Amos 4:10
Amos 4:10 in Multiple Translations
“I sent plagues among you like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have carried away your horses; and I have made the stench of your camp to come up even into your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah.
I have sent disease among you, as it was in Egypt: I have put your young men to the sword, and have taken away your horses; I have made the evil smell from your tents come up to your noses: and still you have not come back to me, says the Lord.
I sent a plague on you like I did in Egypt. I killed your young men in battle; I took away your horses; I made you smell the stench of dead bodies in your camps. But still you did not return to me, declares the Lord.
Pestilence haue I sent among you, after the maner of Egypt: your yong men haue I slaine with the sworde, and haue taken away your horses: and I haue made the stinke of your tentes to come vp euen into your nostrels: yet haue yee not returned vnto me, saith the Lord.
I have sent among you pestilence by the way of Egypt, I have slain by sword your choice ones, With your captive horses, And I cause the stink of your camps to come up — even into your nostrils, And ye have not turned back unto Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
“I sent plagues among you like I did Egypt. I have slain your young men with the sword, and have carried away your horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you haven’t returned to me,” says the LORD.
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the ill savor of your camps to come up to your nostrils: yet have ye not returned to me, saith the LORD.
I sent death upon you in the way of Egypt, I slew your young men with the sword, even to the captivity of your horses: and I made the stench of your camp to come up into your nostrils: yet you returned not to me, saith the Lord.
I caused you to experience ◄plagues/severe sicknesses► like the plagues that I sent to the people of Egypt. I caused many of your young men to die in battles. I allowed your enemies to capture your horses. Many of your soldiers were killed, and I caused your camps to be filled with the smell/stink of their decaying corpses. But in spite of that, you rejected me. That is certainly true, because I, Yahweh, have said it!
Berean Amplified Bible — Amos 4:10
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Amos 4:10 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
שִׁלַּ֨חְתִּי
בָ/כֶ֥ם
דֶּ֨בֶר֙
בְּ/דֶ֣רֶךְ
מִצְרַ֔יִם
הָרַ֤גְתִּי
בַ/חֶ֨רֶב֙
בַּח֣וּרֵי/כֶ֔ם
עִ֖ם
שְׁבִ֣י
סֽוּסֵי/כֶ֑ם
וָ/אַעֲלֶ֞ה
בְּאֹ֤שׁ
מַחֲנֵי/כֶם֙
וּֽ/בְ/אַפְּ/כֶ֔ם
וְ/לֹֽא
שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם
עָדַ֖/י
נְאֻם
יְהוָֽה
שִׁלַּ֨חְתִּי
shâlach
H7971
to send
V-Piel-Perf-1cs
בָ/כֶ֥ם
Prep | Suff
דֶּ֨בֶר֙
deber
H1698
pestilence
N-ms
בְּ/דֶ֣רֶךְ
derek
H1870
way
Prep | N-cs
מִצְרַ֔יִם
Mitsrayim
H4714
Egypt
N-proper
הָרַ֤גְתִּי
hârag
H2026
to kill
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
בַ/חֶ֨רֶב֙
chereb
H2719
sword
Prep | N-fs
בַּח֣וּרֵי/כֶ֔ם
bâchûwr
H970
youth
N-mp | Suff
עִ֖ם
ʻim
H5973
with
Prep
שְׁבִ֣י
shᵉbîy
H7628
captivity
N-cs
סֽוּסֵי/כֶ֑ם
çûwç
H5483
swallow
N-mp | Suff
וָ/אַעֲלֶ֞ה
ʻâlâh
H5927
to ascend
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-1cs
בְּאֹ֤שׁ
bᵉʼôsh
H889
stench
N-ms
מַחֲנֵי/כֶם֙
machăneh
H4264
camp
N-cs | Suff
וּֽ/בְ/אַפְּ/כֶ֔ם
ʼaph
H639
face
Conj | Prep | N-ms | Suff
וְ/לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Conj | Part
שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם
shûwb
H7725
to return
V-Qal-Perf-2mp
עָדַ֖/י
ʻad
H5704
till
Prep | Suff
נְאֻם
nᵉʼum
H5002
utterance
N-ms
יְהוָֽה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Amos 4:10
שִׁלַּ֨חְתִּי
shâlach
H7971
"to send"
V-Piel-Perf-1cs
To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.
Definition: : depart/send 1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to send 1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct 1a3) to send away 1a4) to let loose 1b) (Niphal) to be sent 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out 1c2) to let go, set free 1c3) to shoot forth (of branches) 1c4) to let down 1c5) to shoot 1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled 1e) (Hiphil) to send
Usage: Occurs in 790 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out). See also: Genesis 3:22; Exodus 9:27; Joshua 14:11.
בָ/כֶ֥ם
""
Prep | Suff
דֶּ֨בֶר֙
deber
H1698
"pestilence"
N-ms
A plague or pestilence, like a disease that affects people or animals, as seen in Exodus 9:3 where God sends a pestilence on the Egyptians.
Definition: 1) pestilence, plague 2) murrain, cattle disease, cattle-plague
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: murrain, pestilence, plague. See also: Exodus 5:3; Jeremiah 28:8; Psalms 78:50.
בְּ/דֶ֣רֶךְ
derek
H1870
"way"
Prep | N-cs
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Definition: : road/route 1) way, road, distance, journey, manner 1a) road, way, path 1b) journey 1c) direction 1d) manner, habit, way 1e) of course of life (fig.) 1f) of moral character (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 626 OT verses. KJV: along, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever). See also: Genesis 3:24; Deuteronomy 28:29; 1 Kings 15:34.
מִצְרַ֔יִם
Mitsrayim
H4714
"Egypt"
N-proper
This word means Egypt, a country in northeastern Africa, and is used in the Bible to describe the land and its people. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often referring to the Nile River and the Egyptians. Egypt is an important setting for many biblical events.
Definition: § Egypt = "land of the Copts" a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows Egyptians = "double straits" adj 2) the inhabitants or natives of Egypt
Usage: Occurs in 569 OT verses. KJV: Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim. See also: Genesis 10:6; Exodus 6:13; Exodus 34:18.
הָרַ֤גְתִּי
hârag
H2026
"to kill"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
To kill or slay with intent, as seen in the Bible when God instructs the Israelites to destroy certain nations. This word is used in various forms, including to murder or destroy. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy.
Definition: 1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to kill, slay 1a2) to destroy, ruin 1b) (Niphal) to be killed 1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain
Usage: Occurs in 158 OT verses. KJV: destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 4:8; 2 Kings 8:12; Psalms 10:8.
בַ/חֶ֨רֶב֙
chereb
H2719
"sword"
Prep | N-fs
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Definition: 1) sword, knife 1a) sword 1b) knife 1c) tools for cutting stone
Usage: Occurs in 372 OT verses. KJV: axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool. See also: Genesis 3:24; 2 Samuel 2:16; Psalms 7:13.
בַּח֣וּרֵי/כֶ֔ם
bâchûwr
H970
"youth"
N-mp | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to a young person, often a chosen or select individual, like a young man in his prime. It appears in various contexts, including descriptions of young soldiers. The term emphasizes the idea of being selected or set apart.
Definition: youth, young man
Usage: Occurs in 45 OT verses. KJV: (choice) young (man), chosen, [idiom] hole. See also: Deuteronomy 32:25; Jeremiah 18:21; Psalms 78:31.
עִ֖ם
ʻim
H5973
"with"
Prep
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Definition: 1) with 1a) with 1b) against 1c) toward 1d) as long as
Usage: Occurs in 919 OT verses. KJV: accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al). See also: Genesis 3:6; Exodus 21:14; Deuteronomy 29:11.
שְׁבִ֣י
shᵉbîy
H7628
"captivity"
N-cs
This word describes someone who has been captured or taken away, like the Israelites who were exiled to Babylon. It can also refer to the act of taking someone or something away, or to the state of being a captive.
