The Meaning of Zephaniah 3:3 Explained

Zephaniah 3:3

KJV: Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

YLT: Her heads in her midst are roaring lions, Her judges are evening wolves, They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.

Darby: Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, that leave nothing for the morning.

ASV: Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow.

Discover Zephaniah 3:3

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Zephaniah 3:3?

MEANING: What does Zephaniah 3:3 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Zephaniah 3:3 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Zephaniah 3:3?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Her princes  within  her [are] roaring  lions;  her judges  [are] evening  wolves;  they gnaw not the bones  till the morrow. 

What does Zephaniah 3:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Evidence that they were oppressing the weak ( Zephaniah 3:1) was the greedy behavior of Jerusalem"s civil rulers and judges. Like vicious lions and wolves they gobbled up all the possessions of vulnerable people that they could as fast as they could (cf. Zephaniah 1:8; Ezekiel 3:9-10; Micah 2:1-3; Micah 2:9-10).

Context Summary

Zephaniah 3:1-20 - Fullness Of Salvation
The sins of Jerusalem, Zephaniah 3:1-7. Uninfluenced by judgments upon other nations, Jerusalem pursued her course, morally impure, oppressive, refusing instruction, estranged from God. Yet God still dwelt in the city which He had chosen. Morning by morning His Spirit was appealing for repentance and righteousness. Through His faithful ones He was still shedding the light and glory of a holier civilization through the community, but the population at large refused to heed.
The effects of cleansing judgment, Zephaniah 3:8-20. These closing verses are marked by great tenderness, showing as they do, the results that God's dealings are designed to effect. A pure life; service with one consent; the trust of the afflicted soul in the love of God; the weaning of the heart from all iniquity-what great and lovely results of that long captivity! Let God have His way with you! He will change your sorrow into songs; will cast out your enemies and turn again your captivity; will manifest His infinite love, now in brooding tenderness, and then in outbursting songs. Those who have been filled with sorrow, and have borne the burden of reproach for God, shall be comforted. Even the halt and exiled shall participate, and become a name and a praise. The captives would be liberated and the dispersed would be gathered home [source]

Chapter Summary: Zephaniah 3

1  A sharp reproof of Jerusalem for various sins
8  An exhortation to wait for the restoration of Israel,
14  and to rejoice for their salvation by God

What do the individual words in Zephaniah 3:3 mean?

Her princes [are] in her midst lions roaring Her judges [are] wolves evening not that leave a bone till morning
שָׂרֶ֣יהָ בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ אֲרָי֖וֹת שֹֽׁאֲגִ֑ים שֹׁפְטֶ֙יהָ֙ זְאֵ֣בֵי עֶ֔רֶב לֹ֥א גָרְמ֖וּ לַבֹּֽקֶר

שָׂרֶ֣יהָ  Her  princes  [are] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ  in  her  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
אֲרָי֖וֹת  lions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
שֹֽׁאֲגִ֑ים  roaring 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁאַג  
Sense: (Qal) to roar.
שֹׁפְטֶ֙יהָ֙  Her  judges  [are] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
זְאֵ֣בֵי  wolves 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: זְאֵב  
Sense: wolf.
עֶ֔רֶב  evening 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶרֶב  
Sense: evening, night, sunset.
גָרְמ֖וּ  that  leave  a  bone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: גָּרַם 
Sense: to cut off, reserve, lay aside, leave, save.
לַבֹּֽקֶר  till  morning 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.

What are the major concepts related to Zephaniah 3:3?

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Similar Scriptures for Zephaniah 3:3

Habakkuk 1:8 [4]
Jeremiah 5:6 [3]
Ezekiel 22:25-27 [3]
Micah 3:1-4 [2]
Job 4:8-11 [2]
Jeremiah 22:17 [2]
Micah 3:9-11 [2]
Ezekiel 22:6 [2]
Psalms 10:8-10 [2]
Proverbs 28:15 [2]
Isaiah 1:23 [2]
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