Amos 6 13

Amos 6:13 kjv

Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

Amos 6:13 nkjv

You who rejoice over Lo Debar, Who say, "Have we not taken Karnaim for ourselves By our own strength?"

Amos 6:13 niv

you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar and say, "Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?"

Amos 6:13 esv

you who rejoice in Lo-debar, who say, "Have we not by our own strength captured Karnaim for ourselves?"

Amos 6:13 nlt

And you brag about your conquest of Lo-debar.
You boast, "Didn't we take Karnaim by our own strength?"

Amos 6 verses

Amos 6 13 meaning

Amos 6:13 condemns the arrogant self-assurance of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They found joy in what was ultimately worthless or empty achievements, proclaiming that their perceived victories and strength were solely products of their own might. This verse highlights their hubris and failure to acknowledge God as the source of any success, instead attributing everything to their own human power. It is a sharp rebuke against their misplaced pride and false sense of security, revealing a people dangerously oblivious to their spiritual and moral decay.

Amos 6 13 Context

Amos chapter 6 begins with a scathing "woe" directed at the privileged and complacent citizens of both Samaria (Israel's capital) and Zion (Jerusalem in Judah), although Amos's primary focus is on the Northern Kingdom. These elites were living in luxurious excess, indulging in lavish lifestyles, and dismissing the looming divine judgment. They were oblivious to the widespread social injustice and moral corruption prevalent in the nation. Amos 6:13 specifically targets their self-congratulatory attitude stemming from a false sense of national security and military success. During the reign of Jeroboam II (approx. 793-753 BC), Israel enjoyed a period of political stability and territorial expansion, recapturing lands in Transjordan and the Valley of Arabah. This success led to rampant national pride and self-sufficiency, with the people crediting their military prowess and strategic strength for their achievements. This verse exposes their spiritual blindness: they rejoiced in their temporary human accomplishments, foolishly attributing their "horns" of power to their own strength, completely overlooking God's sovereignty and their impending doom.

Amos 6 13 Word analysis

• Ye: This pronoun directly addresses the proud and complacent inhabitants, specifically the ruling elite and wealthy, as previously identified in Amos 6:1-6. It signals a pointed accusation directed at those enjoying their "peace" and "security."
• rejoice (שִׂמְחִים, simchim): While meaning "joy" or "gladness," here it is used ironically or sarcastically by the prophet. Their joy is founded on empty, futile, and misguided grounds—things that lack true significance or will ultimately prove worthless in God's judgment.
• in a thing of nought (בְּלֹא דָבָר, belo davar): Literally "in no word" or "nothing/emptiness." This phrase denotes something utterly worthless, insignificant, or unsubstantial. It powerfully undermines the value of whatever accomplishments the people were celebrating, rendering them meaningless from a divine perspective.
• which say: This introduces the direct utterance of the people's boast. It exposes their internal pride and their confident, public declarations, revealing their deeply ingrained self-attribution for their perceived successes.
• Have we not taken to us horns (קַרְנַיִם, qarnayim): This is a rhetorical question that functions as an emphatic assertion, reflecting the people's strong conviction that their "yes" is undeniable. "Horns" are a pervasive biblical metaphor for strength, power, honor, and especially, military victory or dominion, akin to how animals use their horns in combat. Their boast is about gaining significant national power and dominance.
• by our own strength (בְּחָזְקֵנוּ, b'chozqenu): Derived from the root for "strength" or "might." This critical phrase unequivocally assigns the source of their perceived victories and power solely to their human capability, military might, and strategic prowess. It intentionally excludes any divine intervention or blessing, signifying their ultimate self-reliance and spiritual arrogance.

Words-group analysis

• "Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought": This initial indictment sets the tone by exposing the sheer folly and spiritual bankruptcy of the people's joy. Their celebrations are portrayed as hollow, misguided, and based on achievements or acquisitions that, from God's vantage point, are without any lasting value or true substance, underscoring their profound spiritual blindness.
• "which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?": This group of words encapsulates the defiant and arrogant self-congratulation of the nation. It's a rhetorical question posed by the people themselves, serving as a boastful declaration of their absolute self-sufficiency. They are publicly asserting that all their perceived power, victories, and national strength have been secured purely through their human military might and capabilities, explicitly excluding and disavowing any role of God. This passage reveals their ultimate sin of hubris and misplaced trust.

Amos 6 13 Bonus section

A compelling interpretation among scholars for "in a thing of nought" (belo davar) and "horns" (qarnayim) is a skillful wordplay related to literal place names. It is suggested that Amos is sarcastically referring to two towns in Gilead. "A thing of nought" could be a derisive pun on Lo Debar (meaning "no word/nothing"), a city in Gilead (referenced in 2 Sam 9:4-5), which Jeroboam II may have reconquered. Similarly, "horns" could be a play on the city Karnaim (meaning "two horns"), another significant location in Gilead known for its strength or fortifications. If so, Amos's indictment becomes even sharper: the people were celebrating the conquest of a "nothing" town (Lo Debar) and a "horns" (strong/fortified) city (Karnaim), yet attributed these victories to their own power. This nuanced wordplay would highlight the depth of their self-delusion and the irony that they found pride in achievements that, from a divine perspective, were insignificant or would soon be lost, directly challenging their boasting through a clever literary device.

Amos 6 13 Commentary

Amos 6:13 powerfully condemns the sin of national pride and self-reliance that gripped the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a period of outward prosperity. The prophet vividly portrays their arrogant delusion: they celebrated their military and political gains as if these ephemeral victories were inherently valuable and entirely due to their own power. Their boasting, "Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?", is the epitome of human hubris, ignoring the theological reality that all strength and success ultimately emanate from God. By claiming their achievements as solely their own, they committed a profound error—misplacing their trust from the sovereign LORD to their own finite capabilities and resources. This false sense of security built on self-attributed power, rather than divine blessing or adherence to covenant, would inevitably lead to severe divine judgment, revealing the "horns" they boasted in to be utterly worthless when God's wrath finally came upon them.