Amos 2:10-16

10 "It was I who ¹brought you up from the land of Egypt, And I led you in the wilderness ²forty years That you might take possession of the land of the ³Amorite.

11 "Then I ⁴raised up some of your sons to be prophets And some of your young men to be ⁵Nazirites. Is this not so, O sons of Israel?" declares the LORD.

12 "But you made the Nazirites drink wine, And you commanded the prophets saying, 'You ⁶shall not prophesy!'

13 "Behold, I am ⁷weighted down beneath you As a wagon is weighted down when filled with sheaves.

14 "⁸Flight will perish from the swift, And the stalwart will not strengthen his power, Nor the ⁹mighty man save his life.

15 "He who ¹⁰grasps the bow will not stand his ground, The swift of foot will not escape, Nor will he who rides the ¹¹horse save his life.

16 "Even the bravest * among the warriors will ¹²flee naked in that day," declares the LORD.

Amos 2:10-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 2

In this chapter the prophet foretells the calamities that should come upon the Moabites for their transgressions, Am 2:1-3; and the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem for their iniquities, Am 2:4,5; also the judgments of God that should come upon Israel the ten tribes for their sins, which sins are enumerated; their oppression of the poor, their lewdness and idolatry, Am 2:6-8; and which are aggravated by the blessings of goodness bestowed upon them, both temporal and spiritual, Am 2:9-12; wherefore they are threatened with ruin, which would be inevitable, notwithstanding their swiftness, strength, and courage, and their skill in shooting arrows, and riding horses, Am 2:13-16.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 12:51; Exodus 20:2; Amos 3:1; Amos 9:7
• 2. Deuteronomy 2:7
• 3. Exodus 3:8
• 4. Deuteronomy 18:18; Jeremiah 7:25
• 5. Numbers 6:2, 3; Judges 13:5
• 6. Isaiah 30:10; Jeremiah 11:21; Amos 7:13, 16; Micah 2:6
• 7. Isaiah 1:14
• 8. Isaiah 30:16, 17
• 9. Psalms 33:16; Jeremiah 9:23
• 10. Jeremiah 51:56; Ezekiel 39:3
• 11. Isaiah 31:3
• 12. Judges 4:17

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "To possess"
• [b] Or "tottering"
• [c] Or "totters"
• [d] Or "A place of refuge"
• [e] Lit "soul"
• [f] Lit "soul"
• [g] Lit "stout of heart"