Amos 5:3

3 For the Lord God saith these things, The city of which a thousand went out, an hundred shall be left therein; and of which an hundred went out, ten shall be left therein, in the house of Israel.

Amos 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 5:3

For thus saith the Lord God
This is a reason why there were none to raise her up: since the city that went out [by] a thousand shall leave an hundred;
that is, the city in which there were a thousand constantly going in and out; or which sent, caused to go out, or furnished, a thousand men upon occasion for war, had only a hundred persons left in it; or there remained but a hundred of the thousand they sent out, the rest being destroyed by one means or another: and that which went forth [by] an hundred shall leave ten, to the house
of Israel;
where there were a hundred persons going out and coming in continually; or which sent out a hundred men to the army to fight their battles had now only ten remaining; to such a small number were they reduced all over the land, so that there were none, or not a number sufficient to raise up Israel to its former state and glory.

Amos 5:3 In-Context

1 Hear ye this word, for I raise on you a wailing. [Hear ye, house of Israel, this word, that I raise on you a wailing.]

2 The house of Israel fell down, he shall not put to, that it rise again; the virgin of Israel is cast down into her land, none is that shall raise her (up). [The maiden of Israel fell down, she shall not put to, that she rise again; she is cast down into her earth (she is cast down onto the ground), there is not that shall raise her (up again).]

3 For the Lord God saith these things, The city of which a thousand went out, an hundred shall be left therein; and of which an hundred went out, ten shall be left therein, in the house of Israel.

4 For the Lord saith these things to the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live;

5 and do not ye seek (out) Bethel, and do not ye enter into Gilgal, and ye shall not pass to Beersheba; for why Gilgal shall be led (away) captive, and Bethel shall be unprofitable. (and do not ye go to Bethel, and do not ye enter into Gilgal, and ye shall not go on to Beersheba; because Gilgal shall be led away captive, and Bethel shall come to nothing.)