ZEPHANIAH, BOOK OF. The superscription to the book of the prophet Zephaniah states that he was the great-grandson of Hezekiah, and that he prophesied " in the days of Josiah the Son of Amon King of Judah." The Hezekiah would seem to have been the well-known king of that name. Since the prophecy itself denounces idolatrous customs, Baal-worship, star-worship, apostasy from Jehovah, and other such things, the prophet's activity must be placed before Josiah's reform of the cultus in 621 B.C. Another indication of date is sup plied by the description of the "Day of Jehovah " in chapter i. Robbery and plunder, the blast of the trumpet and the cries of war, bloodshed and devastation, suggest to the prophet some terrible world-catastrophe. Zephaniah's thoughts would seem in fact to have been influenced by the invasion of " the foe from t-he North," the Seythians, In 626 B.C. Though the Scythian did
not actually invade Judah, the people of Judah watched their progress with alarm. C. F. Kent thinks that the great reformation under Josiah was one of the fruits of Zephonlah's preaching. " It is more than possible that Zephaniah was the companion of the young Josiah, and the one who influenced the king to abandon the policy of his father and grandfather and to follow the guidance of the disciples of Isaiah and Micah." Parts of chapter iii. have been regarded as later additions to the book (e.g., vss. 1-8 and 11-13). Cornill, however, thinks that chapter Ili. need only be regarded as to some extent mutilated. See C. Cornill, Intr.; G. H. Box; O. C. Whitehouse: C. F. Kent, The Sermons, Epistles, and Apocalypses of Israel's Prophets, 1910.