Study notes

Amos 6

Introducing AmosWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

3:1–6:14 Section

The people and leaders of the northern kingdom treated people badly. This was the main sin that Amos talked about. Treating people badly was very common while King Jeroboam the second ruled the northern kingdom.

This king ruled many years after the first King Jeroboam ruled. In Amos’ time, Jeroboam’s army had won many victories over the nations around them. The northern kingdom had grown large and many people had become wealthy. They had also become full of pride. They treated people badly in many ways.

They stopped prophets from sharing God’s messages. They stopped Nazirites from keeping their promises to God. Men committed sexual sins with and against girls. The people and leaders stole things. They stored up more and more things for themselves. They did this even though some people didn’t have enough.

Those who were rich took advantage of needy people. They charged unfair prices that poor people couldn’t pay. Then they made poor people slaves when they couldn’t pay their debts. Those who were rich didn’t allow poor people their rights in court. They cared about being rich and comfortable. They didn’t care about justice or doing good to others.

This showed that they weren’t worshipping and obeying God with all their heart. They pretended to worship God. They offered some of the sacrifices and offerings talked about in the Law of Moses. They celebrated some of the feasts described in the Mount Sinai covenant. But they didn’t follow God’s rules about how to treat others.

The main law about that was recorded in Leviticus 19:18. It said that God’s people were to love their neighbours as they loved themselves. And the people and leaders of the northern kingdom didn’t worship only God. They worshipped statues of metal calves on altars in the city of Bethel. The people and leaders also worshipped Baal in a temple in Samaria.

God had allowed some of the covenant curses to come to the northern kingdom. He did this to warn them to turn away from their sins. God wanted his people to treat others fairly and to do what is right. But the people refused to repent and turn back to God. This made God very angry. Amos described God’s anger like the loud roar of a lion.

5:18–6:14

The pronouncements of sorrow in this section develop two main themes:

  1. Israel’s apostasy (turning away from God) would make the day of the Lord a day of judgment, not salvation; and

  2. Judah’s spiritual complacency (feeling satisfied and unconcerned about faithfulness to God) would also bring judgment.

6:1

Zion … Samaria: Including Jerusalem in the message is surprising, but it shows that God does not show favoritism. Anyone who rebels against God will face sorrow. The Hebrew text mentions Zion and Mount Samaria, referring to the strongholds of the two cities. The people of both Judea and Israel were arrogant, thinking the fortresses of Jerusalem and Samaria could not be defeated (see also Amos 4:3). Trusting in physical strength instead of God is a sin.

6:2

  • Calneh and Hamath were Aramean city-states influenced by Israel (see 2 Kings 14:28). Calneh fell to Assyria in 738 BC, and Hamath had to pay tribute soon after. Uzziah had destroyed the wall of Gath (2 Chronicles 26:6), but it also fell to Assyria in 711 BC.

  • Are you better: Israel itself fell in 722 BC.

6:3

day of calamity (literally seat of violence): By this phrase, Amos either meant that:

  • Israel's actions may have sped up the Assyrian conquest's violence, or

  • the people might have ignored the looming disaster, leading to everyday violence against the poor.

6:4

People often served meat to honor important guests. Common foods included bread, fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. Wealthy people ate meat regularly, showing their wealth.

6:5–6

These verses describe people celebrating with excessive drinking and loud behavior.

6:6

  • wine by the bowlful: The word translated as bowl (Hebrew mizraq) is related to a verb meaning "sprinkle" or "splash" (Hebrew zaraq; see Exodus 24:6). The same word describes the basins used for sprinkling blood or water in religious ceremonies (see 2 Kings 12:13; 25:15), adding a sense of sacrilege to this description of their drunkenness.

  • over the ruin of Joseph: The Hebrew text reads of Joseph, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; see study note on Amos 5:6.

6:9–10

These verses vividly describe the widespread killing due to military conquest as promised in Amos 6:8.

6:10

to burn the bodies: Burning the dead (cremation) was rare in the ancient Near East (see study note on Amos 2:1). Because of this, some interpret this phrase to mean "burn a memorial fire" (see Jeremiah 34:5). Others believe it means "dispose of the remains" without cremation. However, the context (the need to dispose of many bodies to prevent decay and disease; Amos 6:9; see 8:3) supports the idea of cremation.

6:12

  • Running horses over cliffs is unwise because unshod horses can damage their hooves on rocks. Obviously, oxen cannot plow the sea either. A slight change in the Hebrew text asks Can oxen be used to plow them [as in cliffs], which is equally absurd.

  • But you have turned: The comparisons highlight Israel's own absurdity in moral matters.

  • justice into poison: The people twisted what is just and right, making it toxic and bitter (see also Amos 5:7).

6:13

Lo-debar and Karnaim were areas that Jeroboam II took back from the Arameans (see 2 Kings 14:25–28). Amos uses wordplay with their names (see Berean Stand Bible textual notes).

Lo-debar sounds like a Hebrew phrase meaning “nothing” or “no word.” Karnaim sounds like a word meaning “horns,” which were a symbol of strength or power. By using these names, the prophet suggests that what Israel celebrates as strength and success is actually empty and powerless. In the book of Amos, this wordplay supports his message that military victories do not prove God’s favor.

6:14

Lebo-hamath marked the northern border of Solomon’s influence (1 Kings 8:65) and the land Jeroboam II recovered. The Dead Sea, also known as the Sea of the Arabah (see footnote on 2 Kings 14:25), marked the southern border of Jeroboam’s recovered territory. The irony was clear. The same land that Israel had regained would later be taken over and oppressed by an enemy nation, Assyria.

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources