Woe to the Complacent
1 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion 6:1 Is 32:9–11; Zph 1:12
and to those who feel secure on the hill of Samaria —
the notable people in this first of the nations,
those the house of Israel comes to.
2 Cross over to Calneh 6:2 Gn 10:10; Is 10:9 and see;
go from there to great Hamath; 6:2 1Kg 8:65; 2Kg 18:34; Is 10:9
then go down to Gath 6:2 1Sm 5:8; 2Ch 26:6 of the Philistines.
Are you better than these kingdoms?
Is their territory larger than yours?
3 You dismiss any thought of the evil day 6:3 Am 9:10
and bring in a reign of violence. 6:3 Am 3:10
4 They lie on beds inlaid with ivory, 6:4 Am 3:15
sprawled out on their couches, 6:4 Am 3:12
and dine on lambs from the flock 6:4 Ezk 34:2–3
and calves from the stall.
5 They improvise songs 6:5 Hb obscure to the sound of the harp 6:5 Am 5:23; 8:10
and invent 6:5 Or compose on their own musical instruments like David. 6:5 1Ch 15:16
6 They drink wine by the bowlful 6:6 Am 2:8; 4:1
and anoint themselves with the finest oils
but do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. 6:6 Jr 8:21; Lm 2:11
7 Therefore, they will now go into exile
as the first of the captives, 6:7 Am 7:11,17
and the feasting 6:7 1Kg 20:16–21; Dn 5:4–6,30 of those who sprawl out
will come to an end.
Israel’s Pride Judged
8 The Lord God has sworn by himself 6:8 Gn 22:16; Jr 22:5; 51:14 — this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Armies:
I loathe Jacob’s pride 6:8 Lv 26:30; Dt 32:19; Ps 106:40
and hate his citadels, 6:8 Am 3:10–11
so I will hand over the city 6:8 Hs 11:6 and everything in it.
9 And if there are ten men left in one house, they will die. 6:9 Am 5:310 A close relative 6:10 Lit His uncle and burner 6:10 A burner of incense, a memorial fire, or a body; Hb obscure, 6:10 1Sm 31:12; 2Ch 16:14; Jr 34:5 will remove his corpse 6:10 Lit remove bones from the house. He will call to someone in the inner recesses of the house, "Any more with you? "
That person will reply, "None."
Then he will say, "Silence, because the Lord’s name must not be invoked." 6:10 Is 48:1; Jr 44:26; Hs 4:15
11 For the Lord commands:
The large house will be smashed to pieces,
and the small house to rubble. 6:11 Am 1:1; 9:9
12 Do horses gallop on the cliffs?
Does anyone plow there with oxen? 6:12 Some emend to plow the sea
Yet you have turned justice into poison 6:12 1Kg 21:7–13; Is 59:13–14
and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood 6:12 Is 5:20; Am 5:7; Rv 8:11 —
13 you who rejoice over Lo-debar 6:13 Jb 8:14–15; Ps 2:2–4; Lk 12:19–20
and say, "Didn’t we capture Karnaim
for ourselves by our own strength? " 6:13 Ps 75:4; Is 28:14–15
14 But look, I am raising up a nation
against you, house of Israel 6:14 Am 3:11 —
this is the declaration of the Lord,
the God of Armies —
and they will oppress you
from the entrance of Hamath 6:14 Or from Lebo-hamath, 6:14 Nm 34:7–8; 2Kg 14:25
to the Brook of the Arabah. 6:14 Probably the Valley of Zared at the southeast end of the Dead Sea