NOTES ON THE MINOR PROPHETS

Hosea 10:12 Righteous Teacher was adapted by the Dead Sea community as the name of their leader.

Joel 2:23 see note to Hosea 10:12

Joel 3:5 See Colossians 3:17.

Amos 2:1 see II Kings 3:27.

Amos 2:8 See Deuteronomy 12:12.

Amos 5:22 Excavations of the temple area in Dan show that animal bones found were consistent with 

Levitical rules of sacrifice. This indicates that it was the attitude of the Northern Kingdom, not their 

heterodox worship practices that Amos speaks against.

Amos 6:7 The bed was used for sprawling guests during their feasts. An ivory inlaid bed from Amos' 

time was found in Salamis, Cyprus.

Amos 6:12 If bqrym has no letter breaks it means oxen. But bqr can also mean oxen, and ym = sea. 

Thus, "Does one plow the sea with oxen?"

Amos 7:9 Judgment first on the church and then on the government.

Jonah 1:7 There is a recent proposal that the fish is “a manifestation of Jonah's fear and sense of 

alienation while afloat during a long winter's night, with the constellation “the whale's belly” showing 

prominently in the skies. Unlikely.

Jonah 1:17-3:3 According to one commentator, Jonah's prayer implies that Jonah died and was later 

brought back to life, forming a close parallel with Jesus' resurrection (Matthew 12:38-41).

Nahum 2-3 The Qumran book called the Nahum Pesher relates 2:12 to Alexander Jannaeus (who 

crucified Pharisees) and 3:5 to his widow Salome who ruled Israel for years.

Zephaniah 3:8 Dan Curtis paper: “perhaps the most amazing use of the alefbet occurs in Zephaniah 

3:8 in which all 22 of the Hebrew letters plus the 5 special final forms occur in a single verse. Such 

constructions require author intent and show the literary importance of the Hebrew letters in Hebrew 

literature.”

Zeph. 3:17 yaharish = “he will be silent” (meaningless) or “he will plow” (plausible if a euphemism 

for sexual congress as a figure of God married to his people. Another possibility is a textual error for 

 yadarish = “renew his love” (as in the Septuagint and the Syriac Peshitta (BR).

Zechariah 2:8 See Deuteronomy 32:10.

Zechariah 6:12 was taken to be a prophecy of St. Assisi (= East) rebuilding a cathedral.

Zechariah 14:7 See Revelation 21:23.

Zech. 14:21 Canaanite = lit. “trader”

Malachi 1:8 Verse 8c is a good way to put into perspective our own actions by looking at earthly 

examples.

Malachi 2:15-16

Verse 15 is extremely difficult to translate. It is felt by some to refer to Genesis 2 and the two 

becoming one flesh.

Verse 16 is translated by some: "If one hates and divorces...he covers his garment with violence." Thus, 

a divorce based on mere aversion is branded as reprehensible.