Zephaniah 1 5

Zephaniah 1:5 kjv

And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;

Zephaniah 1:5 nkjv

Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops; Those who worship and swear oaths by the LORD, But who also swear by Milcom;

Zephaniah 1:5 niv

those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD and who also swear by Molek,

Zephaniah 1:5 esv

those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom,

Zephaniah 1:5 nlt

For they go up to their roofs
and bow down to the sun, moon, and stars.
They claim to follow the LORD,
but then they worship Molech, too.

Zephaniah 1 verses

Zephaniah 1 5 Meaning

Zephaniah 1:5 condemns two major forms of apostasy prevalent in Judah. Firstly, it identifies those who outwardly worship celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, and stars, often performing these pagan rituals on their rooftops. Secondly, it calls out those who practice syncretism, outwardly professing allegiance to the God of Israel by swearing to Him, while simultaneously invoking and swearing by the pagan deity Milcom, an Ammonite idol. This verse underscores the severe spiritual infidelity and divided loyalties that provoked God's impending judgment.

Zephaniah 1 5 Context

Zephaniah's prophecy begins with an announcement of the coming "Day of the Lord," a cataclysmic judgment that will sweep away all evil from the land of Judah and the entire earth. Zephaniah 1:5 directly addresses the specific sins that fuel this divine wrath. The prophet ministered during the reign of King Josiah (late 7th century BC), likely early in his rule before his major religious reforms (described in 2 Kings 23). During the preceding reigns of Manasseh and Amon, Judah had plunged into widespread idolatry, abandoning the covenant with YHWH for foreign religious practices. This verse highlights two prominent manifestations of this deep apostasy: the explicit worship of cosmic deities on their housetops, which was an overt breach of the First Commandment, and a more subtle, yet equally egregious, syncretism where people attempted to merge their allegiance to YHWH with reverence for pagan gods like Milcom. This divided heart was an abomination to a jealous God who demanded exclusive devotion.

Zephaniah 1 5 Word analysis

• And those who bow down (וְהַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִים - vehammishtachavim): Derived from the Hebrew verb שָׁחָה (shachah), meaning "to bow down," "prostrate oneself," or "worship." This intensive form implies a deliberate and repeated act of reverence, signifying ultimate allegiance. Its use here shows the same act of worship proper for YHWH was being misdirected.
• on the roofs (עַל הַגַּגּוֹת - al hagaggot): Refers to the flat rooftops of houses, common in ancient Near Eastern architecture. These open spaces were often used for daily life but were frequently co-opted for pagan rituals, especially star-gazing and worship of celestial deities, making the idolatry visible and widespread.
• to the host of heaven (לִצְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם - litsva hashshamayim): "To the army of the heavens" or "the multitude of the heavens." This phrase refers to the sun, moon, stars, planets, and constellations. In pagan religions, these celestial bodies were deified and worshipped, representing powerful cosmic forces. Such worship was an explicit abomination and forbidden in the Law of Moses (Deut 4:19, 17:3).
• and those who bow down (וְהַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִים - vehammishtachavim): The repetition emphasizes a distinct group or, more likely, a distinct type of practice within the general apostasy. It points to the duplicity of the people, signifying their attempts to serve two masters.
• and swear (וְהַנִּשְׁבָּעִים - vehannishba'im): From the verb שָׁבַע (shava'), meaning "to swear," "to take an oath." Taking an oath by a deity acknowledges its power, authority, and often invokes its name as a witness or guarantor. It signifies covenantal allegiance.
• to the LORD (לַיהוָה - laYHWH): Refers to the personal name of the covenant God of Israel, YHWH. Swearing to the LORD signifies an oath of loyalty and an acknowledgment of His divine authority, as commanded in the Law.
• and swear by Milcom (וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ בַּמַּלְכָּם - vayyishva'u baMMalkam): "Milcom" (מַלְכָּם - Malkam) is the national god of the Ammonites (1 Ki 11:5). He is often identified with Molech (מֹלֶךְ - Molech), whose worship notoriously involved child sacrifice (Lev 18:21; 2 Ki 23:10). To swear by Milcom while simultaneously swearing by YHWH highlights profound syncretism—a blending of true worship with abominable pagan practices. This implies recognizing Milcom's legitimacy alongside YHWH, an utter affront to God's exclusivity and holiness.

• Words-group Analysis:
• "those who bow down on the roofs to the host of heaven": This phrase describes open, culturally entrenched, cosmic idolatry. It details a specific and pervasive form of worship of creation rather than the Creator, which violated the most fundamental commands of God's covenant with Israel. This public practice indicates how deeply paganism had infiltrated Judean society.
• "and those who bow down and swear to the LORD and swear by Milcom": This second group or practice points to a more insidious sin: syncretism. It's not a rejection of YHWH but an attempt to "hedge their bets" or simply incorporate foreign gods into their worship. To swear by both YHWH and Milcom implies that they considered both legitimate or necessary, failing to grasp God's exclusive demand for worship. This "double loyalty" was spiritual adultery and profoundly offensive to the jealous God of Israel, indicating a superficial and uncommitted heart towards Him.

Zephaniah 1 5 Bonus section

• The mention of "Milcom" here, particularly in conjunction with swearing by YHWH, reflects the specific cultural and religious pressures Judah faced from surrounding nations, like Ammon. The acceptance of such a god demonstrates the porous spiritual boundaries of the people, a common prophetic concern in the Old Testament.
• While the precise form of "Milcom" here (מַלְכָּם - Malkam) might have slight textual variations or interpretations in scholarship (e.g., possibly referring to "their king" as a pagan deity in general, or directly to the Ammonite god, or even related to Molech), its context within Zephaniah clearly points to a foreign, abominable god whose worship was intertwined with Judah's faith in YHWH.
• Zephaniah's emphasis on specific forms of idolatry provides concrete evidence of the rampant spiritual degradation preceding Josiah's reforms. The prophet's condemnations here precisely match the later actions taken by Josiah to purify Judah (2 Ki 23), validating Zephaniah's foresight and divine message.
• The practice of "swearing by" deities carried immense cultural weight. It wasn't just casual speech; it was an appeal to the power and truthfulness of the deity invoked, putting oneself under their jurisdiction. To swear by Milcom, after swearing by YHWH, was a deeply offensive act of covenant betrayal.

Zephaniah 1 5 Commentary

Zephaniah 1:5 acts as a sharp indictment of Judah's widespread spiritual apostasy, detailing the very reasons for the impending divine judgment. It portrays a society deeply corrupted by idolatry, operating on two distinct but equally offensive levels. First, there was overt paganism in the worship of the "host of heaven" on rooftops, a direct and public transgression of God's commandment against revering created things. This highlights the bold nature of their rebellion. Second, and arguably more insidious, was the practiced syncretism: professing loyalty to YHWH while simultaneously invoking a detestable foreign deity like Milcom. This attempt to serve "two masters" fundamentally denied YHWH's exclusive claim as the only true God and His demand for an undivided heart. It revealed a lukewarm and unfaithful heart, reducing the Almighty God of Israel to merely one option among many. This spiritual compromise, an affront to God's jealous nature and His covenant, warranted severe punishment on the "Day of the Lord."