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AMOS 4

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

1. Notice the structure of this chapter.
   
   
   1. Amos addresses the wealthy women of Israel (i.e., all exploitative elements of Israeli society), Amos 4:1-3
      
      
   2. YHWH's sarcastic response to their religiosity, Amos 4:4-5
      
      
   3. YHWH's sending of the covenant curses of Deut. 27-29, but they still will not repent, Amos 4:6-11
      
      
   4. YHWH's threat of personal, temporal visitation (i.e., the Day of the Lord), Amos 4:12
      
      
   5. Amos' doxology to God as creator, and therefore, rightful judge, Amos 4:13
   
   
2. This brief outline shows the problem of how to analyze a prophet's poetic message. It is difficult to tell when the prophet comments and when he quotes the message of YHWH given to him. The revelation is so overpowering that the words of the prophet are merged with the words of YHWH! Outlining the message is less significant than allowing the whole message to impact the reader's consciousness!

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: AMOS 4:1-3
 ¹Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,
 Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
 Who say to your husbands, "Bring now, that we may drink!"
 ²The Lord God has sworn by His holiness,
 "Behold, the days are coming upon you
 When they will take you away with meat hooks,
 And the last of you with fish hooks.
 ³You will go out through breaches in the walls,
 Each one straight before her,
 And you will be cast to Harmon," declares the Lord.

4:1 "Hear this word" The VERB (BDB 1033, KB 1570) is a Qal IMPERATIVE (see note at Amos 3:1. The VERB is also used at Amos 5:1). This prophetic formula is seen several times in Amos (e.g., Amos 3:1; 4:1; 5:1). This is God's message to His people. Covenant violations result in covenant judgments (cf. Deuteronomy 27-29).

SPECIAL TOPIC: LISTEN/HEAR

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S COVENANT REQUIREMENTS OF ISRAEL

▣ "Cows of Bashan" This is Amos' rural reference to the elegant society women who abused the poor for their own luxury. Bashan was an area northwest of the Sea of Galilee from the mountains of Herman to the Yarmuk River. It was famous for its beautiful cattle (i.e., the wives of the wealthy).

1. This may not have been a negative statement, but imagery of well kept and well fed, pampered cattle. Being pampered has turned into demands gained at the expense of the poor (BDB 195)!
2. On the other hand, it may refer to fattened cattle, ready to be slaughtered! Amos uses several rural images from his personal experience as a sheep herder.
3. There is still another possibility, that these refer to cultic sexual partners.
   1. here called "wives"
   2. said to be on the mountain of Samaria (possible reference to the raised altar at Bethel)
   3. their men not called "husbands," but "lords" (Amos 4:1c)
   4. cows seen as gods of fertility and strength in Egypt and early Israel (cf. Exodus 32). They also became a symbol for Ba'al (i.e., the golden calves of Jeroboam I at Dan and Bethel).
   5. cultic sexual acts may be alluded to in Amos 2:7-8. God swearing by His own holiness may refer to 2:7d.

▣ "on the mountain of Samaria" This refers to the well fortified capital of Israel, which Omri built on the top of a mesa. It had steep cliffs and only one natural entrance.

▣ "Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy" These two Qal PARTICIPLES (BDB 798, KB 897 and BDB 954, KB 1285) are parallel and describe the actions of the wealthy women. YHWH is uniquely (i.e., compared to other ANE law codes) concerned about the plight of these people (especially Deuteronomy, "the orphan and the widow. . .the alien," cf. Deut. 10:18; 14:29; 16:11; 24:14,17,19; 26:12,13; 27:19).

This then is another allusion to the Mosaic Covenant. The prophets did not invent or introduce a new ethical system, but reemphasized the Mosaic covenant requirements (cf. Jer. 7:6) with their blessings and curses (i.e., Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-29)!

▣ "say to your husband" This is not the formal term for husband. It is a rare ancient form which meant "lord" (BDB 10, KB 12); here used in the sense of "husband" (e.g., Gen. 18:12; Jdg. 19:26-27). Irony is being expressed; "the lords" are being commanded!

