Amos 5:12
Konteks5:12 Certainly 1 I am aware of 2 your many rebellious acts 3
and your numerous sins.
You 4 torment the innocent, you take bribes,
and you deny justice to 5 the needy at the city gate. 6
Amos 2:9
Konteks2:9 For Israel’s sake I destroyed the Amorites. 7
They were as tall as cedars 8
and as strong as oaks,
but I destroyed the fruit on their branches 9
and their roots in the ground. 10
Amos 8:4
Konteks8:4 Listen to this, you who trample 11 the needy,
and do away with 12 the destitute in the land.
Amos 5:10
Konteks5:10 The Israelites 13 hate anyone who arbitrates at the city gate; 14
they despise anyone who speaks honestly.
Amos 3:3
Konteks3:3 Do two walk together without having met? 15
Amos 5:16
Konteks5:16 Because of Israel’s sins 16 this is what the Lord, the God who commands armies, the sovereign One, 17 says:
“In all the squares there will be wailing,
in all the streets they will mourn the dead. 18
They will tell the field workers 19 to lament
and the professional mourners 20 to wail.
Amos 8:6
Konteks8:6 We’re eager to trade silver for the poor, 21
a pair of sandals 22 for the needy!
We want to mix in some chaff with the grain!” 23
Amos 2:7
Konteks2:7 They trample 24 on the dirt-covered heads of the poor; 25
they push the destitute away. 26
A man and his father go to the same girl; 27
in this way they show disrespect 28 for my moral purity. 29
Amos 5:3
Konteks5:3 The sovereign Lord says this:
“The city that marches out with a thousand soldiers 30 will have only a hundred left;
the town 31 that marches out with a hundred soldiers 32 will have only ten left for the family of Israel.” 33
Amos 6:10
Konteks6:10 When their close relatives, the ones who will burn the corpses, 34 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!” 35
Amos 2:14
Konteks2:14 Fast runners will find no place to hide; 36
strong men will have no strength left; 37
warriors will not be able to save their lives.
Amos 4:1
Konteks4:1 Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan 38 who live on Mount Samaria!
You 39 oppress the poor;
you crush the needy.
You say to your 40 husbands,
“Bring us more to drink!” 41
Amos 6:1
Konteks6:1 Woe 42 to those who live in ease in Zion, 43
to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria.
They think of themselves as 44 the elite class of the best nation.
The family 45 of Israel looks to them for leadership. 46
Amos 2:6
Konteks2:6 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions 47 –
make that four! 48 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 49
They sold the innocent 50 for silver,
the needy for a pair of sandals. 51
Amos 6:9
Konteks6:9 If ten men are left in one house, they too will die.
Amos 5:19
Konteks5:19 Disaster will be inescapable, 52
as if a man ran from a lion only to meet a bear,
then escaped 53 into a house,
leaned his hand against the wall,
and was bitten by a poisonous snake.
Amos 8:12
Konteks8:12 People 54 will stagger from sea to sea, 55
and from the north around to the east.
They will wander about looking for a revelation from 56 the Lord,
but they will not find any. 57
Amos 5:7
Konteks5:7 The Israelites 58 turn justice into bitterness; 59
they throw what is fair and right 60 to the ground. 61
Amos 2:12
Konteks2:12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine; 62
you commanded the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy!’
Amos 5:13
Konteks5:13 For this reason whoever is smart 63 keeps quiet 64 in such a time,
for it is an evil 65 time.
Amos 2:8
Konteks2:8 They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral;
they do so right 66 beside every altar!
They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied;
they do so right in the temple 67 of their God! 68
Amos 6:7
Konteks6:7 Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, 69
and the religious banquets 70 where they sprawl on couches 71 will end.
Amos 5:2
Konteks5:2 “The virgin 72 Israel has fallen down and will not get up again.
She is abandoned on her own land
with no one to help her get up.” 73
Amos 5:17
Konteks5:17 In all the vineyards there will be wailing,
for I will pass through 74 your midst,” says the Lord.
Amos 2:11
Konteks2:11 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 9:1
Konteks9:1 I saw the sovereign One 76 standing by the altar 77 and he said, “Strike the tops of the support pillars, 78 so the thresholds shake!
Knock them down on the heads of all the people, 79
and I will kill the survivors 80 with the sword.
No one will be able to run away; 81
no one will be able to escape. 82
Amos 9:7
Konteks9:7 “You Israelites are just like the Ethiopians in my sight,” 83 says the Lord.
“Certainly I brought Israel up from the land of Egypt,
but I also brought the Philistines from Caphtor 84 and the Arameans from Kir. 85
Amos 2:10
Konteks2:10 I brought you up from the land of Egypt;
I led you through the wilderness for forty years
so you could take the Amorites’ land as your own.
Amos 1:8
Konteks1:8 I will remove 86 the ruler 87 from Ashdod, 88
the one who holds the royal scepter from Ashkelon. 89
I will strike Ekron 90 with my hand; 91
the rest of the Philistines will also die.” 92
The sovereign Lord has spoken!
Amos 5:6
Konteks5:6 Seek the Lord so you can live!
Otherwise he will break out 93 like fire against Joseph’s 94 family; 95
the fire 96 will consume
and no one will be able to quench it and save Bethel. 97
Amos 9:9
Konteks9:9 “For look, I am giving a command
and I will shake the family of Israel together with all the nations.
It will resemble a sieve being shaken,
when not even a pebble falls to the ground. 98
Amos 5:11
Konteks5:11 Therefore, because you make the poor pay taxes on their crops 99
and exact a grain tax from them,
you will not live in the houses you built with chiseled stone,
nor will you drink the wine from the fine 100 vineyards you planted. 101
Amos 4:2
Konteks4:2 The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his own holy character: 102
“Certainly the time is approaching 103
when you will be carried away 104 in baskets, 105
every last one of you 106 in fishermen’s pots. 107
Amos 1:1
Konteks1:1 The following is a record of what Amos prophesied. 108 He 109 was one of the herdsmen from Tekoa. These prophecies about Israel were revealed to him 110 during the time of 111 King Uzziah of Judah and 112 King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel, two years before the earthquake. 113
Amos 6:2
Konteks6:2 They say to the people: 114
“Journey over to Calneh and look at it!
