Amos 5:20

20 Will not the day of the LORD be ¹darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it?

Amos 5:20 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 5:20

[Shall] not the day of the Lord [be] darkness, and not light?
&c.] The design of such a question is strongly to affirm, that, in this day of the Lord spoken of, there should be nothing but misery and distress, and no prosperity and happiness, at least to the wicked Israelites, or the unbelieving Jews: even very dark, and no brightness in it?
signifying that there should be no deliverance, nor the least glimmering view or hope of it; that the calamity should be so very great, and the destruction so entire, that there should be no mixture of mercy, nor the least appearance of relief.

Amos 5:20 In-Context

18 Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD , For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light;

19 As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.

20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it?

21 "I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 13:10; Zephaniah 1:15