Definition: 1) captivity, captives 1a) (state of) captivity 1b) (act of) capture 1c) captives
Usage: Occurs in 46 OT verses. KJV: captive(-ity), prisoners, [idiom] take away, that was taken. See also: Exodus 12:29; Isaiah 49:24; Psalms 68:19.
סֽוּסֵי/כֶ֑ם
çûwç
H5483
"swallow"
N-mp | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a horse, often referring to chariot horses. It also describes a swallow due to its swift flight, as seen in the book of Jeremiah. The word is used to describe strong and fast animals.
Definition: swallow, swift
Usage: Occurs in 130 OT verses. KJV: crane, horse (-back, -hoof). Compare H6571 (פָּרָשׁ). See also: Genesis 47:17; Psalms 76:7; Psalms 20:8.
וָ/אַעֲלֶ֞ה
ʻâlâh
H5927
"to ascend"
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-1cs
To ascend means to go up or rise, like the smoke from an altar going up to God, as described in many Bible passages, including Leviticus and Psalms.
Definition: : rise/go 1) to go up, ascend, climb 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go up, ascend 1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat 1a3) to go up, come up (of animals) 1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation) 1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon) 1a6) to come up (before God) 1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary) 1a8) to excel, be superior to 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away 1b2) to take oneself away 1b3) to be exalted 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up 1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away 1c3) to bring up, draw up, train 1c4) to cause to ascend 1c5) to rouse, stir up (mentally) 1c6) to offer, bring up (of gifts) 1c7) to exalt 1c8) to cause to ascend, offer 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be carried away, be led up 1d2) to be taken up into, be inserted in 1d3) to be offered 1e) (Hithpael) to lift oneself
Usage: Occurs in 817 OT verses. KJV: arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 34:4; Joshua 7:6.
בְּאֹ֤שׁ
bᵉʼôsh
H889
"stench"
N-ms
This word refers to a strong and unpleasant smell, like a stench or foul odor. It is used to describe something that smells very bad.
Definition: stench, foul odour
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: stink. See also: Isaiah 34:3; Joel 2:20; Amos 4:10.
מַחֲנֵי/כֶם֙
machăneh
H4264
"camp"
N-cs | Suff
This word refers to a camp or army, like the Israelites' encampments in the wilderness. It can also mean a group of people or animals. The KJV translates it as 'army, band, or camp'.
Definition: 1) encampment, camp 1a) camp, place of encampment 1b) camp of armed host, army camp 1c) those who encamp, company, body of people
Usage: Occurs in 190 OT verses. KJV: army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents. See also: Genesis 32:3; Joshua 6:18; Psalms 27:3.
וּֽ/בְ/אַפְּ/כֶ֔ם
ʼaph
H639
"face"
Conj | Prep | N-ms | Suff
This Hebrew word can mean face, but also anger or nose. It is used to describe someone's countenance or emotions, like anger or patience. In the Bible, it appears in various contexts, including descriptions of God's emotions.
Definition: : face 1) nostril, nose, face 2) anger
Usage: Occurs in 269 OT verses. KJV: anger(-gry), [phrase] before, countenance, face, [phrase] forebearing, forehead, [phrase] (long-) suffering, nose, nostril, snout, [idiom] worthy, wrath. See also: Genesis 2:7; Nehemiah 8:6; Psalms 2:5.
וְ/לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Conj | Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם
shûwb
H7725
"to return"
V-Qal-Perf-2mp
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Definition: : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back 1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment 1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore 1d3) to bring back, report to, answer 1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense) 1d5) to turn back or backward, repel, defeat, repulse, hinder, reject, refuse 1d6) to turn away (face), turn toward 1d7) to turn against 1d8) to bring back to mind 1d9) to show a turning away 1d10) to reverse, revoke 1e) (Hophal) to be returned, be restored, be brought back 1f) (Pulal) brought back
Usage: Occurs in 953 OT verses. KJV: ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw. See also: Genesis 3:19; Numbers 8:25; Judges 8:13.
עָדַ֖/י
ʻad
H5704
"till"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Definition: prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)
Usage: Occurs in 1128 OT verses. KJV: against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet. See also: Genesis 3:19; Exodus 32:20; Numbers 23:24.
