What is it about?
Most interpreters understand the final line in Zephaniah 1.7 as, "(The Lord) has consecrated/sanctified his guests." This reading sees the verb "to make holy" as referring to the guests entering a state of holiness in order to participate in the sacred meal that the Lord has prepared. The particular form of the verb, however, is never used to describe this kind "sanctification" in the Old Testament, but rather describes things being irreversibly dedicated to God.
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Why is it important?
Understanding the line as "(The Lord) has dedicated his guests" helps to understand the verse and its wider context.
Perspectives
I have gone against the majority of interpreters with my suggestion and would be interested to see the counterargument/s.
Dr John Hans de Jong
Laidlaw College
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Sanctified or Dedicated? הקדישׁ in Zephaniah 1:7, Vetus Testamentum, January 2018, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/15685330-12341308.
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