Amos 7:17

KJV

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

KJV (with Strong's)

Therefore thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}; Thy wife {H802} shall be an harlot {H2181} in the city {H5892}, and thy sons {H1121} and thy daughters {H1323} shall fall {H5307} by the sword {H2719}, and thy land {H127} shall be divided {H2505} by line {H2256}; and thou shalt die {H4191} in {H5921} a polluted {H2931} land {H127}: and Israel {H3478} shall surely {H1540} go into captivity {H1540} forth of his land {H127}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Therefore ADONAI says this: 'Your wife will become a whore in the city, your sons and daughters will die by the sword, your land will be parcelled out with a measuring line, you yourself will die in an unclean land, and Isra'el will certainly be exiled from their land.'"

Berean Standard Bible

Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be divided by a measuring line, and you yourself will die on pagan soil. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their homeland.’”

American Standard Version

therefore thus saith Jehovah: Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou thyself shalt die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Amos 7:17 delivers a severe and personal prophecy of judgment directly from the LORD against Amaziah, the idolatrous priest of Bethel, in response to his audacious attempt to silence the prophet Amos. This climactic declaration details a series of devastating consequences for Amaziah and his household—including his wife's degradation, his children's violent deaths, the confiscation of his land, and his own death in an unclean foreign land—culminating in the broader judgment of Israel's forced exile from their promised inheritance.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse serves as the powerful and definitive climax to the confrontation between the prophet Amos and Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, detailed in [Amos 7:10-16](/amos/7-10-16 "Amos's Confrontation with Amaziah"). Amaziah, representing the corrupt religious establishment of the Northern Kingdom, attempts to discredit and expel Amos, accusing him of treason against King Jeroboam II and urging him to prophesy in Judah instead. Amos responds by unequivocally asserting his divine commission, stating he was not a professional prophet but a shepherd called directly by God to prophesy to Israel. [Amos 7:14-15](/amos/7-14-15 "Amos's Divine Calling") highlights Amos's humble origins and the undeniable authority of his message. Verse 17 is God's direct, personal, and devastating pronouncement of judgment upon Amaziah for his impious opposition to God's prophet and His word, demonstrating that to resist God's messenger is to resist God Himself. This personal judgment on Amaziah then seamlessly transitions to the national judgment on Israel, reinforcing the interconnectedness of leadership and national destiny.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the prosperous reign of Jeroboam II (c. 786-746 BCE). Despite outward prosperity, the nation was rife with social injustice, moral decay, and rampant idolatry, particularly the calf worship established by Jeroboam I at Bethel and Dan, which had become state-sanctioned religion. Amaziah, as the priest of the king's sanctuary at Bethel, was a high-ranking official deeply entrenched in this corrupt system. His accusation against Amos was not merely theological but political, viewing Amos's prophecies of judgment as a threat to the stability of the kingdom and his own position. The judgments pronounced in [Amos 7:17](/amos/7-17 "Amos 7:17 - Judgment on Amaziah")—a wife becoming a harlot, children dying by the sword, land divided, death in a polluted land, and national captivity—were all severe and deeply humiliating punishments in ancient Near Eastern culture. The loss of land was particularly devastating as it represented the loss of family inheritance and identity, while dying in a "polluted land" meant being buried outside the sacred soil of Israel, far from one's ancestors and the presence of God.
* **Key Themes:** [Amos 7:17](/amos/7-17 "Amos 7:17 - Judgment on Amaziah") powerfully underscores several major themes prevalent throughout the book of Amos and the prophetic literature. Firstly, **Divine Judgment and Retribution** is central, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to justice, especially against those who resist His truth and oppress His messengers. Amaziah's personal consequences are a direct and severe recompense for his challenge to God's authority. Secondly, the verse highlights the **Personal and National Consequences of Sin**. The judgment begins with Amaziah's household, illustrating the devastating ripple effect of spiritual rebellion from leadership to family, and then expands to the nation's fate: "Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land." This foreshadows the Assyrian exile, a common prophetic theme for Israel's eventual downfall, as seen in [2 Kings 17:6](/2_kings/17-6 "2 Kings 17:6 - The Assyrian Captivity"). Thirdly, the theme of **Defilement and Loss of Inheritance** is prominent. Amaziah's land being "divided by line" signifies the complete dispossession of ancestral property, while his dying in a "polluted land" emphasizes his banishment from the holy land and God's presence, a stark contrast to the covenant promises of [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings and Curses"). Finally, the verse vindicates **Prophetic Authority**, confirming that despite attempts to silence him, Amos's prophecy is the true word of God, and those who oppose it face dire consequences.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **harlot (Hebrew, _zânâh'_):** H2181, a primitive root meaning "to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal." This word, while often used metaphorically for Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness (idolatry), is here applied literally to Amaziah's wife. It signifies a profound and public degradation, bringing immense shame upon Amaziah and his household, directly challenging his honor and position in society.
* **land (Hebrew, _ʼădâmâh'_):** H127, from אָדַם, meaning "soil (from its general redness); country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land." In this context, "thy land" refers specifically to Amaziah's personal property and ancestral inheritance. The phrase "divided by line" indicates its surveying and apportionment to foreign conquerors, symbolizing complete dispossession and the loss of family legacy, a severe covenant curse.
* **go into captivity (Hebrew, _gâlâh'_):: H1540, a primitive root meaning "to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal." This term, repeated for emphasis ("shall surely go into captivity"), denotes forced removal from one's homeland into foreign subjugation. It represents the ultimate national judgment for Israel's persistent rebellion, fulfilling the warnings of the Mosaic covenant and underscoring the severity of God's justice.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Therefore thus saith the LORD;":** This opening phrase underscores the divine origin and unchallengeable authority of the pronouncement. It is not Amos's personal vendetta but God's direct verdict against Amaziah for his insolence and opposition to the divine word.
* **"Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword,":** This clause details the immediate, devastating personal consequences for Amaziah's household. His wife's public degradation as a harlot (literally, not metaphorically) would bring profound shame and dishonor upon him, while the violent death of his children by the sword signifies the complete destruction of his lineage and legacy, a direct reversal of the covenant blessings of progeny.
* **"and thy land shall be divided by line;":** This refers to the surveying and redistribution of Amaziah's ancestral property by foreign conquerors. It symbolizes the complete loss of his inheritance and economic security, a severe blow to his status and future, and a tangible sign of foreign occupation.
* **"and thou shalt die in a polluted land:":** This pronounces Amaziah's own personal end. Dying in a "polluted" or unclean land (i.e., a foreign, pagan land) signifies banishment from the sacred soil of Israel, a separation from his people and the covenant land, and a denial of proper burial among his ancestors. It is a deeply humiliating and spiritually significant judgment.
* **"and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.":** This final clause expands the judgment from Amaziah's personal fate to the national destiny. His individual punishment serves as a microcosm and a precursor to the broader, inevitable exile of the entire Northern Kingdom. The repetition of "surely go into captivity" emphasizes the certainty and inevitability of this national catastrophe, confirming Amos's broader prophetic message.

