Discovery BoxAmos 1:3--6:14
Context1:3 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Damascus has committed three crimes 1 –
make that four! 2 – I will not revoke my
decree of judgment. 3
They ripped through Gilead like threshing sledges with iron teeth. 4
1:4 So I will set Hazael’s house 5 on fire;
fire 6 will consume Ben Hadad’s 7 fortresses.
1:5 I will break the bar 8 on the gate of Damascus.
I will remove 9 the ruler 10 from Wicked Valley, 11
the one who holds the royal scepter from Beth Eden. 12
The people of Aram will be deported to Kir.” 13
The Lord has spoken!
1:6 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Gaza 14 has committed three crimes 15 –
make that four! 16 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 17
They deported a whole community 18 and sold them 19 to Edom.
1:7 So I will set Gaza’s city wall 20 on fire;
fire 21 will consume her fortresses.
1:8 I will remove 22 the ruler 23 from Ashdod, 24
the one who holds the royal scepter from Ashkelon. 25
I will strike Ekron 26 with my hand; 27
the rest of the Philistines will also die.” 28
The sovereign Lord has spoken!
1:9 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Tyre has committed three crimes 29 –
make that four! 30 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 31
They sold 32 a whole community 33 to Edom;
they failed to observe 34 a treaty of brotherhood. 35
1:10 So I will set fire to Tyre’s city wall; 36
fire 37 will consume her fortresses.”
1:11 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Edom has committed three crimes 38 –
make that four! 39 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 40
He chased his brother 41 with a sword;
he wiped out his allies. 42
In his anger he tore them apart without stopping to rest; 43
in his fury he relentlessly attacked them. 44
1:12 So I will set Teman 45 on fire;
fire 46 will consume Bozrah’s 47 fortresses.”
1:13 This is what the Lord says:
“Because the Ammonites have committed three crimes 48 –
make that four! 49 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 50
They ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women 51
so they could expand their territory.
1:14 So I will set fire to Rabbah’s 52 city wall; 53
fire 54 will consume her fortresses.
War cries will be heard on the day of battle; 55
a strong gale will blow on the day of the windstorm. 56
1:15 Ammon’s 57 king will be deported; 58
he and his officials 59 will be carried off 60 together.”
The Lord has spoken!
2:1 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Moab has committed three crimes 61 –
make that four! 62 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 63
They burned the bones of Edom’s king into lime. 64
2:2 So I will set Moab on fire, 65
and it will consume Kerioth’s 66 fortresses.
Moab will perish 67 in the heat of battle 68
amid war cries and the blaring 69 of the ram’s horn. 70
2:3 I will remove 71 Moab’s leader; 72
I will kill all Moab’s 73 officials 74 with him.”
The Lord has spoken!
2:4 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions 75 –
make that four! 76 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 77
They rejected the Lord’s law; 78
they did not obey his commands.
Their false gods, 79
to which their fathers were loyal, 80
led them astray.
2:5 So I will set Judah on fire,
and it will consume Jerusalem’s fortresses.” 81
2:6 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions 82 –
make that four! 83 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 84
They sold the innocent 85 for silver,
the needy for a pair of sandals. 86
2:7 They trample 87 on the dirt-covered heads of the poor; 88
they push the destitute away. 89
A man and his father go to the same girl; 90
in this way they show disrespect 91 for my moral purity. 92
2:8 They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral;
they do so right 93 beside every altar!
They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied;
they do so right in the temple 94 of their God! 95
2:9 For Israel’s sake I destroyed the Amorites. 96
They were as tall as cedars 97
and as strong as oaks,
but I destroyed the fruit on their branches 98
and their roots in the ground. 99
2:10 I brought you up from the land of Egypt;
I led you through the wilderness for forty years
so you could take the Amorites’ land as your own.
2:11 I made some of your sons prophets
and some of your young men Nazirites. 100
Is this not true, you Israelites?”
The Lord is speaking!
2:12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine; 101
you commanded the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy!’
2:13 Look! I will press you down,
like a cart loaded down with grain presses down. 102
2:14 Fast runners will find no place to hide; 103
strong men will have no strength left; 104
warriors will not be able to save their lives.
2:15 Archers 105 will not hold their ground; 106
fast runners will not save their lives,
nor will those who ride horses. 107
2:16 Bravehearted 108 warriors will run away naked in that day.”
The Lord is speaking!
3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against 109 you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up 110 from the land of Egypt: 3:2 “I have chosen 111 you alone from all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”
3:3 Do two walk together without having met? 112
3:4 Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey? 113
Does a young lion bellow from his den if he has not caught something?
3:5 Does a bird swoop down into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?
Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has surely caught something?
3:6 If an alarm sounds 114 in a city, do people not fear? 115
If disaster overtakes a 116 city, is the Lord not responsible? 117
3:7 Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
3:8 A lion has roared! 118 Who is not afraid?
The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy? 119
3:9 Make this announcement in 120 the fortresses of Ashdod
and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt.
Say this:
“Gather on the hills around Samaria! 121
Observe the many acts of violence 122 taking place within the city, 123
the oppressive deeds 124 occurring in it.” 125
3:10 “They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.)
“They store up 126 the spoils of destructive violence 127 in their fortresses.
3:11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land. 128
He will take away your power; 129
your fortresses will be looted.”
3:12 This is what the Lord says:
“Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be salvaged. 130
They will be left with just a corner of a bed, 131
and a part 132 of a couch.”
3:13 Listen and warn 133 the family 134 of Jacob! 135
The sovereign Lord, the God who commands armies, 136 is speaking!
3:14 “Certainly when 137 I punish Israel for their 138 covenant transgressions, 139
I will destroy 140 Bethel’s 141 altars.
The horns 142 of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.
3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses. 143
The houses filled with ivory 144 will be ruined,
the great 145 houses will be swept away.” 146
The Lord is speaking!
4:1 Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan 147 who live on Mount Samaria!
You 148 oppress the poor;
you crush the needy.
You say to your 149 husbands,
“Bring us more to drink!” 150
4:2 The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his own holy character: 151
“Certainly the time is approaching 152
when you will be carried away 153 in baskets, 154
every last one of you 155 in fishermen’s pots. 156
4:3 Each of you will go straight through the gaps in the walls; 157
you will be thrown out 158 toward Harmon.” 159
The Lord is speaking!
4:4 “Go to Bethel 160 and rebel! 161
At Gilgal 162 rebel some more!
Bring your sacrifices in 163 the morning,
your tithes on 164 the third day!
4:5 Burn a thank offering of bread made with yeast! 165
Make a public display of your voluntary offerings! 166
For you love to do this, you Israelites.”
The sovereign Lord is speaking!
4:6 “But surely I gave 167 you no food to eat in any of your cities;
you lacked food everywhere you live. 168
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking!
4:7 “I withheld rain from you three months before the harvest. 169
I gave rain to one city, but not to another.
One field 170 would get rain, but the field that received no rain dried up.
4:8 People from 171 two or three cities staggered into one city to get 172 water,
but remained thirsty. 173
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking!
4:9 “I destroyed your crops 174 with blight and disease.