Then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah! 115
Then go down to Gath of the Philistines!
Are they superior to our two 116 kingdoms?
Is their territory larger than yours?” 117
Amos 8:3
Konteks8:3 The women singing in the temple 118 will wail in that day.”
The sovereign Lord is speaking.
“There will be many corpses littered everywhere! 119 Be quiet!”
Amos 5:18
Konteks5:18 Woe 120 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 5:9
Konteks5:9 He flashes 121 destruction down upon the strong
so that destruction overwhelms 122 the fortified places.)
Amos 3:6
Konteks3:6 If an alarm sounds 123 in a city, do people not fear? 124
If disaster overtakes a 125 city, is the Lord not responsible? 126
Amos 9:10
Konteks9:10 All the sinners among my people will die by the sword –
the ones who say, ‘Disaster will not come near, it will not confront us.’
Amos 8:13
Konteks8:13 In that day your 127 beautiful young women 128 and your 129 young men will faint from thirst. 130
Amos 2:16
Konteks2:16 Bravehearted 131 warriors will run away naked in that day.”
The Lord is speaking!
Amos 7:11
Konteks7:11 As a matter of fact, 132 Amos is saying this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly be carried into exile 133 away from its land.’”
Amos 9:13
Konteks9:13 “Be sure of this, 134 the time is 135 coming,” says the Lord,
“when the plowman will catch up to the reaper 136
and the one who stomps the grapes 137 will overtake 138 the planter. 139
Juice will run down the slopes, 140
it will flow down all the hillsides. 141
Amos 7:14
Konteks7:14 Amos replied 142 to Amaziah, “I was not a prophet by profession. 143 No, 144 I was a herdsman who also took care of 145 sycamore fig trees. 146
Amos 3:12
Konteks3:12 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. 147
They will be left with just a corner of a bed, 148
and a part 149 of a couch.”
Amos 4:8
Konteks4:8 People from 150 two or three cities staggered into one city to get 151 water,
but remained thirsty. 152
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking!
Amos 6:12
Konteks6:12 Can horses run on rocky cliffs?
Can one plow the sea with oxen? 153
Yet you have turned justice into a poisonous plant,
and the fruit of righteous actions into a bitter plant. 154
Amos 8:8
Konteks8:8 Because of this the earth 155 will quake, 156
and all who live in it will mourn.
The whole earth 157 will rise like the River Nile, 158
it will surge upward 159 and then grow calm, 160 like the Nile in Egypt. 161
Amos 8:14
Konteks8:14 These are the ones who now take oaths 162 in the name of the sinful idol goddess 163 of Samaria.
They vow, 164 ‘As surely as your god 165 lives, O Dan,’ or ‘As surely as your beloved one 166 lives, O Beer Sheba!’
But they will fall down and not get up again.”
Amos 9:2
Konteks9:2 Even if they could dig down into the netherworld, 167
my hand would pull them up from there.
Even if they could climb up to heaven,
I would drag them down from there.
Amos 1:5
Konteks1:5 I will break the bar 168 on the gate of Damascus.
I will remove 169 the ruler 170 from Wicked Valley, 171
the one who holds the royal scepter from Beth Eden. 172
The people of Aram will be deported to Kir.” 173
The Lord has spoken!
Amos 1:3
Konteks1:3 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Damascus has committed three crimes 174 –
make that four! 175 – I will not revoke my
decree of judgment. 176
They ripped through Gilead like threshing sledges with iron teeth. 177
Amos 1:6
Konteks1:6 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Gaza 178 has committed three crimes 179 –
make that four! 180 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 181
They deported a whole community 182 and sold them 183 to Edom.
Amos 2:15
Konteks2:15 Archers 184 will not hold their ground; 185
fast runners will not save their lives,
nor will those who ride horses. 186
Amos 3:14
Konteks3:14 “Certainly when 187 I punish Israel for their 188 covenant transgressions, 189
I will destroy 190 Bethel’s 191 altars.
The horns 192 of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.
Amos 5:5
KonteksDo not visit Gilgal!
Do not journey down 194 to Beer Sheba!
For the people of Gilgal 195 will certainly be carried into exile; 196
and Bethel will become a place where disaster abounds.” 197
Amos 7:9
Konteks7:9 Isaac’s centers of worship 198 will become desolate;
Israel’s holy places will be in ruins.
I will attack Jeroboam’s dynasty with the sword.” 199
Amos 3:5
Konteks3:5 Does a bird swoop down into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?
Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has surely caught something?
Amos 3:10
Konteks3:10 “They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.)
“They store up 200 the spoils of destructive violence 201 in their fortresses.
Amos 4:10
Konteks4:10 “I sent against you a plague like one of the Egyptian plagues. 202
I killed your young men with the sword,
along with the horses you had captured.
I made the stench from the corpses 203 rise up into your nostrils.
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking!
Amos 7:10
Konteks7:10 Amaziah the priest of Bethel 204 sent this message 205 to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you in the very heart of the kingdom of Israel! 206 The land cannot endure all his prophecies. 207
Amos 4:5
Konteks4:5 Burn a thank offering of bread made with yeast! 208
Make a public display of your voluntary offerings! 209
For you love to do this, you Israelites.”
The sovereign Lord is speaking!
Amos 4:12
Konteks4:12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel.
Because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, Israel! 210
Amos 9:4-5
Konteks9:4 Even when their enemies drive them into captivity, 211
from there 212 I will command the sword to kill them.
