Amos 6:2 kjv
Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?
Amos 6:2 nkjv
Go over to Calneh and see; And from there go to Hamath the great; Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory?
Amos 6:2 niv
Go to Kalneh and look at it; go from there to great Hamath, and then go down to Gath in Philistia. Are they better off than your two kingdoms? Is their land larger than yours?
Amos 6:2 esv
Pass over to Calneh, and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory,
Amos 6:2 nlt
But go over to Calneh
and see what happened there.
Then go to the great city of Hamath
and down to the Philistine city of Gath.
You are no better than they were,
and look at how they were destroyed.
Amos 6 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amos 6:1 | Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those secure in Samaria | Deut 28:15 (curses for disobedience) |
| Amos 6:2 | Pass over to Calneh and see; and from there go to Hamath the great | Jer 25:20 (nations facing judgment) |
| Amos 6:2 | Are they better than these kingdoms, or are their boundaries larger than your boundaries? | Ezek 30:14 (judgment on Egypt) |
| Amos 6:3 | You thought to bring nearer the day of disaster | Isa 5:11 (woe to the self-indulgent) |
| Amos 6:3 | And bring near the sitting of violence. | Ps 55:10 (violence in the city) |
| Amos 6:4 | Those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves on their couches | Prov 7:16 (temptations of seduction) |
| Amos 6:4 | Who eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall | Mic 6:14 (consequences of greed) |
| Amos 6:5 | Who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp | Eccl 2:8 (emptiness of pleasure) |
| Amos 6:5 | Who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David, | 1 Sam 16:18 (David's musical skill) |
| Amos 6:6 | Who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils | Prov 20:1 (danger of strong drink) |
| Amos 6:6 | But are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. | Ps 137:7 (rejoicing in enemy's fall) |
| Amos 6:7 | Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile | Jer 52:27 (exile of Judah) |
| Amos 6:7 | And the banquet of those who lie at ease shall be removed. | Prov 23:1-3 (caution at a feast) |
| Amos 6:8 | The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself | Isa 45:23 (God's oath and sovereignty) |
| Amos 6:8 | "I loathe the majesty of Jacob, and hate his palaces; | Ps 78:67 (God rejecting Ephraim) |
| Amos 6:8 | And I will deliver the city and all that is in it." | 2 Chron 36:19 (destruction of Jerusalem) |
| Matt 6:24 | No one can serve two masters. | 1 Kings 18:21 (serving Baal and God) |
| Luke 6:24 | "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation." | Jas 5:1-3 (woe to the rich oppressors) |
| Rom 2:5 | But because of your hard and impenitent heart | Prov 28:14 (fear of the Lord) |
| 1 Cor 6:9 | Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? | Gal 5:19-21 (works of the flesh) |
| Heb 1:8 | But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, | Ps 45:6 (Messianic psalm) |
| Rev 3:17 | For you say, 'I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, | Rev 18:7 (Babylon's self-deception) |
Amos 6 verses
Amos 6 2 Meaning
This verse critiques a false sense of security held by the wealthy and powerful in Israel. Despite their outward prosperity and confidence, they are assured of their coming destruction because of their oppression and complacency. God declares that He loathes their pride and the houses they have built, which are founded on injustice.
Amos 6 2 Context
Amos 6:2 directly follows a declaration of "woe" to the complacent and secure in Israel and Samaria. These leaders are living lives of luxurious indulgence while their nation is marked by social injustice, oppression of the poor, and a perversion of justice in the courts. They felt assured of their continued prosperity and believed their nations, Calneh, Hamath, and the nations they compared themselves to, were superior and invulnerable. However, Amos uses these past defeated nations to show that no earthly power or wealth can ultimately protect them from God's judgment. The prophet's message is a stark contrast to the people's self-satisfaction, highlighting their impending doom. The broader context is Amos' prophecy against the northern kingdom of Israel (also referred to as Ephraim or Samaria) in the 8th century BC, a period of apparent prosperity but deep spiritual and social corruption, under kings like Jeroboam II.
Amos 6 2 Word Analysis
Go (H5674 - halakh): Literally means "to walk," but in this context implies moving towards, directing one's attention or journey towards. It's an imperative.
to (H413 - el): A preposition indicating direction towards or unto.
Calneh (H3604 - kalneh): A city historically significant as one of the original cities of Nimrod's kingdom in Babylonia (Gen 10:10). Its inclusion signifies a powerful ancient empire.
and (H1767 - ve): Conjunction.
see (H7200 - ra'ah): To perceive with the eyes, to behold, but also to understand or consider. An imperative to observe the outcome.
from (H4480 - min): Indicates origin or source.
thence (H370): Derived from the place previously mentioned.
go (H5674 - halakh): Again, indicating movement and observation.
you (H859 - ata): Second person masculine singular pronoun.
to (H413 - el): Direction.
Hamath (H2504 - chamath): A major city and kingdom in northern Syria, representing another powerful ancient empire. Its inclusion adds geographical breadth to the examples.
the (H853 - ha): Definite article.
great (H1430 - gadol): Large, significant, mighty.
Words-group analysis:
- "Go to Calneh and see; and from thence go to Hamath the great": This is a rhetorical challenge. Amos is commanding them to examine the fate of historically powerful nations. Calneh and Hamath were significant Mesopotamian and Syrian cities, representing empires that were once dominant. By telling them to "go and see," he implies they too will face a similar downfall, showing the transience of even great human power when set against God's sovereignty.
- "Are they better than these kingdoms": This is a direct comparison question. It asks if Israel's or Judah's perceived strength and security are in any way superior to these fallen empires. The implied answer is "no."
- "or are their boundaries larger than your boundaries?": This question points to the limits of temporal power and territory. Even if their dominion was geographically vaster, it did not save them. Their physical boundaries were ultimately breached. This underscores that true security does not lie in territorial size or political might, but in right relationship with God.
Amos 6 2 Bonus Section
The verse uses geographical references that resonate with the audience's understanding of established powers and historical empires. Calneh (perhaps similar to the biblical Akkad or Cuneiform on clay tablets) and Hamath represented centers of civilization and often conflict in the ancient Near East. By contrasting Israel's situation with the historical fate of these cities, Amos emphasizes the universality of God's judgment against pride and injustice, regardless of temporal power. This strategic use of geography highlights that no corner of the earth, no matter how powerful its past, is beyond God's sovereign hand and His judgment upon sin. The "boundaries" mentioned are not just physical borders but also metaphorical boundaries of perceived security and invincibility that God will break through.
Amos 6 2 Commentary
The leaders in Israel and Judah believed their power, wealth, and the size of their kingdoms were signs of God's favor and protection, making them immune to judgment. They saw their prosperous state as proof of their superiority, perhaps even a divine endorsement of their corrupt practices. Amos's message cuts through this illusion. He forces them to look at history – at once-great empires like Calneh and Hamath that ultimately fell. Their presumed advantages – territory, military might, sophisticated culture (implied by their luxurious lifestyle) – did not grant them lasting security. This serves as a severe warning: human constructs of power and pride are no match for divine justice when a nation, or individuals within it, lives in self-serving luxury and oppression, forgetting their accountability to God.