Amos 4 3

Amos 4:3 kjv

And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.

Amos 4:3 nkjv

You will go out through broken walls, Each one straight ahead of her, And you will be cast into Harmon," Says the LORD.

Amos 4:3 niv

You will each go straight out through breaches in the wall, and you will be cast out toward Harmon," declares the LORD.

Amos 4:3 esv

And you shall go out through the breaches, each one straight ahead; and you shall be cast out into Harmon," declares the LORD.

Amos 4:3 nlt

You will be led out through the ruins of the wall;
you will be thrown from your fortresses, "
says the LORD.

Amos 4 verses

Amos 4 3 meaning

This verse is a direct prophecy of judgment, primarily targeting the women of Israel (Samaria), or the nation personified as such, previously condemned for their indulgent lifestyles and oppression of the poor. It foretells a forced and humiliating exile: they will be driven out of their breached cities through gaps in destroyed walls, individually and without order or dignity, to an unspecified, ignominious destination referred to as "Harmon." This expulsion is declared by the Lord Himself, signaling its certainty and divine origin.

Amos 4 3 Context

Amos, a prophet from Judah, was divinely appointed to prophesy judgment against the prosperous but deeply corrupt Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II (mid-8th century BC). While the nation enjoyed military and economic success, this affluence fueled idolatry, rampant social injustice, and the oppression of the poor. Chapter 4 begins with a scathing denouncement of the "cows of Bashan" (Amos 4:1), a metaphor for the wealthy, self-indulgent women of Samaria whose luxurious demands drove their husbands to exploit the vulnerable. Amos then details a series of lesser judgments God had already sent—famine, drought, blight, pestilence, and war—each met with Israel’s unrepentant response: "yet you have not returned to Me" (Amos 4:6-11). Verse 3 is the culmination of this escalating divine warning, shifting from partial judgments to a direct prophecy of the final, devastating consequence for their hardened hearts: forced and undignified exile from their now-ruined land.

Amos 4 3 Word analysis

• You will go out (וִצְאֶנָה - wiṣʾenāh): This is a feminine plural verb, specifically addressing the "cows of Bashan" from Amos 4:1. It signifies a forced departure, emphasizing that their exit will not be voluntary or dignified, but compelled by external force.
• through the breaches (בּפְרָצִ֔ים - bip̄rāṣîm): From the Hebrew פֶּרֶץ (pereṣ), meaning a "breach" or "break" in a wall. This indicates that their once-secure city walls will be utterly shattered, symbolizing the collapse of their military defenses and the complete loss of their perceived safety. They will leave not through grand city gates, but through the broken rubble.
• each one straight ahead (אִשָׁ֥ה נֶגְדָּהּ֙ - ʾiššāh neḡdāh): Literally "a woman before her." This phrase conveys a sense of disorder, chaos, and individual panic. Instead of an organized march or procession, it depicts a scene of everyone fending for themselves, pushing forward perhaps blindly, without care for others or the ability to look back, underscoring their utter disorientation and the breakdown of social order.
• and you will be cast out (וְהֻשְׁלַכְתֶּ֖נָה - wəhušlaḵtānāh): From the Hebrew verb שָׁלַךְ (shālakh), meaning to "throw" or "cast." The passive voice highlights the violent, involuntary, and dehumanizing nature of their expulsion. They are not merely leaving but are forcibly ejected, like discarded rubbish, utterly stripped of agency and dignity.
• toward Harmon (הַהַרְמוֹנָה֙ - ha-harmônâ): This is a word that appears only once in the Hebrew Bible (a hapax legomenon), leading to various interpretations. Its exact geographical location is unknown and highly debated by scholars. Some interpret it as a specific, distant place of exile, while others suggest it signifies a place of ultimate humiliation, disgrace, or perhaps even a refuse dump (related to ḥerem, something devoted to destruction). Regardless of its precise meaning, its obscurity emphasizes an ignominious, unwelcome destination, devoid of any comfort or honor, underscoring their complete and utter downfall.
• declares the Lord (נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה - nəʾum Yahweh): A standard prophetic formula asserting that the message is a direct, authoritative, and certain declaration from God Himself, not merely the prophet's words. It affirms the absolute certainty and unchangeable nature of this impending judgment.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "You will go out through the breaches": This paints a vivid picture of catastrophic military defeat. The destruction of their fortified walls, once symbols of protection and national pride, forces an inglorious exodus. Their exit will not be through guarded gates but through gaping holes in rubble, signaling complete devastation and loss of security.
• "each one straight ahead": This phrase dramatically contrasts their previous aristocratic pride and comfortable lives. It depicts not an organized, dignified departure but a panicked, chaotic, and individual flight, highlighting utter disarray, every person for themselves, robbed of any societal structure or individual composure.
• "and you will be cast out toward Harmon": The combination of forceful "casting out" and the vague, humiliating destination "Harmon" encapsulates the depth of their disgrace. They are reduced to an expendable commodity, violently removed from their land to a place of utter ignominy, fulfilling the dire covenant curses for their unrepented sin and oppression.

Amos 4 3 Bonus section

The strong focus on the feminine plural in this verse ensures a direct continuation of the indictment initiated against the "cows of Bashan" in Amos 4:1. This emphasizes the accountability of the women of Samaria, who, despite their privileged status, were complicit in and often instigators of the social injustice. The enigmatic nature of "Harmon," despite centuries of interpretive effort, serves a powerful prophetic purpose. It avoids providing any recognizable landmark or potential comfort to those facing exile. Instead, its vagueness underscores the complete uncertainty and ignominy awaiting them. This lack of specific geographical detail reinforces that the process of forced, humiliating removal to an utterly undesirable, perhaps even contemptible, place is the core of the judgment, rather than the specific name of a destination. It highlights the thoroughness of God's judgment and the lack of a dignified future for the unrepentant.

Amos 4 3 Commentary

Amos 4:3 is a stark prophecy of irreversible divine judgment, directly confronting Israel’s (specifically, Samaria's elite women's) spiritual and social complacency. The women who indulged in luxury obtained through oppression are promised a dramatic reversal of fortune. Their secure cities, symbolized by sturdy walls, will be broken down by invaders. They will then be subjected to a chaotic, undignified exodus through these "breaches," forced to abandon all pretense of their former status. The phrase "each one straight ahead" vividly portrays individual desperation and disorder, highlighting the utter breakdown of social order and personal composure. The final blow comes with being "cast out toward Harmon," a term that signifies a destination of shame and degradation, emphasizing that their removal is not merely geographical but involves complete societal and personal humiliation. This unceremonious expulsion, sealed by "declares the Lord," underscores God's absolute sovereignty and certainty in delivering consequences for unrepented injustice and idolatry, transforming their pride into public disgrace.