Zephaniah 1:5

“And upon them that worship the host of heaven upon the house tops, etc.] The sun, moon, and stars, which some worshipped upon their house tops; the roofs of their houses being flat, as the roofs of the houses of the Jews generally were; from hence they had a full view of the host of heaven, and worshipped them openly; and fancied, the nearer they were to them, the more acceptable was their service; (see <241913>Jeremiah 19:13): and them that worship, [and] that swear the Lord, and that swear by Malcham; that is, that worship the true God, or at least pretend to do so, and swear by him when they take an oath: or, “that swear to the Lord”; as the wordsf13 may be rendered; that swear allegiance…”

“worship the host of heaven--Saba: whence, in contrast to Sabeanism, Jehovah is called Lord of Sabaoth. upon the housetops--which were flat (Kg2 23:5-6, Kg2 23:12; Jer 19:13; Jer 32:29). swear by the Lord--rather, "swear to JEHOVAH" (Ch2 15:14); solemnly dedicating themselves to Him (compare Isa 48:1; Hos 4:15). and--"and yet (with strange inconsistency, Kg1 18:21; Eze 20:39; Mat 6:24) swear by Malcham," that is, "their king" [MAURER]: the same as Molech (see on Amo 5:25), and "Milcom the god of . . . Ammon" (Kg1 11:33). If Satan have half the heart, he will have all; if the Lord have but half offered to Him, He will have none.”

“And them that worship the best of heaven upon the - (flat) housetops This was fulfilled by Josiah who destroyed “the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz” 2 Kings 23:12. Jeremiah speaks as if this worship was almost universal, as though well-near every roof had been profaned by this idolatry. “The houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink-offerings unto other gods” Jeremiah 19:13. “The Chaldaeans that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose…”

“House - tops - On the flat roofs of their houses. And that swear - That mixt idol - worship, and the worship of the true God; that devote themselves to God, and Baal, or Malchim, that is, Moloch. Zephaniah 1:7”

“1:5 Scripture denounced the practice of worshiping heavenly bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars (see Deut 4:15-19; 2 Kgs 21:3; 23:12). • Molech might refer to the Canaanite god Baal, the Ammonite god Milcom, or the pagan deity Molech. Although the law explicitly prohibited Molech worship (Lev 20:1-5), it remained a constant temptation to Israel (2 Kgs 16:3; 21:6).”

“worship: Kg2 23:12; Jer 19:13, Jer 32:29 and them: Kg1 18:21; Kg2 17:33, Kg2 17:41; Mat 6:24 and that: Deu 10:20; Isa 48:1; Jer 4:2; Hos 4:15 by the Lord: or, to the Lord, Isa 44:5, Isa 45:23; Rom 14:11 swear by: Jos 23:7 Malcham: Kg1 11:33, Milcom, Amo 5:26, Moloch. Zephaniah 1:6”