Zephaniah 3:4 BSB — MannaFest

Zephaniah 3:4

Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Her prophets are light and treacherous persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

KJV

Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

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Commentary

3 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)

Her prophets are light and treacherous persons,.... The false prophets, as the Targum and Kimchi explain it: these seem to design the lawyers spoken of in the New Testament, whose business it was to interpret the law to the people; these were "light" men, good for nothing, of no worth and value; light in knowledge, as Kimchi gives the sense of the word; men of no brains; empty headed men, that had no substantial knowledge; giddy, unstable, and inconstant, and compliant with the humours and vices of the people; men of no gravity in their countenance, speech, and conversation.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

Jerome

Commentary on Zephaniah (420)

(Chapter 3, verses 1 onwards) Woe to the provoking and redeemed city: the dove did not hear the voice and did not receive discipline. It did not trust in the Lord and did not approach its God. Its princes are in its midst, like roaring lions. Its judges are wolves of the evening, they do not leave anything for the morning. Its prophets are insane, unfaithful men. Its priests have defiled the holy, they have acted unjustly against the law. The Lord is righteous; he will not do injustice.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

They were so given to bantering that it was hard to say when they were serious. Their pretended prophecies were all a sham, and they secretly laughed at those that were deluded by them. Her priests, who are teachers by office and have the charge of the holy things, are false to their trust and betray it.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

9 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙	ne.vi.'Ei.ha	prophets its	H5030 →
פֹּֽחֲזִ֔ים	po.cha.Zim	[are] insolent	H6348 →
אַנְשֵׁ֖י	'an.Shei	men of	H582 →
בֹּֽגְד֑וֹת	bo.ge.Dot	treacheri<es>	H900 →
כֹּהֲנֶ֙יהָ֙	ko.ha.Nei.ha	priests its	H3548 →
חִלְּלוּ־	chi.le.lu-	they profane	H2490 →
קֹ֔דֶשׁ	Ko.desh	[the] sanctuary	H6944 →
חָמְס֖וּ	cha.me.Su	they do violence to	H2554 →
תּוֹרָֽה׃	to.Rah	[the] law	H8451 →

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They…
leads to
- Leviticus 10:10
  You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,
- Ezekiel 22:8
  You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths.
- Ezekiel 44:23
  They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
- Malachi 2:8
  But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.
Through
Malachi 2:8
But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.
leads to
- Nehemiah 13:29
  Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
Through
Lamentations 2:14
The visions of your prophets were empty and deceptive; they did not expose your guilt to ward off your captivity. The burdens they envisioned for you were empty and misleading.
leads to
- Isaiah 58:1
  “Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins.
- Ezekiel 22:28
  Her prophets whitewash these deeds by false visions and lying divinations, saying, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ when the LORD has not spoken.
Through
Hosea 9:7
The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and…
leads to
- Acts 26:24–25
  At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

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Continue: Zephaniah 3 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Zephaniah

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Zephaniah