Zephaniah

A Prophetic Drama

Paul R. House

The Almond Press ∙ 1989

Bible and Literature Series, 16

General Editor: David M. Gunn

(Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia)

Assistant General Editor: Danna Nolan Fewell

(Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, Texas)

Consultant Editors: Elizabeth Struthers Malbon

(Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, Virginia)

James G. Williams

(Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York)

First published by Almond Press 1988

Copyright © 1988, 1989 Sheffield Academic Press

Published by Almond Press

Editorial direction: David M. Gunn

Columbia Theological Seminary

P.O. Box 520, Decatur

GA 30031, U.S.A.

Almond Press is an imprint of

Sheffield Academic Press Ltd

The University of Sheffield

343 Fulwood Road

Sheffield S10 3BP

England

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

House, Paul R.

Zephaniah, a prophetic drama.

1. Bible, O.T. Zephaniah—Commentaries

I. Title II. Series

III. Series

224′.9607

ISSN 0260-4493

ISSN 0309-0787

ISBN 1-85075-075-0

ISBN 1-85075-074-2 Pbk

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

The History of Zephaniah Interpretation

Methodology

Chapter 2

A BRIEF SURVEY OF GENRE CRITICISM

Broad Expressions of Genre: Prose and Poetry

Narrow Expressions of Genre: Genre, Sub-Genre, and Mode

Summary

Chapter 3

A CLOSE READING OF ZEPHANIAH

The Structure of Zephaniah

The Plot of Zephaniah

Characterization in Zephaniah

Themes in Zephaniah

Point of View in Zephaniah

The Time Sequence in Zephaniah

Summary

Chapter 4

THE APPLICATION OF GENRE THEORY TO THE CLOSE READING OF ZEPHANIAH

A Comparison of Zephaniah to Epic and Lyric

A Comparison of Zephaniah to Drama

Zephaniah as Prophetic Drama

Summary

Chapter 5

THE TEXT, OUTLINE, AND DIVISION OF ZEPHANIAH AS A PROPHETIC DRAMA

Translation and Division of the Drama

Summary of Dramatic Plot Elements

Textual Notes on the Translation

Bibliography

Index of Biblical References

Index of Authors

Acknowledgments

Several people deserve my gratitude for their contributions to this project. In its first life the manuscript served as a doctoral dissertation. My thesis advisor Dr John D.W. Watts encouraged me to write a literary analysis of biblical prophecy and offered many valuable suggestions about format and methodology.

Two men helped shape the book into its present form. James G. Williams noted various places where revisions and additions were needed. I am also thankful to Dr Williams for recommending the manuscript to Almond Press. David Gunn, the editor of this series, was especially helpful with comments on the content of Chapter 2. His willingness to work with me and his enthusiasm for the project will always be appreciated.

My colleagues at Taylor University were supportive of this publication. Dr Richard J. Stanislaw, Academic Dean at Taylor, provided funding for part of the typing of the manuscript. Mrs Sharon Gray and Mrs Rita Koch typed portions of the text, and Sharon even read every word she typed! The members of the Religion Department ...