There has often been noticed in this prophecy a gen- eral or universal character, rather than specific predic-
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tions, though these are not entirely wanting. This tend- ency is in harmony with the position which Zephauiah was called to occupy in the course of divine providence ; for he lived at the commencement of the period of the universal empires, which are represented by Daniel in detail, and exhibited as introductory to the kingdom of the Son of man. The Clialda\in monarchy was rising with marvellous rapidity to universal empire, and was in preparation by the Lord to be the scourge of his own people as well as of the heathen nations; and in con- nection witli their work Zephaniah saw the coming of the day of the Lord, the day of judgment, when all the earth should be devoured with the tire of his jealousy (ch. i, 18 ; iii, 8). But as earlier prophets, especially Joel and Isaiah, had already foreseen and declared this in con- nection with the work of the Assyrian monarchy, which only made a commencement and left the completion to its rival and heir at Babylon, we find the language and imagery of these earlier prophets continually referred to, adopted, or elaborated anew by Zei)haniah and his contemporary Jeremiah, witli whom he has much in common. — Fairbairn.
V. Commentaries. — The following are the special ex- egetical helps on this entire book exclusively: Luther, Commetitarius (in 0pp. vol. iv ; also in Germ, in Werke); 'Bucer, Commen/ariiis (Argent. 1528, 8vo); Selnecker, A uskgung (Leips. 15(3G, 4to) : Ciisar, Predigten (Wittenb. 1603, 8vo) ; Tarnovius, Commentarius (Rost. 1623, 4to) ; Larenus, Tuba (Mediob. 1653, 8vo) ; Gebhardus, Viiidi- catio (Gryphan. 1701-2, 4to) ; Hocke, A uslegung [includ. Nah. and Hab.] (Frankf. 1710, 4to); Noltenius, Com- meniariolus [on ch. i] (Fr. ad.O. 1719-24, 4to); Geb- hardi, Erkliiruiig ( Fr. am (,>. 1728, 4to ) ; Cramer, Scytliische iJenkmdler (Kiel, 1777, 8voj; Anton, Inter- pretatio [on ch. iii] (Gorl. 1811, 4to) ; Ccilhi, Observa- tions ( Vratisl. 1818, 4to); Ewald, Erkld?-ung (Erlang. 1827, 8vo) ; Strauss, Commentarius (Berol. 1843, 8vo) ; Kobinson, Homilies (Lond. 1865, 8vo); Eeinke, Erldate- rung (Leips. 1868 j. See Pkoi'Hets, Minok.
Ze'phath (Heb. Tsepha/h', ns:j, watch-tower; Sept. 2f^£^ V. r. Se^sk and ^f<pip; Vulg. Sephaath'), the earlier name (according to the notice of Judg. i, 17) of a Canaanitish town, which after its capture and de- struction was called by the Israelites Hoemah (q. v.).
According to rabbi Schwarz (Palest, p. 186), it is like- wise mentioned in the Jerus. Talmud (Rosh kash-Sha?iah, ch. ii). See also Zipn. Two identilications have been proposed for Zephath — that of Dr. Robinson with the well-known pass es-iSufd, by which the ascent is made from the borders of the Arabah to the higher level of the "south country" (J-tibl. Pes. ii, 181), and that of Mr. Rowlands (Williams, IJolg Cily. i, 464) with Sebdta, two and a half hours beyond Khalasa, on the road to Suez, and a quarter of an hour north of Rohebeh, or Kuheibeh. See also ZepiiathaJi.
1. The former of these Mr. Wilton ( The Negcb, etc., p. 199, 200) has challenged, on account of the imjiracti- cability of the pass for the approach of the Israelites, and the ina|ipropriateness of so rugged and desolate a spot for the position of a city of any importance. The question really forms part of a much larger one, which this is not the place to discuss — viz. the route by which the Israelites approached the Holy Land. See Exode. But, in the meantime, it should not be overlooked that the attempt of the Israelites in question was an nnsu#- cessful one, whijch is so far in favor of the steepness of the pass. It should also be borne in mind that both in ancient and modern times such difHcult passes have in many cases been the chief thoroughfares in Pales- tine, and this one in particular has remained such to the present day. The argument from the nature of the site is one which might be brought with equal force against the existence of many others of the towns in this region.
2. On the identification of Mr. Rowlands some doubt has been thrown by the want of certainty as to the name and exact locality. Dr. Stewart {Tent ami Khan, p. 205) heard of the name, but east of Khalasa instead of south, and this was in answer to a leading question — always a dangerous experiment with Arabs. The Eng- lish engineers of the Ordnance Survey, however, found Sebuita in the vicinity indicated; namely, about fifteen miles south of Khalasah. Prof. Palmer gives a fidl de- scription of the extensive ruins of the place (Desert of the Exodus, p. 315 sq. ), and a plan of the town, with other details, may be found in the Quarterly Statement of the "Palestine Exyilor. Fund," Jan. 1871, p. 3-73. Preferring, as we decidedly do, the locatit)n of Kadesh- baniea, on the edge of ihe Arabah, we should decide
^i^-^wp:^
Pass of Sufa. (From a photograph by the Kditor. 'l"li.^ iIki k spot lialf-way uj) the mouutain is ihu travtileis'
caravan climbing the usceut.)
ZEPHATHAH
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ZERATI
-Qi?*-^
Ruiued Town of Sebaita.
against the claims of this spot to be the Zephath of ' Scripture, notwithstanding the agreement in name and remains. See Kadesh. ]