Passage Overview · Free · Zephaniah 3:1–7
A Corrupt City—and the Just LORD in Her Midst
Zephaniah returns to Jerusalem, and the indictment is devastating. The city does not obey, receive correction, trust the LORD, or draw near to God. Princes are compared to roaring lions; judges to evening wolves. Prophets are reckless and treacherous; priests profane what is holy and do violence to the law.
Then comes the contrast that controls the section: “The just LORD is in the midst thereof.” God has not abandoned the city in the sense of being absent from what is happening. His presence exposes it. Every morning his justice comes to light while the unjust show no shame.