Zephaniah is doing something typical in Scripture when he refers to Zion and Jerusalem as a daughter (for Zion, see, e.g., Psalm 9:14; Isaiah 1:8; Isaiah 10:32; Isaiah 16:1; Jeremiah 4:31; Zechariah 2:10; Zechariah 9:9; Lamentations 1:6; Lamentations 2:1, Lamentations 2:4; Micah 1:13; for Jerusalem, see 2 Kings 19:21; Isaiah 37:22; Lamentations 2:13; Micah 4:8). More generally, he is doing something typical of ancient Mediterranean descriptions of cities, which were often depicted as a woman or the bride of a deity (see Hosea 1:1 – 3:5; Jeremiah 2:1–37; Ezekiel 16:1–63; Isaiah 49:1 – 54:17).
14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!