נְאֻם
nᵉʼum
H5002
"utterance"
N-ms
This word refers to an utterance or declaration from God, often through a prophet. It is used in the Bible to describe a revelation or message from God, like in Exodus or Numbers.
Definition: 1) (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet) 1a) utterance, declaration, revelation (of prophet in ecstatic state) 1b) utterance, declaration (elsewhere always preceding divine name)
Usage: Occurs in 358 OT verses. KJV: (hath) said, saith. See also: Genesis 22:16; Jeremiah 22:16; Psalms 36:2.
יְהוָֽה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
Study Notes — Amos 4:10
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Context — Punishment Brings No Repentance
8People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.
9“I struck you with blight and mildew in your growing gardens and vineyards; the locust devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.
10“I sent plagues among you like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.
11“Some of you I overthrew as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. 12“Therefore, that is what I will do to you, O Israel, and since I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 28:60 | He will afflict you again with all the diseases you dreaded in Egypt, and they will cling to you. |
| 2 | Leviticus 26:25 | And I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy. |
| 3 | Joel 2:20 | The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things. |
| 4 | 2 Kings 13:7 | Jehoahaz had no army left, except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. |
| 5 | Exodus 9:3–6 | then the hand of the LORD will bring a severe plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks. But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’” The LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.” And the next day the LORD did just that. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. |
| 6 | Deuteronomy 7:15 | And the LORD will remove from you all sickness. He will not lay upon you any of the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but He will inflict them on all who hate you. |
| 7 | Deuteronomy 28:26–27 | Your corpses will be food for all the birds of the air and beasts of the earth, with no one to scare them away. The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors and scabs and itch from which you cannot be cured. |
| 8 | Psalms 78:49–50 | He unleashed His fury against them, wrath, indignation, and calamity— a band of destroying angels. He cleared a path for His anger; He did not spare them from death but delivered their lives to the plague. |
| 9 | Leviticus 26:16 | then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. |
| 10 | 2 Kings 13:3 | So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad. |
Amos 4:10 Summary
Amos 4:10 is a call to repentance from God, where He reminds the people of the various ways He has tried to get their attention, including sending plagues and filling their camp with a bad smell. Despite all these efforts, the people still did not return to Him, showing their stubbornness and rebellion. This verse teaches us that God is patient and wants us to return to Him, just like He wanted the Israelites to return to Him, as seen in Deuteronomy 30:2, where it is written that if they return to God with all their heart and soul, He will restore their fortunes. We can learn from this verse to be humble and to respond to God's call to repentance, rather than hardening our hearts like the Israelites did.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the plagues sent by God in Amos 4:10?
The plagues sent by God in Amos 4:10 are reminiscent of the plagues He sent upon Egypt in the book of Exodus, such as the plague of the death of the firstborn, as described in Exodus 11:5, to demonstrate His power and to call His people to repentance.
Why did God fill their nostrils with the stench of their camp?
God filled their nostrils with the stench of their camp to remind them of their sinful state and to call them to return to Him, much like the way He used the bronze serpent in Numbers 21:9 to heal those who looked upon it, symbolizing the need to look to Him for salvation.
What is the main theme of Amos 4:10?
The main theme of Amos 4:10 is God's call to repentance, as He declares that despite the various judgments He sent upon them, the people still did not return to Him, highlighting their stubbornness and rebellion, as also seen in Isaiah 63:10, where it is written that the people rebelled against God's Holy Spirit.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the book of Amos?
This verse is part of a series of declarations by God in Amos 4:6-11, where He lists the various ways He has tried to get the attention of His people, calling them to return to Him, and warning them of the consequences if they do not, as stated in Amos 4:12, where God says He will do this to them and they should prepare to meet their God.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that God has been calling me to return to Him, and how have I responded?
- How can I ensure that I am not hardened to the discipline of the Lord, but instead, I humble myself and repent?
- In what ways can I apply the lesson from Amos 4:10 to my own life, recognizing that God's discipline is a call to return to Him?
- What are some modern-day 'plagues' or challenges that God might be using to call me to repentance, and how can I respond to them in a way that honors Him?
