Zephaniah

Zephaniah 3:1–4

¹Woe to the city of oppressors,

rebellious and defiled!

²She heeded no voice;

she accepted no correction.

She does not trust in the LORD;

she has not drawn near to her God.

³Her princes are roaring lions;

her judges are evening wolves,

leaving nothing for the morning.

⁴Her prophets are reckless,

faithless men.

Her priests profane the sanctuary;

they do violence to the law.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Woe	ה֥וֹי	hō·w	Interjection	H1945 Ah, Alas, Ha
to the city	הָעִ֖יר	hā·‘îr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
of oppressors	הַיּוֹנָֽה׃	hay·yō·w·nāh	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H3238 suppress (?), oppress, maltreat
rebellious	מֹרְאָ֖ה	mō·rə·’āh	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H4754 rebel, whip, lash
and defiled	וְנִגְאָלָ֑ה	wə·niḡ·’ā·lāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular	H1351 defile

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
She heeded	שָֽׁמְעָה֙	šā·mə·‘āh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H8085 hear
no	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
voice	בְּק֔וֹל	bə·qō·wl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
she accepted	לָקְחָ֖ה	lā·qə·ḥāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H3947 take
no	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
correction	מוּסָ֑ר	mū·sār	Noun - masculine singular	H4148 discipline
She does not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
trust	בָטָ֔חָה	ḇā·ṭā·ḥāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H982 trust
in the LORD	בַּֽיהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
she has not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
drawn near	קָרֵֽבָה׃	qā·rê·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7126 come near, approach
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
her God	אֱלֹהֶ֖יהָ	’ĕ·lō·he·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H430 God

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Her princes	שָׂרֶ֣יהָ	śā·re·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H8269 chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
are roaring	שֹֽׁאֲגִ֑ים	šō·’ă·ḡîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7580 roar
lions	אֲרָי֖וֹת	’ă·rā·yō·wṯ	Noun - masculine plural construct	H738 lion
her judges	שֹׁפְטֶ֙יהָ֙	šō·p̄ə·ṭe·hā	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H8199 judge, govern
evening	עֶ֔רֶב	‘e·reḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H6153 (sun)set, evening
wolves	זְאֵ֣בֵי	zə·’ê·ḇê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H2061 wolf
leaving	גָרְמ֖וּ	ḡā·rə·mū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1633 lay aside, leave, save
nothing	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
for the morning	לַבֹּֽקֶר׃	lab·bō·qer	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Her prophets	נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙	nə·ḇî·’e·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H5030 spokesman, speaker, prophet
are reckless	פֹּֽחֲזִ֔ים	pō·ḥă·zîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H6348 be wanton, reckless
faithless	בֹּֽגְד֑וֹת	bō·ḡə·ḏō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H900 treacheries
men	אַנְשֵׁ֖י	’an·šê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H582 man, mankind
Her priests	כֹּהֲנֶ֙יהָ֙	kō·hă·ne·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H3548 priest
profane	חִלְּלוּ־	ḥil·lə·lū-	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H2490 bore, pierce
the sanctuary	קֹ֔דֶשׁ	qō·ḏeš	Noun - masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
they do violence to	חָמְס֖וּ	ḥā·mə·sū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2554 treat violently, wrong
the law	תּוֹרָֽה׃	tō·w·rāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8451 direction, instruction, law