KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 1

1 Amos shows God's judgement on Syria, 6 on the Philistines, 9 on Tyre, 11 on Edom, 13 on Ammon.

Amo 1:1 THE words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

Amo 1:2 And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.

Amo 1:3 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:*

[*Note: Damascus is here accused of treating Gilead brutally and mercilessly, like threshing grain with iron implements. This image depicts the cruel violence that Damascus has perpetrated against Gilead, which has incurred God's relentless judgement].

Amo 1:4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.

Amo 1:5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.*

[*Note: God's judgement continues on Damascus and Aram (Syria). The bar symbolises the city's defences, and breaking it means that God will destroy their protection and security. The Valley of Av and the House of Eden refer to regions and leadership that will be removed. The judgement concludes with the prediction that the people of Aram will be carried away as captives to Kir, a place of exile, reinforcing God's complete judgement on their cruel actions].

Amo 1:6 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:*

[*Note: The use of the expression ‘For three offences... and for four’ indicates that their sins are many and grave. Their act of enslaving and handing over an entire population to the control of Edom is the cause of God's righteous anger and the coming judgement on Gaza].

Amo 1:7 But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:

Amo 1:8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.*

[*Note: God predicts destruction for Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron - all important Philistine cities. To ‘destroy the inhabitants’ and ‘turn my hand against’ means that God will strike these cities and their leaders. Finally, God proclaims that the remnant of the Philistines will perish, implying that all their people will suffer his judgement and be destroyed.]

Amo 1:9 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:*

[*Note: God pronounces judgement on Tyre because of their betrayal. They are accused of handing over an entire population as captives to Edom and of breaking a brotherly covenant, probably a peaceful alliance or friendly relationship that they should have honoured. Breaking this covenant and enslaving their brothers has brought God's wrath upon Tyre, leading to their inevitable punishment.]

Amo 1:10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.

Amo 1:11 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:*

[*Note: God here pronounces judgement on Edom because of their cruelty and unrelenting wrath against their brethren, probably referring to Israel, since Edom is the descendant of Esau, Jacob's brother. Edom is accused of persecuting Israel without mercy and of harbouring an implacable wrath. God's judgement is a consequence of Edom's persistent and merciless hatred, which has gone against God's principles of justice and mercy.]

Amo 1:12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

Amo 1:13 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:*

[*Note: God here pronounces judgement on the children of Ammon because of their brutal violence against the inhabitants of Gilead. They are accused of committing cruel acts, even against pregnant women, in an attempt to expand their territory. This act shows total ruthlessness and a complete lack of compassion, and God's justice demands punishment for their offences.]

Amo 1:14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:

Amo 1:15 And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD.

KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 2

1 God's anger against Moab, 4 against Judah, 6 and against Israel. 9 God complains about their ingratitude.

Amo 2:1 THUS saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:

Amo 2:2 But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:*

[*Note: God predicts here that Moab will be struck by fire, which will destroy the palaces of Kerioth (a city or area in Moab). Moab's destruction will take place in chaotic circumstances, with loud shouts and trumpet, suggesting a violent and overwhelming judgement.]

Amo 2:3 And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.

Amo 2:4 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:

Amo 2:5 But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

Amo 2:6 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;

Amo 2:7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:

Amo 2:8 And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.*

[*Note: Laying on clothes taken in pledge means that they use the collateral of the poor as a convenience for themselves, even though the law required that such pledged clothes be returned to the poor at the end of the day (see Exodus 22:26-27). In addition, they drink the wine of the condemned, symbolising that they are feasting and enjoying themselves at the expense of those who have suffered injustice. They do this at the altars and in the house of their God, which makes their actions even more profane.]

Amo 2:9 ¶ Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

Amo 2:10 Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.

Amo 2:11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD.*

[*Note: God reminds the people of Israel that he has chosen and raised up prophets from among their sons to speak his word and to intercede among their young men, who took vows of purity and separation for God's sake. In asking the question, God affirms that this is part of his special calling for Israel, as a people chosen to follow his way and to carry his message.]

Amo 2:12 But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

Amo 2:13 Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.*

[*Note: Other translations say ‘I will crush you’– ‘I will press you down in your place’ or ‘I will make you groan’, but the wording ‘I am pressed under you’ in the KJV Bible is completely correct. God sarcastically describes how the sins and transgressions of the people of Israel have become a heavy burden to Him, like a cart pressed under the weight of many sheaves, or like a mother eagle He has borne them (Deut. 32:11) and He is simply tired of carrying that burden. God further explains in verse 14-16, that no one will therefore escape the judgement that He has prepared for Israel. Amos 3:1-2]

Amo 2:14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:

Amo 2:15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.

