Amos 7, Three Visions and a Dismissal

Amos has accused the people of Samaria of living in luxury, blind to issues of justice.

Amos 7:1-3, Swarms of locusts

This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king's share had been harvested and just as the second crop was coming up. When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, "Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!" 

So the LORD relented. "This will not happen," the LORD said. 

Amos is shown YHWH preparing destructive swarms of locusts. If these came after the "king's share", they would devastate the crops that go to the common people. Amos cries out and says that this would destroy Israel. (The prophet Joel, speaking at roughly the same time, reports on a swarm of locusts in Joel 1 and uses it to warn of a coming swarm of soldiers.)

Amos 7:4-6, Judgment by fire

This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: The Sovereign LORD was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land.  

Then I cried out, "Sovereign LORD, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!"

So the LORD relented. "This will not happen either," the Sovereign LORD said.  

In a second vision, YHWH shows Amos plans to destroy Israel by a devastating fire, a fire that dries up the sea and destroys the land. Again Amos cries out and YHWH relents.

In these two visions, the plea of Amos has an effect and changes the mind of God. The idea that God can change His mind is not a new one; we see this in Abraham's conversation with God regarding Sodom in Genesis 18:16-33 and in Moses's pleas to God in Exodus 32:9-14.

Amos 7:7-9, Plumb line (or metal wall)

This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" 

"A plumb line," I replied. 

Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 

"The high places of Isaac will be destroyed 

and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; 

with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam."  

The third vision of this chapter has YHWH describing a future destruction of Israel, a destruction that will also rise against the house of Jeroboam.

Niehaus disagrees with the NIV translation "plumb line." The Hebrew word there has core anak, which appears nowhere else in the Old Testament. The word might mean "tall" or "vertical"; it could be a plumbline, used to make sure that the vertical component of a wall was a straight line. In that context, it is possible that YHWH is claiming to measure Israel and see if it meets His standard. But Niehaus argues that a close Akkadian word would suggest translating that word as "tin," a metal representing strength. Niehaus suggests that Amos is referring to a metal wall, using an Akkadian term, the language of Assyria, and that YHWH, above the wall, is announcing a powerful invasion from Assyria.

Our English translations miss many chiasmi. The first two poetic lines of verse 9, rendered in parallel by the NIV, are a chiasmus in Hebrew. The Hebrew of this verse is literally

and shall be desolate

the high places of Isaac

and the sanctuaries of Israel

shall be laid waste....

(There are far too many of these in the original Hebrew for me to point out all of them, but good commentaries, like that by Niehaus, attempt to do so.)

Amos 7:10-11, Opposition of Amaziah 

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying: 

"`Jeroboam will die by the sword,

and Israel will surely go into exile, 

away from their native land.'"  

Amaziah is angered by the messages of Amos and so he complains to the king, accusing Amos of treason. Amos has not said that Jeroboam II will be killed but has said that the sword will rise against Jeroboam's house. In the future it will be Jeroboam's son Zechariah who is assassinated. After the death of Jeroboam II there will be six kings in 30 years, four of them dying by assassination. (Some of these events are recorded in 2 Kings 15.)

Amos 7:12-13, Go home!

Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don't prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom."  

Amos is told "Go home!", to go back to Judah. The powerful in Israel are displeased with Amos's prophecy.

Isaiah received a similar rebuke in Isaiah 30:10-11.

Amos 7:14-17, Neither prophet nor prophet's son

Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, `Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'  Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say, 

"`Do not prophesy against Israel, 

and stop preaching against the house of Isaac.'  

"Therefore this is what the LORD says: 

"`Your wife will become a prostitute in the city,

 and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. 

Your land will be measured and divided up, 

and you yourself will die in a pagan country. 

And Israel will certainly go into exile, 

away from their native land.'"

Amos does not shirk from this confrontation. Amos gives a brief summary of his background. He was not in the guild of prophets (see for example 1 Kings 20:35, 2 Kings 2:3, 4:1), but has been called to this job. Prior to his tenure as a prophet, he had been a shepherd and one who took care of fig trees. 

