Amos 3:2
Verse
Context
Sermons
Alan Redpath
James Boice
Arno Clemens Gaebelein 
Chuck SmithSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
You only have I known - I have taken no other people to be my own people. I have approved of you, loved you, fed, sustained, and defended you; but because you have forsaken me, have become idolatrous and polluted, therefore will I punish you. And the punishment shall be in proportion to the privileges you have enjoyed, and the grace you have abused.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
You only have I known--that is, acknowledged as My people, and treated with peculiar favor (Exo 19:5; Deu 4:20). Compare the use of "know," Psa 1:6; Psa 144:3; Joh 10:14; Ti2 2:19. therefore I will punish--the greater the privileges, the heavier the punishment for the abuse of them; for to the other offenses there is added, in this case, ingratitude. When God's people do not glorify Him, He glorifies Himself by punishing them.
John Gill Bible Commentary
You only have I known of all the families of the earth,.... All the families or nations of the earth, and all the inhabitants of it, are known by the Lord, as he is the omniscient God; but none had been known by him as a family, or a nation, with that love and affection as this family had been, or distinguished by his favours and blessings as they, not only temporal, but spiritual; besides the land of Canaan, and all the good things in it, they had the law of the Lord, his word, worship, and ordinances, among them; he chose them for himself above all people, and gave peculiar marks of his affection to them, and special instances of his goodness, and of his care over them, and concern for them; see Deu 4:6; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities; or "visit upon you" (c); or "against you"; in a way of chastisement and correction; they were a family he had highly favoured, and yet departed from him; children he had brought up in a tender manner, and brought out of a most miserable condition, and yet rebelled against him; he had followed and loaded them with his benefits, and they had proved ungrateful to him; he had given them a revelation of his mind and will, and they had rejected it, and therefore knowing, and not doing it, were worthy of more stripes; their sins were more aggravated than others, being against goodness and mercy, light and knowledge; and therefore the Lord was determined to make an example of them; see Pe1 4:17. (c) "visitabo super vos", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "visito", i.e. "visitare soleo", Mercerus; "super vobis", Cocceius; "contra vos", Piscator.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:2 The word translated been intimate indicates personal and experiential knowledge that often extends beyond mere intellectual awareness. It can indicate formal recognition and acknowledgment (Exod 1:8; 5:2), personal experience (Gen 2:17), or sexual relations (Gen 4:1). This word is frequently used of God’s relationship with Israel (Hos 5:3) and of Israel’s ideal relationship with God (Hos 2:20). Because of Israel’s privileged status, God would hold them accountable for all their sins, not just some of them. God holds people accountable in terms of what has been given them (Luke 12:47-48).
Amos 3:2
Witnesses against Israel
1Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: 2“Only you have I known from all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
God Is Inescapable
By Alan Redpath4.5K54:46Character Of GodAMO 3:2AMO 4:6AMO 4:12AMO 5:4MAT 6:33In this sermon, the speaker addresses the issue of outward religious practices without true inward devotion. He emphasizes that this message from the book of Amos is not just ancient history, but relevant to the present day. The speaker discusses the spiritual state of a country and individuals who have experienced material prosperity but are morally degenerate and spiritually bankrupt. He highlights the inescapable nature of God and the need for individuals to prepare to meet Him. The sermon also touches on the importance of hearing and applying the word of God in one's life.
A Golden Chain of Five Links
By James Boice0Assurance of SalvationGod's SovereigntyAMO 3:2MAT 11:28JHN 3:3JHN 6:44JHN 7:37ROM 3:10ROM 8:28EPH 2:8PHP 1:6James Boice emphasizes the profound assurance found in Romans 8:28, which assures believers that God works for their good. He elaborates on the 'golden chain of five links'—foreknowledge, predestination, effectual calling, justification, and glorification—highlighting that these doctrines illustrate God's sovereign role in salvation. Boice explains that salvation is not based on human faith or love but on God's eternal purpose and love for His people. He reassures believers that their salvation is secure because it is entirely God's work, not dependent on their efforts. Ultimately, Boice encourages the congregation to recognize that their part in salvation is merely to respond to God's relentless pursuit of them.
