17:24 The king of Assyria brought foreigners 4 from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria 5 in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.
18:1 In the third year of the reign of Israel’s King Hoshea son of Elah, Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became king over Judah.
5:27 and I will drive you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord.
He is called the God who commands armies!
6:1 Woe 10 to those who live in ease in Zion, 11
to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria.
They think of themselves as 12 the elite class of the best nation.
The family 13 of Israel looks to them for leadership. 14
6:2 They say to the people: 15
“Journey over to Calneh and look at it!
Then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah! 16
Then go down to Gath of the Philistines!
Are they superior to our two 17 kingdoms?
Is their territory larger than yours?” 18
1 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-D3; Map3-A2; Map4-C1.
2 tn Heb “them.”
3 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Israel” as the object of the verb.
4 tn The object is supplied in the translation.
5 sn In vv. 24-29 Samaria stands for the entire northern kingdom of Israel.
6 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Israel” as the object of the verb.
7 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Heb “Did not my heart go as a man turned from his chariot to meet you?” The rhetorical question emphasizes that he was indeed present in “heart” (or “spirit”) and was very much aware of what Gehazi had done. In the MT the interrogative particle has been accidentally omitted before the negative particle.
9 tn In the MT the statement is phrased as a rhetorical question, “Is this the time…?” It expects an emphatic negative response.
10 tn On the Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy; “ah, woe”) as a term of mourning, see the notes in 5:16, 18.
11 sn Zion is a reference to Jerusalem.
12 tn The words “They think of themselves as” are supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the term נְקֻבֵי (nÿquvey; “distinguished ones, elite”) is in apposition to the substantival participles in the first line.
13 tn Heb “house.”
14 tn Heb “comes to them.”
15 tn The words “They say to the people” are interpretive and supplied in the translation for clarification. The translation understands v. 2 as the boastful words, which the leaders (described in v. 1) spoke to those who came to them (v. 1b). Some interpret v. 2 differently, understanding the words as directed to the leaders by the prophet. Verse 2b would then be translated: “Are you (i.e., Israel and Judah) better than these kingdoms (i.e., Calneh, etc.)? Is your border larger than their border?” (This reading requires an emendation of the Hebrew text toward the end of the verse.) In this case the verse is a reminder to Judah/Israel that they are not superior to other nations, which have already fallen victim to military conquest. Consequently Judah/Israel should not expect to escape the same fate. Following this line of interpretation, some take v. 2 as a later addition since the Assyrians under Tiglath-pileser III conquered Calneh, Hamath, and Gath after the time of Amos’ ministry. However, this conclusion is not necessary since the kingdoms mentioned here had suffered military setbacks prior to Amos’ time as well. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 201-4.
16 tn Or “Great Hamath” (cf. NIV); or “Hamath the great” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); the word “rabbah” means “great” in Hebrew.
17 tn Heb “to these,” referring to Judah and Israel (see v. 1a).
18 tn Both rhetorical questions in this verse expect the answer “no.” If these words do come from the leaders, then this verse underscores their self-delusion of power (compare 6:13). The prophet had no such mistaken sense of national grandeur (7:2, 5).