretells ruin and loss of heritage—paralleling Zephaniah’s specific condemnation of the Ammonites and the prediction that others will possess their territory.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore, as I live, declares the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Moab shall be like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah—overgrown with nettles, a salt pit, an everlasting desolation. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of the nations shall possess them.
- Therefore, as I live, declares the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Moab shall be like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah—an overgrown pasture and salt pits, a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of the nations shall inherit them.
Zep.2.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- זאת: DEM,f,sg
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- תחת: PREP
- גאונם: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,pl
- כי: CONJ
- חרפו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
- ויגדלו: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,pl
- על: PREP
- עם: PREP
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Obadiah 1:3 (verbal): Condemns pride—“the pride of your heart”—parallels Zephaniah’s charge that their punishment comes because of their pride against the people of the LORD.
- Obadiah 1:10-11 (thematic): Accuses Edom of violence and gloating over Jacob/Judah’s calamity—echoes the reproach and boasting against God’s people that Zephaniah condemns.
- Ezekiel 36:20-23 (thematic): Nations deride Israel as unclean and profane God’s name; God’s response to nations who reproach his people parallels Zephaniah’s judgment on those who magnified themselves against Yahweh’s people.
- Psalm 79:4 (verbal): Speaks of Israel as a taunt and object of scorn to neighbors—language closely matching Zephaniah’s depiction of peoples reproaching God’s people.
- Psalm 137:7 (thematic): Calls to remember Edom’s rejoicing over Jerusalem’s destruction—an example of neighboring peoples exulting and taunting the people of the LORD, as in Zephaniah.
Alternative generated candidates
- This shall be their lot for their pride, for they have taunted and exalted themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
- This shall be their recompense for their pride, because they have scoffed and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
Zep.2.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- נורא: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- עליהם: PREP,3,m,pl
- כי: CONJ
- רזה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- הארץ: NOUN,f,sg,def
- וישתחוו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ממקומו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- כל: DET
- איי: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- הגוים: NOUN,m,pl,def
Parallels
- Psalm 96:5 (verbal): Declares that the gods of the nations are idols—paralleling Zephaniah’s assertion that the LORD will humble/all but eliminate the gods of the earth and receive exclusive worship.
- Jeremiah 10:11 (verbal): Pronounces the futility and coming removal of false gods that did not create the heavens and earth—echoing Zephaniah’s theme that the LORD will ‘famish’ the gods of the earth.
- Isaiah 45:23 (thematic): God’s universal sovereignty motif—'to me every knee shall bow'—parallels Zephaniah’s image of all peoples/islands worshiping the LORD from their places.
- Psalm 97:7 (verbal): Commands the gods to worship the LORD—an ironic/poetic reversal comparable to Zephaniah’s picture of all the nations (and their gods) acknowledging and worshiping Yahweh.
- Philippians 2:10-11 (allusion): New Testament citation of the universal submission motif ('every knee shall bow, every tongue confess') which echoes the OT vision in Zephaniah of all nations worshiping the LORD.
Alternative generated candidates
- The LORD will be dreadful to them; for he will humble all the gods of the earth, and every coastland of the nations shall worship him, each from its place.
- The LORD will be awesome against them; for he will lay low every god of the earth, and all the coastlands of the nations shall worship him, each from his own place.
I have heard the taunt of Moab and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, who have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their boundary.
Therefore—as I live, declares the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel—Moab shall be like Sodom and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah: a place of nettles and salt pits, a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of the nations shall possess them.
This shall be their portion for their pride, because they have taunted and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
The LORD will be dreadful to them; for he will lay low all the gods of the earth, and all the coastlands of the nations shall worship him, each from his place.