Keraia
Amos 9

Amos 9:7

The Destruction of Israel · Amos 9:1–10
Read Amos 9

Translations

Modern
“Are you not like the Cushites to Me, O children of Israel?” declares the LORD. “Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from Kir?
Traditional
Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the Lord. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
Literal
“Are you not like the sons of the Cushites to Me, O sons of Israel?” An utterance of YHWH. “Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and Aram from Kir?
Latin
Numquid non ut filii Æthiopum vos estis mihi, filii Israël? ait Dominus. Numquid non Israël ascendere feci de terra Ægypti, et Palæstinos de Cappadocia, et Syros de Cyrene?

Original

Hebrew
English
“Are you not like the Cushites to Me, O children of Israel?” declares the LORD. “Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from Kir?

Notes

Amos 9:7

  • the Cushites: Cush (see Genesis 10:6–7) was south of the Second Cataract of the Nile (compare Isaiah 18:1) and was often linked with Egypt, its neighbor to the north.

  • Israel's exodus from Egypt is compared to two other ancient migrations: the Philistines from Crete (see also Jeremiah 47:4) and the Arameans from Kir (compare Amos 1:5; 2 Kings 16:9).

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.

Events

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

Caphtor: Island home of the Philistines; visited by Paul Cush: Ancient region in Africa; associated with Egypt and Babylon Egypt: Ancient nation; Israelites enslaved there; plagues and Exodus Kir: A city or region in Mesopotamia, possibly Elam Philistia: An ancient people and region in Canaan Syria: Ancient region north of Israel, often in conflict

Glossary

Apocalyptic Book of Amos Caphtor, Caphtorites, Caphtorim Cappadocia Kir Lord Pelethites Philistia, Philistines Syria, Syrians

Topics

Africa Caphtorim: People of Caphtor Kir: Prophecies Concerning Philistines: Called Caphtorim Philistines: Descendants of Mizraim The Philistines: Israel Condemned for Imitating The Philistines: Originally Dwelt in the Land of Caphtor