And take grain1 taxes from him,
Though byou have built houses of hewn stone,
Yet you shall not dwell in them;
You have planted1 pleasant vineyards,
But you shall not drink wine from them.
And your mighty sins:
bAfflicting the just and taking bribes;
cDiverting the poor from justice at the gate.
That you may live;
So the Lord God of hosts will be with you,
aAs you have spoken.
Establish justice in the gate.
bIt may be that the Lord God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
The Day of the Lord
“There shall be wailing in all streets,
And they shall say in all the highways,
‘Alas! Alas!’
They shall call the farmer to mourning,
aAnd skillful lamenters to wailing.
For what good is bthe day of the Lord to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.
And a bear met him!
Or as though he went into the house,
Leaned his hand on the wall,
And a serpent bit him!
Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
And Chiun, your idols,
The star of your gods,
Which you made for yourselves.
Says the Lord, bwhose name is the God of hosts.
| << Amos 5:12 | Amos 5:14 >> |
Amos 5:13
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time - The "time" may be either the time of the obduracy of the wicked, or that of the common punishment. For a time may be called "evil," whether evil is done, or is suffered in it, as Jacob says, "Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been" Genesis 47:9. Of the first, he would perhaps say, that the oppressed poor would, if wise, be silent, not complaining or accusing, for, injustice having the mastery, complaint would only bring on them fresh sufferings. And again also he may mean that, on account of the incorrigibleness of the people, the wise and the prophets would be silent, because the more the people were rebuked, the more impatient and worse they became. So our Lord was silent before His judges, as had been foretold of Him, for since they would not hear, His speaking would only increase their condemnation. "If I tell you, ye will not believe; and if I also ask you, ye will not answer Me, nor let Me go" Luke 22:67-68. So God said by Solomon: "He that reproveth a scorner getteth himself shame, and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot" Proverbs 9:7. And our Lord bids, "Give not that which is holy unto dogs, and cast not your pearls before swine" Matthew 7:6. They hated and rejected those who rebuked them. Matthew 7:10. Since then rebuke profited not, the prophets should hold their peace. It is a fearful judgment, when God withholds His warnings. In times of punishment also the prudent keep silence. Intense affliction is "dumb and openeth not its month," owning the hand of God. It may be too, that Amos, like Hosea Hosea 4:4, Hosea 4:17, expresses the uselessness of all reproof, in regard to the most of those whom be called to repentance, even while he continued earnestly to rebuke them.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Amos 5:13:
| << Amos 5:12 | Amos 5:14 >> |
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
Join 137,200+ readers
A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning
Consistent Bible study is hard to start.
The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.
Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.