Amos 3:9-15

9 Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt: Assemble on the mountains of Samaria and see the great turmoil in the city and the acts of oppression within it.

10 The people are incapable of doing right- the Lord's declaration- those who store up violence and destruction in their citadels.

11 Therefore, the Lord God says: An enemy will surround the land; he will destroy your strongholds and plunder your citadels.^[a]

12 The Lord says: As the shepherd snatches two legs or a piece of an ear from the lion's mouth, so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be rescued with [only] the corner of a bed or the^[b] cushion^[c] of a couch.^[d]

13 Listen and testify against the house of Jacob- [this is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the declaration of the Lord God , the God of Hosts.

14 I will punish the altars of Bethel on the day I punish Israel for its crimes; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.^[e]

15 I will demolish the winter house and the summer house; the houses [inlaid with] ivory^[f] will be destroyed, and the great houses will come to an end- the Lord's declaration.

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.

Footnotes

• [a] 2 Kg 17:5-6; 18:9-12
• [b] Or Israelites will be rescued, those who sit in Samaria on a corner of a bed or a
• [c] Hb obscure
• [d] LXX, Aq, Sym, Theod, Syr, Tg, Vg read or in Damascus
• [e] Hs 10:1-2
• [f] Am 6:4; 1 Kg 22:39; 2 Ch 9:17