1. Zephaniah 1:11 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Who are the traders?

Zephaniah 1:11 (ESV)

11 Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off.

As noted by the ESV footnote, all the traders could also be translated as all the people of Canaan. The word that is used does refer on occasion to merchants or traders (Proverbs 31:24; Isaiah 23:8; Ezekiel 16:29; Ezekiel 17:4; Hosea 12:7; Zechariah 14:21). Alec Motyer sees a double meaning here, and is likely correct in this: They were people of the Lord, but in business they had become Canaanites!1