▣ "Bring now, that we may drink" This phrase has two VERBS of command (BDB 97, KB 112, Hiphal IMPERATIVE and BDB 1059, KB 1667, Qal COHORTATIVE). These women had been indulging in luxury to the point that alcoholism and greed were the normal way of life. Their motto would have been "more and more for me at any cost" (i.e., the essence of the Fall)!

SPECIAL TOPIC: WEALTH

SPECIAL TOPIC: ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOL ABUSE

4:2 "the Lord God has sworn by His holiness" The VERB (BDB 989, KB 1396) is a Niphal PERFECT. This is a rare and serious statement that speaks of God swearing by Himself (cf. Amos 6:8; Ps. 89:35). YHWH is an ethical God. Loving and just relationships are required, not only with Him, but with other covenant partners. True biblical faith has both a horizontal aspect (God) and a vertical aspect (others).

SPECIAL TOPIC: HOLY

▣ "the days are coming" This is a reference to judgment day. See full note at Amos 2:16. It is referred to as

1. "in that day," Amos 2:16; 8:3, 9, 13; 9:11
2. "the day of the Lord" in Amos 5:18 and 20

This motif is common in the latter prophets. Israel viewed YHWH's visitation as a day of God's blessing, but Amos reveals it as a day of wrath and judgment.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THAT DAY

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE LAST DAYS

The first term (BDB 856 I, KB 1036) for "hooks" is found only here in the OT. It seems to be related to the Hebrew root for "thorn," "spike," or "spear" (BDB 856). Apparently these fancy society women and their children will have a hook placed in their lower lip by Assyrian soldiers and they will be marched out of the city naked (LXX) in single file, tied to one another as a train of unruly cattle.

The second term (BDB 186, KB 215) relates to fishing gear of some type. Because of the paralleling, "hooks" seems best. Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 16:16) uses "fishing" as imagery for judgment. The question one asks of this verse is, "Is it imagery or literal?" Assyria did use hooks or rings in the lower lip to tie refugees together during deportation marches as an intimidation factor (cf. 2 Chr. 33:11 of Assyrians and Hab. 1:15 of Babylonians).

The REB translates both of these terms differently. The first as "shields" (BDB 857), which is similar to the way the ancient versions translated the term.

1. LXX ‒ "weapons"
2. Peshitta ‒ "weapons"

The second term is translated as "fish-baskets" (BDB 690 CONSTRUCT BDB 186, cf. NET Bible). The LXX has "boiling caldrons." Because the Hebrew roots are so rare, the meaning is uncertain and similar roots and cognates are used to try to fit the historical and literary context. The main point is a violent and humiliating deportation!

For me, since the context addresses the "cows of Bashan" and since Amos has a rural background, the terms should probably relate to cattle herding. It is possible that Amos changes imagery, but because the Hebrew terms are rare, then "prod" and "hook" for controlling and moving cattle, seem best.

▣ "and the last of you" The word "last" (BDB 31) can refer to

1. every last one of you (cf. Amos 1:8; 8:10; 9:1)
2. a small remnant
3. descendants or posterity

The context implies #1.

4:3 "straight before" The phrase "straight before" is imagery for the complete destruction of the protective city wall. The population was tied together in single file and exiled to a distant location to the east.

This VERB (BDB 1020, KB 1527, Hiphil PERFECT with waw) often has the connotation of God casting a sinner from His presence (cf. 2 Kgs. 17:20; 24:20; Ps. 51:11; 71:9; 102:10; Jer. 7:15). However, its use as a positive covenant promise is found in 2 Kgs. 13:23. Although the immediate context of Amos refers to Assyrian exile, the term itself has the implication of divine wrath (cf. Isa. 10:5). Assyria exiled Israel because of their sin and YHWH's judgment, not Assyria's innate power!

There have been several theories as to the meaning/wording of this phrase/place.

