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 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 has not obeyed His voice, She has not received correction; She has not trusted in the Lord, She has not drawn near to her God. 3Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves That leave not a bone till morning. Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have done violence to the law. 5The Lord is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails, But the unjust knows no shame. 6“I have cut off nations, Their fortresses are devastated; I have made their streets desolate, With none passing by. Their cities are destroyed; There is no one, no 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 honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?
• Jeremiah 6:13“Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.
• Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the 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 23:9My heart within me is broken Because of the prophets; All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, And like a man whom wine has overcome, Because of the Lord, And because of His holy words.
• Jeremiah 23:32Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord.
• Jeremiah 27:14Therefore do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you;
• Lamentations 2:14Your prophets have seen for you False and deceptive visions; They have not uncovered your iniquity, To bring back your captives, But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions.
• 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 knows! The prophet is a fool, The spiritual man is insane, Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity.
• Micah 2:11If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, ‘I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,’ Even he would be the prattler of this people.
• Micah 3:5Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant “Peace” While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare 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 they are ravenous wolves.
• 2 Corinthians 11:13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into 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