Abstract:
This thesis intends to deal with the concept of the day of Jahveh, its origin and its development within classical Old Testament prophecy, especially within the prophet Zephaniah. Each prophet uses the concept according to his historical context but common elements can be perceived. The day of Jahveh is presented as an event in which divine justice is manifested, bringing judgment upon the oppressors and salvation for the oppressed. The description of the prophets uses elements of the tradition of the theophanies of Jahveh and the “holy wars” of tribal Israel. Based on bibliographic and exegetical research we will analyze the day of Jahveh and its characteristics in the prophets who make use of the concept. In the first chapter we will analyze the origin of the concept as a popular expectation prior to the message of the prophets. For this we will study the tribal period and the environment of the “holy wars” recounted in the book of Judges. In the second chapter we will work with the use of the concept of the day of Jahveh by the pre-exilic prophets – Amos, Isaiah and Jeremiah – in the exilic prophets – Ezekiel and Obadiah – and in the post-exilic prophets – Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Joel and Deutero-Zechariah. In the third and last chapter we will place an emphasis on the prophet Zephaniah, especially the pericopes of Zeph 1.7-18; 2.1-15 and 3. 1-13.