I will not let them out of my sight;
they will experience disaster, not prosperity.” 213
9:5 The sovereign Lord who commands armies will do this. 214
He touches the earth and it dissolves; 215
all who live on it mourn.
The whole earth 216 rises like the River Nile, 217
and then grows calm 218 like the Nile in Egypt. 219
Amos 9:12
Konteks9:12 As a result they 220 will conquer those left in Edom 221
and all the nations subject to my rule.” 222
The Lord, who is about to do this, is speaking!
Amos 1:15
Konteks1:15 Ammon’s 223 king will be deported; 224
he and his officials 225 will be carried off 226 together.”
The Lord has spoken!
Amos 7:17
Konteks7:17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:
‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the streets 227
and your sons and daughters will die violently. 228
Your land will be given to others 229
and you will die in a foreign 230 land.
Israel will certainly be carried into exile 231 away from its land.’”
Amos 3:11
Konteks3:11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land. 232
He will take away your power; 233
your fortresses will be looted.”
Amos 4:3
Konteks4:3 Each of you will go straight through the gaps in the walls; 234
you will be thrown out 235 toward Harmon.” 236
The Lord is speaking!
Amos 7:15
Konteks7:15 Then the Lord took me from tending 237 flocks and gave me this commission, 238 ‘Go! Prophesy to my people Israel!’
Amos 1:9
Konteks1:9 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Tyre has committed three crimes 239 –
make that four! 240 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 241
They sold 242 a whole community 243 to Edom;
they failed to observe 244 a treaty of brotherhood. 245
Amos 2:4
Konteks2:4 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions 246 –
make that four! 247 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 248
They rejected the Lord’s law; 249
they did not obey his commands.
Their false gods, 250
to which their fathers were loyal, 251
led them astray.
Amos 4:11
Konteks4:11 “I overthrew some of you the way God 252 overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 253
You were like a burning stick 254 snatched from the flames.
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking!
Amos 6:14
Konteks6:14 “Look! I am about to bring 255 a nation against you, family 256 of Israel.”
The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking.
“They will oppress 257 you all the way from Lebo-Hamath 258 to the Stream of the Arabah.” 259
Amos 8:11
Konteks8:11 Be certain of this, 260 the time is 261 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! 262
Amos 9:14
Konteks9:14 I will bring back my people, Israel; 263
they will rebuild the cities lying in rubble 264 and settle down. 265
They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce; 266
they will grow orchards 267 and eat the fruit they produce. 268
Amos 2:1-2
Konteks2:1 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Moab has committed three crimes 269 –
make that four! 270 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 271
They burned the bones of Edom’s king into lime. 272
2:2 So I will set Moab on fire, 273
and it will consume Kerioth’s 274 fortresses.
Moab will perish 275 in the heat of battle 276
amid war cries and the blaring 277 of the ram’s horn. 278
Amos 3:1
Konteks3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against 279 you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up 280 from the land of Egypt:
Amos 3:9
Konteks3:9 Make this announcement in 281 the fortresses of Ashdod
and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt.
Say this:
“Gather on the hills around Samaria! 282
Observe the many acts of violence 283 taking place within the city, 284
the oppressive deeds 285 occurring in it.” 286
Amos 3:15
Konteks3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses. 287
The houses filled with ivory 288 will be ruined,
the great 289 houses will be swept away.” 290
The Lord is speaking!
Amos 5:15
Konteks5:15 Hate what is wrong, love what is right!
Promote 291 justice at the city gate! 292
Maybe the Lord, the God who commands armies, will have mercy on 293 those who are left from 294 Joseph. 295
Amos 7:1
Konteks7:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw 296 him making locusts just as the crops planted late 297 were beginning to sprout. (The crops planted late sprout after the royal harvest. 298 )
Amos 1:11
Konteks1:11 This is what the Lord says:
“Because Edom has committed three crimes 299 –
make that four! 300 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 301
He chased his brother 302 with a sword;
he wiped out his allies. 303
In his anger he tore them apart without stopping to rest; 304
in his fury he relentlessly attacked them. 305
Amos 1:13
Konteks1:13 This is what the Lord says:
“Because the Ammonites have committed three crimes 306 –
make that four! 307 – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. 308
They ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women 309
so they could expand their territory.
Amos 8:10
Konteks8:10 I will turn your festivals into funerals, 310
and all your songs into funeral dirges.
I will make everyone wear funeral clothes 311
and cause every head to be shaved bald. 312
I will make you mourn as if you had lost your only son; 313
when it ends it will indeed have been a bitter day. 314
[5:12] 2 tn Or “I know” (so most English versions).
[5:12] 3 tn Or “transgressions,” “sins.” See the note on the word “crimes” in 1:3 and on the phrase “covenant violations” in 2:4.
[5:12] 5 tn Heb “turn aside.” They “turn aside” the needy by denying them the justice they deserve at the city gate (where legal decisions were made, and therefore where justice should be done).
[5:12] 6 sn Legal disputes were resolved in the city gate, where the town elders met.
[2:9] 7 tn Heb “I destroyed the Amorites from before them.” The translation takes מִפְּנֵי (mippÿney) in the sense of “for the sake of.” See BDB 818 s.v. פָּנֻה II.6.a and H. W. Wolff, Joel and Amos (Hermeneia), 134. Another option is to take the phrase in a spatial sense, “I destroyed the Amorites, [clearing them out] from before them [i.e., Israel]” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
[2:9] 8 tn Heb “whose height was like the height of cedars.”
[2:9] 9 tn Heb “his fruit from above.”
[2:9] 10 tn Heb “and his roots from below.”
[8:4] 11 tn See the note on the word “trample” in 2:7.
[8:4] 12 tn Or “put an end to”; or “exterminate.”
[5:10] 13 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:10] 14 sn In ancient Israelite culture, legal disputes were resolved in the city gate, where the town elders met.
[3:3] 15 sn The rhetorical questions in vv. 3-5 expect the answer, “No, of course not!” Those in v. 6 anticipate the answer, “Yes, of course they do/he is.” They all draw attention to the principle of cause and effect and lay the logical foundation for the argument in vv. 7-8. Also note the progression from a general question in v. 3 to the “meetings” of two animals (v. 4), to that of an animal and a human trap (v. 5), to a climax with the confrontation with the Lord (v. 6). Each of these meetings is disastrous.
[5:16] 16 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] 17 tn Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[5:16] 18 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] 19 tn Or “farmers” (NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
[5:16] 20 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.
[8:6] 21 tn Heb “to buy the poor for silver.”
[8:6] sn The expression trade silver for the poor refers to the slave trade.
[8:6] 22 tn See the note on the word “sandals” in 2:6.
[8:6] 23 tn Heb “The chaff of the grain we will sell.”
[2:7] 24 tn Most scholars now understand this verb as derived from the root II שָׁאַף (sha’af, “to crush; to trample”), an alternate form of שׁוּף (shuf), rather than from I שָׁאַף (sha’af, “to pant, to gasp”; cf. KJV, ASV, NASB).
[2:7] 25 tn Heb “those who stomp on the dirt of the ground on the head of the poor.” It is possible to render the line as “they trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the ground,” thereby communicating that the poor are being stepped on in utter contempt (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 79-80). The participial form הַשֹּׁאֲפִים (hasho’afim) is substantival and stands in apposition to the pronominal suffix on מִכְרָם (mikhram, v. 6b).
[2:7] sn The picture of the poor having dirt-covered heads suggests their humiliation before their oppressors and/or their sorrow (see 2 Sam 1:2; 15:32).
[2:7] 26 tn Heb “they turn aside the way of the destitute.” Many interpreters take “way” to mean “just cause” and understand this as a direct reference to the rights of the destitute being ignored. The injustice done to the poor is certainly in view, but the statement is better taken as a word picture depicting the powerful rich pushing the “way of the poor” (i.e., their attempt to be treated justly) to the side. An even more vivid picture is given in Amos 5:12, where the rich are pictured as turning the poor away from the city gate (where legal decisions were made, and therefore where justice should be done).
[2:7] 27 sn Most interpreters see some type of sexual immorality here (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT), even though the Hebrew phrase הָלַךְ אֶל (halakh ’el, “go to”) never refers elsewhere to sexual intercourse. (The usual idiom is בוֹא אֶל [bo’ ’el]. However, S. M. Paul (Amos [Hermeneia], 82) attempts to develop a linguistic case for a sexual connotation here.) The precise identification of the “girl” in question is not clear. Some see the referent as a cultic prostitute (cf. NAB; v. 8 suggests a cultic setting), but the term נַעֲרָה (na’arah) nowhere else refers to a prostitute. Because of the contextual emphasis on social oppression, some suggest the exploitation of a slave girl is in view. H. Barstad argues that the “girl” is the hostess at a pagan מַרְזֵחַ (marzeakh) banquet (described at some length in 6:4-7). In his view the sin described here is not sexual immorality, but idolatry (see H. Barstad, The Religious Polemics of Amos [VTSup], 33-36). In this case, one might translate, “Father and son go together to a pagan banquet.” In light of this cultic context, F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman argue that this is a reference to a specific female deity (“the Girl”) and correlate this verse with 8:14 (Amos [AB], 318-19).
[2:7] 28 tn Or “pollute”; “desecrate”; “dishonor.”
[2:7] 29 tn Heb “my holy name.” Here “name” is used metonymically for God’s moral character or reputation, while “holy” has a moral and ethical connotation.
[5:3] 30 tn The word “soldiers” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:3] 31 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] 32 tn The word “soldiers” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:3] 33 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
[6:10] 34 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] 35 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
[2:14] 36 tn Heb “and a place of refuge will perish from the swift.”
[2:14] 37 tn Heb “the strong will not increase his strength.”
[4:1] 38 sn The expression cows of Bashan is used by the prophet to address the wealthy women of Samaria, who demand that their husbands satisfy their cravings. The derogatory language perhaps suggests that they, like the livestock of Bashan, were well fed, ironically in preparation for the coming slaughter. This phrase is sometimes cited to critique the book’s view of women.
[4:1] 39 tn Heb “the ones who” (three times in this verse).
[4:1] 41 sn Some commentators relate this scene to the description of the marzeah feast of 6:3-6, in which drinking played a prominent part (see the note at 6:6).
[6:1] 42 tn On the Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy; “ah, woe”) as a term of mourning, see the notes in 5:16, 18.
[6:1] 43 sn Zion is a reference to Jerusalem.
[6:1] 44 tn The words “They think of themselves as” are supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the term נְקֻבֵי (nÿquvey; “distinguished ones, elite”) is in apposition to the substantival participles in the first line.
[6:1] 46 tn Heb “comes to them.”
[2:6] 47 tn For this translation see the note at 2:4.
[2:6] 48 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
[2:6] 49 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] 50 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] 51 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.
[5:19] 52 tn The words “Disaster will be inescapable” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:19] 53 tn Heb “went” (so KJV, NRSV).
[8:12] 54 tn Heb “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:12] 55 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] 56 tn Heb “looking for the word of.”
[8:12] 57 tn It is not clear whether the speaker in this verse is the
[5:7] 58 tn Heb “Those who”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity. In light of vv. 11-13, it is also possible that the words are directed at a more limited group within the nation – those with social and economic power.
[5:7] 59 tn There is an interesting wordplay here with the verb הָפַךְ (hafakh, “overturn, turn”). Israel “turns” justice into wormwood (cf. 6:12), while the Lord “turns” darkness into morning (v. 8; cf. 4:11; 8:10). Israel’s turning is for evil, whereas the Lord’s is to demonstrate his absolute power and sovereignty.
