Amos 4:1-6

1 Listen to this, you women of Samaria, who grow fat like the well-fed cows of Bashan, who mistreat the weak, oppress the poor, and demand that your husbands keep you supplied with liquor!

2 As the Sovereign Lord is holy, he has promised, "The days will come when they will drag you away with hooks; every one of you will be like a fish on a hook.

3 You will be dragged to the nearest break in the wall and thrown out."

4 The Sovereign Lord says, "People of Israel, go to the holy place in Bethel and sin, if you must! Go to Gilgal and sin with all your might! Go ahead and bring animals to be sacrificed morning after morning, and bring your tithes every third day.

5 Go on and offer your bread in thanksgiving to God, and brag about the extra offerings you bring! This is the kind of thing you love to do.

6 "I was the one who brought famine to all your cities, yet you did not come back to me. ¹

Amos 4:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 4

In this chapter, the great ones, or the people of Israel, are threatened with calamities for their oppression of the poor, Am 4:1-3; and in an ironic manner are reproved for their idolatry, Am 4:4,5; then follows an enumeration of several judgments that had been upon them, yet had had no effect on them, to bring them to repentance, nor even mercies, Am 4:6-11; and notwithstanding all this, in a wonderful gracious manner, they are called upon to prepare to meet their God, who is described by his power, greatness, and goodness, Am 4:12,13.

Cross References

• 1. +24.6Wisdom 12.2, 10.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Hebrew has an additional word, the meaning of which is unclear.]