Amos 6:8

8 "Adonai ELOHIM swears by himself," says Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot, "I detest that Ya'akov is so proud, and I hate his palaces. I will hand over the city, along with everything in it."

Amos 6:8 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 6:8

The Lord God hath sworn by himself
Because he could swear by no greater, ( Hebrews 6:13 ) ; which shows the importance and certainty of the thing sworn to, and is as follows: saith the Lord, the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob;
or, "the pride of Jacob" ^F3; of Israel, of the ten tribes, remarkable for their pride; hence called the crown of pride, ( Isaiah 28:3 ) ; it may include all that was glorious, valuable, and excellent among them, of which they were proud; their kingdom, riches, wealth, and strength, their fortified cities and towns: if Judah is comprehended in this, it may regard the temple, which was their excellency, and in which they gloried. So the Targum paraphrases it,

``the house of the sanctuary of the house of Jacob;''

and in like manner Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, interpret it; and hate his palaces;
the palaces of the king and nobles, and great men, which should fall into the enemy's hand, and be plundered and destroyed; which is meant by the Lord's abhorrence and hatred of them, this being an evidence of it; therefore will I deliver up the city, with all that is therein;
or, "with its fulness" ^F4; with all its inhabitants and riches; according to Jarchi, the city of Jerusalem is meant; though rather the city of Samaria, unless both are intended, city for cities; since the chief men both of Israel and Judah seem to be addressed, ( Amos 6:1 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F3 (Nwag ta) "superbiam", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "fastium", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.
F4 (halmw) "et plenitudinem ejus", Mercerus, Piscator, Cocceius.

Amos 6:8 In-Context

6 You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but feel no grief at the ruin of Yosef.

7 Therefore now they will be the first to go into exile with those being exiled, and the revelry of those who lounged, sprawling, will pass away.

8 "Adonai ELOHIM swears by himself," says Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot, "I detest that Ya'akov is so proud, and I hate his palaces. I will hand over the city, along with everything in it."

9 When that day comes, if ten men remain in one house, they will die.

10 And if a [dead] man's uncle, coming to bring the corpse out of the house and burn it, finds a survivor hidden in the inmost recesses of the house and asks, "Is anyone else there with you?" - then, when he receives the answer, "No," he will say, "Don't say any more, because we mustn't mention the name of ADONAI."