Amos 1

Introduction

James Montgomery Boice, long-time speaker for the Bible Study Hour, calls the Book of Amos “one of the most readable, relevant, and moving portions of the Word of God” 1. Still, he feels that not enough attention is paid to it. Perhaps this is due to the relative anonymity of the prophet himself. He was not of royal blood. He was not the son of a prophet (cf. 7:14). It appears that he was just a common farm laborer.

He did not hail from Jerusalem or any of the main cities. Rather, he came from the village of Tekoa, which was about 12 miles (19 km.) southeast of Jerusalem. This village sat on the edge of the great Judean Wilderness, which led down to the Dead Sea. The prophet Amos really hailed from “the back side of nowhere.” American pastor and college lecturer Brian Bell says: “Here we have a southern farm boy called to speak to his rich, prosperous, materialistic, upper-class northern neighbors.” [2]

Yet, Amos gained notoriety for his stern messages to the northern kingdom of Israel. His name means “burden,” and he boldly shared his burden with the people and their rulers. Amos has gained the distinction of being the first of the writing prophets. [3] It is generally agreed that his ministry began around 760 BC. [4] That would have placed him in the time frame of other prophets such as Hosea and slightly before Isaiah.

The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa – the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel. Amos 1:1

Amos was just a shepherd boy. He was not the owner or manager of the sheep, but he was just one of the shepherds. It is interesting that Amos does not use the common word for shepherd ( ro’eh ) but instead uses the Hebrew word noqed. This indicates that he did not care for common sheep but for a dwarfed sheep with short legs. [1]

Not only was Amos just one of the shepherds, but he also had a side job of gathering fruit from the sycamore trees. Boice says about them: “The sycamore produced a very poor kind of fruit, which only the poorest people ate. This does not suggest prosperity. The…word is ‘tender,’ a tender of sheep (7:15). The words all suggest a poor man who worked hard for his living.” [2] The sycamore fruit required a lot of labor. Phillips says of the sycamore: “The gatherers would pinch or bruise the sluggish lumps of fruit to make them ripen, so Amos described himself as ‘a pincher of sycamores’ – not a very high-class profession.” [3]

During the time of Amos, Jeroboam II reigned in Israel (786-746 BC) and Uzziah (767-740) reigned in Judah. With a series of actions, the Assyrians conquered Damascus. This city-state had been a threat to both Israel and Judah. However, with Damascus out of their way, both Israel and Judah entered into a time of great prosperity. Unfortunately, with great prosperity there often comes great sin. This was especially true in Israel. Unlike Judah, Israel worshipped before an apostate priesthood and at the pagan shrines of Dan and Bethel. There was much idolatry and much oppression of the poor, plus many other abuses. John Phillips, Director of Moody Correspondence School says, “City life gave rise to a wealthy, aristocratic ruling class who cared nothing about the woes of the common people.” [4]

It was to this sin-sick situation that the farm boy prophet, Amos, was sent. Boice reminds us that the use of the insignificant might be one of the book’s greatest lessons. [5] How true are the words of 1 Corinthians 1:27-29: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

Amos dates his prophecy as “two years before the earthquake.” This is a reference to a great quake that happened in the days of King Uzziah. The historian Josephus (Antiq. 9:10.4) ties this quake to Uzziah’s sin of entering the Temple and trying to usurp the priesthood (2 Chr. 26:16). It must have been a great earthquake since it was remembered more than two centuries later by the prophet Zechariah (14:4-5).

“He said: ‘The LORD roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers’” (1:2). Since Amos grew up on the edge of the great wilderness, he had no doubt heard lions roar many times. Adam Clark says: “The roaring of the lion in the forest is one of the most terrific sounds in nature; when near, it strikes terror into the heart, both of man and of beast.” [6] That sound reminded Amos of the voice of the Lord as he roared from Zion.

So often, it seems that the Lord speaks and even shouts to us through natural events. God was expressing his displeasure with Israel by sending a serious drought. Bible scholars Pfeiffer & Harrison say, “Carmel means garden land, and it is the most fertile land in the country.” [7] When the beautiful and fruitful Carmel withered, one could know that the rest of the country was in trouble.

