Amos 5:18-27

18 How terrible it will be for you who want the Lord's day of judging to come. Why do you want that day to come? It will bring darkness for you, not light.

19 It will be like someone who runs from a lion and meets a bear, or like someone who goes into his house and puts his hand on the wall, and then is bitten by a snake.

20 So the Lord's day of judging will bring darkness, not light; it will be very dark, not light at all.

21 The Lord says, "I completely hate your feasts; I cannot stand your religious meetings.

22 If you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won't accept them. You bring your best fellowship offerings of fattened cattle, but I will ignore them.

23 Take the noise of your songs away from me! I won't listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice flow like a river, and let goodness flow like a stream that never stops.

25 "People of Israel, you did not bring me sacrifices and offerings while you traveled in the desert for forty years.

26 You have carried with you your king, the god Sakkuth, and Kaiwan your idol, and the star gods you have made.

27 So I will send you away as captives beyond Damascus," says the Lord, whose name is the God All-Powerful.

Amos 5:18-27 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.