What does Amos 5:18-20 mean?
"Sure, here is the King James Version of Amos 5:18-20: Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?" - Amos 5:18-20
Amos 5:18-20 in the King James Version of the Bible reads:
"Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?"
These verses from the book of Amos are part of a series of prophecies that warn the people of Israel about the consequences of their sinful behavior. The prophet Amos was sent by God to proclaim a message of judgment and impending doom for the Israelites due to their disobedience and injustice. The passage begins with a warning - "Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord!" - which is an indictment against those who are longing for the coming of the day of the Lord without fully understanding its implications.
The day of the Lord is a significant theme in the Old Testament, often associated with divine judgment and the coming of God's wrath. In this context, those who are eagerly anticipating the day of the Lord are warned that it will not bring about the light and salvation they desire, but rather darkness and destruction. The imagery used in these verses is vivid and powerful, depicting a situation where escape from one threat only leads to encounter another. This reinforces the idea that the day of the Lord will bring about unavoidable and overwhelming calamity.
The comparison of the day of the Lord to darkness and not light is a metaphor for the absence of God's favor and the presence of divine judgment. It conveys the message that the day of the Lord will not be a time of deliverance, but rather a time of distress and despair. This imagery reflects the biblical belief in the duality of light and darkness, with light representing God's presence and blessing, and darkness representing the absence of God and the consequences of sin.
The reference to a man fleeing from a lion only to be met by a bear, or seeking refuge in a house and being bitten by a snake, serves to emphasize the futility of trying to escape the judgment that is to come. This imagery underscores the inevitability of the day of the Lord and the inability of the people to avoid its repercussions. It also symbolizes the relentless and inescapable nature of divine judgment, likening it to being surrounded by danger and unable to find safety.
The repetition of the statement "Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light?" further emphasizes the certainty and severity of the impending judgment. This rhetorical question is a powerful tool used by the prophet Amos to drive home the message of the passage and to provoke reflection and conviction among the listeners.
Overall, the passage from Amos 5:18-20 serves as a stark warning to the people of Israel about the consequences of their sin and the impending judgment of the day of the Lord. It conveys the message that God's judgment is inescapable and that those who desire the day of the Lord without true repentance and righteousness will be met with darkness and despair. The vivid imagery and forceful language used in these verses emphasize the severity of divine judgment and the urgent need for the people to turn back to God. Ultimately, these verses point to the themes of divine justice, repentance, and the consequences of sin, serving as a sobering reminder of the importance of obedience and faithfulness to God.
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Amos 5:18-20 Artwork
Amos 5:18-20 - "Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?"
"Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?" - Amos 5:18-20
Amos 5:20 - "Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?"
Amos 5:18 - "Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light."
"Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?" - Amos 5:20
"Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light." - Amos 5:18
Amos 5:21-27
Amos 5:24 - "But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream."
Amos 5:13 - "Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time."
Amos 5:10 - "They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly."
Amos 6:5 - "That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;"
Amos 5:7 - "Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,"
Amos 2:5 - "But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem."
Amos 5:17 - "And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD."
Amos 5:9 - "That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress."
Amos 5:5 - "But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought."
Amos 5:4 - "¶ For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:"
Amos 5:21 - "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies."
Amos 5:25 - "Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?"
Amos 5:23 - "Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols."
Amos 5:27 - "Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts."
Amos 5:1 - "Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel."
Amos 5:14 - "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken."
Amos 7:5 - "Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small."
Amos 5:15 - "Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph."
Amos 5:2 - "The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up."
Amos 5:26 - "But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves."
Amos 5:19 - "As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him."
Amos 4:5 - "And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD."
"But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream." - Amos 5:24