Amo 2:16 And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.*

[*Note: God concludes his judgement by declaring that even the most courageous of the strong and powerful will be forced to flee without any protection or honour, naked, on that day. This shows how totally devastating God's judgement will be, in which no one will be able to resist, regardless of strength or courage].

KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 3

1 The necessity of God's judgement against Israel. 9 The announcement of it, with the causes thereof.

Amo 3:1 HEAR this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

Amo 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Amo 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Amo 3:4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

Amo 3:5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?

Amo 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?*

[*Note: This verse uses imagery from the city's defences to show that God's warning and judgment have a purpose. When a trumpet sounds in a city, the people react with fear because the trumpet warns of danger. Similarly, God implies that no evil or judgement occurs without his knowledge or permission. If evil happens in the city, it is a sign that God is actively involved, either as a form of judgement or to correct his people.]

Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Amo 3:8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

Amo 3:9 ¶ Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.

Amo 3:10 For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

Amo 3:11 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

Amo 3:12 Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.*

[*Note: God here describes Israel's coming loss and destruction by using an image of a shepherd rescuing only part of an animal captured by a lion-two legs or a piece of an ear-as a symbol of the few survivors who will be saved. Those living in Samaria and Damascus (in comfort and luxury, as in the corner of a bed or on a sofa) will suffer greatly, and only rubble will remain].

Amo 3:13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,

Amo 3:14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Beth-el: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.*

[*Note: The horns of the altar (the corners of the altar, which often represented protection and refuge) will be cut off and fall to the ground, symbolising that the altar of Bethel and its false worship will be lost and rendered powerless. Bethel had become a place of idolatry, and God declares that no symbol of protection will remain there when judgement comes.]

Amo 3:15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.*

[*Note: God here foretells the destruction of Israel's luxurious and opulent buildings. The winter house and the summer house represent the different dwellings that the rich had for different seasons, while the ivory houses and the great houses symbolise their extravagance and wealth. God declares that these signs of abundance and unrighteous wealth will be destroyed as part of his judgement, emphasising that no material security will protect them from his justice].

KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 4

1 He rebukes Israel for oppression, 4 for idolatry, 6 and for their incorrigibility.

Amo 4:1 HEAR this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.*

[*Note: God here addresses his message to the ‘cows of Bashan’ as a metaphor for the rich and selfish women of Samaria, who live in luxury while oppressing the poor and crushing the needy. By calling them ‘cows’, God points out their selfish and materialistic attitude. They are presumptuous and demand from their husbands (or masters) to constantly cater to their pleasures. This is a powerful indictment of those who live in excess without concern for the vulnerable around them].

Amo 4:2 The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.

Amo 4:3 And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.*

[*Note: Going out at the breaches (the openings in the city walls after they have been breached) suggests a chaotic escape where they must leave their homes through the cracked walls, each one rushing forward in desperation. Each cow harks back to the imagery of earlier verses where the rich and self-satisfied were called ‘cows of Bashan’.]

Amo 4:4 ¶ Come to Beth-el, and transgress;* at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:*

[*Note: God uses sarcasm to criticise the people of Israel. He tells them to come to Bethel and commit transgressions and go to Gilgal and increase their transgressions. These places, which were supposed to be centres of worship, had instead become places of idolatry and false religion. Despite their frequent sacrifices, God sees these acts as meaningless and hypocritical because they are filled with sin and unrighteousness.] 

[*Note: The phrase ‘your tithes after three years’ refers to a particular form of tithe that the Israelites were to give every three years under the Law of Moses. According to Deuteronomy 14:28-29 and Deuteronomy 26:12-15, this tithe was intended to support the needy, including the Levites, strangers, the fatherless, and widows. Instead of being taken to the temple every year, it was collected every three years in the local community to help those who lacked their own resources – This act had a strong social and religious function, as it would express both obedience to God and concern for the most vulnerable in society. God points out Israel's hypocrisy; they may have followed the rules for tithing, but their hearts and actions in other respects were far from righteous].

