Amos 5:18-21

The Lord Demands Justice

5:18 Woe ¹  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, ² 

as if a man ran from a lion only to meet a bear,

then escaped ³  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 ⁴  darkness, not light –

gloomy blackness, not bright light?

5:21 “I absolutely despise ⁵  your festivals!

I get no pleasure ⁶  from your religious assemblies!

[5:18]  ¹ 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]  ² tn The words “Disaster will be inescapable” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:19]  ³ tn Heb “went” (so KJV, NRSV).

[5:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “Will not the day of the Lord be.”

[5:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “I hate”; “I despise.”

[5:21]  ⁶ 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.