Amos 2:13 kjv
Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.
Amos 2:13 nkjv
"Behold, I am weighed down by you, As a cart full of sheaves is weighed down.
Amos 2:13 niv
"Now then, I will crush you as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.
Amos 2:13 esv
"Behold, I will press you down in your place, as a cart full of sheaves presses down.
Amos 2:13 nlt
"So I will make you groan
like a wagon loaded down with sheaves of grain.
Amos 2 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 2:13 | "Behold, I will press you down as a cart full of sheaves presses down." | Amos 2:13 (parallel) |
| Amos 3:7 | "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." | Amos 3:7 (God's warning method) |
| Amos 5:16 | "Therefore the Lord God of hosts, the Lord, says: 'Wailing will be in all public squares, and in all the streets they will say, 'Alas! Alas!' They will call the farmer to mourning and the skillful of speech to wailing." | Amos 5:16 (future wailing) |
| Amos 7:9 | "The high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, And the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; And I shall rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam.'" | Amos 7:9 (judgment on Israel) |
| Jeremiah 25:30 | "You shall therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: 'The LORD shall roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He shall roar mightily against His fold; He shall give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth." | Jer 25:30 (God roaring) |
| Joel 3:16 | "The LORD will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and the earth will shake; But the LORD will be a hope for His people, And a strength for the children of Israel." | Joel 3:16 (God roaring) |
| Hosea 5:14 | "For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear in pieces and go away; I will take away, And no one shall rescue." | Hos 5:14 (God like a lion) |
| Psalm 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God." | Ps 20:7 (contrast in trust) |
| Psalm 11:1 | "In the LORD I put my trust; How can you say to me, 'Flee like a bird to your mountain'?" | Ps 11:1 (trust in God) |
| Psalm 32:9 | "Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be restrained with bit and bridle, Or else you will not come near you." | Ps 32:9 (lack of understanding) |
| Proverbs 14:4 | "Where no oxen are, the manger is clean; But abundant strength comes by the strength of an ox." | Prov 14:4 (value of strength) |
| Isaiah 42:13 | "The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His TANG Like a warrior. He shall cry out, Yes, shout; He shall prevail against His enemies." | Isa 42:13 (God's might) |
| Ezekiel 19:5 | "Indeed, she took a young lion, Trained it in her boldness, And it learned to catch its prey; It devoured men." | Ezek 19:5 (lion imagery) |
| Matthew 7:24-27 | Parable of the wise and foolish builders, highlighting foundational obedience. | Matt 7:24-27 (obedience theme) |
| Romans 8:22 | "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with us until now." | Rom 8:22 (creation groaning) |
| 1 Peter 5:8 | "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." | 1 Pet 5:8 (devil like a lion) |
| Revelation 10:3 | "And he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; then the seven thunders uttered their voices." | Rev 10:3 (lion's roar) |
| Revelation 18:19 | "They cast dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city...’" | Rev 18:19 (future wailing) |
Amos 2 verses
Amos 2 13 Meaning
This verse describes a consequence of Israel's disobedience. The sound of divine judgment will descend upon them, a roaring sound reminiscent of a destructive lion, bringing ruin upon their inheritance. Their treasured land, given by God, will be utterly despoiled.
Amos 2 13 Context
Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa in Judah, prophesied during a time of apparent prosperity and outward religious observance in both Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). However, this prosperity was built upon injustice, oppression of the poor, and a disregard for God's covenant. Chapter 2 shifts from judgments against surrounding nations to a judgment against Judah, and then focuses most heavily on Israel. Amos's prophecy is characterized by vivid imagery of divine judgment and a strong call to righteousness.
This specific verse, Amos 2:13, follows judgments pronounced against Judah for breaking God's covenant, specifically their rejection of God's law. It then transitions to the more extensive pronouncements against Israel for their pervasive sins, including their exploitation of the vulnerable and their shallow religious practices. The context is God's active response to the deep-seated sin and apostasy of His people, using the metaphor of a powerful force to signify the overwhelming nature of the impending judgment.
Amos 2 13 Word Analysis
"Behold": (Hebrew: הִנֵּה – hinnēh) This is an interjection used to draw attention forcefully. It commands the listener to pay close attention to what follows, indicating something significant or important is about to be revealed.
"I": Refers to God, the speaker. The use of the first-person pronoun emphasizes God's direct involvement in the judgment.
"will press": (Hebrew: מוֹעֵךְ – mō‘ēḵ) This verb can mean to crush, to press down, to pound, or to break. In this context, it signifies an overwhelming and destructive pressure, leading to complete subjugation and ruin.
"you": Refers to the nation of Israel.
"down": Indicates a downward motion, emphasizing the subjugation and downfall of the people.
"as": Introduces a simile, comparing God's action to a familiar and destructive process.
"a cart": (Hebrew: עֲגָלָה – ‘agālāh) A wheeled vehicle used for agricultural purposes, often for carrying heavy loads like grain or produce.
"full of sheaves": (Hebrew: עָלוּל עָמוּס – ‘ālûl ‘āmûs) Describes the cart laden to its maximum capacity with harvested grain. "Sheaves" are bundles of grain stalks.
"presses": (Hebrew: מַעֲשֶׂה – ma‘ăśeh or דּוֹרֵס – dōrēs contextually). This repeats the idea of pressure or crushing, indicating the immense weight and the destructive force exerted by such a heavily laden cart, particularly when it’s moved. The specific Hebrew word is a bit debated, but the force of pressing down or threshing is clear.
"full": Reinforces the idea of the cart being overloaded.
Amos 2 13 Bonus Section
The imagery of the cart full of sheaves is particularly potent in an agricultural society. The harvest was a time of great labor but also great reward. However, a cart overloaded with sheaves could be unstable and destructive if mishandled. God, in His sovereignty, is depicted as the one who wields this force of nature. Some scholars connect this imagery to the process of threshing, where grain was separated from the stalks, often involving heavy implements that compressed and broke the material. This suggests that Israel, like the harvested grain, will be thoroughly processed and broken under divine judgment, with nothing of their cherished prosperity or status being left intact. The lion metaphor used in some parallel passages (like Hosea 5:14) further emphasizes the fierce and predatory nature of God’s wrath against unrepentant sin.
Amos 2 13 Commentary
Amos dramatically illustrates the impending judgment of God upon Israel. He likens it to the immense pressure exerted by a heavy cart loaded with sheaves of grain, which can crush whatever is beneath it, especially during the process of being moved or during threshing. This imagery powerfully conveys the totality and crushing weight of the judgment that God will bring upon His disobedient people. It's not a gentle reprimand, but an overwhelming force that will utterly break them. The comparison highlights the natural consequence of a nation so burdened by its sins that it invites destruction from its covenant Lord. Just as a laden cart can flatten the earth or even itself if improperly handled, Israel's spiritual and moral weight of sin will lead to their destruction.