¹tn On the Hebrew term yoh (“ah, woe”) as a term of mourning, see the notes in 5:16, 18.
²sn Zion is a reference to Jerusalem.
³tn The words “They think of themselves as” are supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the term ybqn (“distinguished ones”; “elite”) is in apposition to the substantival participles in the first line.
⁴tn Heb “house.”
⁵tn Heb “comes to them.”
⁶tn The words “They say to the people” are interpretive and supplied in the translation for clarification. The translation understands v. 2 as the boastful words, which the leaders (described in v. 1) spoke to those who came to them (v. 1b). Some interpret v. 2 differently, understanding the words as directed to the leaders by the prophet. Verse 2b would then be translated: “Are you (i.e., Israel and Judah) better than these kingdoms (i.e., Calneh, etc.)? Is your border larger than their border?” (This reading requires an emendation of the Hebrew text toward the end of the verse.) In this case the verse is a reminder to Judah/Israel that they are not superior to other nations, which have already fallen victim to military conquest. Consequently Judah/Israel should not expect to escape the same fate. Following this line of interpretation, some take v. 2 as a later addition since the Assyrians under Tiglath-pileser III conquered Calneh, Hamath, and Gath after the time of Amos’ ministry. However, this conclusion is not necessary since the kingdoms mentioned here had suffered military setbacks prior to Amos’ time as well. See S. M. Paul, Amos, 201-204.
⁷tn Or “Great Hamath”; or “Hamath the great” (the word “rabbah” means “great” in Hebrew).
⁸tn Heb “to these,” referring to Judah and Israel (see v. 1a).
⁹tn Both rhetorical questions in this verse expect the answer “no.” If these words do come from the leaders, then this verse underscores their self-delusion of power (compare 6:13). The prophet had no such mistaken sense of national grandeur (7:2, 5).
¹⁰tn Heb “those who push away a day of disaster.”
¹¹tn Heb “you bring near a seat of violence.” The precise meaning of the Hebrew term tb#v# (v@b@t, “seat, sitting”) is unclear in this context. The translation assumes that it refers to a throne from which violence (in the person of the oppressive leaders) reigns. Another option is that the expression refers not to the leaders’ oppressive rule, but to the coming judgment when violence will overtake the nation in the person of enemy invaders.
¹²tn Heb “beds of ivory.”
¹³tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb frP, which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”
¹⁴tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”
¹⁵sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).
¹⁶tn The meaning of the Hebrew phrase <h#l* Wbv=j* is uncertain. Various options include: (1) “they think their musical instruments are like David’s”; (2) “they consider themselves musicians like David”; (3) “they esteem musical instruments highly like David”; (4) “they improvise [new songs] for themselves [on] instruments like David”; (5) “they invent musical instruments like David.” However, the most commonly accepted interpretation is that given in the translation (see S. M. Paul, Amos, 206-207).
¹⁷sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).
¹⁸tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”
¹⁹tn Or “not sickened by.”
²⁰sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.
²¹tn Heb “they will go into exile at the head of the exiles.”
²²sn Religious banquets. This refers to the marzeah, a type of pagan religious banquet popular among the upper class of Israel at this time and apparently associated with mourning. See P. King, Amos, 137-61; J. L. McLaughlin, The “Marzeah” in the Prophetic Literature: An Examination of the References and Allusions in Light of the Extra-Biblical Evidence (VTSup 86; Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2001). Scholars debate whether at this banquet the dead were simply remembered or actually venerated in a formal, cultic sense.
²³tn Heb “of the sprawled out.” See v. 4.
²⁴tn Heb “swears by his life”; or “swears by himself.”
²⁵tn Heb “his,” referring to Jacob, which stands here for the nation of Israel.
²⁶tn The words “to their enemies” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
²⁷tn Heb “the city”; this probably refers to the city of Samaria (cf. 6:1), which in turn, by metonymy, represents the entire northern kingdom.
²⁸tn The translation assumes that “their relatives” and “the ones who will burn the corpses” are in apposition. Another option is to take them as distinct individuals, in which case one could translate, “When their close relatives and the ones who will burn the corpses pick up…” The meaning of the form translated “the ones who burn the corpses” is uncertain. Another option is to translate, “the ones who prepare the corpses for burial.” See S. M. Paul, Amos, 215-16.
²⁹tn This verse is notoriously difficult to interpret. The Hebrew text literally reads, “And he will lift him up, his uncle, and the one burning him, to bring out bones from the house. And he will say to the one who is in the inner parts of the house, ‘Is there [anyone] still with you?’ And he will say, ‘Be quiet for not to invoke the name of the Lord.’” The translation assumes that the singular pronominal and verbal forms throughout the verse are collective or distributive. This last sentence has been interpreted in several ways: a command not to call on the name of the Lord out of fear that he might return again in judgment; the realization that it is not appropriate to seek a blessing in the Lord’s name upon the dead in the house since the judgment was deserved; an angry refusal to call on the Lord out of a sense that he has betrayed his people in allowing them to suffer.
³⁰tn Or “is issuing the decree.”
³¹tc Heb “Does one plow with oxen?” This obviously does not fit the parallelism, for the preceding rhetorical question requires the answer, “Of course not!” An error of fusion has occurred in the Hebrew, with the word <y (“sea”) being accidentally added as a plural ending to the collective noun rq*B* (“oxen”). A proper division of the consonants produces the above translation, which fits the parallelism and also anticipates the answer, “Of course not!”
³²sn The botanical imagery, when juxtaposed with the preceding rhetorical questions, vividly depicts and emphasizes how the Israelites have perverted justice and violated the created order by their morally irrational behavior.
³³tn Heb “those who rejoice over Lo-Debar.”
sn Lo-Debar was located across the Jordan River in Gilead, which the Israelite army had conquered. However, there is stinging irony here, for in Hebrew the name Lo-Debar means “nothing.” In reality Israel was happy over nothing of lasting consequence.
³⁴sn Karnaim was also located across the Jordan River. The name in Hebrew means “double horned.” Since an animal’s horn was a symbol of strength (see Deut 33:17), the Israelites boasted in this victory over a town whose very name symbolized military power.
³⁵tn Or “raise up.”
³⁶tn Heb “house.”
³⁷sn Once again there is irony in the divine judgment. The oppressive nation itself will suffer oppression. The verb “oppress” (Jjl) in this verse is not the same as that used in 4:1 (qvu).
³⁸tn Or “from the entrance to Hamath.” The Hebrew term lebo can either be translated or considered a part of the place name.
³⁹sn Lebo-Hamath refers to the northern border of Israel, the Stream of the Arabah to its southern border. See 2 Kgs 14:25. Through this invader the Lord would reverse the victories and territorial expansion Israel experienced during the reign of Jeroboam II.