Amos 5:3

3 For thus says the Lord GOD: "The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, And that which went forth one hundred shall have ten left to the house of Yisra'el."

Amos 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 5:3

For thus saith the Lord God
This is a reason why there were none to raise her up: since the city that went out [by] a thousand shall leave an hundred;
that is, the city in which there were a thousand constantly going in and out; or which sent, caused to go out, or furnished, a thousand men upon occasion for war, had only a hundred persons left in it; or there remained but a hundred of the thousand they sent out, the rest being destroyed by one means or another: and that which went forth [by] an hundred shall leave ten, to the house
of Israel;
where there were a hundred persons going out and coming in continually; or which sent out a hundred men to the army to fight their battles had now only ten remaining; to such a small number were they reduced all over the land, so that there were none, or not a number sufficient to raise up Israel to its former state and glory.

Amos 5:3 In-Context

1 Listen to this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Yisra'el.

2 "The virgin of Yisra'el has fallen; She shall rise no more. She is cast down on her land; There is no one to raise her up."

3 For thus says the Lord GOD: "The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, And that which went forth one hundred shall have ten left to the house of Yisra'el."

4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Yisra'el: "Seek me, and you will live;

5 But don't seek Beit-El, Nor enter into Gilgal, And don't pass to Be'er-Sheva: For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, And Beit-El shall come to nothing.