Zephaniah 3:3

 Zephaniah 3:3

Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

a. ASV:  Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: Her heads in her midst are roaring lions, Her judges are evening wolves, They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Her officials in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones on the morrow, for nothing is left by morning. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Its princes in its midst are roaring lions; its judges are wolves of the evening, they do not leave a bone for the morning.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: Her princes within her are roaring like lions; her judges are like evening wolves; they wait for the morning.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

f. The Israel Bible: The officials within her Are roaring lions; her judges are wolves of the steppe. They leave no bone until morning.  [The English Translation was adapted by Israel 365 from the JPS Tanakh. Copyright Ⓒ 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.]

g. Torah, Judaism and Jewish information on the web: www.chabad.org:  Online English Translation of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible): Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges, wolves of the evening. They did not leave over the bones for morning. [English Translation, Ⓒ Copyright The Judaica Press All rights reserved.]

1. “Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.”

a. [Her] princes [Strong: 8269 sar sar from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.]

b. within [Strong: 7130 qereb keh'-reb from 7126; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition):--X among, X before, bowels, X unto charge, + eat (up), X heart, X him, X in, inward (X -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, + out of, purtenance, X therein, X through, X within self.]

c. [her are] roaring [Strong: 7580 sha'ag shaw-ag' a primitive root; to rumble or moan:--X mightily, roar.]

d. lions [Strong: 738 'ariy ar-ee' or (prolonged) earyeh {ar-yay'}; from 717 (in the sense of violence); a lion:--(young) lion, + pierce (from the margin).]

e. [her] judges [Strong: 8199 shaphat shaw-fat' a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively):--+ avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead, reason, rule.

f. evening [Strong: 6153 `ereb eh'-reb from 6150; dusk:--+ day, even(-ing, tide), night.]

g. wolves [Strong: 2061 z'eb zeh-abe' from an unused root meaning to be yellow; a wolf:--wolf.]

h. [they gnaw] not [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

i. [the] bones [Strong: 1633 garam gaw-ram' a primitive root; to be spare or skeleton-like; used only as a denominative from 1634; (causative) to bone, i.e. denude (by extensive, craunch) the bones:--gnaw the bones, break.]

j. [till the] morrow [Strong: 1242 boqer bo'-ker from 1239; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning:--(+) day, early, morning, morrow.]

1). Her leaders, her princes and judges are described as predators.

a). Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

b). John 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

c). Jeremiah 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

d). 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: