Boks TemuanAmos 6:1--9:15
Konteks6:1 Woe 1 to those who live in ease in Zion, 2
to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria.
They think of themselves as 3 the elite class of the best nation.
The family 4 of Israel looks to them for leadership. 5
“Journey over to Calneh and look at it!
Then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah! 7
Then go down to Gath of the Philistines!
Are they superior to our two 8 kingdoms?
Is their territory larger than yours?” 9
6:3 You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, 10
but you establish a reign of violence. 11
6:4 They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, 12
and sprawl out on their couches.
They eat lambs from the flock,
and calves from the middle of the pen.
6:5 They sing 13 to the tune of 14 stringed instruments; 15
like David they invent 16 musical instruments.
6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, 17
and pour the very best oils on themselves. 18
Yet they are not concerned over 19 the ruin 20 of Joseph.
6:7 Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, 21
and the religious banquets 22 where they sprawl on couches 23 will end.
6:8 The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his very own life. 24
The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking:
“I despise Jacob’s arrogance;
I hate their 25 fortresses.
I will hand over to their enemies 26 the city of Samaria 27 and everything in it.”
6:9 If ten men are left in one house, they too will die. 6:10 When their close relatives, the ones who will burn the corpses, 28 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!” 29
6:11 Indeed, look! The Lord is giving the command. 30
He will smash the large house to bits,
and the small house into little pieces.
6:12 Can horses run on rocky cliffs?
Can one plow the sea with oxen? 31
Yet you have turned justice into a poisonous plant,
and the fruit of righteous actions into a bitter plant. 32
6:13 You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. 33
You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim 34 by our own power?”
6:14 “Look! I am about to bring 35 a nation against you, family 36 of Israel.”
The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking.
“They will oppress 37 you all the way from Lebo-Hamath 38 to the Stream of the Arabah.” 39
7:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw 40 him making locusts just as the crops planted late 41 were beginning to sprout. (The crops planted late sprout after the royal harvest. 42 ) 7:2 When they had completely consumed the earth’s vegetation, I said,
“Sovereign Lord, forgive Israel! 43
How can Jacob survive? 44
He is too weak!” 45
7:3 The Lord decided not to do this. 46 “It will not happen,” the Lord said.
7:4 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw 47 the sovereign Lord summoning a shower of fire. 48 It consumed the great deep and devoured the fields.
7:5 I said, “Sovereign Lord, stop!
How can Jacob survive? 49
He is too weak!” 50
7:6 The Lord decided not to do this. 51 The sovereign Lord said, “This will not happen either.”
7:7 He showed me this: I saw 52 the sovereign One 53 standing by a tin 54 wall holding tin in his hand. 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. 55
7:9 Isaac’s centers of worship 56 will become desolate;
Israel’s holy places will be in ruins.
I will attack Jeroboam’s dynasty with the sword.” 57
7:10 Amaziah the priest of Bethel 58 sent this message 59 to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you in the very heart of the kingdom of Israel! 60 The land cannot endure all his prophecies. 61 7:11 As a matter of fact, 62 Amos is saying this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly be carried into exile 63 away from its land.’”
7:12 Amaziah then said to Amos, “Leave, you visionary! 64 Run away to the land of Judah! Earn your living 65 and prophesy there! 7:13 Don’t prophesy at Bethel 66 any longer, for a royal temple and palace are here!” 67
7:14 Amos replied 68 to Amaziah, “I was not a prophet by profession. 69 No, 70 I was a herdsman who also took care of 71 sycamore fig trees. 72 7:15 Then the Lord took me from tending 73 flocks and gave me this commission, 74 ‘Go! Prophesy to my people Israel!’ 7:16 So now listen to the Lord’s message! You say, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel! Don’t preach 75 against the family of Isaac!’
7:17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:
‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the streets 76
and your sons and daughters will die violently. 77
Your land will be given to others 78
and you will die in a foreign 79 land.
Israel will certainly be carried into exile 80 away from its land.’”
8:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw 81 a basket of summer fruit. 82
8:2 He said, “What do you see, Amos?” I replied, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end 83 has come for my people Israel! I will no longer overlook their sins. 84
8:3 The women singing in the temple 85 will wail in that day.”
The sovereign Lord is speaking.
“There will be many corpses littered everywhere! 86 Be quiet!”
8:4 Listen to this, you who trample 87 the needy,
and do away with 88 the destitute in the land.
8:5 You say,
“When will the new moon festival 89 be over, 90 so we can sell grain?
When will the Sabbath end, 91 so we can open up the grain bins? 92
We’re eager 93 to sell less for a higher price, 94
and to cheat the buyer with rigged scales! 95
8:6 We’re eager to trade silver for the poor, 96
a pair of sandals 97 for the needy!
We want to mix in some chaff with the grain!” 98
8:7 The Lord confirms this oath 99 by the arrogance of Jacob: 100
“I swear 101 I will never forget all you have done! 102
8:8 Because of this the earth 103 will quake, 104
and all who live in it will mourn.
The whole earth 105 will rise like the River Nile, 106
it will surge upward 107 and then grow calm, 108 like the Nile in Egypt. 109
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. 110
8:10 I will turn your festivals into funerals, 111
and all your songs into funeral dirges.
I will make everyone wear funeral clothes 112
and cause every head to be shaved bald. 113
I will make you mourn as if you had lost your only son; 114
when it ends it will indeed have been a bitter day. 115
8:11 Be certain of this, 116 the time is 117 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! 118
8:12 People 119 will stagger from sea to sea, 120
and from the north around to the east.
They will wander about looking for a revelation from 121 the Lord,
but they will not find any. 122
8:13 In that day your 123 beautiful young women 124 and your 125 young men will faint from thirst. 126 8:14 These are the ones who now take oaths 127 in the name of the sinful idol goddess 128 of Samaria.
They vow, 129 ‘As surely as your god 130 lives, O Dan,’ or ‘As surely as your beloved one 131 lives, O Beer Sheba!’
But they will fall down and not get up again.”
9:1 I saw the sovereign One 132 standing by the altar 133 and he said, “Strike the tops of the support pillars, 134 so the thresholds shake!
Knock them down on the heads of all the people, 135
and I will kill the survivors 136 with the sword.
No one will be able to run away; 137
no one will be able to escape. 138
9:2 Even if they could dig down into the netherworld, 139
my hand would pull them up from there.
Even if they could climb up to heaven,
I would drag them down from there.
9:3 Even if they were to hide on the top of Mount Carmel,
I would hunt them down and take them from there.
Even if they tried to hide from me 140 at the bottom of the sea,
from there 141 I would command the Sea Serpent 142 to bite them.
9:4 Even when their enemies drive them into captivity, 143
from there 144 I will command the sword to kill them.
I will not let them out of my sight;
they will experience disaster, not prosperity.” 145
9:5 The sovereign Lord who commands armies will do this. 146
He touches the earth and it dissolves; 147
all who live on it mourn.
The whole earth 148 rises like the River Nile, 149
and then grows calm 150 like the Nile in Egypt. 151
9:6 He builds the upper rooms of his palace 152 in heaven
and sets its foundation supports 153 on the earth. 154
He summons the water of the sea
and pours it out on the earth’s surface.
The Lord is his name.
9:7 “You Israelites are just like the Ethiopians in my sight,” 155 says the Lord.
“Certainly I brought Israel up from the land of Egypt,
but I also brought the Philistines from Caphtor 156 and the Arameans from Kir. 157
9:8 Look, the sovereign Lord is watching 158 the sinful nation, 159
and I will destroy it from the face of the earth.
But I will not completely destroy the family 160 of Jacob,” says the Lord.
9:9 “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. 161
9:10 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.’
9:11 “In that day I will rebuild the collapsing hut 162 of David.
I will seal its 163 gaps,
repair its 164 ruins,
and restore it to what it was like in days gone by. 165
9:12 As a result they 166 will conquer those left in Edom 167
and all the nations subject to my rule.” 168
The Lord, who is about to do this, is speaking!
9:13 “Be sure of this, 169 the time is 170 coming,” says the Lord,
“when the plowman will catch up to the reaper 171
and the one who stomps the grapes 172 will overtake 173 the planter. 174
Juice will run down the slopes, 175
it will flow down all the hillsides. 176
9:14 I will bring back my people, Israel; 177
they will rebuild the cities lying in rubble 178 and settle down. 179
They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce; 180
they will grow orchards 181 and eat the fruit they produce. 182
9:15 I will plant them on their land
and they will never again be uprooted from the 183 land I have given them,”
says the Lord your God.
[6:1] 1 tn On the Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy; “ah, woe”) as a term of mourning, see the notes in 5:16, 18.
[6:1] 2 sn Zion is a reference to Jerusalem.
[6:1] 3 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] 5 tn Heb “comes to them.”
[6:2] 6 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] 7 tn Or “Great Hamath” (cf. NIV); or “Hamath the great” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); the word “rabbah” means “great” in Hebrew.
[6:2] 8 tn Heb “to these,” referring to Judah and Israel (see v. 1a).
[6:2] 9 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).
[6:3] 11 tn Heb “those who push away a day of disaster.”
[6:3] 12 tn Heb “you bring near a seat of violence.” The precise meaning of the Hebrew term שֶׁבֶת (shevet, “seat, sitting”) is unclear in this context. The translation assumes that it refers to a throne from which violence (in the person of the oppressive leaders) reigns. Another option is that the expression refers not to the leaders’ oppressive rule, but to the coming judgment when violence will overtake the nation in the person of enemy invaders.
[6:4] 16 tn Heb “beds of ivory.”
[6:5] 21 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”
[6:5] 22 tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”
[6:5] 23 sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).
[6:5] 24 tn The meaning of the Hebrew phrase חָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם (khoshvu lahem) is uncertain. Various options include: (1) “they think their musical instruments are like David’s”; (2) “they consider themselves musicians like David”; (3) “they esteem musical instruments highly like David”; (4) “they improvise [new songs] for themselves [on] instruments like David”; (5) “they invent musical instruments like David.” However, the most commonly accepted interpretation is that given in the translation (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 206-7).
[6:6] 26 sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).
[6:6] 27 tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”
[6:6] 28 tn Or “not sickened by.”
[6:6] 29 sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.
[6:7] 31 tn Heb “they will go into exile at the head of the exiles.”
[6:7] 32 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] 33 tn Heb “of the sprawled out.” See v. 4.
[6:8] 36 tn Heb “swears by his life”; or “swears by himself.”
[6:8] 37 tn Heb “his,” referring to Jacob, which stands here for the nation of Israel.
[6:8] 38 tn The words “to their enemies” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[6:8] 39 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.
[6:10] 41 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] 42 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
[6:11] 46 tn Or “is issuing the decree.”
[6:12] 51 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] 52 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.
[6:13] 56 tn Heb “those who rejoice over Lo-Debar.”
[6:13] 57 sn Karnaim was also located across the Jordan River. The name in Hebrew means “double horned.” Since an animal’s horn was a symbol of strength (see Deut 33:17), the Israelites boasted in this victory over a town whose very name symbolized military power.
[6:14] 61 tn Or “raise up” (KJV, NASB); NIV “stir up.”
[6:14] 63 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] 64 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] 65 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.
[7:1] 66 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[7:1] 67 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] 68 tn Or “the mowings of the king.”
[7:2] 71 tn “Israel” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[7:2] 72 tn Heb “stand” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).
[7:3] 76 tn Or “changed his mind about this.”
[7:4] 81 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[7:4] 82 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).
[7:6] 91 tn Or “changed his mind about this.”
[7:7] 96 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[7:7] 97 tn Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here and in the following verse is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[7:7] 98 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
[7:8] 101 tn Heb “And I will no longer pass over him.”
[7:9] 106 tn Traditionally, “the high places” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “pagan shrines.”
[7:9] 107 tn Heb “And I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with a sword.”
[7:10] 111 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[7:10] 112 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] 113 tn Heb “in the middle of the house of Israel.”
[7:11] 117 tn See the note on the word “exile” in 5:5.
[7:12] 121 tn Traditionally, “seer.” The word is a synonym for “prophet,” though it may carry a derogatory tone on the lips of Amaziah.
[7:12] 122 tn Heb “Eat bread there.”
[7:13] 126 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[7:13] 127 tn Heb “for it is a temple of a king and it is a royal house.” It is possible that the phrase “royal house” refers to a temple rather than a palace. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 243.
[7:14] 131 tn Heb “replied and said.” The phrase “and said” is pleonastic (redundant) and has not been included in the translation.
[7:14] 132 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] 134 tn Heb “gashed”; or “pierced.”
[7:14] 135 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).
[7:15] 136 tn Heb “from [following] after.”
[7:15] 137 tn Heb “and the
[7:16] 141 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).
[7:17] 146 tn Heb “in the city,” that is, “in public.”
[7:17] 147 tn Heb “will fall by the sword.”
[7:17] 148 tn Heb “will be divided up with a [surveyor’s] measuring line.”
[7:17] 149 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] 150 tn See the note on the word “exile” in 5:5.
[8:1] 151 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[8:1] 152 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.
[8:2] 156 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] 157 tn Heb “I will no longer pass over him.”
[8:3] 161 tn Or “palace” (NASB, NCV, TEV).
[8:3] 162 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.”
[8:4] 166 tn See the note on the word “trample” in 2:7.
[8:4] 167 tn Or “put an end to”; or “exterminate.”
[8:5] 171 sn Apparently work was prohibited during the new moon festival, just as it was on the Sabbath.
[8:5] 173 tn The verb, though omitted in the Hebrew text, is supplied in the translation from the parallel line.
[8:5] 174 tn Heb “sell grain.” Here “grain” could stand by metonymy for the bins where it was stored.
[8:5] 175 tn Here and in v. 6 the words “we’re eager” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[8:5] 176 tn Heb “to make small the ephah and to make great the shekel.” The “ephah” was a unit of dry measure used to determine the quantity purchased, while the “shekel” was a standard weight used to determine the purchase price. By using a smaller than standard ephah and a heavier than standard shekel, these merchants were able to increase their profit (“sell less for a higher price”) by cheating the buyer.
