Amos 3 14

Amos 3:14 kjv

That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

Amos 3:14 nkjv

"That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off And fall to the ground.

Amos 3:14 niv

"On the day I punish Israel for her sins, I will destroy the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

Amos 3:14 esv

"that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.

Amos 3:14 nlt

"On the very day I punish Israel for its sins,
I will destroy the pagan altars at Bethel.
The horns of the altar will be cut off
and fall to the ground.

Amos 3 verses

Amos 3 14 Meaning

Amos 3:14 proclaims God's decisive judgment against Israel's transgressions, specifically targeting the idolatrous altars at Bethel. On the day of reckoning, these symbols of false worship and the security they falsely promised would be utterly destroyed, demonstrating the powerlessness of human-made religion in the face of divine wrath.

Amos 3 14 Context

Amos 3:14 is part of a series of oracles (Amos 3:1-8) where God presents His case against Israel, demonstrating that their privileged relationship with Him entails greater accountability for their sin. Chapters 1 and 2 deliver judgments against surrounding nations and then against Judah and Israel. Chapter 3 begins with an address directly to "all the family I brought up out of Egypt," highlighting their unique covenant relationship. This verse specifies one aspect of the impending divine punishment, making it clear that Israel's religious activities, particularly at the prominent center of idolatry in Bethel, would not exempt them from judgment but rather exacerbate it.

Historically, Bethel was strategically chosen by Jeroboam I (931-910 BC) to establish an alternative worship center to Jerusalem for the Northern Kingdom after the kingdom divided (1 Kgs 12:28-30). It became a focal point of apostasy, a "king's sanctuary" (Amos 7:13) but for false gods. The prophecy against Bethel highlights the true nature of Israel's covenant violation.

Amos 3 14 Word analysis

• בְּיוֹם (b'yom): "On the day." This refers to a specific, appointed time, a day of decisive divine action, often signaling judgment or visitation.
• פֻּקְדִי (puqdi): "My punishing/visiting." From the verb פָּקַד (paqad), which means "to visit," "to attend to," "to count," "to appoint," but also carries the connotation of "to visit with judgment" or "to punish" when used in a context of accountability for sin. Here, it is God's active visitation to settle accounts.
• עַל פִּשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (al pish'ei Yisra'el): "for the transgressions of Israel."
  • פִּשְׁעֵי (pish'ei): "Transgressions," "rebellions," "sins." The word pesha (from pasha) signifies a willful breach of covenant, a rebellion against God's established order and law, rather than just an unintentional wrong. It highlights the severity of their disobedience.
  • יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el): Refers to the Northern Kingdom, the primary audience of Amos's prophecies.
• וּפָקַדְתִּי (u'paqadeti): "And I will visit/punish." Same root as puqdi, indicating God's direct and intentional action.
• עַל מִזְבְּחוֹת בֵּית אֵל (al mizbechot Beit-El): "upon the altars of Bethel."
  • מִזְבְּחוֹת (mizbechot): "Altars" (plural). Not just one, but multiple altars, implying the widespread nature of the idolatry there. These were not altars to the LORD alone, but syncretistic altars incorporating elements of pagan worship, or exclusively pagan.
  • בֵּית אֵל (Beit-El): "House of God." Irony, as it had become a house of idolatry, contrary to its original sacred significance from Jacob's encounter (Gen 28:16-19).
• קַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ (qarnot ha-mizbe'ach): "the horns of the altar."
  • קַרְנוֹת (qarnot): "Horns" (plural). These were projections at the corners of altars. In ancient Israelite worship, they held significance for purification rites (Lev 4:7) and as places of asylum (Exod 21:14).
• וְנִגְדְּעוּ וְנָפְלוּ לָאָרֶץ (v'nigde'u v'nafalu la'aretz): "will be cut off and fall to the ground."
  • וְנִגְדְּעוּ (v'nigde'u): "And they will be cut off/hewn down." From gada', to cut down, destroy. Implies violent, deliberate destruction.
  • וְנָפְלוּ (v'nafalu): "And they will fall." Denotes ruin, collapse, utter dismantling.
  • לָאָרֶץ (la'aretz): "To the ground/earth." Complete debasement and public display of the destruction.

