Zephaniah 3:3
"Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Her princes within her are roaring lions,.... Or, "as roaring lions"; there being a defect of the note of similitude; which is supplied by the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions. This is to be understood, not of the princes of the blood; but of civil magistrates in common; the members of the grand sanhedrim; the princes of the Jewish world, that crucified the Lord of glory; and who gaped upon him

with their mouths like ravening and roaring lions, as is foretold they should, Psa 22:12 and who breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of Christ; and by their menaces endeavoured to frighten and deter them from preaching in his name, and from a profession of him; see Co1 2:8 , her judges are evening wolves; or, like them, cruel, voracious, never satisfied; especially are very ravenous in the evening, having had no food all day; not daring to go abroad in the daytime to seek their prey; see Jer 5:6 . The Septuagint and Arabic versions read "wolves of Arabia"; but wrongly; See Gill on Hab 1:8 such rapacious covetous judges were there in Christ's time; who gives us an instance in one, by which we may judge of the rest, who feared not God, nor regarded men, Luk 18:2 such as these were hungry and greedy after gifts and bribes to pervert judgment, and to devour the poor, the widow, and the fatherless, on whom they had no mercy: they gnaw not the bones till the morrow; or rather, "in the morning" (z); that is, either they leave not the bones till the morning, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; they are so hungry, that they eat up bones and all at once, and reserve nothing for the next day; which expresses both the greediness of these judges, and the total consumption of the estates of men made by them: or else the sense is, that not having gnawn any bones in the morning, or eaten anything that day, hence they are so greedy in the evening; and so this last clause gives a reason why evening wolves are so voracious; for which such cruel judges are compared to them. (z) "in mane", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "matutino", Cocceius.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (10 words)

H8269 שַׂר
Definition:

38+,הַשַּׂרMicah 7:3+,שָׂ֑רHosea 3:4+; constructשַׂרJudges 4:2+; suffixשַׂרְכֶםDaniel 10:21; pluralשָׂרִים1 Kings 4:2+; constructשָׂרֵיGenesis 12:15+; suffixשָׂרַיJudges 5:15;Isaiah 10:8,שָׂרֵיכֶםJere 38+,הַשַּׂרMicah 7:3+,שָׂ֑רHosea 3:4+; constructשַׂרJudges 4:2+; suffixשַׂרְכֶםDaniel 10:21; pluralשָׂרִים1 Kings 4:2+; constructשָׂרֵיGenesis 12:15+; suffixשָׂרַיJudges 5:15;Isaiah 10:8,שָׂרֵיכֶםJere

Possible Meanings:
  • navel-string (semantic_range)
H7130 קֶרֶב
Definition:

13+ (only3); constructGenesis 45:6+; suffixקִרְבִּיJoshua 9:7+, 3 feminine pluralקִרְבֶֹּנָהGenesis 41:21,בֶֹּנָה-Genesis 41:21(Ges§ 91i. Köii.1488 N.I), etc.; plural only (suffix)קְרָבַיPsalm 103:1; 13+ (only3); constructGenesis 45:6+; suffixקִרְבִּיJoshua 9:7+, 3 feminine pluralקִרְבֶֹּנָהGenesis 41:21,בֶֹּנָה-Genesis 41:21(Ges§ 91i. Köii.1488 N.I), etc.; plural only (suffix)קְרָבַיPsalm 103:1;

Possible Meanings:
  • war (semantic_range)
H0738 אֲרִי
Definition:

15lion(Assyrianaria, Ethiopicwild beast, compare alsoאַרְיֵהbelow) —אֲרִיAmos 3:1213t.+2 Samuel 23:20Qr (Ktאריה),Lamentations 3:10(id.) +Psalm 22:17(כָּֽאֲרִיfor wh .rdכאדו=כָּרוּcompare De Pe Che cri 15lion(Assyrianaria, Ethiopicwild beast, compare alsoאַרְיֵהbelow) —אֲרִיAmos 3:1213t.+2 Samuel 23:20Qr (Ktאריה),Lamentations 3:10(id.) +Psalm 22:17(כָּֽאֲרִיfor wh .rdכאדו=כָּרוּcompare De Pe Che cri

H7580 שָׁאַג
Definition:

29Kt consecutive (> Qrיִשְׁאַג),שָׁאָ֖גAmos 3:8, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁאַגAmos 3:4+, etc.;Infinitive absoluteשָׁאֹגJeremiah 25:30;ParticipleשֹׁאֵגJudges 14:5;Psalm 22:14,שׁוֺאֵגEzekiel 29Kt consecutive (> Qrיִשְׁאַג),שָׁאָ֖גAmos 3:8, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁאַגAmos 3:4+, etc.;Infinitive absoluteשָׁאֹגJeremiah 25:30;ParticipleשֹׁאֵגJudges 14:5;Psalm 22:14,שׁוֺאֵגEzekiel

Possible Meanings:
  • roar (semantic_range)
H8199 שָׁפַט
Definition:

31+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁמֹּטGenesis 16:5,יִשְׁמּוֺטIsaiah 11:3; 3masculine pluralיִשְׁמְּטוּGenesis 31:53+,יִשְׁמּ֫וּטוּExodus 18:26(Kiיִשְׁמּוּט֫וּ; compare Ges§ 47g), etc.;Infinit 31+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁמֹּטGenesis 16:5,יִשְׁמּוֺטIsaiah 11:3; 3masculine pluralיִשְׁמְּטוּGenesis 31:53+,יִשְׁמּ֫וּטוּExodus 18:26(Kiיִשְׁמּוּט֫וּ; compare Ges§ 47g), etc.;Infinit

Possible Meanings:
  • judge (semantic_range)
H2061 זְאֵב
Definition:

6wolf(Late Hebrewid., Arabic(jackalaccording to HomNS 303 ff.; but see RSZMG 1880, 373 andDoughtyArab. Deseria i. 327; ii. 144, 145) Aramaicדֵּיבָה,AssyrianzîbuDlS 47; EthiopichyenaDi1056(on formation 6wolf(Late Hebrewid., Arabic(jackalaccording to HomNS 303 ff.; but see RSZMG 1880, 373 andDoughtyArab. Deseria i. 327; ii. 144, 145) Aramaicדֵּיבָה,AssyrianzîbuDlS 47; EthiopichyenaDi1056(on formation

Possible Meanings:
  • wine-vat of Zeeb (semantic_range)
H6153 עֶרֶב
Definition:

5strike outהַשְּׁלִישִׁיתsee We Dr and others](sun)set, evening; — absolute׳ע2 Kings 2:16+,עָ֑רֶבExodus 12:18+; constructעֶרֶבProverbs 7:9; dualעַרְבַּיִםExodus 30:84t.,בָּ֑יִם-Exodus 12:165t. (all P) 5strike outהַשְּׁלִישִׁיתsee We Dr and others](sun)set, evening; — absolute׳ע2 Kings 2:16+,עָ֑רֶבExodus 12:18+; constructעֶרֶבProverbs 7:9; dualעַרְבַּיִםExodus 30:84t.,בָּ֑יִם-Exodus 12:165t. (all P)

Possible Meanings:
  • mix (semantic_range)
  • mixed (semantic_range)
H3808 לֹא
Definition:

11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, 11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay,

H1633 גָּרַם
Definition:

A primitive root; to be spare or skeleton-like; used only as a denominative fromgerem; (causative) to bone, i.e. Denude (by extensive, craunch) the bones -- gnaw the bones, break.see HEBREWgeremBrown- A primitive root; to be spare or skeleton-like; used only as a denominative fromgerem; (causative) to bone, i.e. Denude (by extensive, craunch) the bones -- gnaw the bones, break.see HEBREWgeremBrown-

H1242 בֹּקֶר
Definition:

13morning(Late Hebrewid.; fromsplit, penetrate, as the dawn the darkness, light through cloud-rifts, etc.) —׳בGenesis 1:5+ (always absolute); pluralבְּקָרִיםJob 7:184t.; —1morning(of point of time, ti 13morning(Late Hebrewid.; fromsplit, penetrate, as the dawn the darkness, light through cloud-rifts, etc.) —׳בGenesis 1:5+ (always absolute); pluralבְּקָרִיםJob 7:184t.; —1morning(of point of time, ti

Possible Meanings:
  • inquire (semantic_range)
  • seek (semantic_range)
  • let search be made (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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