King James Version

What Does Zephaniah 1:14 Mean?

Zephaniah 1:14 in the King James Version says “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty ma...” — study this verse from Zephaniah chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.”

Zephaniah 1:14 · KJV

Context

12

And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. settled: Heb. curded, or, thickened

13

Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.

14

The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

15

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16

A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
This verse introduces one of Scripture's most solemn themes: the Day of the LORD. "The great day of the LORD is near" (qarov yom-Yahweh ha-gadol) announces imminent divine intervention in judgment. The phrase "Day of the LORD" (yom Yahweh) appears throughout prophetic literature (Isaiah 13:6-9; Ezekiel 30:2-3; Joel 1:15, 2:1, 11, 31; Amos 5:18-20; Obadiah 15; Malachi 4:5) describing God's decisive act of judgment against sin and vindication of righteousness.

"It is near, and hasteth greatly" (qarov u-maher me'od) emphasizes urgent immediacy. The verb maher means to hurry, hasten, or approach rapidly—this isn't distant prophecy but imminent crisis. "The voice of the day of the LORD" (qol yom Yahweh) personifies the day itself as crying out. "The mighty man shall cry there bitterly" indicates even warriors—the strong, brave, and powerful—will wail in terror when God's judgment strikes. No human strength, military power, or strategic defense can resist divine judgment.

The following verses elaborate this terror: "That day is a day of wrath...trouble and distress...wasteness and desolation...darkness and gloominess...clouds and thick darkness" (1:15). The vocabulary accumulates synonyms for catastrophe, creating overwhelming impression of total devastation. The Day of the LORD brings not gradual decline but sudden, comprehensive judgment—the ultimate expression of God's holy wrath against persistent, unrepented sin. This theme climaxes eschatologically in final judgment (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 6:12-17, 16:14).

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Historical & Cultural Context

For Zephaniah's audience, the immediate "Day of the LORD" was Babylon's invasion and Jerusalem's destruction (586 BC). Nebuchadnezzar's armies besieged Jerusalem, breached its walls, burned the temple, slaughtered inhabitants, and exiled survivors (2 Kings 25). This fulfilled covenant curses from Deuteronomy 28:47-57 and Leviticus 26:27-39. The devastation was so complete that Lamentations describes mothers eating their children during the siege (Lamentations 4:10)—horrific fulfillment of Deuteronomy 28:53-57.

However, the Day of the LORD has multiple historical fulfillments and ultimate eschatological consummation. Partial fulfillments include: Assyria's conquest of Israel (722 BC), Babylon's destruction of Judah (586 BC), Jerusalem's devastation by Rome (AD 70), and various judgments throughout history. But these are foretastes of the final Day when Christ returns to judge the living and dead (Acts 17:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 19:11-21, 20:11-15).

Zephaniah's description influenced later biblical imagery. The cry of mighty men appears in Revelation 6:15-17 when "kings of the earth, great men, rich men, chief captains, and mighty men" hide in caves begging rocks to fall on them. The language of darkness, clouds, and thick darkness echoes Joel 2:2, 31 and Jesus's description of cosmic disturbances at His return (Matthew 24:29). The Day of the LORD thus bridges all of Scripture as the theme of God's ultimate, decisive, inescapable judgment against all unrighteousness.

Reflection Questions

  1. How should the certainty and urgency of the Day of the LORD affect Christian living, witness, and priorities?
  2. What does the terror of even "mighty men" on that day teach about human inability to resist or escape God's judgment?
  3. How does understanding the Day of the LORD as both historical and eschatological shape interpretation of prophetic Scripture?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
קָר֖וֹב1 of 14

“is near”

H7138

near (in place, kindred or time)

י֣וֹם2 of 14

“day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

יְהוָ֔ה3 of 14

“of the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

הַגָּד֔וֹל4 of 14

“The great”

H1419

great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent

קָר֖וֹב5 of 14

“is near”

H7138

near (in place, kindred or time)

וּמַהֵ֣ר6 of 14

“and hasteth”

H4118

properly, hurrying; hence (adverbially) in a hurry

מְאֹ֑ד7 of 14

“greatly”

H3966

properly, vehemence, i.e., (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or

ק֚וֹל8 of 14

“even the voice”

H6963

a voice or sound

י֣וֹם9 of 14

“day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

יְהוָ֔ה10 of 14

“of the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

מַ֥ר11 of 14

“there bitterly”

H4751

bitter (literally or figuratively); also (as noun) bitterness, or (adverbially) bitterly

צֹרֵ֖חַ12 of 14

“shall cry”

H6873

to be clear (in tone, i.e., shrill), i.e., to whoop

שָׁ֥ם13 of 14
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

גִּבּֽוֹר׃14 of 14

“the mighty man”

H1368

powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Zephaniah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Zephaniah 1:14 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Zephaniah 1:14 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Malachi 4:5Ezekiel 30:3Zephaniah 1:71 Thessalonians 4:16Isaiah 15:4Ezekiel 7:12

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