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1:1 The opening verse places Amos’ ministry in the eighth century bc, contemporary with Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah. Amos is probably the earliest of these prophets, since his ministry is oriented to the roughly contemporaneous reigns of Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel in the first half of the century. This would also make Amos the first of the writing prophets. Amos was from the southern kingdom of Judah, but his ministry was directed at the idolatry of the northern kingdom of Israel.

Introduction to Amos

The Minor Prophets

How to Study the Bible

Amos Means “burdensome” or “burden-bearer.”

What Was Amos? Amos

Amos (Person) TBD

Amos ISBE

Amos, Book of AYBD

Prophetic Commissioning and the Divine Presence

Amos

Nothing is known about the prophet Amos apart from what can be learned from the book bearing his name. He was from the village of Tekoa, south of Jerusalem in the territory of Judah, but his ministry took him north to the Israelite shrine at Bethel (Amos 7:10). His preaching is focused primarily on the excesses and injustices of the northern kingdom. His own descriptions of himself as a sheepherder, a cattleman, and a grower of figs in 7:14 point to his agricultural background, but not necessarily to the popular image of him as a poor farmer and laborer called out of the fields to prophesy against Israel. His withering critiques of the injustice of the wealthy have also lent weight to the assumption that Amos was among the poor. The terminology used for Amos’ agricultural work, however, lends itself to the image of a wealthy breeder of flocks and herds.

the shepherds Amos is no ordinary shepherd. The Hebrew term used here occurs only one other time in the ot, where it refers to Mesha, king of Moab, as a someone who bred sheep (2 Kgs 3:4).

Mesha’s substantial tribute and his status as king of Moab indicate that a noqed was a large-scale livestock breeder, not a poor, common shepherd watching someone else’s flocks.

Mesha ISBE

Amos 1:1 Amos (Hermeneia)

Tekoa A town in the hill country of Judah about 10 miles south of Jerusalem. See note on Jer 6:1.

Tekoa

Uzziah the king of Judah Though the precise dates of Uzziah’s reign are debated, he ruled in the first half of the eighth century, roughly 790–740 bc.

Uzziah AYBD

Jeroboam the son of Jehoash Reigned 786–746 bc. See note on Hos 1:1.

two years before the earthquake The reference to Amos’ ministry occurring “two years before the earthquake” was likely intended to more firmly orient his preaching to a memorable event. Earthquakes are not rare in Israel, so this particular earthquake must have been especially damaging or violent.

Excavations at Hazor attest to a powerful earthquake around 760 bc. The archaeological evidence, however, could be dated a decade in either direction, still placing Amos’s ministry within the same general range provided by the dates of the royal reigns. This event is undoubtedly the same as that mentioned in Zech 14:5, some 250 years later. Amos’ ministry probably dates sometime between 760–750 bc, but his ministry may have lasted only several months to two years.

Amos 1:1 WBC Vol. 31

Overview of Amos Message of the Prophets

1:2–2:3 Amos opens with an oracle of judgment against Israel’s neighbors. The prophets regularly use oracles against the nations to emphasize Yahweh’s judgment coming on Israel’s enemies. These oracles are often placed after emphatic pronouncements of doom on Israel and Judah, reassuring Israel that the nations used to judge them will in turn be judged by Yahweh. Amos uses the rhetoric of judgment against the nations to the opposite effect, lulling his audience into complacent agreement with his introductory vision and shocking them when it culminates in an oracle of doom for Israel and Judah, using the same formulaic imagery (Amos 2:4–5).

1:2 Yahweh roars from Zion An image of divine wrath emphasizing Yahweh’s dwelling place was Mount Zion, the temple mount in Jerusalem.

The imagery of thunder and cosmic quaking also often accompanies a theophany (e.g., Joel 3:16). The metaphor of Yahweh as an unstoppable lion on the attack is common in descriptions of divine judgment (e.g., Isa 31.4; Jer 25:38; Hos 11:10; Amos 3:8).

Lion DBI

Carmel Likely referring to Mount Carmel, which marked the northwest border of Israel. The mountain was the setting for Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kgs 18. See note on Jer 46:18.

Carmel, Mount AYBD

1:3 For three transgressions of Damascus and for four This formula, with different cities mentioned, functions as a refrain throughout this section (Amos 1:6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6).

