Zephaniah 3:5

"Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous, he will not do iniquity; every morning doth he bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame."

Jehovah had not hidden his word from the people. It was known to all, from the least to the greatest of them. The very existence of false priests and prophets was predicated upon the certainty of there having been at one time true priests and prophets. The alteration of God's law by the false priests could not have been successful without the concurrence of popular support. The people simply did not wish to retain the knowledge of God and his word in their lives. "It was visible to all except those determined not to see ... God's standards of righteousness are as constant and visible as the natural law that ushers in the dawn every morning."[9]

"Jehovah ... is righteous ..." One purpose of introducing this thought is to warn Israel, that even if they do change, God is righteous still; he will punish evil.