Condemnation of the Complacent Elite
Amos 6:1-7
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Amo.6.1 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- הוי: INTJ
- השאננים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- בציון: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- והבטחים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- בהר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- שמרון: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- נקבי: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- ראשית: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הגוים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- ובאו: VERB,qal,imp,2,mp
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Isaiah 32:9-12 (verbal): Directly echoes the rebuke of the complacent—"you who are at ease"—warning complacent inhabitants (especially women) of impending disaster, similar language and theme of judgment for ease.
- Zephaniah 1:12 (thematic): Condemns those settled in security in Jerusalem and their complacent attitude toward the LORD’s action; both passages target urban complacency and promise searching punishment.
- Micah 3:9-12 (structural): A prophetic indictment of Zion’s leaders and officials whose corrupt practices bring divine judgment—parallel in addressing ruling classes in Zion and announcing consequences for their misconduct.
- Proverbs 1:32 (thematic): Summarizes the moral principle behind the prophetic woe: complacency and self-assurance bring destruction—parallels Amos’s condemnation of those ‘at ease’ and secure.
Alternative generated candidates
- Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the hill of Samaria, you distinguished among the first of the nations—for to you the house of Israel has come.
- Woe to those at ease in Zion, and to those trusting on the mountain of Samaria— you notable ones, chiefs of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes.
Amo.6.2 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- עברו: VERB,qal,imp,2,pl
- כלנה: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,2,m,pl
- וראו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- ולכו: VERB,qal,imp,2,pl
- משם: PREP
- חמת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- רבה: ADJ,f,sg,abs
- ורדו: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- גת: NOUN,prop,f,sg,abs
- פלשתים: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- הטובים: ADJ,m,pl,def
- מן: PREP
- הממלכות: NOUN,f,pl,def
- האלה: DEM,pl
- אם: CONJ
- רב: ADJ,m,sg
- גבולם: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3mp
- מגבלכם: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs+2,m,pl
Parallels
- Genesis 10:10 (verbal): Names the city Calneh (one of Nimrod’s cities); Amos’ invocation of Calneh echoes the ancient catalog of powerful cities and locates Amos’ taunt in the memory of earlier imperial centers.
- 2 Kings 14:25 (verbal): Speaks of Israel’s border restored 'from the entrance of Hamath' — the same Hamath named in Amos 6:2, linking both passages’ use of Hamath as a recognized territorial marker and point of comparison.
- Micah 1:10 (verbal): Commands 'Tell it not in Gath' and treats Gath as a locus of mourning/judgment; Amos’ mention of Gath likewise invokes Philistine cities as a foil for Israel’s complacency and impending judgment.
- Isaiah 32:9-11 (thematic): A prophetic rebuke of those 'at ease' (women of Zion) who are complacent in security—parallels Amos 6’s indictment of Judah/Israel for complacency and false security despite others’ fortunes.
- Amos 6:1 (structural): Immediate literary context: verse 1 pronounces woe on those 'at ease in Zion' and sets up the taunt of v.2 comparing Judah/Israel unfavorably with other ancient cities — the two verses function as a unit.
Alternative generated candidates
- Go to Calneh and see, then go from there to great Hamath; go down to Gath of the Philistines—are they better than these kingdoms? Is their border greater than your border?
- Go to Calneh and see, then go from there to Hamath the great; go down to Gath of the Philistines— are they better than these kingdoms? Is their domain greater than your domain?
Amo.6.3 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- המנדים: VERB,qal,ptc,3,m,pl,def
- ליום: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- רע: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- ותגישון: VERB,hif,impf,3,m,pl
- שבת: VERB,qal,inf
- חמס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Isaiah 32:9-12 (thematic): Both pronounce woe on those 'at ease'—complacent, indulgent inhabitants—warning that judgment will come on the secure and self-satisfied.
- Isaiah 28:14-18 (allusion): Condemns those who say they can avert disaster by deceitful covenants ('we have made a covenant with death'), echoing Amos's charge that they push away the day of evil and bring on violence.
- Zephaniah 1:12-13 (thematic): Denounces people who are complacent and indifferent about the coming day of the LORD—thinking judgment is far off—similar to Amos's rebuke of postponing the day of calamity.
- Proverbs 1:24-33 (thematic): Describes refusal of warning and the sudden arrival of calamity—those who spurn counsel then seek relief in vain—paralleling Amos's theme of ignoring impending disaster and inviting violence.
Alternative generated candidates
- You who put off the evil day and bring near the day of violence,
- You who put far away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence;
Amo.6.4 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- השכבים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- על: PREP
- מטות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- שן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- וסרחים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- על: PREP
- ערשותם: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ואכלים: VERB,qal,ptc,NA,m,pl
- כרים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- מצאן: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ועגלים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- מתוך: PREP
- מרבק: ADJ,m,sg
Parallels
- Micah 2:1 (verbal): Uses the imagery of plotting/lying on beds — links luxury/idle repose with wrongdoing, echoing Amos’ 'lying on beds' motif.
- Ezekiel 16:49 (allusion): Condemns pride, excess of food and prosperous ease as the guilt of a city — closely parallels Amos’ critique of indulgent, complacent elites.