Locusts kept 175 devouring your orchards, 176 vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees.
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking!
4:10 “I sent against you a plague like one of the Egyptian plagues. 177
I killed your young men with the sword,
along with the horses you had captured.
I made the stench from the corpses 178 rise up into your nostrils.
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking!
4:11 “I overthrew some of you the way God 179 overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 180
You were like a burning stick 181 snatched from the flames.
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking!
4:12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel.
Because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, Israel! 182
4:13 For here he is!
He 183 formed the mountains and created the wind.
He reveals 184 his plans 185 to men.
He turns the dawn into darkness 186
and marches on the heights of the earth.
The Lord, the God who commands armies, 187 is his name!”
5:1 Listen to this funeral song I am ready to sing about you, 188 family 189 of Israel:
5:2 “The virgin 190 Israel has fallen down and will not get up again.
She is abandoned on her own land
with no one to help her get up.” 191
5:3 The sovereign Lord says this:
“The city that marches out with a thousand soldiers 192 will have only a hundred left;
the town 193 that marches out with a hundred soldiers 194 will have only ten left for the family of Israel.” 195
5:4 The Lord says this to the family 196 of Israel:
“Seek me 197 so you can live!
Do not visit Gilgal!
Do not journey down 199 to Beer Sheba!
For the people of Gilgal 200 will certainly be carried into exile; 201
and Bethel will become a place where disaster abounds.” 202
5:6 Seek the Lord so you can live!
Otherwise he will break out 203 like fire against Joseph’s 204 family; 205
the fire 206 will consume
and no one will be able to quench it and save Bethel. 207
5:7 The Israelites 208 turn justice into bitterness; 209
they throw what is fair and right 210 to the ground. 211
5:8 (But there is one who made the constellations Pleiades and Orion;
he can turn the darkness into morning
and daylight 212 into night.
He summons the water of the seas
and pours it out on the earth’s surface.
The Lord is his name!
5:9 He flashes 213 destruction down upon the strong
so that destruction overwhelms 214 the fortified places.)
5:10 The Israelites 215 hate anyone who arbitrates at the city gate; 216
they despise anyone who speaks honestly.
5:11 Therefore, because you make the poor pay taxes on their crops 217
and exact a grain tax from them,
you will not live in the houses you built with chiseled stone,
nor will you drink the wine from the fine 218 vineyards you planted. 219
5:12 Certainly 220 I am aware of 221 your many rebellious acts 222
and your numerous sins.
You 223 torment the innocent, you take bribes,
and you deny justice to 224 the needy at the city gate. 225
5:13 For this reason whoever is smart 226 keeps quiet 227 in such a time,
for it is an evil 228 time.
5:14 Seek good and not evil so you can live!
Then the Lord, the God who commands armies, just might be with you,
as you claim he is.
5:15 Hate what is wrong, love what is right!
Promote 229 justice at the city gate! 230
Maybe the Lord, the God who commands armies, will have mercy on 231 those who are left from 232 Joseph. 233
5:16 Because of Israel’s sins 234 this is what the Lord, the God who commands armies, the sovereign One, 235 says:
“In all the squares there will be wailing,
in all the streets they will mourn the dead. 236
They will tell the field workers 237 to lament
and the professional mourners 238 to wail.
5:17 In all the vineyards there will be wailing,
for I will pass through 239 your midst,” says the Lord.
5:18 Woe 240 to those who wish for the day of the Lord!
Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come?
It will bring darkness, not light.
5:19 Disaster will be inescapable, 241
as if a man ran from a lion only to meet a bear,
then escaped 242 into a house,
leaned his hand against the wall,
and was bitten by a poisonous snake.
5:20 Don’t you realize the Lord’s day of judgment will bring 243 darkness, not light –
gloomy blackness, not bright light?
5:21 “I absolutely despise 244 your festivals!
I get no pleasure 245 from your religious assemblies!
5:22 Even if you offer me burnt and grain offerings, 246 I will not be satisfied;
I will not look with favor on your peace offerings of fattened calves. 247
5:23 Take away from me your 248 noisy songs;
I don’t want to hear the music of your stringed instruments. 249
5:24 Justice must flow like torrents of water,
righteous actions 250 like a stream that never dries up.
5:25 You did not bring me 251 sacrifices and grain offerings during the forty years you spent in the wilderness, family 252 of Israel.
5:26 You will pick up your images 253 of Sikkuth, 254 your king, 255
and Kiyyun, 256 your star god, which you made for yourselves,
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 257 to those who live in ease in Zion, 258
to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria.
They think of themselves as 259 the elite class of the best nation.
The family 260 of Israel looks to them for leadership. 261
6:2 They say to the people: 262
“Journey over to Calneh and look at it!
Then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah! 263
Then go down to Gath of the Philistines!
Are they superior to our two 264 kingdoms?
Is their territory larger than yours?” 265
6:3 You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, 266
but you establish a reign of violence. 267
6:4 They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, 268
and sprawl out on their couches.
They eat lambs from the flock,
and calves from the middle of the pen.
6:5 They sing 269 to the tune of 270 stringed instruments; 271
like David they invent 272 musical instruments.
6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, 273
and pour the very best oils on themselves. 274
Yet they are not concerned over 275 the ruin 276 of Joseph.
6:7 Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, 277
and the religious banquets 278 where they sprawl on couches 279 will end.
6:8 The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his very own life. 280
The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking:
“I despise Jacob’s arrogance;
I hate their 281 fortresses.
I will hand over to their enemies 282 the city of Samaria 283 and everything in it.”
6:9 If ten men are left in one house, they too will die. 6:10 When their close relatives, the ones who will burn the corpses, 284 pick up their bodies to remove the bones from the house, they will say to anyone who is in the inner rooms of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” He will respond, “Be quiet! Don’t invoke the Lord’s name!” 285
6:11 Indeed, look! The Lord is giving the command. 286
He will smash the large house to bits,
and the small house into little pieces.
6:12 Can horses run on rocky cliffs?
Can one plow the sea with oxen? 287
Yet you have turned justice into a poisonous plant,
and the fruit of righteous actions into a bitter plant. 288
6:13 You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. 289
You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim 290 by our own power?”
6:14 “Look! I am about to bring 291 a nation against you, family 292 of Israel.”
The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking.
“They will oppress 293 you all the way from Lebo-Hamath 294 to the Stream of the Arabah.” 295
[1:3] 1 tn Traditionally, “transgressions” or “sins.” The word refers to rebellion against authority and is used in the international political realm (see 1 Kgs 12:19; 2 Kgs 1:1; 3:5, 7; 8:22). There is debate over its significance in this context. Some relate the “rebellion” of the foreign nations to God’s mandate to Noah (Gen 9:5-7). This mandate is viewed as a treaty between God and humankind, whereby God holds humans accountable to populate the earth and respect his image as it is revealed in all people. While this option is a possible theological explanation of the message in light of the Old Testament as a whole, nothing in these oracles alludes to that Genesis passage. J. Barton suggests that the prophet is appealing to a common morality shared across the ancient Near East regarding the conduct of war since all of the oracles can be related to activities and atrocities committed in warfare (Amos’s Oracles against the Nations [SOTSMS], 39-61). The “transgression” then would be a violation of what all cultures would take as fundamental human decency. Some argue that the nations cited in Amos 1-2 had been members of the Davidic empire. Their crime would consist of violating the mutual agreements that all should have exhibited toward one another (cf. M. E. Polley, Amos and the Davidic Empire). This interpretation is connected to the notion that Amos envisions a reconstituted Davidic empire for Israel and the world (9:11-15). Ultimately, we can only speculate what lay behind Amos’ thinking. He does not specify the theological foundation of his universal moral vision, but it is clear that Amos believes that all nations are responsible before the Lord for their cruelty toward other human beings. He also assumes that even those who did not know his God would recognize their inhumane treatment of others as inherently wrong. The translation “crimes” is general enough to communicate that a standard (whether human or divine) has been breached. For a survey of the possible historical events behind each oracle, see S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia).
[1:3] 2 tn Heb “Because of three violations of Damascus, even because of four.”
[1:3] 3 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The pronominal object (1) refers to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 46-47. Another option (2) is to understand the suffix as referring to the particular nation mentioned in the oracle and to translate, “I will not take him [i.e., that particular nation] back.” In this case the
[1:3] 4 tn Heb “they threshed [or “trampled down”] Gilead with sharp iron implements” (NASB similar).
[1:4] 5 tn “Hazael’s house” (“the house of Hazael”) refers to the dynasty of Hazael.
[1:4] 6 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:4] 7 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.
[1:5] 8 sn The bar on the city gate symbolizes the city’s defenses and security.
[1:5] 10 tn Heb “the one who sits.” Some English versions take the Hebrew term in a collective sense as “inhabitants” (e.g., KJV, NKJV, NASB, NRSV). The context and the parallel in the next clause (“the one who holds the royal scepter”), however, suggest that the royal house is in view. For this term (יוֹשֵׁב, yoshev), see N. K. Gottwald, The Tribes of Yahweh, 512-30.
[1:5] 11 tn Heb “valley of wickedness.” Though many English versions take the Hebrew phrase בִקְעַת־אָוֶן (biq’-at ’aven) as a literal geographical place name (“Valley of Aven,” so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), it appears to be a derogatory epithet for Damascus and the kingdom of Aram.
[1:5] 12 tn Many associate the name “Beth Eden” with Bit Adini, an Aramean state located near the Euphrates River, but it may be a sarcastic epithet meaning “house of pleasure.”
[1:5] 13 sn According to Amos 9:7, the Arameans originally came from Kir. The
[1:6] 14 sn Gaza was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, and Gath). It was considered to mark the southern limit of Canaan at the point on the coast where it was located (Gen 10:19).
[1:6] 15 tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.
[1:6] 16 tn Heb “Because of three violations of Gaza, even because of four.”
[1:6] 17 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.
[1:6] 18 tn Heb “[group of] exiles.” A number of English translations take this as a collective singular and translate it with a plural (e.g., NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[1:6] 19 tn Heb “in order to hand them over.”
[1:7] 20 sn The city wall symbolizes the city’s defenses and security.
[1:7] 21 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:8] 23 tn Heb “the one who sits.” Some translations take this expression as a collective singular referring to the inhabitants rather than the ruler (e.g., NAB, NRSV, NLT).
[1:8] 24 sn Ashdod was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashkelon, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 25 sn Ashkelon was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 26 sn Ekron was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 27 tn Heb “I will turn my hand against Ekron.” For other uses of the idiom, “turn the hand against,” see Ps 81:14; Isa 1:25; Jer 6:9; Zech 13:7.
[1:8] 28 tn Heb “and the remnant of the Philistines will perish.” The translation above assumes that reference is made to other Philistines beside those living in the cities mentioned. Another option is to translate, “Every last Philistine will die.”
[1:9] 29 tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.
[1:9] 30 tn Heb “Because of three violations of Tyre, even because of four.”
[1:9] 31 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.
[1:9] 32 tn Heb “handed over.”
[1:9] 33 tn Heb “[group of] exiles.” A similar phrase occurs in v. 6.
[1:9] 34 tn Heb “did not remember.”
[1:9] 35 sn A treaty of brotherhood. In the ancient Near Eastern world familial terms were sometimes used to describe treaty partners. In a treaty between superior and inferior parties, the lord would be called “father” and the subject “son.” The partners in a treaty between equals referred to themselves as “brothers.” For biblical examples, see 1 Kgs 9:13; 20:32-33.
[1:10] 36 sn The city wall symbolizes the city’s defenses and security.
[1:10] 37 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:11] 38 tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.
[1:11] 39 tn Heb “Because of three violations of Edom, even because of four.”
[1:11] 40 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.
[1:11] 41 sn It is likely that “brother” refers here to a treaty partner (see the note on the word “brotherhood” in 1:9). However, it is possible, if Israel is in view, that Edom’s ancient blood relationship to God’s people is alluded to here. Cf. NCV, NLT “their relatives, the Israelites.”
[1:11] 42 tn Or “He stifled his compassion.” The Hebrew term רָחֲמָיו (rakhamayv) is better understood here (parallel to “brother/treaty partner”) as a reference to “allies” which Edom betrayed. An Aramaic cognate is attested (see DNWSI 2:1069-70). See M. Fishbane, “The Treaty Background of Amos 1:11 and Related Matters,” JBL 89 (1970): 313-18; idem, “Critical Note: Additional Remarks on rh£myw (Amos 1:11),” JBL 91 (1972): 391-93; and M. Barré, “Amos 1:11 reconsidered,” CBQ 47 (1985) 420-27. Some argue that the clause is best translated as “and destroyed his womenfolk.” רַחַם (rakham) means “womb”; the plural here would be a metonymy for “women” and could establish a parallel with the atrocity of 1:13. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 64-65.
[1:11] 43 tn Heb “his anger tore continually.” The Hebrew verb טָרַף (taraf, “tear apart”) is often used of an animal tearing apart its prey. The word picture here is that of a vicious predator’s feeding frenzy.
[1:11] 44 tn Traditionally, “he kept his fury continually.” The Hebrew term שְׁמָרָה (shÿmarah) could be taken as a Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix (with mappiq omitted), “he kept it” (NASB, NKJV, NRSV). It is also possible in light of the parallelism that שָׁמַר (shamar) is a rare homonym cognate to an Akkadian verb meaning “to rage; to be furious.” Repointing the verb as שָׁמְרָה (shamÿrah, third person feminine singular), one could translate literally, “his fury raged continually” (NIV, NJPS).
[1:12] 45 sn Teman was an important region (or perhaps city) in Edom.
[1:12] 46 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:12] 47 sn Bozrah was a city located in northern Edom.
[1:13] 48 tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.
[1:13] 49 tn Heb “Because of three violations of the Ammonites, even because of four.”
On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3.
[1:13] 50 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.
[1:13] 51 sn The Ammonites ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women in conjunction with a military invasion designed to expand their territory. Such atrocities, although repugnant, were not uncommon in ancient Near Eastern warfare.
[1:14] 52 sn Rabbah was the Ammonite capital.
