Amos 5:18 kjv
Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
Amos 5:18 nkjv
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light.
Amos 5:18 niv
Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light.
Amos 5:18 esv
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light,
Amos 5:18 nlt
What sorrow awaits you who say,
"If only the day of the LORD were here!"
You have no idea what you are wishing for.
That day will bring darkness, not light.
Amos 5 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 5:18 | Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you want the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light. | Amos 5:18 (fulfilled) |
| Isaiah 2:12 | For the day of the LORD of hosts shall come upon everything that is proud and lofty... | Isaiah 2:12 (theme) |
| Jeremiah 30:7 | Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. | Jeremiah 30:7 (theme) |
| Ezekiel 30:3 | For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near... | Ezekiel 30:3 (theme) |
| Joel 2:2 | A day of darkness and of gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness... | Joel 2:2 (simile) |
| Zephaniah 1:15 | That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of waste and desolation... | Zephaniah 1:15 (simile) |
| Matthew 8:12 | But the sons of the kingdom will be cast into the outer darkness... | Matthew 8:12 (metaphor) |
| John 3:19 | And this is the judgment: that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light... | John 3:19 (metaphor) |
| 2 Thessalonians 5:2 | For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. | 2 Thessalonians 5:2 (simile) |
| Revelation 6:16 | and called to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb... | Revelation 6:16 (fear) |
| Psalm 11:6 | For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteousness; the upright shall behold his face. | Psalm 11:6 (righteousness) |
| Proverbs 2:5 | then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. | Proverbs 2:5 (knowledge) |
| Isaiah 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil... | Isaiah 5:20 (reversal) |
| Amos 5:10 | They hate one who rebukes in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks truthfully. | Amos 5:10 (opposition to truth) |
| Amos 6:1 | Woe to those who are complacent in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria... | Amos 6:1 (complacency) |
| 1 Thessalonians 5:3 | when they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them... | 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (false security) |
| 2 Peter 3:10 | But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar... | 2 Peter 3:10 (destructive nature) |
| Romans 2:5 | But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath... | Romans 2:5 (wrath) |
| Isaiah 1:18 | “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow... | Isaiah 1:18 (redemption contrast) |
| Lamentations 1:5 | Her adversaries have become the head; her enemies prosper because the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. | Lamentations 1:5 (affliction for sin) |
| Micah 3:6 | Therefore night shall be to you, without vision... | Micah 3:6 (darkness for prophets) |
Amos 5 verses
Amos 5 18 Meaning
The people of Israel eagerly anticipate the Day of the Lord, imagining it as a glorious festival. However, Amos reveals it will not be a celebration for them because of their sins; instead, it will be a time of judgment and darkness, like a shepherd escaping a lion only to be bitten by a snake.
Amos 5 18 Context
Chapter 5 of Amos centers on the prophet's condemnation of Israel's social injustice, religious hypocrisy, and corrupt leadership. He critiques their empty rituals and emphasizes the need for true righteousness and justice. Verse 18 follows a series of woes against those who pursue a false sense of security, particularly concerning the "Day of the Lord." This day, longed for by many Israelites as a time of victory and divine favor over their enemies, is presented by Amos as a time of judgment for their disobedience and oppression. The immediate preceding verses (14-17) call for seeking good, hating evil, and hating what is abominable, with the promise of God's presence if they turn from their sin. This sets up verse 18 as a stark contrast, revealing the true nature of the Day of the Lord for a sinful nation. Historically, this message was delivered during a period of prosperity for the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which contributed to their spiritual complacency and a distortion of their understanding of God's covenant promises.
Amos 5 18 Word Analysis
“Woe” (Hebrew: הוֹי - hoy): An interjection expressing grief, distress, or lament. It signifies a pronouncement of doom or severe misfortune.
“to you”: Refers directly to the people of Israel addressed by Amos, particularly those in positions of power or those who have adopted the nation's sinful practices.
“who desire” (Hebrew: מְבַקְּשִׁ֥ים - mevaqeshim): To seek, look for, ask, inquire, or wish for. It highlights their active longing and anticipation.
“the day of the LORD” (Hebrew: יוֹם־ יְהוָה - Yom Yahweh): A significant concept in Old Testament prophecy, often referring to a future time of divine intervention and judgment. However, Amos counters the popular understanding of a day of triumph for Israel, instead revealing it as a day of judgment.
“And why do you want” (Hebrew: וְלָמָּה לָכֶם - ve-lamah lakhem): A rhetorical question emphasizing the foolishness and misdirected hope of the people. The emphasis is on "for yourselves" (לָכֶם - lakhem), stressing that their desire is self-serving and ignorant of God's true purpose for that day concerning their current state.
“the day of the LORD?”: Repetition reinforces the object of their misplaced desire.
“It is darkness” (Hebrew: חֹשֶׁךְ - choshekh): Symbolically represents distress, calamity, ignorance, despair, and the absence of God’s favor and presence.
“and not light”: A direct negation of their expectation. They envision a day of light, salvation, and victory; Amos declares it will be the opposite for them.
Words Group: “The day of the Lord”: This phrase represents a turning point in salvation history. While universally understood as a time of God's judgment on the wicked and deliverance for the faithful, Amos stresses the specific context for the complacent and unjust Israelites. They mistakenly thought it would be a day for them, confirming their special status without repentance. Amos clarifies it would be a day against them because of their sins.
Words Group: “darkness, and not light”: This paradoxical statement inverts their expectation. Light typically symbolizes God's favor, presence, salvation, and victory. Darkness represents His absence, judgment, defeat, and calamity. Amos’s declaration that this hoped-for day will bring darkness for them is a severe indictment.
Amos 5 18 Bonus Section
The prophet Amos's message here directly confronts the phenomenon of "selective piety" and the misuse of religious expectations. The "Day of the Lord" was a theological concept deeply ingrained in Israelite belief, a day when God would assert His power and vindicate His people. However, true fulfillment of this promise was contingent upon covenant faithfulness. Israel, particularly the Northern Kingdom under Jeroboam II, had experienced material prosperity, leading to moral decay and a dangerous sense of security. They maintained outward religious forms but divorced them from ethical living. Amos’s prophecy serves as a vital corrective, emphasizing that God’s favor is not automatic due to heritage or ritual, but is earned through justice, righteousness, and a sincere heart. This warning echoes throughout scripture, reminding believers that a future hope is invalidated by present unfaithfulness.
Amos 5 18 Commentary
Amos confronts a profound misunderstanding of God's imminent judgment. The people of Israel, assured of their covenant relationship with God, eagerly awaited the "Day of the Lord," anticipating it as a festival of triumph. They envisioned God intervening on their behalf, crushing their enemies, and restoring them to glory. This expectation, however, was built on a foundation of selective listening, ignoring the continuous warnings from prophets about their iniquities—social injustice, oppression of the poor, and syncretistic religious practices. Amos forcefully corrects this misapprehension. He states that for them, the Day of the Lord will not be a day of joyous celebration or victorious light. Instead, it will be a day of terrifying darkness and judgment. The analogy used suggests that while escaping one danger (like a lion), they will fall into a worse one (a snake bite), indicating that their current sinfulness guarantees no true escape, only further condemnation. Their longing for the day is based on pride and continued disobedience, making them targets of God's wrath rather than recipients of His deliverance on that particular occasion.