Grace Theological Journal 11.1 (1991) 17-27.

[Copyright © 1991 Grace Theological Seminary; cited with permission;

digitally prepared for use at Gordon and Grace Colleges and elsewhere]

 

 

 

A LITERARY LOOK AT NAHUM,

HABAKKUK, AND ZEPHANIAH

 

 

 

RICHARD PATTERSON

 

            Although the stool of proper biblical exegesis must rest evenly

upon the four legs of grammar, history, theology, and literary analysis,

too often the literary leg receives such short fashioning that the resulting

hermeneutical product is left unbalanced. While in no way minimizing

the crucial importance of all four areas of exegesis, this paper con-

centrates on the benefits of applying sound literary methods to the

study of three often neglected seventh century B. C. prophetical books.

Thorough literary analysis demonstrates that, contrary to some critical

opinions, all three books display a carefully designed structure that

argues strongly for the unity and authorial integrity of all the material

involved. Likewise, the application of literary techniques can prove to

be an aid in clarifying difficult exegetical cruces.

                                                *     *     *

 

THE time has passed when evangelicals need to be convinced that

the application of sound literary methods is a basic ingredient for

proper biblical exegesis. A steady stream of papers, articles, and books

attests to a growing consensus among evangelicals as to the essential

importance of literary studies in gaining full insight into God's revela-

tion.1 This paper presents some observations drawn from the study of

Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah in preparation for a forthcoming

volume in Moody's Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary series (WEC).

 

            1 Among recent books giving attention to literary analysis may be cited: Gordon D.

Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 1982); Robert Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative (New York: Basic Books,

1981) and The Art of Biblical Poetry (New York: Basic Books, 1985); Leland Ryken,

Words of Delight (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1987) and Words of Life (Grand Rapids: Baker,

1987); Tremper Longman III, Literary Approaches to Biblical Interpretation (Founda-

tions of Contemporary Interpretation 3; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987); and Robert

Alter and Frank Kermode (eds.), The Literary Guide to the Bible (Cambridge: Belknap

Press of Harvard University Press, 1987).

 



18                    GRACE THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

 

A LITERARY LOOK AT NAHUM AND HABAKKUK

Because I have written elsewhere concerning the outstanding liter-

ary craftsmanship of the book of Nahum, it remains here only to

summarize briefly the results of those studies. I have suggested that

Nahum delivers his prophecies of the doom of Nineveh in a bifid

structure (1, 2-3) in which he demonstrates that God, the great Judge

of the universe, will both see to Nineveh's punishment and the restora-

tion of his own people. In the first section, following a grand hymn

praising God both for his chastisement of the wicked and care of the

godly, Nahum applies the principles inherent in the hymn to the

current situation of Nineveh and Judah. In the second, he carries his

argument forward by painting a twofold picture of Nineveh's certain

doom (2, 3), each portion being closed by graphically presenting taunt

songs celebrating Nineveh's demise.

It was also noted that Nahum took full advantage of the compila-

tional and compositional techniques known to the Semitic world and

practiced by the OT writers such as: bookending/enveloping to enclose

sections ("'scattering" 2:1 and 3:18-19), sub-sections (lfay.aliB; "wick-

ed[ness]"--1:11, 15), and individual cola (hvhy, "Yahweh/The Lord"--

1:3), and hooking/stitching, to link together the distinctive units at

various levels. In addition, Nahum uses the technique of refrain to

mark not only major sections and sub-sections, but even to initiate or

conclude small units, for example: "not (again)/no (one)" (1:15; 2:9,

13; 3:3, 7[?], 19), hne.hi), "behold/lo"(1:15; 2:13; 3:5, 13), and the motif of

"fire" that "consumes"'(1:6, 10; 2:3, 13; 3:13, 15). Those earlier studies

called attention to the richness of Nahum's use of literary figures, a fact

that caused Bewer to remark, "Nahum was a great poet. His word

pictures are superb, his rhetorical skill is beyond praise. . . “2

Turning to the book of Habakkuk, it may be noted at the outset

that while this seventh century B.C. writer was caught up in the prob-

lems of his age, he was more concerned with the basic principles by

which God regulated his world. This prophet was particularly per-

plexed as to how a holy God could tolerate a Judean society that was

riddled with materialism and injustice.

