³ tn Heb “captain of the host of Hazor.”

² tn Or “King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite ruler.”

¹ sn The three alcoves are parallel to the city gates found at Megiddo, Hazor, and Gezer.

² sn Hazor. Nothing is know about this Hazor other than what is said here in vv. Baal+Hazor&tab=notes" ver="">28, 30, 33. They appear to also be nomadic tent dwellers who had a loose association with the Kedarites.

³ sn The earthquake in the days of King Uzziah, also mentioned in Amos 1:1, is apparently the one attested to at Hazor in 760 b.c.

¹ tn Heb “destroyed Baal.”

⁵ tn Heb “by Baal.”

⁴ tn Heb “by Baal.”

¹ sn The name Bamoth Baal means “the high places of Baal.”

⁴ tn Heb “the remnant of Baal.”

² tn Cf. Baal-meon in v. Baal+Hazor&tab=notes" ver="">38.

² tn Heb “Do you fight for Baal?”

⁶ sn This refers to a well-known earthquake that occurred during the first half of the 8th century b.c. According to a generally accepted dating system, Uzziah was a co-regent with his father Amaziah from 792-767 b.c. and ruled independently from 767-740 b.c. Jeroboam II was a co-regent with his father Joash from 793-782 b.c. and ruled independently from 782-753 b.c. Since only Uzziah and Jeroboam are mentioned in the introduction it is likely that Amos’ mission to Israel and the earthquake which followed occurred between 767-753 b.c. The introduction validates the genuine character of Amos’ prophetic ministry in at least two ways: (1) Amos was not a native Israelite or a prophet by trade. Rather he was a herdsman in Tekoa, located in Judah. His mere presence in the northern kingdom as a prophet was evidence that he had been called by God (see Baal+Hazor&tab=notes" ver="">7:14-15). (2) The mighty earthquake shortly after Amos’ ministry would have been interpreted as an omen or signal of approaching judgment. The clearest references to an earthquake are Baal+Hazor&tab=notes" ver="">1:1 and 9:1, 5. It is possible that the verb הָפַךְ (hafakh, “overturn”) at Baal+Hazor&tab=notes" ver="">3:13-15, 4:11, 6:11, and 8:8 also refers to an earthquake, as might the descriptions at Baal+Hazor&tab=notes" ver="">2:13 and 6:9-10. Evidence of a powerful earthquake has been correlated with a destruction layer at Hazor and other sites. Its lasting impact is evident by its mention in Zech 14:5 and 2 Chr 26:16-21. Earthquake imagery appears in later prophets as well (cf. D. N. Freedman and A. Welch, “Amos’s Earthquake and Israelite Prophecy,” Scripture and Other Artifacts, 188-98). On the other hand, some of these verses in Amos could allude to the devastation that would be caused by the imminent military invasion.

³ tn Or “followed the Baal of Peor” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV), referring to the pagan god Baal.

⁷ tn Heb “for Baal” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV); cf. TEV “in the worship of Baal.”

¹ sn They worshiped Baal of Peor. See Num 25:3, 5. Baal of Peor was a local manifestation of the Canaanite deity Baal located at Peor.

¹ sn The Canaanites worshiped Baal as a storm and fertility god.

¹ tn Heb “he served Baal and bowed down to him.”

² sn The name Baal Perazim means “Lord of outbursts” in Hebrew.

² tn Heb “taught my people to swear by Baal.”