translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: AMO

label: NET study note

text: The rhetorical questions in vv. 3-5 expect the answer, “No, of course not!” Those in v. 6 anticipate the answer, “Yes, of course they do/he is.” They all draw attention to the principle of cause and effect and lay the logical foundation for the argument in vv. 7-8 . Also note the progression from a general question in v. 3 to the “meetings” of two animals (v. 4 ), to that of an animal and a human trap (v. 5 ), to a climax with the confrontation with the Lord (v. 6 ). Each of these meetings is disastrous.


text: The roar of the lion is here a metaphor for impending judgment (see 1:2 ; cf. 3:4, 12 ). Verses 7-8 justify Amos’ prophetic ministry and message of warning and judgment. The people should expect a prophetic message prior to divine action.


text: Who can refuse to prophesy? When a message is revealed, the prophet must speak, and the news of impending judgment should cause people to fear.


text: Samaria might refer here both to the region and to the capital city (later known as Sebaste). On the other hand, there actually are hills that surround the mound upon which the city was built. The implication is that the nations can come and sit and see from those hills the sin of the capital city and its judgment. map For location of the city see Map2-B1 ; Map4-D3 ; Map5-E2 ; Map6-A4 ; Map7-C1 .


text: The verb translated salvaged , though often used in a positive sense of deliverance from harm, is here employed in a sarcastic manner. A shepherd would attempt to salvage part of an animal to prove that a predator had indeed killed it. In this way he could prove that he had not stolen the missing animal and absolve himself from any responsibility to repay the owner (see Exod 22:12-13 ).


text: The horns of an ancient altar projected upwards from the four corners and resembled an animal’s horns in appearance. Fugitives could seek asylum by grabbing hold of these corners (see Exod 21:14 ; 1 Kgs 1:50; 2:28 ). When the altar’s horns were cut off, there would be no place of asylum left for the Lord ’s enemies.