Amos 6

The Lord Abhors the Pride of Israel (6:8–14)

8–11 Because of Jacob’s (Israel’s) pride, God will deliver up the city—Samaria, Israel’s capital (verse 8). At the Lord’s command, all houses—both great and small—will be smashed to pieces (verse 11). The Lord’s judgment will be so terrifying that the few survivors will be afraid to even mention His name (verses 9–10).

12–14 Amos asks: Do horses run on rocky crags? Of course not. Neither do nations survive that “run” on oppression and injustice—or on pride and self–sufficiency (verse 13). God will not allow such a nation—namely, Israel—to go unpunished. He will stir up a nation (Assyria) that will come and oppress the Israelites from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah (verse 14)—that is, from the north end of Israel to the south. The entire land will fall to the Assyrians.