Amos 7:4

7:4 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw ¹  the sovereign Lord summoning a shower of fire. ²  It consumed the great deep and devoured the fields.

Amos 5:16

5:16 Because of Israel’s sins ³  this is what the Lord, the God who commands armies, the sovereign One, ⁴  says:

“In all the squares there will be wailing,

in all the streets they will mourn the dead. ⁵ 

They will tell the field workers ⁶  to lament

and the professional mourners ⁷  to wail.

Amos 7:7

7:7 He showed me this: I saw ⁸  the sovereign One ⁹  standing by a tin ¹⁰  wall holding tin in his hand.

Amos 7:1

Symbolic Visions of Judgment

7:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw ¹¹  him making locusts just as the crops planted late ¹²  were beginning to sprout. (The crops planted late sprout after the royal harvest. ¹³ )

Amos 7:8

7:8 The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” I said, “Tin.” The sovereign One then said,

“Look, I am about to place tin among my people Israel.

I will no longer overlook their sin. ¹⁴ 

Amos 7:6

7:6 The Lord decided not to do this. ¹⁵  The sovereign Lord said, “This will not happen either.”

Amos 3:13

3:13 Listen and warn ¹⁶  the family ¹⁷  of Jacob! ¹⁸ 

The sovereign Lord, the God who commands armies, ¹⁹  is speaking!

Amos 7:3

7:3 The Lord decided not to do this. ²⁰  “It will not happen,” the Lord said.

Amos 8:1

More Visions and Messages of Judgment

8:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw ²¹  a basket of summer fruit. ²² 

Amos 3:8

3:8 A lion has roared! ²³  Who is not afraid?

The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy? ²⁴ 

Amos 7:5

7:5 I said, “Sovereign Lord, stop!

How can Jacob survive? ²⁵ 

He is too weak!” ²⁶ 

Amos 3:7

3:7 Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

Amos 8:9

8:9 In that day,” says the sovereign Lord, “I will make the sun set at noon,

and make the earth dark in the middle of the day. ²⁷ 

Amos 9:8

9:8 Look, the sovereign Lord is watching ²⁸  the sinful nation, ²⁹ 

and I will destroy it from the face of the earth.

But I will not completely destroy the family ³⁰  of Jacob,” says the Lord.

Amos 4:2

4:2 The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his own holy character: ³¹ 

“Certainly the time is approaching ³² 

when you will be carried away ³³  in baskets, ³⁴ 

every last one of you ³⁵  in fishermen’s pots. ³⁶ 

Amos 5:3

5:3 The sovereign Lord says this:

“The city that marches out with a thousand soldiers ³⁷  will have only a hundred left;

the town ³⁸  that marches out with a hundred soldiers ³⁹  will have only ten left for the family of Israel.” ⁴⁰ 

Amos 7:2

7:2 When they had completely consumed the earth’s vegetation, I said,

“Sovereign Lord, forgive Israel! ⁴¹ 

How can Jacob survive? ⁴² 

He is too weak!” ⁴³ 

Amos 9:5

9:5 The sovereign Lord who commands armies will do this. ⁴⁴ 

He touches the earth and it dissolves; ⁴⁵ 

all who live on it mourn.

The whole earth ⁴⁶  rises like the River Nile, ⁴⁷ 

and then grows calm ⁴⁸  like the Nile in Egypt. ⁴⁹ 

Amos 4:5

4:5 Burn a thank offering of bread made with yeast! ⁵⁰ 

Make a public display of your voluntary offerings! ⁵¹ 

For you love to do this, you Israelites.”

The sovereign Lord is speaking!

Amos 8:3

8:3 The women singing in the temple ⁵²  will wail in that day.”

The sovereign Lord is speaking.

“There will be many corpses littered everywhere! ⁵³  Be quiet!”

Amos 8:11

8:11 Be certain of this, ⁵⁴  the time is ⁵⁵  coming,” says the sovereign Lord,

“when I will send a famine through the land –

not a shortage of food or water

but an end to divine revelation! ⁵⁶ 

Amos 1:8

1:8 I will remove ⁵⁷  the ruler ⁵⁸  from Ashdod, ⁵⁹ 

the one who holds the royal scepter from Ashkelon. ⁶⁰ 

I will strike Ekron ⁶¹  with my hand; ⁶² 

the rest of the Philistines will also die.” ⁶³ 

The sovereign Lord has spoken!

Amos 9:1

9:1 I saw the sovereign One ⁶⁴  standing by the altar ⁶⁵  and he said, “Strike the tops of the support pillars, ⁶⁶  so the thresholds shake!

Knock them down on the heads of all the people, ⁶⁷ 

and I will kill the survivors ⁶⁸  with the sword.

No one will be able to run away; ⁶⁹ 

no one will be able to escape. ⁷⁰ 

Amos 8:7

8:7 The Lord confirms this oath ⁷¹  by the arrogance of Jacob: ⁷² 

“I swear ⁷³  I will never forget all you have done! ⁷⁴ 

Amos 2:11

2:11 I made some of your sons prophets

and some of your young men Nazirites. ⁷⁵ 

Is this not true, you Israelites?”

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 4:8

4:8 People from ⁷⁶  two or three cities staggered into one city to get ⁷⁷  water,

but remained thirsty. ⁷⁸ 

Still you did not come back to me.”

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 8:12

8:12 People ⁷⁹  will stagger from sea to sea, ⁸⁰ 

and from the north around to the east.

They will wander about looking for a revelation from ⁸¹  the Lord,

but they will not find any. ⁸² 

Amos 1:6

1:6 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Gaza ⁸³  has committed three crimes ⁸⁴  –

make that four! ⁸⁵  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ⁸⁶ 

They deported a whole community ⁸⁷  and sold them ⁸⁸  to Edom.

Amos 1:11

1:11 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Edom has committed three crimes ⁸⁹  –

make that four! ⁹⁰  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ⁹¹ 

He chased his brother ⁹²  with a sword;

he wiped out his allies. ⁹³ 

In his anger he tore them apart without stopping to rest; ⁹⁴ 

in his fury he relentlessly attacked them. ⁹⁵ 

Amos 1:13

1:13 This is what the Lord says:

“Because the Ammonites have committed three crimes ⁹⁶  –

make that four! ⁹⁷  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ⁹⁸ 

They ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women ⁹⁹ 

so they could expand their territory.

Amos 6:14

6:14 “Look! I am about to bring ¹⁰⁰  a nation against you, family ¹⁰¹  of Israel.”

The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking.

“They will oppress ¹⁰²  you all the way from Lebo-Hamath ¹⁰³  to the Stream of the Arabah.” ¹⁰⁴ 

Amos 8:2

8:2 He said, “What do you see, Amos?” I replied, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end ¹⁰⁵  has come for my people Israel! I will no longer overlook their sins. ¹⁰⁶ 

Amos 3:15

3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses. ¹⁰⁷ 

The houses filled with ivory ¹⁰⁸  will be ruined,

the great ¹⁰⁹  houses will be swept away.” ¹¹⁰ 

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 4:12

4:12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel.

Because I will do this to you,

prepare to meet your God, Israel! ¹¹¹ 

Amos 6:10

6:10 When their close relatives, the ones who will burn the corpses, ¹¹²  pick up their bodies to remove the bones from the house, they will say to anyone who is in the inner rooms of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” He will respond, “Be quiet! Don’t invoke the Lord’s name!” ¹¹³ 

Amos 5:4

5:4 The Lord says this to the family ¹¹⁴  of Israel:

“Seek me ¹¹⁵  so you can live!

Amos 7:15

7:15 Then the Lord took me from tending ¹¹⁶  flocks and gave me this commission, ¹¹⁷  ‘Go! Prophesy to my people Israel!’

Amos 1:15

1:15 Ammon’s ¹¹⁸  king will be deported; ¹¹⁹ 

he and his officials ¹²⁰  will be carried off ¹²¹  together.”

The Lord has spoken!

