Amos 5:1-6

``Seek Me that You May Live"

1 Hear this word which I take up for you as a ¹dirge, O house of Israel:

2 She has fallen, she will ²not rise again - The ³virgin Israel. She lies neglected on her land; There is ⁴none to raise her up.

3 For thus says the Lord GOD, "The city which goes forth a thousand strong Will have a ⁵hundred left, And the one which goes forth a hundred strong Will have ⁶ten left to the house of Israel."

4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "⁷Seek Me ⁸that you may live.

5 "But do not resort to ⁹Bethel And do not come to ¹⁰Gilgal, Nor cross over to ¹¹Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to trouble.

6 "¹²Seek the LORD that you may live, Or He will break forth like a ¹³fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel,

Amos 5:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 5

In this chapter the prophet exhorts Israel to hear his lamentation over them for their impending ruin, Am 5:1-3; nevertheless to seek the Lord, and all that is good; to forsake their idols, and repent of their sins, in hopes of finding mercy, and living comfortably; or otherwise they must expect the wrath of God for their iniquities, especially their oppression of the poor, Am 5:4-15; otherwise it would be a time of weeping and wailing, of darkness and distress, however they might harden or flatter themselves, or make a jest of it, Am 5:16-20; for all their sacrifices and ceremonial worship would signify nothing, so long as they continued their idolatry with them Am 5:21-26; and therefore should surely go into captivity, Am 5:27.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 7:29; Jeremiah 9:10, 17; Ezekiel 19:1
• 2. Amos 8:14
• 3. Jeremiah 14:17
• 4. Isaiah 51:18; Jeremiah 50:32
• 5. Isaiah 6:13
• 6. Amos 6:9
• 7. Deuteronomy 4:29; Deuteronomy 32:46, 47; Jeremiah 29:13
• 8. Isaiah 55:3
• 9. 1 Kings 12:28, 29; Amos 3:14; Amos 4:4; Amos 7:10, 13
• 10. 1 Samuel 7:16; 1 Samuel 11:14
• 11. Genesis 21:31-33; Amos 8:14
• 12. Is 55:3, 6, 7; Amos 5:14
• 13. Deuteronomy 4:24

Footnotes

• [a] Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
• [b] Lit "seek"
• [c] Or "become iniquity"
• [d] Or in "the house"