#### Literary Devices
Amos 7:17 employs several potent **Literary Devices** to convey its message of divine judgment. **Poetic Justice** is evident in the direct correlation between Amaziah's attempt to silence God's prophet and the severe, humiliating consequences that befall him and his family. His opposition to the sacred word results in the defilement and destruction of his own sacred familial and territorial inheritance. **Symbolism** is richly used: the "harlot" wife symbolizes not only personal degradation but also the spiritual harlotry (idolatry) that Amaziah, as a priest, condoned and participated in. The "polluted land" symbolizes exile from God's presence and the covenant land, a state of ritual impurity that mirrors Israel's spiritual defilement. The phrase "divided by line" serves as a vivid **Metonymy** for the complete dispossession and foreign occupation of the land. The overall tone is one of stark, unyielding **Prophetic Judgment**, delivered with an uncompromising directness that leaves no room for ambiguity regarding God's wrath against those who defy His authority and silence His truth.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Amos 7:17 serves as a stark reminder of God's unwavering justice and the severe consequences of opposing His divine word and His chosen messengers. It underscores the principle that rebellion against God's authority, especially from those in spiritual leadership, invites not only personal but also communal and national judgment. The specific nature of the punishments—dishonor, destruction of family, loss of land, and exile—reflects a reversal of the covenant blessings promised to Israel for obedience, demonstrating that God's covenant includes both blessings for faithfulness and curses for disobedience. This passage highlights the sanctity of God's prophetic word and the peril of rejecting it, emphasizing that God will vindicate His truth and His spokespersons, even when they are scorned by the powerful.