Judgment Of Israel’s Neighbors

Syria

This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth,” Amos 1:3

Amos cleverly began his ministry by listing the sins of Israel’s neighbors. That probably got Israel’s rapt attention since some people like to accuse others and talk about the sins of others. There were probably a lot of “amens!” from the crowd. Likely several folks cried out, “You got that right! Preach on, brother!” Amos first pointed to the sin of Syria, with its capital of Damascus. Syria has been one of the most ancient and persistent enemies of God’s people. Even in modern times, the nation of Syria bitterly attacked Israel in three major wars. We can understand why, with the fall of the Assad government and resulting confusion in 2024, Israel took it upon herself to destroy much of Syria’s military facilities and equipment.

The preaching style of Amos is interesting. He reports God saying, “For three sins…even for four, I will not relent.” Three is a generally accepted number for completion. Perhaps that is why so many sermons have three points. But by saying “four,” it really puts things over the top. It is like saying, “this is the last straw!” The direction of his preaching is also interesting. Boice says, “The first four nations form an ‘X’ making four points of the compass relative to the people Amos is addressing.” [8] He might have chosen this order regarding the severity of their sins. Moab is the last country dealt with, and nothing is said about the severity of its sin. [9]

The specific sin against Damascus was that their people threshed Gilead (God’s inheritance) with threshing sledges that had teeth of iron. John Roberts Dummelow, British scholar and clergyman, describes them: “The threshing-sledge, a thick wooden board with pointed pieces of iron or of basalt on the underside, and a heavy weight or a driver above, is the figure for the harshest severity.” [10]

That might be compared to folks being run over by a modern farm harrow with its many iron teeth. Such an act would cruelly tear the bodies to pieces. This was so harsh that it got the attention of the Almighty God. People may think that God does not see their acts of cruelty, but he notes every one of them. This atrocity was perpetrated by Hazael, king of Damascus (842-796 BC). We know from 2 Kings 8:12 that Hazael was quite capable of such things. Apparently, Hazael desired to gain the Israelite territories east of the Jordan River.

Because of the cruelty of Damascus, God says: “I will send fire on the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad” (1:4). Ben Hadad was the successor of Hazael. There were two or three kings of Syria with the title Ben-Hadad (son of the god). The true God would punish them all for their cruelty. “ ‘I will break down the gate of Damascus; I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden. The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,’ says the LORD.” (1:5). Finally, in 732 BC, the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser III (744-727 BC), destroyed the kingdom of Aram-Damascus. It was his policy to uproot conquered people, so he sent the people of Aram away to Kir, an area in Media.

Gaza

This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not relent. Because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom, I will send fire on the walls of Gaza that will consume her fortresses.” Amos 1:6-7

Gaza’s outstanding sin was that of capturing and selling Israelites to their most bitter enemy, Edom. They apparently sold whole communities of captives in this way. Irish biblical scholar J. A. Motyer comments: “Nothing calls forth the omnipotent power of the Lord more than when one person uses another simply for his own profit.” [11] We read about one of these serious raids in 2 Chronicles 21:16-17. Phillips speaks further of these attacks: “They swept away the entire population – men, women, and children – and delivered their captives to the Edomites, from whom the Hebrews could expect no mercy.” [12]

For such atrocities, Gaza fell to Tiglath-Pileser in 734 BC. Well-known Bible commentator and religious broadcaster Warren Wiersbe says, “The slave masters were themselves taken into exile and slavery.” [13] In Joel 3:1-6, it is interesting that even in the end of days, nations will still receive judgment for the wickedness of such slavery.

“‘I will destroy the king of Ashdod and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn my hand against Ekron, till the last of the Philistines are dead,’ says the Sovereign LORD” (1:8). Assyrian kings and armies swept over much of the land once controlled by Israel, Judah and the Philistines. The following Assyrian king, Sennacherib (705-681 BC), fulfilled the prophecy of Amos on all the Philistine cities, essentially ending their story.

