Amos 6:1-7

``Those at Ease in Zion"

1 1Woe to those who are at ease in Zion And to those who feel secure in the mountain of Samaria, The 2distinguished men of the foremost of nations, To whom the house of Israel comes.
2 Go over to 3Calneh and look, And go from there to 4Hamath the great, Then go down to 5Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms, Or is their territory greater than yours?
3 Do you 6put off the day of calamity, And would you 7bring near the seat of violence?
4 Those who recline on beds of ivory And sprawl on their 8couches, And 9eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall,
5 Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed 10songs for themselves,
6 Who 11drink wine from sacrificial bowls While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils, Yet they have not 12grieved over the ruin of Joseph.
7 Therefore, they will now 13go into exile at the head of the exiles, And the 14sprawlers' banqueting will pass away.

Amos 6:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 6

This chapter seems to be directed both to the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the ten tribes of Israel, under the names of Zion and Samaria, and to the principal men in both; who are reproved and threatened for their carnal security and self-confidence, being in no fear of the evil day, though they had no reason for it no more than other people, Am 6:1-3; are charged with wantonness, luxury, intemperance, and want of sympathy with those in distress, Am 6:4-6; therefore are threatened to be carried captive first, and their city to be delivered up; which, for the certainty of it, is not only said, but swore to, Am 6:7,8; and a great mortality in every house, and the destruction of all houses, both great and small, Am 6:9-11; and since a reformation of them seemed impracticable, and not to be expected, but they gloried in their wealth, and boasted of their strength, therefore they should be afflicted by a foreign nation raised against them, which affliction should be general, from one end of the country to the other, Am 6:12-14.

Cross References 14

  • 1. Isaiah 32:9-11; Zephaniah 1:12; Luke 6:24
  • 2. Exodus 19:5; Amos 3:2
  • 3. Genesis 10:10; Isaiah 10:9
  • 4. 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Kings 18:34; Isaiah 10:9
  • 5. 1 Samuel 5:8; 2 Chronicles 26:6
  • 6. Isaiah 56:12; Amos 9:10
  • 7. Amos 3:10
  • 8. Amos 3:12
  • 9. Ezekiel 34:2, 3
  • 10. 1 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Chronicles 23:5; Isaiah 5:12
  • 11. Amos 2:8; Amos 4:1
  • 12. Ezekiel 9:4
  • 13. Amos 7:11, 17
  • 14. 1 Kings 20:16-21; Dan 5:4-6, 30

Footnotes 5

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