[1:14] 53 sn The city wall symbolizes the city’s defenses and security.
[1:14] 54 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:14] 55 tn Heb “with a war cry in the day of battle.”
[1:14] 56 tn Heb “with wind in the day of the windstorm.”
[1:15] 57 tn Heb “their”; the referent (Ammon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:15] 58 tn Heb “will go into exile.”
[1:15] 59 tn Or “princes” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT); TEV “officers”; CEV “leaders.”
[1:15] 60 tn The words “will be carried off” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[2:1] 61 tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.
[2:1] 62 tn Heb “Because of three violations of Moab, even because of four.”
[2:1] 63 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.
[2:1] 64 sn The Moabites apparently desecrated the tomb of an Edomite king and burned his bones into a calcined substance which they then used as plaster (cf. Deut 27:2, 4). See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 72. Receiving a proper burial was very important in this culture. Desecrating a tomb or a deceased individual’s bones was considered an especially heinous act.
[2:2] 65 sn The destruction of Moab by fire is an example of a judgment in kind – as the Moabites committed the crime of “burning,” so the
[2:2] 66 sn Kerioth was an important Moabite city. See Jer 48:24, 41.
[2:2] 67 tn Or “die” (KJV, NASB, NRSV, TEV); NAB “shall meet death.”
[2:2] 68 tn Or “in the tumult.” This word refers to the harsh confusion of sounds that characterized an ancient battle – a mixture of war cries, shouts, shrieks of pain, clashes of weapons, etc.
[2:2] 69 tn Heb “sound” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).
[2:2] 70 sn The ram’s horn (used as a trumpet) was blown to signal the approaching battle.
[2:3] 71 tn Heb “cut off” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB “root out”; NCV “bring to an end.”
[2:3] 72 tn Heb “the leader [traditionally, “judge”] from her midst.”
[2:3] 73 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Moab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:3] 74 tn Or “princes” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT); TEV, CEV “leaders.”
[2:4] 75 tn This is the same Hebrew term that is translated “crimes” in the previous oracles (see at 1:3). The change to “covenant transgressions” reflects the probability that the prophet is condemning the nation of Israel for violating stipulations of the Mosaic Law.
[2:4] 76 tn Heb “Because of three violations of Judah, even because of four.”
[2:4] 77 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.
[2:4] 78 tn Or “instruction”; NCV “teachings.”
[2:4] 79 tn Heb “lies.” This may very well be a derogatory term for idols (perhaps also at Ps. 40:4 [Heb 40:5]). Elsewhere false gods are called “vanities” (Deut 32:21; 1 Kgs 16:13, 26) and a delusion (Isa 66:3). In no other prophetic passages, however, are they called “lies.” The term could refer to the deceptions of false prophets (note Ezek 13:6-9; cf. Hab 2:3). See F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Amos (AB), 301-6.
[2:4] 80 tn Heb “after which their fathers walked.” The expression “to walk after” is an idiom meaning “to be loyal to.” See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 75-76.
[2:5] 81 map For the location of Jerusalem see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:6] 82 tn For this translation see the note at 2:4.
[2:6] 83 tn Heb “Because of three violations of Israel, even because of four.”
[2:6] 84 tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.
[2:6] 85 tn Or “honest” (CEV, NLT). The Hebrew word sometimes has a moral-ethical connotation, “righteous, godly,” but the parallelism (note “poor”) suggests a socio-economic or legal sense here. The practice of selling debtors as slaves is in view (Exod 21:2-11; Lev 25:35-55; Deut 15:12-18) See the note at Exod 21:8 and G. C. Chirichigno, Debt-Slavery in Israel and the Ancient Near East (JSOTSup). Probably the only “crime” the victim had committed was being unable to pay back a loan or an exorbitant interest rate on a loan. Some have suggested that this verse refers to bribery in legal proceedings: The innocent are “sold” in the sense that those in power pay off the elders or judges for favorable decisions (5:12; cf. Exod 23:6-7).
[2:6] 86 tn Perhaps the expression “for a pair of sandals” indicates a relatively small price or debt. Some suggest that the sandals may have been an outward token of a more substantial purchase price. Others relate the sandals to a ritual attached to the transfer of property, signifying here that the poor would be losing their inherited family lands because of debt (Ruth 4:7; cf. Deut 25:8-10). Still others emend the Hebrew form slightly to נֶעְלָם (ne’lam, “hidden thing”; from the root עָלַם, ’alam, “to hide”) and understand this as referring to a bribe.
[2:7] 87 tn Most scholars now understand this verb as derived from the root II שָׁאַף (sha’af, “to crush; to trample”), an alternate form of שׁוּף (shuf), rather than from I שָׁאַף (sha’af, “to pant, to gasp”; cf. KJV, ASV, NASB).
[2:7] 88 tn Heb “those who stomp on the dirt of the ground on the head of the poor.” It is possible to render the line as “they trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the ground,” thereby communicating that the poor are being stepped on in utter contempt (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 79-80). The participial form הַשֹּׁאֲפִים (hasho’afim) is substantival and stands in apposition to the pronominal suffix on מִכְרָם (mikhram, v. 6b).
[2:7] 89 tn Heb “they turn aside the way of the destitute.” Many interpreters take “way” to mean “just cause” and understand this as a direct reference to the rights of the destitute being ignored. The injustice done to the poor is certainly in view, but the statement is better taken as a word picture depicting the powerful rich pushing the “way of the poor” (i.e., their attempt to be treated justly) to the side. An even more vivid picture is given in Amos 5:12, where the rich are pictured as turning the poor away from the city gate (where legal decisions were made, and therefore where justice should be done).
[2:7] 90 sn Most interpreters see some type of sexual immorality here (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT), even though the Hebrew phrase הָלַךְ אֶל (halakh ’el, “go to”) never refers elsewhere to sexual intercourse. (The usual idiom is בוֹא אֶל [bo’ ’el]. However, S. M. Paul (Amos [Hermeneia], 82) attempts to develop a linguistic case for a sexual connotation here.) The precise identification of the “girl” in question is not clear. Some see the referent as a cultic prostitute (cf. NAB; v. 8 suggests a cultic setting), but the term נַעֲרָה (na’arah) nowhere else refers to a prostitute. Because of the contextual emphasis on social oppression, some suggest the exploitation of a slave girl is in view. H. Barstad argues that the “girl” is the hostess at a pagan מַרְזֵחַ (marzeakh) banquet (described at some length in 6:4-7). In his view the sin described here is not sexual immorality, but idolatry (see H. Barstad, The Religious Polemics of Amos [VTSup], 33-36). In this case, one might translate, “Father and son go together to a pagan banquet.” In light of this cultic context, F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman argue that this is a reference to a specific female deity (“the Girl”) and correlate this verse with 8:14 (Amos [AB], 318-19).
[2:7] 91 tn Or “pollute”; “desecrate”; “dishonor.”
[2:7] 92 tn Heb “my holy name.” Here “name” is used metonymically for God’s moral character or reputation, while “holy” has a moral and ethical connotation.
[2:8] 93 tn The words “They do so right” are supplied twice in the translation of this verse for clarification.
