Heidegger's Bible Handbook: Zephaniah: Author

1.  The author of the Prophecy is צְפַנְיָה/Zephaniah.  An account of his name.  A connected series of his ancestors.

The author of this Prophecy is צְפַנְיָה/Zephaniah, or Zophonias,[1] which is able to signify the secret of the Lord, or, according to others, the watchman of the Lord:[2]  He was בֶּן־כּוּשִׁ֣י בֶן־גְּדַלְיָ֔ה בֶּן־אֲמַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חִזְקִיָּ֑ה, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, Zephaniah 1:1; the connected series of these Ancestors of Zephaniah appears to argue that they were famous and illustrious men, regardless of their rank.  But whether that Hezekiah, whose great-great grandson the Prophet is called, was that King of Judah, is uncertain:  and, if we might say so, the account of the times hardly allows it.  His motherland is not commemorated.  That he originated from the mountain of Sarabatha, is an uncertain tradition.

[1] Thus the Septuagint and Vulgate.

[2] יָה signifies Jah; צָפַן, to hide or treasure up; צָפָה, to keep watch, or to spy.