[5:7] 60 tn Heb “they throw righteousness.”
[5:7] 61 sn In v. 7 the prophet begins to describe the guilty Israelites, but then interrupts his word picture with a parenthetical, but powerful, description of the judge they must face (vv. 8-9). He resumes his description of the sinners in v. 10.
[2:12] 62 sn Nazirites were strictly forbidden to drink wine (Num 6:2-3).
[5:13] 63 tn Or “the wise”; or “the prudent.” Another option is to translate “the successful, prosperous” and understand this as a reference to the rich oppressors. See G. V. Smith, Amos, 169-70. In this case the following verb will also have a different nuance, that is, the wealthy remain silent before the abuses they perpetuate. See the note on the verb translated “keeps quiet” later in this verse.
[5:13] 64 tn Or “moans, laments,” from a homonymic verbal root. If the rich oppressors are in view, then the verb (whether translated “will be silenced” or “will lament”) describes the result of God’s judgment upon them. See G. V. Smith, Amos, 170.
[5:13] 65 tn If this is a judgment announcement against the rich, then the Hebrew phrase עֵת רָעָה (’et ra’ah) must be translated, “[a] disastrous time.” See G. V. Smith, Amos, 170.
[2:8] 66 tn The words “They do so right” are supplied twice in the translation of this verse for clarification.
[2:8] 68 tn Or “gods.” The Hebrew term אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (’elohehem) may be translated “their gods” (referring to pagan gods), “their god” (referring to a pagan god, cf. NAB, NIV, NLT), or “their God” (referring to the God of Israel, cf. NASB, NRSV).
[6:7] 69 tn Heb “they will go into exile at the head of the exiles.”
[6:7] 70 sn Religious banquets. This refers to the מַרְזֵחַ (marzeakh), a type of pagan religious banquet popular among the upper class of Israel at this time and apparently associated with mourning. See P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 137-61; J. L. McLaughlin, The “Marzeah” in the Prophetic Literature (VTSup). Scholars debate whether at this banquet the dead were simply remembered or actually venerated in a formal, cultic sense.
[6:7] 71 tn Heb “of the sprawled out.” See v. 4.
[5:2] 72 tn Or “young lady.” The term “Israel” is an appositional genitive.
[5:2] 73 tn Or “with no one to lift her up.”
[5:17] 74 sn The expression pass through your midst alludes to Exod 12:12, where the
[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).
[9:1] 76 tn Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[9:1] 77 sn The altar is perhaps the altar at Bethel.
[9:1] 78 tn Or “the capitals.” The Hebrew singular form is collective.
[9:1] 79 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] 80 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] 81 tn Heb “a fugitive belonging to them will not run away.”
[9:1] 82 tn Heb “a survivor belonging to them will not escape.”
[9:7] 83 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] 84 sn Caphtor may refer to the island of Crete.
[9:7] 85 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.
[1:8] 87 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] 88 sn Ashdod was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashkelon, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 89 sn Ashkelon was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 90 sn Ekron was one of the five major Philistine cities (along with Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Gath).
[1:8] 91 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] 92 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.”
[5:6] 93 tn Heb “rush.” The verb depicts swift movement.
[5:6] 94 sn Here Joseph (= Ephraim and Manasseh), as the most prominent of the Israelite tribes, represents the entire northern kingdom.
[5:6] 96 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the fire mentioned in the previous line) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[5:6] 97 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.”
[9:9] 98 tn Heb “like being shaken with a sieve, and a pebble does not fall to the ground.” The meaning of the Hebrew word צְרוֹר (tsÿror), translated “pebble,” is unclear here. In 2 Sam 17:13 it appears to refer to a stone. If it means “pebble,” then the sieve described in v. 6 allows the grain to fall into a basket while retaining the debris and pebbles. However, if one interprets צְרוֹר as a “kernel of grain” (cf. NASB, NIV, NKJV, NLT) then the sieve is constructed to retain the grain and allow the refuse and pebbles to fall to the ground. In either case, the simile supports the last statement in v. 8 by making it clear that God will distinguish between the righteous (the grain) and the wicked (the pebbles) when he judges, and will thereby preserve a remnant in Israel. Only the sinners will be destroyed (v. 10).
[5:11] 99 tn Traditionally, “because you trample on the poor” (cf. KJV, ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). The traditional view derives the verb from בּוּס (bus, “to trample”; cf. Isa. 14:25), but more likely it is cognate to an Akkadian verb meaning “to exact an agricultural tax” (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 49; S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 172-73).
[5:11] 100 tn Or “lovely”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “pleasant”; NAB “choice”; NIV “lush.”
[5:11] 101 tn Heb “Houses of chiseled stone you built, but you will not live in them. Fine vineyards you planted, but you will not drink their wine.”
[4:2] 102 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
[4:2] 103 tn Heb “Look, certainly days are coming upon you”; NRSV “the time is surely coming upon you.”
[4:2] 104 tn Heb “one will carry you away”; NASB “they will take you away.”
[4:2] 105 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] 106 tn Or “your children”; KJV “your posterity.”
[4:2] 107 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.
[1:1] 108 tn Heb “The words of Amos.” Among the prophetic books this opening phrase finds a parallel only at Jer 1:1 but is not that uncommon in other genres (note, e.g., Prov 30:1; 31:1; Eccl 1:1; Neh 1:1).
[1:1] 109 tn Heb “who.” Here a new sentence has been started in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:1] 110 tn Heb “which he saw concerning Israel.”
[1:1] 111 tn Heb “in the days of.”
[1:1] 112 tn The Hebrew text repeats, “and in the days of.” This phrase has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:1] 113 sn This refers to a well-known earthquake that occurred during the first half of the 8th century
[6:2] 114 tn The words “They say to the people” are interpretive and supplied in the translation for clarification. The translation understands v. 2 as the boastful words, which the leaders (described in v. 1) spoke to those who came to them (v. 1b). Some interpret v. 2 differently, understanding the words as directed to the leaders by the prophet. Verse 2b would then be translated: “Are you (i.e., Israel and Judah) better than these kingdoms (i.e., Calneh, etc.)? Is your border larger than their border?” (This reading requires an emendation of the Hebrew text toward the end of the verse.) In this case the verse is a reminder to Judah/Israel that they are not superior to other nations, which have already fallen victim to military conquest. Consequently Judah/Israel should not expect to escape the same fate. Following this line of interpretation, some take v. 2 as a later addition since the Assyrians under Tiglath-pileser III conquered Calneh, Hamath, and Gath after the time of Amos’ ministry. However, this conclusion is not necessary since the kingdoms mentioned here had suffered military setbacks prior to Amos’ time as well. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 201-4.
[6:2] 115 tn Or “Great Hamath” (cf. NIV); or “Hamath the great” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); the word “rabbah” means “great” in Hebrew.
[6:2] 116 tn Heb “to these,” referring to Judah and Israel (see v. 1a).
[6:2] 117 tn Both rhetorical questions in this verse expect the answer “no.” If these words do come from the leaders, then this verse underscores their self-delusion of power (compare 6:13). The prophet had no such mistaken sense of national grandeur (7:2, 5).
[8:3] 118 tn Or “palace” (NASB, NCV, TEV).
[8:3] 119 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.”
[5:18] 120 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.
[5:9] 121 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew verb בָּלַג (balag, translated here “flashes”) is uncertain.
[5:9] 122 tn Heb “comes upon.” Many prefer to repoint the verb as Hiphil and translate, “he brings destruction upon the fortified places.”
[3:6] 123 tn Heb “If the ram’s horn is blown.”
[3:6] 124 tn Or “tremble” (NASB, NIV, NCV); or “shake.”
[3:6] 125 tn Heb “is in”; NIV, NCV, NLT “comes to.”
[3:6] 126 tn Heb “has the
[8:13] 130 tn It is not clear whether the speaker in this verse is the
[2:16] 131 tn Or “the most stouthearted” (NAB); NRSV “those who are stout of heart.”
[7:11] 133 tn See the note on the word “exile” in 5:5.
[9:13] 134 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[9:13] 135 tn Heb “the days are.”
[9:13] 136 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] 137 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] 138 tn The verb is omitted here in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation from the parallel line.
[9:13] 139 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] 140 tn Or “hills,” where the vineyards were planted.
[9:13] 141 tn Heb “and all the hills will melt.”
[7:14] 142 tn Heb “replied and said.” The phrase “and said” is pleonastic (redundant) and has not been included in the translation.
[7:14] 143 tn Heb “I was not a prophet nor was I the son of a prophet.” The phrase “son of a prophet” refers to one who was trained in a prophetic guild. Since there is no equative verb present in the Hebrew text, another option is to translate with the present tense, “I am not a prophet by profession.” In this case Amos, though now carrying out a prophetic ministry (v. 15), denies any official or professional prophetic status. Modern English versions are divided about whether to understand the past (JB, NIV, NKJV) or present tense (NASB, NEB, NRSV, NJPS) here.
[7:14] 145 tn Heb “gashed”; or “pierced.”
[7:14] sn For a discussion of the agricultural background, see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 128-29.
[7:14] 146 sn It is possible that herdsmen agreed to care for sycamore fig trees in exchange for grazing rights. See P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 116-17. Since these trees do not grow around Tekoa but rather in the lowlands, another option is that Amos owned other property outside his hometown. In this case, this verse demonstrates his relative wealth and is his response to Amaziah; he did not depend on prophecy as a profession (v. 13).
[3:12] 147 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] 148 tn Heb “with a corner of a bed.”
[3:12] 149 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.
[4:8] 150 tn The words “people from” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[4:8] 152 tn Or “were not satisfied.”
[6:12] 153 tc Heb “Does one plow with oxen?” This obviously does not fit the parallelism, for the preceding rhetorical question requires the answer, “Of course not!” An error of fusion has occurred in the Hebrew, with the word יָם (yam, “sea”) being accidentally added as a plural ending to the collective noun בָּקָר (baqar, “oxen”). A proper division of the consonants produces the above translation, which fits the parallelism and also anticipates the answer, “Of course not!”
[6:12] 154 sn The botanical imagery, when juxtaposed with the preceding rhetorical questions, vividly depicts and emphasizes how the Israelites have perverted justice and violated the created order by their morally irrational behavior.
[8:8] 155 tn Or “land” (also later in this verse).
[8:8] 156 tn It is not clear whether the speaker in this verse is the
[8:8] 158 tc The MT reads “like the light” (כָאֹר, kha’or; note this term also appears in v. 9), which is commonly understood to be an error for “like the Nile” (כִּיאוֹר, ki’or). See the parallel line and Amos 9:5. The word “River” is supplied in the translation for clarity. If this emendation is correct, in the Hebrew of Amos “Nile” is actually spelled three slightly different ways.
[8:8] sn The movement of the quaking earth is here compared to the annual flooding and receding of the River Nile.
[8:8] 160 tn Or “sink back down.” The translation assumes the verb שָׁקַע (shaqa’), following the Qere.
[8:8] 161 tn The entire verse is phrased in a series of rhetorical questions which anticipate the answer, “Of course!” (For example, the first line reads, “Because of this will the earth not quake?”). The rhetorical questions entrap the listener in the logic of the judgment of God (cf. 3:3-6; 9:7). The rhetorical questions have been converted to affirmative statements in the translation for clarity.
[8:14] 162 tn Heb “those who swear.”
