Zephaniah 1:5

BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

“those 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,”

What this verse means

A short, plain-language explanation of Zephaniah 1:5 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.

Compare translations
BSBPD

“those 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,”

Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)
KJVPD

“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;”

King James Version · Public Domain
ASVPD

“and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship, that swear to Jehovah and swear by Malcam;”

American Standard Version · Public Domain
YLTPD

“And those bowing themselves On the roofs to the host of the heavens, And those bowing themselves, Swearing to Jehovah, and swearing by Malcham,”

Young's Literal Translation · Public Domain
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Cross references

Other passages that echo Zephaniah 1:5 — 21 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  1. Deuteronomy 4:19When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
  2. Deuteronomy 10:20You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.
  3. Joshua 23:7So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.
  4. 1 Kings 11:5Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
  5. 1 Kings 11:33For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomon’s father David did.
  6. 1 Kings 18:21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
  7. 2 Kings 17:33They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away.
  8. 2 Kings 17:41So these nations worshiped the LORD but also served their idols, and to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.
  9. 2 Kings 23:12He pulled down the altars that the kings of Judah had set up on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the house of the LORD. The king pulverized them there and threw their dust into the Kidron Valley.
  10. Isaiah 22:1This is the burden against the Valley of Vision: What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the rooftops,
  11. Isaiah 44:5One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name of Israel.”
  12. Isaiah 45:23By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
  13. Isaiah 48:1“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness—
  14. Jeremiah 4:2and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
  15. Jeremiah 5:7“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery and assembled at the houses of prostitutes.
  16. Jeremiah 19:13The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like that place, Topheth—all the houses on whose rooftops they burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”
  17. Jeremiah 32:29And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come in, set it on fire, and burn it, along with the houses of those who provoked Me to anger by burning incense to Baal on their rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.
  18. Hosea 4:15Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
  19. Amos 5:26You have taken along Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god, the idols you made for yourselves.
  20. Matthew 6:24No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
  21. Romans 14:11It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”

Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

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