Amos 6:1-7

Woe to the Complacent

1 Alas [for] those being at ease in Zion, and those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, the notables of the best of the nations! The house of Israel resorts to them.
2 Cross over [to] Calneh and see, and go from there [to] Hamath Rabbah and go down [to] Gath of the Philistines. [Are] you better than these kingdoms, or is their territory greater than your territory?
3 You that put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of violence!
4 [Alas for] those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches, and those eating young rams from [the] sheep and goats, and bull-calves from the middle of [the] animal stall.
5 [Alas for those] who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music.
6 [Alas for those] who drink from sprinkling bowls of wine and anoint themselves with the best of olive oils and are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.
7 Therefore, they shall now go into exile at the head of the exiles and the feast of lounging shall pass away.

Amos 6:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.