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Amos 5:11-21

Listen to Amos 5:11-21
11 Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built 1houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will 2not drink their wine.
12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who 3distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate.
13 Therefore at such a time the prudent person 4keeps silent, for it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you, 5Just as you have said!
15 6Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts 7May be gracious to the 8remnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is 9wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, 'Alas! Alas!' They also call the 10farmer to mourning And 11professional mourners to lamentation.
17 "And in all the 12vineyards there is wailing, Because I will pass through the midst of you," says the LORD.
18 Alas, you who are longing for the 13day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be 14darkness and not light;
19 As when a man 15flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.
20 Will not the day of the LORD be 16darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it?
21 "I hate, I 17reject your festivals, Nor do I 18delight in your solemn assemblies.

Amos 5:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 5

In this chapter the prophet exhorts Israel to hear his lamentation over them for their impending ruin, Am 5:1-3; nevertheless to seek the Lord, and all that is good; to forsake their idols, and repent of their sins, in hopes of finding mercy, and living comfortably; or otherwise they must expect the wrath of God for their iniquities, especially their oppression of the poor, Am 5:4-15; otherwise it would be a time of weeping and wailing, of darkness and distress, however they might harden or flatter themselves, or make a jest of it, Am 5:16-20; for all their sacrifices and ceremonial worship would signify nothing, so long as they continued their idolatry with them Am 5:21-26; and therefore should surely go into captivity, Am 5:27.

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Cross References 18

  • 1. Amos 3:15; Amos 6:11
  • 2. Micah 6:15
  • 3. Isaiah 1:23; Isaiah 5:23; Amos 2:6
  • 4. Ecclesiastes 3:7; Hosea 4:4
  • 5. Micah 3:11
  • 6. Psalms 97:10; Romans 12:9
  • 7. Joel 2:14
  • 8. Mic 5:3, 7, 8
  • 9. Jer 9:10, 18-20; Amos 8:3
  • 10. Joel 1:11
  • 11. 2 Chronicles 35:25; Jeremiah 9:17
  • 12. Isaiah 16:10; Jeremiah 48:33
  • 13. Isaiah 5:19; Jeremiah 30:7; Joel 1:15; Joel 2:1, 11, 31
  • 14. Isaiah 5:30; Joel 2:2
  • 15. Job 20:24; Isaiah 24:17, 18; Jeremiah 15:2, 3; Jeremiah 48:44
  • 16. Isaiah 13:10; Zephaniah 1:15
  • 17. Isaiah 1:11-16; Isaiah 66:3; Amos 4:4, 5; Amos 8:10
  • 18. Leviticus 26:31; Jeremiah 14:12; Hosea 5:6

Footnotes 8

  • [a] Another reading is "trample upon"
  • [b] Lit "they turn"
  • [c] I.e. the place where court was held
  • [d] Lit "that time"
  • [e] I.e. the place where court was held
  • [f] Lit "those who know lamentation"
  • [g] Or "Then"
  • [h] Lit "like to smell"
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org

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