In response to Amaziah's attack, Amos predicts that the family of Amaziah will become destitute, his wife falling to the role of prostitute and his children killed. Amaziah himself will die in exile (in Assyria.) Amos repeats part of verse 9, stressing that the nation of Israel will indeed be taken into exile.

Some Random Thoughts

In the Old Testament commentaries, in discussions on the meanings of certain words, I routinely come across the latin term hapax legomenon. A hapax legomenon is a word that only appears once in the ancient manuscripts and is thus difficult to translate, as it is hard to find context. The Hebrew word "anak", in verses 7 and 8 avove, translated "plumb line" by the NIV and "tin" by Niehaus, is such a word. One often attempts to translate a rare word by its relationships to Akkadian or Ugarit words since those ancient languages were close to Biblical Hebrew.

I note that in my experience the term "hapax legomenon" is itself a rare term and thus one that I had to look on the internet. My first reaction to the definition is that " 'hapax legomenon' is itself a hapax legomenon!". It is a word that describes itself! My math friends will recognize echoes of Russell's Barber Paradox.... (Is there a term for "terms that do not describe themselves"?)

First published July 3, 2025; updated July 3, 2025

Amos 6, Swallowed in Luxuries

The people of Israel/Samaria practice religious rituals but have no interest in God.

Amos 6:1-2, Woe!

  Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, 

and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, 

you notable men of the foremost nation, 

to whom the people of Israel come!

Go to Calneh and look at it; 

go from there to great Hamath, 

and then go down to Gath in Philistia. 

Are they better off than your two kingdoms? 

Is their land larger than yours?  

Both Jewish kingdoms: Judah/Zion and Israel/Samaria are addressed. Go look at other kingdoms and compare, says Amos. The Israelite kingdoms may have had a few more luxuries than their neighbors (and were probably larger?) but their moral disintegration was the same.

The name Calneh is unclear. The consonants of the word appear in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:10 where the NIV spells it Kalneh. Both the NIV and McComiskey suggest the word could also be translated "all of them." A very similar word appears in Isaiah 10:9, in a similar passage (which also mentions Hamath.) A slip of a consonant ("assimilate the l") gives Kanneh from Ezekiel 27:23.

Hamath was east of Israel in Syria, while Gath, the home of Goliath, was west, near the Mediterranean coast.

Amos 6:3-6, The dangers of luxury

You put off the evil day 

and bring near a reign of terror.

You lie on beds inlaid with ivory 

and lounge on your couches. 

You dine on choice lambs 

and fattened calves.

You strum away on your harps like David 

and improvise on musical instruments.

You drink wine by the bowlful 

and use the finest lotions, 

but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.  

Luxury abounds but no concern for their country (called Joseph here.) Amos gives vivid example of the opullience of Israel: fancy beds and couches, gorgeous dinners, beautiful music, lots of wines and soft lotions. But concern for their country is absent.

Amos 6:7, First in line

Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; 

your feasting and lounging will end.  

The result of their luxuries and apathy will be exile. The people of Samaria believe that they are first in luxuries but they will also be the first to go into exile!

Amos 6:8-11, Fortresses are useless

The Sovereign LORD has sworn by himself--the LORD God Almighty declares: 

"I abhor the pride of Jacob 

and detest his fortresses; 

I will deliver up the city and everything in it."  

If ten men are left in one house, they too will die. And if a relative who is to burn the bodies comes to carry them out of the house and asks anyone still hiding there, "Is anyone with you?" and he says, "No," then he will say, "Hush! We must not mention the name of the LORD."

For the LORD has given the command, 

and he will smash the great house into pieces 

and the small house into bits.  

The fortresses of Jacob/Israel/Samaria are useless. The city of Samaria, itself, will fall to an enemy. The great houses will be shattered and the small house disintegrate into dust.

Amos gives a sudden interlude in verses 9 and 10, describing a strange event in which people are afraid to mention the name of YHWH, as if YHWH might not be done with His wrath.

Amos 6:12-14, Rocky crags

Do horses run on the rocky crags? 

Does one plow there with oxen? 

But you have turned justice into poison 

and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness--

you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar 

and say, "Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?"  

For the LORD God Almighty declares, 

"I will stir up a nation against you, O house of Israel, 

that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath 

to the valley of the Arabah."

Of course rocky crags are not the right place for running horses or plowing oxen. Just as ridiculous in the "justice" and "righteousness" of Israel, which is, instead, poison and bitterness.

Lo Debar and Karnaim were likely "sites of recent victories in Jeroboam's incursion into Aramean territory" (McComiskey.) There is significant wordplay here. A direct translation of the Hebrew text of verse 13 would say "You who rejoice of nothing over Lo Debar..." when "Lo Debar" means "no thing." The Hebrew word Karnaim means "horns", a euphemism for "strength", which also appears at the end of that line. Amos says, in essence, 

"You think it no thing to take No Thing and believe your own strength took Strength."

Some Random Thoughts

Verses 3 to 6, in the middle of this chapter, could easily describe the country I live in. Indeed, the house and life I live.

First published July 2, 2025; updated July 2, 2025

Amos 5, A Lament for a Young Bride

Israel has been accused for false religious rituals, preferring religion to God, and oppressing the poor and ignoring justice.

Amos 5:1-2, Never to rise again

Hear this word, O house of Israel, this lament I take up concerning you:

"Fallen is Virgin Israel, 

never to rise again,

 deserted in her own land, 

with no one to lift her up."  

A lament is a funeral dirge. This funeral song laments the fall of Israel. The young bride of YHWH has died, cries the lament.

In the future Israel will be destroyed, never again to get up, says the prophet. And indeed, later, when the northern kingdom is overrun by Sennacherib in 722 BC, the people are dispersed. The nation does not return although some of its descendants do.

Amos 5:3, Tenfold destruction
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 

"The city that marches out a thousand strong for Israel 

will have only a hundred left; 

the town that marches out a hundred strong 

will have only ten left."  

Israel's attempts at power lead to a tenfold reduction; a thousand turn into a hundred; a hundred turn into ten.

Amos 5:4-7, Seek YHWH and live!

This is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: 

"Seek me and live;

do not seek Bethel, 

do not go to Gilgal, 

do not journey to Beersheba. 

For Gilgal will surely go into exile, 

and Bethel will be reduced to nothing."

Seek the LORD and live, 

or he will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire; 

it will devour, and Bethel will have no one to quench it.

As earlier, Bethel and Gilgal are used as representatives of worship centers of Israel. McComiskey points out alliteration in verse 5, the Hebrew of "Gilgal will surely go into exile" is hag·gil·gāl gā·lōh yiḡ·leh, a stream of "guh" sounds.

Amos 5:7-10, Hate justice and the court

You who turn justice into bitterness

 and cast righteousness to the ground

(he who made the Pleiades and Orion, 

who turns blackness into dawn 

and darkens day into night, 

who calls for the waters of the sea 

and pours them out over the face of the land-- 

the LORD is his name--

he flashes destruction on the stronghold

 and brings the fortified city to ruin),  

you hate the one who reproves in court 

and despise him who tells the truth. 

This long sentence has a parenthetical interlude. The main part of the sentence is 

"You who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground

you hate the one who reproves in court and despise him who tells the truth"

but as in the previous chapter, Amos offers an interlude of praise. He, Amos, is representing the one who made the Pleiades and Orion, who controls the chaotic waters of the sea and who can destroy fortresses.

A direct translation of the Hebrew text of verse 10 begins with "They hate the one who rebukes in the gate." The city gate was the place where decisions were made (for example Ruth 4:1-12) and so the NIV provides the translation "in court." The leaders of the nation despise justice and do not want to be called to the city gates to be reproved.

Amos 5:10-12, Trample the poor

You trample on the poor 

and force him to give you grain. 

Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, 

you will not live in them; 

though you have planted lush vineyards, 

you will not drink their wine.

For I know how many are your offenses 

and how great your sins. 

You oppress the righteous and take bribes 

and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. 

What is evidence of the false worship of these people? Their leaders hate justice and truth. They oppress the poor and build beautiful mansions and gardens. But their luxuries will be worthless. 

Amos 5:13-15, The times are evil

Therefore the prudent man keeps quiet in such times,

 for the times are evil.

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. 

Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you,

 just as you say he is.

Hate evil, love good; 

maintain justice in the courts. 

Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy 

on the remnant of Joseph.  

So what does the prudent man do but keep his head down and stay quiet! He is to seek good and hate evil. And maintain justice. Perhaps he will be part of the remnant.

Amos 5:16-17, Wailing
Therefore this is what the Lord, the LORD God Almighty, says: 

"There will be wailing in all the streets 

and cries of anguish in every public square. 

The farmers will be summoned to weep

 and the mourners to wail.

There will be wailing in all the vineyards, 

for I will pass through your midst," says the LORD.

Niehaus says that a funeral dirge should end with a "summons to mourning" and that that summons occurs here. The people are to weep and wail at the death of Virgin Israel, a young bride cut down too soon.

Amos 5:18-19, Woe

Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! 

Why do you long for the day of the LORD? 

That day will be darkness, not light.

It will be as though a man fled from a lion 

only to meet a bear, 

as though he entered his house 

and rested his hand on the wall 

only to have a snake bite him.  

Verse 18 begins with the prophetic "Woe!", a warning to those who naively think that the day of the Lord will be good for them. Here that future Day comes with darkness. (See Isaiah 5:8, 11, 20-23 for a series of these. Another "Woe" will come in verse 6:1.) That Day will be a shock to these people of Israel. Just as when they think they are safe from the lion, they will meet a bear. Just when they think they are safe in their home, a snake will bite.

Amos 5:20, Darkness

Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light-- 

pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?

Other prophets speak about the darkness that comes in the Day of the Lord, often using the same words. In Joel 2:2 this darkness is described with four words, darkness, gloom, clouds, blackness. Various combinations of these words appear in the scenes at Mount Sinai in Deuteronomy 4:11 and in the plague of darkness in Exodus 10:21-22. All four words, emphasizing deep darkness, occur in the prophecy of Zephaniah 1:14-16 more than a century later.

Amos 5:21-23, False rituals

"I hate, I despise your religious feasts; 

I cannot stand your assemblies.

Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,

 I will not accept them. 

Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,

I will have no regard for them.

Away with the noise of your songs! 

I will not listen to the music of your harps.  

The prophecy of Amos returns to the frustration of false, ritualistic religion. The people follow the rules for sacrifices and sing songs, but their hearts are not worshiping YHWH. The prophet Isaiah says something similar in Isaiah 1:13-15.

Amos 5:24, But instead justice

But let justice roll on like a river, 

righteousness like a never-failing stream!

In place of religious ritual, God calls for justice. If the people truly worshiped YHWH, justice would be a natural result, flowing out of their worship. In Martin Luther King's speech, I Have a Dream, he quotes this verse, saying to the American nation, 

"No, no, we are not satisfied, 

and we will not be satisfied 

until 'justice rolls down like waters, 

and righteousness like a mighty stream.' "

Amos 5:25-27, Pedestals and stars

"Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings 

forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?

 You have lifted up the shrine of your king, 

the pedestal of your idols, 

the star of your god-- 

which you made for yourselves.

Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus," 

says the LORD, whose name is God Almighty.

In their religious ritual, the people worships idols, and the shrine of their king. Once again there is a warning of an enemy approaching from the north, who will take them into exile "beyond Damascus."

It was common in the ANE for people to carry their idols with them. Some commentators believe "star of your god" describes worship of Saturn. In the New Testament, Stephen, on trial in Acts 7:42-43, quotes the Septuagint version of this verse.

First published July 1, 2025; updated July 1, 2025

Amos 4, Fat Cows, Happy With Their Religion

The shepherd Amos confronts the leaders of Israel/Samaria.

Amos 4:1-3, Cows of Bashan

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, 

you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy 

and say to your husbands, "Bring us some drinks!"

 

The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness: 

"The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, 

the last of you with fishhooks.

You will each go straight out through breaks in the wall, 

and you will be cast out toward Harmon,"

declares the LORD.  

Bashan was apparently known for its healthy fat cows. The rich women of Samaria are like fat cows, sitting on their sofas, calling for their husbands to bring them a drink! This vivid image is followed by another -- when Assyria invades, the women will be pulled into captivity, pulled with fishhooks through holes in the walls.

