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 is disobedient; she refuses correction. She does not trust the Lord; she does not seek the advice of her God. 3Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning. Her prophets are proud; they are deceitful men. Her priests defile what is holy; they break God’s laws. 5The just Lord resides within her; he commits no unjust acts. Every morning he reveals his justice. At dawn he appears without fail. Yet the unjust know no shame. 6“I destroyed nations; their walled cities are in ruins. I turned their streets into ruins; no one passes through them. Their cities are desolate; no one lives 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 9:15The leaders and the highly respected people are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
• Isaiah 56:10All their watchmen are blind, they are unaware. All of them are like mute dogs, unable to bark. They pant, lie down, and love to snooze.
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy lies. The priests exercise power by their own authority. And my people love to have it this way. But they will not be able to help you when the time of judgment comes!
• Jeremiah 6:13“That is because, from the least important to the most important of them, all of them are greedy for dishonest gain. Prophets and priests alike, all of them practice deceit.
• Jeremiah 8:10So I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. For from the least important to the most important of them, all of them are greedy for dishonest gain. Prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
• Jeremiah 14:13Then I said, “Oh, Lord God, look! The prophets are telling them that you said, ‘You will not experience war or suffer famine. I will give you lasting peace and prosperity in this land.’”
• Jeremiah 23:9Here is what the Lord says concerning the false prophets: My heart and my mind are deeply disturbed. I tremble all over. I am like a drunk person, like a person who has had too much wine, because of the way the Lord and his holy word are being mistreated.
• Jeremiah 23:32I, the Lord, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who dream up lies and report them. They are misleading my people with their reckless lies. I did not send them. I did not commission them. They are not helping these people at all. I, the Lord, affirm it!”
• Jeremiah 27:14Do not listen to the prophets who are telling you that you do not need to serve the king of Babylon. For they are prophesying lies to you.
• Lamentations 2:14Your prophets saw visions for you that were worthless lies. They failed to expose your sin so as to restore your fortunes. They saw oracles for you that were worthless lies. ס (Samek)
• Ezekiel 13:3This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit but have seen nothing!
• Hosea 9:7The time of judgment is about to arrive! The time of retribution is imminent! Let Israel know! The prophet is considered a fool – the inspired man is viewed as a madman – because of the multitude of your sins and your intense animosity.
• Micah 2:11If a lying windbag should come and say, ‘I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer,’ he would be just the right preacher for these people!
• Micah 3:5This is what the Lord says: “The prophets who mislead my people are as good as dead. If someone gives them enough to eat, they offer an oracle of peace. But if someone does not give them food, they are ready to declare war on him.
• Matthew 7:15“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.
• 2 Corinthians 11:13For such people 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