Amos 8 8

Amos 8:8 kjv

Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

Amos 8:8 nkjv

Shall the land not tremble for this, And everyone mourn who dwells in it? All of it shall swell like the River, Heave and subside Like the River of Egypt.

Amos 8:8 niv

"Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn? The whole land will rise like the Nile; it will be stirred up and then sink like the river of Egypt.

Amos 8:8 esv

Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who dwells in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?"

Amos 8:8 nlt

The earth will tremble for your deeds,
and everyone will mourn.
The ground will rise like the Nile River at floodtime;
it will heave up, then sink again.

Amos 8 verses

Amos 8 8 Meaning

The verse declares that because of Israel's sin and their practice of injustice, the land itself will tremble and shake. This trembling is a consequence of their corruption, signifying that creation groans under the weight of ungodliness. It points to a divine judgment that impacts the very foundations of their existence.

Amos 8 8 Context

This verse is found in Amos, a prophet who ministered during a time of outward prosperity but inward corruption for the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Chapter 8 addresses God's impending judgment due to their systemic injustices, particularly towards the poor and needy. The prophecy speaks of a devastating famine and a time when their songs of feasting would turn to mourning. This verse acts as a direct consequence of their sin – the very land, blessed by God, will react to their unrighteousness by shaking. It underscores the deep interconnectedness between the moral state of the people and the stability of their environment.

Amos 8 8 Word analysis

• הֲלוֹא (haloh): An interrogative particle, meaning "Is it not?" or "Surely?" It introduces a rhetorical question that emphasizes a certain truth or inevitability. Here, it powerfully asserts that the trembling of the land is an undeniable reality.
• תִּרְגַּשׁ (tirgash): From the root רָגַשׁ (ragash), meaning "to be moved," "to quake," "to tremble," or "to be agitated." This is an imperfect verb, indicating a future action. It describes a violent shaking or disturbance.
• כָּל־ (kol): "All" or "every." It intensifies the action of trembling, suggesting a widespread and comprehensive upheaval of the land.
• הָאָרֶץ (ha’arets): "The land." This refers specifically to the land of Israel, the promised inheritance of God's people. Its trembling signifies God's displeasure with how His covenant people have treated His land through their sinful actions.
• וְאֵבֶל (v’evel): "And mourning" or "and grief." It connects the physical shaking of the land with the emotional distress and lamentation that will follow their judgment.
• כָּל־ (kol): Again, "all." Emphasizing that the mourning will be universal among the people.
• יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ (yoshevaiyah): "Its inhabitants." The people dwelling within the land. The verse states that not only the land, but also its people will mourn because of the consequences of their sin.
• וְגַם־ (v’gam): "And also" or "even." This particle introduces an additional, perhaps even more dire, consequence.
• כָּל־ (kol): "All." Reinforcing the universality of the sorrow.
• הַמַּעֲלֶה (ham’aleh): From the root עָלָה (alah), meaning "to go up," "to ascend." Here, it likely refers to the flooding of the Nile or other great rivers that would overflow their banks. This symbolizes a complete and overwhelming inundation.
• בָּהּ (bah): "In it" or "from it." Referring to the land.
• כִּנְהַר (kinhar): "Like the river" or "as a river." Comparing the coming judgment and overflowing sorrow to the power of a rising river.
• מִצְרַיִם (Mitzrayim): "Egypt." This specific mention of the Nile is significant. The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt, and its inundation, though usually beneficial, here symbolizes a destructive flood. For Israel, who often looked to Egypt for aid and engaged in alliances, this comparison can carry ironic weight, suggesting even the source of stability they might depend on, or the land they escaped from, is a marker of the scope of the coming disaster. It also draws a parallel between the calamitous events described and the plagues associated with Egypt's bondage and God's power over nature.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Shall not the land tremble for this?": This rhetorical question sets the tone of inescapable consequence. The trembling is not random but directly linked to "this" – the accumulated sins described earlier.
• "and all who dwell in it mourn": The consequence extends from the land itself to its people, indicating a comprehensive suffering that will affect everyone.
• "and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and submerged as by the flood of Egypt": This vivid imagery depicts an overwhelming catastrophe. The Nile, usually a symbol of fertility and stability for Egypt, becomes here a symbol of uncontrollable destruction for Israel. The rising and submersion speak of complete obliteration or overwhelming despair brought by God's judgment.

Amos 8 8 Bonus section

The mention of Egypt and the Nile in the prophecy is noteworthy. Egypt's river was a source of life and abundance, yet here it serves as a symbol of overwhelming judgment, like a destructive flood. This might also allude to the Exodus narrative, where God powerfully intervened against Egypt. By referencing Egypt, Amos draws a parallel, implying that God's judgment against a sinful Israel will be as thorough and potent as His judgment against Egypt. It underscores the fact that God is sovereign over all nations and all natural forces, and He will hold His covenant people accountable for their actions, just as He judged their oppressors. The "mourning" mentioned also echoes the personal lamentations that are often associated with profound loss and judgment in the Old Testament.

Amos 8 8 Commentary

Amos 8:8 pronounces a certain, unavoidable judgment upon Israel for their pervasive sin and exploitation. The earth itself is portrayed as reacting to their iniquity by shaking, an indication of divine displeasure that destabilizes even the foundations of their existence. The subsequent mourning of all its inhabitants signifies a universal sorrow that will afflict the nation. The striking simile of rising and being submerged like the Nile or the flood of Egypt illustrates the overwhelming and consuming nature of this divine wrath, turning what is usually life-sustaining into an instrument of destruction for the unrepentant.