Editing Book of Zephaniah (section)

== Authorship and date ==
[[File:Southern France, Toulouse(?), 13th century - Fol. 362v, Zephaniah, historiated initial V, Zephaniah kneeling with a scro - 2008.2.362.b - Cleveland Museum of Art.tif|thumb|upright=1.1|A 13th-century Latin Bible, possibly from [[Toulouse]], with part of the Book of Zephaniah (Latin ''Sophonias'')]]
The book's superscription attributes its authorship to "Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, in the days of [[Josiah|King Josiah]] son of [[Amon of Judah]]".<ref>[[Zephaniah 1#Verse 1|Zephaniah 1:1]], [[New Revised Standard Version|NRSV]]</ref> All that is known of [[Zephaniah]] comes from within the text.{{sfn|Grudem et al.|2008|p=1729}}

The name "[[Cushi]]," Zephaniah's father, means "Cushite" or "[[Ethiopia]]n", and the text of Zephaniah mentions the sin and restoration of ''Cushim''.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Zeph|2:12|NRSV}}, {{Bibleverse|Zeph|3:9–10|NRSV}}</ref> While some have concluded from this that Zephaniah was dark-skinned or African,{{sfn|Carson et al.|2015|p=1839}} [[Ehud Ben Zvi]] maintains that, based on the context, "Cushi" must be understood as a personal name rather than an indicator of nationality.{{sfn|Berlin et al.|2004|p=1235}} [[Abraham ibn Ezra]] interpreted the name Hezekiah in the superscription as [[Hezekiah|King Hezekiah of Judah]], though that is not a claim advanced in the text of Zephaniah.{{sfn|Berlin et al.|2004|p=1235}}

As with many of the other prophets,{{sfn|Berlin et al.|2004|pp=781–784, 918, 1043}} there is no external evidence to directly associate composition of the book with a prophet by the name of Zephaniah.{{sfn|Grudem et al.|2008|p=1729}} Some scholars, such as Kent Harold Richards and Jason DeRouchie, consider the words in Zephaniah to reflect a time early in the reign of [[Josiah|King Josiah]] (640–609 BC) before his reforms of 622 BC took full effect,{{sfn|Attridge|Meeks|2006|p=1259}}{{sfn|Carson et al.|2015|p=1839}} in which case the prophet may have been born during the reign of [[Manasseh of Judah|Manasseh]]{{sfn|Attridge|Meeks|2006|p=1259}} (698/687–642 BC).{{sfn|Berlin et al.|2004|p=2111}} Others argue that some portion of the book is postmonarchic,{{sfn|Berlin et al.|2004|p=1234}} that is, dating to later than 586 BC when the [[Kingdom of Judah]] fell in the [[Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC)|Siege of Jerusalem]].{{sfn|Berlin et al.|2004|p=2111}} Some who consider the book to have largely been written by a historical Zephaniah have suggested that he may have been a disciple of the prophet [[Isaiah]], because of the two books' similar focus on rampant corruption and injustice in Judah.{{sfn|Attridge|Meeks|2006|p=1259}} The [[Jerusalem Bible]] links Zephaniah 2:11 and 3:9-10 with the [[Deutero-Isaiah|Book of Consolation]] (Isaiah 40-55).<ref>Jerusalem Bible (1966), "Introduction to the Prophets: Zephaniah", p. 1137</ref>