Amos 4:4-5, Oh, go sin!

"Go to Bethel and sin; 

go to Gilgal and sin yet more. 

Bring your sacrifices every morning, 

your tithes every three years.

Burn leavened bread as a thank offering 

and brag about your freewill offerings--

boast about them, you Israelites, 

for this is what you love to do,"

declares the Sovereign LORD.

In a long sarcastic passage the people are told, "Go ahead. Sin like you have been doing." Go to Bethel and Gilgal and make offerings to your idols. Keep up your rituals; brag about your offerings. A century later Jeremiah will say something similar (Jeremiah 7:21-23.)

The altars at Bethel were first created by Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:26-30) when the kingdoms broke up. Sacrifices also at Gilgal are mentioned in Hosea 9:15, 12:11. 

Verse 4 ends with the NIV translating the timing of tithes as every three years. The Hebrew text says to bring the tithes every three yamim. This word literally means "days"; the root of yamim is yom, the same word used for the creative days in Genesis 1. The word yamin could, occasionally, apparently mean a cycle of days, thus the NIV translations. Indeed, the ancient tithes were to be given every three years (Deuteronomy 14:28-29.) Both McComiskey and Niehaus would translate yamin here as "days", assuming that the author is making a statement of excessive tithing is part of the sarcastic emphasis on religious ritual replacing genuine worship.

Amos 4:6-8, Not enough to drink

"I gave you empty stomachs in every city 

and lack of bread in every town, 

yet you have not returned to me," 

declares the LORD.

"I also withheld rain from you 

when the harvest was still three months away.

 I sent rain on one town, 

but withheld it from another. 

One field had rain; 

another had none and dried up.

People staggered from town to town for water

 but did not get enough to drink, 

yet you have not returned to me," 

declares the LORD.  

In the past, YHWH has tried to turn the people back to Him, by withholding the rain and so allowing famine. Despite staggering around looking for water, the people do not turn to God for help.

The Hebrew text of the first line is literally "I gave you cleanness of teeth." In the ANE, to have "clean teeth" was to have nothing to eat.

Amos 4:9-11, Blight, plagues, war

"Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,

 I struck them with blight and mildew. 

Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, 

yet you have not returned to me," 

declares the LORD. 

 "I sent plagues among you as I did to Egypt.

 I killed your young men with the sword, 

along with your captured horses. 

I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps,

 yet you have not returned to me," 

declares the LORD.  

"I overthrew some of you 

as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 

You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire,

 yet you have not returned to me,"

 declares the LORD.  

In His attempts to get the attentions of the people, YHWH has sent blight and mildew that destroyed crops, plagues and wars that killed. The people are compared to those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Although snatched from the fire, the people stay with their idolatries. 

This section echoes some of the warnings of Deuteronomy 28 regarding abandoning the Mosaic covenant.

Amos 4:12, Prepare to meet your God

"Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, 

and because I will do this to you, 

prepare to meet your God, O Israel."  

The chapter turns now with a final warning. Be prepared, says God, for the coming judgment.

Amos 4:13, Signature

He who forms the mountains, 

creates the wind, 

and reveals his thoughts to man,

 he who turns dawn to darkness, 

and treads the high places of the earth-- 

the LORD God Almighty is his name.

The chapter rises to a doxology ending, praising YHWH Almighty as Creator.

Some Random Thoughts

Ritual religion is not any better than no religion. Indeed, it might be worse. The quote of Karl Marx, that "religion is the opium of the masses", is accurate here. Religious rituals can make people feel comfortable, assuage guilt and, in many cases, lead them away from God. I find it frustrating, in my current US culture, that many people are excited when a corrupt individual says, "I am a Christian," even when all their actions say otherwise. That show of religion, without the true heart of worship, is the point in this passage. Jesus makes similar points about false religious actions in his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:1-6.

First published June 30, 2025; updated June 30, 2025

Amos 3, Leg Bones in a Lion's Mouth

Amos has warned the nations around Israel -- and then finally, Israel -- about their injustices. Seven nations plus Israel, have been accused by God. Now, in the ANE court setting, the judge begins to issue a sentence against the accused.

