Amos 6:3

3 And ye be parted into the evil day, and nigh to the seat of wickedness; (And ye declare that the evil day is far off, and yet ye do the very wicked things that shall bring it nigh;)

Amos 6:3 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 6:3

Ye that put far away the evil day
The day of Israel's captivity, threatened by, the Lord, and prophesied of by the prophets; by this prophet, and by Hoshea and others: this they endeavoured to put out of their minds and thoughts, and supposed it to be at a great distance, yea, hoped it never would be; and like the Jews, with respect to their captivity, and the destruction of their city, said it was not near, but prolonged, yea, would never come to pass, ( Ezekiel 11:3 ) ( 12:22 ) ; so some men put far from them the day of death; which though to a good man is better than the day of his birth, yet to a wicked man is an evil and terrible day; he do not care to hear or speak, or think of it, lest it should dampen his carnal joys and pleasures: as also the day of Christ's coming to judgment; which though a good man hastens to in his affections, desires, and prayers, wicked men set at the greatest distance, yea, scoff at it, as believing it never will be, and to show that they are in no pain or uneasiness about it; see ( Isaiah 56:12 ) ( Matthew 24:48 ) ( 2 Peter 3:4-12 ) . The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "who are separated to the evil day"; appointed to it; foreordained to this condemnation; destined to ruin and destruction for their sins; see ( Proverbs 16:4 ) ; and cause the seat of violence to come near;
boldly venture upon the commission of acts of injustice, rapine, and violence, on a presumption the evil day threatened will never come; or place themselves on the bench in courts of judicature, and there, without any manner of concern, commit the greatest acts of unrighteousness, as believing they shall never be called to an account for them by God or man.

Amos 6:3 In-Context

1 Woe to you, that be full of riches in Zion, and trust in the hill of Samaria, ye principal men, the heads of peoples, that go proudly to the house of Israel. (Woe to you, who be very rich in Zion, and trust in the hill of Samaria, ye principal men, yea, the leaders of the people, whom the house of Israel proudly followeth.)

2 Go ye into Calneh, and see ye, and go ye from thence into Hemath the great; and go ye down into Gath of Palestines, and to all the best realms of them, if their term be broader than your term. (Go ye into Calneh, and see ye, and go ye from there into the great city of Hamath; and go ye down into Gath of the Philistines, for be those kingdoms any better than yours? or be their territories any broader, or larger, than your territories?)

3 And ye be parted into the evil day, and nigh to the seat of wickedness; (And ye declare that the evil day is far off, and yet ye do the very wicked things that shall bring it nigh;)

4 and ye sleep in beds of ivory, and do lechery in your beds; and ye eat a lamb of the flock, and calves of the middle of the drove (and ye eat a lamb from the flock, and calves out of the midst of the herd);

5 and ye sing at the voice of (the) psaltery. As David they guessed them, for to have (made) instruments of song, (and ye sing with the voice of the lute, for ye think yourselves like David, and so make instruments of song;)