Amos 4:12 kjv
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
Amos 4:12 nkjv
"Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"
Amos 4:12 niv
"Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, Israel, prepare to meet your God."
Amos 4:12 esv
"Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"
Amos 4:12 nlt
"Therefore, I will bring upon you all the disasters I have announced.
Prepare to meet your God in judgment, you people of Israel!"
Amos 4 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 4:12 | So shall it be done unto you, O Israel! | Direct consequence of disobedience |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. | Sin stemming from spiritual ignorance |
| Jeremiah 6:12 | They have not ashamed of their shame... Therefore they shall fall among them that fall. | God's judgment on shameless sin |
| Isaiah 10:24 | Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian... | Assurance against judgment for those who turn |
| Zephaniah 1:12 | And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees. | God's judgment on complacent sin |
| Ezekiel 33:11 | Say unto them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. | God's desire for repentance, not destruction |
| Romans 2:5 | But after your hardness and impenitent heart you treasure up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. | Self-inflicted judgment through unrepentance |
| 1 Corinthians 10:11 | Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. | Warning from past Israelite judgment |
| Revelation 18:8 | Therefore her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judges her. | Prophetic fulfillment of severe judgment |
| Amos 3:1-2 | Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt... | God's special relationship entails greater accountability |
| Amos 3:3-6 | Can two walk together, unless they have agreed?... Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?....Shall a snare spring up from the ground, unless it has taken its prey?... | Rhetorical questions showing inevitability of consequence |
| Amos 5:4-6 | Seek me and live...seek the LORD and live... L ike wise this: Seek the LORD and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph. | Alternative of seeking God for deliverance |
| Amos 5:26-27 | You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your gods, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves; and I will exile you beyond Damascus, says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts. | Condemnation of idolatry leading to exile |
| Amos 9:1-4 | I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said, Strike the capitals, so that the thresholds shake, and break them in pieces over all the heads; and what is left of them I will strike down with the sword; not a man of them shall flee, not a man of them shall escape. | Graphic depiction of inescapable judgment |
| Deuteronomy 28:15-68 | Conditional blessings and curses based on obedience | Divine consequences for disobedience |
| 2 Kings 17:7-23 | Account of the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel | Historical example of judgment on Israel |
| Nahum 1:9 | Whatever the Lord does, he does by half? No, he will bring His actions to an end. | God's judgment is complete and final |
| Luke 13:1-5 | Jesus speaks of calamities as resulting from sin or as calls to repentance | Connecting calamity to sin and repentance |
| Matthew 23:37-39 | Jesus laments over Jerusalem, foretelling its destruction | Jesus' prophecy of judgment echoing Amos |
| 2 Timothy 3:16 | All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. | The Bible's divine inspiration and purpose |
Amos 4 verses
Amos 4 12 Meaning
This verse is a direct command from God to Israel, commanding them to prepare for imminent judgment. It signifies that their persistent sin has reached a point where divine intervention is unavoidable. The invitation to Bethel and Gilgal represents places of worship, now rendered centers of their corruption and idolatry, highlighting the pervasiveness of their disobedience. God's pronouncements are final and will bring about destruction.
Amos 4 12 Context
Chapter 4 of Amos continues the prophet's denunciation of Israel's religious and social apostasy. Despite God's repeated attempts to correct them through various judgments (famine, drought, pestilence, military defeat), Israel had not returned to Him. Instead, they had become more entrenched in their luxurious living, oppressions, and idolatry. Amos recounts these previous chastisements and points out that Israel still failed to repent. This verse, therefore, serves as the climactic declaration that the "final judgment" is coming because their unrepentance is absolute. The reference to Bethel and Gilgal, important religious sites, underscores that their corruption had infiltrated their very worship. The prophecy is directed at the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 8th century BC, during a time of prosperity but moral decay, facing the imminent threat of the Assyrian Empire.
Amos 4 12 Word Analysis
And (וְ - we): A conjunction connecting this final command to the preceding list of unheeded chastisements. It signifies progression and accumulation of sin leading to the inevitable outcome.
prepare (הָכִין - hakīn): From the root "kûn" meaning to be firm, established, or ready. Here, it's a hiphil verb, meaning to make ready, set in order. It carries the weight of an urgent, final preparation for something inevitable.
to meet (לִקְרַאת - likrāt): Indicates encountering or coming towards. It's an active, confrontational encounter.
your (אֱלֹהִים - elohīm): The Hebrew word for God, often used in a plural form grammatically but referring to the one true God.
