“Prepare to meet your God,” Amos proclaimed to those who worshiped idols (4:12). Let there be “a mighty flood of justice,” Amos admonished the rich who oppressed the poor (5:24). What brought this shepherd from Tekoa to Bethel to pronounce such powerful judgments? Amos did not make his living as a professional prophet (7:14); the “roar” of God (1:2; 3:8) had moved him to make the journey. His m…
1Oíd esta palabra, vacas de Basán, que estáis en el monte de Samaria, que oprimís a los pobres y quebrantáis a los menesterosos, que decís a vuestros señores: Traed, y beberemos.
2Jehová el Señor juró por su santidad: He aquí, vienen sobre vosotras días en que os llevarán con ganchos, y a vuestros descendientes con anzuelos de pescador;
3y saldréis por las brechas una tras otra, y seréis echadas del palacio, dice Jehová.
4Id a Bet-el, y prevaricad; aumentad en Gilgal la rebelión, y traed de mañana vuestros sacrificios, y vuestros diezmos cada tres días.
5Y ofreced sacrificio de alabanza con pan leudado, y proclamad, publicad ofrendas voluntarias, pues que así lo queréis, hijos de Israel, dice Jehová el Señor.
6Os hice estar a diente limpio en todas vuestras ciudades, y hubo falta de pan en todos vuestros pueblos; mas no os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
7También os detuve la lluvia tres meses antes de la siega; e hice llover sobre una ciudad, y sobre otra ciudad no hice llover; sobre una parte llovió, y la parte sobre la cual no llovió, se secó.
8Y venían dos o tres ciudades a una ciudad para beber agua, y no se saciaban; con todo, no os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
9Os herí con viento solano y con oruga; la langosta devoró vuestros muchos huertos y vuestras viñas, y vuestros higuerales y vuestros olivares; pero nunca os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
10Envié contra vosotros mortandad tal como en Egipto; maté a espada a vuestros jóvenes, con cautiverio de vuestros caballos, e hice subir el hedor de vuestros campamentos hasta vuestras narices; mas no os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
11Os trastorné como cuando Dios trastornó a Sodoma y a Gomorra, y fuisteis como tizón escapado del fuego; mas no os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
12Por tanto, de esta manera te haré a ti, oh Israel; y porque te he de hacer esto, prepárate para venir al encuentro de tu Dios, oh Israel.
13Porque he aquí, el que forma los montes, y crea el viento, y anuncia al hombre su pensamiento; el que hace de las tinieblas mañana, y pasa sobre las alturas de la tierra; Jehová Dios de los ejércitos es su nombre.
TYNDALE OPEN STUDY NOTES
I
Versículo 1
I. 4:1-3 In this message Amos holds Samaria’s wives accountable for urging their husbands to perform…
4:1-3 In this message Amos holds Samaria’s wives accountable for urging their husbands to perform ruthless acts in order to provide them with money for their parties.
4:1 you fat cows (literally you cows of Bashan): Bashan was famous for its fierce, fat bulls (Ps 22:12; Ezek 39:18). Amos uses the feminine form (cows) to paint a picture of Israel’s upper class wives, who cared little for the poor. Their only concern was to extract enough wealth from the needy to support their own consumption.
II
Versículo 2
II. 4:2 has sworn this by his holiness: Holiness speaks of God as existing outside of and independent…
4:2 has sworn this by his holiness: Holiness speaks of God as existing outside of and independent of creation; his nature is wholly other than what he has created. The oath is similar to 6:8; 8:7. • hooks: The Assyrians were known for their inhumane treatment of war captives (see 2 Chr 33:11; cp. 2 Kgs 19:28). A stela (stone pillar with an inscription) discovered in northern Syria shows the Assyrian king Esarhaddon holding cords that pass through the lips of two war captives. A recent scholar has suggested that hooks referred to the rings inserted into the noses of cattle to manage them.