[2:8] 95 tn Or “gods.” The Hebrew term אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (’elohehem) may be translated “their gods” (referring to pagan gods), “their god” (referring to a pagan god, cf. NAB, NIV, NLT), or “their God” (referring to the God of Israel, cf. NASB, NRSV).
[2:9] 96 tn Heb “I destroyed the Amorites from before them.” The translation takes מִפְּנֵי (mippÿney) in the sense of “for the sake of.” See BDB 818 s.v. פָּנֻה II.6.a and H. W. Wolff, Joel and Amos (Hermeneia), 134. Another option is to take the phrase in a spatial sense, “I destroyed the Amorites, [clearing them out] from before them [i.e., Israel]” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
[2:9] 97 tn Heb “whose height was like the height of cedars.”
[2:9] 98 tn Heb “his fruit from above.”
[2:9] 99 tn Heb “and his roots from below.”
[2:11] 100 tn Or perhaps “religious devotees” (also in the following verse). The Hebrew term נָזִיר (nazir) refers to one who “consecrated” or “devoted” to God (see Num 6:1-21).
[2:12] 101 sn Nazirites were strictly forbidden to drink wine (Num 6:2-3).
[2:13] 102 tn The precise meaning of this verse is unclear. Various suggested meanings have been proposed (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 94): (1) One option is to relate the verb to an Arabic verb, meaning “to hinder; to hamper,” and translate, “I am making you immobile, like a cart filled with grain is immobile.” In this case, the
[2:14] 103 tn Heb “and a place of refuge will perish from the swift.”
[2:14] 104 tn Heb “the strong will not increase his strength.”
[2:15] 105 tn Heb “the one who holds the bow.”
[2:15] 106 tn For the idiom of “holding [or “standing”] one’s ground” in battle, there is a similar phrase in Ezek 13:5; also related is the expression “to hold one’s own against” (or “to withstand”) in Judg 2:14; 2 Kgs 10:4; Dan 8:7 (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 97). Other options include “will not endure” or “will not survive.”
[2:15] 107 tn The last two lines read literally, “The one fast in his feet will not rescue [his life], and the rider of the horse will not rescue his life.” The phrase “his life” does double duty in the parallelism and should be understood in both lines.
[2:16] 108 tn Or “the most stouthearted” (NAB); NRSV “those who are stout of heart.”
[3:1] 110 tn One might expect a third person verb form (“he brought up”), since the
[3:2] 111 tn Heb “You only have I known.” The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’) is used here in its covenantal sense of “recognize in a special way.”
[3:3] 112 sn The rhetorical questions in vv. 3-5 expect the answer, “No, of course not!” Those in v. 6 anticipate the answer, “Yes, of course they do/he is.” They all draw attention to the principle of cause and effect and lay the logical foundation for the argument in vv. 7-8. Also note the progression from a general question in v. 3 to the “meetings” of two animals (v. 4), to that of an animal and a human trap (v. 5), to a climax with the confrontation with the Lord (v. 6). Each of these meetings is disastrous.
[3:4] 113 tn Heb “without having prey [or “food”].”
[3:6] 114 tn Heb “If the ram’s horn is blown.”
[3:6] 115 tn Or “tremble” (NASB, NIV, NCV); or “shake.”
[3:6] 116 tn Heb “is in”; NIV, NCV, NLT “comes to.”
[3:6] 117 tn Heb “has the
[3:8] 118 sn The roar of the lion is here a metaphor for impending judgment (see 1:2; cf. 3:4, 12). Verses 7-8 justify Amos’ prophetic ministry and message of warning and judgment. The people should expect a prophetic message prior to divine action.
[3:8] 119 sn Who can refuse to prophesy? When a message is revealed, the prophet must speak, and the news of impending judgment should cause people to fear.
[3:9] 120 tn Heb “on” or “over” (also later in this verse).
[3:9] 121 sn Samaria might refer here both to the region and to the capital city (later known as Sebaste). On the other hand, there actually are hills that surround the mound upon which the city was built. The implication is that the nations can come and sit and see from those hills the sin of the capital city and its judgment.
[3:9] 122 tn The Hebrew noun carries the nuance of “panic” or “confusion.” Here it refers metonymically to the violent deeds that terrorize the oppressed.
[3:9] 123 tn Heb “in her midst” (so NAB, NASB); NIV “among her people.”
[3:9] 124 tn The translation assumes the form is an abstract plural (see Job 35:9; Eccl 4:1). Another option is to understand the form as a substantival passive participle and translate, “the oppressed” (so KJV).
[3:9] 125 tn Heb “within her.”
[3:10] 126 tn Heb “those who.”
[3:10] 127 tn Heb “violence and destruction.” The expression “violence and destruction” stand metonymically for the goods the oppressors have accumulated by their unjust actions.
[3:11] 128 tc The MT reads “an enemy and around the land.” It is also possible to take the MT as an exclamation (“an enemy, and all about the land!”; see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 118; NJPS; cf. NLT).Most scholars and versions emend the text to יְסוֹבֵב (yÿsovev, Polel imperfect), “will encircle.”
[3:11] 129 tn Heb “He will bring down your power from you.” Some emend the text to read “Your power will be brought down from you.” The shift, however, from an active to a passive sense also appears at 3:14 (“I will destroy Bethel’s altars. The horns of the altar will be cut off.”) The pronouns (“your…you”) are feminine singular, indicating that the personified city of Samaria is addressed here. Samaria’s “power” here is her defenses and/or wealth.
[3:12] 130 sn The verb translated salvaged, though often used in a positive sense of deliverance from harm, is here employed in a sarcastic manner. A shepherd would attempt to salvage part of an animal to prove that a predator had indeed killed it. In this way he could prove that he had not stolen the missing animal and absolve himself from any responsibility to repay the owner (see Exod 22:12-13).
[3:12] 131 tn Heb “with a corner of a bed.”
[3:12] 132 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word דְּמֶשֶׁק (dÿmesheq), which occurs only here, is uncertain. If not emended, it is usually related to the term ַדּמֶּשֶׂק (dammeseq) and translated as the “Damask linens” of the bed (cf. NASB “the cover”) or as “in Damascus” (so KJV, NJB, NIV). The differences in spelling (Damascus is spelled correctly in 5:27), historical considerations, and the word order make both of these derivations unlikely. Many emendations have been proposed (e.g., “a part from the foot [of a bed],” based on a different division of the Hebrew letters (cf. NEB, NRSV); “on the edge,” based on a Hebrew term not attested in the Bible (NKJV). Some suggest a resemblance to an Akkadian term which means “sideboard [of a bed],” which is sometimes incorrectly rendered “headboard” (NJPS; see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 121-22). Most likely another part of a bed or couch is in view, but it is difficult to be more specific.
[3:13] 133 tn Or “testify against.”
[3:13] 135 tn These words are spoken to either the unidentified heralds addressed at the beginning of v. 9, or to the Egyptians and Philistines (see v. 9b). Another possibility is that one is not to look for a specific addressee but rather appreciate the command simply as a rhetorical device to grab the attention of the listeners and readers of the prophetic message.