The book itself rehearses Habakkuk's spiritual odyssey. It records

his deep spiritual concerns over the godlessness of his people, a condi-

tion which he boldly brings to God's attention (1:2-4). The account

moves on to give God's reply to Habakkuk: he is already at work

raising up the vicious and voracious Chaldeans to chastise his people

(1:5-11). This startling answer catches Habakkuk by such surprise (cf.

1:5-6) that the prophet has a still deeper perplexity. How could God

 

2 Ju1ius A. Bewer, The Literature of the Old Testament (3d ed.; New York: Columbia

University Press, 1962), p. 148.

 



PATTERSON: NAHUM, HABAKKUK, AND ZEPHANIAH       19

 

use as Judah's chastiser a nation more wicked than the object of his

correction? Further, if God himself was to be their sponsor, could their

ruthless advance ever be stopped? Still further, how could a holy God

use such a wicked nation in the first place (1:12-2:1)?

Habakkuk's new perplexities are partially answered by God who

first calls attention to some general principles in his dealings with the

righteous and unrighteous (2:2-4) and then applies them to the case of

the wicked Chaldeans (2:5,6-20). Habakkuk is thus assured that God

is on the throne, sovereignly directing the affairs of earth's history to

their proper end, and admonished to let God be God (2:20).

The book closes with the inclusion of a great twofold victory

psalm that recounts God's deliverance of his people from Egypt, his

preservation of them through the time of their wilderness wanderings,

and his triumphal leading of them in the conquest of the promised land

(3:3-15). The rehearsal of that epic material commemorating the age of

the Exodus brings a sense of awe and humility to Habakkuk. Such a

great God can be trusted to accomplish his holy and righteous pur-

poses with all nations and peoples. Therefore, though calamity must

come, Habakkuk will wait patiently and confidently, abiding in the

Lord's strength (3:16-19).

The story of Habakkuk's spiritual quest is, however, not laid out

in narrative fashion but carefully structured in accordance with stan-

dard literary techniques available to the OT writers. Thus, each of

Habakkuk's perplexities (1:2-4; 1:12-2:1) makes use of lament genre

with its characteristic elements of invocation (1:2, 12), statement of the

problem (1:3-4, 13-17), and implied petition. The second perplexity

also contains a closing affirmation of confidence in God (2: 1). Likewise,

each of God's answers displays careful literary attention not only in

giving the solution to the plaintiff's query (1:5-6; 2:4, 5-20) but a

detailed description of the Chaldean, the agent of Judah's destruction

(1:7-11) and a catalog of the woes attendant upon the chastiser (2:6-

20) for his failure to meet God's righteous standards (2:4, 5). Each of

the woes is formed in accordance with the traditional elements of

invective (2:6, 9, 12, 15, 19a), threat (2:7, 11, 13, 16, 20), and criticism

(2:8, 10, 14, 17, 18, 19b).

It may be added that each major unit of chapters one and two is

composed so that the two perplexities of the prophet are begun with a

question (1:2, 12) and each of the answers starts with an imperative

(1:5; 2:2). Moreover, the two chapters are threaded together with

stitchwords such as: FPAw;mi, qyDica, dgeOB/Mydig;OB, JsaxA, and verbs of seeing.

Major units in the first two chapters are formed via inclusio, 1:12-2:1

being bookended with the idea of reproof and 2:4-20 being con-

structed with enclosing statements that contrast the unrighteous

Chaldeans with the righteous who live by faith, mindful of God in his

holy temple.



20                    GRACE THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

 

As noted above, the central portion of the third chapter preserves

a long two-part victory ode, composed in epic style, that sings of God's

great superintending of his people during the era of the Exodus and

conquest (3:3-15).3 Encased in the prophet's prayer (3:1-2) and praise

(3:16-19), it tells of the might deliverance of Habakkuk's people by the

God before whom he was to stand in silent awe (2:20). Habakkuk has

utilized the epic psalmic material to illustrate and validate his thesis

that God is in control of earth's unfolding history and, as in the past,

may be expected to deal justly with his covenant nation which he has

instructed to live by its faith(fulness--2:4) and "be silent before him"

(2:20), resting its case with Israel's true hero and victor--God himself!

One may also make a satisfactory case for considering the whole

third chapter as a tephillah--a prayer. Indeed, one may see here many

of the features common to this type of poetry (cf. Pss 17, 86, 90, 102,

142): opening cry/statement of praise, and attestation of reverence /

trust (v. 2a), petition or problem (v. 2b), praise and exaltation of God

(w. 3-15), statement of trust and confidence in God (vv. 16-18), and

concluding note of praise (v. 19). All of this is developed in such a

fashion as to settle fully both the prophet's concerns and to assure his

readers that God truly is in control of earth's history, guiding the

destinies of nations and all men in accordance with his most holy and

wise purposes.

Through all of this it becomes apparent that Habakkuk's literary

artistry is not inconsiderable. Not only does the account of his spiritual

wrestling with God often approximate Israelite wisdom literature in

sentiment and expression,4 but his lively interchange with God is

characteristic of the utilization of dialogue technique in narratives.5 If

Habakkuk does not reach the level of Nahum's literary artistry, never-

theless his employment of several literary devices and his skillful adap-

tation of traditional epic material shows that Habakkuk is not without

literary sensitivity.

 

A LITERARY LOOK AT ZEPHANIAH

Zephaniah is concerned with matters relative to the Day of the

Lord as a time of judgment for sinful men and of purification for a

redeemed people. Like Nahum, the book of Zephaniah proceeds in a

 

3 For justification of Hab 3:3-15 as epic, see R. D. Patterson, "The Psalm of

Habakkuk," GTJ 8 (1987): 163-94.

4 See D. E. Gowan, "Habakkuk and Wisdom," Perspective 9 (1968): 157-66.

5 For dialogue technique in Hebrew narrative, see Alter, Biblical Narrative, pp. 63-

87. Alter particularly stresses the great importance of direct speech in narrative texts by

pointing out that "the biblical writers. . . are often less concerned with actions in

 



PATTERSON: NAHUM, HABAKKUK, AND ZEPHANIAH       21

 

basic bifid format, the first half proclaiming the judgment and its

severity (1:2-2:3) and the second disclosing the extent and purposes of

that coming judgment (2:4-3:20).

Zephaniah accomplishes his goals by utilizing two basic types of

prophetic material: (1) positive prophetic sayings (2:1-3; 3:9-13, 14-

20) and (2) threats to various groups: the nations of this world in

general (1:2-4; 2:4-15), Judah and Jerusalem in particular (1:4-6, 7-

13), and individuals (3:1-7). He also employs exhortations (1:7-13;

3:8) and instructional admonitions (2:1-3; 3:14-20),6 and laments

(1:10-11) and woes (2:4-7; 3:1-7). As well, he uses distinct pronounce-

ments (1:2-3, 4-6; 2:4-15) and detailed informative discussions (1:14-

18; 3:9-13).

Like Nahum and Habakkuk, Zephaniah makes full use of the

compositional techniques of bookending and stitch wording. Thus the

first major section (1:2-2:3) forms an inclusio by means of the theme of

God's dealing with the earth (1:2, 3; 2:2). Both major portions of the

book as well as their sub-units are linked via distinctive stitchwords.

