Amos 9

King James Version

Full text for Amos Chapter 9

1¶ I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.

2Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

3And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:

4And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

5And the Lord GOD of hosts [is] he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as [by] the flood of Egypt.

6[It is] he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD [is] his name.

7[Are] ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?

8Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD [are] upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.

9For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as [corn] is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

10All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

11¶ In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

12That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

13Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.

14And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

15And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Amos 9 opens with a vision of the Lord decreeing inescapable judgment upon Israel, declaring that no sinner can hide from His wrath, whether in heaven, hell, or the depths of the sea. Despite this impending destruction for the sinful kingdom, God promises not to utterly destroy the house of Jacob, but rather to sift them among nations, preserving the righteous. The chapter concludes with a powerful prophecy of restoration, where the fallen tabernacle of David will be rebuilt, and Israel will experience unparalleled prosperity, security, and permanent dwelling in their land.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with a vision of the Lord standing upon the altar, pronouncing an inescapable judgment upon the unrepentant Israelites. He declares that His hand will reach them wherever they attempt to hide, from the depths of hell to the heights of heaven, the top of Carmel, or the bottom of the sea, ensuring none escape His wrath. God's immense power is emphasized, as He is the one who touches the land, causing it to melt, and controls the waters of the sea. He reminds Israel that their special status does not exempt them from judgment, having also guided other nations. While the sinful kingdom will be destroyed, the Lord assures that He will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, but will sift them among nations, preserving the righteous while the wicked perish by the sword. The prophecy then shifts to a future restoration, where the fallen tabernacle of David will be raised up and rebuilt. This restoration will bring forth a time of extraordinary agricultural abundance, the rebuilding of waste cities, and a secure, permanent dwelling for Israel in their land, never to be uprooted again.

Long Summary

Amos 9 commences with a solemn vision of the Lord standing upon the altar, issuing a decree of comprehensive and inescapable judgment against the unrepentant kingdom of Israel. He commands the striking of the temple's lintel, signifying the collapse of their spiritual and physical structures, and declares that no one will escape His wrath. The Lord explicitly states that His hand will find them regardless of where they attempt to flee or hide—be it by digging into hell, climbing to heaven, concealing themselves on Mount Carmel, or submerging in the bottom of the sea, where a serpent will bite them. Even in captivity, the sword will pursue them, as God's eyes are set upon them for evil. The prophet then emphasizes God's omnipotence, describing Him as the Lord GOD of hosts who can cause the land to melt and rise like a flood, and who builds His stories in the heaven and controls the waters of the sea. God challenges Israel's presumption of unique favor, asking if they are not like the children of the Ethiopians to Him, and reminding them of His sovereignty over the movements of all nations, including their own exodus from Egypt and the migrations of Philistines and Syrians. Despite the pronouncement of destruction for the sinful kingdom, the Lord provides a crucial caveat: He will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob. Instead, He promises to sift the house of Israel among all nations, like corn in a sieve, ensuring that not the least grain—meaning the righteous—will fall, while all the sinners who deny impending judgment will die by the sword. The chapter culminates in a powerful and detailed prophecy of future restoration. In that day, the fallen "tabernacle of David" will be raised up, its breaches closed, and its ruins rebuilt to its former glory. This restored kingdom will possess the remnant of Edom and other nations called by God's name. A time of extraordinary agricultural prosperity is foretold, where the plowman will overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes will follow the sower, with mountains and hills yielding abundant wine. Furthermore, the Lord will bring back the captivity of His people, who will rebuild their waste cities, plant vineyards, make gardens, and inhabit their land securely. Finally, God promises to plant them permanently upon their land, ensuring they shall never again be pulled up from the land He has given them.

Core Concepts

  • Inescapable JudgmentGod's decree that no one, regardless of where they hide (heaven, hell, sea, captivity), can escape His divine wrath and punishment for sin.
  • Divine OmnipotenceThe Lord's absolute power over creation, demonstrated by His ability to melt the land, control floods, and command all elements to execute His will.
  • Sovereignty Over NationsGod's declaration that His authority extends to all peoples, not just Israel, having brought up other nations like the Philistines and Syrians, thus challenging Israel's presumption of exclusive favor.
  • Preservation of a RemnantDespite the destruction of the sinful kingdom, God's promise not to utterly destroy the "house of Jacob," but to sift them, preserving the righteous while the wicked perish.
  • Restoration of David's TabernacleThe prophecy of rebuilding the fallen kingdom of David, signifying a future era of spiritual and national renewal for Israel.
  • Agricultural AbundanceA key feature of the promised restoration, where the land will yield extraordinary harvests, symbolizing peace, prosperity, and God's blessing.
  • Permanent DwellingThe assurance that the restored people of Israel will be securely planted in their land, never again to be uprooted or sent into captivity.