Amos 6:11

6:11 Indeed, look! The Lord is giving the command. ¹²² 

He will smash the large house to bits,

and the small house into little pieces.

Amos 3:1

Every Effect has its Cause

3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against ¹²³  you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up ¹²⁴  from the land of Egypt:

Amos 5:18

The Lord Demands Justice

5:18 Woe ¹²⁵  to those who wish for the day of the Lord!

Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come?

It will bring darkness, not light.

Amos 2:3

2:3 I will remove ¹²⁶  Moab’s leader; ¹²⁷ 

I will kill all Moab’s ¹²⁸  officials ¹²⁹  with him.”

The Lord has spoken!

Amos 5:17

5:17 In all the vineyards there will be wailing,

for I will pass through ¹³⁰  your midst,” says the Lord.

Amos 5:20

5:20 Don’t you realize the Lord’s day of judgment will bring ¹³¹  darkness, not light –

gloomy blackness, not bright light?

Amos 2:16

2:16 Bravehearted ¹³²  warriors will run away naked in that day.”

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 3:6

3:6 If an alarm sounds ¹³³  in a city, do people not fear? ¹³⁴ 

If disaster overtakes a ¹³⁵  city, is the Lord not responsible? ¹³⁶ 

Amos 3:10-11

3:10 “They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.)

“They store up ¹³⁷  the spoils of destructive violence ¹³⁸  in their fortresses.

3:11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land. ¹³⁹ 

He will take away your power; ¹⁴⁰ 

your fortresses will be looted.”

Amos 4:3

4:3 Each of you will go straight through the gaps in the walls; ¹⁴¹ 

you will be thrown out ¹⁴²  toward Harmon.” ¹⁴³ 

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 5:27

5:27 and I will drive you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord.

He is called the God who commands armies!

Amos 7:16

7:16 So now listen to the Lord’s message! You say, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel! Don’t preach ¹⁴⁴  against the family of Isaac!’

Amos 6:8

6:8 The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his very own life. ¹⁴⁵ 

The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking:

“I despise Jacob’s arrogance;

I hate their ¹⁴⁶  fortresses.

I will hand over to their enemies ¹⁴⁷  the city of Samaria ¹⁴⁸  and everything in it.”

Amos 5:6

5:6 Seek the Lord so you can live!

Otherwise he will break out ¹⁴⁹  like fire against Joseph’s ¹⁵⁰  family; ¹⁵¹ 

the fire ¹⁵²  will consume

and no one will be able to quench it and save Bethel. ¹⁵³ 

Amos 5:14-15

5:14 Seek good and not evil so you can live!

Then the Lord, the God who commands armies, just might be with you,

as you claim he is.

5:15 Hate what is wrong, love what is right!

Promote ¹⁵⁴  justice at the city gate! ¹⁵⁵ 

Maybe the Lord, the God who commands armies, will have mercy on ¹⁵⁶  those who are left from ¹⁵⁷  Joseph. ¹⁵⁸ 

Amos 9:15

9:15 I will plant them on their land

and they will never again be uprooted from the ¹⁵⁹  land I have given them,”

says the Lord your God.

Amos 2:4

2:4 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions ¹⁶⁰  –

make that four! ¹⁶¹  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ¹⁶² 

They rejected the Lord’s law; ¹⁶³ 

they did not obey his commands.

Their false gods, ¹⁶⁴ 

to which their fathers were loyal, ¹⁶⁵ 

led them astray.

Amos 4:13

4:13 For here he is!

He ¹⁶⁶  formed the mountains and created the wind.

He reveals ¹⁶⁷  his plans ¹⁶⁸  to men.

He turns the dawn into darkness ¹⁶⁹ 

and marches on the heights of the earth.

The Lord, the God who commands armies, ¹⁷⁰  is his name!”

Amos 1:2-3

God Will Judge the Surrounding Nations

1:2 Amos ¹⁷¹  said:

“The Lord comes roaring ¹⁷²  out of Zion;

from Jerusalem ¹⁷³  he comes bellowing! ¹⁷⁴ 

The shepherds’ pastures wilt; ¹⁷⁵ 

the summit of Carmel ¹⁷⁶  withers.” ¹⁷⁷ 

1:3 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Damascus has committed three crimes ¹⁷⁸  –

make that four! ¹⁷⁹  – I will not revoke my

decree of judgment. ¹⁸⁰ 

They ripped through Gilead like threshing sledges with iron teeth. ¹⁸¹ 

Amos 2:1

2:1 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Moab has committed three crimes ¹⁸²  –

make that four! ¹⁸³  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ¹⁸⁴ 

They burned the bones of Edom’s king into lime. ¹⁸⁵ 

Amos 9:12

9:12 As a result they ¹⁸⁶  will conquer those left in Edom ¹⁸⁷ 

and all the nations subject to my rule.” ¹⁸⁸ 

The Lord, who is about to do this, is speaking!

Amos 9:6

9:6 He builds the upper rooms of his palace ¹⁸⁹  in heaven

and sets its foundation supports ¹⁹⁰  on the earth. ¹⁹¹ 

He summons the water of the sea

and pours it out on the earth’s surface.

The Lord is his name.

Amos 7:17

7:17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:

‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the streets ¹⁹² 

and your sons and daughters will die violently. ¹⁹³ 

Your land will be given to others ¹⁹⁴ 

and you will die in a foreign ¹⁹⁵  land.

Israel will certainly be carried into exile ¹⁹⁶  away from its land.’”

Amos 4:6

4:6 “But surely I gave ¹⁹⁷  you no food to eat in any of your cities;

you lacked food everywhere you live. ¹⁹⁸ 

Still you did not come back to me.”

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 1:9

1:9 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Tyre has committed three crimes ¹⁹⁹  –

make that four! ²⁰⁰  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ²⁰¹ 

They sold ²⁰²  a whole community ²⁰³  to Edom;

they failed to observe ²⁰⁴  a treaty of brotherhood. ²⁰⁵ 

Amos 2:6

God Will Judge Israel

2:6 This is what the Lord says:

“Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions ²⁰⁶  –

make that four! ²⁰⁷  – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. ²⁰⁸ 

They sold the innocent ²⁰⁹  for silver,

the needy for a pair of sandals. ²¹⁰ 

Amos 5:8

5:8 (But there is one who made the constellations Pleiades and Orion;

he can turn the darkness into morning

and daylight ²¹¹  into night.

He summons the water of the seas

and pours it out on the earth’s surface.

The Lord is his name!

Amos 9:7

9:7 “You Israelites are just like the Ethiopians in my sight,” ²¹²  says the Lord.

“Certainly I brought Israel up from the land of Egypt,

but I also brought the Philistines from Caphtor ²¹³  and the Arameans from Kir. ²¹⁴ 

Amos 5:21

5:21 “I absolutely despise ²¹⁵  your festivals!

I get no pleasure ²¹⁶  from your religious assemblies!

Amos 8:13

8:13 In that day your ²¹⁷  beautiful young women ²¹⁸  and your ²¹⁹  young men will faint from thirst. ²²⁰ 

Amos 1:5

1:5 I will break the bar ²²¹  on the gate of Damascus.

I will remove ²²²  the ruler ²²³  from Wicked Valley, ²²⁴ 

the one who holds the royal scepter from Beth Eden. ²²⁵ 

The people of Aram will be deported to Kir.” ²²⁶ 

The Lord has spoken!

Amos 3:12

3:12 This is what the Lord says:

“Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear,

so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be salvaged. ²²⁷ 

They will be left with just a corner of a bed, ²²⁸ 

and a part ²²⁹  of a couch.”

Amos 4:9

4:9 “I destroyed your crops ²³⁰  with blight and disease.

Locusts kept ²³¹  devouring your orchards, ²³²  vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees.

Still you did not come back to me.”

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 4:11

4:11 “I overthrew some of you the way God ²³³  overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. ²³⁴ 

You were like a burning stick ²³⁵  snatched from the flames.

Still you did not come back to me.”