- Psalm 73:12-13 (thematic): Complains that the wicked live at ease and prosper while the righteous suffer, aligning with Amos’ denunciation of comfortable, unjust elites.
- Isaiah 22:13 (thematic): Depicts reckless revelry ('let us eat and drink') and complacency in the face of judgment — a similar moral critique of indulgent behavior.
- Luke 16:19 (thematic): The rich man 'feasting sumptuously' and living in luxury echoes Amos’ portrait of the wealthy who indulge while social injustice continues.
Alternative generated candidates
- who lie on beds of ivory and sprawl on their couches, who eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall,
- who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches, eating lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall;
Amo.6.5 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- הפרטים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- על: PREP
- פי: NOUN,m,sg,construct
- הנבל: NOUN,m,sg,def
- כדויד: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- חשבו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- כלי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- שיר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Amos 5:23 (thematic): Same prophetic corpus condemns musical praise when separated from justice—'Take away from me the noise of your songs...' contrasts the complacent, pleasure‑seeking music of Amos 6:5.
- 1 Samuel 16:23 (verbal): David is portrayed as a harp/lyre player who calms Saul—background for the phrase 'like David,' linking Amos' image of professional harpists to David's musical role.
- 2 Samuel 6:5 (allusion): Account of David and Israel making music with harps, lyres and cymbals at the ark—provides the liturgical and royal musical context alluded to in Amos 6:5.
- Psalm 150:3 (thematic): Commands praise to God with lute and harp—serves as a constructive counterpoint, showing proper use of instruments versus Amos' critique of self‑indulgent music.
- Jeremiah 7:21–23 (thematic): God rejects mere ritual offerings apart from obedience—parallels Amos' critique that liturgical or aesthetic practices (here, lavish music) are unacceptable when ethical demands are ignored.
Alternative generated candidates
- who sing to the harp like David and compose for yourselves instruments of music,
- who sing to the sound of the harp, like David, and compose for themselves instruments of music;
Amo.6.6 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- השתים: NUM,f,dual,def
- במזרקי: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,cons
- יין: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וראשית: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שמנים: NUM,card,pl,m,abs
- ימשחו: VERB,qal,imperf,3,pl
- ולא: CONJ
- נחלו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- על: PREP
- שבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יוסף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Amos 6:4-6 (verbal): Immediate intra-book parallel: same unit condemns luxury (beds/ivory, wine, finest ointments) and explicitly contrasts indulgence with failure to mourn Israel's suffering.
- Isaiah 3:16-24 (thematic): Condemns the haughtiness and cosmetic adornment of Zion’s elite (anointing, perfumes, finery) and announces judgment for pride and self-indulgence — similar imagery and moral critique.
- Isaiah 5:11-12 (thematic): Woes against those who rise early to pursue drink and neglect the LORD’s work; parallels Amos’s charge that the comfortable are oblivious to national affliction.
- Jeremiah 5:28 (thematic): Accuses the prosperous of becoming 'fat' and failing to know or call on God; echoes the motif of affluent indifference to communal sin and suffering.
- Ezekiel 16:49-50 (thematic): Links city’s pride, excess and failure to help the needy with culpability (as with Sodom); parallels Amos’s juxtaposition of indulgent luxury and neglect of Joseph’s plight.
Alternative generated candidates
- who drink wine in bowls and anoint yourselves with the choicest oils, yet are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph—
- who drink wine by bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, yet have no grief over the fall of Joseph.
Amo.6.7 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- לכן: ADV
- עתה: ADV
- יגלו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- בראש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,cstr
- גלים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- וסר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- מרזח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- סרוחים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Amos 6:1-6 (structural): Immediate context: vv.1-6 depict the complacent elite feasting and ignoring Zion’s ruin; v.7 is the climactic judgment declaring they will be led into exile—so v.7 completes the charge against the same social group.
- Deuteronomy 28:63-64 (thematic): Part of the covenant curses: because of disobedience the Lord will 'scatter' or 'send' people among the nations—parallels the motif of exile as divine punishment for communal failure.
- Zephaniah 1:12-13 (thematic): A prophetic denunciation of those 'at ease' in the city who are complacent and prosperous; God will search them out and they will be plundered—closely parallels Amos’s condemnation of luxury followed by exile.
- Isaiah 24:1-3 (thematic): Universal judgment language about the land being made empty and the inhabitants being scattered/consumed echoes Amos 6:7’s imagery of removal and desolation as the consequence of societal sin.
Alternative generated candidates
- therefore now you shall be the first taken into exile; the revelers’ couch shall be carried away.
- Therefore now they shall be the first to go into exile; and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.
Woe to those at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria—named as chiefs of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came.
Go to Calneh and see; then go from there to great Hamath; go down to Gath of the Philistines—are they better than these kingdoms? Or is their border greater than your border?
Those who put far off the evil day and bring near the seat of violence.
Who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves on their couches, who eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall;
who strike up songs to the sound of the harp—like David—and devise for themselves instruments of music;
who drink wine by bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, yet have not mourned for the ruin of Joseph.
Therefore now they shall go into exile—the first of the captives; the revelry of the complacent shall pass away.