Amos 4:2

2 The Sovereign LORD has sworn this by his holiness: “The time will come when you will be led away with hooks in your noses. Every last one of you will be dragged away like a fish on a hook!

Amos 4:2 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 4:2

The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness
That is, by himself, holiness being his nature, and an essential attribute of his; this is done to ascertain the truth of what is after said, and that men may be assured of the certain performance of it. Some render it, "by his holy place"; and interpret it of heaven; so Aben Ezra and Kimchi; which is not likely; see ( Matthew 5:34 ) ( James 5:12 ) . The Targum is,

``the Lord God hath sworn by his word in his holiness;''

that, lo, the days shall come upon you;
speedily, swiftly, and at an unawares: that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fish
hooks;
the enemy, the king of Assyria, or God by him, would take them out of their own land, as fish out of water, out of their own element, and carry them captive into a strange land, both them and their posterity; and which should be as easily done as fish are taken with the hook, even though they were as the kine of Bashan. The word for fish hooks signifies "thorns" ^F16, and is by some so rendered; these perhaps being used in angling, before iron hooks were invented. The Targum is,

``that people shall take you away on their shields, and your daughters in fishermen's ^F17 boats;''

see ( Jeremiah 16:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (twryob) "spinis", Mercerus, Liveleus, Drusius, Grotius.
F17 So it is interpreted by R. Sol Urbin Ohel Moed, fol. 65. 2. likewise Elias says the word signifies a small ship, or a boat that is in a large ship, Tishbi, p. 59. So Vatablus interprets it, "scaphas piscatorias, [sive] cymbas"; and some in Munster.

Amos 4:2 In-Context

1 Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who are always calling to your husbands, “Bring us another drink!”

2 The Sovereign LORD has sworn this by his holiness: “The time will come when you will be led away with hooks in your noses. Every last one of you will be dragged away like a fish on a hook!

3 You will be led out through the ruins of the wall; you will be thrown from your fortresses, ” says the LORD .

4 “Go ahead and offer sacrifices to the idols at Bethel. Keep on disobeying at Gilgal. Offer sacrifices each morning, and bring your tithes every three days.

5 Present your bread made with yeast as an offering of thanksgiving. Then give your extra voluntary offerings so you can brag about it everywhere! This is the kind of thing you Israelites love to do,” says the Sovereign LORD .