Zephaniah 1:5

Zephaniah 1:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham;
• New International Version (NIV)those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek,
• English Standard Version (ESV)those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops; Those who worship and swear oaths by the Lord, But who also swear by Milcom;

Context of Zephaniah 1:5

3“I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and the idols with their wicked worshipers. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. 4“I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests— those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom, 6and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.” 7Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.

Zephaniah 1:5 word by word

וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥ים עַל־הַגַּגּ֖וֹת לִצְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְאֶת־הַמִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ הַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְהַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים בְּמַלְכָּֽם׃Read the interlinear

• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• those who bowשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
• onעַל‛al · uponH5921
• the rooftopsגָּגgâg · roofH1406
• to worship the hostצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · armyH6635
• of heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• and swearשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• by the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• by Milcomמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · MilcomH4428

Cross-references for Zephaniah 1:5

• 2 Kings 23:12He pulled down the altars that the kings of Judah had set up on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the house of the LORD. The king pulverized them there and threw their dust into the Kidron Valley.
• Jeremiah 19:13The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like that place, Topheth—all the houses on whose rooftops they burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”
• Jeremiah 32:29And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come in, set it on fire, and burn it, along with the houses of those who provoked Me to anger by burning incense to Baal on their rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.
• 1 Kings 18:21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
• 2 Kings 17:33They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away.
• Matthew 6:24No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
• Deuteronomy 10:20You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.
• Isaiah 48:1“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness—
• Jeremiah 4:2and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
• Hosea 4:15Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
• Isaiah 44:5One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name of Israel.”
• Isaiah 45:23By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
• Romans 14:11It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”
• Joshua 23:7So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.
• 1 Kings 11:33For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomon’s father David did.
• Amos 5:26You have taken along Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god, the idols you made for yourselves.

Commentaries on Zephaniah 1:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5The host of heaven - Sun, moon, planets, and stars. This worship was one of the most ancient and the most common of all species of idolatry; and it had a greater semblance of reason to recommend it. See 2 Kings 23:6, 2 Kings 23:12; Jeremiah 19:13; Jeremiah 32:29. That swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham - Associating the name of an idol with that of the Most High. For Malcham, see on Hosea 4:15; (note), and Amos 5:26; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And them that worship the best of heaven upon the - (flat) housetops This was fulfilled by Josiah who destroyed “the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz” 2 Kings 23:12. Jeremiah speaks as if this worship was almost universal, as though well-near every roof had been profaned by this idolatry. “The houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Scripture condemned the worship of heavenly bodies like the sun, moon, and stars (see Deuteronomy 4:15–19; 2 Kings 21:3; 23:12). Milcom was the national god of the Ammonites. In some Old Testament passages, Milcom is closely connected with Molech, a pagan deity linked with child sacrifice. Because of this connection, some texts use these names in overlapping ways. The law clearly forbade the worship of Molech and related practices (Leviticus 20:1–5). Even…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. worship the host of heaven--Saba: whence, in contrast to Sabeanism, Jehovah is called Lord of Sabaoth. upon the housetops--which were flat (2Ki 23:5, 6, 12; Jr 19:13; 32:29). swear by the Lord--rather, "swear to Jehovah" (2Ch 15:14); solemnly dedicating themselves to Him (compare Is 48:1; Ho 4:15). and--"and yet (with strange inconsistency, 1Ki 18:21; Eze 20:39; Mt 6:24) swear by Malcham," that is, "their king" [Maurer]: the same as Molech (see on Am…Read the comment

Topics related to Zephaniah 1:5

• Apostasy
• House
• Idolatry
• Malcham
• Stars

In the dictionaries

• Host of heaven
• Baal
• Crashing
• Malcam
• Moloch
• Wasteness
• Apostasy; Apostate
• Josiah
• Molech; Moloch
• Zephaniah, Book of

Commentaries on Zephaniah 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings