Amos 3:2

2 “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”

Amos 3:2 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
English Standard Version (ESV)
2 "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
New Living Translation (NLT)
2 “From among all the families on the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I must punish you for all your sins.”
The Message Bible (MSG)
2 "Out of all the families on earth, I picked you. Therefore, because of your special calling, I'm holding you responsible for all your sins."
American Standard Version (ASV)
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
2 Out of all the families on earth, I have known no one else but you. That is why I am going to punish you for all your sins.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
2 I have known only you out of all the clans of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
2 "Out of all of the families on earth I have chosen only you. So I will punish you because you have committed so many sins."

Amos 3:2 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 3:2

You only have I known of all the families of the earth
All the families or nations of the earth, and all the inhabitants of it, are known by the Lord, as he is the omniscient God; but none had been known by him as a family, or a nation, with that love and affection as this family had been, or distinguished by his favours and blessings as they, not only temporal, but spiritual; besides the land of Canaan, and all the good things in it, they had the law of the Lord, his word, worship, and ordinances, among them; he chose them for himself above all people, and gave peculiar marks of his affection to them, and special instances of his goodness, and of his care over them, and concern for them; see ( Deuteronomy 4:6-8 ) ( Deuteronomy 7:6 Deuteronomy 7:7 ) ( Psalms 147:19 Psalms 147:20 ) ( Romans 9:4 Romans 9:5 ) ; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities;
or "visit upon you" F3; or "against you"; in a way of chastisement and correction; they were a family he had highly favoured, and yet departed from him; children he had brought up in a tender manner, and brought out of a most miserable condition, and yet rebelled against him; he had followed and loaded them with his benefits, and they had proved ungrateful to him; he had given them a revelation of his mind and will, and they had rejected it, and therefore knowing, and not doing it, were worthy of more stripes; their sins were more aggravated than others, being against goodness and mercy, light and knowledge; and therefore the Lord was determined to make an example of them; see ( 1 Peter 4:17 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (Mkyle dqpa) "visitabo super vos", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "visito", i.e. "visitare soleo", Mercerus; "super vobis", Cocceius; "contra vos", Piscator.

Amos 3:2 In-Context

1 Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the LORD has spoken against you—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:
2 “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”
3 Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?
4 Does a lion roar in the thicket when it has no prey? Does it growl in its den when it has caught nothing?
5 Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground when no bait is there? Does a trap spring up from the ground if it has not caught anything?

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Exodus 19:6; Deuteronomy 7:6; Luke 12:47
  • 2. ver 14
  • 3. S Jeremiah 14:10; Micah 2:3; 1 Peter 4:17
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.