Though no direct reference is made to Jerusalem, it is clear that Zephaniah focuses on the capital city of Judah in chapter 3. As an insider familiar with the corrupt and tyrannical regimes of Manasseh and Jotham, Zephaniah charges Jerusalem with faithlessness. The oracle is a woe oracle of judgment. Jerusalem will fare no better than the surrounding nations. The charges are essentially three: Jerusalem is corrupt; it has forsaken Yahweh; its leaders are hopelessly evil.

Zephaniah paints a portrait of an incredibly evil city. Jerusalem is a “bloody” city where gangsters rule. Because of bloodshed, the city has become “defiled,” suggesting ritual uncleanness (Ezra 2:62; Neh. 7:64; Mal. 1:7, 12). At her very core, Jerusalem is a covenant-breaking city. Whatever one may say about her, she i…