“The officials within her
Are roaring lions.
Her judges
Are evening wolves.
They leave nothing
Until the morning.
Her prophets
Are reckless persons.
They are faithless persons.
Her priests
Have profaned
What is sacred.
They have done violence
To the law.”
Zephaniah rebuked not only the city, but the leaders in the city of Jerusalem. Their officials were like roaring lions. Their judges were like evening wolves preying on people at night. Their prophets were reckless faithless people. Their priests profaned the sacred things, by doing violence to the law of Yahweh.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 