1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
2 Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?
3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;
5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;
6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
7 Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.
8 The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.
9 And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.
10 And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.
11 For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.
12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:
13 Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?
14 But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.
The sixth chapter of the Book of Amos in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible presents a stern warning to the complacent people of Zion and Samaria. The chapter is a prophetic critique of those who are at ease in Zion and feel secure on the mountain of Samaria. The prophet Amos chastises the Israelites for their complacency, self-indulgence, and disregard for the poor and needy. This chapter carries a profound message about the consequences of neglecting the covenant with God and the social responsibilities that it entails.
Amos 6 begins with a woe to those who are at ease in Zion and feel secure on the mountain of Samaria. These are the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes. The prophet is addressing the wealthy and the elite who live in comfort and security while ignoring the plight of their fellow countrymen. They are oblivious to the impending disaster that their complacency and self-indulgence are inviting. The prophet points out that their confidence is misplaced, as they are no better than the kingdoms that have fallen before them. This critique of the wealthy and powerful is a recurring theme in the prophetic literature of the Bible, highlighting the divine expectation of justice and compassion from those in positions of influence and wealth.
The people of Zion and Samaria are not only complacent and self-indulgent but also indifferent to the divine judgment that their actions are inviting. They are described as those who put far away the evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near. This implies that they are delaying the day of their reckoning and inviting violence and destruction upon themselves. This indifference to the divine judgment is a reflection of their disregard for the covenant with God, which required them to uphold justice and righteousness.
The prophet Amos provides a vivid description of the luxurious lifestyle of the wealthy and the powerful. They lie on beds of ivory, stretch out on their couches, eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall. They sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and invent for themselves instruments of music. They drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. This opulence is contrasted with the ruin of Joseph, representing the poor and the needy among the Israelites. The wealthy are indulging themselves at the expense of the poor, showing no concern for their suffering. This is a clear violation of the covenant with God, which required the Israelites to care for the less fortunate among them.
The divine judgment for this complacency, self-indulgence, and neglect of the poor is severe. The Lord swears by himself that he will abhor the pride of Jacob and hate his fortresses. He will deliver up the city and all that is in it. This indicates the total destruction of the city and its people as a consequence of their disobedience and disregard for the covenant with God. The prophet Amos delivers this message of divine judgment with a sense of urgency and seriousness, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
The divine judgment is not only severe but also inevitable. The prophet Amos uses the metaphor of a man fleeing from a lion only to meet a bear, or going into the house and leaning his hand against the wall only to be bitten by a serpent. This conveys the message that there is no escape from the divine judgment. The people of Zion and Samaria can delay the day of their reckoning, but they cannot avoid it. The inevitability of the divine judgment is a stark reminder of the importance of upholding the covenant with God and fulfilling the social responsibilities that it entails.
In conclusion, Amos 6 presents a stern warning to the complacent and self-indulgent people of Zion and Samaria. The prophet Amos chastises them for their disregard for the covenant with God and the social responsibilities that it entails. The chapter carries a profound message about the consequences of neglecting justice and compassion for the less fortunate. The divine judgment is not only severe but also inevitable, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the urgency of repentance and reform. This chapter serves as a reminder of the divine expectation of justice and compassion from those in positions of influence and wealth, and the consequences of failing to uphold these values.
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