Zephaniah צְפַנְיָהוּ
One of the men in Zechariah's prophecy
Who is Zephaniah in the Bible?
Zephaniah was one of the men mentioned in Zechariah's prophecy who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem with precious metals intended for a sacred purpose (Zechariah 6:10, 6:14). Along with Heldai and Tobijah, he brought silver and gold that were fashioned into a crown to be placed on the head of Joshua the high priest and then preserved in the temple as a memorial. This symbolic act pointed to the coming Messiah, called the Branch, who would both build the Lord's temple and reign as priest and king, uniting two offices that were typically kept separate in Israel's religious system.
Biography
Zephaniah is mentioned in the book of Zechariah as one of the men who came from Babylon to Jerusalem. He, along with Heldai and Tobijah, brought silver and gold, which was to be used to make a crown. This crown was to be placed on the head of Joshua the high priest and then kept in the temple as a memorial. The event was symbolic of the Messiah, the Branch, who would build the temple of the Lord and rule as both priest and king.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical bookZechariah 2 verses
- Zechariah 6:10
"“Take an offering from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon—and go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah."
- Zechariah 6:14
"The crown will reside in the temple of the LORD as a memorial to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and the gracious son of Zephaniah."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | צְפַנְיָהוּ | ṣĕpanĕyāh | Tsephanjah , the name of four Israelites |