For example, in the first section the opening pronouncement of judg-

ment (1:2-6) is hooked to the following exhortation and warning (1:7-

13) by the skillful employment of the tetragrammaton. This latter

stanza is in turn linked to the following teaching stanza (1:14-2:3) with

a reference to the Day of the Lord. In the second major section the

pronouncements against the nations and Jerusalem (2:4-3:7) are

hooked to the exhortation (3:8) by means of the stitchword "nation"

and the exhortation, in turn, to the teaching portion (3:9-20) by the

linking device "nations/peoples." It may be added that each strophe

within the stanzas of each major portion shows similar stitching tech-

niques so that the overall structure may be diagrammed in accordance

with the accompanying table.

A great deal of discussion has developed as to Zephaniah's use of

the genre of apocalyptic. George Adam Smith observes that at times

Zephaniah turns to " . . . a vague terror, in which earthly armies merge

in heavenly; battle, siege, storm, and darkness are mingled, and de-

struction is spread upon the whole earth. The shades of Apocalypse are

upon us."7 Similar language concerning Zephaniah has been put for-

ward by such evangelicals as Freeman and Ralph Smith.8 Certainly the

 

themselves than with how individual character responds to actions or produced them;

and direct speech is made the chief instrument for revealing the varied and at times

nuanced relations of the personages to the actions in which they are implicated" (p. 66).

6 This admonition is almost hymnic in nature.

7 G. A. Smith, The Book of the Twelve Prophets (rev. ed.; 2 vols.; Garden City:

Doubleday, 1929),2:54.

8H. E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets (Chicago: Moody,

1968), pp. 232-33; R. L. Smith, Micah-Malachi (WBC; Waco: Word, 1984), pp. 130-32.

 



22                    GRACE THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

 

TABLE 1

Structure of Zephaniah

I                                                                       II

  Declaration of the Day of the                                       Details Concerning the Day of the

     Lord's Judgment (1:2-2:3)                                            Lord's Judgment (2:4-3:20)

 

 


Subject Matter              Stitching            Stanza              Subject Matter              Stitching

 

Pronouncements                                    -A -                  Pronouncements

On the Earth                                                                 On the Nations

(1:2-3)                                                                          (2:4-15)

"cut off"                                                                        "woe"

On Judah / Jerus.                                                          On Jerusalem

(1:4-6)                                                                          (3:1-7)

hvhy                                                       "nations"

Exhortation                                           -B -                  Exhortation

(1:7-13)                                                                         (3:8)

(near is)                                                                  nations / peoples

Teachings                     The Day           -C -                  Teachings

Information                   of                                             Information

(1:14-18)                                                                       (3:9-13)                  

                                                                                                                 "scattered / afraid"

Instruction                                                                     Instruction

(2:1-3)                          Lord                                         (3:14-20)

 

presence of apocalyptic themes and language9 is noticeable in Zeph-

aniah's description of the Day of the Lord as being one of darkness and

gloominess, accompanied by remarkable earthly and celestial phe-

nomena (1:15) and as being the outpouring of a divine wrath that

brings destruction, devastation, and death (1:14-18) through a period

of great warfare (1:16-18).10 Further apocalyptic language may be seen

in Zephaniah's stress on the element of divine intervention in a climactic

judgment that will effect the restoration and everlasting felicity of

God's people (3:8-20).11

 

9 For important discussions of apocalyptic, see John J. Collins, The Apocalyptic

Imagination (New York: Crossroad, 1984); Paul D. Hanson, Old Testament Apocalyptic

(Nashville: Abingdon, 1987) and The Dawn of Apocalyptic (Philadelphia: Fortress,

1975); Leon Morris, Apocalyptic (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972); and Ronald Young-

blood, "A Holistic Typology of Prophecy and Apocalyptic," in Israel's Apostasy and

Restoration (ed. Avraham Gileadi; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1988), pp. 213-21.

10 See also R. D. Patterson, "Joel,"in The Expositor's Bible Commentary (ed. Frank

Gaebelein; 12 vols.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1985),7:255-57.

