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Amos 5:19

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As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

As if a man {H376} did flee {H5127} from {H6440} a lion {H738}, and a bear {H1677} met {H6293} him; or went {H935} into the house {H1004}, and leaned {H5564} his hand {H3027} on the wall {H7023}, and a serpent {H5175} bit {H5391} him.

as if someone were to run from a lion, just to be met by a bear; as if he entered a house, put his hand on the wall, just to be bitten by a snake.

It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter a bear, or who enters his house and rests his hand against the wall, only to be bitten by a snake.

As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

Commentary

Context of Amos 5:19

The prophet Amos delivered a powerful message of judgment against the northern kingdom of Israel for their social injustice, religious hypocrisy, and moral corruption. In Amos chapter 5, the prophet laments Israel's impending destruction and calls them to "seek good, and not evil, that ye may live" (Amos 5:14). Crucially, this chapter directly addresses the people's mistaken longing for the "day of the Lord," expecting light and vindication. Amos shatters this illusion, declaring that for unrepentant Israel, that day would be one of "darkness, and not light." Verse 19 is a vivid metaphor illustrating the absolute certainty and inescapable nature of this divine judgment.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Inevitable Judgment: The primary message is that there is no escape from God's impending judgment. Just as a man fleeing one danger (a lion) immediately encounters another (a bear), or seeking safety in a house finds peril there (a serpent), so too would Israel find no refuge from the consequences of their sin.
  • False Security: The verse highlights the futility of seeking security or escape through human means when divine judgment is determined. Any attempt to avoid one form of calamity would only lead to another, equally dangerous, situation.
  • Divine Retribution: This passage underscores God's unwavering justice. He is not mocked, and His word concerning judgment for sin will come to pass. It's a powerful illustration of the inescapable consequences of unrepentant sin.
  • Consequences of Complacency: Israel's complacency and false sense of security, despite their deep-seated sins, made them blind to the severity of their impending doom. This verse serves as a stark warning against spiritual apathy.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew text uses strong, evocative imagery to convey the idea of inescapable danger. The progression from a large, obvious predator (lion) to another large, dangerous one (bear) signifies that even if one major threat is avoided, another will surely arise. The second scenario, where a man enters a house for safety and is bitten by a serpent, emphasizes that danger lurks even in places presumed to be secure. This vivid parallelism effectively communicates the comprehensive and pervasive nature of the judgment God was bringing upon His people. There is no safe haven from divine justice when it is due.

Practical Application

Amos 5:19 serves as a timeless warning for all generations. It teaches us several crucial lessons:

  1. Do Not Presume Upon God's Grace: We should never assume that our religious rituals or past blessings will shield us from the consequences of unrepentant sin. God's justice is real.
  2. Examine Our Lives: This verse calls us to honestly assess our spiritual condition. Are we truly seeking God, or are we living in complacency, perhaps even longing for a "day of the Lord" that might bring judgment rather than blessing upon us?
  3. True Security is in God: Human efforts to escape the consequences of sin are ultimately futile. True security is found not in human efforts to escape, but in returning to the Lord through repentance and faith. When we turn from sin and seek Him, He is our refuge and strength.
  4. Consequences Are Inescapable: While God is merciful, there are indeed consequences for living in defiance of His will. This verse reminds us that these consequences can be comprehensive and unavoidable.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 24:17 (7 votes)

    Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [are] upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

  • Isaiah 24:18 (7 votes)

    And it shall come to pass, [that] he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

  • Jeremiah 15:2 (5 votes)

    And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as [are] for death, to death; and such as [are] for the sword, to the sword; and such as [are] for the famine, to the famine; and such as [are] for the captivity, to the captivity.

  • Jeremiah 15:3 (5 votes)

    And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

  • Acts 28:4 (3 votes)

    And when the barbarians saw the [venomous] beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

  • Jeremiah 48:43 (3 votes)

    Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [shall be] upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 48:44 (3 votes)

    He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, [even] upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.