Amos 3:10
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“For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
II. Prophecies Concerning Israel - Amos 3-6 Although the expression "Hear this word," which is repeated at the commencement of Amo 3:1-15, Amo 4:1-13 and 5, suggests the idea of three addresses, the contents of these chapters show that they do not contain three separate addresses delivered to the people by Amos at different times, but that they group together the leading thoughts of appeals delivered by word of mouth, so as to form one long admonition to repentance. Commencing with the proofs of his right to predict judgment to the nation on account of its sins (Amo 3:1-8), the prophet exposes the wickedness of Israel in general (ch. 3:9-4:3), and then shows the worthlessness of the nation's trust in idolatry (Amo 4:4-13), and lastly announces the destruction of the kingdom as the inevitable consequence of the prevailing injustice and ungodliness (ch. 5 and Amo 6:1-14). Announcement of the Judgment - Hos 3:1-5 Because the Lord has chosen Israel to be His people, He must visit all its sins (Amo 3:2), and has commissioned the prophet to announce this punishment (Amo 3:3-8). As Israel has heaped up oppression, violence, and wickedness, an enemy will come upon the land and plunder Samaria, and cause its inhabitants to perish, and demolish the altars of Bethel, and destroy the capital (Amo 3:9-15).
Open source ↗A stupid, senseless, heedless people, are, in this chapter, called upon to take notice, I. Of the judgments of God denounced against them and the warnings he gave them of those judgments, and to be hereby awakened out of their security (Amo 3:1-8). II. Of the sins that were found among them, by which God was provoked thus to threaten, thus to punish, that they might justify God in his controversy with them, and, unless they repented and reformed, might expect no other than that God should proceed in his controversy (Amo 3:9-15).
Open source ↗3:10 Israel’s rich people acquired their wealth through their neglect and brutal treatment of the poor and helpless (see 2:6-8).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with violence and deceit.
Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD.
There are those who turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness to the ground.
“Do horses gallop on the cliffs? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—
Then I said, “They are only the poor; they have played the fool, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.
But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water,