1. It is a place name of unknown location. The LXX calls it the mountain of Rimmon or Romman.
2. It is a misspelling of Mount Hermon (cf. NJB and UBS, Translator's Handbook, p. 234) and, therefore, a parallel to the later phrase "beyond Damascus," 5:27, which meant on the way to exile in Assyria.
3. The JPSOA and the REB have emendated the Hebrew text to a similar Hebrew term (BDB 199) "dung heap" (cf. Isa. 25:10), which in this context would refer to the place of disposing of the dead bodies (the "hooks" then would be for dragging away the dead bodies). Their translation reads "and flung on the refuse heap."
4. An Aramaic Targum and some later Syrian translations, the Peshitta, have "beyond the mountains of Armenia," which also parallels 5:27.
5. It is possible to divide the Hebrew text differently and get "cast out, O mountain of oppression" (cf. NIV STUDY BIBLE footnote, p. 1352).

The MT is reflected in the NASB translation. The UBS Text Project, p. 281, gives it a "C" rating (considerable doubt), which means the translation committee could not decide on the original wording.

▣ "declares the Lord" This recurrent phrase, Amos 1:5,8,15; 2:3,11,16; 3:10,13,14; 4:3,5,6,8,10,11 and 5:17, shows whose authority, power and prestige stand behind these statements.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: AMOS 4:4-5
 ⁴"Enter Bethel and transgress;
 In Gilgal multiply transgression!
 Bring your sacrifices every morning,
 Your tithes every three days.
 ⁵Offer a thank offering also from that which is leavened,
 And proclaim freewill offerings, make them known.
 For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,"
 Declares the Lord God.

4:4 "enter" This (BDB 97, KB 112) is a Qal IMPERATIVE. Verses 4 and 5 have a series of IMPERATIVES (3 Qal IMPERATIVES; 3 Hiphil IMPERATIVES).

▣ "Bethel. . .Gilgal" These were early cultic centers (Bethel, Gen. 12:8; 28:10-22 and Gilgal, Joshua 4). They were popular worship sites in the eighth century B.C. (cf. Hos. 4:15; 9:15 and 12:11). Verses 4 and 5 are highly sarcastic (cf. Amos 5:5-6).

It is possible that YHWH's sarcastic statements in Amos 4:4-5 were due to

1. Israel's love of formal worship rituals, but evil lifestyles
2. their condemnation by the prophets when God chose Jerusalem as the central sanctuary (e.g., Deut. 12:5,11,13,14,18,26; 14:23,24,25; 16:2,6,7,16).

In context option #1 is best.

It is difficult to be certain which Gilgal is referenced here. There are possibly four different Gilgals (i.e., "circle" of stones; see The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 2, pp. 1022-23). Hard Sayings of the Bible asserts that this site is close to Bethel (Anchor Dictionary #2), not the one mentioned in Joshua 4 (p. 330).

▣ "Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days" There are three theories about this verse:

1. it shows their excessive religiosity (i.e., outward show at certain times and places)
2. it shows the normal worship practices of the pilgrims as they attend these shrines (i.e., arrived one day, offer a sacrifice the second, and the tithe on the third day, cf. REB)
3. the tithes refers to the third year tithe for local poor (i.e., another allusion to the Mosaic covenant, cf. Deut. 14:28; 26:12, "days" would then be a reference to "years")

SPECIAL TOPIC: TITHING

4:5 "a thank offering also from that which is leavened" There are two theories concerning this phrase:

1. leaven was forbidden and, therefore, shows their perversion (cf. Exod. 23:18; 34:15; Lev. 2:11; 6:17)
2. it should be understood as "bread offering" (cf. NRSV, TEV), which was not required, but showed extra devotion

Leviticus 7:13 allows leaven in a fellowship sacrifice. It is not always imagery for evil. Leviticus 7:12-14 says the bread is not to be burned.

SPECIAL TOPIC: LEAVEN

▣ "proclaim. . .make them known" The VERBS are a Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 894, KB 1128) and a Hiphil IMPERATIVE (BDB 1033, KB 1570). Their worship activities were an ostentatious public display of religiosity (cf. Matt. 6:2).

▣ "For so you love to do, you sons of Israel" Multiplied, eloquent ritual had become the essence of their faith, not social justice based on their personal faith in YHWH. They wanted to flaunt their religiosity before each other! A faith cut off from daily life is a faith cut off from YHWH!

