A lamentation: 'The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise' — yet 'Seek Me, and live'; seek good, and not evil; hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate; 'Woe to you that desire the day of Hashem... it is darkness, and not light'; 'I hate, I despise your feasts... But let justice well up as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.'
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
The virgin of Israel is fallen, She shall no more rise; She is cast down upon her land, There is none to raise her up.
verse value 3447
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "rise" (ק֔וּם, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·continue" (לֹא־תוֹסִ֣יף, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "fell" (נָֽפְלָה֙), "rise" (ק֔וּם), "virgin" (בְּתוּלַ֖ת). The root קום appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Israel" (root ישראל, 25x in Amos). First appearance of the root יסף ("not·continue") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: נָֽפְלָה֙ [fell] (165) + לֹא־תוֹסִ֣יף [not·continue] (587) + ק֔וּם [rise] (146) + בְּתוּלַ֖ת [virgin] (838) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [Israel] (541) + נִטְּשָׁ֥ה [was·left] (364) + עַל־אַדְמָתָ֖הּ [upon·her·land] (550) + אֵ֥ין [nothing] (61) + מְקִימָֽהּ [raising·her] (195) = 3447.
Rashi
“The virgin of Israel”: From the time they were exiled in the days of Hoshea son of Elah (II Kings 17:6), no king from the Ten Tribes will stand again.
“Abandoned it upon its soil.” Any object that is cast, left lying, or scattered upon the field is considered abandonment.
Ibn Ezra
“Fallen, O virgin Israel” – refers to the kingdom of the House of Jehu, during the reign of Jeroboam son of Joash.
Radak
“Fallen, no more to rise, the virgin of Israel.” “No more to rise” means for a long time. This refers to the Ten Tribes who were exiled in the days of Hoshea son of Elah by the king of Assyria; they have not yet returned to their land, for when the Babylonian exile returned, they did not return with them. However, they are destined to return in the future, as many prophets prophesied concerning their return. And behold, we have found similar instances of the phrase “no more” which do not mean “forever,” even though the word “yet” or “again” is written in the verse. This is what it says, “And the bands of Aram shall no more come up against the land of Israel,” and immediately after it is written, “And it came to pass afterward that Ben-hadad gathered all his host,” etc. Likewise, “And the king of Egypt shall no more go out from his land,” and yet it is said, “And the army of Pharaoh went out from Egypt.”
A virgin of Israel. She was a virgin until foreign lords possessed her.
“Abandoned upon her land.” While still upon her land, she was abandoned in the land that was taken and impoverished by the hand of her enemies.
There is none to raise her up: that is, her kings and princes do not restore her to return to the Lord, for repentance would have been her restoration.
Metzudat David
“Has fallen.” This means that now the congregation of Israel has fallen to the lowest state and will not rise again to restore its former status and its original sovereignty until they are exiled from their land (but in the future redemption they too will return, like Judah and Benjamin, and there will be one king for all of them; thus they too will return to their original sovereignty).
"Abandoned upon her land." She is still forsaken in her land, and there is no one to raise her up, for the power is not in the hands of her kings and princes to raise her from her ashes.
Metzudat Zion
“Virgin.” It is called “virgin” because it has not yet been conquered and has not come under the dominion of another, just as a maiden has not come under the dominion of her husband. And similarly, “Virgin, daughter of Zion” (Isaiah 23:12).
"Abandoned." The matter of abandonment, as in "You have abandoned Your people" (ibid. 2:).
Malbim
“Niflah” (She has fallen): When a person falls a non-dangerous fall, he will rise by himself from his fall; and when he falls a dangerous fall to the extent that he is unable to rise by himself, then his relatives and acquaintances will hasten to raise him up. However, the virgin of Israel has fallen a dangerous fall to the extent that she will not rise again, for it is impossible for her to rise by herself. And according to this, should it not be proper that her relatives and children hasten to raise her from her fall? And nevertheless, she was left abandoned on her land, and there is no one raising her up; no one was found to raise her up. Even though she is still on her land, she has no one to raise her up. The metaphorical meaning is that in the early days, even if they fell, they subsequently strengthened themselves and rose by themselves, girding themselves with strength. And even at times when they were not able to rise by themselves, the Holy One, blessed be He, saw their affliction and raised them up, as was the case in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, when the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the affliction of Israel and had mercy on them. But now, she has no strength of her own, and moreover, God has abandoned her, and she has no one to raise her up.
