Amos 1:2
Konteks“The Lord comes roaring 2 out of Zion;
from Jerusalem 3 he comes bellowing! 4
The shepherds’ pastures wilt; 5
the summit of Carmel 6 withers.” 7
Amos 1:8
Konteks1:8 I will remove 8 the ruler 9 from Ashdod, 10
the one who holds the royal scepter from Ashkelon. 11
I will strike Ekron 12 with my hand; 13
the rest of the Philistines will also die.” 14
The sovereign Lord has spoken!
Amos 3:14
Konteks3:14 “Certainly when 15 I punish Israel for their 16 covenant transgressions, 17
I will destroy 18 Bethel’s 19 altars.
The horns 20 of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.
Amos 5:6
Konteks5:6 Seek the Lord so you can live!
Otherwise he will break out 21 like fire against Joseph’s 22 family; 23
the fire 24 will consume
and no one will be able to quench it and save Bethel. 25
[1:2] 1 tn Heb “he;” the referent (Amos) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:2] 2 sn The
[1:2] 3 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:2] 4 tn Heb “gives his voice.”
[1:2] 5 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] 6 sn Carmel was a region known for its abundant plants and trees. See Isa 33:9; 35:2; Jer 50:19.
[1:2] 7 sn Loss of a land’s fertility is frequently associated with judgment in the OT and ancient Near Eastern literature.
[1:8] 9 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] 10 sn Ashdod was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashkelon, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 11 sn Ashkelon was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 12 sn Ekron was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 13 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] 14 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.”
[3:14] 15 tn Heb “in the day.”
[3:14] 16 tn Heb “his.” With the referent “Israel” here, this amounts to a collective singular.
[3:14] 17 tn Traditionally, “transgressions, sins,” but see the note on the word “crimes” in 1:3.
[3:14] 18 tn Heb “punish” (so NASB, NRSV).
[3:14] 19 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[3:14] 20 sn The horns of an ancient altar projected upwards from the four corners and resembled an animal’s horns in appearance. Fugitives could seek asylum by grabbing hold of these corners (see Exod 21:14; 1 Kgs 1:50; 2:28). When the altar’s horns were cut off, there would be no place of asylum left for the
[5:6] 21 tn Heb “rush.” The verb depicts swift movement.
[5:6] 22 sn Here Joseph (= Ephraim and Manasseh), as the most prominent of the Israelite tribes, represents the entire northern kingdom.
[5:6] 24 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[5:6] 25 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.”
