This verse describes in detail the condition of Nineveh after its fall. It is similar in theme to the descriptions of Ashkelon in verse 7, and of Moab and Ammon in verse 9. There are several textual problems in the verse, and some of the Hebrew words used are of uncertain meaning.
The first clause is relatively simple: Herds shall lie down in the midst of her. The Hebrew word which is translated herds refers to a group of domestic animals of any kind, whether cattle, sheep, or goats, or a mixture of these. The English word herds applies mainly to cattle, and the normal collective term in English for sheep and goats is “flocks” (compare Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible). So in order to include both types of animal, Good News Translation uses both the term “flocks” and the term “herds” (compare New International Version).
All the beasts of the field: the Hebrew text actually says “all the beasts of the nations,” as in King James Version and Revised Version, and Revised Standard Version is here following the Aramaic translation, called the Targum (compare New English Bible), rather than the Hebrew. It is possible that the Hebrew text originally contained a form gayʾ rather than the form goy, which is in our present Hebrew texts. The form gayʾ means “valley” and is the term assumed to be correct by the translators of New American Bible (“hollows”) and Jerusalem Bible (“valley”).
Even if the Hebrew goy is correct and carries the meaning “nations,” what does the expression “all the beasts of the nations” mean? Hebrew Old Testament Text Project suggests “all the beasts living in flocks (or, herds),” but this meaning is not found in any major translation. Many scholars believe that “nations” is used here in the sense of “species,” as in Proverbs 30.25, and that the whole phrase means “all beasts of every kind” (Lehrman), or as Good News Translation expresses it, “animals of every kind” (compare Deissler, Moffatt, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant). This makes perfectly acceptable sense in the context, and translators are recommended to follow it.
The vulture and the hedgehog shall lodge in her capitals: in this setting capitals are the top parts of the columns which supported the roofs of the fine buildings of Nineveh. The prophet is here assuming that the buildings are destroyed and the columns thrown to the ground so that various creatures could lodge among them, or take shelter during the night. Good News Translation translates capitals by the more general term “ruins.”
The main problem here is that the names of the creatures mentioned are very uncertain in meaning. The first term is qaʾath, which is translated vulture (Revised Standard Version), “cormorant” (King James Version), “pelican” (Revised Version, Jerusalem Bible), “jackdaw” (Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible), “screech owl” (New American Bible), “horned owl” (New English Bible), and “desert owl” (New International Version). All that can be said for certain is that the qaʾath is found in a list of unclean birds in Leviticus 11.18 and Deuteronomy 14.17. It is also mentioned as inhabiting deserted places in Psalm 102.6 and Isaiah 34.11. This seems to make it unlikely that a water bird like the cormorant or pelican is intended, or a scavenger like the vulture. On the whole, some kind of owl seems to fit the context best, and if a receptor language has a general word for owl, it will be good to use that rather than give a more exact term that denotes a particular species of owl. If owls do not exist in a particular culture, one may refer to some kind of predatory night bird which gives a hooting or screeching sound.
The second uncertain word is qippod, which is translated hedgehog (Revised Standard Version, Bible de Jérusalem), “bittern” (King James Version), “heron” (Jerusalem Bible), “porcupine” (Revised Version), “desert owl” (New American Bible), “ruffed bustard” (Revised English Bible), “screech owl” (New International Version), and “owl” (New Jerusalem Bible). The word also occurs in Isaiah 14.23, but its context there does not give much help in identifying the creature intended. The ancient translations support the interpretation of qippod as hedgehog or porcupine, but this meaning does not seem to fit the context of Zephaniah 2.14 very well. Also, as with qaʾath, it seems unlikely that a water bird is intended, and again some kind of owl seems to be the most probable creature. Good News Translation accepts this understanding and translates both qaʾath and qippod by the single generic term “owls.” In English this fits well, as English speakers readily associate owls with ruined or deserted buildings. If some other bird has a similar association in other languages, it may be best to use the name of that bird. The translator must always remember that, in a passage like this, the prophet is writing poetically to create an impression of ruin and desolation. He is not writing a scientific account of the wild life of a ruined city, and if we translate this passage as if it were a scientific text book, we are mistranslating it. The effect of this can be seen for instance in the New English Bible rendering “ruffed bustard.” This may perhaps be a correct identification of the creature intended, but most English speakers have never heard of such a bird. Its name means nothing to them and has no emotional impact, except perhaps amusement. This is not what Zephaniah intended.
