Amos 5 19

Amos 5:19 kjv

As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

Amos 5:19 nkjv

It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him!

Amos 5:19 niv

It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him.

Amos 5:19 esv

as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.

Amos 5:19 nlt

In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion ?
only to meet a bear.
Escaping from the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house ?
and he's bitten by a snake.

Amos 5 verses

Amos 5 19 Meaning

The verse describes a person attempting to flee one grave danger (a lion) only to immediately encounter another (a bear), or seeking refuge in a seemingly safe place (a house) only to find danger there (a serpent biting them from a wall). It is a powerful analogy illustrating the utter inescapability of divine judgment for the people of Israel who longed for the Day of the Lord while living in sin. Their presumed safety and their hope for a positive divine intervention were entirely misguided, as their rebellion meant judgment would find them no matter where they sought to hide.

Amos 5 19 Context

Amos 5:19 follows immediately from Amos 5:18, where the prophet condemns those in Israel who "desire the Day of the LORD," asserting that it will be a "day of darkness, and not light" for them. This particular verse expands on why it will be dark: because there will be no escape from the Lord's judgment. The northern kingdom of Israel, experiencing a period of prosperity under Jeroboam II, had grown complacent, believing their wealth and religious rituals secured divine favor. However, their society was rife with social injustice, oppression of the poor, and spiritual apostasy. They assumed that their external acts of worship would insulate them from the consequences of their immoral actions and that God's intervention would always be to their benefit. Amos shatters this false security by depicting God's coming "Day" not as a day of national triumph and vindication, but as a universal, inescapable judgment that penetrates all spheres of life, rendering all efforts to escape futile. The imagery of lions, bears, and snakes was profoundly resonant for an ancient Near Eastern audience, as these were real and deadly threats in their environment, making the divine judgment powerfully vivid and immediate. This passage also functions as a polemic against the popular notion that God's presence guaranteed national well-being, challenging their syncretistic practices and the illusion of safety derived from mere religious forms without righteous living.

Amos 5 19 Word analysis

• as if a man fled from a lion (כַּאֲשֶׁר יָנוּס אִישׁ מִפְּנֵי הָאֲרִי, kaʼăšer yānūs ʼîš mippěnê hāʼărî):
  • fled (יָנוּס, yānūs): The verb nūs signifies a desperate and urgent attempt to escape, often driven by terror. Here, it implies an extreme threat prompting immediate flight.
  • lion (הָאֲרִי, hāʼărî): ʼărî refers to a full-grown lion, a creature symbolizing immense power, ferocity, and deadly danger in ancient Israel. Encountering one in the wild was almost certain death. This represents an initial, overwhelming and overt threat, perhaps external enemies or direct divine intervention.
• and a bear met him (וּפְגָעוֹ הַדֹּב, ûpḡāʽōw haddōḇ):
  • met him (וּפְגָעוֹ, ûpḡāʽōw): From pāga', meaning "to meet," "to encounter," or "to fall upon." In this context, it carries a sense of hostile encounter or ambush, emphasizing the unavoidable nature of the next danger. The man does not find refuge but runs directly into a new threat.
  • bear (הַדֹּב, haddōḇ): dōḇ refers to a bear, specifically the Syrian brown bear. Bears, while less iconic than lions, were often considered equally or even more dangerous, known for their unpredictability and aggression when threatened. This represents a second, unexpected, and equally deadly danger, nullifying the escape from the first.
• or went into the house (אוֹ בָא הַבַּיִת, ʼô bā' habbayiṯ):
  • house (הַבַּיִת, habbayiṯ): bayit is the common word for "house" or "home," typically a place of safety, shelter, and security, a refuge from the dangers of the outside world. Here, it represents a supposed haven, a symbol of their perceived security or spiritual complacency, whether within religious institutions or societal structures.
• and leaned his hand on the wall (וְסָמַךְ יָדוֹ עַל הַקִּיר, wěsāmaḵ yādō ʽal haqqîr):
  • leaned (וְסָמַךְ, wěsāmaḵ): Implies resting, supporting oneself, seeking comfort or stability. It conveys a moment of perceived relief and relaxation within the 'safe' confines.
  • wall (הַקִּיר, haqqîr): qîr denotes a wall, typically made of stone or mudbrick, forming part of the structural integrity of the house. Snakes were known to hide in cracks or crevices in such walls, especially in warm climates. The wall, a symbol of domestic protection, ironically harbors danger.
• and a serpent bit him (וּנְשָׁכוֹ הַנָּחָשׁ, ûněšāḵōw hannāḥāš):
  • serpent (הַנָּחָשׁ, hannāḥāš): nāḥāš refers to a snake or serpent. It signifies a hidden, insidious, and often swift danger, one that strikes without warning. The bite (from nashak) is sudden, unexpected, and can be deadly. This represents the unforeseen, stealthy aspect of God's judgment that even in what appears to be security, is ever-present and inescapable.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him": This initial imagery vividly portrays the futility of escaping imminent, overt danger. It signifies that direct attempts to escape God's decreed judgment, whether through flight, hiding, or external means, will only lead to confrontation with another equally potent, or even more cunning, manifestation of that judgment. It's a progression from one clear danger to another inescapable one, emphasizing God's pervasive judgment.
• "or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him": This second illustration introduces a different, more insidious type of inescapable danger. The house, typically a sanctuary, and the wall, a symbol of stability, become the source of unexpected peril. This highlights that presumed security, reliance on material wealth, ritual observance, or simply resting within established structures (societal or religious) will not offer refuge from divine judgment. It emphasizes that judgment can manifest in hidden ways, from unexpected sources, even where one feels safest, revealing the pervasive and searching nature of God's righteous wrath.

Amos 5 19 Bonus section

• Certainty of Judgment: The double illustration underscores the absolute certainty of the judgment for Israel, emphasizing that their actions have set in motion an inevitable chain of consequences from which no maneuver, however desperate, will provide a permanent shield.
• Irony of False Security: The house and wall, typical places of comfort and security, becoming a source of danger through a serpent highlights the bitter irony of Israel's situation. Their rituals and perceived relationship with God offered no true security due to their internal corruption and social injustice.
• Universal Principle: While directed at ancient Israel, the principle conveyed is timeless: unaddressed sin has pervasive, inescapable consequences, and attempting to outrun or hide from divine justice is always futile. This resonates with the biblical truth that sin's wage is death (Rom 6:23) and what is sown will be reaped (Gal 6:7).

Amos 5 19 Commentary

Amos 5:19 functions as a profound parable of inescapable divine judgment, addressing Israel's deluded belief that they could both persist in grave injustice and still enjoy God's favor, especially on the "Day of the LORD." It debunks the notion of conditional escape or safe havens. The dual scenarios—fleeing one wilderness predator only to encounter another, and seeking safety in one's home only to be bitten by a hidden snake—underline that God's justice is all-encompassing. There is no external escape, nor any internal refuge for the unrepentant heart. Whether facing obvious calamites or subtle, unforeseen destructions, the consequences of Israel's unrighteousness would pursue them relentlessly. The passage implies that true security lies not in outward escape or false refuges, but solely in sincere repentance and seeking the Lord by living righteously, which is the very plea Amos makes elsewhere in the chapter (Amos 5:4, 6, 14).