Amos 4

1 Ye fat kine, that be in the mount of Samaria, hear this word; which make false challenge to needy men, and break poor men; which say to your lords, Bring ye, and we shall drink. (Ye fat cows of Bashan, who live on the mount of Samaria, hear this word; ye who oppress the needy, and trample down the poor; who say to your lords, or to your masters, Bring ye us something to drink!)

2 The Lord God swore in his holy (place), for lo! days shall come on you; and they shall raise you in shafts, and your remnants in boiling pots. (The Lord God swore by his holiness, for lo! days shall come upon you; and then they shall raise you up with shafts, and shall put your remnants into boiling pots.)

3 And ye shall go out by the openings, one against another, and ye shall be cast forth into Harmon, saith the Lord. (And ye shall go out by the openings in the walls, one after the other, and ye shall be thrown forth onto the dunghill, saith the Lord.)

4 Come ye to Bethel, and do ye wickedly; to Gilgal, and multiply your trespassing; and offer ye early your sacrifices, in three days your tithes (and offer ye your sacrifices early in the morning, and your tithes every three days).

5 And sacrifice ye praising of bread made sour, and call ye (out about your) willful offerings, and tell ye; for ye, sons of Israel, would so, saith the Lord God. (And offer ye the unleavened bread of thanksgiving, and shout ye out about your freewill offerings, and tell ye everyone; for ye, Israelites, delighteth to do so, saith the Lord God.)

6 Wherefore and I gave to you astonishing of teeth in all your cities, and neediness of loaves in all your places [Wherefore and I gave to you edging of teeth in all your cities, and need of loaves in all your places]; and ye turned not again to me, saith the Lord. (And so I set your teeth on edge in all your cities, and made you to need food in all your places; and yet ye turned not again to me/and still ye did not return to me, saith the Lord.)

7 Also I forbad rain from you, when three months were yet to coming, till to ripe corn; and I rained on one city, and on another city I rained not; one part was berained, and the part dried up on (that) which I rained not. (And I forbade any rain to come to you, when there were yet three months left until the harvest; and I rained on one city, and on another city I did not rain; yea, one part was berained, and the part on which I did not rain, dried up.)

8 And twain and three cities came to one city, to drink water, and those were not [ful]filled; and ye came not again to me, saith the Lord. (And the people of two or three cities came to one city, to drink water, and still they were not fulfilled, or satisfied; and still ye did not come back to me, saith the Lord.)

9 I smote you with burning wind, and with rust, either mildew, the multitude of your orchards, and of your vineries; and a wortworm ate your olive places, and your fig places; and ye came not again to me, saith the Lord. (I struck you with burning wind, and with rust, or mildew, yea, the multitude of your orchards, and your vineyards; and the wortworms ate your olive places, and your fig places; and still ye did not come back to me, saith the Lord.)

10 I sent into you death (as) in the way of Egypt, I smote with sword your young men, till to the captivity of your horses, and I made the stink of your hosts to go up into your nostrils; and ye came not again to me, saith the Lord. (I sent death into you, like I did into Egypt, and I struck down your young men with the sword, and I took away your horses, and I made the stink of the corpses, or of the carrion, in your tents, or in your camps, to go up into your nostrils; and still ye did not come back to me, saith the Lord.)

11 I destroyed you, as God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye be made as a brand ravished (out) of (the) burning; and ye turned not again to me, saith the Lord. (I destroyed you, like God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were made like a brand, or a stick, snatched from the fire; and still ye did not return to me, saith the Lord.)

12 Wherefore, thou Israel, I shall do these things to thee; but after that I shall do to thee these things, Israel, be made ready into against-coming of thy God. (And so, O Israel, I shall do these things to thee; and after I shall do these things to thee, Israel, prepare to meet thy God/prepare to face my judgement.)

13 For lo! he formeth hills, and maketh wind, and telleth to man his speech; and he maketh a morrow mist, and goeth on high things of earth; the Lord God of hosts is the name of him. (For lo! he formeth the hills, and maketh the wind, and telleth his thoughts and his words to the people; and he maketh a mist in the morning, and goeth on all the high places of the earth; yea, the Lord God of hosts is his name.)

Amos 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

Israel is reproved. (1-5) Their impenitence shown. (6-13)

Verses 1-5 What is got by extortion is commonly used to provide for the flesh, and to fulfil the lusts thereof. What is got by oppression cannot be enjoyed with satisfaction. How miserable are those whose confidence in unscriptural observances only prove that they believe a lie! Let us see to it that our faith, hope, and worship, are warranted by the Divine word.

Verses 6-13 See the folly of carnal hearts; they wander from one creature to another, seeking for something to satisfy, and labour for that which satisfies not; yet, after all, they will not incline their ear to Him in whom they might find all they can want. Preaching the gospel is as rain, and every thing withers where this rain is wanting. It were well if people were as wise for their souls as they are for their bodies; and, when they have not this rain near, would go and seek it where it is to be had. As the Israelites persisted in rebellion and idolatry, the Lord was coming against them as an adversary. Ere long, we must meet our God in judgment; but we shall not be able to stand before him, if he tries us according to our doings. If we would prepare to meet our God with comfort, at the awful period of his coming, we must now meet him in Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father, who came to save lost sinners. We must seek him while he is to be found.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 4

In this chapter, the great ones, or the people of Israel, are threatened with calamities for their oppression of the poor, Am 4:1-3; and in an ironic manner are reproved for their idolatry, Am 4:4,5; then follows an enumeration of several judgments that had been upon them, yet had had no effect on them, to bring them to repentance, nor even mercies, Am 4:6-11; and notwithstanding all this, in a wonderful gracious manner, they are called upon to prepare to meet their God, who is described by his power, greatness, and goodness, Am 4:12,13.