person · P0046 · bible
Tzefaniah צפניה בן כושי
Prophet of the days of Yoshiyahu, of distinguished lineage traced four generations in his superscription. Preached the coming Day of God against Yehudah's idolatry and complacency — likely reinforcing Yoshiyahu's reform — and consolation for the humble remnant. Per the Rambam he received the Oral Torah from Chavakuk and transmitted it to Yirmiyahu.
Who
- Hebrew
- צפניה בן כושי
- Also known as
- Tzefaniah ben Kushi, Zephaniah
- Era
- bible
When
- Traditional
- c. 3280–3316 AM (days of Yoshiyahu)
- Civil (computed)
- 3280–3316 AM · 481–445 BCE (trad.)
- Academic
- fl. c. 640–620 BCE
- Lifespan (traditional)
- ≈36 years
- Precision
- approximate
Where
- Places
- Jerusalem
How do we know
| Claim | Evidence | Confidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Received the Oral Torah from Chavakuk and his court, and transmitted it to Yirmiyahu — the nineteenth link in Rambam's forty-generation chain.
Confidence is for the chain as stated by the Rambam. |
rabbinic | ★★★★★ | |
| "The word of God that came to Tzefaniah ben Kushi ben Gedaliah ben Amariah ben Chizkiyah, in the days of Yoshiyahu ben Amon king of Yehudah."
Confidence is for what the biblical text states. |
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| Traditional placement c. 3280–3316 AM within Yoshiyahu's reign per Seder Olam reckoning; academic dating c. 640–620 BCE from the same superscription.
Schematic traditional dating. |
tradition reconstruction | ★★☆☆☆ |