Amo 4:5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

Amo 4:6 ¶ And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

Amo 4:7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.*

[*Note: God describes here how he withheld the rain as a disciplinary measure and a sign of his power, hoping that Israel would repent. Three months before harvest was a critical time for rain, and without it the crops would not ripen. By raining on some places but not others, God created a clear distinction between areas that flourished and those that withered. This pattern was intended to make Israel realise their dependence on God and his blessings, but they still did not turn to him]

Amo 4:8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

Amo 4:9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.*

[*Note: In older English, as in the King James Bible, ‘blasting’ refers to any kind of harmful impact on crops - such as drought, hot wind, or pestilence - that causes them to lose their fertility. It is a figurative expression of God's judgement, in which he allows crops to be destroyed as a warning or consequence of the people's sins.]

Amo 4:10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.*

[*Note: God here describes how he has sent plagues among the people of Israel, similar to the plagues that afflicted Egypt in the time of Moses. He reminds them that their young men have been struck with swords and their horses taken away, symbols of their military strength and security. The stench rising from their camp represents devastation and death in their communities, a reminder of their condition and of God's disciplinary action.]

Amo 4:11 I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.*

[*Note: God describes here how he has overthrown, or destroyed, parts of Israel in a way reminiscent of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. That the people were like a fire, snatched out of the fire means that they have been saved at the last moment from total destruction, a chance to turn back and seek God. Despite this grace and warning, they still have not turned back to him.]

Amo 4:12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

Amo 4:13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.*

[*Note: God is the one who moulds the mountains and creates the wind, who has power over nature and even over man's thoughts. His turning morning into darkness suggests his power to change day into night and control all creation. Treading on the heights of the earth symbolises God's supremacy over everything on earth. By concluding with ‘The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name’, Amos emphasises that this God is the Creator, He is mighty and worthy of awe and fear.]

KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 5

1 A Lamentation for Israel. 4 An exhortation to repentance. 21 God rejects their hypocritical service.

Amo 5:1 HEAR ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.*

[*Note: God here speaks to the house of Israel and begins with a song of lamentation or mourning. This expresses God's sorrow and regret for the condition of the people and the coming punishment. A lament is an expression of deep pain and despair, emphasising the seriousness of God's message and the judgement that awaits Israel if they do not repent.]

Amo 5:2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

Amo 5:3 For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.*

[*Note: God describes here the devastation that awaits Israel: a city that used to have a thousand inhabitants will have only a hundred left, and a city with a hundred inhabitants will have ten left. This indicates that a large part of the population will be lost, and only a small remnant will survive.]

Amo 5:4 ¶ For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:

Amo 5:5 But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought.*

[*Note: God here warns the people of Israel not to seek help or worship at the holy places of Bethel, Gilgal, and Beer-sheba. These places had become centres of idolatry and false worship, and God makes it clear that these places cannot offer salvation.]

Amo 5:6 Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el.

Amo 5:7 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

Amo 5:8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:*

[*Note: God is the one who has power over the vicissitudes of nature, who can turn the shadow of death into morning and make the day dark as night. He is also the one who calls the waters of the sea and spreads them over the earth, showing his power over both heaven and earth. Ending with ‘the LORD is his name’ emphasises that this God, whom they should seek, is the Almighty Creator and Lord of all.]

Amo 5:9 That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

Amo 5:10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

Amo 5:11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

Amo 5:12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

Amo 5:13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.*

[*Note: This verse describes how the sensible or prudent people will choose to remain silent because it is a time of evil and unrighteousness. In such an evil time of God's punishment, it is perhaps dangerous or futile to speak out, because justice is not valued and truth is rejected 2Tim 4:3-4 – It is over for a nation when God calls on His prophets to be silent and to no longer tell the truth to the godless evil society that is steeped in corruption and enmity against righteousness. 2Chron 24:17-21; 25:16.]

Amo 5:14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

Amo 5:15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.*

[*Note: God calls on the people of Israel to hate evil and love good and to establish justice in the gate (where judicial decisions were made). If they repent and establish justice and morality in their communities, God in His mercy may spare Joseph's remnant (those who survive of the people of Israel).]

Amo 5:16 Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.*

[*Note: God here predicts a time of great mourning and lamentation that will spread throughout Israel even the husbandman (those who usually work the land) will be called to mourning, as well as those skilled in lamentation (professional mourners) to express the pain of the destruction. The verse paints a picture of a nation in mourning and despair, where God's judgement touches every part of society.]

Amo 5:17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD.

Amo 5:18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.*

[*Note: God is warning those who long for the Day of the LORD here, because they have misunderstood what it means. Many in Israel thought that the Day of the LORD would be a time of victory and deliverance for them, but in reality it will be a day of darkness and not light. It is a day of judgement and justice rather than blessing for those living in sin. The verse questions whether they really understand what they are longing for, since the judgement they think will befall their enemies is actually directed at themselves because of their own transgressions.]