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 9:13

9:13 “Be sure of this, ²³⁶  the time is ²³⁷  coming,” says the Lord,

“when the plowman will catch up to the reaper ²³⁸ 

and the one who stomps the grapes ²³⁹  will overtake ²⁴⁰  the planter. ²⁴¹ 

Juice will run down the slopes, ²⁴² 

it will flow down all the hillsides. ²⁴³ 

Amos 4:10

4:10 “I sent against you a plague like one of the Egyptian plagues. ²⁴⁴ 

I killed your young men with the sword,

along with the horses you had captured.

I made the stench from the corpses ²⁴⁵  rise up into your nostrils.

Still you did not come back to me.”

The Lord is speaking!

Amos 4:4

Israel has an Appointment with God

4:4 “Go to Bethel ²⁴⁶  and rebel! ²⁴⁷ 

At Gilgal ²⁴⁸  rebel some more!

Bring your sacrifices in ²⁴⁹  the morning,

your tithes on ²⁵⁰  the third day!

Amos 5:25

5:25 You did not bring me ²⁵¹  sacrifices and grain offerings during the forty years you spent in the wilderness, family ²⁵²  of Israel.

Amos 9:11

The Restoration of the Davidic Dynasty

9:11 “In that day I will rebuild the collapsing hut ²⁵³  of David.

I will seal its ²⁵⁴  gaps,

repair its ²⁵⁵  ruins,

and restore it to what it was like in days gone by. ²⁵⁶ 

[7:4]  ¹ tn Heb “behold” or “look.”

[7:4]  ² tc The Hebrew appears to read, “summoning to contend with fire,” or “summoning fire to contend,” but both are problematic syntactically (H. W. Wolff, Joel and Amos [Hermeneia], 292; S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 230-31). Many emend the text to לרבב אשׁ, “(calling) for a shower of fire,” though this interpretation is also problematic (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Amos [AB], 746-47).

[5:16]  ³ tn Heb “Therefore.” This logical connector relates back to the accusation of vv. 10-13, not to the parenthetical call to repentance in vv. 14-15. To indicate this clearly, the phrase “Because of Israel’s sins” is used in the translation.

[5:16]  ⁴ tn Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[5:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “they will say, ‘Ah! Ah!’” The Hebrew term הוֹ (ho, “ah, woe”) is an alternate form of הוֹי (hoy), a word used to mourn the dead and express outwardly one’s sorrow. See 1 Kgs 13:30; Jer 22:18; 34:5. This wordplay follows quickly, as v. 18 begins with הוֹי (“woe”).

[5:16]  ⁶ tn Or “farmers” (NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[5:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “those who know lamentation.”

[5:16]  sn Professional mourners are referred to elsewhere in the OT (2 Chr 35:25; Jer 9:17) and ancient Near Eastern literature. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 180.

[7:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “behold” or “look.”

[7:7]  ⁹ tn Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here and in the following verse is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[7:7]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew word אֲנָךְ (’anakh, “tin”) occurs only in this passage (twice in this verse and twice in the following verse). (Its proposed meaning is based on an Akkadian cognate annaku.) The tin wall of the vision, if it symbolizes Israel, may suggest weakness and vulnerability to judgment. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 233-35. The symbolic significance of God holding tin in his hand and then placing tin among the people is unclear. Possibly the term אֲנָךְ in v. 8b is a homonym meaning “grief” (this term is attested in postbiblical Hebrew). In this case there is a wordplay, the אֲנָךְ (“tin”) of the vision suggesting the אֲנָךְ (“grief”) that judgment will bring upon the land. See F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Amos (AB), 759. Another option is to maintain the meaning “tin” and understand that the Lord has ripped off a piece of the tin wall and placed it in front of all to see. Their citadels, of which the nation was so proud and confident, are nothing more than tin fortresses. The traditional interpretation of these verses (reflected in many English versions) understands the term אֲנָךְ to mean “lead,” and by extension, “plumb line.” In this case, one may translate: “I saw the sovereign one standing by a wall built true to plumb holding a plumb line in his hand. The Lord said to me, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ I said, ‘A plumb line.’ The sovereign one then said, ‘Look, I am about to place a plumb line among my people…’” According to this view, the plumb line symbolizes God’s moral standards by which he will measure Israel to see if they are a straight or crooked wall.

[7:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “behold” or “look.”

[7:1]  ¹² sn The crops planted late (consisting of vegetables) were planted in late January-early March and sprouted in conjunction with the spring rains of March-April. For a discussion of the ancient Israelite agricultural calendar, see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 31-44.

[7:1]  ¹³ tn Or “the mowings of the king.”

[7:1]  sn This royal harvest may refer to an initial mowing of crops collected as taxes by the royal authorities.

[7:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “And I will no longer pass over him.”

[7:6]  ¹⁵ tn Or “changed his mind about this.”

[3:13]  ¹⁶ tn Or “testify against.”

[3:13]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “house.”

[3:13]  ¹⁸ tn These words are spoken to either the unidentified heralds addressed at the beginning of v. 9, or to the Egyptians and Philistines (see v. 9b). Another possibility is that one is not to look for a specific addressee but rather appreciate the command simply as a rhetorical device to grab the attention of the listeners and readers of the prophetic message.

[3:13]  ¹⁹ tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”

[7:3]  ²⁰ tn Or “changed his mind about this.”

[8:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “behold” or “look.”

[8:1]  ²² sn The basket of summer fruit (also in the following verse) probably refers to figs from the summer crop, which ripens in August-September. See O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 115.

[3:8]  ²³ sn The roar of the lion is here a metaphor for impending judgment (see 1:2; cf. 3:4, 12). Verses 7-8 justify Amos’ prophetic ministry and message of warning and judgment. The people should expect a prophetic message prior to divine action.

[3:8]  ²⁴ sn Who can refuse to prophesy? When a message is revealed, the prophet must speak, and the news of impending judgment should cause people to fear.

[7:5]  ²⁵ tn Heb “stand.”

[7:5]  ²⁶ tn Heb “small.”

[8:9]  ²⁷ tn Heb “in a day of light.”

[9:8]  ²⁸ tn Heb “the eyes of the sovereign Lord are on.”

[9:8]  ²⁹ tn Or “kingdom.”

[9:8]  ³⁰ tn Heb “house” (also in the following verse).

[4:2]  ³¹ tn Heb “swears by his holiness.”

[4:2]  sn The message that follows is an unconditional oath, the fulfillment of which is just as certain as the Lord’s own holy character.

[4:2]  ³² tn Heb “Look, certainly days are coming upon you”; NRSV “the time is surely coming upon you.”

[4:2]  ³³ tn Heb “one will carry you away”; NASB “they will take you away.”

[4:2]  ³⁴ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word translated “baskets” is uncertain. The translation follows the suggestion of S. M. Paul (Amos [Hermeneia], 128), who discusses the various options (130-32): “shields” (cf. NEB); “ropes”; “thorns,” which leads to the most favored interpretation, “hooks” (cf. NASB “meat hooks”; NIV, NRSV “hooks”); “baskets,” and (derived from “baskets”) “boats.” Against the latter, it is unlikely that Amos envisioned a deportation by boat for the inhabitants of Samaria! See also the note on the expression “fishermen’s pots” later in this verse.

[4:2]  ³⁵ tn Or “your children”; KJV “your posterity.”

[4:2]  ³⁶ tn The meaning of the Hebrew expression translated “in fishermen’s pots” is uncertain. The translation follows that of S. M. Paul (Amos [Hermeneia], 128), who discusses the various options (132-33): “thorns,” understood by most modern interpreters to mean (by extension) “fishhooks” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV); “boats,” but as mentioned in the previous note on the word “baskets,” a deportation of the Samaritans by boat is geographically unlikely; and “pots,” referring to a container used for packing fish (cf. NEB “fish-baskets”). Paul (p. 134) argues that the imagery comes from the ancient fishing industry. When hauled away into exile, the women of Samaria will be like fish packed and transported to market.

[4:2]  sn The imagery of catching fish in connection with the captivity of Israel is also found in Jer 16:16 and Hab 1:14.