Amos 3:1-2, Only you

Hear this word the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel--against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:

"You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; 

therefore I will punish you for all your sins."

God's focus is now on Israel. Especially poignant is His description of the people of Israel as His special chosen nation. Of all the families on the earth, the Creator has chosen to work through Israel -- they are special and have special responsibilities. 

Amos 3:3-6, Does a lion roar?

Do two walk together 

unless they have agreed to do so?

Does a lion roar in the thicket 

when he has no prey? 

Does he growl in his den 

when he has caught nothing?

Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground 

where no snare has been set? 

Does a trap spring up from the earth 

when there is nothing to catch?

When a trumpet sounds in a city, 

do not the people tremble? 

When disaster comes to a city, 

has not the LORD caused it?  

A series of questions, asked by an observant shepherd, give imagery to the assurance of God's plans. Each question expects a clear enthusiastic response. The first five parallel lines of questions (beginning with "Do two walk together...") expect a "No!" response. The last two expect a response of "of course." The meassage culminates with the question, "Can a disaster occur without YHWH being the source?" The emphasis is on YHWH's power and His ability to judge.

The images of a trapped bird provide a contrast to David's exultation in Psalm 124. There (verse 7) he is grateful that God has saved Israel from the snare.

Amos 3:7-8, Prophets must speak

Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing 

without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

The lion has roared-- 

who will not fear? 

The Sovereign LORD has spoken-- 

who can but prophesy?

When YHWH makes plans, He tells His prophets. Tbey (such as Amos) are obligated to speak.

Amos 3:7-9, They only know plunder

Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod 

and to the fortresses of Egypt: 

"Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria; 

see the great unrest within her 

and the oppression among her people."  

"They do not know how to do right," 

declares the LORD, 

"who hoard plunder and loot in their fortresses."  

The Philistine city of Ashdod and the nation of Egypt are pagan witnesses to Samaria's unrighteousness. The people of Samaria plunder and loot others and then hoard their treasures in their fortresses.

Amos 3:11-12, Two leg bones or a piece of ear

Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 

"An enemy will overrun the land; 

he will pull down your strongholds 

and plunder your fortresses."

This is what the LORD says: 

"As a shepherd saves from the lion's mouth 

only two leg bones or a piece of an ear, 

so will the Israelites be saved, 

those who sit in Samaria on the edge of their beds 

and in Damascus on their couches."  

And so, after all their injustices, an enemy will come to overrun the land. The people will be merely a deer leg hanging from a lion's mouth. (The shepherd Amos is probably citing standards are flock care -- a shepherd who had lost a sheep to wild animals was to give evidence of that the animal had been killed, not stolen, eg. Exodus 22:13,)

Amos 3:13-15, Winter and summer houses

"Hear this and testify against the house of Jacob," declares the Lord, the LORD God Almighty.

"On the day I punish Israel for her sins, 

I will destroy the altars of Bethel; 

the horns of the altar will be cut off 

and fall to the ground.

I will tear down the winter house 

along with the summer house; 

the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed 

and the mansions will be demolished," 

declares the LORD.

 

The altars at Bethel, first created by Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:26-30), will be torn down. The luxurious winter and summer houses, elegant mansions adorned with ivory, will also be destroyed.

First published June 28, 2025; updated June 28, 2025

Amos 2, Samaria, Judah, Israel Profane God's Name

Amos has described God's judgment on countries around Samaria and Judah. That description continues, spiraling in towards the two kingdoms of Israel.

Amos 2:1-3, Moab

This is what the LORD says: 

"For three sins of Moab, even for four, 

I will not turn back [my wrath]. 

Because he burned, as if to lime, the bones of Edom's king, 

I will send fire upon Moab that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth. 

Moab will go down in great tumult amid war cries 

and the blast of the trumpet. 

I will destroy her ruler and kill 

all her officials with him," 

says the LORD.  

Moab has committed numerous sins. (The escalating "three, no four" is a typical Hebrew means of emphasis.) For their sins, Moab will be burned, as they apparently burned the bones of a king of Edom, desecrating his body. McComiskey notes that this is a crime by one pagan against another pagan; even if the victim was not an Israelite, this was still a gross sin deserving judgment.

