Original Word: צְפַנְיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Tsphanyah
Pronunciation: tsef-an-yaw'
Phonetic Spelling: (tsef-an-yaw')
KJV: Zephaniah
NASB: Zephaniah
Word Origin: [from H6845 (צָּפַן - stored) and H3050 (יָהּ - LORD)]

1. Jah has secreted
2. Tsephanjah, the name of four Israelites

Zephaniah

Or Tsphanyahuw {tsef-an-yaw'-hoo}; from tsaphan and Yahh; Jah has secreted; Tsephanjah, the name of four Israelites -- Zephaniah.

see HEBREW tsaphan

see HEBREW Yahh

Word Origin
from tsaphan and Yah
Definition
"Yah has treasured," four Isr.
NASB Translation
Zephaniah (10).

צְפַנְיָה(וּׅ proper name, masculine Σοφονιας (׳י hath treasured; Old Hebrew צפניהו, Phoenician צפנבעל); —

1 priest, יָה- Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 22:25,29; Jeremiah 52:24 = יָהוּ- 2 Kings 25:18 (ᵐ5^L Σαφανιας), Jeremiah 37:3. Elsewhere יָה-:

2 the prophet Zephaniah 1:1.

3 a Judaean Zechariah 6:10,14.

4 ancestor of Heman 1 Chronicles 6:21 (Σαφανιας; = אוּרִיאֵל v.1 Chronicles 6:9).

Name Significance

The name Tsĕphanyāh means “Yahweh has hidden” or “the LORD has treasured.” In every era where the name appears, the bearers live during moments of upheaval when divine shelter is urgently needed. Their accounts collectively illustrate the Lord’s power both to conceal the faithful from wrath and to reveal His purposes through them.

Individuals Bearing the Name

1. Zephaniah the prophet, active in the reign of Josiah.
2. Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, a prominent priest in the final years of Judah.
3. Zephaniah in the Levitical genealogy of 1 Chronicles.
4. Zephaniah, father of Josiah in the post-exilic community.

Zephaniah the Prophet (Zephaniah 1:1)

Tracing his lineage to Hezekiah, the prophet ministered “in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.” His message revolves around the imminent “Day of the LORD,” a cosmic judgment extending from Judah to “all who live on the earth” (Zephaniah 1:18). Yet the book ends with an anthem of hope: “The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save” (Zephaniah 3:17). Zephaniah’s prophecy prepared the ground for Josiah’s reforms, urged the humble to “seek the LORD” (Zephaniah 2:3), and foresaw a purified remnant and far-reaching Gentile inclusion (Zephaniah 3:9-10). The New Testament later echoes his themes of universal judgment and restoration (for example, Acts 3:19-21; Revelation 7:9-17).

Zephaniah the Priest (2 Kings 25:18; Jeremiah 21:1; 29:25, 29; 37:3; 52:24)

Serving as “the second priest,” Zephaniah son of Maaseiah often acted as royal envoy to Jeremiah. He brought inquiries from King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 21:1) and received Shemaiah’s false denunciations against Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:25-29). Caught between prophetic truth and political pressure, he wavered, never overtly opposing Jeremiah yet never championing him either. When Jerusalem fell, Nebuzaradan “took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest” (2 Kings 25:18) and executed them at Riblah (Jeremiah 52:24-27). His fate underscores that religious office without wholehearted obedience cannot avert judgment.

Zephaniah in the Levitical Genealogy (1 Chronicles 6:36)

Listed among the sons of Elkanah, this Zephaniah belongs to the Kohathite branch of Levi, the clan responsible for sanctuary worship. Though little else is recorded, his inclusion attests to God’s meticulous preservation of priestly lineage, ensuring qualified servants for future generations.

Zephaniah in the Post-Exilic Community (Zechariah 6:10, 14)

More than half a century after the exile, the prophet Zechariah was told, “Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah” (Zechariah 6:10). In that house the symbolic crown for Joshua the high priest was forged, anticipating the Messiah who would unite priesthood and kingship. The crown remained in the temple “as a memorial… to Hen son of Zephaniah” (Zechariah 6:14), revealing that this family offered both hospitality and resources to advance the Lord’s redemptive plan.

Theological Themes

1. Judgment and Refuge: From the prophet’s warnings to the priest’s execution, the name’s meaning is repeatedly tested—only those sheltered by the Lord truly remain hidden.
2. Remnant Preservation: The genealogical Zephaniah exemplifies how God safeguards a worshipping remnant through exile and return.
3. Messianic Expectation: Zephaniah’s prophecy of global purification and Zechariah’s crowning ritual converge in the promise of a future righteous King-Priest.
4. Prophetic-Priestly Tension: The priest Zephaniah’s interactions with Jeremiah contrast sharply with the prophet Zephaniah’s bold proclamation, reminding readers that institutional position must yield to revealed truth.

Practical Lessons

• Spiritual heritage is a privilege that must be matched by courageous fidelity.
• God can both hide and expose; security lies not in status but in submission to His word.
• Even amid national collapse, the Lord raises voices like Zephaniah’s to call His people to repentance and hope.
• Post-exilic Zephaniah shows that hospitality and generous obedience can play pivotal roles in advancing God’s salvation story.

Together, the ten occurrences of צְפַנְיָה trace a narrative arc from pre-exilic warning to post-exilic renewal, demonstrating the unwavering reliability of God’s purposes across Israel’s darkest and brightest hours.

צְפַנְיָ֑ה צְפַנְיָ֔ה צְפַנְיָ֖ה צְפַנְיָ֖הוּ צְפַנְיָ֤ה צְפַנְיָ֤הוּ צְפַנְיָ֥ה צְפַנְיָ֧ה צְפַנְיָֽה׃ צְפַנְיָה֙ צפניה צפניה׃ צפניהו ṣə·p̄an·yā·hū ṣə·p̄an·yāh ṣəp̄anyāh ṣəp̄anyāhū tzefanYah tzefanYahuInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts