Amos 5:16-26

16 Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord saith thus: "Wailing shall be in all streets, and they shall say in all the highways, `Alas! Alas!' And they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skillful in lamentation to wailing.

17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing, for I will pass through thee," saith the LORD.

18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! To what end is it for you? The day of the LORD is darkness, and not light:

19 as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?

21 "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell the scent in your solemn assemblies.

22 Though ye offer Me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

23 Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs, for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

24 But let judgment run down like waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

25 "Have ye offered unto Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god which ye made for yourselves.

Amos 5:16-26 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.