Amos4
New American Standard
1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who exploit the poor, who oppress the needy, And say to their husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink!”
2The Lord God has sworn by His holiness, “For behold, the days are coming upon you When they will take you away with meat hooks, And the last of you with fish hooks.
3You will go out through holes in the walls, One in front of the other, And you will be hurled to Harmon,” declares the Lord.
4“Enter Bethel and do wrong; In Gilgal multiply wrongdoing! Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days.
5Offer a thanksgiving offering also from that which is leavened, And proclaim voluntary offerings, make them known. For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,” Declares the Lord God.
6“But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
7“Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city, But on another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up.
8So the people of two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
9“I struck you with scorching wind and mildew; The caterpillar was devouring Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
10“I sent a plague among you as in Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses, And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
11“I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a log snatched from a fire; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.
12“Therefore so I will do to you, Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, Israel.”
13For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind, And declares to a person what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The Lord God of armies is His name.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Amos 4.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Israel is reproved. (1–5). Their impenitence shown. (6–13).
vv1-5
What is got by extortion is commonly used to provide for the flesh, and to fulfil the lusts thereof. What is got by oppression cannot be enjoyed with satisfaction. How miserable are those whose confidence in unscriptural observances only prove that they believe a lie! Let us see to it that our faith, hope, and worship, are warranted by the Divine word.
vv6-13
See the folly of carnal hearts; they wander from one creature to another, seeking for something to satisfy, and labour for that which satisfies not; yet, after all, they will not incline their ear to Him in whom they might find all they can want. Preaching the gospel is as rain, and every thing withers where this rain is wanting. It were well if people were as wise for their souls as they are for their bodies; and, when they have not this rain near, would go and seek it where it is to be had. As the Israelites persisted in rebellion and idolatry, the Lord was coming against them as an adversary. Ere long, we must meet our God in judgment; but we shall not be able to stand before him, if he tries us according to our doings. If we would prepare to meet our God with comfort, at the awful period of his coming, we must now meet him in Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father, who came to save lost sinners. We must seek him while he is to be found.
Key Words
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
פָּרָה: a heifer
בָּשָׁן: Bashan (often with the article), a region East of the Jordan
הַר: a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
שֹׁמְרוֹן: Shomeron, a place in Palestine
עָשַׁק: to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow
דַּל: properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or thin
רָצַץ: to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively
אֶבְיוֹן: destitute
Cross References
Amos 4Moses warns of Israel's luxury under the same figure: the fat cattle of Bashan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Uses the 'bulls of Bashan' to represent proud, violent oppressors in high places.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Refers to the princes and mighty men metaphorically as fatlings of Bashan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Amos satirizes their hypocritical zeal by referencing the law of the three-year tithe.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel to God swearing by His holiness, binding Him to execute His righteous judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Uses the same vivid image of hooks to catch and drag away a rebellious nation.
Supported by JFB
Depicts God putting a hook in the nose of proud rulers, a literal Assyrian practice.
Supported by JFB
Hosea similarly condemns Gilgal and Beth-aven (Bethel) as centers of syncretistic idolatry.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel ironical command where God tells a rebellious people to serve their idols.
Supported by JFB
Fulfills the covenant curse of bringing 'the diseases of Egypt' upon disobedient Israel.
Supported by JFB
The historical standard of total divine destruction, to which Israel's narrow escape is compared.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Vividly describes a remnant saved from judgment as 'a brand plucked out of the fire.'
Supported by JFB
Depicts rulers fleeing desperately through breaches in the wall during a siege.
Supported by JFB
The law concerning leavened bread in peace offerings, which Israel hypocritically abused.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrastive proverb illustrating that 'clean' stalls/teeth signify a complete lack of food.
Supported by JFB