Amos
Summary
The woe upon those who are AT EASE IN ZION. it records the LORD'S warning to the complacent leaders of Israel and Judah who trust in their secure mountains while ignoring the coming disaster. it describes their excessive LUXURY: lying on beds of ivory, stretching on couches, and drinking wine in bowls: while failing to be 'grieved for the affliction of Joseph'. it concludes with the prophecy of a nation being raised up to afflict them from Hamath even to the river of the wilderness.
Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
Pass you to Calneh, and see; and from thence go you to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?
You that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;
That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;
That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.
The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself, says the LORD the God of hosts, "I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein."
And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.
And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burns him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say to him that is by the sides of the house, "Is there yet any with you?" and he shall say, "No." Then shall he say, "Hold your tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD."
For, behold, the LORD commands, and He will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.
Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for you have turned judgement into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:
You which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, "Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?"
But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, says the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath to the river of the wilderness.