Amos 4:2

2 The Lord God has taken an oath by his holy name, that the days are coming when they will take you away with hooks, and the rest of you with fish-hooks.

Amos 4:2 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 4:2

The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness
That is, by himself, holiness being his nature, and an essential attribute of his; this is done to ascertain the truth of what is after said, and that men may be assured of the certain performance of it. Some render it, "by his holy place"; and interpret it of heaven; so Aben Ezra and Kimchi; which is not likely; see ( Matthew 5:34 ) ( James 5:12 ) . The Targum is,

``the Lord God hath sworn by his word in his holiness;''

that, lo, the days shall come upon you;
speedily, swiftly, and at an unawares: that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fish
hooks;
the enemy, the king of Assyria, or God by him, would take them out of their own land, as fish out of water, out of their own element, and carry them captive into a strange land, both them and their posterity; and which should be as easily done as fish are taken with the hook, even though they were as the kine of Bashan. The word for fish hooks signifies "thorns" ^F16, and is by some so rendered; these perhaps being used in angling, before iron hooks were invented. The Targum is,

``that people shall take you away on their shields, and your daughters in fishermen's ^F17 boats;''

see ( Jeremiah 16:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (twryob) "spinis", Mercerus, Liveleus, Drusius, Grotius.
F17 So it is interpreted by R. Sol Urbin Ohel Moed, fol. 65. 2. likewise Elias says the word signifies a small ship, or a boat that is in a large ship, Tishbi, p. 59. So Vatablus interprets it, "scaphas piscatorias, [sive] cymbas"; and some in Munster.

Amos 4:2 In-Context

1 Give ear to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are in the hill of Samaria, by whom the poor are kept down, and those in need are crushed; who say to their lords, Get out the wine and give us drink.

2 The Lord God has taken an oath by his holy name, that the days are coming when they will take you away with hooks, and the rest of you with fish-hooks.

3 And you will go out through the broken places, every one going straight before her, and you will be sent into Harmon, says the Lord.

4 Come to Beth-el and do evil; to Gilgal, increasing the number of your sins; come with your offerings every morning and your tenths every three days:

5 Let that which is leavened be burned as a praise-offering, let the news of your free offerings be given out publicly; for this is pleasing to you, O children of Israel, says the Lord.