Amos 3:7

7 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

Amos 3:7 in Other Translations

7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

7 "For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

7 Indeed, the Sovereign LORD never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets.

7 The fact is, God, the Master, does nothing without first telling his prophets the whole story.

7 Indeed, the Lord God does nothing without revealing His counsel to His servants the prophets.

Amos 3:7 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 3:7

Surely the Lord God will do nothing
In the world, in a nation or city; no remarkable event has happened, or shall happen, to the sons of men: but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets;
what he willed and determined to do, which was a secret in his own breast, till revealed; and this generally, and for the most part, he makes known to those that fear and serve him; and especially to whom he employs in public service, as his prophets and ministers, previous to his accomplishment of it: thus he revealed to Noah the drowning of the old world by the flood; to Abraham the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah; and to the same servant and friend of his the affliction of his posterity four hundred years in a strange land, and then to be brought out with great substance; to Abijah the Shilonite the rending of ten tribes from the house of David; to Jeremiah the seventy years' captivity of the Jews in Babylon; to Isaiah their deliverance from thence, through Cyrus by name; to Daniel the four monarchies, the nature, rise, and fall of them; and to John, the disciple of Christ, all the material things that should come to pass, relating to the church and world, from the first times of the Gospel to the second coming of Christ; which that book is a revelation of that bears that name; see ( Genesis 18:17 ) ; and so that grand affair, which God has brought about in the world, the salvation of his people by his Son, which was a secret hid in his heart before the world began, this he revealed to his servants before it was effected; not only the scheme of it, but the author of it, whom he very early gave notice of; and who was spoken of by the mouth of all the prophets, from the beginning of the world; declaring who and what he was, the Son of God; that he should be incarnate, and born of a virgin; when he should appear, and where, and in what part of the world; also in what way and manner he should obtain salvation, by his obedience and sufferings; and all the circumstances relating thereunto are most minutely and exactly declared by him. Yea, God reveals unto his saints in common the secret of his purposes, respecting their election, redemption, and regeneration, which is made known in the effectual calling; and of the blessings of his grace in the covenant, and also of his providences; and of his love, grace, and mercy; and of his Gospel, and the mysteries of it; thus he deals with them as his friends, rather than as his servants; see ( Psalms 25:14 ) ( John 15:15 ) .

Amos 3:7 In-Context

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?

6 When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?

7 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared— who will not fear? The Sovereign LORD has spoken— who can but prophesy?

9 Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod and to the fortresses of Egypt: “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria; see the great unrest within her and the oppression among her people.”

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 18:17; S 1 Samuel 3:7; S Daniel 9:22; John 15:15; Revelation 10:7
• 2. S Jeremiah 23:22