5:12 They have stringed instruments, 1 tambourines, flutes,
and wine at their parties.
So they do not recognize what the Lord is doing,
they do not perceive what he is bringing about. 2
21:4 My heart palpitates, 3
I shake in fear; 4
the twilight I desired
has brought me terror.
21:5 Arrange the table,
lay out 5 the carpet,
eat and drink! 6
Get up, you officers,
smear oil on the shields! 7
56:12 Each one says, 8
‘Come on, I’ll get some wine!
Let’s guzzle some beer!
Tomorrow will be just like today!
We’ll have everything we want!’ 9
6:3 You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, 10
but you establish a reign of violence. 11
6:4 They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, 12
and sprawl out on their couches.
They eat lambs from the flock,
and calves from the middle of the pen.
6:5 They sing 13 to the tune of 14 stringed instruments; 15
like David they invent 16 musical instruments.
6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, 17
and pour the very best oils on themselves. 18
Yet they are not concerned over 19 the ruin 20 of Joseph.
6:7 Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, 21
and the religious banquets 22 where they sprawl on couches 23 will end.
1 tn Two types of stringed instruments are specifically mentioned in the Hebrew text, the כִּנּוֹר (kinnor, “zither”) and נֶבֶל (nevel, “harp”).
2 tn Heb “the work of the Lord they do not look at, and the work of his hands they do not see.” God’s “work” can sometimes be his creative deeds, but in this context it is the judgment that he is planning to bring upon his people (cf. vv. 19, 26; 10:12; 28:21).
3 tn Heb “wanders,” perhaps here, “is confused.”
4 tn Heb “shuddering terrifies me.”
5 tn The precise meaning of the verb in this line is debated. Some prefer to derive the form from the homonymic צָפֹה (tsafoh, “keep watch”) and translate “post a guard” (cf. KJV “watch in the watchtower”; ASV “set the watch”).
6 tn The verbal forms in the first three lines are infinitives absolute, which are functioning here as finite verbs. It is uncertain if the forms should have an imperatival or indicative/descriptive force here.
7 sn Smearing the shields with oil would make them more flexible and effective in battle. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:394.
8 tn The words “each one says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
9 tn Heb “great, [in] abundance, very much,” i.e., “very great indeed.” See HALOT 452 s.v. יֶתֶר.
10 tn Heb “those who push away a day of disaster.”
11 tn Heb “you bring near a seat of violence.” The precise meaning of the Hebrew term שֶׁבֶת (shevet, “seat, sitting”) is unclear in this context. The translation assumes that it refers to a throne from which violence (in the person of the oppressive leaders) reigns. Another option is that the expression refers not to the leaders’ oppressive rule, but to the coming judgment when violence will overtake the nation in the person of enemy invaders.
12 tn Heb “beds of ivory.”
13 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”
14 tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”
15 sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).
16 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).
17 sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).
18 tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”
19 tn Or “not sickened by.”
20 sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.
21 tn Heb “they will go into exile at the head of the exiles.”
22 sn Religious banquets. This refers to the מַרְזֵחַ (marzeakh), a type of pagan religious banquet popular among the upper class of Israel at this time and apparently associated with mourning. See P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 137-61; J. L. McLaughlin, The “Marzeah” in the Prophetic Literature (VTSup). Scholars debate whether at this banquet the dead were simply remembered or actually venerated in a formal, cultic sense.
23 tn Heb “of the sprawled out.” See v. 4.
24 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
25 tn Or “as it happened.”
26 sn Like the days of Noah, the time of the flood in Gen 6:5-8:22, the judgment will come as a surprise as people live their day to day lives.
27 tn Grk “They.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general.
28 tn These verbs (“eating… drinking… marrying… being given in marriage”) are all progressive imperfects, describing action in progress at that time.
29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
30 sn Like that flood came and destroyed them all, the coming judgment associated with the Son of Man will condemn many.
31 tn Or “as it happened.”
32 tn Grk “they.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general.
33 sn And destroyed them all. The coming of the Son of Man will be like the judgment on Sodom, one of the most immoral places of the OT (Gen 19:16-17; Deut 32:32-33; Isa 1:10).