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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they 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.

Context of Zephaniah 3:4

2It obeys no one. It does not accept correction. It does not trust the Lord. It does not draw close to its God. 3Its officials are ⌞like⌟ roaring lions. Its judges are ⌞like⌟ wolves in the evening. They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning. Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful. Its priests contaminate what is holy. They violate the teachings. 5The righteous Lord is in that city. He does no wrong. He brings his judgment to light every morning. He does not fail. But those who are perverted are shameless. 6“I will cut off the nations. Their towers will be destroyed. I will demolish their streets. No one will walk through them. Their cities will be completely destroyed. Not a single person will be left. No one will be living there.

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 9:15Respected and honored leaders are the head. Prophets who teach lies are the tail.
• Isaiah 56:10⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind. None of them know anything. All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark. They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
• Jeremiah 5:31Prophets prophesy lies. Priests rule under the prophets’ directions, and my people love this. But what will you do in the end?”
• Jeremiah 6:13“All of them, from the least important to the most important, are eager to make money dishonestly. All of them, from prophets to priests, act deceitfully.
• Jeremiah 8:10That is why I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. All of them, from the least important to the most important, are eager to make money dishonestly. All of them, from prophets to priests, act deceitfully.
• Jeremiah 14:13Then I said, “Almighty Lord, prophets are saying to them, ‘You won’t see wars or famines, because I, the Lord, will give you lasting peace in this place.’ ”
• Jeremiah 23:9“⌞Say this⌟ about the prophets: I am deeply disturbed. All my bones tremble. I am like a drunk, like a person who has had too much wine, because of the Lord and his holy words.
• Jeremiah 23:32I’m against those who prophesy dreams they made up,” declares the Lord. “They tell the dreams they made up and lead my people astray with their lies and their wild talk. I didn’t send them or command them to go. They don’t help these people at all,” declares the Lord.
• Jeremiah 27:14Don’t listen to the prophets who tell you that you’ll never serve the king of Babylon. They are prophesying lies to you.
• Lamentations 2:14Your prophets saw misleading visions about you. They painted a good picture of you. They didn’t expose your guilt in order to make things better again. They gave you false prophecies that misled you.
• Ezekiel 13:3“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the foolish prophets. They follow their own ideas, and they have seen nothing.
• Hosea 9:7The time for them to be punished will come. The time for them to pay for their sins will come. ⌞When this happens,⌟ Israel will know it. ⌞They think that⌟ prophets are fools and that spiritual people are crazy. They have sinned a lot, and they are very hostile.
• Micah 2:11Liars and frauds may go around and say, “We will preach to you about wine and liquor.” They would be just the type of preacher you want.
• Micah 3:5This is what the Lord says about the prophets who mislead my people: When they have something to eat, they say, “All is well!” But they declare a holy war against those who don’t feed them.
• Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets. They come to you disguised as sheep, but in their hearts they are vicious wolves.
• 2 Corinthians 11:13People who brag like this are false apostles. They are dishonest workers, since they disguise themselves as Christ’s apostles.

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