Amos 5:3

3 The Sovereign Lord says, "A city in Israel sends out a thousand soldiers, but only a hundred return; another city sends out a hundred, but only ten come back."

Amos 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 5:3

For thus saith the Lord God
This is a reason why there were none to raise her up: since the city that went out [by] a thousand shall leave an hundred;
that is, the city in which there were a thousand constantly going in and out; or which sent, caused to go out, or furnished, a thousand men upon occasion for war, had only a hundred persons left in it; or there remained but a hundred of the thousand they sent out, the rest being destroyed by one means or another: and that which went forth [by] an hundred shall leave ten, to the house
of Israel;
where there were a hundred persons going out and coming in continually; or which sent out a hundred men to the army to fight their battles had now only ten remaining; to such a small number were they reduced all over the land, so that there were none, or not a number sufficient to raise up Israel to its former state and glory.

Amos 5:3 In-Context

1 Listen, people of Israel, to this funeral song which I sing over you:

2 Virgin Israel has fallen, Never to rise again! She lies abandoned on the ground, And no one helps her up.

3 The Sovereign Lord says, "A city in Israel sends out a thousand soldiers, but only a hundred return; another city sends out a hundred, but only ten come back."

4 The Lord says to the people of Israel, "Come to me, and you will live.

5 Do not go to Beersheba to worship. Do not try to find me at Bethel - Bethel will come to nothing. Do not go to Gilgal - her people are doomed to exile."