[3:13] 136 tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”
[3:14] 137 tn Heb “in the day.”
[3:14] 138 tn Heb “his.” With the referent “Israel” here, this amounts to a collective singular.
[3:14] 139 tn Traditionally, “transgressions, sins,” but see the note on the word “crimes” in 1:3.
[3:14] 140 tn Heb “punish” (so NASB, NRSV).
[3:14] 141 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[3:14] 142 sn The horns of an ancient altar projected upwards from the four corners and resembled an animal’s horns in appearance. Fugitives could seek asylum by grabbing hold of these corners (see Exod 21:14; 1 Kgs 1:50; 2:28). When the altar’s horns were cut off, there would be no place of asylum left for the
[3:15] 143 tn Heb “the winter house along with the summer house.”
[3:15] 144 tn Heb “houses of ivory.” These houses were not made of ivory, but they had ivory panels and furniture decorated with ivory inlays. See P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 139-48.
[3:15] 145 tn Or “many,” cf. NAB “their many rooms.”
[3:15] 146 tn The translation assumes the form is from the Hebrew verb סָפָה (safah, “to sweep away”) rather than סוּף (suf, “to come to an end”), which is the choice of most versions. Either option effectively communicates the destruction of the structures.
[4:1] 147 sn The expression cows of Bashan is used by the prophet to address the wealthy women of Samaria, who demand that their husbands satisfy their cravings. The derogatory language perhaps suggests that they, like the livestock of Bashan, were well fed, ironically in preparation for the coming slaughter. This phrase is sometimes cited to critique the book’s view of women.
[4:1] 148 tn Heb “the ones who” (three times in this verse).
[4:1] 150 sn Some commentators relate this scene to the description of the marzeah feast of 6:3-6, in which drinking played a prominent part (see the note at 6:6).
[4:2] 151 tn Heb “swears by his holiness.”
[4:2] 152 tn Heb “Look, certainly days are coming upon you”; NRSV “the time is surely coming upon you.”
[4:2] 153 tn Heb “one will carry you away”; NASB “they will take you away.”
[4:2] 154 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word translated “baskets” is uncertain. The translation follows the suggestion of S. M. Paul (Amos [Hermeneia], 128), who discusses the various options (130-32): “shields” (cf. NEB); “ropes”; “thorns,” which leads to the most favored interpretation, “hooks” (cf. NASB “meat hooks”; NIV, NRSV “hooks”); “baskets,” and (derived from “baskets”) “boats.” Against the latter, it is unlikely that Amos envisioned a deportation by boat for the inhabitants of Samaria! See also the note on the expression “fishermen’s pots” later in this verse.
[4:2] 155 tn Or “your children”; KJV “your posterity.”
[4:2] 156 tn The meaning of the Hebrew expression translated “in fishermen’s pots” is uncertain. The translation follows that of S. M. Paul (Amos [Hermeneia], 128), who discusses the various options (132-33): “thorns,” understood by most modern interpreters to mean (by extension) “fishhooks” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV); “boats,” but as mentioned in the previous note on the word “baskets,” a deportation of the Samaritans by boat is geographically unlikely; and “pots,” referring to a container used for packing fish (cf. NEB “fish-baskets”). Paul (p. 134) argues that the imagery comes from the ancient fishing industry. When hauled away into exile, the women of Samaria will be like fish packed and transported to market.
[4:3] 157 tn Heb “and [through the] breaches you will go out, each straight ahead.”
[4:3] 158 tn The Hiphil verb form has no object. It may be intransitive (F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Amos [AB], 425), though many emend it to a Hophal.
[4:3] 159 tn The meaning of this word is unclear. Many understand it as a place name, though such a location is not known. Some (e.g., H. W. Wolff, Joel and Amos [Hermeneia[, 204) emend to “Hermon” or to similarly written words, such as “the dung heap” (NEB, NJPS), “the garbage dump” (NCV), or “the fortress” (cf. NLT “your fortresses”).
[4:4] 160 sn Bethel and Gilgal were important formal worship centers because of their importance in Israel’s history. Here the Lord ironically urges the people to visit these places so they can increase their sin against him. Their formal worship, because it was not accompanied by social justice, only made them more guilty in God’s sight by adding hypocrisy to their list of sins. Obviously, theirs was a twisted view of the Lord. They worshiped a god of their own creation in order to satisfy their religious impulses (see 4:5: “For you love to do this”). Note that none of the rituals listed in 4:4-5 have to do with sin.
[4:4] 161 tn The Hebrew word translated “rebel” (also in the following line) could very well refer here to Israel’s violations of their covenant with God (see also the term “crimes” in 1:3 [with note] and the phrase “covenant transgressions” in 2:4 [with note]; 3:14).
[4:4] 162 sn See the note on Bethel earlier in this verse.
[4:5] 165 sn For the background of the thank offering of bread made with yeast, see Lev 7:13.
[4:5] 166 tn Heb “proclaim voluntary offerings, announce.”
[4:6] 167 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic (pronoun + verb). It underscores the stark contrast between the judgments that the Lord had been sending with the God of blessing Israel was celebrating in its worship (4:4-5).
[4:6] 168 tn Heb “But I gave to you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of food in all your places.” The phrase “cleanness of teeth” is a vivid way of picturing the famine Israel experienced.
[4:7] 169 sn Rain…three months before the harvest refers to the rains of late March-early April.
[4:7] 170 tn Heb “portion”; KJV, ASV “piece”; NASB “part.” The same word occurs a second time later in this verse.
[4:8] 171 tn The words “people from” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[4:8] 173 tn Or “were not satisfied.”
[4:9] 174 tn Heb “you.” By metonymy the crops belonging to these people are meant. See the remainder of this verse, which describes the agricultural devastation caused by locusts.
[4:9] 175 tn The Hiphil infinitive construct is taken adverbially (“kept”) and connected to the activity of the locusts (NJPS). It also could be taken with the preceding sentence and related to the Lord’s interventions (“I kept destroying,” cf. NEB, NJB, NIV, NRSV), or it could be understood substantivally in construct with the following nouns (“Locusts devoured your many orchards,” cf. NASB; cf. also KJV, NKJV).
[4:10] 177 tn Heb “in the manner [or “way”] of Egypt.”
[4:10] 178 tn Heb “of your camps [or “armies”].”
[4:11] 179 tn Several English versions substitute the first person pronoun (“I”) here for stylistic reasons (e.g., NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
[4:11] 180 tn Heb “like God’s overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.” The divine name may be used in an idiomatic superlative sense here, in which case one might translate, “like the great [or “disastrous”] overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.”
[4:11] 181 tn Heb “like that which is burning.”
[4:12] 182 tn The
[4:13] 183 tn Heb “For look, the one who.” This verse is considered to be the first hymnic passage in the book. The others appear at 5:8-9 and 9:5-6. Scholars debate whether these verses were originally part of a single hymn or three distinct pieces deliberately placed in each context for particular effect.
[4:13] 184 tn Or “declares” (NAB, NASB).
[4:13] 185 tn Or “his thoughts.” The translation assumes that the pronominal suffix refers to God and that divine self-revelation is in view (see 3:7). If the suffix refers to the following term אָדַם (’adam, “men”), then the expression refers to God’s ability to read men’s minds.