[5:3]  ³⁷ tn The word “soldiers” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:3]  ³⁸ tn Heb “The one.” The word “town” has been used in the translation in keeping with the relative sizes of the armed contingents sent out by each. It is also possible that this line is speaking of the same city of the previous line. In other words, the contingent sent by that one city would have suffered a ninety-nine percent casualty loss.

[5:3]  ³⁹ tn The word “soldiers” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:3]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “for/to the house of Israel.” The translation assumes that this is a graphic picture of what is left over for the defense of the nation (NEB, NJB, NASB, NKJV). Others suggest that this phrase completes the introductory formula (“The sovereign Lord says this…”; see v. 4a; NJPS). Another option is that the preposition has a vocative force, “O house of Israel” (F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Amos [AB], 476). Some simply delete the phrase as dittography from the following line (NIV).

[7:2]  ⁴¹ tn “Israel” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[7:2]  ⁴² tn Heb “stand” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).

[7:2]  ⁴³ tn Heb “small.”

[9:5]  ⁴⁴ tn The words “will do this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[9:5]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “melts.” The verb probably depicts earthquakes and landslides. See v. 5b.

[9:5]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “all of it.”

[9:5]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “the Nile.” The word “River” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:5]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “sinks back down.”

[9:5]  ⁴⁹ sn See Amos 8:8, which is very similar to this verse.

[4:5]  ⁵⁰ sn For the background of the thank offering of bread made with yeast, see Lev 7:13.

[4:5]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “proclaim voluntary offerings, announce.”

[8:3]  ⁵² tn Or “palace” (NASB, NCV, TEV).

[8:3]  ⁵³ tn Heb “Many corpses in every place he will throw out.” The subject of the verb is probably impersonal, though many emend the active (Hiphil) form to a passive (Hophal): “Many corpses in every place will be thrown out.”

[8:11]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “behold” or “look.”

[8:11]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “the days are.”

[8:11]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “not a hunger for food or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of the Lord.”

[1:8]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “cut off.”

[1:8]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “the one who sits.” Some translations take this expression as a collective singular referring to the inhabitants rather than the ruler (e.g., NAB, NRSV, NLT).

[1:8]  ⁵⁹ sn Ashdod was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashkelon, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath).

[1:8]  ⁶⁰ sn Ashkelon was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath).

[1:8]  ⁶¹ sn Ekron was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Gath).

[1:8]  ⁶² tn Heb “I will turn my hand against Ekron.” For other uses of the idiom, “turn the hand against,” see Ps 81:14; Isa 1:25; Jer 6:9; Zech 13:7.

[1:8]  ⁶³ tn Heb “and the remnant of the Philistines will perish.” The translation above assumes that reference is made to other Philistines beside those living in the cities mentioned. Another option is to translate, “Every last Philistine will die.”

[9:1]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[9:1]  ⁶⁵ sn The altar is perhaps the altar at Bethel.

[9:1]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “the capitals.” The Hebrew singular form is collective.

[9:1]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “cut them off on the head of all of them.” The translation assumes the objective suffix on the verb refers to the tops of the pillars and that the following prepositional phrase refers to the people standing beneath. Another option is to take this phrase as referring to the pillars, in which case one could translate, “Knock all the tops of the pillars off.”

[9:1]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “the remnant of them.” One could possibly translate, “every last one of them” (cf. NEB “to the last man”). This probably refers to those who survive the collapse of the temple, which may symbolize the northern kingdom.

[9:1]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “a fugitive belonging to them will not run away.”

[9:1]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “a survivor belonging to them will not escape.”

[8:7]  ⁷¹ tn Or “swears.”

[8:7]  ⁷² sn In an oath one appeals to something permanent to emphasize one’s commitment to the promise. Here the Lord sarcastically swears by the arrogance of Jacob, which he earlier had condemned (6:8), something just as enduring as the Lord’s own life (see 6:8) or unchanging character (see 4:2). Other suggestions include that the Lord is swearing by the land, his most valuable possession (cf. Isa 4:2; Ps 47:4 [47:5 HT]); that this is a divine epithet analogous to “the Glory of Israel” (1 Sam 15:29); or that an ellipsis should be understood here, in which case the meaning is the same as that of 6:8 (“The Lord has sworn [by himself] against the arrogance of Jacob”).

[8:7]  ⁷³ tn The words “I swear” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation because a self-imprecation is assumed in oaths of this type.

[8:7]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “I will never forget all your deeds.”

[2:11]  ⁷⁵ tn Or perhaps “religious devotees” (also in the following verse). The Hebrew term נָזִיר (nazir) refers to one who “consecrated” or “devoted” to God (see Num 6:1-21).

[4:8]  ⁷⁶ tn The words “people from” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[4:8]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “to drink.”

[4:8]  ⁷⁸ tn Or “were not satisfied.”

[8:12]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:12]  ⁸⁰ tn That is, from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east – that is, across the whole land.

[8:12]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “looking for the word of.”

[8:12]  ⁸² tn It is not clear whether the speaker in this verse is the Lord or the prophet.

[1:6]  ⁸³ sn Gaza was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, and Gath). It was considered to mark the southern limit of Canaan at the point on the coast where it was located (Gen 10:19).

[1:6]  ⁸⁴ tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.

[1:6]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “Because of three violations of Gaza, even because of four.”

[1:6]  sn On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3.

[1:6]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.

[1:6]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “[group of] exiles.” A number of English translations take this as a collective singular and translate it with a plural (e.g., NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[1:6]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “in order to hand them over.”

[1:11]  ⁸⁹ tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.

[1:11]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “Because of three violations of Edom, even because of four.”

[1:11]  sn On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3.

[1:11]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.

[1:11]  ⁹² sn It is likely that “brother” refers here to a treaty partner (see the note on the word “brotherhood” in 1:9). However, it is possible, if Israel is in view, that Edom’s ancient blood relationship to God’s people is alluded to here. Cf. NCV, NLT “their relatives, the Israelites.”

[1:11]  ⁹³ tn Or “He stifled his compassion.” The Hebrew term רָחֲמָיו (rakhamayv) is better understood here (parallel to “brother/treaty partner”) as a reference to “allies” which Edom betrayed. An Aramaic cognate is attested (see DNWSI 2:1069-70). See M. Fishbane, “The Treaty Background of Amos 1:11 and Related Matters,” JBL 89 (1970): 313-18; idem, “Critical Note: Additional Remarks on rh£myw (Amos 1:11),” JBL 91 (1972): 391-93; and M. Barré, “Amos 1:11 reconsidered,” CBQ 47 (1985) 420-27. Some argue that the clause is best translated as “and destroyed his womenfolk.” רַחַם (rakham) means “womb”; the plural here would be a metonymy for “women” and could establish a parallel with the atrocity of 1:13. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 64-65.

[1:11]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “his anger tore continually.” The Hebrew verb טָרַף (taraf, “tear apart”) is often used of an animal tearing apart its prey. The word picture here is that of a vicious predator’s feeding frenzy.

[1:11]  ⁹⁵ tn Traditionally, “he kept his fury continually.” The Hebrew term שְׁמָרָה (shÿmarah) could be taken as a Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix (with mappiq omitted), “he kept it” (NASB, NKJV, NRSV). It is also possible in light of the parallelism that שָׁמַר (shamar) is a rare homonym cognate to an Akkadian verb meaning “to rage; to be furious.” Repointing the verb as שָׁמְרָה (shamÿrah, third person feminine singular), one could translate literally, “his fury raged continually” (NIV, NJPS).

[1:13]  ⁹⁶ tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.

[1:13]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “Because of three violations of the Ammonites, even because of four.”
On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3.

[1:13]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.

[1:13]  ⁹⁹ sn The Ammonites ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women in conjunction with a military invasion designed to expand their territory. Such atrocities, although repugnant, were not uncommon in ancient Near Eastern warfare.

[6:14]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Or “raise up” (KJV, NASB); NIV “stir up.”

[6:14]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “house.”