The Nations the Enemies of Israel-Their Final Opposition to Jerusalem Followed by Judgment Upon Them
By Arno Clemens Gaebelein0EXO 19:5JER 27:6AMO 3:2REV 19:17Arno Clemens Gaebelein preaches about the distinction between the nation of Israel and the nations, highlighting God's chosen people and the disobedience of Israel leading to the dominion of the Gentiles. The prophecies from various books like Jeremiah, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation depict the nations' enmity towards Israel, the final great conflict, and the judgment that awaits the enemies of God's people. The sermon emphasizes the coming siege of Jerusalem, the great tribulation, and the ultimate victory of God over the nations who rise against His chosen people.
Amos 3:2
By Chuck Smith0God's Chosen PeopleResponsibility of FaithDEU 14:2AMO 3:2MAT 11:24JHN 3:3HEB 10:292PE 2:21Chuck Smith emphasizes that God chose Israel not for their merit but out of love, establishing a unique relationship with them to reveal His plan of redemption. He explains that true fellowship with God requires agreement and submission to His terms, highlighting the importance of spiritual rebirth and unity with God. Smith warns that being chosen comes with greater responsibility, as those who have received much will be held to a higher standard, underscoring the accountability that comes with knowledge of God's truth.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
You only have I known - I have taken no other people to be my own people. I have approved of you, loved you, fed, sustained, and defended you; but because you have forsaken me, have become idolatrous and polluted, therefore will I punish you. And the punishment shall be in proportion to the privileges you have enjoyed, and the grace you have abused.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
You only have I known--that is, acknowledged as My people, and treated with peculiar favor (Exo 19:5; Deu 4:20). Compare the use of "know," Psa 1:6; Psa 144:3; Joh 10:14; Ti2 2:19. therefore I will punish--the greater the privileges, the heavier the punishment for the abuse of them; for to the other offenses there is added, in this case, ingratitude. When God's people do not glorify Him, He glorifies Himself by punishing them.
John Gill Bible Commentary
You only have I known of all the families of the earth,.... All the families or nations of the earth, and all the inhabitants of it, are known by the Lord, as he is the omniscient God; but none had been known by him as a family, or a nation, with that love and affection as this family had been, or distinguished by his favours and blessings as they, not only temporal, but spiritual; besides the land of Canaan, and all the good things in it, they had the law of the Lord, his word, worship, and ordinances, among them; he chose them for himself above all people, and gave peculiar marks of his affection to them, and special instances of his goodness, and of his care over them, and concern for them; see Deu 4:6; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities; or "visit upon you" (c); or "against you"; in a way of chastisement and correction; they were a family he had highly favoured, and yet departed from him; children he had brought up in a tender manner, and brought out of a most miserable condition, and yet rebelled against him; he had followed and loaded them with his benefits, and they had proved ungrateful to him; he had given them a revelation of his mind and will, and they had rejected it, and therefore knowing, and not doing it, were worthy of more stripes; their sins were more aggravated than others, being against goodness and mercy, light and knowledge; and therefore the Lord was determined to make an example of them; see Pe1 4:17. (c) "visitabo super vos", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "visito", i.e. "visitare soleo", Mercerus; "super vobis", Cocceius; "contra vos", Piscator.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:2 The word translated been intimate indicates personal and experiential knowledge that often extends beyond mere intellectual awareness. It can indicate formal recognition and acknowledgment (Exod 1:8; 5:2), personal experience (Gen 2:17), or sexual relations (Gen 4:1). This word is frequently used of God’s relationship with Israel (Hos 5:3) and of Israel’s ideal relationship with God (Hos 2:20). Because of Israel’s privileged status, God would hold them accountable for all their sins, not just some of them. God holds people accountable in terms of what has been given them (Luke 12:47-48).