Bible Commentaries
Amos 2

Verses 1-3

Amo 2:1-3

God’s Judgments Against Moab (Amos 2:1-3)

“Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Moab, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime. But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth; and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet; and I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof with him, saith Jehovah” (Amos 2:1-3).

Due east of the Dead Sea lie the land of Moab. Moab, like Ammon, was a son of Lot by an incestuous relationship with his two daughters (Genesis 19:30 ff). At some unrevealed time the Moabites had taken the dead body of the king of Edom and ground the bones into lime. Again, a sense of inhumane acts was done on the part of Moab as all the rest.

Ezekiel would later write, “and I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am Jehovah” (Ezekiel 25:11). Jeremiah would later pronounce an oracle against the Moabites at Jeremiah 48:1 ff. Moab rejected Jehovah God and worshipped “Chemosh” (Jeremiah 48:7-8). Moab had rejoiced over the fall of Judah as did Ammon (cf. Jeremiah 40:14). Jeremiah records the sin of pride being a primary issue with the profligate nation (cf. Jeremiah 48:26-30). Isaiah recorded the fact that Moab would not go unpunished (cf. Isaiah 15-16).

One truth that we can certainly gain from these pronunciations of judgment against the surrounding nations is that God is the Lord of all souls and nations (cf. Ezekiel 18:4; cf. Jeremiah 32:27 [He is the God of all flesh]).

Verses 4-5

Amo 2:4-5

Judgment Against Judah (Amos 2:4-5)

“Thus saith Jehovah: for three transgressions of Judah, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof: because they have rejected the law of Jehovah, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have caused them to err, after which their fathers did walk. But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem” (Amos 2:4-5).

Judah will not escape the judgment of God for their iniquities. Judah, the southern nation, had participated in idolatry and irreverent acts of disobedience toward God. Amos exposes their error referring to them as “liars” and those who have “rejected God’s laws and not kept his statutes.” The punishment due Judah was because she was in sin. God does not act in partiality toward any peoples or nations. When one is in error, no matter who that may be, they are due His wrath (cf. Romans 6:23).

Verses 6-8

Amo 2:6-8

Judgment of Israel (Amos 2:6-8)

“Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes – they 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 go unto the same maiden, to profane my holy name: and they lay themselves down beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of such as have been fined” (Amos 2:6-8).

Israel, the northern kingdom, was likewise due God’s punishing judgments for her sin. Israel was guilty of selling their poor brethren as slaves for silver and a pair of shoes to wear. They had no regard for the needy. Often times the needy could sell themselves to others for services yet the rich of Amos’ day was taking these needy people and selling them to others as slaves. Here again is an illustration of no regard for human life. They had no compassion over the poor that would pant even after the dust of the earth for need. Neither did they respect the meek (i.e., those who humbly sought God).

Israel corrupted themselves sexually by a father and son taking the same woman in a sex act (cf. Leviticus 20:10 ff). The Israelites further profaned their self by bowing down and worshiping idols. Israel took the coat of the poor and would not return it to them though the law commanded such to be done (cf. Deuteronomy 24:12 ff). Lastly, Israel was guilty of drinking wine gained from fines against others within the temple of Jehovah God.

Verses 9-12

Amo 2:9-12

Prophecy Against Israel (Amos 2:9-12)

The burden that Amos would bear (prophecy against Israel) begins here. God had done much for His beloved Israel; however, they were ungrateful and disrespectful to His Laws (See also Amos 2:13-15 in relation to this.)

“Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath” (Amos 2:9).

Israel and Judah seems to have forgotten that the very land they currently dwell in was given them by Jehovah God. No foe was too large or strong for God to defeat. Israel should have taken note of God’s providential care yet they did not consider His love and protection.

“Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite” (Amos 2:10).

Due to the lack of confidence in God on the part of Israel and a failure to keep His commandments the Lord made them wander forty years in the wilderness (cf. Joshua 5:6). The Amorite dwelled in the Land of Ammon due north of Moab. Israel had traveled around Moab and defeated the king of Ammon thereby possessing their land before marching into Canaan across the Jordan River.

“And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? Saith Jehovah. But ye gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not” (Amos 2:11-12).

The Lord cared much for Israel. He revealed His mind to Israel through various prophets. There were some who heard the message of God by the prophets and earnestly desired to serve Him with all their hearts. They took “Nazirite vows” that they may be separate from all that God revealed as unclean (cf. Numbers 6:1 ff).

Yet there were those of Israel who displayed great disrespect for the revealed word of God and gave the Nazirites wine to drink thereby disqualifying the vow (cf. Numbers 6:1 ff). Those prophets who revealed law and sin were commanded not to prophesy such words of discomfort. Said incidents illustrates a mind that was not dedicated to following God’s laws.

Verses 13-16

Amo 2:13-16

Judgment Against Israel (Amos 2:13-16)

“Behold, I will press you in your place, as a cart presseth that is full of sheaves. And flight shall perish from the swift; and the strong shall not strengthen his force; neither shall the mighty deliver himself; neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself; neither shall he that rides the horse deliver himself; and he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith Jehovah” (Amos 2:13-16).

God points to a coming day of judgment for the ungodly and ungrateful works of Israel. God will press the defiled nation with war and they will flee in terror. The fast, strong, mighty, bowman, horseman, and the courageous shall all flee the battle scene in defeat.