God (אֱלֹהִים - elohīm): The Hebrew word for God. This usage, followed by "Israel" in the next clause, signifies the God who made covenant with Israel.
Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל - yiśrā’ēl): Refers specifically to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, established after the division of the united monarchy.
O (הוֹי - hōy): An interjection expressing grief, woe, or judgment. It signals the pronouncement of disaster.
Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל - yiśrā’ēl): Again, referring to the Northern Kingdom.
prepare (הִתְכּוֹנְנִי - hitkōnnenī): From the niphal stem of "kûn," meaning to prepare oneself, make oneself ready. This is reflexive, indicating Israel's active (though futile) self-preparation for the inevitable divine action. It is in the feminine singular imperative, addressing the nation personified as feminine.
to meet (לִקְרַאת - likrāt): Same as above, signifying facing or encountering.
thy (פִּי - pī): From the root "peh," meaning mouth. In this construct state, it can refer to the appointment or command from God's mouth.
God (אֱלֹהִים - elohīm): God's name.
upon (עַל - ‘al): A preposition indicating over, upon, or against.
you (גּוֹי - gōy): A nation, people. In this context, referring to the people of Israel.
So (כֵּן - kēn): Thus, in this manner. It links the predicted outcome to the command given.
shall (יֵעָשֶׂה - ye’āseh): The imperfect verb "‘āśāh" meaning "to do" or "to make." This passive form indicates that something will be done to them.
it (כֵּן - kēn): Refers back to the act of preparation for meeting God.
be done (יֵעָשֶׂה - ye’āseh): Passive of "‘āśāh." The judgment will be carried out upon them.
unto you (לָכֶם - lākem): To you (plural masculine), the people of Israel.
O (הוֹי - hōy): Same interjection of judgment as before.
Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל - yiśrā’ēl): The Northern Kingdom.
Words/Phrases Group Analysis:
- "prepare yourself to meet your God": This is a potent juxtaposition of human action and divine initiative. Israel is commanded to ready themselves, not for a positive encounter, but for a confrontation with the God they have abandoned and offended. It carries the dread of meeting a justly angry sovereign. The repetitive structure "prepare... to meet" emphasizes the unavoidable nature of this divine appointment.
- "So shall it be done unto you, O Israel!": This pronouncement signifies the full realization of God's word. The preparations are not about appeasing God, but about facing the consequences of their choices. It is the ultimate affirmation of divine justice and the inescapable outcome of continued rebellion. The parallel with the preceding command highlights that this is the direct result of their own actions.
Amos 4 12 Bonus Section
The Hebrew verb for "prepare" (hakīn/hitkōnnenī) implies more than just making ready; it suggests being equipped for what is to come. This is the opposite of the preparation God desires, which is repentance and turning back to Him. The locations mentioned, Bethel and Gilgal, were places of significant religious importance in Israel's history. Bethel was a site of Jacob's encounter with God (Gen 28:10-22) and later a sanctuary, though it became a center of idolatry. Gilgal was where Israel first entered the promised land, was circumcised, and celebrated Passover (Josh 4-5), a place of covenant renewal. That God commands Israel to prepare to meet Him at these very places highlights the depth of their spiritual corruption, transforming places of divine blessing into symbols of their rebellion and the coming judgment. The repetition of "Israel" and the direct address underscore the specific nature of God's dealings with His chosen people; their covenant relationship means their unfaithfulness carries severe consequences.
Amos 4 12 Commentary
The imperative "prepare yourself to meet your God" is not an invitation to worship, but a solemn warning of judgment. Having rejected God's warnings and continued in sin, Israel is now compelled to confront the consequences. This is the ultimate confrontation between the Creator and His disobedient creation, and the outcome is predetermined by Israel's persistent sin. The phrase "So shall it be done unto you" declares the certainty and totality of this divine reckoning. Israel's efforts at religious activity in Bethel and Gilgal, now corrupt, only serve as focal points for this final judgment. It is a message about accountability – God's covenant love ensures that persistent disobedience will be met with corrective, and in this case, punitive, action. The finality of the statement underscores that repentance was Israel's only hope, and by rejecting it, they have sealed their doom.