Zephaniah 3:5 — Meaning and Application

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

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

The just LORD {is} in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. {every...: Heb. morning by morning}

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. {towers: or, corners}

I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, {and} corrupted all their doings.