In the third sentence of the verse, Revised Standard Version has the owl shall hoot in the window, the raven croak on the threshold. The problems here are the words underlying owl and raven. In the first case the Hebrew has the word qol, which means “voice” (King James Version, Revised Version). Revised Standard Version has accepted a suggestion to emend the text to say instead kos, which means owl. Moffatt, Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible do the same. This fits the context but is hardly necessary, since the word “voice” applied to the call of the birds mentioned in the previous sentence makes perfectly good sense. This can be seen in New American Bible‘s “Their call shall resound from the window,” and New International Version‘s “Their calls will echo through the windows” (compare Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). Good News Translation follows this interpretation but combines the first part of this sentence with the previous sentence and says “Owls will live among its ruins and hoot from the windows.” The word hoot in English is used especially of the cry an owl makes, and if translators have a term in their own languages which is closely linked with the birds named in the earlier part of the verse, it will be good to use it here (see comments on the translation of “owl” above).
The second bird in the sentence is called the raven in Revised Standard Version. The Hebrew text actually has the word choreb, which means “desolation” (King James Version, Revised Version; compare Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). The Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation, evidently read a different Hebrew word, ʿoreb, which means raven or “crow.” This possibility is followed by most modern translations (Revised Standard Version, Moffatt, Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) and is to be recommended. Good News Translation also follows the Greek and translates “Crows will caw on the doorsteps.” The words croak and “caw” are used in English especially of the cry of birds like crows and ravens, and translators may be able to use a similar specific term in their own languages. In some languages it will be necessary to refer to some sort of black bird that has a raucous cry. In areas where houses do not have a threshold, or “doorsteps,” a more generic word like “doorway” will be suitable (compare New American Bible, New International Version).
For her cedar work will be laid bare: the last sentence of the verse is somewhat separate from the earlier sentences and speaks about the ruin of the splendid buildings of Nineveh. Some scholars believe that the underlying Hebrew words have arisen by confusion with the opening words of verse 15, which contain some similar letters, and that they should be dropped. Some modern versions (Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New English Bible) therefore omit this sentence. Other scholars divide up the Hebrew letters slightly differently to give the meaning “the cedar has disappeared.” This interpretation seems to be behind the Good News Translation rendering “The cedar wood of her buildings will be stripped away.” Note that Good News Translation has made two small points explicit. First, it has stated that “cedar” is “wood,” and second, it has stated that this wood was used in the city’s “buildings.” Many translators will wish to follow this example, especially in cultures where cedar and its uses are not well known. In certain languages translators may wish to render this clause as “For they will strip the cedar wood from her buildings,” “they” being unknown people (compare Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). It is also possible to say “For enemies will strip…,” because the pronoun “they” might be misunderstood to refer to the animals and birds mentioned earlier in the verse.
The hard and long-lasting wood of the cedar tree was highly valued for use in luxurious buildings. It was used for instance in the building of Solomon’s Temple (1 Kgs 6.9, 10) and palace (1 Kgs 7.3, 7). When the buildings of Nineveh were destroyed, it was natural that people would take away the expensive cedar timbers to use again elsewhere. This interpretation therefore seems to fit the context well and is recommended to translators.
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• She (or, The city of Nineveh) will be a place where domesticated and wild animals of all kinds will lie down. Owls (or, Predatory night birds) will live among the ruins and make hooting sounds from the windows. Black birds (or, Crows) will make cawing sounds on the doorsteps. People will strip away the cedar wood from her buildings.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Zephaniah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .