Amos 4:1-3

``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.

Amos 4:1-3 Meaning and Commentary

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.

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

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"