Amos and the Roar of the Lord
Study note
Amos introduces himself as a shepherd from Tekoa, a small town about ten miles south of Jerusalem. He prophesied during the reigns of King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam II of Israel. God's voice is compared to a lion's roar from Zion (Jerusalem), shaking the whole land and causing the pastures to dry up.
1 These words belong to Amos, a shepherd from the town of Tekoa. He received this message about Israel while Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash was king of Israel. It came two years before the great earthquake. The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
2 Amos declared: The LORD roars from Zion and his voice thunders from Jerusalem. The green pastures where shepherds graze their flocks wither and dry up, and even the peak of Mount Carmel turns brown. And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
Judgment on Damascus
Study note
Damascus was the capital of Syria (Aram). The phrase 'for three sins, and for four' means the nation has sinned over and over again. Syria had cruelly attacked the people of Gilead in eastern Israel, crushing them with iron tools used for threshing grain. God promises to destroy the ruling house of Hazael and Ben-hadad and send the Syrians into exile.
3 The LORD says: "Damascus has sinned over and over and over, so I will not hold back their punishment. They tortured the people of Gilead with brutal iron threshing tools." Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
4 "So I will send fire crashing down on the palace of Hazael, and it will burn Ben-hadad's fortresses to the ground." But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.
5 "I will smash through the gates of Damascus and wipe out the people living in the valley of Aven. I will remove the ruler of Eden's palace. The people of Aram will be dragged away as prisoners to Kir," the LORD says. I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
Judgment on Gaza
Study note
Gaza was one of the five main cities of the Philistines, along with Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron. The Philistines had captured entire communities of people and sold them as slaves to the nation of Edom. God promises to destroy all their major cities and wipe out the remaining Philistines.
6 The LORD says: "Gaza has sinned over and over, so I will not hold back their punishment. They kidnapped entire communities and sold them as slaves to Edom." Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
7 "So I will set fire to the walls of Gaza, and it will destroy all their fortresses." But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
8 "I will wipe out the people of Ashdod and the ruler of Ashkelon. I will strike Ekron with my fist, and every last Philistine will be destroyed," the Lord GOD says. And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
Judgment on Tyre
Study note
Tyre was a wealthy trading city on the coast of what is now Lebanon. Tyre had broken a peace treaty with Israel and handed over whole groups of people to Edom as slaves. God promises to burn down the walls and palaces of Tyre.
9 The LORD says: "Tyre has sinned over and over, so I will not hold back their punishment. They sold whole populations to Edom as slaves and broke the brotherhood treaty they had made." Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:
10 "So I will set fire to the walls of Tyre, and it will consume all their fortresses." But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
Judgment on Edom
Study note
Edom was descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob (Israel). Despite being related to the Israelites, Edom constantly attacked them with bitter, unending hatred. God promises to send fire on Teman and Bozrah, two of Edom's most important cities.
11 The LORD says: "Edom has sinned over and over, so I will not hold back their punishment. Edom hunted down his own brother Israel with a sword, showing zero mercy. His rage burned without stopping, and his fury never cooled down." Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:
12 "So I will send fire on Teman, and it will burn up the fortresses of Bozrah." But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
Judgment on Ammon
Study note
The Ammonites lived east of the Jordan River. In their wars to expand their territory, they committed terrible violence against the people of Gilead, including harming pregnant women. God promises to burn Rabbah, their capital city, and send their king and leaders into exile.
13 The LORD says: "The Ammonites have sinned over and over, so I will not hold back their punishment. They attacked pregnant women in Gilead just to grab more land for themselves." Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:
14 "So I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah, and it will burn down every fortress. Battle cries will ring out on the day of war, and a violent storm will rage." But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
15 "Their king will be marched off as a prisoner, along with all his top officials," the LORD says. And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD.