Amos 5

A song of lament

1 Hear this word—a funeral song—that I am lifting up against you, house of Israel:

2 Fallen, no more to rise, is virgin Israel, deserted on her land, with no one to raise her up.

3 The LORD God proclaims: The city that marched out one thousand people will have one hundred left, and the city that marched out one hundred will have ten left in the house of Israel.

Words of encouragement

4 The LORD proclaims to the house of Israel: Seek me and live.

5 But don't seek Bethel, don't enter into Gilgal, or cross over to Beer-sheba; for Gilgal will go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.

6 Seek the LORD and live, or else God might rush like a fire against the house of Joseph. The fire will burn up Bethel, with no one to put it out.

Words of doom

7 Doom to you who turn justice into poison, and throw righteousness to the ground!

8 The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who summons the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth— this one's name is the LORD—

9 who causes destruction to flash out against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

10 They hate the one who judges at the city gate, and they reject the one who speaks the truth.

11 Truly, because you crush the weak, and because you tax their grain, you have built houses of carved stone, but you won't live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you won't drink their wine.

12 I know how many are your crimes, and how numerous are your sins— afflicting the righteous, taking money on the side, turning away the poor who seek help.

13 Therefore, the one who is wise will keep silent in that time; it is an evil time.

Words of inspiration

14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of heavenly forces, will be with you just as you have said.

15 Hate evil, love good, and establish justice at the city gate. Perhaps the LORD God of heavenly forces will be gracious to what is left of Joseph.

Divine wrath anticipated

16 Truly, the LORD proclaims, the God of heavenly forces, the Lord: Crying will be heard in all the squares. In all the streets they will say, "Oh no! Oh no!" They will call upon the farmers to wail, and those skilled in mourning to lament.

17 In all the vineyards there will be bitter crying because I will pass through your midst,

says the LORD.

A statement of divine disgust

18 Doom to those who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you want the day of the LORD? It is darkness, not light;

19 as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or sought refuge in a house, rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake.

20 Isn't the day of the LORD darkness, not light; all dark with no brightness in it?

21 I hate, I reject your festivals; I don't enjoy your joyous assemblies.

22 If you bring me your entirely burned offerings and gifts of food— I won't be pleased; I won't even look at your offerings of well-fed animals.

23 Take away the noise of your songs; I won't listen to the melody of your harps.

24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

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

26 You will take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves.

27 Therefore, I will take you away beyond Damascus, says the LORD, whose name is the God of heavenly forces.

Amos 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

Israel is called to seek the Lord. (1-6) Earnest exhortations to repentance. (7-17) Threatenings respecting idolatries. (18-27)

Verses 1-6 The convincing, awakening word must be heard and heeded, as well as words of comfort and peace; for whether we hear or forbear, the word of God shall take effect. The Lord still proclaims mercy to men, but they often expect deliverance from such self-invented forms as make their condemnation sure. While they refuse to come to Christ and to seek mercy in and by him, that they may live, the fire of Divine wrath breaks forth upon them. Men may make an idol of the world, but will find it cannot protect.

Verses 7-17 The same almighty power can, for repenting sinners, easily turn affliction and sorrow into prosperity and joy, and as easily turn the prosperity of daring sinners into utter darkness. Evil times will not bear plain dealing; that is, evil men will not. And these men were evil men indeed, when wise and good men thought it in vain even to speak to them. Those who will seek and love that which is good, may help to save the land from ruin. It behoves us to plead God's spiritual promises, to beseech him to create in us a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within us. The Lord is ever ready to be gracious to the souls that seek him; and then piety and every duty will be attended to. But as for sinful Israel, God's judgments had often passed by them, now they shall pass through them.

Verses 18-27 Woe unto those that desire the day of the Lord's judgments, that wish for times of war and confusion; as some who long for changes, hoping to rise upon the ruins of their country! but this should be so great a desolation, that nobody could gain by it. The day of the Lord will be a dark, dismal, gloomy day to all impenitent sinners. When God makes a day dark, all the world cannot make it light. Those who are not reformed by the judgments of God, will be pursued by them; if they escape one, another stands ready to seize them. A pretence of piety is double iniquity, and so it will be found. The people of Israel copied the crimes of their forefathers. The law of worshipping the Lord our God, is, Him only we must serve. Professors thrive so little, because they have little or no communion with God in their duties. They were led captive by Satan into idolatry, therefore God caused them to go into captivity among idolaters.

Chapter Summary

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.