Abstract

The article seeks to highlight the problem of the theological complexity
of the Book of Zephaniah, that would be intriguing to the general reader,
and in which the categorical divine oracle of judgment collides with a strong
invitation to the messianic joy (Ze. 3:14-17). By starting from the border verse
(Ze. 3:9), where the oracle of judgment rapidly turns into an oracle of salvation,
the author tries to examine the internal dynamics of this theological
turning point. The main purpose of this analysis is to attempt to understand
the nature of the day of the Lord which, in the book of Zephaniah, turns out
to be at the same time the day of judgment and the day of salvation. Based
on the classic Aristotelian doctrine of the four causes, the author puts in
order disparate material on the day of the Lord in the book of Zephaniah and
sees in it a number of references to the Jahwistic version of the account of
the sin concerning the sons of God (Gn. 6:1-4) and the flood (Gn. 6:5-8,22;
9.1-17). The article may become a contribution to the understanding of the
impact of the Pentateuchal sources on the prophetic tradition.