11 The essential importance of this feature is emphasized by D. S. Russell, The

Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1964), p. 91.

 



PATTERSON: NAHUM, HABAKKUK, AND ZEPHANIAH       23

 

However, it must be confessed that such themes as divine interven-

tion followed by a golden age of peace and prosperity in connection

with the judgment of the Day of the Lord are present elsewhere in the

OT prophets (e.g., Isa 24-27; Ezek 38-48; Joel 2:1-32 [Heb. 2:1-3:5];

3:9-21 [Heb. 4:9-21]; Zech 14:1-21). This makes the isolation of a

special apocalyptic genre in distinction from normal eschatological

prophecy somewhat difficult and calls into question any proposal of

apocalyptic material per se in Zephaniah.12 Indeed, while many of

Zephaniah's themes will permeate the pages of the later apocalyptists,

Zephaniah's presentation is considerably removed from the emotional

fervor that will mark those writers. Accordingly, it may be safest to

conclude that while Zephaniah's language anticipates apocalyptic, it

does not contain an apocalypse; it is "emergent apocalyptic."13

One further feature of Zephaniah's literary style is worthy of

particular notice. Zephaniah's prophecy is everywhere punctuated by

repetition and wordplay. These are found in extended lines of com-

pound parallel structure in such frequency that Zephaniah's presenta-

tionis somewhat monotonously predictable. However, this observation

needs to be balanced with the realization that this feature allows for a

straightforwardness and forcefulness that are especially effective in

capturing his readers' attention. Accordingly, J. M. P. Smith can

rightly remark,

He had an imperative message to deliver and proceeded in the most

direct and forceful way to discharge his responsibility. What he lacked in

grace and charm, he in some measure atoned for by the vigour and

clarity of his speech. He realised the approaching terror so keenly that he

was able to present it vividly and convincingly to his hearers. No prophet

has made the picture of the day of Yahweh more real.14

 

A LITERARY LOOK AT NAHUM, HABAKKUK, AND ZEPHANIAH

Despite the necessary brevity of the paper, enough has been said

to demonstrate that all three of these prophets display the techniques

of composition and style that brand their books as good literary

productions. Each of these authors makes use of such things as book-

ending and stitchwording. Each prophetical book has a clearly defined

and carefully reasoned literary structure. In the case of Habakkuk, the

 

12 See further Hanson, Dawn of Apocalyptic, p. 12; Youngblood, "Prophecy and

Apocalyptic," pp. 215-16.

13 P. C. Craigie (The Old Testament [Nashville: Abingdon, 1986], p: 200) speaks of

Zephaniah as "one of the pioneers of apocalyptic thought."

14 J. M. P. Smith, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Zephaniah and Nahum

(ICC; Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1911), p. 176.

 



24                    GRACE THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

 

prophecies are developed around the prophet's perplexities (1:2-4;

1:12-2:1) together with God's answers (1:5-11; 2:2-20) and the great

prayer chapter (ch. 3) whose central epic contains a twofold psalm

commemorating God's great victory during the Exodus event (vv. 3-

15). A clear bifid structure can be traced in Nahum and Zephaniah,

Nahum's two halves being built around the features of theme (1:2; 2:2),

development (1:3-10; 2:3-10; 3:1-7), and application (2:11-15; 3:8-

19), and Zephaniah's two portions being formed with pronouncements

of judgment (1:2-6; 2:4-3:7), exhortations (1:7-13; 3:8), and teachings

(1:14-2:3; 3:9-20) culminated by forceful admonitions (2:1-3; 3: 14-20).

Careful attention to structural matters provides at least two dis-

tinct dividends. (1) The attention to organization in all three books

argues strongly for authorial integrity. The observable unity in subject

matter, theme and development, vocabulary, and perspective that perme-

ates all three chapters of Habakkuk is best explained as the unified

product of its author. Likewise, the discernible bifid structure of Nahum

and Zephaniah, section answering to section, again argues for authorial

intention.15

(2) Structural data can provide a valuable aid to exegesis. Thus, in

Nahum attention to the opening hymn reveals the presence of an

interesting (though incomplete) acrostic poem that invites the reader's

more critical insight, while consciousness of a hinge verse (3:4) in the

midst of a chiastic pericope (3:1-7) adds freshness and vigor to the flow

of thought in a woe oracle. A similar hinging device in 2:4 presents

Nahum's readers with a vivid picture of the prophesied military advance

against Nineveh: the staging operations (2:2-3), the initial advance

(2:4), the all-out attack (2:5-6), and the battle's aftermath (2:7-10).

Similarly, Habakkuk's use of the root HkayA in 1:12 and 2:1 as a

bookending device argues strongly for the idea that the emphasis of 2:1

is upon the prophet's expectation of divine reproof and correction (so

NASB, Armerding) as opposed to the thought that Habakkuk was

strongly voicing his complaint (NIV, Keil). So construed Habakkuk is

saying that much as the Chaldeans had been sent to reprove/correct

the Judeans, he expects and deserves God's correction concerning his

doubts and understanding of the full scope of God's plans for the

future.

In like fashion, viewing Zeph 3:8 as a hinge verse (established on

the basis of the observed stitching with the surrounding verses, FPAw;mi

["judgment"] vv. 5, 8 and yKi ["because"] vv. 8, 9) makes the flow of

 

15 Similarly, D. W. Gooding ("The Literary Structure of the Book of Daniel,"

Tyndale Bulletin 32 [1981]: 68) remarks concerning the bifid structure of Daniel, " . . . we

must take seriously the book's internal proportions, as having been deliberately planned

by the author."

 



PATTERSON: NAHUM, HABAKKUK, AND ZEPHANIAH       25

 

thought from that of judgment (3:1-7) to future hope (3:9-13, 14-20--

Zephaniah's twin theological themes) to be both smoother and strik-

ingly contrastive.16 It also reinforces the suggestion that contrary to

critics who routinely dismiss prophetic messages of hope as later

insertions into otherwise prevalent prophetic pronouncements of judg-

ment, not only do hope and judgment commonly occur together, but

judgment is integral to hope. From the prophet's point of view, proper

corrective to current conditions by divine judgment produces the re-

sponsenecessary to circumstances of hope. Indeed, judgment may thus

be viewed as a veiled hope. Such is the case in 3:8. The correction of

Jerusalem becomes a prelude to that universal judgment out of which

Israel's subsequent blessings proceed (3:9-20).

One further literary comparison between these three prophets

revolves around their use of figurative language. Each of the prophets

makes rather good use of the standard literary figures utilized by the

OT authors, as illustrated in Table 2. Even a casual glance at this list is

sufficient to convince the fair-minded critic that our authors were

writers of considerable literary ability. Since I have demonstrated

Nahum's powerful use of tropic language elsewhere, it will, perhaps, be

enough to add an example from each of the other two prophets.

Turning first to Habakkuk, one may note this prophet's excep-

tional use of literary tools in his fourth denunciation of the Chaldeans

(2:15-17). Utilizing the standard format of a woe oracle, the Chaldean

is first likened to a man who in feigned friendship gives his neighbor

strong drink only to get him drunk and denude him. Moving from

invective to threat, Habakkuk turns the metaphor into allegory, the

false friend now himself being forced to partake of his own drink and

subsequently suffering the shame and disgrace of exposure. Employing

the motif of the cup, Habakkuk points out that the Chaldean will pour

out a cup of wrath but in turn will drink it himself. He will now know

the shame he has brought on others. He is given a sarcastic command,

"Go on! Drink! . . . and expose yourself!" The last imperative is ex-

tremely graphic. It means literally show yourself as uncircumcised.

Naked and without covenantal grounds for leniency, the Chaldean

faced certain doom. One could hardly overestimate the cumulative

force of the concatenation of the powerful literary figures here.

Although Zephaniah uses literary figures throughout his prophecy,

the prophet is at his best in blending such tropes with his employment

 

16 Zephaniah's employment of the remnant motif, which he threads throughout the

fabric of his presentation (e.g., 2:3, 7, 9, 12), is underscored by Herbert Marks, "The

Twelve Prophets,"in The Literary Guide to the Bible, p. 216. For the necessary wedding

of the themes of judgment and hope, see W. Dyrness, Themes in Old Testament

Theology (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1979), pp. 219-37.

 



26                    GRACE THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

TABLE 2

Special Literary Features.    Nahum            Habakkuk                    Zephaniah

 


Acrostic                                 X

Allegory                                 X                     X

Alliteration/Assonance         X                     X                                 X

Authropopoeia                                                                                   X

Chiasmus                                X                     X                                 X

Enallage                                  X                                                         X

Heniadys                                                        X                                 X

Hyperbole                                                      X

Irony                                       X                                                         X

Lament                                   X                                                         X

Merismus                                                                                           X

Metonomy                                                     X                                 X

Metaphor/Simile                   X                     X                                 X

Paronomasia                                                  X                                 X

Personification                                              X                                 X

Picturesque Brevity              X

Repetition/Refrain                                        X                                 X

Rhetorical Question              X                     X

Satire                                      X                                                         X

Special Parallelism               X                     X                                 X

Synechdoche              X                     X                                 X

Woe                                        X                     X                                 X

* Full details can be found in the author's forthcoming commentary on Nahum,

Habakkuk and Zephaniah (Moody).

 

of literary allusions. Thus, in 1:2-3 he calls upon hyperbole and

wordplay to draw attention to God's coming judgment while drawing

upon allusions to both the flood and the creation. In depicting the

destruction of the Philistine cities (2:4-7), Zephaniah combines word-

play with the metaphor of a deserted woman, thus dramatically por-

traying their sure demise. Zephaniah's boldest stroke of all comes in

3:9f. Here Zephaniah alludes to earlier Canaanite literary tradition,

that tells of a time when Baal was to be handed over to Yamm both as

servant and tribute,

Thy slave is Baal, 0 Yamm,

Thy slave is Baal for[eve]r,

Dagon's Son is thy captive;

He shall be brought as thy tribute.17

 

17 ANET, p. 130. That the literary allusion is to this text is rendered certain by

Zephaniah's choice of vocabulary drawn from the Ugaritic epic: db,f, (‘ebed) "servant/

slave," lbayA (yabal) "bring," and hHAn;mi (minha) "tribute/offering." For the Ugaritic text

itself, see UT#137:36-38.


PATTERSON: NAHUM, HABAKKUK, AND ZEPHANIAH       27

 

The recognition of the literary setting of Zephaniah's words serves as a

clue to their translation and understanding. Thus, even as Baal was to

be Yamm's servant and was sent as tribute to him, so converted

Gentiles who "call upon the name of the Lord" and "serve him shoulder

to shoulder" are "my worshipers" who will "bring my scattered ones"

(the Jews) as "my tribute."

That these prophets, then, were skilled authors who composed

their prophecies with careful design and utilized polished literary tech-

niques to achieve their purposes is undeniable.18 This fact alone argues

strongly for the unity of the books that bear their names. Regardless of

that question, however, it is certain that the key to yet more precise

understanding in the exegesis of these three prophets lies along the

lines of literary analysis.

 

 

 

18 The matter of the relative degree of literary craftsmanship displayed in each

prophecy, left unanswered in this paper, will be addressed in a subsequent study.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This material is cited with gracious permission from:

            Grace Theological Seminary

            200 Seminary Dr.

            Winona Lake,  IN   46590

www.grace.edu

Please report any errors to Ted Hildebrandt at:  thildebrandt@gordon.edu