Zephaniah 3:4

Zephaniah 3:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
• New International Version (NIV)Her prophets are unprincipled; they are treacherous people. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have done violence to the law.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions.

Context of Zephaniah 3:4

2She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God. 3Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they do violence to the law. 5The Lord within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame. 6"I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant.

Zephaniah 3:4 word by word

נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ פֹּֽחֲזִ֔ים אַנְשֵׁ֖י בֹּֽגְד֑וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֙יהָ֙ חִלְּלוּ־קֹ֔דֶשׁ חָמְס֖וּ תּוֹרָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Her prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• lightפָּחַזpâchaz · be recklessH6348
• treacherousבֹּגְדוֹתbôgedôth · treacheryH900
• personsאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• her priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• have pollutedחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
• the sanctuaryקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• they have done violenceחָמַסchâmas · to injureH2554
• to the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451

Cross-references for Zephaniah 3:4

• Isaiah 9:15the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail;
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
• Jeremiah 5:31the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
• Jeremiah 6:13"For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.
• Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to conquerors, because from the least to the greatest everyone is greedy for unjust gain; from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.
• Jeremiah 14:13Then I said: "Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say to them, 'You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.'"
• Jeremiah 23:9Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the Lord and because of his holy words.
• Jeremiah 23:32Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the Lord.
• Jeremiah 27:14Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon,' for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you.
• Lamentations 2:14Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading.
• Ezekiel 13:3Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
• Hosea 9:7The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.
• Micah 2:11If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, "I will preach to you of wine and strong drink," he would be the preacher for this people!
• Micah 3:5Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry "Peace" when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.
• Matthew 7:15"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
• 2 Corinthians 11:13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Commentaries on Zephaniah 3:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Her prophets are light and treacherous persons - They have no seriousness, no deep conviction of the awful nature of their office, no concern for the immortal souls of the people. Treacherous persons - they betray the souls of the people for the sake of worldly honor, pleasure, and profit. Even in our own enlightened country we find prophets who prefer hunting the hare or the fox, and pursuing the partridge and pheasant, to visiting the sick, and going…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Her prophets are light - , boiling and bubbling, up, like water boiling over, empty boasters claiming the gift of prophecy, which they have not; “boldly and rashly pouring out what they willed as they willed;” promising good things which shall not be. So they are “her” prophets, to whom they “prophesy smooth things” (see Micah 2:11), “the prophets of this people” not the prophets of God; “treacherous persons” (literally, men of treacheries) wholly given…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4See also Ezekiel 22:23–29.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. light--in whose life and teaching there is no truth, gravity, or steadiness. treacherous--false to Jehovah, whose prophets they profess to be (Jr 23:32; Eze 22:28). polluted ... sanctuary--by their profane deeds.Read the comment

Topics related to Zephaniah 3:4

• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Pride
• Zephaniah, Book of

Commentaries on Zephaniah 3

• 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
• Darby Translation 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