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Amos 5 Commentary

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Amos 5:1-3

Amos laments the destruction of Israel and predicts a casualty rate of 90 percent. In the prime of her youthful vigor, the nation Israel will be devastated, and nobody will rescue her.

Amos 5:4-7

Although the nation Israel will be destroyed in the prime of her youth, Amos calls Israel to seek God so that they may live.

Amos 5:8-9

Having called individuals in Israel to seek God so that they may live, Amos portrays the LORD as the sovereign God who controls everything in the world.

Amos 5:10-13

Amos once again accuses Israel of practicing injustice, which violates His covenant with Israel. For this reason, God will judge His covenant people.

While pronouncing judgment on the kingdom of Israel, Amos tells individuals that the possibility for repentance is still available. They are to set themselves apart from their wicked nation to seek good so that they may live.

Amos 5:16-17

Amos tells the people that God’s judgment will bring widespread lamentation because many people will be dead when God passes through their land.

Amos 5:18-20

Amos again announces judgment on the unrepentant Israel. The people of God will experience the day of the LORD and it will be a day of darkness, not of light; a day of judgment, not of rejoicing.

Amos 5:21-27

Amos reports what the LORD says to His covenant people. The LORD rejects Israel’s false worship and states He will send them into exile beyond Damascus.

Additional Resources

Book Theme

The Bible Says Commentary on the Book of Amos

Chapter Context

This chapter contains two major sections. In the first, the prophet laments Israel’s destruction and predicts a casualty rate of 90 percent. In the prime of her youthful vigor, the nation Israel will be devastated, and nobody will rescue her (vv. 1–3). Yet even amid Israel’s impending doom, individual Israelites can seek God so that they may live because God has absolute control over the world that He created (vv. 4–9).

Amos once again predicts Israel’s devastation because the people practice social injustice and gross immorality. God’s judgment will bring widespread lamentation because many people will be dead when God passes through their land. Yet Israel can still seek to do good so that they may live (vv. 10–17).

In the second major section, the prophet describes God’s judgment on the unrepentant Israel. The people of God will experience the day of the LORD, the time when the LORD will reveal His supreme power and authority over human powers and human existence. For Israel, this will first be a day of judgment, not of rejoicing (vv. 18–20). Because the LORD rejects Israel’s false worship, He will send them into exile beyond Damascus on their day of judgment (vv. 21–27).