[8:5] 177 tn Heb “and to cheat with deceptive scales”; NASB, NIV “dishonest scales”; NRSV “false balances.”
[8:6] 176 tn Heb “to buy the poor for silver.”
[8:6] 177 tn See the note on the word “sandals” in 2:6.
[8:6] 178 tn Heb “The chaff of the grain we will sell.”
[8:7] 182 sn In an oath one appeals to something permanent to emphasize one’s commitment to the promise. Here the
[8:7] 183 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] 184 tn Or “I will never forget all your deeds.”
[8:8] 186 tn Or “land” (also later in this verse).
[8:8] 187 tn It is not clear whether the speaker in this verse is the
[8:8] 189 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] 191 tn Or “sink back down.” The translation assumes the verb שָׁקַע (shaqa’), following the Qere.
[8:8] 192 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.
[8:9] 191 tn Heb “in a day of light.”
[8:10] 197 tn Heb “I will place sackcloth on all waists.”
[8:10] 198 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] 199 tn Heb “I will make it like the mourning for an only son.”
[8:10] 200 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.
[8:11] 201 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[8:11] 202 tn Heb “the days are.”
[8:11] 203 tn Heb “not a hunger for food or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of the
[8:12] 206 tn Heb “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:12] 207 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] 208 tn Heb “looking for the word of.”
[8:12] 209 tn It is not clear whether the speaker in this verse is the
[8:13] 214 tn It is not clear whether the speaker in this verse is the
[8:14] 216 tn Heb “those who swear.”
[8:14] 217 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] 219 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] 220 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.
[9:1] 221 tn Or “the Lord.” The Hebrew term translated “sovereign One” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[9:1] 222 sn The altar is perhaps the altar at Bethel.
[9:1] 223 tn Or “the capitals.” The Hebrew singular form is collective.
[9:1] 224 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] 225 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] 226 tn Heb “a fugitive belonging to them will not run away.”
[9:1] 227 tn Heb “a survivor belonging to them will not escape.”
[9:2] 226 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.”
[9:3] 231 tn Heb “from before my eyes.”
[9:3] 232 tn Or perhaps simply, “there,” if the מ (mem) prefixed to the adverb is dittographic (note the preceding word ends in mem).
[9:3] 233 sn If the article indicates a definite serpent, then the mythological Sea Serpent, symbolic of the world’s chaotic forces, is probably in view. See Job 26:13 and Isa 27:1 (where it is also called Leviathan). Elsewhere in the OT this serpent is depicted as opposing the
[9:4] 236 tn Heb “Even if they go into captivity before their enemies.”
[9:4] 237 tn Or perhaps simply, “there,” if the מ (mem) prefixed to the adverb is dittographic (note the preceding word ends in mem).
[9:4] 238 tn Heb “I will set my eye on them for disaster, not good.”
[9:5] 241 tn The words “will do this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:5] 242 tn Or “melts.” The verb probably depicts earthquakes and landslides. See v. 5b.
[9:5] 244 tn Heb “the Nile.” The word “River” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:5] 245 tn Or “sinks back down.”
[9:5] 246 sn See Amos 8:8, which is very similar to this verse.
[9:6] 246 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] 247 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] 248 sn Verse 6a pictures the entire universe as a divine palace founded on the earth and extending into the heavens.
[9:7] 251 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] 252 sn Caphtor may refer to the island of Crete.
[9:7] 253 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.
[9:8] 256 tn Heb “the eyes of the sovereign
[9:8] 258 tn Heb “house” (also in the following verse).
[9:9] 261 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).
[9:11] 266 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] 267 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] 268 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] 269 tn Heb “and I will rebuild as in days of antiquity.”
[9:12] 271 sn They probably refers to the Israelites or to the Davidic rulers of the future.
[9:12] 272 tn Heb “take possession of the remnant of Edom”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “possess the remnant of Edom.”
[9:12] 273 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.
[9:13] 276 tn Heb “behold” or “look.”
[9:13] 277 tn Heb “the days are.”
[9:13] 278 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] 279 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] 280 tn The verb is omitted here in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation from the parallel line.
[9:13] 281 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] 282 tn Or “hills,” where the vineyards were planted.
[9:13] 283 tn Heb “and all the hills will melt.”
[9:14] 281 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] 282 tn Or “the ruined [or “desolate”] cities.”
[9:14] 283 tn Or “and live [in them].”
[9:14] 284 tn Heb “drink their wine.”
[9:14] 286 tn Heb “eat their fruit.”
[9:15] 286 tn Heb “their.” The pronoun was replaced by the English definite article in the translation for stylistic reasons.
