1. Zephaniah 3:3 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What does the image of “evening wolves” convey about the officials and judges?

Zephaniah 3:3 (ESV)

3 Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning.

The evening wolf is hungry after lying low all day (Ezekiel 22:27) and becomes desperate to find food (Isaiah 11:6; Jeremiah 5:6; Habakkuk 1:8). Thus, the officials and judges were insatiable in their desire for gain.1