Zephaniah 3:4 — Word Study
WLCנְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ פֹּֽחֲזִ֔ים אַנְשֵׁ֖י בֹּֽגְד֑וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֙יהָ֙ חִלְּלוּ־ קֹ֔דֶשׁ חָמְס֖וּ תּוֹרָֽה׃
BSAHer prophetsnâbîyʼ [light, treacherous persons] are recklesspâchaz [be reckless, acting without thinking] faithlessbôgᵉdôwth△ Her priestskôhên [serving God, leading in worship] profanechâlal■ [to bore, begin, or start something new, breaking a rule] the sanctuaryqôdesh [Holy Place, a sacred or set-apart area] they do violence tochâmaç■ [to injure, harm] the lawtôwrâh [instruction, guiding principles, the Ten Commandments]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ | prophets its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| פֹּֽחֲזִ֔ים | [are] insolent | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural |
| אַנְשֵׁ֖י | men of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| בֹּֽגְד֑וֹת | treacheri | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| כֹּהֲנֶ֙יהָ֙ | priests its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| חִלְּלוּ־ | they profane | Verb, Piel, perfect third person common plural |
| קֹ֔דֶשׁ | [the] sanctuary | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| חָמְס֖וּ | they do violence to | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| תּוֹרָֽה׃ | [the] law | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do 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. |
| ASV | Her prophets are light and treacherous persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. |
| YLT | Her prophets unstable — men of treachery, Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have violated the law. |
| WEB | Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. |
| BBE | Her prophets are good-for-nothing persons, full of deceit: her priests have made the holy place unclean and have gone violently against the law. |
Where they part company is בֹּֽגְד֑וֹת — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses with subordinate phrases describe the actions of the prophets and priests, emphasizing their failures.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbפָּחַז
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 9 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Zephaniah 3:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Condemnation of Jerusalem's Leadersgenerated
Zephaniah 3:4 highlights the failures of Jerusalem's prophets and priests, who are described as reckless and treacherous. This verse serves as a warning about the consequences of poor leadership and the importance of faithfulness to God's laws. It follows a description of the city's princes and judges, emphasizing the overall moral decline of Jerusalem's leadership, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 9:15 | The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies. |
| 2 | Isaiah 56:10–12 | Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 5:31 | The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end? |
| 4 | Jeremiah 6:13–14 | “For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 8:10 | Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 24 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙, ne.vi.'Ei.hagenerated
The word נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ (nevi'eiha) means 'her prophets' and is derived from the root meaning to bubble forth, indicating a spokesperson for God. This term encompasses both true and false prophets, as seen throughout the Old Testament, where it is used to describe individuals who convey God's messages.
In this verse, the prophets are characterized as reckless and treacherous, highlighting their failure to guide the people faithfully. The use of the construct form indicates possession, showing that these prophets belong to Jerusalem and are responsible for its spiritual state.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses, each with a subject and a predicate. The first clause describes the prophets, while the second addresses the priests. The finite verb חִלְּלוּ (chilelu) governs the action of profaning the sanctuary, linking it directly to the priests' failure.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the prophets and priests at the beginning of the verse, highlighting their significant roles in the community's moral decay.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew term נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ is rendered as οἱ (hoi), a simple article indicating 'the'. This choice reflects a more generalized reference to prophets without the specific connotations of recklessness.
The Greek word for חִלְּלוּ is βεβηλοῦσιν (bebēloūsin), which carries the meaning of desecrating or profaning, emphasizing the severity of the priests' actions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Zephaniah 3:4 describes the prophets and priests of Jerusalem as reckless and treacherous. The prophets are failing to guide the people faithfully, and the priests are desecrating the sanctuary, leading to a breakdown in moral order. This verse serves as a warning about the consequences of poor leadership.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means they are acting without thought or care for the consequences, failing to fulfill their role as God's spokespersons.
Treachery indicates that the priests are betraying their duties and responsibilities, leading the people away from God's laws.
This verse highlights the moral decay of Jerusalem's leadership, which is a central theme in Zephaniah's prophecies, calling for repentance and a return to faithfulness.
We learn the importance of integrity and faithfulness in leadership, as well as the consequences of failing to uphold God's standards.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see leaders in my community acting recklessly or treacherously?
- How can I ensure that I am being faithful in my responsibilities, whether in leadership or service?
- What steps can I take to promote integrity and faithfulness in those around me?
