Amos2
New King James Version
1Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
2But I will send a fire upon Moab, And it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth; Moab shall die with tumult, With shouting and trumpet sound.
3And I will cut off the judge from its midst, And slay all its princes with him,” Says the Lord.
4Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have despised the law of the Lord, And have not kept His commandments. Their lies lead them astray, Lies which their fathers followed.
5But I will send a fire upon Judah, And it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.”
6Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for silver, And the poor for a pair of sandals.
7They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor, And pervert the way of the humble. A man and his father go in to the same girl, To defile My holy name.
8They lie down by every altar on clothes taken in pledge, And drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
9“Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, Whose height was like the height of the cedars, And he was as strong as the oaks; Yet I destroyed his fruit above And his roots beneath.
10Also it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, And led you forty years through the wilderness, To possess the land of the Amorite.
11I raised up some of your sons as prophets, And some of your young men as Nazirites. Is it not so, O you children of Israel?” Says the Lord.
12“But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, And commanded the prophets saying, ‘Do not prophesy!’
13“Behold, I am weighed down by you, As a cart full of sheaves is weighed down.
14Therefore flight shall perish from the swift, The strong shall not strengthen his power, Nor shall the mighty deliver himself;
15He shall not stand who handles the bow, The swift of foot shall not escape, Nor shall he who rides a horse deliver himself.
16The most courageous men of might Shall flee naked in that day,” Says the Lord.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Amos 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Judgments against Moab and Judah. (1–8). The ingratitude and ruin of Israel. (9–16).
vv1-8
The evil passions of the heart break out in various forms; but the Lord looks to our motives, as well as our conduct. Those that deal cruelly, shall be cruelly dealt with. Other nations were reckoned with for injuries done to men; Judah is reckoned with for dishonour done to God. Judah despised the law of the Lord; and he justly gave them up to strong delusion; nor was it any excuse for their sin, that they were the lies, the idols, after which their fathers walked. The worst abominations and most grievous oppressions have been committed by some of the professed worshippers of the Lord. Such conduct leads many to unbelief and vile idolatry.
vv9-16
We need often to be reminded of the mercies we have received; which add much to the evil of the sins we have committed. They had helps for their souls, which taught them how to make good use of their earthly enjoyments, and were therefore more valuable. Faithful ministers are great blessings to any people; but it is God that raises them up to be so. Sinners' own consciences will witness that he has not been wanting to them in the means of grace. They did what they could to lead believers aside. Satan and his agents are busy to corrupt the minds of young people who look heavenward; they overcome many by drawing them to the love of mirth and pleasure, and into drinking company. Multitudes of young men who bade fair as professors of religion, have erred through strong drink, and have been undone for ever. The Lord complains of sin, especially the sins of his professing people, as a burden to him. And though his long-suffering be tired, his power is not, and so the sinner will find to his cost. When men reject God's word, adding obstinacy to sin, and this becomes the general character of a people, they will be given up to misery, notwithstanding all their boasted power and resources. May we then humble ourselves before the Lord, for all our ingratitude and unfaithfulness.
Key Words
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
שָׁלוֹשׁ: three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice
פֶּשַׁע: a revolt (national, moral or religious)
מוֹאָב: Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants
אַרְבַּע: four
שׁוּב: to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
שָׂרַף: to be (causatively, set) on fire
שִׂיד: lime (as boiling when slacked)
עֶצֶם: a bone (as strong); by extension, the body; figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame
Cross References
Amos 2Directly correlates with laying on clothes laid to pledge, violating the Exodus law to return them.
Supported by JFB
Establishes the divine institution and vows of the Nazarites raised up among their young men.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels 'their lies' as the false, inherited idols after which their fathers walked.
Supported by JFB
Repeats the unique indictment of selling the needy for a pair of shoes/sandals.
Supported by JFB
Highlights the extreme depravity of a man and his father going in to the same maid.
Supported by JFB
Exposes the sin of giving Nazarites wine, directly violating their strict vow of abstinence.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Provides historical background to the conflict between Moab, Judah, and Edom.
Supported by JFB
Echoes the great stature and height of the Amorites whom God destroyed before Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Details God leading them forty years in the wilderness, contrasting His grace with their rebellion.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the rebellious command to the prophets to 'prophesy not'.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels God being 'pressed' or 'wearied' under the burden of His people's sins.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Employs the same metaphor of total destruction: dried up from roots below to branches/fruit above.
Supported by John Calvin
Echoes the warning that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Confirms that no king or mighty man is saved by physical strength or military host.
Supported by Matthew Poole