Amo 5:19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

Amo 5:20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

Amo 5:21 ¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

Amo 5:22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

Amo 5:23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

Amo 5:24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Amo 5:25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

Amo 5:26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.*

[*Note: The words ‘Moloch’ and ‘Chiun’ in the Old Testament are ‘Moloch’ and ‘Remfan’ in the New Testament. Moloch and Chiun represent false gods that the people of Israel worshipped, which God explicitly forbade and condemned in the Law. ‘ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them’ - Acts. 7:43. (See Exodus 20:4-5.) Remphan is a star, an idol representing Saturn. (See also Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; 2Kings 23:10).]

Amo 5:27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.

KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 6

1 The wantonness of Israel, 7 shall be plagued with desolation, 12 and their incorrigibility.

Amo 6:1 WOE to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!*

[*Note: That those ‘who are at rest in Zion’ means that they are complacent and unaware of the coming judgement, and they believe that their position gives them security.]

Amo 6:2 Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: bethey better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?*

[*Note: God tells the people of Israel to visit other cities and kingdoms, such as Calneh, Hamath, and Gath, to compare them with their own land. These cities were known for their power and size but had also suffered from weakness and defeat. By pointing to these examples, God rhetorically asks if these kingdoms are better or greater than Israel and Judah. - Kalneh: Gen. 10:10; Isaiah 10:9. - Hamath: Num. 34:8; 2King. 18:34; Jeremiah 49:23. – Gath: 1 Sam. 17:4; 2 Samuel 1:20.]

Amo 6:3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

Amo 6:4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;

Amo 6:5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;

Amo 6:6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Amo 6:7 ¶ Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.

Amo 6:8 The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

Amo 6:9 And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

Amo 6:10 And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.

Amo 6:11 For, behold, the Lord commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

Amo 6:12 ¶ Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:*

[*Note: In the Bible, ‘Gall’ often symbolises something that poisons or perverts what would otherwise be good, in this case justice. ‘Hemlock’ or poison hemlock refers to a poisonous plant (Conium maculatum) associated with death and bitterness. All parts of hemlock plant are poisonous, especially the seeds and roots, as the plant contains the toxic alkaloid coniine. Poisoning from hemlock can lead to muscle spasms, paralysis, and in severe cases, breathing difficulties that can lead to death. Hemlock is famous for its role in the execution of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who was sentenced to death in 399 BC by drinking a potion of hemlock. The dangerous nature of hemlock has made it a symbol of poisoning and corruption, making it particularly appropriate as an image of corrupt justice and distorted morality in Biblical texts, as a metaphor to describe how the fruit of righteousness has been turned into something poisonous and harmful, i.e. into iniquity.]

Amo 6:13 Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

Amo 6:14 But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.*

[*Note: God warns the people of Israel that He will raise up a foreign nation against Israel as an instrument of God's judgement. - In the KJV, the word used is: ‘the river’. Other Bible translations have translated the word as ‘the brook’, but we can see in 1Kings 8:65, that it is a river, (the Nile River), not a brook: “from the entrance of Hamath to the river of Egypt”. Replacing the word ‘river’ with ‘brook’ reduces the scope of God's judgement, since a ‘small’ brook does not have the same geographical or symbolic meaning (see Amos 8:8, 9:5). The fact that the river refers to the Nile River shows that the punishment extends over the whole land of Israel from north to south. God's judgement is inevitable and will affect everyone in Israel because of their unrighteousness and pride. God's power as the God of hosts shows that he can use nations as instruments of his justice and reminds Israel that no strength of their own can protect them from his righteous judgement].

KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 7

1 The judgements of Israel by the grasshoppers, 4 and by the fire, are averted by Amos' prayer. 7 At the wall with a plumb line, Israel's rejection is symbolised. 10 Amaziah complains about Amos. 14 Amos shows his calling, 16 and the judgement of Amaziah.

Amo 7:1 THUS hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings.*

[*Note: In this vision, the prophet Amos describes how God formed grasshoppers at the beginning of the latter harvest - that is, the harvest that comes after the king's first portion of the harvest had already been reaped as tax or tribute. This later harvest was important to the people because it was what was left for their own subsistence. - The fact that the grasshoppers swarms formed at this time poses a major threat to their entire livelihood. If the grasshoppers destroy the crop after the king's first harvest, the people would have little or nothing left to live on, showing the vulnerability of the people's situation when confronted with such widespread destruction that only God can allow or stop.]

