Amos 4 Commentary

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Amos 4:1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink!”  

• ye kine (KJV): By the "kine of Bashan," some understand the proud, luxurious matrons of Israel; but it is probable the prophet speaks catachrestically, and means the wealthy, effeminate, and profligate rulers and nobles of Samaria. De 32:14,15 Ps 22:12 Jer 50:11,27 Eze 39:18 
• the mountain (KJV): Am 6:1 1Ki 16:24 
• which oppress (KJV): Am 2:6,7 3:9,10 5:11 8:4-6 Ex 22:21-25 De 15:9-11 Ps 12:5 140:12 Pr 22:22,23 23:10,11 Ec 4:1 5:8 Isa 1:17-24 5:8 58:6 Jer 5:26-29 6:6 7:6 Eze 22:7,12,27,29 Mic 2:1-3 3:1-3 Zec 7:10,11 Mal 3:5 Jas 5:1-6 
• crush (KJV): De 28:33 Job 20:19 *marg: Jer 51:34 
• Bring (KJV): Am 2:8 Joe 3:3 

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink

Amos 4:2 The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness, “Behold, the days are coming upon you When they will take you away with meat hooks, And the last of you with fish hooks.  

• Ps 89:35 
• hath sworn (KJV): Am 6:8 
• he will (KJV): Isa 37:29 Jer 16:16 Eze 39:4,5 Hab 1:15,16 

The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness, “Behold, the days are coming upon you When they will take you away with meat hooks, And the last of you with fish hooks

Amos 4:3 “You will go out through breaches in the walls, Each one straight before her, And you will be cast to Harmon,” declares the LORD.  

• ye shall go (KJV): 2Ki 25:4 Eze 12:5,12 
• them into the palace (KJV): or, away the things of the palace, 2Ki 7:7,8,15 Isa 2:20 31:7 Zep 1:18 Mt 16:26 

You will go out through breaches in the walls, Each one straight before her, And you will be cast to Harmon,” declares the LORD

Amos 4:4 “Enter Bethel and transgress; In Gilgal multiply transgression! Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days.  

• Come (KJV): A bitter irony and sarcasm, addressed to the idolatrous Israelites. Am 3:14 Ec 11:9 Eze 20:39 Joe 3:9-12 Mt 23:32 26:45 Mk 14:41 
• at Gilgal (KJV): Am 5:5 Ho 4:15 9:15 12:11 
• and bring (KJV): Nu 28:3,4 
• and your (KJV): De 14:28,29 26:12 
• three years (KJV): Heb. three years of days

Enter Bethel and transgress; In Gilgal multiply transgression! Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days

Amos 4:5 “Offer a thank offering also from that which is leavened, And proclaim freewill offerings, make them known. For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,” Declares the Lord GOD.  

• offer a sacrifice (KJV): Heb. offer by burning, Lev 7:12,13 23:17 
• proclaim (KJV): Lev 22:18-21 De 12:6,7 Mt 6:2 
• for (KJV): Ps 81:12 Mt 15:9,13,14 23:23 Ro 1:28 2Th 2:10-12 
• this liketh you (KJV): Heb. so ye love, Ho 9:1,10 

Offer a thank offering also from that which is leavened, And proclaim freewill offerings, make them known. For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,” Declares the Lord GOD

Amos 4:6 “But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.  

• cleanness (KJV): From want of food, occasioned by severe famine.
• and want (KJV): Lev 26:26 De 28:38 1Ki 17:1 18:2 2Ki 4:38 6:25-29 8:1 Eze 16:27 
• yet (KJV): Am 4:8,9 2Ch 28:22 Isa 9:13 26:11 Jer 5:3 8:5-7 Ho 5:15 6:1 Ho 7:14-16 Joe 2:12-14 Hag 2:17 Zec 1:3-6 Rev 2:21 9:20,21 Rev 16:10,11 

But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD

Amos 4:7 “Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city And on another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up.  

• I have (KJV): Lev 26:18-21,23,24,27,28 De 28:23,24 1Ki 8:35,36 2Ch 7:13,14 Isa 5:6 Jer 3:3 5:24,25 14:4,22 Hag 1:10,11 Zec 14:17 Jas 5:17 Rev 11:6 
• when (KJV): Joe 2:23  Joh 4:35 
• and I (KJV): Ex 8:22 9:4,26 10:23 Judges 6:37-40 1Co 4:7 
• and the (KJV): Joe 1:10-18 

Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city And on another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up

Amos 4:8 “So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.  

• two (KJV): 1Ki 18:5 Isa 41:17,18 Jer 14:3 
• but (KJV): Eze 4:16 Mic 6:14 Hag 1:6 
• yet (KJV): Am 4:6,9-11 Jer 23:14 Ho 7:10 

So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD

Amos 4:9 “I smote you with scorching wind and mildew; And the caterpillar was devouring Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.  

• with (KJV): De 28:22 1Ki 8:37 2Ch 6:28 Hag 2:17 
• when (KJV): etc. or, the multitude of your gardens, etc. did the palmer worm, etc
• the palmerworm (KJV): Am 7:1,2 De 28:42 Joe 1:4 2:25 
• yet (KJV): Am 4:6,8 Job 36:8-13 Isa 1:5 42:24,25 Jer 5:3 

I smote you with scorching wind and mildew; And the caterpillar was devouring Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD

Amos 4:10 “I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt; I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses, And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.  

• pestilence (KJV): Ex 9:3-6 12:29,30 15:26 Lev 26:16,25 De 7:15 28:22,27,60 Ps 78:49,50 
• after the manner (KJV): or, in the way
• your young (KJV): Lev 26:25 2Ki 8:12 10:32 Jer 6:11 11:22 18:21 48:15 
• and have taken away your horses (KJV): Heb. with the captivity of your horses, 2Ki 13:3,7 
• the stink (KJV): Am 8:3 De 28:26 Jer 8:1,2 9:22 15:3 16:4 Joe 2:20 
• yet (KJV): Am 4:6 Ex 8:19 9:12,17,34,35 10:3,27 14:4 

I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt; I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses, And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD

Amos 4:11 “I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.  

• as God (KJV): Ge 19:24,25 Isa 13:19 Jer 49:18 Ho 11:8 2Pe 2:6 Jude 1:7 
• as a (KJV): Zec 3:2 1Co 3:15 Jude 1:23 
• yet (KJV): Am 4:6 Jer 6:28-30 Eze 22:17-22 24:13 Rev 9:20

I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze; Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD

Amos 4:12 “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”  

• thus (KJV): Am 4:2,3 2:14 9:1-4 
• prepare (KJV): Am 5:4-15 Isa 47:3 Eze 13:5 22:30 Ho 13:8 Mt 5:25 24:44-51 Mt 25:1-13 Mk 13:32-37 Lu 14:31,32 21:3-36 1Th 5:2-4 Jas 4:1-10 Rev 3:3 

Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel

Amos 4:13 For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name.

• he that (KJV): This is a most powerful description of the majesty of Jehovah, the God of hosts. Job 38:4-11 Ps 65:6 Isa 40:12 Zec 12:1 
• and createth (KJV): Ps 135:7 147:18 Jer 10:13 51:16 
• wind (KJV): or, spirit, Joh 3:8 
• and declareth (KJV): Ps 139:2 Da 2:28 Mt 9:4 Lu 7:39,40 Joh 2:25 
• that maketh (KJV): Am 5:8 8:9 Ex 10:22 14:20 Isa 5:30 Jer 13:16 
• and treadeth (KJV): De 32:13 33:29 Mic 1:3 Hab 3:19 
• The Lord (KJV): Am 3:13 5:8 6:8 9:6 Isa 47:4 48:2 Jer 10:16 51:19 

For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name