Gill's Exposition on Amos 4:10
I have sent among you the pestilence, after the manner of Egypt,.... Like that which was sent among the firstborn of Egypt, and cut them off in one night; or when in the way of Egypt, as the Targum;
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Amos 4:10
And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. I also have given you.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Amos 4:10
I have sent; you have died of plague, but I commissioned the disease, I sent it, and it swept you away in such manner that any observant eye might have seen the hand of God against you in it, and might have read the commission. The pestilence; arrow of God, that walketh in the dark, that wasteth at noon-day. After the manner of Egypt; in which there was somewhat extraordinary, it swept away both men and beasts, say some; probably it was this disease which by the stroke of the angel seized the first-born in Egypt. Others interpret this with particular respect to the death of them in going down to seek aid of Egypt, or in their return from Egypt, as if the prophet minded them of many that died on the way to or from Egypt; but the phrase in the way is better rendered by our translators after the manner. Your young men have I slain; God was their enemy, and slew their young men, the choice of their strength and hope. With the sword; in war, and by their neighbouring enemies in Jehoahaz’ s time, and Syrians since that too, , and 2Ki 15 2 Kings 16, and 2Ki 17 compared. Have taken away your horses; not by murrain, but by what was worse to you, by the hand of those who did ride them; and these being slain the horses were taken by the enemy, and added to their strength, and your danger. I have made the stink of our camps to come up unto your nostrils; so great slaughter hath been made in your camp, that there were not sufficient to bury the slain before they stunk and offended you.
Trapp's Commentary on Amos 4:10
Amos 4:10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.Ver. 10. I have sent among you the pestilence] That evil angel, Psalms 78:49, that τοθειον, eminent hand of God, as Hippocrates calleth it; that destruction that walketh in darkness and wasteth at noon day, as the Psalmist styleth it, Psalms 91:6. This God sent; for it is a messenger of his sending, an arrow of his shooting, 2 Samuel 24:15, and may better be called morbus sacer than the falling sickness; as being an extraordinary hand of God, such as was that Sudor Anglicus, in the days of Edward VI the sweating sickness that raged very violently for forty years together here in England (as Sennertus testifieth), and slew so many, that strangers wondered how this island could be so populous as to bear and bury such incredible multitudes. No stranger in England was touched with this disease; and yet the English were chased therewith not only here, but in other countries abroad; which made them, like tyrants, both feared and avoided wherever they came. So long as the ferventness of this plague lasted, there was crying, Peccavi, Peccavi; I have sinned, I have sinned, and some pretences of turning to the Lord. The ministers were sought for in every corner (saith Mr Bradford), Oh, you must come to my lord, you must come to my lady. Thus, "when he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues," Psalms 78:34; Psalms 78:36; as the fox, when taken in a snare, looks pitifully, but it is only that he may get out; as ice melts in the day and hardeneth again in the night; or as iron is very soft and malleable while in the fire, but soon after returneth to its former hardness. After the manner of Egypt] In the way to Egypt (so some read it), as you were trudging down to Egypt for help against enemies, or for corn in time of famine (for Egypt was the world’ s granary), I have stretched my net over you: Egypt hath gathered you up, Memphis hath buried you, Hosea 9:6. But taking the words as we translate them, "After the manner of Egypt," i.e. so as I plagued the Egyptians, when you were among them with mortality of men and murrain of cattle, Exodus 9:15.
The plague of Athens is graphically described by Thucydides; whence Ovid and Virgil are thought to have borrowed their descriptions of the pestilence. The plague of Italy is set forth in lively colours by Dionys. Halicarnass. lib. xi. Antiq. That of Constantinople by Nicephorus and Sigebertus.
