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Title variants
Foreign Nations in the Book of Zephaniah
Languages of publication
Abstracts
The oracles against foreign nations in the Book of Zephaniah (Zeph2:4-15) were directed against the Philistines, the Ammonites, the Moabites,the Egyptians and against the Assyrians. Their order is not quite clear,challenging, and wonder if it is really explicable to the very end.The way the oracle is presented against the Philistines (Zeph 2:4-7) isbased on the multitude of names of places, which belonged to this part ofPalestine. The words directed against them “I will destroy you until noinhabitant is left” (Zeph 2:5), force the Judeans to reflect on their behavior,which could lead on to their annihilation, the way the foreign nations willbe destroyed at this moment. The attrition of the Philistines is to functionas a warning for the Judeans against the imminent and awaited punishment,unless they change their conduct.The oracles against the Moabites and the Ammonites (2:8-11) bewilderin two aspects. First of all, the issue concerns the determination of kōl ʼijjêhaggôjim (Zeph 2:11), which can either refer to all nations in general, or onlyto those nations which are hostile towards the Israel. In the direct, precedingcontext, Zephaniah was writing about the victory of JHWH over pagangods (v. 11a); Thus, one may suppose that the representatives of even theremotest corners of the earth will pay homage to JHWH. Secondly, what issurprising is the reverse order, the reversal of the usual order in the oraclesagainst the nations, in which the punishment is presented as first and then itsjustification. Whereas, Zephaniah starts with justification (v. 8 and 10), andlater mentions the punishment (v. 9 and 11a). Why was the oracle constructedin this specific way by the prophet? First of all, it may have constitutedan emphasis which Zephaniah uses to stress the cause (justification) ofthe punishment imposed on the Moabites and the Ammonites. However,attention must also be drawn to w. 11b, which contains eschatologicalannouncement of the universal and widespread cult of JHWH. Thus, theexpression of the oracle was meant to lead to eschatological proclamation,in an climactic construction.The words directed against Egypt (Zeph 2:12) are so cursory that somescholars regard them as part of the oracle against Assyria. Yet, it seemsthat such a connection would be completely unjustifiable, merely becauseof the fact that the punishment the Nubians and the Assyrians will face willbe different, not to mention the fact that the empires of Assyria and Egypt were immemorial enemies of Israel, but different, though. The sword takenout against Egypt (Zeph 2:12) undoubtedly, constitutes a kind of glancingreference to the scene which took place at the gates of Jericho, when Joshuaencountered the Angel of God with an unsheathed sword (Jos 5:13).The description of extermination and destruction of Assyria (Zeph2:13-14) is comprehensive and extensive because the oracles against foreignnations in the Book of Zephaniah reach their climax there. Justification inthis case seems to be perfunctory, though (v. 15) especially considering theimmensity of the punishment.
Journal
Year
Volume
Issue
Pages
37-74
Physical description
Dates
published
2017
Contributors
author
References
Document Type
Publication order reference
Identifiers
Biblioteka Nauki
2035669
YADDA identifier
bwmeta1.element.ojs-doi-10_21697_ct_2017_87_4_02
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