Amos 3:1-6

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

1 Hear this word that Yahweh has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole clan that I brought up from the land of Egypt:
2 "You only have I {chosen} of all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
3 Do two walk together unless they have met?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest {when he has no prey}? Does a fierce, young lion cry out from his den unless he has caught [something]?
5 Does a bird fall into a trapping net on the earth when there is no snare for it? Does a trapping net spring up from the ground unless it has certainly caught something?
6 Or is a horn blown in a city and people are not afraid? Or does a disaster occur in the city and Yahweh has not done [it]?

Amos 3:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 3

In this chapter the prophet goes on with his prophecy against Israel, whom God had highly favoured, and yet sinned against him, and therefore must expect to be punished by him; and the rather, since he and they were not agreed; and therefore there could be no communion between them, Am 3:1-3; and by various similes are set forth the cause of divine judgments, the certain design of them, and their continuance, till the end is answered; which should be attended to, since every thing of this kind is of God, who giving his prophets notice of it, they are under an absolute necessity of declaring it; nor should they be blamed for it, Am 3:4-8; and even the Heathen nations are appealed unto as witnesses of the sins of Israel, that caused such a denunciation of wrath; their tumults, oppression, injustice, violence, and robbery, Am 3:9,10; wherefore an adversary is threatened to be sent among them, that should utterly destroy them, so that few should escape, Am 3:11,12; particularly their idolatry and luxury seem to have been reigning sins, which had a great hand in bringing on their rum, and for which the Lord would punish them, Am 3:13-15.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Hebrew "Egypt, saying"
  • [b]. Literally "known"
  • [c]. Literally "and there is no prey to him"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.