Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
AMOS 1
1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.
2 He said:
“The Lord roars from Zion
and thunders from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
and the top of Carmel withers.”
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
3 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Damascus,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she threshed Gilead
with sledges having iron teeth,
4 I will send fire on the house of Hazael
that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.
5 I will break down the gate of Damascus;
I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.
The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,”
says the Lord.
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Gaza,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she took captive whole communities
and sold them to Edom,
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
that will consume her fortresses.
8 I will destroy the king of Ashdod
and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand against Ekron,
till the last of the Philistines are dead,”
says the Sovereign Lord.
9 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Tyre,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
that will consume her fortresses.”
11 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Edom,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword
and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
and his fury flamed unchecked,
12 I will send fire on Teman
that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.”
13 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Ammon,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead
in order to extend his borders,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah
that will consume her fortresses
amid war cries on the day of battle,
amid violent winds on a stormy day.
15 Her king will go into exile,
he and his officials together,”
says the Lord.
Application Notes
1:1 Amos was a shepherd who tended sycamore-fig trees in the southern kingdom (Judah), but he prophesied to the northern kingdom (Israel). Israel was politically at the height of its power with a prosperous economy under the leadership of Jeroboam II, but the nation was spiritually corrupt. Idols were worshiped throughout the land, and especially at Bethel, which was supposed to be the nation's religious center. Like Hosea, Amos was sent by God to denounce this social and religious corruption. About 30 or 40 years after Amos prophesied, Assyria destroyed the capital city, Samaria, and conquered Israel (722 BC). Uzziah, Judah's king, reigned from 792 to 740; Jeroboam II reigned in Israel from 793 to 753.
1:1 Tekoa, Amos's hometown, was located in the rugged sheep country of Judah, about ten miles south of Jerusalem. Long before Amos was born, a wise woman of Tekoa had helped reconcile David and his rebellious son Absalom through very careful negotiation (2 Samuel 14:1-23).
1:1 Amos raised sheep—not a particularly “spiritual” job—yet he became a channel of God's message to others. Your job may not feel spiritual, important, or successful, but it is a vital work if you are in the place God wants you to be. God can work through you to do extraordinary good, no matter how ordinary your occupation.
1:1 The book of the prophet Zechariah and other historical records from this period mention an earthquake that occurred at this time (Zechariah 14:5).
1:2 The Bible often pictures God as a shepherd and his people as sheep (Psalms 23; 28:9). As a shepherd, God leads and protects his flock. But here Amos depicts God as a ferocious lion ready to devour those who are evil or unfaithful (see also Hosea 11:10).
1:2 Carmel's name means “fertile field.” It was a very beautiful and fruitful farming area. A drought capable of drying up this entire area would have to be quite severe. God certainly would get the attention of the farmers and landowners.
1:3-2:16 Amos pronounced God's judgment on nation after nation around lsrael's borders-even Judah. Perhaps the people of Israel cheered when they heard the rebukes leveled against those nations, one after another. But then Amos brought God's judgment home to the people of Israel. They could not excuse their own sin just because the sins of their neighbors seemed worse. God does not exempt even his chosen people from the consequences of sin. He judges all people fairly and impartially.
1:3-2:16 The phrase “for three sins ... even for four” echoes through this passage as God evaluates each nation. Everyone had repeatedly and persistently refused to follow God's commands. Refusing to listen to God can become a way of life. Ignoring or denying his requirements has consequences. We can restore our relationship with God by confessing our sins to him and asking him to forgive us. Otherwise, we have no hope as we continue in our pattern of sin.
1:3-5 Damascus was the capital of Aram (Syria). In the past, Aram had been one of Israel's most formidable enemies. This prophecy was fulfilled when Assyria defeated Damascus in 732 BC (2 Kings 16:9). After this, Damascus was no longer a real threat.
1:4 The “house of Hazael” refers to the king of Aram. Ben-Hadad was Hazael's son (2 Kings 13:24).
1:5 The Arameans had once been slaves in Kir, but now they were free (9:7). Decreeing that the Arameans should go back to Kir was like saying the Israelites should go back to Egypt as slaves (Exodus 1).
1:7-8 Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron were four of the five major cities of Philistia, an enemy that often threatened Israel. The fifth city, Gath, had probably already been destroyed. Therefore, Amos was saying that the entire nation of Philistia would be destroyed for their sins.
1:9 Tyre was one of two major cities in Phoenicia. Several treaties had been made with this city, which supplied the cedar used to build David's palace and God's temple in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Kings 5).
1:11-12 Both Edom and Israel had descended from Isaac: Edom from Isaac's son Esau, and Israel from Esau's twin brother, Jacob (Genesis 25:19-28; 27). But these two nations, like the two brothers, were often fighting. Edom had rejoiced at Israel's misfortunes. As a result, God promised to destroy Edom completely, from Teman in the south to Bozrah in the north.
1:13-15 The Ammonites had descended from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his younger daughter (Genesis 19:30-38). The Ammonites were hostile to Israel; and although Israel began to worship the idols, the Ammonites still attacked (Judges 10:6-8). After Saul had been anointed Israel's king, his first victory in battle was against the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11). Rabbah was Ammon's capital city. Amos's prophecy of Ammon's destruction was fulfilled through the Assyrian invasion.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)