Amos

Amos 6 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Amos 6 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

2 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?

3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;

5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;

6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

(6:1, 5) "Woe to them ... that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick." Woe to" musicians.
(6:1, 6) "Woe to them ... that drink wine in bowls."

The author of the SAB picks a few words out of an entire sentence in order to score a very cheap point. But what Amos says here is not: “Woe to them that hat drink wine in bowls, full period and stop.’ No, he adds something else they do: “they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.” The allusion is to when Joseph was down in the pit. Undoubtedly he would have cried, but his brothers didn't hear him, and enjoyed their meal next to the pit, see Gen. 37:25. So did these wine drinkers not hear the cry of those they oppressed. And they did not hear the cry of those of the future who would be taken captive and carried out of their land.

7 Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.

8 The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

(6:8) "The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself ... I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city."
God swears to himself that he hates Jacob's palaces, so he will deliver up the city (and kill everyone in it).
(6:9) God says, "If there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die."
(6:10) "Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD."
(If God hears you, he'll probably kill you, too.)
(6:11) "The LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts."
(God will destroy people's houses.)

But why are these things happening? The author of the SAB claims they are random and cruel. But Amos describes the behaviour of those upon whom this judgement would come: “they sold the righ- teous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes,” chapter 2:6; “That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name,” chapter 2:7; “But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not,” chapter 2:12. “They store up violence and robbery in their palaces,” chapter 3:10; “which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, ” chapter 4:1. “Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat,” chapter 5:11. “they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right,” chapter 5:12.
The author of the SAB thinks that all these things should just continue?

9 And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

10 And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.

11 For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:

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

14 But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.

"I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you."

See verse 8.