1 How disastrous it will be for you who have an easy life in Zion, and you who feel secure living on Mount Samaria—you who are the most famous men in all of Israel to whom people come for help! 2 But go to Calneh, and see what took place there. Then go on to the great city of Hamath, and down to the Philistine city of Gath. Were they better kingdoms than yours? Did they have more territory than you? 3 You put out of your minds any thought of coming disaster, yet you are bringing closer the time when violence reigns. 4 How disastrous it will be for you people who lie on beds decorated with ivory and lounge on couches, eating lamb from your flocks and fattened calves from the stall. 5 You make up songs accompanied by the harp, thinking you're great composers like David. 6 You drink wine by the bowlful, and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph's descendants. 7 So you will be at the head of those led away into exile; the feasting and lazing around will be over. 8 The Lord God has sworn an oath on his own life. This is what the Lord God of power declares: I detest Jacob's arrogance and I hate his fortresses; I will hand over this city and all in it to the enemy. 9 If there are ten people in a house, they will die. 10 And when a relative comes to take away the bodies from the house, he will ask someone inside, “Is there anyone else with you?” The person will reply, “No...” Then the other will say, “Quiet! Don't even mention the Lord's name.” 11 Watch out! When the Lord gives the command, large houses will be reduced to rubble, and small houses smashed to pieces. 12 Can horses gallop over rocks? Can oxen plow the sea? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of doing good into bitterness! 13 You joyfully celebrate your conquest of Lodebar, and say “Didn't we in our own strength capture Karnaim?” 14 Watch out, people of Israel! I am going to send an enemy nation to attack you, says the Lord God of power, and they will oppress you from the Pass of Hamath to the Arabah Valley.
Amos 6 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (14)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Isaiah 32:9–11; James 5:5; Luke 12:17–20; Amos 4:1; Zephaniah 1:12
- 2 Nahum 3:8; Genesis 10:10; 2 Kings 18:34; 2 Chronicles 26:6; Isaiah 10:9–11
- 3 Amos 9:10; Isaiah 56:12; Ezekiel 12:27; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Amos 3:10
- 4 Amos 3:12; James 5:5; 1 Samuel 25:36–38; Ezekiel 34:2–3; Isaiah 5:11–12
- 5 Isaiah 5:12; Amos 5:23; Amos 8:3; Genesis 31:27; Ecclesiastes 2:8
- 6 Genesis 49:22; 1 Corinthians 12:26; 1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Kings 17:3–6; Jeremiah 30:7
- 7 Amos 7:11; Amos 5:5; 1 Kings 20:16–20; Daniel 5:4–6; Nahum 1:10
- 8 Jeremiah 51:14; Amos 4:2; Jeremiah 22:5; Psalm 47:4; Amos 8:7
- 9 Amos 5:3; Job 1:2; Esther 5:11; Psalm 109:13; 1 Samuel 2:33
- 10 Amos 8:3; 1 Samuel 31:12; Ezekiel 20:39; Amos 5:13; Numbers 17:12
- 11 Amos 3:15; Isaiah 55:11; 2 Kings 25:9; Amos 6:8; Luke 19:44
- 12 Amos 5:7; Hosea 10:4; Amos 5:11–12; Isaiah 59:13–14; 1 Kings 21:7–13
- 13 Luke 12:19–20; Isaiah 28:14–15; James 4:16; 2 Kings 14:25; Job 31:29
- 14 2 Kings 14:25; 1 Kings 8:65; Jeremiah 5:15–17; Numbers 34:7–8; 2 Kings 17:6
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
They thought that they had instruments of music like David; drinking wine in bowls, and anointing themselves with the costliest ointment: and they were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph." Suppose those men who, assuming to be themselves learned and eloquent, despise our prophets as untaught and unskillful of speech, had been obliged to deliver a message like this, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Hear, at all events, how even apart from these things the prophet finds fault with them, thus speaking, "Woe to them that drink wine racked off, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments." Seest thou how He censures luxury too?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)