Amos 6

Warnings to the self-satisfied

1 Doom to those resting comfortably in Zion and those trusting in Mount Samaria, the chiefs of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes!

2 Cross over to Calneh and see; from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is your territory greater than their territory?

3 Doom to those who ignore the evil day and make violent rule draw near:

4 who lie on beds of ivory, stretch out on their couches, eat lambs from the flock, and bull calves from the stall;

5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and, like David, compose tunes on musical instruments;

6 who drink bowls of wine, put the best of oils on themselves, but who aren't grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

7 Therefore, they will now be the first to be taken away, and the feast of those who lounged at the table will pass away.

8 The LORD God has solemnly sworn, says the LORD, the God of heavenly forces: I reject the pride of Jacob. I hate his fortresses. I will hand over the city and all that is in it.

9 If ten people remain in one house, then they will die.

10 If a relative, someone who burns the dead, picks up the body to bring it out of the house, and says to someone inside the house, "Is anyone else with you?" the answer will be, "No." Then the relative will say, "Hush! We mustn't mention the name of the LORD."

11 Look, the LORD is giving an order; he will shatter the great house into bits and the little house into pieces.

12 Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness—

13 you who rejoice in Lo-debar, who say, "Haven't we by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?"

14 Indeed, I will raise up against you a nation, house of Israel, says the LORD God of heavenly forces, and they will oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the desert ravine.

Amos 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

The danger of luxury and false security. (1-7) Punishments of sins. (8-14)

Verses 1-7 Those are looked upon as doing well for themselves, who do well for their bodies; but we are here told what their ease is, and what their woe is. Here is a description of the pride, security, and sensuality, for which God would reckon. Careless sinners are every where in danger; but those at ease in Zion, who are stupid, vainly confident, and abusing their privileges, are in the greatest danger. Yet many fancy themselves the people of God, who are living in sin, and in conformity to the world. But the examples of others' ruin forbid us to be secure. Those who are set upon their pleasures are commonly careless of the troubles of others, but this is great offence to God. Those who placed their happiness in the pleasures of sense, and set their hearts upon them, shall be deprived of those pleasures. Those who try to put the evil day far from them, find it nearest to them.

Verses 8-14 How dreadful, how miserable, is the case of those whose eternal ruin the Lord himself has sworn; for he can execute his purpose, and none can alter it! Those hearts are wretchedly hardened that will not be brought to mention God's name, and to worship him, when the hand of God is gone out against them, when sickness and death are in their families. Those that will not be tilled as fields, shall be abandoned as rocks. When our services of God are soured with sin, his providences will justly be made bitter to us. Men should take warning not to harden their hearts, for those who walk in pride, God will destroy.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 6

This chapter seems to be directed both to the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the ten tribes of Israel, under the names of Zion and Samaria, and to the principal men in both; who are reproved and threatened for their carnal security and self-confidence, being in no fear of the evil day, though they had no reason for it no more than other people, Am 6:1-3; are charged with wantonness, luxury, intemperance, and want of sympathy with those in distress, Am 6:4-6; therefore are threatened to be carried captive first, and their city to be delivered up; which, for the certainty of it, is not only said, but swore to, Am 6:7,8; and a great mortality in every house, and the destruction of all houses, both great and small, Am 6:9-11; and since a reformation of them seemed impracticable, and not to be expected, but they gloried in their wealth, and boasted of their strength, therefore they should be afflicted by a foreign nation raised against them, which affliction should be general, from one end of the country to the other, Am 6:12-14.