1:4 So I will set Hazael’s house 1 on fire;
fire 2 will consume Ben Hadad’s 3 fortresses.
2:16 Bravehearted 4 warriors will run away naked in that day.”
The Lord is speaking!
5:9 He flashes 5 destruction down upon the strong
so that destruction overwhelms 6 the fortified places.)
6:5 They sing 7 to the tune of 8 stringed instruments; 9
like David they invent 10 musical instruments.
1 tn “Hazael’s house” (“the house of Hazael”) refers to the dynasty of Hazael.
2 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 sn Ben-hadad may refer to Hazael’s son and successor (2 Kgs 13:3, 24) or to an earlier king (see 1 Kgs 20), perhaps the ruler whom Hazael assassinated when he assumed power.
4 tn Or “the most stouthearted” (NAB); NRSV “those who are stout of heart.”
7 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew verb בָּלַג (balag, translated here “flashes”) is uncertain.
8 tn Heb “comes upon.” Many prefer to repoint the verb as Hiphil and translate, “he brings destruction upon the fortified places.”
10 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”
11 tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”
12 sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).
13 tn The meaning of the Hebrew phrase חָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם (khoshvu lahem) is uncertain. Various options include: (1) “they think their musical instruments are like David’s”; (2) “they consider themselves musicians like David”; (3) “they esteem musical instruments highly like David”; (4) “they improvise [new songs] for themselves [on] instruments like David”; (5) “they invent musical instruments like David.” However, the most commonly accepted interpretation is that given in the translation (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 206-7).