Amos 3:8-15

8 A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
9 "Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: 'Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; See great tumults in her midst, And the oppressed within her.
10 For they do not know to do right,' Says the Lord, 'Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.' "
11 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, And your palaces shall be plundered."
12 Thus says the Lord: "As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion Two legs or a piece of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out Who dwell in Samaria-- In the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch!
13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob," Says the Lord God, the God of hosts,
14 "That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off And fall to the ground.
15 I will destroy the winter house along with the summer house; The houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end," Says the Lord.

Amos 3:8-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 3

In this chapter the prophet goes on with his prophecy against Israel, whom God had highly favoured, and yet sinned against him, and therefore must expect to be punished by him; and the rather, since he and they were not agreed; and therefore there could be no communion between them, Am 3:1-3; and by various similes are set forth the cause of divine judgments, the certain design of them, and their continuance, till the end is answered; which should be attended to, since every thing of this kind is of God, who giving his prophets notice of it, they are under an absolute necessity of declaring it; nor should they be blamed for it, Am 3:4-8; and even the Heathen nations are appealed unto as witnesses of the sins of Israel, that caused such a denunciation of wrath; their tumults, oppression, injustice, violence, and robbery, Am 3:9,10; wherefore an adversary is threatened to be sent among them, that should utterly destroy them, so that few should escape, Am 3:11,12; particularly their idolatry and luxury seem to have been reigning sins, which had a great hand in bringing on their rum, and for which the Lord would punish them, Am 3:13-15.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. The Hebrew is uncertain.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.