Amos 5:20-27

20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light— pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?

21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me.

22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.

23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

25 “Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?

26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god^[a] — which you made for yourselves.

27 Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is God Almighty.

Amos 5:20-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 5

In this chapter the prophet exhorts Israel to hear his lamentation over them for their impending ruin, Am 5:1-3; nevertheless to seek the Lord, and all that is good; to forsake their idols, and repent of their sins, in hopes of finding mercy, and living comfortably; or otherwise they must expect the wrath of God for their iniquities, especially their oppression of the poor, Am 5:4-15; otherwise it would be a time of weeping and wailing, of darkness and distress, however they might harden or flatter themselves, or make a jest of it, Am 5:16-20; for all their sacrifices and ceremonial worship would signify nothing, so long as they continued their idolatry with them Am 5:21-26; and therefore should surely go into captivity, Am 5:27.

Cross References

• 1. S 1 Samuel 2:9
• 2. S Isaiah 13:10; S Ezekiel 7:7; Obadiah 1:15; Zephaniah 1:15
• 3. Jeremiah 44:4
• 4. S Leviticus 26:31; S Hosea 2:11
• 5. S Ezekiel 23:18; Isaiah 1:11-16
• 6. Leviticus 26:31
• 7. S Jeremiah 7:21
• 8. S Psalms 40:6
• 9. Jeremiah 14:12; S Amos 4:4; Micah 6:6-7
• 10. Isaiah 1:11-16; S Isaiah 66:3
• 11. Amos 6:5
• 12. S Jeremiah 22:3
• 13. S Isaiah 45:8
• 14. Micah 6:8
• 15. S Isaiah 43:23
• 16. S Exodus 16:35; Deuteronomy 32:17
• 17. S Ezekiel 18:6; S Ezekiel 20:16
• 18. Amos 6:7; Amos 7:11,17; Micah 1:16
• 19. Deuteronomy 32:17-19; Jeremiah 38:17; S Amos 4:13; Acts 7:42-43*

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "lifted up Sakkuth your king" / "and Kaiwan your idols," / "your star-gods" ; Septuagint "lifted up the shrine of Molek" / "and the star of your god Rephan," / "their idols"