There has been a long history of conflict between Moab and Israel dating back to the famous story of Balaam's donkey during the wilderness wanderings (Numbers 22.) At one point in that journey, Moabite women seduced Isrealite men (Numbers 25:1-3) and, in addition to the sexual immorality, encouraged the men to worship their gods with them. The enmity between the tribes continued throughout the time of the judges and the kings of Israel/Judah. The Mesha Steele is an ancient stone tablet from about 840 BC in which a Moabite king boasts of victory over the Israelites.

The town of Kerioth is mentioned in Jeremiah 48:21-25 but nothing else is known about it. Indeed, it is possible (McComiskey) that the Hebrew word Qeriyyoth merely means "towns" and could refer generically to a collection of cities, without intending any specific identification.

Amos 2:4-5, Judah

This is what the LORD says: 

"For three sins of Judah, even for four, 

I will not turn back [my wrath]. 

Because they have rejected the law of the LORD 

and have not kept his decrees, 

because they have been led astray by false gods, 

the gods their ancestors followed, 

I will send fire upon Judah

that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem." 

Judah, also, has sinned against YHWH and so is here included in judgment. Judah also will face fire that destroys its fortresses. (2 Kings 25 records Nebuchadnezzar's defeat of Jerusalem, including the burning of the town. That defeat occurred about 170 years after the ministry of Amos.)

Amos 2:6-8, Israel too

This is what the LORD says: 

"For three sins of Israel, even for four, 

I will not turn back [my wrath]. 

They sell the righteous for silver, 

and the needy for a pair of sandals. 

They trample on the heads of the poor 

as upon the dust of the ground 

and deny justice to the oppressed. 

Father and son use the same girl 

and so profane my holy name. 

They lie down beside every altar 

on garments taken in pledge. 

In the house of their god 

they drink wine taken as fines.  

Even Israel, Amos's target community, has also violated God's holiness and profaned His name. They sell the poor into slavery, have sex with the same girl (involving incest or prostitution) and thus use God's name in vain. They get drunk on wine they did not buy, lie down for sex on garments they have stolen, next to the altar of an idol. There appears to be no limit to Israel's debauchery.

Amos 2:9-10, Ancient victories recalled

"I destroyed the Amorite before them, 

though he was tall as the cedars

 and strong as the oaks. 

I destroyed his fruit above 

and his roots below. 

"I brought you up out of Egypt, 

and I led you forty years in the desert 

to give you the land of the Amorites. 

YHWH gave Israel victory over the Amorites (Canaanites) some of whom were described as "giants." (See Numbers 13:26-33 for the early report on "giants".) Before that, YHWH brought the people out of slavery in Egypt so that they could possess Canaan.

Amos 2:11-12, Abused the righteous

I also raised up prophets from among your sons 

and Nazirites from among your young men. 

Is this not true, people of Israel?" 

declares the LORD.  

"But you made the Nazirites drink wine 

and commanded the prophets not to prophesy. 

The rulers of Israel have abused righteous groups like the prophets and Nazirites. They have muzzled the prophets and the Nazirites, who do not drink wine, have been forced to break their vows and drink wine.

Amos 2:13-16, Pressed into the mud

"Now then, I will crush you 

as a cart crushes when loaded with grain. 

The swift will not escape, 

the strong will not muster their strength, 

and the warrior will not save his life. 

The archer will not stand his ground, 

the fleet-footed soldier will not get away, 

and the horseman will not save his life. 

Even the bravest warriors will flee naked on that day," 

declares the LORD.

Like a cart pressed deep into the mud, the leaders of Israel will not escape. In the coming judgment, earthly powers like speed, strength, good weapons, will all be useless. (This passage uses the word "not" repeatedly to confront reliance on numerous warrior qualities.)

First published June 27, 2025; updated June 27, 2025

Amos 1, Accusations Against the Countries Around Israel

A prophet speaks in the northern kingdom during the reign of Jeroboam II.

Amos 1:1-2, Amos of Tekoa

The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa--what he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel. He said: 

"The LORD roars from Zion 

and thunders from Jerusalem; 

the pastures of the shepherds dry up, 

and the top of Carmel withers."  