[4:13] 186 tn Heb “he who makes dawn, darkness.” The meaning of the statement is unclear. The present translation assumes that allusion is made to God’s approaching judgment, when the light of day will be turned to darkness (see 5:20). Other options include: (1) “He makes the dawn [and] the darkness.” A few Hebrew
[4:13] 187 tn Traditionally, “God of hosts.”
[5:1] 188 tn Heb “Listen to this word which I am about to take up against you, a funeral song.”
[5:2] 190 tn Or “young lady.” The term “Israel” is an appositional genitive.
[5:2] 191 tn Or “with no one to lift her up.”
[5:3] 192 tn The word “soldiers” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:3] 193 tn Heb “The one.” The word “town” has been used in the translation in keeping with the relative sizes of the armed contingents sent out by each. It is also possible that this line is speaking of the same city of the previous line. In other words, the contingent sent by that one city would have suffered a ninety-nine percent casualty loss.
[5:3] 194 tn The word “soldiers” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:3] 195 tn Heb “for/to the house of Israel.” The translation assumes that this is a graphic picture of what is left over for the defense of the nation (NEB, NJB, NASB, NKJV). Others suggest that this phrase completes the introductory formula (“The sovereign
[5:4] 197 sn The following verses explain what it meant to seek the
[5:5] 198 sn Ironically, Israel was to seek after the Lord, but not at Bethel (the name Bethel means “the house of God” in Hebrew).
[5:5] 199 tn Heb “cross over.”
[5:5] 200 tn Heb “For Gilgal.” By metonymy the place name “Gilgal” is used instead of referring directly to the inhabitants. The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:5] 201 tn In the Hebrew text the statement is emphasized by sound play. The name “Gilgal” sounds like the verb גָּלָה (galah, “to go into exile”), which occurs here in the infinitival + finite verb construction (גָּלֹה יִגְלֶה, galoh yigleh). The repetition of the “ג” (g) and “ל” (l) sounds draws attention to the announcement and suggests that Gilgal’s destiny is inherent in its very name.
[5:5] 202 tn Heb “disaster,” or “nothing”; NIV “Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”
[5:6] 203 tn Heb “rush.” The verb depicts swift movement.
[5:6] 204 sn Here Joseph (= Ephraim and Manasseh), as the most prominent of the Israelite tribes, represents the entire northern kingdom.
[5:6] 206 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[5:6] 207 tn Heb “to/for Bethel.” The translation assumes that the preposition indicates advantage, “on behalf of.” Another option is to take the preposition as vocative, “O Bethel.”
[5:7] 208 tn Heb “Those who”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity. In light of vv. 11-13, it is also possible that the words are directed at a more limited group within the nation – those with social and economic power.
[5:7] 209 tn There is an interesting wordplay here with the verb הָפַךְ (hafakh, “overturn, turn”). Israel “turns” justice into wormwood (cf. 6:12), while the Lord “turns” darkness into morning (v. 8; cf. 4:11; 8:10). Israel’s turning is for evil, whereas the Lord’s is to demonstrate his absolute power and sovereignty.
[5:7] 210 tn Heb “they throw righteousness.”
[5:7] 211 sn In v. 7 the prophet begins to describe the guilty Israelites, but then interrupts his word picture with a parenthetical, but powerful, description of the judge they must face (vv. 8-9). He resumes his description of the sinners in v. 10.
[5:8] 212 tn Heb “darkens the day into night.”
[5:9] 213 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew verb בָּלַג (balag, translated here “flashes”) is uncertain.
[5:9] 214 tn Heb “comes upon.” Many prefer to repoint the verb as Hiphil and translate, “he brings destruction upon the fortified places.”
[5:10] 215 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:10] 216 sn In ancient Israelite culture, legal disputes were resolved in the city gate, where the town elders met.
[5:11] 217 tn Traditionally, “because you trample on the poor” (cf. KJV, ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). The traditional view derives the verb from בּוּס (bus, “to trample”; cf. Isa. 14:25), but more likely it is cognate to an Akkadian verb meaning “to exact an agricultural tax” (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 49; S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 172-73).
[5:11] 218 tn Or “lovely”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “pleasant”; NAB “choice”; NIV “lush.”
[5:11] 219 tn Heb “Houses of chiseled stone you built, but you will not live in them. Fine vineyards you planted, but you will not drink their wine.”
[5:12] 221 tn Or “I know” (so most English versions).
[5:12] 222 tn Or “transgressions,” “sins.” See the note on the word “crimes” in 1:3 and on the phrase “covenant violations” in 2:4.
[5:12] 223 tn Heb “Those who.”
[5:12] 224 tn Heb “turn aside.” They “turn aside” the needy by denying them the justice they deserve at the city gate (where legal decisions were made, and therefore where justice should be done).
[5:12] 225 sn Legal disputes were resolved in the city gate, where the town elders met.
[5:13] 226 tn Or “the wise”; or “the prudent.” Another option is to translate “the successful, prosperous” and understand this as a reference to the rich oppressors. See G. V. Smith, Amos, 169-70. In this case the following verb will also have a different nuance, that is, the wealthy remain silent before the abuses they perpetuate. See the note on the verb translated “keeps quiet” later in this verse.
[5:13] 227 tn Or “moans, laments,” from a homonymic verbal root. If the rich oppressors are in view, then the verb (whether translated “will be silenced” or “will lament”) describes the result of God’s judgment upon them. See G. V. Smith, Amos, 170.
[5:13] 228 tn If this is a judgment announcement against the rich, then the Hebrew phrase עֵת רָעָה (’et ra’ah) must be translated, “[a] disastrous time.” See G. V. Smith, Amos, 170.
[5:15] 229 tn Heb “set up, establish.” In the ancient Near East it was the responsibility especially of the king to establish justice. Here the prophet extends that demand to local leaders and to the nation as a whole (cf. 5:24).
[5:15] 230 sn Legal disputes were resolved in the city gate (see the note in v. 12). This repetition of this phrase serves to highlight a deliberate contrast to the injustices cited in vv. 11-13.
[5:15] 231 tn Or “will show favor to.”
[5:15] 232 tn Or “the remnant of” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “what’s left of your people.”
[5:15] 233 sn Joseph (= Ephraim and Manasseh), as the most prominent of the Israelite tribes, represents the entire northern kingdom.
[5:16] 234 tn Heb “Therefore.” This logical connector relates back to the accusation of vv. 10-13, not to the parenthetical call to repentance in vv. 14-15. To indicate this clearly, the phrase “Because of Israel’s sins” is used in the translation.
[5:16] 235 tn Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[5:16] 236 tn Heb “they will say, ‘Ah! Ah!’” The Hebrew term הוֹ (ho, “ah, woe”) is an alternate form of הוֹי (hoy), a word used to mourn the dead and express outwardly one’s sorrow. See 1 Kgs 13:30; Jer 22:18; 34:5. This wordplay follows quickly, as v. 18 begins with הוֹי (“woe”).
