Amos 6:8

8 The Lord God made this promise; the Lord God All-Powerful says: "I hate the pride of the Israelites, and I hate their strong buildings, so I will let the enemy take the city and everything in it."

Amos 6:8 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 6:8

The Lord God hath sworn by himself
Because he could swear by no greater, ( Hebrews 6:13 ) ; which shows the importance and certainty of the thing sworn to, and is as follows: saith the Lord, the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob;
or, "the pride of Jacob" ^F3; of Israel, of the ten tribes, remarkable for their pride; hence called the crown of pride, ( Isaiah 28:3 ) ; it may include all that was glorious, valuable, and excellent among them, of which they were proud; their kingdom, riches, wealth, and strength, their fortified cities and towns: if Judah is comprehended in this, it may regard the temple, which was their excellency, and in which they gloried. So the Targum paraphrases it,

``the house of the sanctuary of the house of Jacob;''

and in like manner Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, interpret it; and hate his palaces;
the palaces of the king and nobles, and great men, which should fall into the enemy's hand, and be plundered and destroyed; which is meant by the Lord's abhorrence and hatred of them, this being an evidence of it; therefore will I deliver up the city, with all that is therein;
or, "with its fulness" ^F4; with all its inhabitants and riches; according to Jarchi, the city of Jerusalem is meant; though rather the city of Samaria, unless both are intended, city for cities; since the chief men both of Israel and Judah seem to be addressed, ( Amos 6:1 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (Nwag ta) "superbiam", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "fastium", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.
F4 (halmw) "et plenitudinem ejus", Mercerus, Piscator, Cocceius.

Amos 6:8 In-Context

6 You drink wine by the bowlful and use the best perfumed lotions. But you are not sad over the ruin of Israel,

7 so you will be some of the first ones taken as slaves. Your feasting and lying around will come to an end.

8 The Lord God made this promise; the Lord God All-Powerful says: "I hate the pride of the Israelites, and I hate their strong buildings, so I will let the enemy take the city and everything in it."

9 At that time there might be only ten people left alive in just one house, but they will also die.

10 When the relatives come to get the bodies to take them outside, one of them will call to the other and ask, "Are there any other dead bodies with you?" That person will answer, "No." Then the one who asked will say, "Hush! We must not say the name of the Lord."