III
Versículo 3
III. 4:3 The wall of Samaria that these women trusted for security could not protect them.
4:3 The wall of Samaria that these women trusted for security could not protect them.
IV
Versículo 4
IV. 4:4-5 The prophet’s sarcasm shows how far Israel had strayed from God’s ways. Israel had plenty o…
4:4-5 The prophet’s sarcasm shows how far Israel had strayed from God’s ways. Israel had plenty of religion but no reverence for God.
4:4 Amos lampoons the Israelites’ worthless piety. • Bethel, the site of Jacob’s famous vision of the ladder with angels descending and ascending (Gen 28:11-22), was the southern seat of the religion established by Jeroboam I (see Amos 3:14; 1 Kgs 12:28-29). Gilgal, Israel’s campsite after they crossed the Jordan (Josh 4:19–5:9), had become a popular shrine by the time of Amos and Hosea (Hos 4:15; 9:15; 12:11). • sacrifices each morning . . . tithes every three days: Israelite males were to appear before the Lord at the sanctuary three times each year (Exod 23:14-19; 34:23; Deut 16:16-17). Tithes were typically paid annually (Deut 14:22-29), with a special tithe paid every three years (see Deut 14:28; 26:12). Amos is making the point that the Israelites were religious to the point of absurdity, but they balked at being godly (Amos 5:15; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:8; see Luke 11:42).
V
Versículo 5
V. 4:5 Leavened bread (that is, sourdough fermented by wild yeast) was for daily consumption. The mo…
4:5 Leavened bread (that is, sourdough fermented by wild yeast) was for daily consumption. The more primitive unleavened bread (made without yeast) became a sacred symbol, commemorating Israel’s affliction as slaves in Egypt (Deut 16:3), the Passover (Exod 12:17-20), and their hasty departure from that land (Exod 12:34, 39). Unleavened bread thus became altar bread (Lev 6:17; 7:12). However, bread made with yeast could accompany a peace offering of thanksgiving (Lev 7:13).
VI
Versículo 6
VI. 4:6-11 God sent natural disasters to bring his people to repentance, but each time they failed to…
4:6-11 God sent natural disasters to bring his people to repentance, but each time they failed to respond in any sincere manner. Amos ends the account of each disaster with the refrain, “But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
VII
Versículo 10
VII. 4:10 God had used plagues to convince Egypt to let Israel go (Exod 7:14–12:30; 9:2-3; Ps 91:6; Ha…
4:10 God had used plagues to convince Egypt to let Israel go (Exod 7:14–12:30; 9:2-3; Ps 91:6; Hab 3:5); he promised to bring the plagues of Egypt on Israel if they continued to turn away from him to worship pagan gods (Deut 28:27, 60).
VIII
Versículo 11
VIII. 4:11 As with the plagues on Egypt (4:10), the plagues on Israel increased in magnitude and intens…
4:11 As with the plagues on Egypt (4:10), the plagues on Israel increased in magnitude and intensity (cp. 4:12). • as I destroyed: The thought that God would treat his own people in the same way as he had treated Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24-25) was shocking to their theology.
IX
Versículo 12
IX. 4:12 This is one of the two great thematic verses in Amos (the second is 5:24). Since Israel woul…
4:12 This is one of the two great thematic verses in Amos (the second is 5:24). Since Israel would not repent, it must meet . . . God in judgment.
X
Versículo 13
X. 4:13 This verse appears to be a hymn fragment, possibly sung by the worshipers at Bethel (for oth…
4:13 This verse appears to be a hymn fragment, possibly sung by the worshipers at Bethel (for other hymn fragments, see 5:8-9; 9:5-6). Israel had been treating God as a baal—a local god with limited power. But the God they professed to worship and whom they would face in judgment is all-powerful.
Antiguo Testamento
Amos — Capítulo 4
“Prepare to meet your God,” Amos proclaimed to those who worshiped idols (4:12). Let there be “a mighty flood of justice,” Amos admonished the rich who oppressed the poor (5:24). What brought this shepherd from Tekoa to Bethel to pronounce such powerful judgments? Amos did not make his living as a professional prophet (7:14); the “roar” of God (1:2; 3:8) had moved him to make the journey. His m…
Texto — Reina-Valera 1960
1Oíd esta palabra, vacas de Basán, que estáis en el monte de Samaria, que oprimís a los pobres y quebrantáis a los menesterosos, que decís a vuestros señores: Traed, y beberemos.
2Jehová el Señor juró por su santidad: He aquí, vienen sobre vosotras días en que os llevarán con ganchos, y a vuestros descendientes con anzuelos de pescador;
3y saldréis por las brechas una tras otra, y seréis echadas del palacio, dice Jehová.
4Id a Bet-el, y prevaricad; aumentad en Gilgal la rebelión, y traed de mañana vuestros sacrificios, y vuestros diezmos cada tres días.
5Y ofreced sacrificio de alabanza con pan leudado, y proclamad, publicad ofrendas voluntarias, pues que así lo queréis, hijos de Israel, dice Jehová el Señor.
6Os hice estar a diente limpio en todas vuestras ciudades, y hubo falta de pan en todos vuestros pueblos; mas no os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
7También os detuve la lluvia tres meses antes de la siega; e hice llover sobre una ciudad, y sobre otra ciudad no hice llover; sobre una parte llovió, y la parte sobre la cual no llovió, se secó.
8Y venían dos o tres ciudades a una ciudad para beber agua, y no se saciaban; con todo, no os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
9Os herí con viento solano y con oruga; la langosta devoró vuestros muchos huertos y vuestras viñas, y vuestros higuerales y vuestros olivares; pero nunca os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
10Envié contra vosotros mortandad tal como en Egipto; maté a espada a vuestros jóvenes, con cautiverio de vuestros caballos, e hice subir el hedor de vuestros campamentos hasta vuestras narices; mas no os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
11Os trastorné como cuando Dios trastornó a Sodoma y a Gomorra, y fuisteis como tizón escapado del fuego; mas no os volvisteis a mí, dice Jehová.
12Por tanto, de esta manera te haré a ti, oh Israel; y porque te he de hacer esto, prepárate para venir al encuentro de tu Dios, oh Israel.
13Porque he aquí, el que forma los montes, y crea el viento, y anuncia al hombre su pensamiento; el que hace de las tinieblas mañana, y pasa sobre las alturas de la tierra; Jehová Dios de los ejércitos es su nombre.
TYNDALE OPEN STUDY NOTES
Versículo 1
I. 4:1-3 In this message Amos holds Samaria’s wives accountable for urging their husbands to perform…
Versículo 2
II. 4:2 has sworn this by his holiness: Holiness speaks of God as existing outside of and independent…
Versículo 3
III. 4:3 The wall of Samaria that these women trusted for security could not protect them.
Versículo 4
IV. 4:4-5 The prophet’s sarcasm shows how far Israel had strayed from God’s ways. Israel had plenty o…
Versículo 5
V. 4:5 Leavened bread (that is, sourdough fermented by wild yeast) was for daily consumption. The mo…
Versículo 6
VI. 4:6-11 God sent natural disasters to bring his people to repentance, but each time they failed to…
Versículo 10
VII. 4:10 God had used plagues to convince Egypt to let Israel go (Exod 7:14–12:30; 9:2-3; Ps 91:6; Ha…
Versículo 11
VIII. 4:11 As with the plagues on Egypt (4:10), the plagues on Israel increased in magnitude and intens…
Versículo 12
IX. 4:12 This is one of the two great thematic verses in Amos (the second is 5:24). Since Israel woul…
Versículo 13
X. 4:13 This verse appears to be a hymn fragment, possibly sung by the worshipers at Bethel (for oth…