Ellicott's Commentary on Amos 4:10
(10) With the captivity of your horses.—This, the marginal reading, is more exact. Egypt is the birthplace of the plague or black death, and the circumstances augmenting its horror are here terribly portrayed. G. Baur thinks, that since the drought is mentioned after the famine as its true cause, so here the prophet explains the cause of the pestilence, or the way in which it would be brought about, viz., by the hosts of slaughtered warriors scattered over the camp.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Amos 4:10
Verse 10. I have sent - the pestilence] After the blasting and the mildew, the pestilence came; and it acted among them as one of the plagues of Egypt. Besides this, he had suffered their enemies to attack and prevail against them; alluding to the time in which the Syrians besieged Samaria, and reduced it to the most extreme necessity, when the head of an ass was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five; and mothers ate the flesh of their children that had died through hunger, 2Kg 6:25. And the people were miraculously relieved by the total slaughter of the Syrians by the unseen hand of God, 2Kg 7:1, &c. And yet, after all those signal judgments, and singular mercies, "they did not return unto the Lord!"
Cambridge Bible on Amos 4:10
10. Pestilence and the sword. By the pestilence (déber) is meant what we should term an epidemic accompanied by great mortality, such as under the insalubrious sanitary conditions of Eastern life, are of frequent occurrence: it is often mentioned in the Old Testament, and frequently threatened as a judgement, especially as the concomitant of a siege; e.g. Leviticus 26:25; Deuteronomy 28:21; 1 Kings 8:37; 2 Samuel 24:15; Psalms 91:3; Psalms 91:6 (“the pestilence that walketh in darkness”); and often in Jeremiah (“the sword, the famine, and the pestilence”), as Jeremiah 14:12; Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 21:9; Jeremiah 24:10; Jeremiah 29:17-18 &c., cf. Jeremiah 28:8; so in Ezekiel 5:12; Ezekiel 6:11-12; Ezekiel 7:15 (“the sword without, the pestilence and the famine within”), Ezekiel 14:21 (one of Jehovah’s ‘four sore judgements’). in the manner of Egypt] i.e. in the manner in which it is wont to visit Egypt (Isaiah 10:26 b), with the same severity and malignity. The climate of Egypt was proverbially insalubrious (Deuteronomy 7:15; Deuteronomy 28:60, cf. Deuteronomy 28:27, “the boil of Egypt,” probably some malignant pestilential boil); and “throughout antiquity the north-east corner of the Delta was regarded with reason as the home of the Plague,” whence often, it is probable, it was brought into Israel by Philistine traders (see G. A. Smith, Geogr., pp. 157–160). Even in modern times, according to Sir G.
Wilkinson (quoted by Dr Pusey), “a violent plague used formerly to occur about once in ten or twelve years. It was always less frequent at Cairo than at Alexandria.” your young men have I slain &c.] alluding, doubtless, to the many defeats which, until Jeroboam’s accession brought a change of fortune, Israel had sustained during the Syrian wars: comp. 2 Kings 10:32-33; 2 Kings 13:3; 2 Kings 13:7; 2 Kings 13:22; 2 Kings 14:26. and have taken away your horses] together with the captivity of your horses (= your captive horses); i.e. your captured horses were slaughtered, as well as your young men (cf. 2 Kings 13:7). Wellh. interprets as is done by A.V., though allowing that the construction is more Arabic than Hebrew. I have made the stink of your camps to come up &c.] cf. Isaiah 34:3. The corpses of the slain soldiers were so numerous that they lay unburied on the ground, defiling the air with pestilential vapours.
Barnes' Notes on Amos 4:10
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt - that is, after the way in which God had dealt with Egypt .
Whedon's Commentary on Amos 4:10
10. Pestilence and war. Pestilence — “What we should term an epidemic accompanied by great mortality.” After the manner of Egypt — Of the many interpretations suggested the two most probable are, (1)
Sermons on Amos 4:10
| Sermon | Description | |
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The Quarrel of God's Covenant by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher uses the analogy of a young calf being released into a field to describe the joy and healing that God promises to those who fear His name. He emphasize |
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Redefining the Gospel by Jacob Prasch | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the negative impact of consumerism and media on the preaching of the Gospel. He highlights the obsession with instant results and the constant |
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Day 202, John 5 by David Servant | David Servant preaches on the significance of God's healing power demonstrated at the Pool of Bethesda, highlighting how God mercifully performs signs to provoke belief and sometim |