Keraia
Amos 8

Amos 8:14

The Basket of Summer Fruit · Amos 8:1–14
Read Amos 8

Translations

Modern
Those who swear by the guilt of Samaria and say, ‘As surely as your god lives, O Dan,’ or, ‘As surely as the way of Beersheba lives’—they will fall, never to rise again.”
Traditional
They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beer–sheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.
Literal
Those swearing by the guilt of Samaria, and having said, ‘As your god lives, O Dan,’ and ‘as lives the way of Beersheba,’ they will fall, and they will not rise again!”
Latin
…qui jurant in delicto Samariæ, et dicunt: Vivit Deus tuus, Dan, et vivit via Bersabee; et cadent, et non resurgent ultra.

Original

Hebrew
English
Those who swear by the guilt of Samaria and say, ‘As surely as your god lives, O Dan,’ or, ‘As surely as the way of Beersheba lives’—they will fall, never to rise again.”

Notes

Amos 8:14

  • The god of Dan refers to the northern shrine of the golden calf set up by Jeroboam I (see 1 Kings 12:28–29; 2 Kings 10:29).

  • the way of Beersheba: Beersheba had apparently become a worship center in the southern kingdom. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a horned altar in Beersheba's ruins.

Amos 8:11–14

a famine of hearing the words of the LORD: God sent prophets to Israel to speak directly to them, but Israel told the prophets not to prophesy (Amos 2:11–12). Now they had what they wanted, but the silence was more terrible than God's roar and thunder. God became distant (see Ezekiel 7:26; 20:3; Micah 3:4, 7). The time for speaking was over; the time of judgment had come.

Amos 8:4–14

This section provides more details on the accusations and decisions mentioned earlier (read with Amos 2:6–6:14).

Amos 7:1–9:10

This section contains five visions. It is helpful to compare how these visions develop with the judgments listed earlier in Amos 4:6–11.

The judgments listed there include:

  • famine,

  • drought,

  • destruction of crops,

  • plagues, and

  • widespread destruction.

Theme notes and profiles

Famine

Events

Places

Beersheba: Important city in southern Israel, associated with the patriarchs Dan: Israelite tribe; city in northern Israel; originally called Laish/Leshem Samaria: Capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel; Samaritan inhabitants

Glossary

Apocalyptic Book of Amos Oath

Topics

Ancient Samaria: People of Characterised as Idolatrous Beer-Sheba: The Most Southern City of Palestine: Became a Seat of Idolatrous Worship Dan: A City of the Tribe of Dan: Idolatry Established At Idolatry: They Who Practise: Swear by Their Idols