Amos 5:9

9 Which scorneth destroying on the strong, and bringeth robbing on the mighty. (Who bringeth destruction and destitution, to the strong and the mighty.)

Amos 5:9 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 5:9

That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong
Such as have been taken by an enemy, who have been stripped of their armour, and spoiled of all their goods and substance, and have no friends nor allies, nor anything to help themselves with; the Lord can supply them with strength, furnish them with weapons, and send them helpers, so that they shall rise up against their conquerors and spoilers, and in their turn subdue them. The Targum is,

``that strengthens the weak against the strong;''

or causes the weak to prevail over the strong. A learned man, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, chooses to render it, "who intends", or "designs, destruction to the strong" ^F4; that is, in his secret purposes, and which he brings about in providence; though he is doubtful whether it may not have the signification of recreation and refreshment, and whether the construction and circumstances will admit of it; and some do so translate it, "who refreshes himself with destruction against the strong" ^F5; takes delight and pleasure in it; it is a recreation to him: so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress:
lay siege to it and take it, in which the spoiler thought himself secure with the spoil and substance he had taken from the spoiled; such sudden changes and vicissitudes can God bring upon men when he pleases. Some apply this to the Romans strengthened against the Jews, and besieging their fortified city Jerusalem; but not very aptly.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F4 (ze le dv gylbmh) "qui intendit destinat destructionem forti", Hottinger, Smegma Orientale, l. 1. c. 7. p. 129.
F5 "Qui recreat se vastatione contra fortem [sive] robustum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Tarnovius. So Stockius, p. 136.

Amos 5:9 In-Context

7 Which convert doom into wormwood, and forsake rightwiseness in the land, (Ye who change justice, or judgement, into wormwood, and desert righteousness in all the land,)

8 and forsake him that maketh Arcturus and Orion, and him that turneth (the) darknesses into the morrowtide, and him that changeth day into night; which calleth waters of the sea, and poureth out them on the face of [the] earth; the Lord is name of him. (and desert him who maketh Arcturus, or the Pleiades, and Orion, and him who turneth the darkness into the morning, and him who changeth the day into the night; he who calleth to the waters of the sea, and poureth them out onto the face of the earth; the Lord is his name.)

9 Which scorneth destroying on the strong, and bringeth robbing on the mighty. (Who bringeth destruction and destitution, to the strong and the mighty.)

10 They hated a man reproving in the gate, and they loathed a man speaking perfectly. (They hated the man who rebuked them in the court, and they loathed the man who spoke truthfully.)

11 Therefore for that that ye robbed a poor man, and took from him the chosen prey, ye shall build houses with square stone, and ye shall not dwell in them; ye shall plant most loved vineyards, and ye shall not drink the wine of them. (And so for ye robbed the poor, and took away the chosen prey from them, ye shall build houses with square stones, but ye shall not live in them; ye shall plant the most beautiful vineyards, but ye shall not drink their wine.)