[6:14]  ¹⁰² sn Once again there is irony in the divine judgment. The oppressive nation itself will suffer oppression. The verb “oppress” (לָחַץ, lakhats) in this verse is not the same as that used in 4:1 (עָשַׁק, ’ashaq).

[6:14]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “from the entrance to Hamath.” The Hebrew term לְבוֹא (lÿvo’) can either be translated or considered a part of the place name.

[6:14]  ¹⁰⁴ sn Lebo-Hamath refers to the northern border of Israel, the Stream of the Arabah to its southern border. See 2 Kgs 14:25. Through this invader the Lord would reverse the victories and territorial expansion Israel experienced during the reign of Jeroboam II.

[8:2]  ¹⁰⁵ tn There is a wordplay here. The Hebrew word קֵץ (qets, “end”) sounds like קָיִץ (qayits, “summer fruit”). The summer fruit arrived toward the end of Israel’s agricultural year; Israel’s national existence was similarly at an end.

[8:2]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “I will no longer pass over him.”

[3:15]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “the winter house along with the summer house.”

[3:15]  sn Like kings, many in Israel’s wealthy class owned both winter and summer houses (cf. 1 Kgs 21:1,18; Jer 36:22). For a discussion of archaeological evidence relating to these structures, see P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 64-65.

[3:15]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “houses of ivory.” These houses were not made of ivory, but they had ivory panels and furniture decorated with ivory inlays. See P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 139-48.

[3:15]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Or “many,” cf. NAB “their many rooms.”

[3:15]  ¹¹⁰ tn The translation assumes the form is from the Hebrew verb סָפָה (safah, “to sweep away”) rather than סוּף (suf, “to come to an end”), which is the choice of most versions. Either option effectively communicates the destruction of the structures.

[4:12]  ¹¹¹ tn The Lord appears to announce a culminating judgment resulting from Israel’s obstinate refusal to repent. The following verse describes the Lord in his role as sovereign judge, but it does not outline the judgment per se. For this reason F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman (Amos [AB], 450) take the prefixed verbal forms as preterites referring to the series of judgments detailed in vv. 6-11. It is more likely that a coming judgment is in view, but that its details are omitted for rhetorical effect, creating a degree of suspense (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 149-50) that will find its solution in chapter 5. This line is an ironic conclusion to the section begun at 4:4. Israel thought they were meeting the Lord at the sanctuaries, yet they actually had misunderstood how he had been trying to bring them back to himself. Now Israel would truly meet the Lord – not at the sanctuaries, but face-to-face in judgment.

[6:10]  ¹¹² tn The translation assumes that “their relatives” and “the ones who will burn the corpses” are in apposition. Another option is to take them as distinct individuals, in which case one could translate, “When their close relatives and the ones who will burn the corpses pick up…” The meaning of the form translated “the ones who burn the corpses” is uncertain. Another option is to translate, “the ones who prepare the corpses for burial” (NASB “undertaker”; cf. also CEV). See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 215-16.

[6:10]  ¹¹³ tn This verse is notoriously difficult to interpret. The Hebrew text literally reads, “And he will lift him up, his uncle, and the one burning him, to bring out bones from the house. And he will say to the one who is in the inner parts of the house, ‘Is there [anyone] still with you?’ And he will say, ‘Be quiet for not to invoke the name of the Lord.’” The translation assumes that the singular pronominal and verbal forms throughout the verse are collective or distributive. This last sentence has been interpreted in several ways: a command not to call on the name of the Lord out of fear that he might return again in judgment; the realization that it is not appropriate to seek a blessing in the Lord’s name upon the dead in the house since the judgment was deserved; an angry refusal to call on the Lord out of a sense that he has betrayed his people in allowing them to suffer.

[5:4]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “house.”

[5:4]  ¹¹⁵ sn The following verses explain what it meant to seek the Lord. Israel was to abandon the mere formalism and distorted view of God and reality that characterized religious activity at the worship sites, as well as the social injustice that permeated Israelite society. Instead the people were to repent and promote justice in the land. This call to seek the Lord echoes the challenge in 4:13 to prepare to meet him as he truly is.

[7:15]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “from [following] after.”

[7:15]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “and the Lord said to me.”

[1:15]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “their”; the referent (Ammon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:15]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “will go into exile.”

[1:15]  ¹²⁰ tn Or “princes” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT); TEV “officers”; CEV “leaders.”

[1:15]  ¹²¹ tn The words “will be carried off” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[6:11]  ¹²² tn Or “is issuing the decree.”

[3:1]  ¹²³ tn Or “about.”

[3:1]  ¹²⁴ tn One might expect a third person verb form (“he brought up”), since the Lord apparently refers to himself in the third person in the preceding sentence. This first person form, however, serves to connect this message to the earlier indictment (2:10) and anticipates the words of the following verse.

[5:18]  ¹²⁵ tn The term הוֹי (hoy, “woe”) was used when mourning the dead (see the note on the word “dead” in 5:16). The prophet here either engages in role playing and mourns the death of the nation in advance or sarcastically taunts those who hold to this misplaced belief.

[2:3]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “cut off” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB “root out”; NCV “bring to an end.”

[2:3]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “the leader [traditionally, “judge”] from her midst.”

[2:3]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Moab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:3]  ¹²⁹ tn Or “princes” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT); TEV, CEV “leaders.”

[5:17]  ¹³⁰ sn The expression pass through your midst alludes to Exod 12:12, where the Lord announced he would “pass through” Egypt and bring death to the Egyptian firstborn.

[5:20]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “Will not the day of the Lord be.”

[2:16]  ¹³² tn Or “the most stouthearted” (NAB); NRSV “those who are stout of heart.”

[3:6]  ¹³³ tn Heb “If the ram’s horn is blown.”

[3:6]  ¹³⁴ tn Or “tremble” (NASB, NIV, NCV); or “shake.”

[3:6]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “is in”; NIV, NCV, NLT “comes to.”

[3:6]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “has the Lord not acted?”

[3:10]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “those who.”

[3:10]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “violence and destruction.” The expression “violence and destruction” stand metonymically for the goods the oppressors have accumulated by their unjust actions.

[3:11]  ¹³⁹ tc The MT reads “an enemy and around the land.” It is also possible to take the MT as an exclamation (“an enemy, and all about the land!”; see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 118; NJPS; cf. NLT).Most scholars and versions emend the text to יְסוֹבֵב (yÿsovev, Polel imperfect), “will encircle.”

[3:11]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “He will bring down your power from you.” Some emend the text to read “Your power will be brought down from you.” The shift, however, from an active to a passive sense also appears at 3:14 (“I will destroy Bethel’s altars. The horns of the altar will be cut off.”) The pronouns (“your…you”) are feminine singular, indicating that the personified city of Samaria is addressed here. Samaria’s “power” here is her defenses and/or wealth.

[4:3]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “and [through the] breaches you will go out, each straight ahead.”

[4:3]  ¹⁴² tn The Hiphil verb form has no object. It may be intransitive (F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Amos [AB], 425), though many emend it to a Hophal.

[4:3]  ¹⁴³ tn The meaning of this word is unclear. Many understand it as a place name, though such a location is not known. Some (e.g., H. W. Wolff, Joel and Amos [Hermeneia[, 204) emend to “Hermon” or to similarly written words, such as “the dung heap” (NEB, NJPS), “the garbage dump” (NCV), or “the fortress” (cf. NLT “your fortresses”).

[7:16]  ¹⁴⁴ tn The verb, which literally means “to drip,” appears to be a synonym of “to prophesy,” but it might carry a derogatory tone here, perhaps alluding to the impassioned, frenzied way in which prophets sometimes delivered their messages. If so, one could translate, “to drivel; to foam at the mouth” (see HALOT 694 s.v. נטף).

[6:8]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “swears by his life”; or “swears by himself.”

[6:8]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “his,” referring to Jacob, which stands here for the nation of Israel.

[6:8]  ¹⁴⁷ tn The words “to their enemies” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[6:8]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “the city”; this probably refers to the city of Samaria (cf. 6:1), which in turn, by metonymy, represents the entire northern kingdom.

