Amos 4:6-13

6 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth [i.e., famine] in all your towns, and want of lechem in all your places; yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith Hashem.

7 And also I have withheld the geshem from you, when there were yet shloshah chodashim to the harvest; and I caused it to rain upon one town, and caused it not to rain upon another town; one chelek (part) was rained upon, and the chelek, whereupon it rained not, withered.

8 So two or three towns wandered unto one town, to drink mayim; but they were not satisfied; yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith Hashem.

9 I have struck you with blight and mildew; when your ganim (gardens) and your kramim (vineyards) and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the locust devoured them; yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith Hashem.

10 I have sent among you the dever after the manner of Mitzrayim; your bocherim have I slain with the cherev, and have taken away your susim; and I have made the stench of your machanot to come up unto your nostrils; yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith Hashem.

11 I have overthrown some of you, as Elohim overthrew Sodom and Amora (Gomorrah), and ye were like a firebrand snatched from the burning; yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith Hashem.

12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Yisroel; and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet Eloheicha, O Yisroel.

13 For, hinei, He that formeth the harim, and createth the ruach, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the shachar darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, Hashem Elohei Tzva’os Shmo.

Amos 4:6-13 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.