Zephaniah

[zef-uh-nahy-uh]

noun

1. a Minor Prophet of the 7th century b.c.

2. a book of the Bible bearing his name. Zeph., Zp.

Zephaniah

/ ˌzɛfəˈnaɪə /

noun

1. Douay spelling: Sophonias. Old Testament

   1. a Hebrew prophet of the late 7th century _bc

   2. the book containing his oracles, which are chiefly concerned with the approaching judgment by God upon the sinners of Judah

2. Benjamin . born 1958, British poet, writer, and activist, born in Jamaica. His poetry collections include The Dread Affair (1985) and Too Black, Too Strong (2001)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Zephaniah¹

From Hebrew Ṣəphanyāh “God has hidden”

Example Sentences

The late poet Benjamin Zephaniah rejected an OBE in 2003 because of the association with the British Empire and its history of slavery.

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Poet Benjamin Zephaniah turned down an OBE over its associations with colonialism.

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The late writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah will be the first recipient of a medal created to honour Birmingham residents.

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The council will also consider whether to award a City of Birmingham Medal to Zephaniah.

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Zephaniah was born and raised in Handsworth, Birmingham, and left school unable to read or write at the age of 13.

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