[5:6]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “rush.” The verb depicts swift movement.

[5:6]  ¹⁵⁰ sn Here Joseph (= Ephraim and Manasseh), as the most prominent of the Israelite tribes, represents the entire northern kingdom.

[5:6]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “house.”

[5:6]  ¹⁵² tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:6]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “to/for Bethel.” The translation assumes that the preposition indicates advantage, “on behalf of.” Another option is to take the preposition as vocative, “O Bethel.”

[5:15]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “set up, establish.” In the ancient Near East it was the responsibility especially of the king to establish justice. Here the prophet extends that demand to local leaders and to the nation as a whole (cf. 5:24).

[5:15]  ¹⁵⁵ sn Legal disputes were resolved in the city gate (see the note in v. 12). This repetition of this phrase serves to highlight a deliberate contrast to the injustices cited in vv. 11-13.

[5:15]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Or “will show favor to.”

[5:15]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Or “the remnant of” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “what’s left of your people.”

[5:15]  ¹⁵⁸ sn Joseph (= Ephraim and Manasseh), as the most prominent of the Israelite tribes, represents the entire northern kingdom.

[9:15]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “their.” The pronoun was replaced by the English definite article in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:4]  ¹⁶⁰ tn This is the same Hebrew term that is translated “crimes” in the previous oracles (see at 1:3). The change to “covenant transgressions” reflects the probability that the prophet is condemning the nation of Israel for violating stipulations of the Mosaic Law.

[2:4]  ¹⁶¹ tn Heb “Because of three violations of Judah, even because of four.”

[2:4]  sn On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3.

[2:4]  ¹⁶² tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.

[2:4]  ¹⁶³ tn Or “instruction”; NCV “teachings.”

[2:4]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “lies.” This may very well be a derogatory term for idols (perhaps also at Ps. 40:4 [Heb 40:5]). Elsewhere false gods are called “vanities” (Deut 32:21; 1 Kgs 16:13, 26) and a delusion (Isa 66:3). In no other prophetic passages, however, are they called “lies.” The term could refer to the deceptions of false prophets (note Ezek 13:6-9; cf. Hab 2:3). See F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Amos (AB), 301-6.

[2:4]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “after which their fathers walked.” The expression “to walk after” is an idiom meaning “to be loyal to.” See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 75-76.

[2:4]  sn Here the idolatry of the parents carried over to the children, who persisted in worshiping the idols to which their fathers were loyal.

[4:13]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “For look, the one who.” This verse is considered to be the first hymnic passage in the book. The others appear at 5:8-9 and 9:5-6. Scholars debate whether these verses were originally part of a single hymn or three distinct pieces deliberately placed in each context for particular effect.

[4:13]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Or “declares” (NAB, NASB).

[4:13]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Or “his thoughts.” The translation assumes that the pronominal suffix refers to God and that divine self-revelation is in view (see 3:7). If the suffix refers to the following term אָדַם (’adam, “men”), then the expression refers to God’s ability to read men’s minds.

[4:13]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “he who makes dawn, darkness.” The meaning of the statement is unclear. The present translation assumes that allusion is made to God’s approaching judgment, when the light of day will be turned to darkness (see 5:20). Other options include: (1) “He makes the dawn [and] the darkness.” A few Hebrew mss, as well as the LXX, add the conjunction (“and”) between the two nouns. (2) “He turns darkness into glimmering dawn” (NJPS). See S. M. Paul (Amos [Hermeneia], 154), who takes שָׁחַר (shakhar) as “blackness” rather than “dawn” and עֵיפָה (’efah) as “glimmering dawn” rather than “darkness.”

[4:13]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Traditionally, “God of hosts.”

[1:2]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “he;” the referent (Amos) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:2]  ¹⁷² sn The Lord, in his role of warrior-king, is compared to a lion. See 3:4, 8.

[1:2]  ¹⁷³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:2]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “gives his voice.”

[1:2]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Lexicographers debate whether there are two roots אָבַל (’aval), one signifying “mourn” and the other “be dry,” or simply one (“mourn”). The parallel verb (“withers”) might favor the first option and have the meaning “wilt away.” It is interesting to note, however, that the root appears later in the book in the context of lament (5:16; 8:8, 10; 9:5). Either 1:2 is a possible wordplay to alert the reader to the death that will accompany the judgment (the option of two roots), or perhaps the translation “mourns” is appropriate here as well (cf. KJV, NASB, NKJV, NJPS; see also D. J. A. Clines, “Was There an ’BL II ‘Be Dry’ in Classical Hebrew?” VT 42 [1992]: 1-10).

[1:2]  ¹⁷⁶ sn Carmel was a region known for its abundant plants and trees. See Isa 33:9; 35:2; Jer 50:19.

[1:2]  ¹⁷⁷ sn Loss of a land’s fertility is frequently associated with judgment in the OT and ancient Near Eastern literature.

[1:3]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Traditionally, “transgressions” or “sins.” The word refers to rebellion against authority and is used in the international political realm (see 1 Kgs 12:19; 2 Kgs 1:1; 3:5, 7; 8:22). There is debate over its significance in this context. Some relate the “rebellion” of the foreign nations to God’s mandate to Noah (Gen 9:5-7). This mandate is viewed as a treaty between God and humankind, whereby God holds humans accountable to populate the earth and respect his image as it is revealed in all people. While this option is a possible theological explanation of the message in light of the Old Testament as a whole, nothing in these oracles alludes to that Genesis passage. J. Barton suggests that the prophet is appealing to a common morality shared across the ancient Near East regarding the conduct of war since all of the oracles can be related to activities and atrocities committed in warfare (Amos’s Oracles against the Nations [SOTSMS], 39-61). The “transgression” then would be a violation of what all cultures would take as fundamental human decency. Some argue that the nations cited in Amos 1-2 had been members of the Davidic empire. Their crime would consist of violating the mutual agreements that all should have exhibited toward one another (cf. M. E. Polley, Amos and the Davidic Empire). This interpretation is connected to the notion that Amos envisions a reconstituted Davidic empire for Israel and the world (9:11-15). Ultimately, we can only speculate what lay behind Amos’ thinking. He does not specify the theological foundation of his universal moral vision, but it is clear that Amos believes that all nations are responsible before the Lord for their cruelty toward other human beings. He also assumes that even those who did not know his God would recognize their inhumane treatment of others as inherently wrong. The translation “crimes” is general enough to communicate that a standard (whether human or divine) has been breached. For a survey of the possible historical events behind each oracle, see S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia).

[1:3]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “Because of three violations of Damascus, even because of four.”

[1:3]  sn The three…four style introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2. Based on the use of a similar formula in wisdom literature (see Prov 30:18-19, 29-31), one expects to find in each case a list of four specific violations. However, only in the eighth oracle (against Israel) does one find the expected fourfold list. Through this adaptation and alteration of the normal pattern the Lord indicates that his focus is Israel (he is too bent on judging Israel to dwell very long on her neighbors) and he emphasizes Israel’s guilt with respect to the other nations. (Israel’s list fills up before the others’ lists do.) See R. B. Chisholm, “For Three Sins…Even for Four: The Numerical Sayings in Amos,” BSac 147 (1990): 188-97.

[1:3]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The pronominal object (1) refers to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 46-47. Another option (2) is to understand the suffix as referring to the particular nation mentioned in the oracle and to translate, “I will not take him [i.e., that particular nation] back.” In this case the Lord makes it clear that he does not intend to resume treaty relations with the nation in view. See M. L. Barré, “The Meaning of lá ásŒybnw in Amos 1:3-2:6,” JBL 105 (1986): 622.

[1:3]  ¹⁸¹ tn Heb “they threshed [or “trampled down”] Gilead with sharp iron implements” (NASB similar).