Tyre

This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Tyre, even for four, I will not relent. Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom, disregarding a treaty of brotherhood, I will send fire on the walls of Tyre that will consume her fortresses” Amos 1:9-10

Tyre was a Phoenician city-state that once had very good relations with Israel, especially in the time of King Solomon. However, this verse makes clear that in later times, Tyre was also involved in the slave trade against Israel. Motyer feels that they may have been handling only the business side of the slave trade. [14] It is of note that there is no record of Tyre ever waging war against the Israelites. [15]

These verses make clear that Tyre violated her treaty of brotherhood with Israel. That treaty is mentioned in 1 Kings 5:12. This ancient city was located on an island 600-700 meters from the mainland and, for that reason, was virtually unconquerable. Nebuchadnezzar held a thirteen-year siege of the city (585-575 BC), and later, it was conquered and destroyed by Alexander the Great in 332 BC.

Edom

This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Edom, even for four, I will not relent. Because he pursued his brother with a sword and slaughtered the women of the land, because his anger raged continually and his fury flamed unchecked, I will send fire on Teman that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.” Amos 1:11-12

The story of Edom represents a deep and bitter family problem between Jacob and Esau, or the chosen and the not chosen. It was a problem mentioned before the twin boys were born (Gen. 25:21-26). It is a problem noted many times in the Bible. The whole Book of Obadiah deals only with the ancient hatred of Edom. Not only did Edom attack Israel, but they happily joined with those who were attacking her (Psa. 137:7; Obad. 1:11).

Wiersbe comments: “Temen and Bozrah were strong cities that today don’t exist…nothing is left today except ruins. When the Romans attacked Jerusalem in AD 70, they destroyed what was left of the Edomite (Idumean) people, and Edom was no more.” [16]

Ammon

This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I will not relent. Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to extend his borders,” Amos 1:13

This is a war that is not recorded in the Bible, but it is still an awful crime against humanity. It was noticed by God and is recorded in his books. Bible scholars Jamieson, Faussett & Brown comment: “Ammon’s object in this cruel act was to leave Israel without ‘heir,’ so as to seize on Israel’s inheritance.” [17] Phillips writes, “When the prophet foretold invasion, destruction and captivity for Ammon, he specifically mentioned the capital city of Rabbah, which is now Amman, the capital of Jordan.” [18]

The little country of Ammon came into existence by an incestuous relationship between Lot’s younger daughter with her intoxicated father (Gen. 19:30-38). Her son Ben-Ammi founded the nation, which was bounded by the Arnon and Jabbok rivers on the east side of the Dead Sea.

God says to Ammon: “‘I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah that will consume her fortresses amid war cries on the day of battle, amid violent winds on a stormy day. Her king will go into exile, he and his officials together,’ says the LORD” (1:14-15). Wiersbe sums it up: “Amos announced that a storm of judgment would come…This took place when the Assyrians swept over the land in 734 BC.” [19]

Footnotes

1. James Montgomery Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1986), p. 161.

2. Brian Bell, Bell’s Commentary, Amos, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/amos.html#google_vignette, vs. 1:1-15.

3. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2, p. 162.

4. Charles F. Pfeiffer & Everett F. Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), p. 829.

Chapter 1

1. Pfeiffer & Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 830.

2. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2 p. 164.

3. John Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1998), p. 89.

4. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 88.

5. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2, p. 164.

6. Adam Clarke, “Commentary on Amos 7.” “The Adam Clarke Commentary,” https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/acc/amos-7.html. 1832. v. 1:2

7. Pfeiffer & Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 831.

8. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2, p. 171.

9. Peter Pett, “Commentary on Amos”. “Pett’s Commentary on the Bible.” 2013, v. 1:3-15. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/pet/amos-6.html.

10. John Roberts Dummelow, Dummelow On The Bible, Amos, v. 1:3. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcb/amos.html

11. D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer, A.M. Stibbs, D. J. Wiseman, The New Bible Commentary: Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970), p. 730.

12. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 91.

13. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 1416.

14. Guthrie, Motyer, et. al., The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 730.

15. Dummelow, Dummelow On The Bible, Amos, vs. 1:9-10.

16. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, 1417.

17. Robert Jamieson, A.R Fausset, David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Commentary on Amos, 1871-8, v. 1:13.

18. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 92.

19. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1417.