Amos 3:9-15

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.”
10 “They do not know how to do right,” declares the LORD, “who store up in their fortresses what they have plundered and looted.”
11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “An enemy will overrun your land, pull down your strongholds and plunder your fortresses.”
12 This is what the LORD says: “As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth only two leg bones or a piece of an ear, so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued, with only the head of a bed and a piece of fabric[a] from a couch.[b]
13 “Hear this and testify against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the LORD God Almighty.
14 “On the day I punish Israel for her sins, I will destroy the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.
15 I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed and the mansions will be demolished,” declares the LORD.

Amos 3:9-15 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.

Cross References 18

  • 1. S Joshua 13:3; S 2 Chronicles 26:6
  • 2. Amos 4:1; Amos 6:1
  • 3. Jeremiah 4:22; Amos 5:7; Amos 6:12
  • 4. Habakkuk 2:8
  • 5. S Psalms 36:3; Micah 6:10; Zephaniah 1:9
  • 6. Amos 2:5; Amos 6:14
  • 7. S 1 Samuel 17:34
  • 8. S Esther 1:6; Amos 6:4
  • 9. Ezekiel 2:7
  • 10. S ver 2; S Leviticus 26:18
  • 11. S Genesis 12:8; Amos 5:5-6
  • 12. S Exodus 27:2
  • 13. Jeremiah 36:22
  • 14. Judges 3:20
  • 15. S 1 Kings 22:39
  • 16. Amos 5:11; Amos 6:11
  • 17. S Isaiah 34:5
  • 18. Hos 10:5-8,14-15

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  • [b]. Or "Israelites be rescued," / "those who sit in Samaria" / "on the edge of their beds" / "and in Damascus on their couches."
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