▣ "Declares the Lord God" See note at Amos 3:1.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: AMOS 4:6-13
 ⁶"But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities
 And lack of bread in all your places,
 Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the Lord.
 ⁷Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you
 While there were still three months until harvest.
 Then I would send rain on one city
 And on another city I would not send rain;
 One part would be rained on,
 While the part not rained on would dry up.
 ⁸So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water,
 But would not be satisfied;
 Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the Lord.
 ⁹I smote you with scorching wind and mildew;
 And the caterpillar was devouring
 Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees;
 Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the Lord.
 ¹⁰I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt;
 I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses,
 And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils;
 Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the Lord.
 ¹¹I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
 And you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze;
 Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the Lord.
 ¹²Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
 Because I will do this to you,
 Prepare to meet your God, O Israel."
 ¹³For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind
 And declares to man what are His thoughts,
 He who makes dawn into darkness
 And treads on the high places of the earth,
 The Lord God of hosts is His name.

4:6-11 These verses describe a series of calamities (curses) that will befall Israel because of her rejection of God's covenant (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-29). These God-sent judgments include

1. no food, Amos 4:6 (cf. Deut. 28:16-17)
2. no rain, Amos 4:7-8 (cf. Deut. 28:23-24)
3. dry wind, Amos 4:9
4. dry rot, Amos 4:9 (cf. Deut. 28:22)
5. insects, Amos 4:9 (cf. Deut. 28:21,38-39)
6. plague, Amos 4:10
7. war, Amos 4:10 (cf. Deut. 28:22,49-52)

4:6 The first two lines of poetry are parallel. Cleanness of teeth is not a dental issue, but a result of no food to eat!

The PRONOUN "I" is emphasized. It is YHWH Himself who "sends" (BDB 678, KB 733, Qal PERFECT) these covenant curses (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-29).

▣ "I gave you" The "I" is emphatic. God sent these disasters to bring His people back to the covenant.

▣ "Yet you have not returned to Me" The purpose of these calamities was redemptive (cf. Amos 4:6,8,9,19,11), not just punitive. The essence of repentance is both a change of mind (Greek term) followed by a change of action (Hebrew term, e.g., Jer. 3:22-4:2).

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (NT)

4:7 "I withheld the rain" The first two lines refer to the later rains just before the maturing of the crops in March and April. Fertility is controlled by YHWH, not Ba'al!

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WATERS

▣ Lines 3-6 are a theological way of asserting God's control over nature (cf. Amos 4:8). He is able to direct the curses (cf. Lev. 26:19; Deut. 28:12,23-24) to certain cities and/or localities. This is similar to the Egyptian plagues. The first nine fell on the land of Egypt, but not where the Hebrews lived in Goshen.

4:8 This verse continues the emphasis of Amos 4:7. Cities are personified as seeking water, but they cannot find enough to sustain life.

The term "stagger" (BDB 631, KB 681, Qal PERFECT with waw) has the connotation of staggering or wandering as a result of God's judgment (cf. Amos 8:12; Gen. 4:12,14; Num. 32:13; Jer. 14:10; Lam. 4:15).

▣ "Yet you have not returned to Me" This is a repeated call for repentance (cf. Amos 4:6,8,9,10,11).

Notice the personal emphasis, they are to return to God, their God. He had made a covenant uniquely with them (cf. Amos 4:2). Their part was devotion and obedience. The purpose of creation was fellowship. God wanted a personal being like Himself (cf. Gen. 1:26-27) to have a relationship with. This fellowship/relationship must conform to the nature and character of God. The fracture of this intimate fellowship is the essence of the Fall (cf. Genesis 3) and the goal of redemption (i.e., the restoration of the image of God damaged in human rebellion).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FALL OF MANKIND

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

BDB (995, KB 1423) defines this as "smut on crops" and gives Deut. 28:22; 1 Kgs. 8:37; 2 Chr. 6:28; and Haggai 2:17 as examples. However, Holladay's Lexicon (361) defines it as "scorching" and gives the same examples. The NASB and TEV understand this as referring to the hot desert wind known as "the sirocco" (e.g., Gen. 41:6,23,27).

