Amos 4

``Yet You Have Not Returned to Me"

1 Hear this word, you cows of ¹Bashan who are on the ²mountain of Samaria, Who ³oppress the poor, who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, "Bring now, that we may ⁴drink!"

2 The Lord GOD has ⁵sworn by His ⁶holiness, "Behold, the days are coming upon you When they will take you away with ⁷meat hooks, And the last of you with ⁸fish hooks.

3 "You will ⁹go out through breaches in the walls, Each one straight before her, And you will be cast to Harmon," declares the LORD.

4 "Enter Bethel and transgress; In Gilgal multiply transgression! ¹⁰Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days.

5 "Offer a ¹¹thank offering also from that which is leavened, And proclaim ¹²freewill offerings, make them known. For so you ¹³love to do, you sons of Israel," Declares the Lord GOD.

6 "But I gave you also ¹⁴cleanness of teeth in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have ¹⁵not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

7 "Furthermore, I ¹⁶withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city And on ¹⁷another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up.

8 "So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink ¹⁸water, But would ¹⁹not be satisfied; Yet you have ²⁰not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

9 "I ²¹smote you with scorching wind and mildew; And the ²²caterpillar was devouring Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees; Yet you have ²³not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

10 "I sent a ²⁴plague among you after the manner of Egypt; I ²⁵slew your young men by the sword along with your ²⁶captured horses, And I made the ²⁷stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; Yet you have ²⁸not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

11 "I overthrew you, as ²⁹God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a ³⁰firebrand snatched from a blaze; Yet you have ³¹not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

12 "Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; Because * I will do this to you, Prepare to ³²meet your God, O Israel."

13 For behold, He who ³³forms mountains and ³⁴creates the wind And ³⁵declares to man what are His thoughts, He who ³⁶makes dawn into darkness And ³⁷treads on the high places of the earth, ³⁸The LORD God of hosts is His name.

Amos 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

Israel is reproved. (1-5) Their impenitence shown. (6-13)

Verses 1-5 What is got by extortion is commonly used to provide for the flesh, and to fulfil the lusts thereof. What is got by oppression cannot be enjoyed with satisfaction. How miserable are those whose confidence in unscriptural observances only prove that they believe a lie! Let us see to it that our faith, hope, and worship, are warranted by the Divine word.

Verses 6-13 See the folly of carnal hearts; they wander from one creature to another, seeking for something to satisfy, and labour for that which satisfies not; yet, after all, they will not incline their ear to Him in whom they might find all they can want. Preaching the gospel is as rain, and every thing withers where this rain is wanting. It were well if people were as wise for their souls as they are for their bodies; and, when they have not this rain near, would go and seek it where it is to be had. As the Israelites persisted in rebellion and idolatry, the Lord was coming against them as an adversary. Ere long, we must meet our God in judgment; but we shall not be able to stand before him, if he tries us according to our doings. If we would prepare to meet our God with comfort, at the awful period of his coming, we must now meet him in Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father, who came to save lost sinners. We must seek him while he is to be found.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 22:12; Ezekiel 39:18
• 2. Amos 3:9; Amos 6:1
• 3. Amos 5:11; Amos 8:6
• 4. Amos 2:8; Amos 6:6
• 5. Amos 6:8; Amos 8:7
• 6. Psalms 89:35
• 7. Isaiah 37:29; Ezekiel 38:4
• 8. Jeremiah 16:16; Ezekiel 29:4; Habakkuk 1:15
• 9. Jeremiah 52:7
• 10. Numbers 28:3; Amos 5:21, 22
• 11. Leviticus 7:13
• 12. Leviticus 22:18-21
• 13. Jeremiah 7:9, 10; Hosea 9:1, 10
• 14. Isaiah 3:1; Jeremiah 14:18
• 15. Isaiah 9:13; Jeremiah 5:3; Haggai 2:17
• 16. Deuteronomy 11:17; 2 Chronicles 7:13; Isaiah 5:6
• 17. Exodus 9:4, 26; Exodus 10:22, 23
• 18. 1 Kings 18:5; Jeremiah 14:4
• 19. Ezekiel 4:16, 17; Haggai 1:6
• 20. Jeremiah 3:7
• 21. Deuteronomy 28:22; Haggai 2:17
• 22. Joel 1:4, 7; Amos 7:1, 2
• 23. Jeremiah 3:10
• 24. Exodus 9:3; Leviticus 26:25; Deuteronomy 28:27, 60; Psalms 78:50
• 25. Jeremiah 11:22; Jeremiah 18:21; Jeremiah 48:15
• 26. 2 Kings 13:3, 7
• 27. Joel 2:20
• 28. Isaiah 9:13
• 29. Genesis 19:24, 25; Deuteronomy 29:23; Isaiah 13:19
• 30. Zechariah 3:2
• 31. Jeremiah 23:14
• 32. Isaiah 32:11; Isaiah 64:2; Jeremiah 5:22
• 33. Job 38:4-7; Psalms 65:6; Isaiah 40:12
• 34. Psalms 135:7; Jeremiah 10:13
• 35. Daniel 2:28, 30
• 36. Jeremiah 13:16; Joel 2:2; Amos 5:8
• 37. Micah 1:3
• 38. Isaiah 47:4; Jeremiah 10:16; Amos 5:8, 27; Amos 9:6

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "their lords"
• [b]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
• [c]. Lit "he"
• [d]. So Gr; M.T. reads "will cast"
• [e]. Lit "Offer up in smoke"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 4

In this chapter, the great ones, or the people of Israel, are threatened with calamities for their oppression of the poor, Am 4:1-3; and in an ironic manner are reproved for their idolatry, Am 4:4,5; then follows an enumeration of several judgments that had been upon them, yet had had no effect on them, to bring them to repentance, nor even mercies, Am 4:6-11; and notwithstanding all this, in a wonderful gracious manner, they are called upon to prepare to meet their God, who is described by his power, greatness, and goodness, Am 4:12,13.