Zephaniah prophesied at the beginning of the reign of King Josiah of Judah, around 640-610. BC e. The book of the prophet Zephaniah, consisting of three chapters, has a fairly general content. The writer denounces the idolatry of his compatriots, convinces them to repent, and threatens them with the wrath of God. The central idea of the Book of Zephaniah is the belief in the coming of God's judgment over the whole world. God can afford such judgment because his authority extends over all nations, not just his chosen people. This teaching of the prophet contributed to the religious reforms of Josiah, to the preparation for the spread of a single cult of Yahweh, and to the emergence of monotheism.
