Zephaniah 1 15

Zephaniah 1:15 kjv

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

Zephaniah 1:15 nkjv

That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness,

Zephaniah 1:15 niv

That day will be a day of wrath? a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness?

Zephaniah 1:15 esv

A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

Zephaniah 1:15 nlt

It will be a day when the LORD's anger is poured out ?
a day of terrible distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,

Zephaniah 1 verses

Zephaniah 1 15 Meaning

Zephaniah 1:15 vividly describes the "Day of the Lord" as a period of profound divine judgment. It portrays this day as one characterized by intense divine wrath, bringing about severe trouble, deep distress, widespread ruin, utter desolation, and enveloping spiritual and physical darkness. The verse accumulates terms of suffering and obscurity to emphasize the complete and devastating nature of God's decisive intervention against unrighteousness.

Zephaniah 1 15 Context

Zephaniah's prophecy unfolds during the reign of King Josiah (640-609 BC), a period marked by both spiritual reform and lingering paganism in Judah. The nation had deeply entrenched itself in idolatry, syncretism, and social injustice, despite Josiah's efforts. Chapter 1 introduces the pervasive and devastating "Day of the Lord," a recurrent prophetic theme signifying God's direct intervention in history to execute judgment. Verse 15 follows earlier verses detailing God's judgment on Judah for specific sins, portraying the Day not as a distant future event but as an impending reality. It summarizes the profound and multi-faceted terror and hopelessness that will accompany this divine judgment, targeting all aspects of human life and society.

Zephaniah 1 15 Word analysis

• That day: יוֹם הַהוּא (yōm hahū'). Signifies a definite, specific, and pivotal time of divine action. It is often used in eschatological contexts in the prophets, referring to a decisive intervention by God. It emphasizes certainty and inevitability.
• is a day of wrath: יוֹם עֶבְרָה (yōm 'evrāh). Wrath (עֶבְרָה - 'evrāh) refers to intense, burning, or overflowing anger, distinguishing it from general displeasure. It is a powerful, active outpouring of divine indignation against sin and rebellion.
• a day of trouble: יוֹם צָרָה (yōm tsārāh). Trouble (צָרָה - tsārāh) signifies deep distress, anguish, affliction, or tribulation, often a constriction or narrowness of circumstances, leading to great difficulty.
• and distress: וּמְצוּקָה (ūmᵊtsūqāh). Distress (מְצוּקָה - mᵊtsūqāh) often denotes a state of being hemmed in, confined, or oppressed, intensifying the idea of "trouble" by adding a sense of inescapable pressure. This pairing ("trouble and distress") is common in prophetic warnings.
• a day of waste: יוֹם שֹׁאָה (yōm šō'āh). Waste (שֹׁאָה - šō'āh) implies ruin, devastation, utter destruction, often accompanied by a sense of roaring noise or chaos. It conveys absolute destruction and emptiness.
• and desolation: וּמְשׁוּאָה (ūmᵊšū'āh). Desolation (מְשׁוּאָה - mᵊšū'āh) means emptiness, ruin, or devastation. It reinforces "waste," painting a picture of barrenness and absolute emptiness after destruction, often referring to abandoned places.
• a day of darkness: יוֹם חֹשֶׁךְ (yōm ḥōšekh). Darkness (חֹשֶׁךְ - ḥōšekh) literally refers to the absence of light. Metaphorically, it signifies ignorance, sin, spiritual blindness, judgment, despair, or the concealment of God's presence, rather than His benevolent revelation.
• and gloom: וַאֲפֵלָה (va'afēlāh). Gloom (אֲפֵלָה - 'afēlāh) describes a deep, thick darkness, specifically obscuring and making things obscure or fearful. It's an oppressive, foreboding darkness that brings confusion.
• a day of clouds: יוֹם עָנָן (yōm 'ānān). Clouds (עָנָן - 'ānān) often represent divine presence or activity. While sometimes signifying God's glory (like the pillar of cloud), here, coupled with other descriptors, they suggest storm clouds bringing judgment, obscuring light and vision.
• and thick darkness: וַעֲרָפֶל (va'arāphel). Thick darkness (עֲרָפֶל - 'arāphel) refers to the densest, most impenetrable gloom, akin to the dark cloud on Mount Sinai when God delivered the Law (Exod 19:16). It symbolizes a terrifying, awe-inspiring, and unapproachable aspect of God's presence, specifically His judgment.

• Words-group: Repetition of "a day of": The phrase "a day of" (יוֹם) is repeated six times. This anaphoric repetition emphasizes the certainty, pervasiveness, and singular focus of this appointed time. It is not just one characteristic but all of these attributes rolled into one definitive "day."
• Words-group: Double expressions and synonyms: The use of six pairs of near-synonyms or intensified expressions ("wrath," "trouble and distress," "waste and desolation," "darkness and gloom," "clouds and thick darkness") creates a sense of overwhelming, relentless, and all-encompassing calamity. This rhetorical device builds intensity and ensures no aspect of the judgment is left understated, conveying ultimate and comprehensive devastation.
• Words-group: The crescendo of imagery: The progression from internal states ("wrath," "trouble," "distress") to external devastation ("waste," "desolation") and finally to cosmic imagery ("darkness," "gloom," "clouds," "thick darkness") illustrates the all-encompassing nature of God's judgment, affecting individuals, the land, and even the natural order.

Zephaniah 1 15 Bonus section

The "Day of the Lord" in Zephaniah is presented not only as a historical event (like the Babylonian invasion) but also as a prototype or foreshadowing of a future, ultimate day of universal judgment. The imagery in this verse draws heavily from the theophany at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:16; Deut 4:11; 5:22), where God's glorious presence was accompanied by thick darkness and cloud. Here, these elements signify judgment, transforming the imagery of awesome encounter into terrifying doom for the unrighteous. The verse is a poetic masterpiece in its use of accumulation and repetition, building a horrifying picture of a world undone by divine judgment, highlighting that no facet of life will remain untouched by the consuming nature of God's anger when justice demands it.

Zephaniah 1 15 Commentary

Zephaniah 1:15 serves as the crescendo in the prophet's portrayal of the "Day of the Lord." It succinctly captures the comprehensive and devastating nature of God's coming judgment. The verse is a powerful declaration that this divinely ordained time will be characterized by the full expression of God's wrath against sin, leading to intense suffering, utter destruction, and a profound, oppressive spiritual and physical darkness. The repeated phrase "a day of" acts as a rhythmic hammer, driving home the inevitable and multi-faceted terror of this judgment. It leaves no room for light, hope, or escape for those who are the targets of God's holy indignation, effectively dismantling any false sense of security in Judah and serving as a universal warning against impenitence.