Amos 5:8

Translations

Modern

He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth—the LORD is His name—

Traditional

Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name:

Literal

…the One making the Pleiades and Orion, and the One turning into the morning the shadow of death, and making the day dark as night, the One calling to the waters of the sea, and pouring them over the face of the earth—YHWH is His name—

Latin

…facientem Arcturum et Orionem, et convertentem in mane tenebras, et diem in noctem mutantem; qui vocat aquas maris, et effundit eas super faciem terræ; Dominus nomen est ejus:

Original

Hebrew

English

He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth—the LORD is His name—

Notes

Amos 5:8–9

Amos quotes another hymn fragment (see Amos 4:13; 9:5–6). The prophet highlights the difference between the cosmic God and local gods.
Stars, celestial bodies, and constellations like Pleiades and Orion were seen as gods in ancient times. Amos says this is not true; the Lord created them and placed them in the sky.
waters: People in ancient times observed a process they did not understand, such as evaporation and condensation (when water turns into vapor and then back into liquid). However, the Lord understands and controls these natural processes, even when they seem mysterious to humans.

Amos 3:1–5:17

Amos delivers three prophetic messages to Israel, criticizing their mistaken belief about being God's chosen people. The messages show a progression toward judgment.

Theme notes and profiles

God's Rule and Power Over All Nations God’s Uniqueness Social Justice What Is Good

Events

Prophecies of Amosc. 788 BC

Related verses

Amos 4:13
For behold, He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind and reveals His thoughts to man, who turns the dawn to darkness and strides on the heights of the earth—the LORD, the God of Hosts, is His name.”
Job 9:9
He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
Amos 9:6
He builds His upper rooms in the heavens and founds His vault upon the earth. He summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth. The LORD is His name.
Psalm 104:20
You bring darkness, and it becomes night, when all the beasts of the forest prowl.
Amos 8:9
And in that day, declares the Lord GOD, I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the daytime.
Job 38:31–32
Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?
Psalm 104:6–9
You covered it with the deep like a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
Psalm 105:28
He sent darkness, and it became dark—yet they defied His words.
Job 12:22
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
Job 38:12–13
In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,
Exodus 10:21–23
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness may spread over the land of Egypt—a palpable darkness.”
Psalm 107:10–14
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,

Parallels

Joel 1:13–20 Zephaniah 2:1–3 Luke 13:1–5

People

Orion: A prominent constellation mentioned in the Bible Pleiades: A star cluster mentioned as a display of God's power

Glossary

Astronomy Book of Amos Night Orion Wrath of God

Topics

Astronomy: General Scriptures Concerning Colors: Black: A Symbol of Affliction and Calamity Constellations: Orion Day: Under the Control of God Evaporation: General Scriptures Concerning God: Creator God: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Night: Seasons of Severe Calamities Orion: The Constellation of Pleiades: General Scriptures Concerning Seekers: General Scriptures Concerning Seven: Miscellany of Sevens: Seven Stars Stars: Created by God Stars: Orion The Planets The Stars: Orion The Stars: Pleiades War: God In

Amos 5:8

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