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Amos 1

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Title and Historical Setting 1–2

1
The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. ​
2
And he said, Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the pastures of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither. ​

Judgment Against Damascus (Syria) 3–5

3
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Damascus, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron. ​
4
But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.
5
And I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden; and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith Jehovah. ​

Judgment Against Gaza (Philistia) 6–8

6
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole people, to deliver them up to Edom. ​
7
But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
8
And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon; and I will turn my hand against Ekron; and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Judgment Against Tyre (Phoenicia) 9–10

9
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Tyre, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole people to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant. ​
10
But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

Judgment Against Edom 11–12

11
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Edom, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever. ​
12
But I will send a fire upon Teman, and it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

Judgment Against Ammon 13–15

13
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they may enlarge their border. ​
14
But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind;
15
and their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith Jehovah.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Amos 1

Verse 1

among the herdmen of Tekoa — 'Herdmen' is noqed, a sheep-breeder, found only here and of Mesha in 2 Kgs 3:4. Tekoa was a town of Judah (2 Chr 11:6), yet Amos 'saw' (chazah) words 'concerning Israel', in the days of 'Jeroboam the son of Joash' (2 Kgs 14:23). Zech 14:5 recalls the earthquake: 'ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah'.

Verse 2

The LORD will roar from Zion — These are the words of Joel 3:16, 'The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem'. 'Roar' is sha'ag, the lion's cry, used again in 3:4, 8. 'Wither' is yabesh, the verb of the drought in 4:7. 'The top of Carmel' is the height where none can hide in 9:3.

Verse 3

For three transgressions… and for four — The formula opens each of the eight oracles (1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6). The Hebrew has no noun after 'turn away' (shub), so it reads 'I will not turn it back'. Damascus 'threshed Gilead': the king of Syria 'had made them like the dust by threshing' (2 Kgs 13:7), and Hazael 'smote them in all the coasts of Israel' (2 Kgs 10:32).

Verse 5

break also the bar of Damascus — The 'bar' (beriach) is the bolt of the city gate. The sentence was carried out when 'the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin' (2 Kgs 16:9). Kir is the Syrians' place of origin, 'the Syrians from Kir' (9:7). 'Cut off' (karat) is the verb of 1:8 and 2:3.

Verse 6

carried away captive the whole captivity — 'The whole captivity' (galut shelemah) is a complete body of exiles. 'Deliver up' is sagar, to hand over, the verb used of Samaria in 6:8, 'will I deliver up the city'. Joel 3:4–6 names Tyre, Zidon and the coasts of Palestine for selling 'The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem' to the Grecians.

Verse 9

the brotherly covenant — Tyre repeats Gaza's deed and adds the breach of a covenant of brothers (berit achim). 'There was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together' (1 Kgs 5:12), and Hiram called Solomon 'my brother' (1 Kgs 9:13). 'Remembered' is zakar.

Verse 11

he did pursue his brother — Edom is Israel's brother: 'Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother' (Deut 23:7). 'Cast off all pity' is the Hebrew for ruining his compassions (shachat, racham), and 'kept his wrath for ever' matches 'a perpetual hatred' (Ezek 35:5), which goes back to 'Esau hated Jacob' (Gen 27:41).

Verse 13

ripped up the women with child of Gilead — Baqa is the verb of what Elisha foretold of Hazael (2 Kgs 8:12), of Menahem's deed at Tiphsah (2 Kgs 15:16) and of Samaria's fate (Hos 13:16). Ammon did it 'that they might enlarge their border' (rachab, to make wide), and Jer 49:1 asks of Ammon, 'why then doth their king inherit Gad'.