- How does understanding the failures of Jerusalem's leaders inform my own faith journey?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Zephaniah 3:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHer 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
Read John Gill on Zephaniah 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHer prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. Her prophets are light - persons in whose life and teaching there is no truth gravity, or steadiness.
Read Robert Jamieson on Zephaniah 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHer prophets; by education, profession, and unwarranted practice called so, false prophets; such Zedekiah, and probably Chenaanah, &c., were. Are light; unstable and inconstant, ready to comply with humours which they should have reproved, . Treacherous persons; men of treacheries, whatever pleasing temper they seem to be of, yet still they design treachery; the Hebrew seems to run it higher, treacheries in the abstract. Her priests, of the house of Levi, of the stock of Aaron, have polluted the sanctuary; bound by office to keep holy the sanctuary, have defiled it, and all that is holy. Have done violence to the law; wresting it by perverse interpretation to what sense best serveth a…
Read Matthew Poole on Zephaniah 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsZephaniah 3:4 Her prophets [are] light [and] treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.Ver. 4. Her prophets are light] Rash, headlong, futilous, debauched (as the French translateth it), aerial, fantastic, weightless, worthless men, such as in whose doctrine there is no authority, in whose life no gravity, staidness, severity, constancy (Rodulphus, Archbishop of Canterberry next after Anselm, was surnamed Nugax for his jesting and toying): like the planet Mercury, they can be good in conjunction with good, and bad with bad; like that French apostate of whom Beza saith that he had religionem ephemeram, for every day a new religion, ab…
Read John Trapp on Zephaniah 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) Light and treacherous persons.—Better, braggarts and men of treachery.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Zephaniah 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons] They have no seriousness, no deep conviction of the awful nature of their office, no concern for the immortal souls of the people. Treacherous persons - they betray the souls of the people for the sake of worldly honour, pleasure, and profit. Even in our own enlightened country we find prophets who prefer hunting the hare or the fox, and pursuing the partridge and pheasant, to visiting the sick, and going after the strayed, lost sheep of the house of Israel. Poor souls! They know neither God nor themselves; and if they did visit the sick, they could not speak to them to exhortation, edification, or comfort. God never called them to…
Read AdamClarke on Zephaniah 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. Her prophets are light] Both the idea and the expression find a parallel in Jeremiah 23:32, “I am against them that prophesy false dreams, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness” (R.V. vain boasting); cf. Lamentations 2:14; Ezekiel 22:28. The figure expressed by “light” is that of the boiling over of water (Genesis 49:4; Judges 9:4), and the word characterizes the prophets as vapourers, extravagant and arrogant in their own imaginations and conceits, their minds lacking the restraint of the word of God under which the true prophets spoke. treacherous persons] lit. men of treacheries, or, perfidiousnesses. The precise sense is not clear. The verb to deal…
Read Cambridge on Zephaniah 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHer prophets are light - , boiling and bubbling, up, like water boiling over , empty boasters claiming the gift of prophecy, which they have not; “boldly and rashly pouring out what they willed as
Read Albert Barnes on Zephaniah 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
Her prophets are proud; they are deceitful men. Her priests defile what is holy; they break God’s laws.
Tyndale line
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
Her prophets are light, and wicked persons: her priests haue polluted the Sanctuarie: they haue wrested the Lawe.
Strictly literal
Her prophets are vain-glorious, treacherous persons; her priests profane the sanctuary, they do violence to the law.
Her prophets unstable — men of treachery, Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have violated the law.
Her prophets unstable—men of treachery, || Her priests have defiled the sanctuary, || They have violated the Law.
Her prophets are thoughtless men of treachery: her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
Her prophets are insolent and treasonous men. Her priests have profaned what is holy and have done violence to the law.
From the Latin
Her prophets are senseless men without faith: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have acted unjustly against the law.
Simplified
Your prophets are arrogant, deceitful men who defile what is sacred and who openly break the law.
Her prophets are good-for-nothing persons, full of deceit: her priests have made the holy place unclean and have gone violently against the law.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the majority of the wording, with eight out of nine words matched. However, the Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration in their texts, indicating that certain words were supplied by editors rather than being fully preserved.
נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ פֹּֽחֲזִ֔ים אַנְשֵׁ֖י בֹּֽגְד֑וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֙יהָ֙ חִלְּלוּ־ קֹ֔דֶשׁ חָמְס֖וּ תּוֹרָֽה׃
8 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[נביאי׳ה] [פחזים] [אנשי] [בגדות] [כהני׳ה] [חללו] [קדש] חמסו [תורה]
nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.
