1. Zephaniah 1:1 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What might be the reason for Zephaniah’s name?

Zephaniah 1:1 (ESV)

1 The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

Zephaniah’s name means, he whom Yahweh hides or hidden of Yahweh. We probably cannot attribute too much significance to the meaning of the name, but the meaning does suggest that his parents trusted in the Lord, which is rather noteworthy since Zephaniah was most likely born during the evil reign of Manasseh (2 Kings 20:21 – 21:18). It is also possible that his name highlights God’s desire to protect his people during the coming destruction (see Zephaniah 2:3). J.D.W. Watts thinks the original meaning was a confession: Zaphon is Yahweh, identifying the old Canaanite god of the mythical mountain of the north, Zaphon, with Israel’s God.1 It is difficult to be conclusive on the matter.