The connection between Zephaniah 3:9–10 and the Tower of Babel narrative in Genesis 11:1–9 has been observed by a number of commentators.^1,2,3 The two passages have a number of key words in common, of which the following are the most important: כֻלָּם (all of them),  שָׂפָה (speech), אֶחָד (one), שֵׁם (name), and פּוּץ (to disperse). The author of Zephaniah uses these terms from the Tower narrative in order to show a reversal of sorts from Babel. Consider the following:⁴

• Regarding שָׂפָה (speech), it is most often used in the Old Testament as a metaphor for speech or language. It plays a key role in the Tower story, occurring five times in reference to the language of the people and the subsequent confusion of that language. There was one language (שָׂפָה אֶחָת) (Genesis 11:1). The judgment in Genesis 11:9 is that the Lord confused the language of all the earth [שְׂפַת כָּל־הָאָרֶץ] (see further Genesis 11:6, Genesis 11:7 (2x)). In Zephaniah 3 the שָׂפָה is changed to a pure speech (שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה), so that the peoples serve the Lord with one accord. Thus, the language (שָׂפָה) that was confused and made into a plurality in Genesis 11:1–9 is now singular in Zephaniah 3:9–13. This singular use would apparently presuppose that the language of the nations is changed back to its singular form prior to the time of the Tower of Babel episode (Genesis 11:1–9) when all the earth (v. 9) was created.⁵

• Regarding שֵׁם (name), in Genesis 11:4 the people say, Let us make a name [שֵׁם] for ourselves, and Genesis 11:9 indicates the ironic name their city was given: Its name [שְׁמָהּ] was called Babel, because the Lord confused their language. In Zephaniah 3:9, however, the people call on the name of the Lord.

• Regarding פוץ (dispersed), in Genesis 11:4 the builders want to make a name for themselves, lest we be dispersed [פֶּן־נָפוּץ] over the face of the whole earth. They are nonetheless scattered across the face of the earth (Genesis 11:8–9). In Zephaniah 3:10, the Lord speaks of gathering the daughter of my dispersed (בת פוצי) from the farthest parts of the earth.

• Finally, Zephaniah 3:8 ends with כל הארץ (all the earth), which likewise begins and ends the Babel narrative in Genesis 11:1, Genesis 11:8. In light of the transitional nature of Zephaniah 3:8, the final all the earth provides the interpretive lenses to view the עמים (peoples) of Zephaniah 3:9 and provides a closer context with Genesis 11:1.^6,7

With these connections in mind, it appears Zephaniah is drawing upon and reversing the Babel narrative.