B. Messages of Judgment against Israel chs. 3-6

After announcing that God would judge Israel, Amos delivered five messages in which he explained more fully why God would judge the Northern Kingdom. Appeals for repentance and explanations of how to avoid judgment appear within these messages. The first three begin with the word, "Hear"(3:1; 4:1; 5:1; cf. Prov. 8:32), and the last two begin "Alas"(5:18) and "Woe"(6:1), both translations of the Hebrew word hoy.

 1. The first message on sins against God and man ch. 3

Amos' first message explained that God would judge His people because they had oppressed others in spite of their uniquely privileged relationship with Yahweh. The prophet addressed this message initially to both Israel and Judah (vv. 1-2), but he focused it mainly on Israel (vv. 9, 12).

 2. The second message on women, worship, and stubbornness ch. 4

This message consists of seven prophetic announcements each of which concludes, "declares the LORD"(vv. 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11). Verse 12 is a final conclusion and verse 13 a doxology.

 3. The third message on injustice 5:1-17

The structure of this message is chiastic, which focuses attention and emphasis on the middle part.

AA description of certain judgment vv. 1-3

BA call for individual repentance vv. 4-6

CAn accusation of legal injustice v. 7

DA portrayal of sovereign Yahweh vv. 8-9

C'An accusation of legal injustice vv. 10-13

B'A call for individual repentance vv. 14-15

A'A description of certain judgment vv. 16-17

Another structural feature stresses the solidarity between Yahweh and His prophet, namely, the alternation between of the words of Amos (vv. 1-2, 6-9, 14-15) and the words of God (vv. 3-5, 10-13, 16-17).

 4. The fourth message on unacceptable worship 5:18-27

This lament also has a chiastic structure. It centers on a call for individual repentance.

AA description of inevitable judgment vv. 18-20

BAn accusation of religious hypocrisy vv. 21-22

CA call for individual repentance vv. 23-24

B'An accusation of religious hypocrisy vv. 25-26

A'A description of inevitable judgment v. 27

 5. The fifth message on complacency and pride ch. 6

In this lament Amos announced again that Israel would fall under God's judgment.