Words-group analysis:

• "On the day I punish Israel for their transgressions": This phrase emphasizes divine accountability. The specific "day" signifies a pre-determined, unavoidable moment of judgment tied directly to their widespread and intentional rebellion against God's covenant. God Himself, not merely circumstance or human conflict, is the agent of this visitation.
• "I will also punish the altars of Bethel": This direct pronouncement on Bethel highlights its pivotal role as a symbol of national apostasy. The altars, being central to false worship, become prime targets, representing the source and culmination of Israel's religious rebellion. This indicates God's wrath is aimed not just at the people, but at the corrupted structures that perpetuated their sin.
• "the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground": The horns were places of supposed sanctity and refuge. Their violent severance and downfall symbolize the complete loss of sanctuary, protection, and authority that these altars falsely claimed to offer. No one seeking asylum or performing rituals there would find spiritual or physical safety from God's judgment; rather, their false hope would be brutally shattered, made null and void, and publicly shamed. The destruction is thorough, undeniable, and complete.

Amos 3 14 Bonus section

The specific targeting of Bethel in Amos 3:14 underscores the theme that privileges come with responsibilities. Israel's status as God's chosen nation meant that their idolatry and sin were more egregious than that of surrounding pagan nations, as they directly betrayed a specific covenant. This concept is foundational to Amos 3:2, where God states, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." The destruction of Bethel's altars serves as a concrete manifestation of this principle of heightened accountability.

Furthermore, this verse also previews a broader pattern of divine judgment against false religious structures throughout biblical history. Just as Bethel's altars fell, so too did other pagan temples and high places. In the New Testament, this idea translates to the judgment of all forms of spiritual apostasy and hypocrisy, emphasizing that outward religiosity without inner transformation or genuine obedience is futile. True worship must be "in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:24), and any attempt to circumvent God's justice through human constructs will ultimately crumble.

Amos 3 14 Commentary

Amos 3:14 is a declaration of impending, precise divine judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, focusing on its spiritual decay epitomized by the idolatry at Bethel. God declares a "day" of "visitation" or "punishment" – a sure and fixed time of reckoning. The "transgressions of Israel" are the cause, underscoring their willful covenant-breaking, a recurring theme throughout Amos.

The explicit target, "the altars of Bethel," is highly significant. Bethel was meant to be a holy place (Jacob's vision), but Jeroboam I transformed it into a center for illicit golden calf worship, establishing a false religion in opposition to Jerusalem. This made Bethel a symbol of Israel's spiritual harlotry. God's judgment on these altars signifies His rejection of their false worship and religious hypocrisy.

The mention of "the horns of the altar" is particularly potent. These protrusions at the altar's corners were considered the holiest part, representing its power and integrity. In biblical law, touching them could offer temporary refuge for one seeking asylum (Exod 21:14), though not for deliberate murderers. By declaring that these very horns would be "cut off and fall to the ground," God asserts that no part of their false worship system, however sacred it seemed to the people, would stand. The act signifies a complete demolition of the perceived power and refuge of the altars, demonstrating that their gods could not protect them, nor could their rituals shield them from divine wrath. It highlights that true refuge is found only in the true God, not in human-made substitutes. This destruction serves as a public declaration that Israel's self-deceptive worship offers no defense against the Sovereign Lord's just retribution for their deep-seated rebellion.

Examples: The prophecy's fulfillment can be seen in the historical account of King Josiah, approximately a century after Amos. Josiah's reforms, meticulously detailed in 2 Kgs 23:15-19, included going to Bethel, desecrating the altar and the high place, and breaking its stones into pieces, truly causing the altar's horns to "fall to the ground" in a public spectacle. This served as a powerful historical vindication of Amos's prophetic word, illustrating the certainty of God's word and His ultimate victory over idolatry.