Zephaniah 1 · Verse 5

Zephaniah 1:5

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, King James Version

Zephaniah 1:5 in other translations

BSBthose who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,
WEBthose who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by the LORD and also swear by Malcam,
ASVand them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship, that swear to Jehovah and swear by Malcam;
YLTAnd those bowing themselves On the roofs to the host of the heavens, And those bowing themselves, Swearing to Jehovah, and swearing by Malcham,
DARBYand them that bow down to the host of the heavens upon the housetops; and them that bow down to Jehovah, that swear by him, and swear by Malcham;
BBEAnd the worshippers of the army of heaven on the house-tops, and the Lord's worshippers who take oaths by Milcom,
WebsterAnd them that worship the host of heaven upon the house-tops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;

What does Zephaniah 1:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. worship the host of heaven--Saba: whence, in contrast to Sabeanism, Jehovah is called Lord of Sabaoth. upon the housetops--which were flat (2Ki 23:5, 6, 12; Jr 19:13; 32:29). swear by the Lord--rather, "swear to Jehovah" (2Ch 15:14); solemnly dedicating themselves to Him (compare Is 48:1; Ho 4:15). and--"and yet (with strange inconsistency, 1Ki 18:21; Eze 20:39; Mt 6:24) swear by Malcham," that is, "their king" [Maurer]: the same as Molech (see on Am 5:25), and "Milcom the god of ... Ammon" (1Ki 11:33). If Satan have half the heart, he will have all; if the Lord have but half offered to Him, He will have none.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 The host of heaven - Sun, moon, planets, and stars. This worship was one of the most ancient and the most common of all species of idolatry; and it had a greater semblance of reason to recommend it. See 2Kgs 23:6, 2Kgs 23:12; Jer 19:13; Jer 32:29. That swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham - Associating the name of an idol with that of the Most High. For Malcham, see on Hos 4:15 (note), and Amo 5:26 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zephaniah 1:1-6

Ruin is coming, utter ruin; destruction from the Almighty. The servants of God all proclaim, There is no peace for the wicked. The expressions are figurative, speaking every where desolation; the land shall be left without inhabitants. The sinners to be consumed are, the professed idolaters, and those that worship Jehovah and idols, or swear to the Lord, and to Malcham. Those that think to divide their affections…

Read the full comment on Zephaniah 1:1-6 →

Zephaniah 1:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥יםha.mish.ta.cha.Vimthose [who] bow downH7812
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הַגַּגּ֖וֹתha.ga.Gotthe roofsH1406
לִצְבָ֣אlitz.Va'to [the] host ofH6635
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִםha.sha.Ma.yimthe heavensH8064
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הַמִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ha.mish.ta.cha.Vimthose [who] bow downH7812
הַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣יםha.nish.ba.'Imthose [who] swear an oathH7650
לַֽיהוָ֔הla.Yah.wehto YahwehH3068
וְהַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖יםve.ha.nish.ba.'Imand those [who] swear an oathH7650
בְּמַלְכָּֽם\׃be.mal.Kamby MilcomH4428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zephaniah 1:5

  • 2 Kings 17:33

    They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

  • Jeremiah 19:13

    And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

  • 1 Kings 18:21

    And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

  • 1 Kings 11:33

    Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

  • 2 Kings 23:12

    And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.

  • 2 Kings 17:41

    So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

  • Joshua 23:7

    That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:

  • Jeremiah 4:2

    And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

  • Romans 14:11

    For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

  • Isaiah 45:23

    I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

  • Matthew 6:24

    No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

  • Jeremiah 5:7

    How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
worship.
2Ki 23:12; Jer 19:13; 32:29
and them.
1Ki 18:21; 2Ki 17:33,41; Mt 6:24
and that.
De 10:20; Isa 48:1; Jer 4:2; Ho 4:15
by the Lord. or, to the Lord.
Isa 44:5; 45:23; Ro 14:11
swear by.
Jos 23:7
Malcham.
1Ki 11:33
Milcom.
Am 5:26
Moloch.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Zephaniah 1:4

    I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;

  • Zephaniah 1:5

    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 1:6

    And them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor enquired for him.

Read all of Zephaniah 1

Zephaniah 1:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y á los que se inclinan sobre los terrados al ejército del cielo; y á los que se inclinan jurando por Jehová y jurando por su rey;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et ceux qui se prosternent sur les toits devant l’armée des cieux, et ceux qui se prosternent devant l’ Éternel, qui jurent par lui et qui jurent par leur roi;
German
Elberfelder 1871		und die auf den Dächern das Heer des Himmels anbeten, und die Anbetenden, welche dem Jehova schwören und bei ihrem König schwören;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et eos qui adorant super tecta militiam cæli, et adorant et jurant in Domino, et jurant in Melchom;