Difference between revisions of "Amos 3:1-5:17"

Revision as of 01:17, 20 May 2012

Subpages >> Verses 3:1-15 • Verses 4:1-13 • Verses 5:1-17

Outline and brief summary

The relationship of chapters 3-5a to the rest of the book is discussed at Amos. Chapters 3-5a can be outlined as follows:

II. The Lord’s longsuffering with Israel (Amos 3-5a)

A. Hear this word: Lord loved only Israel, but it was wayward (3:1-15)

a. Lord has loved only Israel, so will punish (1-2)

b. Lord has roared through his prophets, take heed (3-8)

b. gentiles called as witnesses of oppression in Israel (9-10)

a. adversary will destroy Israel, all but a remnant (13-15)

B. Hear this word: Lord chastised Israel, but it did not return (4:1-13)

• Lord will carry away those who glut on oppressing the poor (1-3)

• Israel transgresses even in its religious ceremonies (4:4-5)

• past chastisement has not caused Israel to return (4:6-12)

• hymn: greatness and condescension of the Lord (13)

C. Hear this word: Lord still invites Israel to seek him, else destruction (5:1-17)

a. funeral lament for the virgin of Israel (1-3)

b. seek the Lord, not idolatry (4-5)

c. seek the Lord, or the Northern Kingdom will fall (6)

b. seek the Lord, not social injustice (7-13)

a. seek the Lord, or Israel will lament (14-17)

There is general scholarly consensus that Amos 1-2 and Amos 7-9 each constitute a major division in Amos. There is not much consensus, however, about the organization or structure of the chapters in between, Amos 3-6. The three speeches discussed here (3:1-15; 4:1-13; 5:1-17) can be seen as forming a second major division in Amos since they are tied together with the repeated introduction “Hear this word” (3:1; 4:1; 5:1]) and since the first refers to the religious sanctuary at Bethel (3:14), the second to the sanctuaries at Bethel and Gilgal (4:4), and the third to the sanctuaries at Bethel, Gilgal and Bersheeba (5:4-5).

Each of these sections are discussed separately on the following subpages • Amos 3:1-15 • Amos 4:1-13 • Amos 5:1-17

Detailed discussion

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Questions for further thought and study

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Footnotes

Additional sources and links

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Subpages >> Verses 3:1-15 • Verses 4:1-13 • Verses 5:1-17