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Amos 3:1–2 Hear this word introduces the first three messages against Israel (3:1; 4:1; 5:1). Israel and Judah believed that their role as God’s chosen people would protect them from harm (see note on 5:18–20). Amos says the very opposite is true. Precisely because God has known Israel as he has known no other nation, he judges Israelites by a higher standard (see Luke 12:48).
Amos 3:3–8 With a series of questions, Amos shows that disaster is coming for Israel. In nature, certain sequences of events lead to predictable outcomes. If a lion roars (vv. 4, 8), then it has probably taken, or is about to take, its prey. Likewise, since the Lord God has announced judgment, then judgment will surely come.
Amos 3:9–11 Israel’s capital city Samaria was a powerful stronghold. It was on a high hill (mountains), in a place that was easy to defend. But it was also just off the great highway that connected Egypt with Assyria. If Samaria fell to the Assyrians, there was nothing to prevent the destruction of the Philistine cities (represented by Ashdod) and of Egypt itself.
Amos 3:13 The term God of hosts was popular among the later prophets. “Hosts” here would ordinarily signify troops of soldiers, so the term expresses God’s unlimited power.
Amos 3:14 Bethel was associated with Jacob and his vision (Gen. 28:10–22). It was close to the border between Israel and Judah. Thus, Jeroboam I chose it as a worship site for his new religion (1 Kings 12:25–33). Amos chose this as the place to deliver his prophecies (Amos 7:12–13) because it represented the corruption of the true religion (4:4–5). The horns of the altar were at the four corners on top of the altar (Ex. 27:2). They represented a place where God’s protection was available (1 Kings 1:50; 2:28). Now, however, the horns of Bethel’s altar would provide no protection.
Amos 3:15 All of Israel’s social injustice is represented by the sin of accumulating large amounts of property (see also Isa. 5:8). This violated the covenant, which said a family’s land was a permanent gift from God to that family, not to be taken from them. Amos condemns wealth created through mistreating the poor (Amos 4:1). He also condemns unfair business practices (5:7; 11; 12; 8:4–6) and living in luxury without caring for the needy (5:12; 8:4–6). He also notes the lack of concern for sin (6:4–6) and the lack of true faith (5:21–23).
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