נביאי׳ה פחזים אנשי בגדות כהני׳ה [חללו] [קדש] חמסו תורה
3 words on the leather — 4 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Zephaniah 3:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נָבִיא (nabiy') refers to a prophet or an inspired speaker, covering genuine, false, and heathen prophets. It is derived from the root meaning to bubble forth, indicating a connection to prophecy. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, highlighting its significance in both true and false prophetic roles.
נָבִיא 306 n.m. spokesman, speaker, prophet
genuine prophet of י׳
false prophets
heathen prophets
base
H5030 נָבִיא spokesman, speaker, prophet
5030 nabiy' naw-bee'
from 5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man:--prophecy,
that prophesy, prophet.
see HEBREW for 05012
נָבִיא (na.vi) — prophet.
1) spokesman, speaker, prophet
1a) prophet
1b) false prophet
1c) heathen prophet
Aramaic equivalent: ne.vi (נְבִיא "prophet" H5029)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
פָּחַז (pachaz) is a primitive root meaning to bubble up or froth, often used figuratively to imply being unimportant or light. The entries indicate it conveys a sense of recklessness or wantonness, with the Qal form specifically highlighting this aspect.
[פָּחַז] vb. be wanton, reckless
base
H6348 פָּחַז
6348 pachaz paw-khaz'
a primitive root; to bubble up or froth (as boiling water),
i.e. (figuratively) to be unimportant:--light.
פָּחַז (pa.chaz) — be reckless.
(Qal) to be wanton, be reckless, be frothy
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine pluralHVqrmpa
אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.
אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.
of individ.
coll. men
man, mankind
base
H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.
582 'enowsh en-oshe'
from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the
more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or
collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,
chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,
husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some
( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often
unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in
apposition with another word . Compare 376.
see HEBREW for 0605
see HEBREW for 0120
see HEBREW for 0376
אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.
1) man, mortal man, person, mankind
1a) of an individual
1b) men (collective)
1c) man, mankind
Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
בֹּגְדוֹת (bogdowth) is a feminine plural form related to treachery and treacherous behavior. It specifically refers to acts of betrayal or deceit, as seen in Zephaniah 3:4. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to act treacherously,' indicating a range of meanings tied to disloyalty.
בֹּגְדוֹת pl.abst. men of treachery Zp 3:4.
ref
H900 בֹּגְדוֹת
900 bogdowth bohg-ed-ohth
feminine plural active participle of 898;
treacheries:--treacherous.
see HEBREW for 0898
בֹּגְדוֹת (bo.ge.dot) — treachery.
treacherous, treacherousness, men of treacherous behaviour
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.
כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest
base
H3548 כֹּהֵן priest
3548 kohen ko-hane'
active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a
priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a
layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal
officer.
see HEBREW for 03547
כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.
1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler
1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
1b) pagan priests
1c) priests of Jehovah
1d) Levitical priests
1e) Zadokite priests
1f) Aaronic priests
1g) the high priest
Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
The Hebrew word חָלַל (*chalal*) is built from a primitive root meaning to bore or pierce, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to wound, to play the flute, and to profane or defile. It can refer to both physical actions, like piercing, and moral or ritual violations, such as polluting oneself or breaking a covenant. The lexicons note various grammatical forms and uses, but do not indicate significant disagreement.
חָלַל vb. bore, pierce
Qal my heart is pierced (wounded) within me
Pi. in the hand of the ones wounding thee
Pu. pierced by the sword
Po‛el his hand pierced the fleeing serpent
Po‛al pierced, wounded because of our transgressions
base
[חלל] vb. denom. play the pipe, pipe
Qal as well the singers as the pipe-players
Polel dancers
Pi. and the people piped with pipes
base
[חָלַל] vb. pollute, defile, profane
Niph.
reflex. pollute, defile oneself
Pass., be polluted, defiled
Pi.
defile, pollute
violate the honour of, dishonour
violate a covenant
treat a vineyard as common
Pu. my great name which is profaned among the nations
Hiph.
I will not let my holy name be profaned any more.
he shall not violate his word
begin
Hoph. then it was begun (= men began) to call on the name of י׳
base
H2490a חָלַל bore, pierce H2490b חלל vb. denom. play the pipe, pipe H2490c חָלַל pollute, defile, profane
2490 chalal khaw-lal'
a primitive root (compare 2470); properly, to bore, i.e. (by
implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane
(a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin
(as if by an "opening wedge"); denom. (from 2485) to play (the
flute):--begin (X men began), defile, X break, defile, X eat
(as common things), X first, X gather the grape thereof, X
take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast
as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain,
wound.
see HEBREW for 02470
see HEBREW for 02485
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to bore.