[8:14] 163 tn Heb “the sin [or “guilt”] of Samaria.” This could be a derogatory reference to an idol-goddess popular in the northern kingdom, perhaps Asherah (cf. 2 Chr 24:18, where this worship is labeled “their guilt”), or to the golden calf at the national sanctuary in Bethel (Hos 8:6, 10:8). Some English versions (e.g., NEB, NRSV, CEV) repoint the word and read “Ashimah,” the name of a goddess worshiped in Hamath in Syria (see 2 Kgs 17:30).
[8:14] 165 sn Your god is not identified. It may refer to another patron deity who was not the God of Israel, a local manifestation of the Lord that was worshiped by the people there, or, more specifically, the golden calf image erected in Dan by Jeroboam I (see 1 Kgs 12:28-30).
[8:14] 166 tc The MT reads, “As surely as the way [to] Beer Sheba lives,” or “As surely as the way lives, O Beer Sheba.” Perhaps the term דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “the way”) refers to the pilgrimage route to Beersheba (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 272) or it may be a title for a god. The notion of pilgrimage appears elsewhere in the book (cf. 4:4-5; 5:4-5; 8:12). The translation above assumes an emendation to דֹּדְךְ (dodÿkh, “your beloved” or “relative”; the term also is used in 6:10) and understands this as referring either to the Lord (since other kinship terms are used of him, such as “Father”) or to another deity that was particularly popular in Beer Sheba. Besides the commentaries, see S. M. Olyan, “The Oaths of Amos 8:14” Priesthood and Cult in Ancient Israel, 121-49.
[9:2] 167 tn Heb “into Sheol” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV), that is, the land of the dead localized in Hebrew thought in the earth’s core or the grave. Cf. KJV “hell”; NCV, NLT “the place of the dead”; NIV “the depths of the grave.”
[1:5] 168 sn The bar on the city gate symbolizes the city’s defenses and security.
[1:5] 170 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] 171 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] 172 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] 173 sn According to Amos 9:7, the Arameans originally came from Kir. The
[1:3] 174 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] 175 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
[1:3] 176 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
[1:3] 177 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).
[1:6] 178 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] 179 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] 180 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] 181 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] 182 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] 183 tn Heb “in order to hand them over.”
[2:15] 184 tn Heb “the one who holds the bow.”
[2:15] 185 tn For the idiom of “holding [or “standing”] one’s ground” in battle, there is a similar phrase in Ezek 13:5; also related is the expression “to hold one’s own against” (or “to withstand”) in Judg 2:14; 2 Kgs 10:4; Dan 8:7 (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 97). Other options include “will not endure” or “will not survive.”
[2:15] 186 tn The last two lines read literally, “The one fast in his feet will not rescue [his life], and the rider of the horse will not rescue his life.” The phrase “his life” does double duty in the parallelism and should be understood in both lines.
[3:14] 187 tn Heb “in the day.”
[3:14] 188 tn Heb “his.” With the referent “Israel” here, this amounts to a collective singular.
[3:14] 189 tn Traditionally, “transgressions, sins,” but see the note on the word “crimes” in 1:3.
[3:14] 190 tn Heb “punish” (so NASB, NRSV).
[3:14] 191 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[3:14] 192 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
[5:5] 193 sn Ironically, Israel was to seek after the Lord, but not at Bethel (the name Bethel means “the house of God” in Hebrew).
[5:5] map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[5:5] 194 tn Heb “cross over.”
[5:5] sn To worship at Beer Sheba, northern worshipers had to journey down (i.e., cross the border) between Israel and Judah. Apparently, the popular religion of Israel for some included pilgrimage to holy sites in the South.
[5:5] 195 tn Heb “For Gilgal.” By metonymy the place name “Gilgal” is used instead of referring directly to the inhabitants. The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:5] 196 tn In the Hebrew text the statement is emphasized by sound play. The name “Gilgal” sounds like the verb גָּלָה (galah, “to go into exile”), which occurs here in the infinitival + finite verb construction (גָּלֹה יִגְלֶה, galoh yigleh). The repetition of the “ג” (g) and “ל” (l) sounds draws attention to the announcement and suggests that Gilgal’s destiny is inherent in its very name.
[5:5] sn That the people of Gilgal would be taken into exile is ironic, for Gilgal was Israel’s first campsite when the people entered the land under Joshua and the city became a symbol of Israel’s possession of the promised land.
[5:5] 197 tn Heb “disaster,” or “nothing”; NIV “Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”
[5:5] sn Again there is irony. The name Bethel means “house of God” in Hebrew. How surprising and tragic that Bethel, the “house of God” where Jacob received the inheritance given to Abraham, would be overrun by disaster.
[7:9] 198 tn Traditionally, “the high places” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “pagan shrines.”
[7:9] 199 tn Heb “And I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with a sword.”
[3:10] 200 tn Heb “those who.”
[3:10] 201 tn Heb “violence and destruction.” The expression “violence and destruction” stand metonymically for the goods the oppressors have accumulated by their unjust actions.
[4:10] 202 tn Heb “in the manner [or “way”] of Egypt.”
[4:10] 203 tn Heb “of your camps [or “armies”].”
[7:10] 204 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[7:10] 205 tn The direct object of the verb translated “sent” is elided in the Hebrew text. The words “this message” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[7:10] 206 tn Heb “in the middle of the house of Israel.”
[4:5] 208 sn For the background of the thank offering of bread made with yeast, see Lev 7:13.
[4:5] 209 tn Heb “proclaim voluntary offerings, announce.”
[4:12] 210 tn The
[9:4] 211 tn Heb “Even if they go into captivity before their enemies.”
[9:4] 212 tn Or perhaps simply, “there,” if the מ (mem) prefixed to the adverb is dittographic (note the preceding word ends in mem).
[9:4] 213 tn Heb “I will set my eye on them for disaster, not good.”
[9:5] 214 tn The words “will do this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:5] 215 tn Or “melts.” The verb probably depicts earthquakes and landslides. See v. 5b.
[9:5] 217 tn Heb “the Nile.” The word “River” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:5] 218 tn Or “sinks back down.”
[9:5] 219 sn See Amos 8:8, which is very similar to this verse.
[9:12] 220 sn They probably refers to the Israelites or to the Davidic rulers of the future.
[9:12] 221 tn Heb “take possession of the remnant of Edom”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “possess the remnant of Edom.”
[9:12] 222 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.
[1:15] 223 tn Heb “their”; the referent (Ammon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:15] 224 tn Heb “will go into exile.”
[1:15] 225 tn Or “princes” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT); TEV “officers”; CEV “leaders.”
[1:15] 226 tn The words “will be carried off” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[7:17] 227 tn Heb “in the city,” that is, “in public.”
[7:17] 228 tn Heb “will fall by the sword.”
[7:17] 229 tn Heb “will be divided up with a [surveyor’s] measuring line.”
[7:17] 230 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] 231 tn See the note on the word “exile” in 5:5.
[3:11] 232 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] 233 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] 234 tn Heb “and [through the] breaches you will go out, each straight ahead.”
[4:3] 235 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] 236 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”).
[7:15] 237 tn Heb “from [following] after.”
[7:15] 238 tn Heb “and the
[1:9] 239 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] 240 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] 241 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] 242 tn Heb “handed over.”
[1:9] 243 tn Heb “[group of] exiles.” A similar phrase occurs in v. 6.
[1:9] 244 tn Heb “did not remember.”
[1:9] 245 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.
[2:4] 246 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] 247 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] 248 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] 249 tn Or “instruction”; NCV “teachings.”
[2:4] 250 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] 251 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.
[4:11] 252 tn Several English versions substitute the first person pronoun (“I”) here for stylistic reasons (e.g., NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
[4:11] 253 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] 254 tn Heb “like that which is burning.”
[6:14] 255 tn Or “raise up” (KJV, NASB); NIV “stir up.”
[6:14] 257 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] 258 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] 259 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.
[8:11] 260 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[8:11] 261 tn Heb “the days are.”
[8:11] 262 tn Heb “not a hunger for food or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of the
[9:14] 263 tn This line can also be translated “I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel” and is a common idiom (e.g., Deut 30:3; Jer 30:3; Hos 6:11; Zeph 3:20). This rendering is followed by several modern English versions (e.g., NEB, NRSV, NJPS).
[9:14] 264 tn Or “the ruined [or “desolate”] cities.”
[9:14] 265 tn Or “and live [in them].”
[9:14] 266 tn Heb “drink their wine.”
[9:14] 268 tn Heb “eat their fruit.”
[2:1] 269 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] 270 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] 271 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] 272 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.
[2:2] 273 sn The destruction of Moab by fire is an example of a judgment in kind – as the Moabites committed the crime of “burning,” so the
[2:2] 274 sn Kerioth was an important Moabite city. See Jer 48:24, 41.
[2:2] 275 tn Or “die” (KJV, NASB, NRSV, TEV); NAB “shall meet death.”
[2:2] 276 tn Or “in the tumult.” This word refers to the harsh confusion of sounds that characterized an ancient battle – a mixture of war cries, shouts, shrieks of pain, clashes of weapons, etc.
[2:2] 277 tn Heb “sound” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).
[2:2] 278 sn The ram’s horn (used as a trumpet) was blown to signal the approaching battle.
[3:1] 280 tn One might expect a third person verb form (“he brought up”), since the
[3:9] 281 tn Heb “on” or “over” (also later in this verse).
[3:9] 282 sn Samaria might refer here both to the region and to the capital city (later known as Sebaste). On the other hand, there actually are hills that surround the mound upon which the city was built. The implication is that the nations can come and sit and see from those hills the sin of the capital city and its judgment.
[3:9] map For location of the city see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[3:9] 283 tn The Hebrew noun carries the nuance of “panic” or “confusion.” Here it refers metonymically to the violent deeds that terrorize the oppressed.
[3:9] 284 tn Heb “in her midst” (so NAB, NASB); NIV “among her people.”
[3:9] 285 tn The translation assumes the form is an abstract plural (see Job 35:9; Eccl 4:1). Another option is to understand the form as a substantival passive participle and translate, “the oppressed” (so KJV).
[3:9] 286 tn Heb “within her.”
[3:15] 287 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] 288 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] 289 tn Or “many,” cf. NAB “their many rooms.”
[3:15] 290 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.
[5:15] 291 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] 292 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] 293 tn Or “will show favor to.”
[5:15] 294 tn Or “the remnant of” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “what’s left of your people.”
[5:15] 295 sn Joseph (= Ephraim and Manasseh), as the most prominent of the Israelite tribes, represents the entire northern kingdom.
[7:1] 296 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[7:1] 297 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] 298 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.
[1:11] 299 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] 300 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] 301 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] 302 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] 303 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] 304 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] 305 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] 306 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] 307 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] 308 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] 309 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.
[8:10] 311 tn Heb “I will place sackcloth on all waists.”
[8:10] sn Mourners wore sackcloth (funeral clothes) as an outward expression of grief.
[8:10] 312 tn Heb “and make every head bald.” This could be understood in a variety of ways, while the ritual act of mourning typically involved shaving the head (although occasionally the hair could be torn out as a sign of mourning).
[8:10] sn Shaving the head or tearing out one’s hair was a ritual act of mourning. See Lev 21:5; Deut 14:1; Isa 3:24; 15:2; Jer 47:5; 48:37; Ezek 7:18; 27:31; Mic 1:16.
[8:10] 313 tn Heb “I will make it like the mourning for an only son.”
[8:10] 314 tn Heb “and its end will be like a bitter day.” The Hebrew preposition כְּ (kaf) sometimes carries the force of “in every respect,” indicating identity rather than mere comparison.
