Amos 4:10

I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

I have sent {H7971} among you the pestilence {H1698} after the manner {H1870} of Egypt {H4714}: your young men {H970} have I slain {H2026} with the sword {H2719}, and have taken away {H7628} your horses {H5483}; and I have made the stink {H889} of your camps {H4264} to come up {H5927} unto your nostrils {H639}: yet have ye not returned {H7725} unto me, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}.

"I sent a plague on you like that of Egypt, put your young men to death with the sword; let your horses be captured; and filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps; still you haven't returned to me," says ADONAI.

“I sent plagues among you like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have carried away your horses; and I have made the stench of your camp to come up even into your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah.

Amos 4:10 KJV delivers a powerful and sobering message from the LORD to the nation of Israel, detailing specific forms of divine judgment that had been sent upon them. Despite these severe afflictions—including pestilence, war, and the grim aftermath of conflict—the core accusation remains: "yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD." This verse is a stark reminder of God's persistent efforts to call His people to repentance amidst their stubborn disobedience.

Context

The prophet Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa, was called by God to deliver a message of judgment and warning to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a period of relative prosperity (circa 8th century BC). Chapter 4 of Amos is particularly striking as it lists a series of calamities—famine, drought, blight, locusts, and in this verse, pestilence and war—each followed by the poignant refrain, "yet have ye not returned unto me." These were not random misfortunes but deliberate acts of God designed to awaken Israel from its spiritual apathy and idolatry, urging them to turn back to Him before final destruction. This verse is part of a series of divine interventions intended to prompt repentance (Amos 4:6, Amos 4:8, Amos 4:9).

Key Themes

  • Divine Discipline and Judgment: God actively intervened in Israel's history, using natural disasters and military defeats as instruments of His righteous judgment. The "pestilence after the manner of Egypt" evokes memories of the plagues sent upon Egypt, emphasizing a divinely orchestrated affliction.
  • Impenitence and Stubbornness: The repeated phrase "yet have ye not returned unto me" underscores Israel's deep-seated spiritual rebellion. Despite experiencing the devastating consequences of their actions, they refused to humble themselves and seek the Lord. This theme is central to Amos's prophecy and echoes throughout the Old Testament concerning Israel's unfaithfulness.
  • God's Long-Suffering Patience: Paradoxically, these judgments also reveal God's enduring patience. He did not immediately abandon His people but continually sought to draw them back through various forms of discipline, hoping for their repentance and restoration. This is a testament to His covenant faithfulness, even when His people are unfaithful (2 Timothy 2:13).
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The verse paints a vivid picture of the suffering caused by disobedience: "young men have I slain with the sword," "taken away your horses," and the unbearable "stink of your camps." These are the grim realities of God's judgment for a nation that had forsaken His laws and worshipped idols.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "pestilence after the manner of Egypt" (Hebrew: dever k'mitsrayim) is significant. It doesn't necessarily mean the exact same plagues as in Exodus, but rather indicates a plague of similar divine origin and devastating effect, recalling God's mighty hand in judgment during the Exodus plagues. The vivid imagery of "the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils" powerfully conveys the horror of widespread death and disease, making the impact of God's judgment palpable and undeniable to the survivors.

Practical Application

Amos 4:10 serves as a timeless warning. While God's methods of discipline may differ in the New Covenant era, the principle remains: God desires a relationship with His people and calls them to repentance when they stray. This verse encourages us to:

  • Examine Our Lives: Are there areas where we are stubbornly resisting God's will? Are we quick to recognize and respond to His corrective hand, or do we harden our hearts?
  • Understand Discipline as Love: God's discipline, though painful, is often an expression of His love, designed to lead us to righteousness and peace. The "peaceable fruit of righteousness" often comes through such trials (Hebrews 12:11).
  • Cultivate a Responsive Heart: Instead of waiting for severe consequences, we should strive to live in constant communion with God, ready to obey His voice and repent quickly when we fall short. The ultimate call from Amos is to "prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12), a call to spiritual readiness and genuine repentance.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Deuteronomy 28:60

    Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.

  • Leviticus 26:25

    And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of [my] covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

  • Joel 2:20

    But I will remove far off from you the northern [army], and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

  • 2 Kings 13:7

    Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.

  • Psalms 78:49

    He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels [among them].

  • Psalms 78:50

    He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

  • Deuteronomy 7:15

    And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all [them] that hate thee.
← Back