Amos of Tekoa is introduced. The date is probably just before 760 BC. (A great earth quake may have occurred about 760 BC. It was quite memorable, eg. Zechariah 14:5.) Both Israelite kingdoms are still in existence but the northern kingdom, Israel/Samaria will be destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC.

Tekoa was ten miles south of Jerusalem and six miles south of Bethlehem, says Niehaus. 

Amos begins his prophesy with a brief statement about the awesome power of YHWH, the power behind the accusations Amos will bring to six enemy nations and the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

Amos 1:3-5, Accusations against Syria

This is what the LORD says: 

"For three sins of Damascus, even for four,

I will not turn back [my wrath]. 

Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth, 

I will send fire upon the house of Hazael 

that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad. 

I will break down the gate of Damascus; 

I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven

 and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden. 

The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir," 

says the LORD.  

Syria, a longterm enemy of Israel, will face judgment. Here Damascus/Syria is accused of "threshing" Gilead. 

Niehaus argues that these verses follow an ANE "covenant-lawsuit" pattern, in which the plaintiff (YHWH) is introduced, identifies the defendant (here Damascus) and then gives an indictment and judgment. The plaintiff is introduced in third person before bringing their charge in first person. This pattern will appear throughout the book.

Damascus/Aram had overpowered Israel for about four decades during the ninth century BC reigns of Jehu and Jehoahaz, see 2 Kings 10:32-33, 13:1-3,7.  If the "threshing" is literal here, the soldiers of Syria rode over fallen Israelite soldiers with threshing boards (Niehaus, p. 341.)

Amos 1:6-8, Accusations against Gaza and the Philistines

This is what the LORD says: 

"For three sins of Gaza, even for four,

 I will not turn back [my wrath]. 

Because she took captive whole communities 

and sold them to Edom, 

I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza 

that will consume her fortresses. 

I will destroy the king of Ashdod 

and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. 

I will turn my hand against Ekron,

 till the last of the Philistines is dead," 

says the Sovereign LORD.  

Gaza, land of the Philistines, will also face judgment. The conflicts with the Philistines and their cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon run throughout Old Testament history. The Philistines appear as enemies in Judges 3:31 and are then the primary oppressors of Israel during the life of Samson, Judges 13-16.

Amos 1:9-10, Accusations against Tyre

This is what the LORD says: 

"For three sins of Tyre, even for four, 

I will not turn back [my wrath]. 

Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom, 

disregarding a treaty of brotherhood, 

I will send fire upon the walls of Tyre 

that will consume her fortresses."  

Tyre and Sidon were (and still are) part of Lebanon. These two coastal cities were closely linked, both significant commercial hubs in the ancient Near East. Here Tyre is accused of selling (Hebrew) slaves to Edom, breaking a treaty with Israel. Amos will then turn to focus on Edom, below.

Amos 1:11-12, Accusations against Edom

This is what the LORD says: 

"For three sins of Edom, even for four, 

I will not turn back [my wrath]. 

Because he pursued his brother with a sword, 

stifling all compassion, 

because his anger raged continually 

and his fury flamed unchecked, 

I will send fire upon Teman 

that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah."  

Amos passes on YHWH's judgment on Edom. The people of Edom are descendants of Jacob's brother Esau (Genesis 25:21-26,) and Teman was a son of Esau (Genesis 36:10-14.)

Amos 1:13-15, Accusations against Ammon

This is what the LORD says: 

"For three sins of Ammon, even for four, 

I will not turn back [my wrath]. 

Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead 

in order to extend his borders,

I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah 

that will consume her fortresses 

amid war cries on the day of battle,

 amid violent winds on a stormy day.

Her king will go into exile, 

he and his officials together," 

says the LORD.

Ammon also is identified as an enemy of Israel and deserving judgment. Ammon was northeast of the Dead Sea in what is now the country of Jordan.

In Ezekiel's prophecies, 170 years later, accusations against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia are given in Ezekiel 25 and then prophecies against Tyre, Sidon and Egypt continue in the next seven chapters of that book. We will see an accusation against Moab in the next chapter before the shepherd, Amos, turns his attention to Judah and Israel.

First published June 26, 2025; updated June 26, 2025