Amos 4

Amos 4:1

B. The Second Summons to Hear (Chap. 4)4:1-3 The rich women of Samaria are likened to cows of Bashan, well-fed and unmanageable. They were guilty of oppressing the poor and living luxuriously. For this they would be carried into Assyrian captivity, leaving the land in confusion and panic. In their exit they and their posterity are pictured being led away with fishhooks and scrambling through broken walls. Instead of transliterating Harmon as a place name (RSV, NASB, NKJV), some versions, including KJV, translate it “palace.” Darby notes: Some translate “to the mountains”; others, “to the (enemy’s) fortress,” or “to the palace” [KJV], as in Amo_1:4 &c: the meaning is not ascertained. 4:4-13 God invites them ironically to carry on their idolatrous worship, bringing their sacrifices to Bethel; there was nothing for Him in it. They had suffered lack of bread (v. 6), drought (vv. 7, 8), blight, mildew, a plague of locusts (v. 9), pestilence, warfare, slaughter (v. 10), and catastrophes (v. 11). Since none of these things caused them to repent, Israel should now prepare to meet . . . God Himselfthe LORD God of hosts. Verse 12 is not a gospel appeal, but a message of judgment.