* [Deuteronomy 28:15-68](/deuteronomy/28-15-68 "Deuteronomy 28:15-68 - Curses for Disobedience")
* [Jeremiah 28:15-17](/jeremiah/28-15-17 "Jeremiah 28:15-17 - Hananiah's Death")
* [Matthew 10:14-15](/matthew/10-14-15 "Matthew 10:14-15 - Consequences of Rejecting the Disciples")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Amos 7:17 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers, reminding us of the gravity of our response to God's truth and His appointed messengers. It challenges us to examine our own hearts for any inclination to resist divine warnings or to prioritize personal comfort and status over obedience to God's revealed will. The judgment on Amaziah underscores that God holds leaders, particularly spiritual leaders, to a higher standard, and their rebellion can have devastating ripple effects on their families and communities. This passage calls us to cultivate a deep reverence for God's word, to humbly receive correction, and to stand in solidarity with those who faithfully proclaim truth, even when it is unpopular or challenging. It assures us that God's justice is certain and His word will ultimately prevail, urging us to align our lives fully with His purposes rather than attempting to silence or subvert them.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do I respond when God's word challenges my comfort or established ways of thinking?**
* **In what ways might I be tempted to "silence" or dismiss prophetic voices today, whether from Scripture, faithful teachers, or my own conscience?**
* **What are the potential personal and communal consequences of resisting God's truth in my own life or in the life of my community?**
* **How does the certainty of God's justice in this passage encourage me to trust His ultimate plan, even when injustice seems to prevail?**

### FAQ
**Why is the judgment on Amaziah's family so severe, including his wife and children?**

Answer: The severity of the judgment on Amaziah's family reflects the profound gravity of his sin and the cultural context of the ancient Near East. First, Amaziah was a priest, a leader in Israel's religious system, yet he actively opposed God's prophet and the divine word. His sin was not merely personal but a public act of defiance against God's authority, undertaken from a position of spiritual responsibility. In ancient cultures, a man's honor and legacy were intrinsically tied to his household and offspring. The degradation of his wife (becoming a harlot) brought ultimate public shame upon him, while the death of his children by the sword meant the complete eradication of his lineage and future. The division of his land and his death in a "polluted land" represented the loss of his inheritance and a humiliating spiritual exile, preventing burial in the sacred soil of Israel. These judgments were designed to be comprehensive and devastating, demonstrating that God's wrath against those who actively resist His truth, especially those in positions of influence, would be absolute and leave no aspect of their life untouched. It served as a stark warning to all who would dare to oppose the LORD's appointed messengers and His sovereign word, emphasizing that God's justice extends to every sphere of life.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Amos 7:17, with its pronouncement of severe judgment against those who reject God's prophet and His word, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound reorientation in Jesus Christ. While Amaziah sought to silence Amos, the ultimate Prophet, Jesus, was rejected and crucified by the religious and political authorities of His day, as described in [John 19:15](/john/19-15 "John 19:15 - Crucify Him!"). Yet, unlike Amos, whose vindication came through judgment on his oppressor, Jesus' vindication came through His resurrection, which became the foundation of salvation for all who believe, as proclaimed in [Romans 1:4](/romans/1-4 "Romans 1:4 - Jesus Declared Son of God by Resurrection"). The "polluted land" of exile for Amaziah and Israel foreshadows humanity's spiritual alienation from God due to sin, a state from which only Christ can deliver us, ushering us into the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells ([2 Peter 3:13](/2_peter/3-13 "2 Peter 3:13 - New Heavens and New Earth")). Furthermore, the judgment on Amaziah's family and land speaks to the consequences of rejecting God's covenant. In Christ, however, a new covenant is established, offering spiritual inheritance and eternal life to all who are "in Christ," regardless of their earthly lineage or land ([Galatians 3:29](/galatians/3-29 "Galatians 3:29 - Heirs According to the Promise")). While Amos 7:17 warns of the dire consequences of rejecting God's messenger, the New Testament proclaims that those who believe in Jesus, the true Lamb of God, will not perish but have everlasting life ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God So Loved the World")). Thus, Christ stands as both the ultimate fulfillment of God's prophetic word and the merciful alternative to the judgment pronounced upon those who reject Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Hosea 9:3

They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean [things] in Assyria.

2 Kings 17:6

In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor [by] the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

Jeremiah 28:16

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD.

Ezekiel 4:13

And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.

Hosea 4:13

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof [is] good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

Hosea 4:14

I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people [that] doth not understand shall fall.

Amos 7:11

For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.