The formula uses number juxtaposition parallelism (n, n+1) to represent an increasing but indefinite number of offenses. The number four can represent completeness, especially in reference to judgment. See note on Joel 1:4.

Parallelism in Hebrew Poetry Table

Four DBI

Damascus The chief city of Aram (also called Syria), the nation north of Israel. It was the capital during the 10th–8th centuries bc before falling to Assyria in 732 bc.

Aram was one of Israel’s main enemies during the monarchy (1 Kgs 11:23–25; 15:16–20; 20:1–22:40) except when they allied to oppose Assyria (2 Kgs 16:5–9).

Damascus ISBE

Damascus AYBD

threshing sledges of iron Driven over harvested grain to separate the kernels from the stalks and chaff. See note on Isa 28:27.

Gilead A fertile region of the northern Transjordan, one of the areas of Israel closest to Damascus. See note on Jer 8:22.

1:4 Hazael’s house An Aramean king who founded a new dynasty by assassinating the previous king in 842 bc (2 Kgs 8:7–15). Hazael was Aram’s most powerful king and frequently threatened Israel and Judah (2 Kgs 12:17–18; 13:3).

Ben-Hadad The name of at least two kings of Damascus. This reference probably applies to the Ben-hadad who was the son and successor of Hazael (2 Kgs 13:24–25).

Ben-Hadad AYBD

1:5 the Valley of Aven Possibly refers to the plain in Syria between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges.

Beth Eden An Aramean state west of Haran (also rendered “Harran”) known in Assyrian sources as Bit Adini. Compare Ezek 27:23.

Beth-Eden AYBD

Aram The names Aram and Syria both refer primarily to the region controlled by Damascus.

The Arameans were the inhabitants of the territory roughly included in modern Lebanon and Syria. They were organized in a number of small city-states including Damascus, Beth-Eden, and Hamath.

Syria BEB

Kir Probably a location in Mesopotamia. According to Amos 9:7, the Arameans originated in Kir. See note on Isa 22:6.

1:6 Gaza One of the five cities of the Philistines. Three more cities from the Philistine pentapolis are mentioned in Amos 1:8—Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron. See note on Jer 25:20, and note on 1 Sam 4:1.

Philistines

they exiled a whole community Probably alluding to Philistine involvement in the slave trade, though the precise historical background is uncertain.

Edom Judah’s neighbor to the southeast. See note on Jer 25:21.

1:9 transgressions of Tyre A Phoenician seaport located northwest of Israel. See note on Ezek 26:2.

Tyre ISBE

delivered up a whole community to Edom The same accusation as that against Gaza in Amos 1:6. Likely also refers to Tyre’s involvement in the slave trade (compare Ezek 27:13). See note on Amos 1:6.

the covenant of brotherhood Possibly refers to the treaty between King Solomon and King Hiram of Tyre (1 Kgs 5:12).

Other ties between Israel and Phoenicia included the marriage of King Ahab to Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31). Tyre is known to have had a king named Ethbaal during the time of Ezekiel (see note on Ezek 28:2).

1:11 he pursued his brother with the sword Edom’s ancestor, Esau, and Israel’s ancestor, Jacob, were brothers (see Gen 25:25–26). The two nations were frequently at war with one another (see 2 Chr 28:17), so there is no need to identify a specific historical reference here.

Edom receives special condemnation in Obad 1–14, the book following Amos in the 12 Minor Prophets. Other oracles against Edom are found in Isa 34; Ezek 35; and Jer 49.

Edom EDB

he kept his rage forever Edom’s transgression is slightly different as they are condemned for harboring a grudge against Israel.

1:12 Teman An important Edomite city. See note on Jer 49:7.

the citadel fortresses of Bozrah The ancient capital of Edom. See note on Jer 49:13.

1:13 Ammon Israel’s neighbor to the east in the Transjordan. See note on Ezek 25:2.

ripped open the pregnant women of An image of vicious destruction. Compare Hos 13:16.

enlarge their territory Ammon regularly fought over territory with Israel and Judah.

1:14 Rabbah The capital of Ammon. See note on Ezek 21:20.

1:15 their king will go into exile The Hebrew text could mean “their king”; it also could be the name of the Ammonite deity Milcom (compare Jer 49:3 and note).

Milcom DDD

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