Amos1
King James Version · Public Domain
1The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
2And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
3Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
4But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben–hadad.
5I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the Lord.
6Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
7But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
8And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God.
9Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:
10But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
11Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:
12But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
13Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:
14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
15And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the Lord.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Amos 1.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
עָמוֹס: Amos, an Israelite prophet
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
נֹקֵד: a spotter (of sheep or cattle), i.e. the owner or tender (who thus marks them)
תְּקוֹעַ: Tekoa, a place in Palestine
חָזָה: to gaze at; mentally to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); specifically, to have avision of
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
עֻזִּיָּה: Uzzijah, the name of five Israelites
מֶלֶךְ: a king
Cross References
Amos 1Explicitly mentions the same historic earthquake during the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Direct textual parallel: "the Lord shall roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem."
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel imagery of God roaring from on high and uttering His voice from His holy habitation.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Historical fulfillment of Syria threshing Gilead like dust, under Hazael and Ben-hadad.
Supported by JFB
Direct historical fulfillment: the king of Assyria took Damascus and carried its people captive to Kir.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct parallel prediction: "I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus... palaces of Ben-hadad."
Supported by JFB
Repeated judgment formula: "I will send a fire upon his cities... and devour palaces."
Supported by JFB
Illuminates the "brotherly covenant" violated by Tyre, referencing Solomon and Hiram's league.
Supported by JFB
Expands on Edom's severe guilt for violence and lack of pity toward brother Jacob.
Supported by JFB
Amos confirms his own identity as a simple herdman and gatherer of sycamore fruit.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Parallel imagery of God breaking the protective bars of a city's gates.
Supported by JFB
The origin of Edom's perpetual hatred and anger against his brother Jacob.
Supported by JFB
Historical parallel of the atrocious practice of ripping open pregnant women in war.
Supported by JFB
Parallel prophecy of judgment against Tyre, its power, and its destruction by fire.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts God's command not to abhor an Edomite brother with Edom's relentless hatred.
Supported by JFB