[1:3]  sn Like threshing sledges with iron teeth. A threshing sledge was made of wooden boards embedded with sharp stones or iron teeth. As the sledge was pulled over the threshing floor the stones or iron teeth would separate the grain from the stalks. See O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 64-65. Here the threshing metaphor is used to emphasize how violently and inhumanely the Arameans (the people of Damascus) had treated the people of Gilead (located east of the Jordan River).

[2:1]  ¹⁸² tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.

[2:1]  ¹⁸³ tn Heb “Because of three violations of Moab, even because of four.”

[2:1]  sn On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3.

[2:1]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.

[2:1]  ¹⁸⁵ sn The Moabites apparently desecrated the tomb of an Edomite king and burned his bones into a calcined substance which they then used as plaster (cf. Deut 27:2, 4). See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 72. Receiving a proper burial was very important in this culture. Desecrating a tomb or a deceased individual’s bones was considered an especially heinous act.

[9:12]  ¹⁸⁶ sn They probably refers to the Israelites or to the Davidic rulers of the future.

[9:12]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Heb “take possession of the remnant of Edom”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “possess the remnant of Edom.”

[9:12]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Heb “nations over whom my name is proclaimed.” The Hebrew idiom indicates ownership, sometimes as a result of conquest. See 2 Sam 12:28.

[9:12]  sn This verse envisions a new era of Israelite rule, perhaps patterned after David’s imperialistic successes (see 2 Sam 8-10). At the same time, however, the verse does not specify how this rule is to be accomplished. Note that the book ends with a description of peace and abundance, and its final reference to God (v. 15) does not include the epithet “the Lord who commands armies,” which has militaristic overtones. This is quite a different scene than what the book began with: nations at war and standing under the judgment of God.

[9:6]  ¹⁸⁹ tc The MT reads “his steps.” If this is correct, then the reference may be to the steps leading up to the heavenly temple or the throne of God (cf. 1 Kgs 10:19-20). The prefixed מ (mem) may be dittographic (note the preceding word ends in mem). The translation assumes an emendation to עֲלִיָּתוֹ (’aliyyato, “his upper rooms”).

[9:6]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Traditionally, “vault” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV). The precise meaning of this word in this context is unclear. Elsewhere it refers to objects grouped or held together. F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman (Amos [AB], 845-46) suggest the foundational structure of a building is in view.

[9:6]  ¹⁹¹ sn Verse 6a pictures the entire universe as a divine palace founded on the earth and extending into the heavens.

[7:17]  ¹⁹² tn Heb “in the city,” that is, “in public.”

[7:17]  ¹⁹³ tn Heb “will fall by the sword.”

[7:17]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Heb “will be divided up with a [surveyor’s] measuring line.”

[7:17]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “[an] unclean”; or “[an] impure.” This fate would be especially humiliating for a priest, who was to distinguish between the ritually clean and unclean (see Lev 10:10).

[7:17]  ¹⁹⁶ tn See the note on the word “exile” in 5:5.

[4:6]  ¹⁹⁷ tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic (pronoun + verb). It underscores the stark contrast between the judgments that the Lord had been sending with the God of blessing Israel was celebrating in its worship (4:4-5).

[4:6]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “But I gave to you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of food in all your places.” The phrase “cleanness of teeth” is a vivid way of picturing the famine Israel experienced.

[1:9]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Traditionally, “transgressions” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV) or “sins” (NIV). For an explanation of the atrocities outlined in this oracle as treaty violations of God’s mandate to Noah in Gen 9:5-7, see the note on the word “violations” in 1:3.

[1:9]  ²⁰⁰ tn Heb “Because of three violations of Tyre, even because of four.”

[1:9]  sn On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3.

[1:9]  ²⁰¹ tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.

[1:9]  ²⁰² tn Heb “handed over.”

[1:9]  ²⁰³ tn Heb “[group of] exiles.” A similar phrase occurs in v. 6.

[1:9]  ²⁰⁴ tn Heb “did not remember.”

[1:9]  ²⁰⁵ sn A treaty of brotherhood. In the ancient Near Eastern world familial terms were sometimes used to describe treaty partners. In a treaty between superior and inferior parties, the lord would be called “father” and the subject “son.” The partners in a treaty between equals referred to themselves as “brothers.” For biblical examples, see 1 Kgs 9:13; 20:32-33.

[2:6]  ²⁰⁶ tn For this translation see the note at 2:4.

[2:6]  ²⁰⁷ tn Heb “Because of three violations of Israel, even because of four.”

[2:6]  sn On the three…four style that introduces each of the judgment oracles of chaps. 1-2 see the note on the word “four” in 1:3. Only in this last oracle against Israel does one find the list of four specific violations expected based on the use of a similar formula elsewhere in wisdom literature (see Prov 30:18-19, 29-31). This adaptation of the normal pattern indicates the Lord’s focus on Israel here (he is too bent on judging Israel to dwell very long on her neighbors) and emphasizes Israel’s guilt with respect to the other nations (Israel’s list fills up before the others’ lists do). See R. B. Chisholm, “‘For three sins...even for four’: the numerical sayings in Amos,” BSac 147 (1990) 188-97.

[2:6]  ²⁰⁸ tn Heb “I will not bring it [or “him”] back.” The translation understands the pronominal object to refer to the decree of judgment that follows; the referent (the decree) has been specified in the translation for clarity. For another option see the note on the word “judgment” in 1:3.

[2:6]  ²⁰⁹ tn Or “honest” (CEV, NLT). The Hebrew word sometimes has a moral-ethical connotation, “righteous, godly,” but the parallelism (note “poor”) suggests a socio-economic or legal sense here. The practice of selling debtors as slaves is in view (Exod 21:2-11; Lev 25:35-55; Deut 15:12-18) See the note at Exod 21:8 and G. C. Chirichigno, Debt-Slavery in Israel and the Ancient Near East (JSOTSup). Probably the only “crime” the victim had committed was being unable to pay back a loan or an exorbitant interest rate on a loan. Some have suggested that this verse refers to bribery in legal proceedings: The innocent are “sold” in the sense that those in power pay off the elders or judges for favorable decisions (5:12; cf. Exod 23:6-7).

[2:6]  ²¹⁰ tn Perhaps the expression “for a pair of sandals” indicates a relatively small price or debt. Some suggest that the sandals may have been an outward token of a more substantial purchase price. Others relate the sandals to a ritual attached to the transfer of property, signifying here that the poor would be losing their inherited family lands because of debt (Ruth 4:7; cf. Deut 25:8-10). Still others emend the Hebrew form slightly to נֶעְלָם (ne’lam, “hidden thing”; from the root עָלַם, ’alam, “to hide”) and understand this as referring to a bribe.

[5:8]  ²¹¹ tn Heb “darkens the day into night.”

[9:7]  ²¹² tn The Hebrew text has a rhetorical question, “Are you children of Israel not like the Cushites to me?” The rhetorical question has been converted to an affirmative statement in the translation for clarity. See the comment at 8:8.

[9:7]  sn Though Israel was God’s special covenant people (see 3:2a), the Lord emphasizes they are not inherently superior to the other nations subject to his sovereign rule.

[9:7]  ²¹³ sn Caphtor may refer to the island of Crete.

[9:7]  ²¹⁴ tn The second half of v. 7 is also phrased as a rhetorical question in the Hebrew text, “Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and Aram from Kir?” The translation converts the rhetorical question into an affirmation for clarity.

[5:21]  ²¹⁵ tn Heb “I hate”; “I despise.”

[5:21]  ²¹⁶ tn Heb “I will not smell.” These verses are full of vivid descriptions of the Lord’s total rejection of Israelite worship. In the first half of this verse two verbs are used together for emphasis. Here the verb alludes to the sense of smell, a fitting observation since offerings would have been burned on the altar ideally to provide a sweet aroma to God (see, e.g., Lev 1:9, 13, 17; Num 29:36). Other senses that are mentioned include sight and hearing in vv. 22-23.

[8:13]  ²¹⁷ tn Heb “the.”

[8:13]  ²¹⁸ tn Or “virgins.”

[8:13]  ²¹⁹ tn Heb “the.”

