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

2She heeded no voice, She accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the Lord, She did not draw near to her God. 3Her princes within her are roaring lions, Her judges are wolves at evening; They leave nothing for the morning. Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. 5The Lord is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame. 6“I have cut off nations; Their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, With no one passing by; Their cities are laid waste, Without a man, without an inhabitant.

Zephaniah 3:4 word by word

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

• Her prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• recklessפָּחַזpâchaz · be recklessH6348
• treacherousבֹּגְדוֹתbôgedôth · treacheryH900
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• have profanedחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
• the sanctuaryקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• They have doneחָמַסchâmas · to injureH2554
• to the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451

Cross-references for Zephaniah 3:4

• Isaiah 9:15The head is the elder and honorable man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?
• Jeremiah 6:13“For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is greedy for gain, And from the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.
• Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to others, Their fields to new owners; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is greedy for gain; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone practices deceit.
• Jeremiah 14:13But, “Ah, Lord God!” I said, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
• Jeremiah 23:9As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, All my bones tremble; I have become like a drunken man, Even like a man overcome with wine, Because of the Lord And because of His holy words.
• Jeremiah 23:32Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the Lord, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the Lord.
• Jeremiah 27:14So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you;
• Lamentations 2:14Your prophets have seen for you False and foolish visions; And they have not exposed your iniquity So as to restore you from captivity, But they have seen for you false and misleading oracles.
• Ezekiel 13:3Thus says the Lord God, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.
• Hosea 9:7The days of punishment have come, The days of retribution have come; Let Israel know this! The prophet is a fool, The inspired man is demented, Because of the grossness of your iniquity, And because your hostility is so great.
• Micah 2:11If a man walking after wind and falsehood Had told lies and said, ‘I will speak out to you concerning wine and liquor,’ He would be spokesman to this people.
• Micah 3:5Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; When they have something to bite with their teeth, They cry, “Peace,” But against him who puts nothing in their mouths They declare holy war.
• Matthew 7:15“Beware of the 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 workers, 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