This word (BDB 439, KB 440) is paired with the above word in all examples. BDB translated it "rust." The term also means "paleness" (i.e., imagery of childbirth, cf. Jer. 30:6). Here it is not the mildew caused by too much humidity, but the yellowish powdery kind caused by lack of humidity.

▣ "the caterpillar" Insect infestation (i.e., locusts [BDB 160, KB 187], cf. Joel 1:4; 2:25) was a judgment from YHWH for breaking the covenant can be seen in Deut. 28:38-40,42. The infestation could be

1. the locusts themselves
2. their larvae

4:10 "I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt" The term "plague" (BDB 184, KB 21) is used of:

1. one of the Egyptian plagues in Exod. 9:3,15
2. a threat of God's judgment on His own peope in Exod. 5:3; Lev. 26:23-25; Num. 14:12; Deut. 28:21.

It is interesting that the Hebrew consonants for "plague" are the same for God's "word" (KB 212). There may be an intentional word play. The Israelites neglected God's "word" and thereby reaped God's "plague." A return to Him and His word would abundantly restore and multiply!

▣ "along with your captured horses" This would refer to military equipment, but it can be understood in two ways:

1. they thought their victories, which resulted in the capture of horses and chariots would give them greater strength, but God took all of it away (NEB)
2. the enemy captured their horses and left them without military might (cf. NRSV, TEV, NJB)

Most English translations use option #2.

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARIOTS

▣ "the stench of your camp" This refers to the unburied bodies (cf. Isa. 34:3) of the young Israeli men who died in battle.

SPECIAL TOPIC: BURIAL PRACTICES

▣ "rise up in your nostrils" This may simply be a description of the rotting corpses of the dead or it is just possible it is another allusion to the Mosaic covenant. One image used of YHWH favorably receiving an offering was "a soothing aroma" (cf. Gen. 8:21; Exod. 29:18,25,41; and many times in Leviticus and Numbers). A good example of a negative use is Exod. 5:21.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SOOTHING AROMA

4:11 "I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah" The VERB (BDB 245, KB 253, Qal PERFECT) is used of God's judgment, both temporal (cf. Gen. 19:25; 2 Kgs. 21:13; Jer. 20:16) and eschatological (cf. Hag. 2:21-22). It speaks of the total destruction of two entire cities by natural or supernatural means.

To refer to Israel in the same way as the immoral "cities of the Plain" would have been a shocking insult to these Covenant People. It is another allusion to Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-29 (esp. Deut. 29:23).

▣ "And you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze" In context the TEV translation seems correct in seeing this as an additional message to the few survivors of God's fiery judgment (cf. Zech. 3:20), but even after all of these covenantal curses (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-29) they would not return (i.e., repent) to Him. God had tried and tried again to reach them through disasters, but they would not. Only complete judgment is left! This verse, like Amos 3:12, denotes total destruction. Only in Amos 9:8-15 is there a future hope!

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT)

▣ "firebrand" The root (BDB 15, KB 20) originally meant "to be bent" or "curved." It came to be used of a stick used to stir a fire (cf. Isa. 7:4; Zech. 3:2).

▣ "Yet you have not returned to Me, declares the Lord" See note at Amos 4:6.

4:12 "thus I will do to you, O Israel" The JPSOA suggests a textual emendation, "Because you are acting thus toward Me." This surely makes sense of the theological and literaty parallelism.

▣ "Prepare to meet your God, O Israel" The VERB (BDB 465, KB 464) is a Niphal IMPERATIVE plus a Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT. It often is used of spiritual preparation to meet God (cf. 1 Sam. 7:3; 2 Chr. 12:14; 27:6; Ezra 7:10). This meeting could have been positive (cf. Exod. 19:11-17), but their sin had turned God's visit into covenant judgment (cf. Amos 5:18-20).

There is an interesting alternate understanding of this verse which sees Elohim, not as referring to YHWH the covenant name or Elohim as the Gen. 1 name for God as creator, but as referring to the "gods" (i.e., false fertility gods) of Israel (cf. Amos 5:26; 8:14; also esp. 1 Kgs. 12:28). The term Elohim is not used by itself to refer to Israel's God in Amos. Only the combined name YHWH Elohim (cf. Gen. 2:4) is used. Joel and Amos (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), by David Allan Hubbard, mentions a possible alternate translation which does not change the Hebrew consonants (i.e., "prepare to call your gods, O Israel," cf. G. W. Ramsey, JBL, 89, pp. 187-191) p. 162.

If so then the doxology of Amos 4:13 is a sharp contrast to the claims of the false gods which Israel was worshiping in YHWH's name (cf. cultic partners of Amos 4:1-3, along with 5:26; 8:14, and the book of Hosea).

SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C.

4:13 This verse seems to be poetic liturgy, doxology, or an early hymn to God as Creator, and thereby, Judge. Amos has several of these powerful doxological praises (cf. Amos 5:8,8; 9:5-6).

▣ "forms" This VERB (BDB 427, KB 428, Qal PARTICIPLE) is from the concept of a potter forming clay (e.g., Gen. 2:7,19; Isa. 29:19; 45:15; Jer. 33:2).

▣ "mountains" Mountains were a symbol of strength and permanency.

▣ "creates" This VERB, bara (BDB 135, KB 153, Qal PARTICIPLE) is parallel to "forms." This VERB is used exclusively of God's creative activity. Its basic meaning is "to form or shape by cutting."

▣ "wind" This Hebrew term (BDB 924) can mean "wind," "breath," or "spirit." Here the context implies a contrast between the physical and the spiritual realms (mountains versus spirit).

SPECIAL TOPIC: BREATH, WIND, SPIRIT

▣ "And declares to man what are His thoughts" The Hebrew text is singular, "His thought," which refers to God's will. This seems to refer to:

1. God's special covenant relationship to the Patriarchs and their descendants (cf. Amos 3:2)
2. God's desire to communicate with His highest creation, mankind (cf. Gen. 1:26,27; 12:3).
3. It is possible that the PRONOUN "his" refers to mankind. Several OT texts speak of God as knowing individual human thoughts (e.g., Job 34:21-23; Ps. 94:11;[1 Chr. 3:20]; Jer. 11:20; 17:10).

Even rebellious, fallen mankind can know God, not exhaustively, but adequately for fellowship (i.e., Psalm 19). Sin is that which destroys this desire for God (i.e., human independence)! God is not just creator, He is friend and companion!

▣ "He who makes dawn into darkness" This can be understood in several ways.

1. another allusion to Genesis 1-2 (i.e.,
   1. God as creator (cf. LXX)
   2. the natural order of nature, cf. Amos 5:9)
2. contextually related to the previous line of poetry and thereby refers to God's revelation. Spiritual truth is not a human discovery, but a divine revelation.
3. a way of asserting God's judgment on Israel (cf. Amos 5:8,20; Jer. 13:16; Joel 2:2)
4. the parallel of Amos 5:8 (another doxology of YHWH as creator) shows the power of God over His creation

▣ "treads on the high places of the earth" This may be another connection with Deuteronomy (i.e., Mosaic Covenant, cf. Deut. 32:13). It is imagery for asserting God as creator (cf. Job 9:8). In Isa. 58:4 and Hab. 3:19 it was a way of referring to the blessings of God on His people.

This term bamah was associated with the worship of Ba'al (cf. Amos 2:7-8) on the top of hills (e.g., Hos. 4:13; see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, vol. 1, pp. 284-288). This may be another way of rejecting the worship of Canaanite fertility gods and asserting YHWH's care and provision.

▣ "the Lord God of hosts is His name" This is similar to Amos 3:13. Amos has spoken of the God of creation, fertility, and judgment based on the Covenant. He now states specifically and unambiguously who that deity is, YHWH of Israel (cf. Amos 5:8b).

SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. What is the emphasis of Amos 3:2-8?
2. Why are the prophets so upset over the cultic activity at Bethel and Gilgal?
3. Why is the religiosity of Amos 4:4-5 condemned?
4. What is the purpose of God sending calamities on His people?

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