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Amos6

New International Version

1Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!

2Go to Kalneh and look at it; go from there to great Hamath, and then go down to Gath in Philistia. Are they better off than your two kingdoms? Is their land larger than yours?

3You put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of terror.

4You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.

5You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.

6You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

7Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.

8The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself—the Lord God Almighty declares: “I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”

9If ten people are left in one house, they too will die.

10And if the relative who comes to carry the bodies out of the house to burn them asks anyone who might be hiding there, “Is anyone else with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will go on to say, “Hush! We must not mention the name of the Lord.”

11For the Lord has given the command, and he will smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits.

12Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness—

13you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar and say, “Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?”

14For the Lord God Almighty declares, “I will stir up a nation against you, Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah.”

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Amos 6.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The danger of luxury and false security. (1–7). Punishments of sins. (8–14).

vv1-7

Those are looked upon as doing well for themselves, who do well for their bodies; but we are here told what their ease is, and what their woe is. Here is a description of the pride, security, and sensuality, for which God would reckon. Careless sinners are every where in danger; but those at ease in Zion, who are stupid, vainly confident, and abusing their privileges, are in the greatest danger. Yet many fancy themselves the people of God, who are living in sin, and in conformity to the world. But the examples of others' ruin forbid us to be secure. Those who are set upon their pleasures are commonly careless of the troubles of others, but this is great offence to God. Those who placed their happiness in the pleasures of sense, and set their hearts upon them, shall be deprived of those pleasures. Those who try to put the evil day far from them, find it nearest to them.

vv8-14

How dreadful, how miserable, is the case of those whose eternal ruin the Lord himself has sworn; for he can execute his purpose, and none can alter it! Those hearts are wretchedly hardened that will not be brought to mention God's name, and to worship him, when the hand of God is gone out against them, when sickness and death are in their families. Those that will not be tilled as fields, shall be abandoned as rocks. When our services of God are soured with sin, his providences will justly be made bitter to us. Men should take warning not to harden their hearts, for those who walk in pride, God will destroy.

Cross References

Amos 6

Explicitly names David inventing musical instruments, which Amos's wealthy contemporary targets falsely imitated.

Supported by JFB

v5Nehemiah 12:36allusion

Associates instruments of music directly with the name and authority of David.

Supported by JFB

The original heartless feast of Joseph's brothers while he lay in the pit, echoing Joseph's affliction.

Supported by JFB

v142 Kings 14:25thematic

Jeroboam II restored Israel's border to the entering of Hamath; Amos predicts affliction from that same point.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Ezekiel 12:27thematic

Parallels the foolish claim that prophetic visions are only for times far off.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Psalms 94:20thematic

Speaks of the 'throne of iniquity,' mirroring the 'seat of violence' brought near by Israel.

Supported by JFB

v4Amos 2:8thematic

Amos's earlier denunciation of luxurious resting on garments laid to pledge by the altar.

Supported by JFB

v4Amos 3:15thematic

Connects to the ivory houses and luxurious beds targeted in Amos's previous judgments.

Supported by JFB

v8Psalms 47:4thematic

Mentions the 'excellency of Jacob' which God loved, but here abhors due to their corruption.

Supported by JFB

v1Exodus 19:5thematic

Israel's election as the chief/firstfruits of the nations, which they abused for false security.

Supported by JFB

v2Genesis 10:10thematic

Identifies Calneh as an ancient, powerful city built by Nimrod, now a warning of ruin.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v2Isaiah 10:9thematic

Assyrian boast over conquered cities, including Calno (Calneh) and Hamath.

Supported by JFB

v8Ezekiel 24:21thematic

God profaning His sanctuary, which was the pride and strength ('excellency') of the people.

Supported by JFB

Moses warns of a root bearing gall and wormwood, matching Amos's turned judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v12Hosea 10:4thematic

Describes judgment springing up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

Supported by Matthew Poole