1) to wound (fatally), bore through, pierce, bore
1a) (Qal) to pierce
1b) (Pual) to be slain
1c) (Poel) to wound, pierce
1d) (Poal) to be wounded
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to play flute.
(Piel) to play the flute or pipe
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to profane/begin: begin.
: begin
1) to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to profane oneself, defile oneself, pollute oneself
1a1a) ritually
1a1b) sexually
1a2) to be polluted, be defiled
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to profane, make common, defile, pollute
1b2) to violate the honour of, dishonour
1b3) to violate (a covenant)
1b4) to treat as common
1c) (Pual) to be profaned (of name of God)
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to let be profaned
1d2) to begin
1e) (Hophal) to be begun
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to profane/begin: profane.
: profane
1) to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin
1a) (Niphal)
V-Piel-Perf-3cp — Verb · Piel · perfect third person common pluralHVpp3cp
pro-fan' (verb chalal, adjective chalal, chol; bebeloo, bebelos): From profanus, "before (i.e. outside) the temple," therefore unholy, polluted, secular, is of frequent occurrence (verb and adjective) in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It occurs as the translation of chol in the King James Version only in Eze (22:26, the Revised Version (British and American) "common"; 42:20; 44:23; 48:15, the Revised Version (British and American) "for common use"); as the translation of chalal in Le 21:7,14, the Revised Version margin "polluted"; and Eze 21:25, where, for the King James Version "thou profane wicked prince of Israel," the Revised Version (British and American) has "thou, O deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel." "To profane" (chalal) is seen in
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qodesh) refers to the concepts of apartness, sacredness, and holiness. It can denote a sacred place or thing, such as the Most Holy Place or a sanctuary. The term emphasizes the idea of being set apart, whether in relation to God, places, or objects.
קֹ֫דֶשׁ 469 n.m. apartness, sacredness
base
H6944 קֹ֫דֶשׁ apartness, sacredness
6944 qodesh ko'-desh
from 6942; a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract,
sanctity:--consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed
(thing), holiness, (X most) holy (X day, portion, thing),
saint, sanctuary.
see HEBREW for 06942
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) — holiness.
1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness
1a) apartness, sacredness, holiness
1a1) of God
1a2) of places
1a3) of things
1b) set-apartness, separateness
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) — Most Holy Place.
This name means apartness, holiness, sacredness
Also named: hagion (ἅγιον "Most Holy Place" G0039H)
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) — (Way of) Holiness.
Combined with de.rekh (דֶּ֫רֶךְ "Way" H1870H)
This name means apartness, holiness, sacredness
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) — Holy Place.
This name means apartness, holiness, sacredness
Also named: hagion (ἅγιον "Holy Place" G0039)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
sank'-tu-a-ri, sank'-tu-a-ri (miqdash, miqqedhash, qodhesh, "holy place"; hagion):
1. Nature of Article
2. The Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis
The Three Stages
3. Difficulties of the Theory
(1) Slaughter Not Necessarily Sacrificial
(2) Sacrifice and Theophany
(3) Alleged Plurality of Sanctuaries
(4) The Altar of God's House
(5) Local Altars in Deuteronomy
4. The Alternative View
(1) Lay Sacrifice
(2) Three Pilgrimage Festivals
5. The Elephantine Papyri
The Elephantine Temple
LITERATURE
1. Nature of Article:
The present article is designed to supplement the articles on ALTAR; HIGH PLACE; PENTATEUCH; TABERNACLE; TEMPLE, by giving an outline of certain rival views of the course of law and history as regards the place of worship. The subject has a special importance because it was made the turning-point of Wellhausen's discussion of the development of Israel's literature, history and religion. He himself writes…
Sanctuary
Denotes, (1) the Holy Land (Ex. 15:17; comp. Ps. 114:2); (2) the temple (1 Chr. 22:19; 2 Chr. 29:21); (3) the tabernacle (Ex. 25:8; Lev. 12:4; 21:12); (4) the holy place, the place of the Presence (Gr. hieron, the temple-house; not the naos, which is the temple area, with its courts and porches), Lev. 4:6; Eph. 2:21, R.V., marg.; (5) God’s holy habitation in heaven (Ps. 102:19). In the final…
A holy place devoted to God. It appears to be the name sometimes of the entire temple, Ps 73.17; Heb 9.1; sometimes of the "Holy place," where the altar on incense, the golden candlestick, and the showbread stood, 2Ch 26:18 Heb 9:2; and sometimes of the "Holy of Holies," the most secret and retired part of the temple, in which was the ark of the covenant, and where none but the high priest might enter, and he only once a year on the day of solemn expiation. The same name was also given to the most sacred part of the tabernacle set up in the wilderness, Le 4:6. See TABERNACLE, and TEMPLE.