For thus says the Lord Hashem: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, of the house of Israel.
verse value 5279
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 63 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·that·goes·out" (וְהַיּוֹצֵ֥את, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 911: she·shall·leave, she·shall·leave. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "the·city" (הָעִ֛יר), "who·comes·out" (הַיֹּצֵ֥את), "thousand" (אֶ֖לֶף). The root יצא appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "said" (root אמר, 52x in Amos); "of·the·house·of" (root בית, 35x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hundred', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
The one that goes out a thousand. The one who brings out a thousand men:
Ibn Ezra
"Ki, ha-yotzet" (the one that goes forth) – an intransitive verb. And do not be astonished at 'my children have gone from me, and they are not' (Jeremiah 10:20), for its meaning is 'they went out from me'; or perhaps this word is like the word 'shav' (return), which in some places is intransitive and in other places is transitive – and I needed to say this on account of the word 'tash'ir' (she shall leave remaining). And the sense is: how could the kingdom endure, when none of the men of the tenth portion remained?
Radak
For thus says the Lord: From the one who goes out, the city from which a thousand men go forth to war shall leave [only] a hundred, for only one out of ten will remain in her, for all of them will be consumed by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; and those who remain will be exiled.
"Ha-yotzet" (the one who goes out). This is not a participle denoting an ongoing action, like "ha-motzi'ah" (the one who brings out), but rather an intransitive verb, according to its rule. Likewise, it is the usage of the language to speak of the matter of the men of the city in terms of the city itself, as in the verses: "And the city came under siege" and "If she will not make peace with you, and she makes war against you."
He shall leave one hundred. Once they remain within it, it is as if the city itself leaves them.
Metzudat David
“The city that sends out a thousand.” If a thousand men went out from it to war, only one hundred would remain in it.
"To the house of Israel." This phrase refers back to the city, to say: the city of the house of Israel, which goes forth a thousand, etc.
Malbim
"For thus says the Lord." It explains beforehand what was stated, that it will not rise up of its own accord, for only a few remain from the many; a city that goes forth with a thousand will leave behind a hundred, for nine-tenths of them were slain and died, and it is impossible for it to strengthen itself through natural means.
For thus says Hashem to the house of Israel: Seek you Me, and live;
verse value 1905
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "seek·Me" (דִּרְשׁ֖וּנִי, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, and·live. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "seek·Me" (דִּרְשׁ֖וּנִי). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "said" (root אמר, 52x in Amos); "to·the·house·of" (root בית, 35x in Amos). First appearance of the root דרש ("seek·Me") in Amos. First appearance of the root חיה ("and·live") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + כֹ֥ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֛ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + לְבֵ֣ית [to·the·house·of] (442) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [Israel] (541) + דִּרְשׁ֖וּנִי [seek·Me] (570) + וִֽחְיֽוּ [and·live] (30) = 1905.
Rashi
“Seek Me, and you shall live.” Go up on pilgrimage to fulfill your vows in Jerusalem.
Ibn Ezra
“For” — the meaning is “seek Me” (dirshuni); “and live” — and the many mentioned shall not die.
Radak
For thus. Even though a decree has been issued against you, you will yet live in your land if you seek Me:
Metzudat David
"Seek Me." Seek Me, and you shall remain alive.
Malbim
For thus says the Lord: Now He explains why He does not restore them, so that you should not think that it is because God’s will has changed—whereas previously He was always restoring them—and now God is like an enemy. For this is not so; rather, God’s will toward them was to give them life, and He said to the House of Israel: “Seek Me, and you shall live.” In contrast to the fact that nine parts of them died, He says that if they seek the Lord, they will live.
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.
verse value 3950
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 67 letters. Verse gematria: 3950 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·seek" (וְאַֽל־תִּדְרְשׁוּ֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "and·not·seek" (וְאַֽל־תִּדְרְשׁוּ֙), "and·Gilgal" (וְהַגִּלְגָּל֙), "you·shall·enter" (תָבֹ֔אוּ). The root בית appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 44x in Amos); "Beth-el" (root בית, 35x in Amos); "for" (root כי, 22x in Amos). First appearance of the root עבר ("you·shall·pass") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·shall·pass', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Rashi
“Do not seek Bethel, and do not pass through to Beersheba.” The verse does not say here, “Do not enter” or “Do not seek,” but rather, “Do not pass through.” From this we learn that there were no idolaters in Beersheba itself. Rather, as long as one of the members of the Ten Tribes went out to seek [idolatrous worship] and did not pass Beersheba, he was still able to turn toward the Temple in Jerusalem. But once he passed Beersheba, that was the way to the calf of Bethel or to the calf in Dan. And so it is stated in another place (below, 8): “As your God lives, O Dan, and as your life endures…” And you may know that Scripture decreed a judgment of retribution upon Gilgal and Bethel, but it did not decree such upon Beersheba.
