Amos 5:3 kjv
For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.
Amos 5:3 nkjv
For thus says the Lord GOD: "The city that goes out by a thousand Shall have a hundred left, And that which goes out by a hundred Shall have ten left to the house of Israel."
Amos 5:3 niv
This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Israel: "Your city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left; your town that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left."
Amos 5:3 esv
For thus says the Lord GOD: "The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went out a hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel."
Amos 5:3 nlt
The Sovereign LORD says: "When a city sends a thousand men to battle,
only a hundred will return.
When a town sends a hundred,
only ten will come back alive."
Amos 5 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 5:3 | Thus says the Lord GOD: "The house of Israel shall not escape." | Parallel structure, affirmation of judgment |
| Jeremiah 51:62 | Then you shall say, 'O Babylon, you are that great city that is thrown into the sea, never to be found again.' | Judgment of a great city, never to be found |
| Isaiah 1:7 | Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your own presence foreigners devour your land; they are desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. | Desolation, cities burned, overthrown |
| Jeremiah 49:26 | Her young men shall fall in her streets; all her soldiers shall be silenced in that day, declares the LORD of hosts. | Young men falling, soldiers silenced, destruction of military |
| Jeremiah 22:5 | But if you will not obey these words, by me as I live, declares the LORD, surely the city that is great shall become desolate, and the cities of the country shall not have inhabitants." | Consequence of disobedience: desolation, no inhabitants |
| Hosea 10:14 | Thus it shall be done to you, O Samaria, because of your wicked deeds. | Specific judgment on Samaria |
| Ezekiel 6:7 | And the slain shall fall among you, and you shall know that I am the LORD. | Knowing the LORD through the slain |
| Zechariah 11:6 | For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, declares the LORD. But indeed I will give everyone into the hand of his neighbor and into the hand of his king, and they shall strike the land, and I will not deliver it out of their hand.' | LORD will not pity, surrender to enemies |
| Lamentations 5:18 | For Mount Zion, which we desolate, owls do haunt. | Desolation, habitation of wild animals |
| Psalm 90:7 | For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are terrified. | Consumption by divine anger |
| Jeremiah 15:2 | When there are no more than two or three in a city, they shall be left as a few olives on thehighest branch, as a few berries in the last grape on the vine, declares the LORD, the God of Israel. | Remnant, survivors as scattered fruits |
| Revelation 18:21 | Then a mighty angel took up a great stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more." | Violent overthrow of a great city, no more to be found |
| Amos 5:17 | In all the fields there shall be wailing, for I will pass through your midst, declares the LORD. | Wailing, LORD passing through in judgment |
| Isaiah 24:1 | Behold, the LORD is about to make the earth empty and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface, and scatter its inhabitants. | Earth made empty and desolate, inhabitants scattered |
| Jeremiah 25:12 | But when seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, declares the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and I will make it an everlasting desolation. | Punishment of a nation, everlasting desolation |
| Amos 7:9 | The high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be ruined, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.' | High places made desolate, sanctuaries ruined, destruction of dynasty |
| Amos 5:2 | "Fallen, fallen is the virgin Israel; no one is left to raise her up." | Falling and no one to raise her up |
| Joel 3:15 | The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. | Cosmic signs of judgment |
| Nahum 2:10 | Emptied, void, and desolate! Hearts are melting, knees knock together, much anguish is on all hips! | Description of destruction: emptied, void, desolate |
| 2 Kings 17:18 | Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only. | Removal from sight, no remnant left |
Amos 5 verses
Amos 5 3 Meaning
The Lord declares that the house of Israel, despite its former glory and position, will be utterly overthrown and brought to ruin. This devastation will be total, leaving no remnant of its power or habitation.
Amos 5 3 Context
Chapter 5 of Amos focuses on God's severe judgment against Israel. The prophet denounces their religious hypocrisy, social injustice, and idolatry, proclaiming that their hollow rituals are an abomination to the Lord. The people are complacent, believing their outward show of worship is sufficient, but Amos reveals God's imminent wrath. The northern kingdom of Israel, often referred to as "Samaria" or "the house of Israel," is specifically targeted for its deep-seated corruption. This verse, v. 3, serves as a stark pronouncement of complete annihilation, indicating that escape from the impending divine punishment is impossible for the nation as a whole. Historically, this judgment would manifest through military conquest and exile by foreign powers like the Assyrians.
Amos 5 3 Word Analysis
Thus (כֹּה - koh)
- Meaning: In this way, so. It introduces a declaration or pronouncement from the Lord.
- Significance: Emphasizes that the following statement is a direct communication from God, conveying His authoritative decree.
says (אָמַר - amar)
- Meaning: To say, to speak, to command.
- Significance: Affirms the divine origin and the verbal nature of the prophecy. God is actively communicating His will.
the (יְהוָה - YHWH)
- Meaning: The LORD, the Eternal. This is the personal covenantal name of God.
- Significance: Connects the judgment to the covenant relationship. The LORD, who is faithful, is now executing judgment upon His covenant people due to their breach of the covenant.
Lord (אֲדֹנִי - Adonai)
- Meaning: Lord, Master, owner.
- Significance: Highlights God's sovereignty and authority over Israel. He is their Master and they have proven disobedient.
GOD (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim)
- Meaning: God, a mighty one, a judge.
- Significance: Emphasizes God's power and role as the ultimate Judge who will carry out this sentence.
the (בֵּית - beit)
- Meaning: House, household, family, dynasty.
- Significance: Refers to the entire nation of Israel, their royal lineage, and their collective identity.
house (יִשְׂרָאֵל - Yisrael)
- Meaning: Israel (Jacob's renamed name, the collective people).
- Significance: The target of the pronouncement, encompassing all the tribes of the northern kingdom.
shall (לֹא - lo)
- Meaning: No, not. A negation.
- Significance: Crucial word indicating the absolute certainty of the coming judgment; there will be no escape.
not (תִּפָּלֵט - tippalet)
- Meaning: Escape, be delivered, survive, be freed. From the root פלט (palat).
- Significance: This is the core of the verse – total failure to escape. The severity implies a complete downfall and lack of deliverance by any means, whether their own efforts or seeking aid elsewhere.
Group Analysis: "Thus says the Lord GOD"
- This opening phrase is a standard prophetic formula (e.g., Isa 3:15, Jer 2:1). It signals an oracle directly from God, lending ultimate authority and weight to the message. The combination of YHWH (covenant God) and Adonai Elohim (Sovereign Lord God) underscores both God's personal relationship and His supreme authority as Judge.
Group Analysis: "the house of Israel shall not escape"
- This phrase emphatically states the certainty and totality of God's judgment. "Escape" implies avoidance of consequence or deliverance from peril. The declaration is that no aspect of "the house of Israel" – the nation, its people, its leadership, its religious institutions – will find refuge or safety from the coming divine wrath. It signifies a complete and inescapable judgment, pointing to their utter destruction or exile.
Amos 5 3 Bonus Section
The certainty of judgment here stands in stark contrast to the Israelites' perceived security. They likely believed their covenant status and their elaborate religious festivals, though devoid of genuine justice and love for God, would protect them. Amos demolishes this false security, showing that their disobedience nullifies any claim to divine favor that is not backed by righteous living. The implication is that the "house of Israel," as a corporate body living in defiance of God's commands for justice and faithfulness, has forfeited its protection and is subject to complete dissolution. The word "escape" ( tippalet) is a Niphal imperfect, which here denotes passive possibility or passive experience – the state of being not escaped. It speaks to an inevitable outcome that will happen to them, not necessarily a consequence of active pursuit.
Amos 5 3 Commentary
This verse delivers a pronouncement of total and inescapable divine judgment upon the nation of Israel. The prophecy is introduced with the authoritative prophetic formula, "Thus says the Lord GOD," highlighting the divine origin and absolute certainty of the statement. The chosen term "escape" (Hebrew: tippalet) implies that no matter how they strategize, seek alliances, or try to flee, there will be no deliverance for the collective entity known as the "house of Israel." This reflects a consistent theme in Amos' prophecy: that superficial religious practices and continued social injustice will inevitably lead to catastrophic consequences from a God who demands righteousness. Their sin has placed them in a position where they are fully exposed to divine wrath, and no loophole or plea will grant them exemption. This judgment points towards the Assyrian conquest and the widespread exile that befell the northern kingdom.