[8:13]  ²²⁰ tn It is not clear whether the speaker in this verse is the Lord or the prophet.

[1:5]  ²²¹ sn The bar on the city gate symbolizes the city’s defenses and security.

[1:5]  ²²² tn Heb “cut off.”

[1:5]  ²²³ tn Heb “the one who sits.” Some English versions take the Hebrew term in a collective sense as “inhabitants” (e.g., KJV, NKJV, NASB, NRSV). The context and the parallel in the next clause (“the one who holds the royal scepter”), however, suggest that the royal house is in view. For this term (יוֹשֵׁב, yoshev), see N. K. Gottwald, The Tribes of Yahweh, 512-30.

[1:5]  ²²⁴ tn Heb “valley of wickedness.” Though many English versions take the Hebrew phrase בִקְעַת־אָוֶן (biq’-at ’aven) as a literal geographical place name (“Valley of Aven,” so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), it appears to be a derogatory epithet for Damascus and the kingdom of Aram.

[1:5]  ²²⁵ tn Many associate the name “Beth Eden” with Bit Adini, an Aramean state located near the Euphrates River, but it may be a sarcastic epithet meaning “house of pleasure.”

[1:5]  ²²⁶ sn According to Amos 9:7, the Arameans originally came from Kir. The Lord threatens to reverse their history and send them back there.

[3:12]  ²²⁷ sn The verb translated salvaged, though often used in a positive sense of deliverance from harm, is here employed in a sarcastic manner. A shepherd would attempt to salvage part of an animal to prove that a predator had indeed killed it. In this way he could prove that he had not stolen the missing animal and absolve himself from any responsibility to repay the owner (see Exod 22:12-13).

[3:12]  ²²⁸ tn Heb “with a corner of a bed.”

[3:12]  ²²⁹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word דְּמֶשֶׁק (dÿmesheq), which occurs only here, is uncertain. If not emended, it is usually related to the term ַדּמֶּשֶׂק (dammeseq) and translated as the “Damask linens” of the bed (cf. NASB “the cover”) or as “in Damascus” (so KJV, NJB, NIV). The differences in spelling (Damascus is spelled correctly in 5:27), historical considerations, and the word order make both of these derivations unlikely. Many emendations have been proposed (e.g., “a part from the foot [of a bed],” based on a different division of the Hebrew letters (cf. NEB, NRSV); “on the edge,” based on a Hebrew term not attested in the Bible (NKJV). Some suggest a resemblance to an Akkadian term which means “sideboard [of a bed],” which is sometimes incorrectly rendered “headboard” (NJPS; see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 121-22). Most likely another part of a bed or couch is in view, but it is difficult to be more specific.

[4:9]  ²³⁰ tn Heb “you.” By metonymy the crops belonging to these people are meant. See the remainder of this verse, which describes the agricultural devastation caused by locusts.

[4:9]  ²³¹ tn The Hiphil infinitive construct is taken adverbially (“kept”) and connected to the activity of the locusts (NJPS). It also could be taken with the preceding sentence and related to the Lord’s interventions (“I kept destroying,” cf. NEB, NJB, NIV, NRSV), or it could be understood substantivally in construct with the following nouns (“Locusts devoured your many orchards,” cf. NASB; cf. also KJV, NKJV).

[4:9]  ²³² tn Or “gardens.”

[4:11]  ²³³ tn Several English versions substitute the first person pronoun (“I”) here for stylistic reasons (e.g., NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[4:11]  ²³⁴ tn Heb “like God’s overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.” The divine name may be used in an idiomatic superlative sense here, in which case one might translate, “like the great [or “disastrous”] overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.”

[4:11]  sn The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is described in Gen 19:1-29.

[4:11]  ²³⁵ tn Heb “like that which is burning.”

[9:13]  ²³⁶ tn Heb “behold” or “look.”

[9:13]  ²³⁷ tn Heb “the days are.”

[9:13]  ²³⁸ sn The plowman will catch up to the reaper. Plowing occurred in October-November, and harvesting in April-May (see P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 109.) But in the future age of restored divine blessing, there will be so many crops the reapers will take all summer to harvest them, and it will be time for plowing again before the harvest is finished.

[9:13]  ²³⁹ sn When the grapes had been harvested, they were placed in a press where workers would stomp on them with their feet and squeeze out the juice. For a discussion of grape harvesting technique, see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 110-12.

[9:13]  ²⁴⁰ tn The verb is omitted here in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation from the parallel line.

[9:13]  ²⁴¹ sn The grape harvest occurred in August-September, planting in November-December (see P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 109). But in the future age described here there will be so many grapes the workers who stomp them will still be working when the next planting season arrives.

[9:13]  ²⁴² tn Or “hills,” where the vineyards were planted.

[9:13]  ²⁴³ tn Heb “and all the hills will melt.”

[4:10]  ²⁴⁴ tn Heb “in the manner [or “way”] of Egypt.”

[4:10]  ²⁴⁵ tn Heb “of your camps [or “armies”].”

[4:4]  ²⁴⁶ sn Bethel and Gilgal were important formal worship centers because of their importance in Israel’s history. Here the Lord ironically urges the people to visit these places so they can increase their sin against him. Their formal worship, because it was not accompanied by social justice, only made them more guilty in God’s sight by adding hypocrisy to their list of sins. Obviously, theirs was a twisted view of the Lord. They worshiped a god of their own creation in order to satisfy their religious impulses (see 4:5: “For you love to do this”). Note that none of the rituals listed in 4:4-5 have to do with sin.

[4:4]  map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[4:4]  ²⁴⁷ tn The Hebrew word translated “rebel” (also in the following line) could very well refer here to Israel’s violations of their covenant with God (see also the term “crimes” in 1:3 [with note] and the phrase “covenant transgressions” in 2:4 [with note]; 3:14).

[4:4]  ²⁴⁸ sn See the note on Bethel earlier in this verse.

[4:4]  ²⁴⁹ tn Or “for.”

[4:4]  ²⁵⁰ tn Or “for.”

[5:25]  ²⁵¹ tn Heb “Did you bring me…?” This rhetorical question expects a negative answer. The point seems to be this: Since sacrifices did not characterize God’s relationship with Israel during the nation’s formative years, the people should not consider them to be so fundamental. The Lord places a higher priority on justice than he does on empty ritual.

[5:25]  sn Like Jer 7:22-23, this passage seems to contradict the Pentateuchal accounts that indicate Israel did offer sacrifices during the wilderness period. It is likely that both Amos and Jeremiah overstate the case to emphasize the relative insignificance of sacrifices in comparison to weightier matters of the covenant. See R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 428.

[5:25]  ²⁵² tn Heb “house.”

[9:11]  ²⁵³ tn The phrase translated “collapsing hut” refers to a temporary shelter (cf. NASB, NRSV “booth”) in disrepair and emphasizes the relatively weakened condition of the once powerful Davidic dynasty. Others have suggested that the term refers to Jerusalem, while still others argue that it should be repointed to read “Sukkoth,” a garrison town in Transjordan. Its reconstruction would symbolize the rebirth of the Davidic empire and its return to power (e.g., M. E. Polley, Amos and the Davidic Empire, 71-74).

[9:11]  ²⁵⁴ tc The MT reads a third feminine plural suffix, which could refer to the two kingdoms (Judah and Israel) or, more literally, to the breaches in the walls of the cities that are mentioned in v. 4 (cf. 4:3). Some emend to third feminine singular, since the “hut” of the preceding line (a feminine singular noun) might be the antecedent. In that case, the final nun (ן) is virtually dittographic with the vav (ו) that appears at the beginning of the following word.

[9:11]  ²⁵⁵ tc The MT reads a third masculine singular suffix, which could refer back to David. However, it is possible that an original third feminine singular suffix (יה-, yod-hey) has been misread as masculine (יו-, yod-vav). In later Hebrew script a ה (he) resembles a יו- (yod-vav) combination.

[9:11]  ²⁵⁶ tn Heb “and I will rebuild as in days of antiquity.”