"I will punish” appears three times in chapter 1: Zephaniah 1:8, Zephaniah 1:9, Zephaniah 1:12. The basic meaning of the Hebrew verb is to visit, inspect,
and carries that nuance in several places: to observe with care
(Exodus 3:16), to visit with benefit
(Genesis 21:1; Exodus 4:31), to visit with punishment
(Exodus 32:34; Jeremiah 6:15), to appoint
(Deuteronomy 20:9), to charge, lay a responsibility on
(2 Chronicles 36:23). So there is a diversity of meaning, which presents a certain challenge in interpretation. And the syntax itself is not necessarily always most illuminating, since there is an inconsistency in this regard: when the verb takes a direct object (in the Hebrew), the verb can have either positive (Ruth 1:6) or hostile (Isaiah 26:14) intent, and when the verb takes an indirect object, it can mean to punish
(like here) or to give a charge or responsibility to
(Zephaniah 3:7; Numbers 4:27). This all underlines the need to interpret the verb in its immediate context.1
In the present verse the term indeed refers to judgment that will begin with the leaders of the nation who capitulated to Assyria. With every following use of the term, the Lord with his judgment moves closer and closer to the average citizen of Judah. After the first group—the rulers—the second group includes those who involved themselves in the violent and deceptive worship of false gods (Zephaniah 1:9). The third group includes complacent believers (Zephaniah 1:12b).2
8 And on the day of the LORD’s sacrifice “I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire.