Comments on Amos 3 This chapter continues the negative theme of curses upon all of Israel, not just Ephraim or Judah. v1-2 The Lord states He has ransomed them and has chosen them, therefore they are in a special relationship. A relationship that requires punishment for iniquity. v3-8 is a series of conditional statements all identifying cause and effect sorts of relationships. It starts out with simple secular sorts of causes and effects that are plain to see are true (v. 3-5), and then moves to the more painful spiritual causes and effects which are unpleasant to admit to (v. 6-8). The last set of statements makes it clear the Lord has warned them of the impending destruction through His prophets, and He would not have had to do so had they not deserved. The statements here are negative, aimed at Israel. Verse 3 refers to the covenant relationship mentioned in v. 1-2. The Lord would not be dealing with them the way He is if He did not know their ways. Then, the statements become blatantly hostile, with lions catching prey (v. 4), birds being caught in traps (v. 5), cities being besieged (v. 6), prophets raising the warning cry (v. 7), and the Lord's roaring causing fear in those who hear (v. 8). v9-10 summons the Philistines and Egyptians to witness the wickedness of Israel (Asdod was the capital of Philistia and Samaria was the capital of Ephraim). This is a massive insult as the Philistines and Egyptians were castigated in the Law as being the grossest of sinners (cf. Lev. 18). They were generally abhorred by Israel as the absolute worst, and here they are being summoned as witnesses against Israel. v11-15 hurls a series of covenant curses from the Law at Israel as a result of their wickedness. An enemy that will surround and besiege them will be brought up (v. 11). Only a remnant will be left from the foreign invasion, even as only a couple of legs is left over after a lion eats a lamb (v. 12). The Lord tells His prophet to testify against Israel per v. 7 (v. 13), for on that day all Israel will be punished including the religious centers (v. 14) and the palaces (v. 15). None will escape. This sack of Northern Israel was historically fulfilled under Tiglath-pilesser king of Assyria. v12 "in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch", an obscure phrase with difficult Hebrew. The JPS renders it "With the leg of a bed or the head of a couch". One would assume the imagery developed in the preceding text of the verse of only pieces being left is applied here as well. After Israel is sacked, of all of their belongings all that will remain is the legs off their beds and the cushions of the couch. v14 "Beth-El", the religious capital of the Northen Ten tribes, established by Jeroboam as a foil to Temple worship in Jerusalem, cf. 1 Kings 12:29 Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.