[5:16] 237 tn Or “farmers” (NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
[5:16] 238 tn Heb “those who know lamentation.”
[5:17] 239 sn The expression pass through your midst alludes to Exod 12:12, where the
[5:18] 240 tn The term הוֹי (hoy, “woe”) was used when mourning the dead (see the note on the word “dead” in 5:16). The prophet here either engages in role playing and mourns the death of the nation in advance or sarcastically taunts those who hold to this misplaced belief.
[5:19] 241 tn The words “Disaster will be inescapable” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:19] 242 tn Heb “went” (so KJV, NRSV).
[5:20] 243 tn Heb “Will not the day of the Lord be.”
[5:21] 244 tn Heb “I hate”; “I despise.”
[5:21] 245 tn Heb “I will not smell.” These verses are full of vivid descriptions of the Lord’s total rejection of Israelite worship. In the first half of this verse two verbs are used together for emphasis. Here the verb alludes to the sense of smell, a fitting observation since offerings would have been burned on the altar ideally to provide a sweet aroma to God (see, e.g., Lev 1:9, 13, 17; Num 29:36). Other senses that are mentioned include sight and hearing in vv. 22-23.
[5:22] 246 tn Heb “burnt offerings and your grain offerings.”
[5:22] 247 tn Heb “Peace offering[s], your fattened calves, I will not look at.”
[5:23] 248 tn In this verse the second person suffixes are singular and not plural like they are in vv. 21-22 and vv. 25-27. Some have suggested that perhaps a specific individual or group within the nation is in view.
[5:23] 249 tn The Hebrew word probably refers to “harps” (NASB, NIV, NRSV) or “lutes” (NEB).
[5:24] 250 tn Traditionally, “righteousness.”
[5:25] 251 tn Heb “Did you bring me…?” This rhetorical question expects a negative answer. The point seems to be this: Since sacrifices did not characterize God’s relationship with Israel during the nation’s formative years, the people should not consider them to be so fundamental. The
[5:26] 253 tn This word appears in an awkward position in the Hebrew, following “Kiyyun.” It is placed here for better sense.
[5:26] 254 tn The Hebrew term סִכּוּת (sikkut) apparently refers to Sakkuth, a Mesopotamian star god identified with Ninurta in an Ugaritic god list. The name is vocalized in the Hebrew text after the pattern of שִׁקוּץ (shiqquts, “detestable thing”). See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 195-96. Some English versions, following the LXX, translate as “tent” or “shrine” (NEB, NIV), pointing the term as סֻכַּת (sukkat; cf. 9:11).
[5:26] 255 tc LXX, Vulgate, and Acts 7:43 read “Moloch” (cf. KJV). The Hebrew consonants are the same for both “king” and “Moloch” (מֹלֶךְ; molekh).
[5:26] 256 tn The Hebrew term כִּיּוּן (kiyyun) apparently refers to the Mesopotamian god Kayamanu, or Saturn. The name, like “Sikkuth” in the previous line, is vocalized in the Hebrew text after the pattern of שִׁקוּץ (shiqquts, “detestable thing”). See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 195-96. Some versions translate as “pedestal” (NEB, NIV), relating the term to the root כּוּן (kun).
[6:1] 257 tn On the Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy; “ah, woe”) as a term of mourning, see the notes in 5:16, 18.
[6:1] 258 sn Zion is a reference to Jerusalem.
[6:1] 259 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.
[6:1] 261 tn Heb “comes to them.”
[6:2] 262 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.
[6:2] 263 tn Or “Great Hamath” (cf. NIV); or “Hamath the great” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); the word “rabbah” means “great” in Hebrew.
[6:2] 264 tn Heb “to these,” referring to Judah and Israel (see v. 1a).
[6:2] 265 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).
[6:3] 266 tn Heb “those who push away a day of disaster.”
[6:3] 267 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.
[6:4] 268 tn Heb “beds of ivory.”
[6:5] 269 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”
[6:5] 270 tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”
[6:5] 271 sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).
[6:5] 272 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).
[6:6] 273 sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).
[6:6] 274 tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”
[6:6] 275 tn Or “not sickened by.”
[6:6] 276 sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.
[6:7] 277 tn Heb “they will go into exile at the head of the exiles.”
[6:7] 278 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.
[6:7] 279 tn Heb “of the sprawled out.” See v. 4.
[6:8] 280 tn Heb “swears by his life”; or “swears by himself.”
[6:8] 281 tn Heb “his,” referring to Jacob, which stands here for the nation of Israel.
[6:8] 282 tn The words “to their enemies” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[6:8] 283 tn Heb “the city”; this probably refers to the city of Samaria (cf. 6:1), which in turn, by metonymy, represents the entire northern kingdom.
[6:10] 284 tn The translation assumes that “their relatives” and “the ones who will burn the corpses” are in apposition. Another option is to take them as distinct individuals, in which case one could translate, “When their close relatives and the ones who will burn the corpses pick up…” The meaning of the form translated “the ones who burn the corpses” is uncertain. Another option is to translate, “the ones who prepare the corpses for burial” (NASB “undertaker”; cf. also CEV). See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 215-16.
[6:10] 285 tn This verse is notoriously difficult to interpret. The Hebrew text literally reads, “And he will lift him up, his uncle, and the one burning him, to bring out bones from the house. And he will say to the one who is in the inner parts of the house, ‘Is there [anyone] still with you?’ And he will say, ‘Be quiet for not to invoke the name of the
[6:11] 286 tn Or “is issuing the decree.”
[6:12] 287 tc Heb “Does one plow with oxen?” This obviously does not fit the parallelism, for the preceding rhetorical question requires the answer, “Of course not!” An error of fusion has occurred in the Hebrew, with the word יָם (yam, “sea”) being accidentally added as a plural ending to the collective noun בָּקָר (baqar, “oxen”). A proper division of the consonants produces the above translation, which fits the parallelism and also anticipates the answer, “Of course not!”
[6:12] 288 sn The botanical imagery, when juxtaposed with the preceding rhetorical questions, vividly depicts and emphasizes how the Israelites have perverted justice and violated the created order by their morally irrational behavior.
[6:13] 289 tn Heb “those who rejoice over Lo-Debar.”
[6:13] 290 sn Karnaim was also located across the Jordan River. The name in Hebrew means “double horned.” Since an animal’s horn was a symbol of strength (see Deut 33:17), the Israelites boasted in this victory over a town whose very name symbolized military power.
[6:14] 291 tn Or “raise up” (KJV, NASB); NIV “stir up.”
[6:14] 293 sn Once again there is irony in the divine judgment. The oppressive nation itself will suffer oppression. The verb “oppress” (לָחַץ, lakhats) in this verse is not the same as that used in 4:1 (עָשַׁק, ’ashaq).
[6:14] 294 tn Or “from the entrance to Hamath.” The Hebrew term לְבוֹא (lÿvo’) can either be translated or considered a part of the place name.
[6:14] 295 sn Lebo-Hamath refers to the northern border of Israel, the Stream of the Arabah to its southern border. See 2 Kgs 14:25. Through this invader the Lord would reverse the victories and territorial expansion Israel experienced during the reign of Jeroboam II.
