Amos 5 1

Amos 5:1 kjv

Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.

Amos 5:1 nkjv

Hear this word which I take up against you, a lamentation, O house of Israel:

Amos 5:1 niv

Hear this word, Israel, this lament I take up concerning you:

Amos 5:1 esv

Hear this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel:

Amos 5:1 nlt

Listen, you people of Israel! Listen to this funeral song I am singing:

Amos 5 verses

Amos 5 1 Meaning

Amos 5:1 initiates a new segment of prophetic discourse addressed to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It serves as a solemn invitation for them to "hear" – implying not just to listen, but to pay heed and understand – a profound and weighty "word" that the prophet is "taking up" against them. This message is distinctively characterized as a "lamentation" or dirge, a type of mournful song traditionally sung in sorrow for the dead or in the aftermath of a great catastrophe. The startling significance here is that this lament is proclaimed before the disaster has occurred, emphasizing the absolute certainty and inevitability of the impending divine judgment upon the "House of Israel" due to their profound idolatry, covenant unfaithfulness, and social injustice. It portrays their destruction as so sure that it is already a cause for mourning in God's eyes, communicated through His prophet.

Amos 5 1 Context

Amos 5:1 initiates a solemn, yet mournful, section within the book of Amos. It serves as a prelude to a series of prophetic denunciations and anticipates the Northern Kingdom’s eventual destruction. Prior to this verse, Amos has already pronounced judgment on surrounding nations and Judah, culminating in chapter 4 with a stern indictment of Israel's stubborn disobedience despite various divine chastisements, including famine, drought, plague, and war. This verse inaugurates a distinct oracular unit, specifically termed a "lamentation" (qīnah), directly aimed at the "House of Israel." The historical setting is the period of prosperity under King Jeroboam II (approx. 793-753 BC) in the Northern Kingdom, a time marked by significant material wealth. However, this affluence bred moral decay, egregious social injustice (especially against the poor), religious syncretism, and widespread idolatry at state sanctuaries such as Bethel and Dan. These covenant violations profoundly displeased God and fueled Amos's unyielding prophecy of their impending and certain judgment.

Amos 5 1 Word analysis

• Hear (שְׁמַעוּ, Shema‘u): An emphatic imperative verb, commanding the entire collective "Israel" to listen. It demands more than just auditory attention; it calls for a deep reception, understanding, and responsive obedience to the divine message, echoing the foundational command of the Shema (Dt 6:4). In a prophetic context, it acts as a formal summons, often introducing a legal disputation or a solemn pronouncement from God to His covenant people.
• this word (הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, ha-davar ha-zeh): Refers to the specific divine oracle about to be delivered by Amos. "Davar" signifies not merely a spoken word, but a weighty decree, a divine declaration, or a matter of great consequence. It underlines the authoritative and absolute nature of the prophetic message, directly from God Himself.
• that I take up (אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי נֹשֵׂא, asher anokhi nose’): The Hebrew verb nasa’ (נשׂא) means to lift, carry, bear, or to utter a pronouncement. In prophetic literature, it commonly denotes "taking up a burden" or "bearing an oracle" (e.g., Isa 13:1, "The burden of Babylon..."). Here, it implies Amos is conveying a heavy, grievous message that he carries from God for Israel.
• against you (עֲלֵיכֶם, ‘aleychem): The preposition ‘al (על) means "against" or "concerning." In this context, "against you" highlights the confrontational and condemnatory nature of the message. It signifies a pronouncement of judgment or an indictment specifically directed at the people of Israel.
• a lamentation (קִינָה, qinah): A sorrowful song, dirge, or elegy, typically performed during times of mourning for the deceased or in response to a calamity. Its peculiar use here—declared before the disaster—is incredibly powerful. It signifies that Israel's fate is already sealed, their destruction is so certain that they are, in God's prophetic eyes, already deceased or destined for such catastrophe that they are worthy of mourning now. This preemptive lament removes any illusion of hope for avoiding the foretold judgment.
• O house of Israel (בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, Beit Yisra’el): Refers specifically to the Northern Kingdom, consisting of the ten tribes that seceded from the united monarchy. Addressing them by this covenant name underscores their unique relationship with God, highlighting that this judgment comes from their own God who made a covenant with them, and emphasizes their collective responsibility for their disobedience.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Hear this word that I take up against you, a lamentation": This introductory clause sets a dire tone for the ensuing prophecy. The imperative "Hear" emphasizes the critical importance of attending to God's words, which are now being personally "taken up" or borne by the prophet as a grave "lamentation." The combination underscores that the coming message is not merely instructive but a foreboding dirge, highlighting the weight of the divine message and its adversarial stance against Israel.
• "a lamentation, O house of Israel": This powerful juxtaposition brings the mournful reality directly to Israel. By proclaiming a "lamentation" over the "House of Israel" before their fall, Amos signifies the divine certainty and imminence of judgment. It portrays God as already grieving over their impending destruction, a stark testament to the depth of their rebellion and the irreversible path they have chosen, highlighting both God's justice and His sorrowful heart over His disobedient covenant people.

Amos 5 1 Bonus section

The concept of a "preemptive lament" as used by Amos in 5:1 is a unique and potent rhetorical strategy within biblical prophecy. Unlike conventional laments that express sorrow for a disaster already endured (as seen in the Book of Lamentations over fallen Jerusalem), Amos's qīnah is pronounced for a calamity that is yet to happen. This transforms the lament into a declaration of irrevocable judgment, effectively holding a "funeral without a body," portraying the nation as already dead in God's eyes due to their spiritual decay and moral corruption. Amos, a simple shepherd and fig-grower, was specifically called by God to deliver such weighty pronouncements to a powerful kingdom, underscoring that God uses whom He chooses to convey His universal justice, regardless of their social standing or origin. This emphasizes the supreme authority of God's Word over all human institutions and powers.

Amos 5 1 Commentary

Amos 5:1 initiates one of the most poignant prophetic pronouncements against the Northern Kingdom. It's not a direct call to repentance, but rather a somber, unescapable declaration of their impending doom. By identifying his message as a "lamentation" (qīnah), Amos masterfully uses a funeral dirge before the actual funeral to emphasize that God considers Israel's spiritual state and destiny to be that of a nation already lost, its destruction an absolute certainty. This powerful literary device makes the judgment feel irrevocably predetermined due to their persistent idolatry, widespread social injustice, and covenant faithlessness. The divine call to "Hear" compels the people to fully grasp the gravity and reality of the impending catastrophe, whether they desire to repent or not. This verse underscores God's perfect justice which, while manifesting judgment, does so from a heart that mourns the ruin of His own people. It’s a powerful reminder of the inevitable consequences when a people, or even an individual, consistently ignores God's appeals and rejects His ways.