The temple or earthly sanctuary is an emblem of heaven, Ps 102:19
חָמַס (chamac) is a primitive root meaning to treat violently or wrongfully, encompassing both physical and ethical dimensions of wrongdoing. The entries indicate it can refer to acts of violence or maltreatment, as well as the experience of being wronged. Notably, the term appears in contexts discussing both physical and ethical violations.
[חָמַס] vb. treat violently, wrong
Qal treat violently, wrong
of physical wrong
of ethical wrong
both physical and ethical
Niph. thy heels suffer violence
base
H2554 [חָמַס] treat violently, wrong .treat violently, wrong . of physical wrong
. of ethical wrong
. both physical and ethical
. thy heels suffer violence
2554 chamac khaw-mas'
a primitive root; to be violent; by implication, to
maltreat:--make bare, shake off, violate, do violence, take
away violently, wrong, imagine wrongfully.
חָמַס (cha.mas) — to injure.
1) to wrong, do violence to, treat violently, do wrongly
1a) (Qal) to treat violently, do wrong
1a1) of physical wrong
1a2) of ethical wrong
1a3) of physical and ethical wrong
1b) (Niphal) to be treated violently
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
תּוֹרָה (towrah) encompasses concepts of direction, instruction, and law, particularly relating to divine or human guidance. It refers to legal directives, customs, and teachings, including the Decalogue and the Pentateuch. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as prophetic and priestly instruction, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
תּוֹרָה n.f. direction, instruction, law
instruction
law (prop. direction)
custom, manner
base
H8451 תּוֹרָה direction, instruction, law . instruction
. law (prop. direction)
. custom, manner
8451 towrah to-raw'
or torah {to-raw'}; from 3384; a precept or statute,
especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.
see HEBREW for 03384
תּוֹרָה (to.rah) — instruction.
1) law, direction, instruction
1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)
1a1) body of prophetic teaching
1a2) instruction in Messianic age
1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction
1a4) body of legal directives
1b) law
1b1) law of the burnt offering
1b2) of special law, codes of law
1c) custom, manner
1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
Law
A rule of action. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all men at all times. It is generally designated by the term conscience, or the capacity of being influenced by the moral relations of things.
(2.) The Ceremonial Law prescribes under the Old Testament the rites and ceremonies of worship. This law was obligatory only till Christ, of whom these rites were typical, had finished his work (Heb. 7:9, 11; 10:1; Eph. 2:16). It was fulfilled rather than abrogated by the gospel.
(3.) The Judicial Law, the law which directed the civil policy of the Hebrew nation.
The word is properly used, in Scripture as elsewhere, to express a definite commandment laid down by any recognized authority; but when the word is used with the article, and without any words of limitation, it refers to the expressed will to God, and in nine cases out of ten to the Mosaic law, or to the Pentateuch of which it forms the chief portion. The Hebrew word torah (law) lays more stress on its moral authority, as teaching the truth and guiding in the right way; the Greek nomos (law), on its constraining power as imposed and enforced by a recognized authority. The sense of the word, however, extends its scope and assumes a more abstracts character in the writings of St. Paul. Nomos , when used by him with the article, still refers in general to the law of Moses; but when used without the article, so as to embrace any manifestation of "law," it includes all powers which act on…
In the Bible, signifies sometimes the whole word of God, Ps 19:7-11 119:1-176 Isa 8:20; sometimes the Old Testament, Joh 10:34 15:25, and sometimes the five books of Moses, which formed the first of the three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures, Lu 24:44 Ac 13:15. The Pentateuch was probably "the law," a copy of which every king was to transcribe for himself and study, and which was to be made known to young and old, in public and in private, De 6:7 17:18,19 31:9-19,26. In other places the Mosaic institutions as a whole are intend by "the law," in distinction from the…