Amos 4:2-12

2 The Lord GOD has ¹sworn by His ²holiness, "Behold, the days are coming upon you When they will take you away with ³meat hooks, And the last of you with ⁴fish hooks.

3 "You will ⁵go out through breaches in the walls, Each one straight before her, And you will be cast to Harmon," declares the LORD.

4 "Enter Bethel and transgress; In Gilgal multiply transgression! ⁶Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days.

5 "Offer a ⁷thank offering also from that which is leavened, And proclaim ⁸freewill offerings, make them known. For so you ⁹love to do, you sons of Israel," Declares the Lord GOD.

6 "But I gave you also ¹⁰cleanness of teeth in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have ¹¹not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

7 "Furthermore, I ¹²withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city And on ¹³another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up.

8 "So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink ¹⁴water, But would ¹⁵not be satisfied; Yet you have ¹⁶not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

9 "I ¹⁷smote you with scorching wind and mildew; And the ¹⁸caterpillar was devouring Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees; Yet you have ¹⁹not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

10 "I sent a ²⁰plague among you after the manner of Egypt; I ²¹slew your young men by the sword along with your ²²captured horses, And I made the ²³stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; Yet you have ²⁴not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

11 "I overthrew you, as ²⁵God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a ²⁶firebrand snatched from a blaze; Yet you have ²⁷not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

12 "Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; Because * I will do this to you, Prepare to ²⁸meet your God, O Israel."

Read Chapter Compare

Amos 4:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 4

In this chapter, the great ones, or the people of Israel, are threatened with calamities for their oppression of the poor, Am 4:1-3; and in an ironic manner are reproved for their idolatry, Am 4:4,5; then follows an enumeration of several judgments that had been upon them, yet had had no effect on them, to bring them to repentance, nor even mercies, Am 4:6-11; and notwithstanding all this, in a wonderful gracious manner, they are called upon to prepare to meet their God, who is described by his power, greatness, and goodness, Am 4:12,13.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 28

1. Amos 6:8; Amos 8:7
2. Psalms 89:35
3. Isaiah 37:29; Ezekiel 38:4
4. Jeremiah 16:16; Ezekiel 29:4; Habakkuk 1:15
5. Jeremiah 52:7
6. Numbers 28:3; Amos 5:21, 22
7. Leviticus 7:13
8. Leviticus 22:18-21
9. Jeremiah 7:9, 10; Hosea 9:1, 10
10. Isaiah 3:1; Jeremiah 14:18
11. Isaiah 9:13; Jeremiah 5:3; Haggai 2:17
12. Deuteronomy 11:17; 2 Chronicles 7:13; Isaiah 5:6
13. Exodus 9:4, 26; Exodus 10:22, 23
14. 1 Kings 18:5; Jeremiah 14:4
15. Ezekiel 4:16, 17; Haggai 1:6
16. Jeremiah 3:7
17. Deuteronomy 28:22; Haggai 2:17
18. Joel 1:4, 7; Amos 7:1, 2
19. Jeremiah 3:10
20. Exodus 9:3; Leviticus 26:25; Deuteronomy 28:27, 60; Psalms 78:50
21. Jeremiah 11:22; Jeremiah 18:21; Jeremiah 48:15
22. 2 Kings 13:3, 7
23. Joel 2:20
24. Isaiah 9:13
25. Genesis 19:24, 25; Deuteronomy 29:23; Isaiah 13:19
26. Zechariah 3:2
27. Jeremiah 23:14
28. Isaiah 32:11; Isaiah 64:2; Jeremiah 5:22

Footnotes 4

[a]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
[b]. Lit "he"
[c]. So Gr; M.T. reads "will cast"
[d]. Lit "Offer up in smoke"

Amos 4:2-12

Share

Settings

Amos 4:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 4

Cross References 28

Footnotes 4