Amo 7:2 And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.*

[*Note: When the grasshoppers have devoured the land's crops, meaning the harvest is ruined, Amos appeals to God for forgiveness and mercy for the people. He says: ‘by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small’ This expresses Amos' compassion for the people and his recognition of their weakness and vulnerability. Amos points out that Israel is small and weak in comparison to God's power and depends on God's grace to survive.]

Amo 7:3 The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.*

[*Note: Yes, the LORD repented (changed) his mind. This verse shows God's willingness to listen to intercession and His grace in withholding punishment when His people repent or when someone pleads for them. It is an example of God's compassion and ability to change a threatening decision when righteous prayers are heard.]

Amo 7:4 ¶ Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.

Amo 7:5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

Amo 7:6 The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

Amo 7:7 ¶ Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.*

[*Note: A plumbline is a tool consisting of a weight, often called a plumbline, attached to a string. When the weight hangs freely, it shows a straight vertical line used to check that a wall or building is straight and built correctly. In Amos' vision, the plumbline symbolises God's standard of justice and moral rightness - he is measuring Israel to see if they are following his righteous principles.]

Amo 7:8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

Amo 7:9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Amo 7:10 ¶ Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

Amo 7:11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

Amo 7:12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

Amo 7:13 But prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.

Amo 7:14 ¶ Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:*

[*Note: KJV, ‘sycomore fruit’. These fruits were common, cheap, and considered a simple food for the public, especially for the poor. The sycamore tree and its fruit were therefore a symbol of simplicity and humility, reflecting Amos' own background and simple life as a shepherd and fruit gatherer.]

Amo 7:15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

Amo 7:16 ¶ Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

Amo 7:17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 8

1 Through a basket of Summer fruit, Israel's imminent end is shown. 4 Oppression is reproved. 11 A famine of the word threatened.

Amo 8:1 THUS hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit.

Amo 8:2 And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.

Amo 8:3 And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.

Amo 8:4 ¶ Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,

Amo 8:5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

Amo 8:6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?

Amo 8:7 The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

Amo 8:8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.*

[*Note: God rhetorically asks whether the land will not tremble (i.e., shake, or quake) because of the unrighteousness of the people, and whether all who dwell there will not mourn the devastation to come. The river mentioned refers to an overwhelming and relentless judgement, like the annual flooding of the Nile in Egypt, which rises and then sweeps over everything in its path (see Amos 6:14). This image suggests an all-encompassing catastrophe in which the land will be shaken and flooded by God's just wrath, with no possibility of escape. – The verse warns that the consequences of sin will affect the whole nation and that God's judgement is powerful and relentless, like an unstoppable flood.]

Amo 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:

Amo 8:10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.*

[*Note: Wearing sackcloth and having baldness on the head were common expressions of deep sorrow and penitence in ancient Israel.]

Amo 8:11 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Amo 8:12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

Amo 8:13 In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.

Amo 8:14 They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.

KING JAMES VERSION

AMOS, CHAPTER 9

1 The certainty of the destruction. 11 The restoration of the Tabernacle of David.

Amo 9:1 I SAW the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.

Amo 9:2 Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

Amo 9:3 And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:*

[*Note: Carmel is a mountain massif in northern Israel, near the Mediterranean Sea. Carmel is known for its rich vegetation and fertile soil, thus its name means ‘God's vineyard’ or ‘fertile land’ in Hebrew. The mountain is often associated with the prophet Elijah, who confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18) – Carmel symbolises both beauty and strength, as well as a place of refuge and hiding due to its dense forest and high altitude. In prophetic contexts, as in Amos 9:3, Carmel is used to illustrate that even in the most remote and hidden places, no one is beyond the reach of God]

Amo 9:4 And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

Amo 9:5 And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

Amo 9:6 It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.*

[*Note: The word ‘stories’ used in the KJV Bible does not refer to stories or histories, but to describe architectural levels or floors of buildings. The word ‘stories’ represents: – Heaven, which is three stories high (2 Cor. 12:2) – The Ark of the Covenant, which is three stories high (Gen. 6:16) – The Temple, which is three stories high (Ezk. 42:6).]

Amo 9:7 Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?

Amo 9:8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord Godare upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord.

Amo 9:9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

Amo 9:10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

Amo 9:11 ¶ In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

Amo 9:12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

Amo 9:13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.

Amo 9:14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

Amo 9:15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.