"The wheel has rolled away, it will roll away." According to its name is its curse. And so with Bethel: there is a city adjacent to it whose name is Beth-On, as it is written in the Book of Judges (7).
"Yihyeh la'on" – "Yihon" teaches us that it is the Targumic rendering of "hevel" (vanity), and this is analogous to the verse: "If Gilead is iniquity, surely they are vanity" (Hosea 12:12).
Ibn Ezra
"And do not seek Bethel"—for there was the calf, and it was the place of Jeroboam’s kingdom.
“Shall become naught (aven)” — a vav in place of a yod, like “and you shall be (hoveh) to them for a king” (Nehemiah 6:6), “behold, the hand of the Lord shall be (hoyah)” (Exodus 9:3). Or it is as its plain meaning, that in the end it is to be called thus.
Radak
"And do not inquire." We have already explained why Bethel and Gilgal are mentioned, and why Beersheba is also mentioned, because it was the boundary of the Land of Israel, as it is said, "From Dan to Beersheba." The false prophets would direct them to build altars there for idolatry, and similarly it is said, "As your god lives, O Dan; and as the way of Beersheba lives."
"For the wheel has gone forth, it shall go forth." This is a refined expression, akin to "Ekron shall be uprooted (Ekron te'aker)."
“And Bethel shall become Aven (naught).” Just as they used to call it derisively “Beth-Aven,” for it shall become [a place of] iniquity (aven) and nothingness (ayin). And this “aven” is like “and their pride is toil and iniquity” (Psalm 90:10). And so Jonathan translated: “and those who worship the idol of Bethel shall become as naught (lama)”; and “lama” is a term for “vanity” (hevel), for thus he renders “hevel.”
Metzudat David
Bethel. This means: the calf that was in Bethel.
And Gilgal. To Gilgal you shall not go, to the idol that stands there.
And Beersheba. "To Beersheba you shall not pass," for even there they built altars to idolatry, as it is stated, "As the way of Beersheba lives" (below, 8).
For Gilgal. For because of the idolatry at Gilgal, Israel shall surely be exiled (galoh yigleh) from its land — and this is a play on words (the word for 'exile', galoh, echoing 'Gilgal').
And Bethel. Because of the idolatrous worship at Bethel, Israel will be subject to toil and labor. And this is a play on words, for the verse denigrates Bethel by calling it “House of Wrong,” as it is stated: “And do not go up to Beth Aven” (Hosea 4:15).
Metzudat Zion
"He shall surely go into exile." From the word for exile (galut).
"Le-aven" (to naught/wickedness). An expression of toil and labor; and likewise, 'If Gilead is iniquity' (Hosea 12:12).
Malbim
“Do not seek Bethel,” in contrast to what is stated above (4:6), that they used to proclaim, “Come to Bethel,” and transgress; [come] to Gilgal, multiply transgression. And because of this, the Lord was angry with them and struck them with famine, pestilence, and the sword, until only one out of ten remained from among them. He said, “Do not seek Bethel” (for there they sought after the calf), and “to Gilgal do not go” (for there they committed other abominations and increased in transgression), as it is stated in Hosea 9:15, “All their evil is in Gilgal.” And “do not pass over to Beersheba,” for there was the road to Bethel, as it is stated, “And the way of Beersheba is alive.” He added that they should not even go on the road leading to the calves of Beth-aven, for “Gilgal shall surely be exiled,” and from there you shall not attain life and salvation, only...
Seek Hashem, and live— Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And it devour, and there be none to quench it in Bethel—
verse value 2793
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "like·the·fire" (כָּאֵשׁ֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·none·quenching" (וְאֵין־מְכַבֶּ֖ה, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "seek" (דִּרְשׁ֥וּ), "Hashem" (אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה), "lest·he·break·out" (פֶּן־יִצְלַ֤ח). The root בית appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "house·of" (root בית, 35x in Amos). First appearance of the root יוסף ("Joseph") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·live', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 7 words. Full calculation: דִּרְשׁ֥וּ [seek] (510) + אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (427) + וִֽחְי֑וּ [and·live] (30) + פֶּן־יִצְלַ֤ח [lest·he·break·out] (268) + כָּאֵשׁ֙ [like·the·fire] (321) + בֵּ֣ית [house·of] (412) + יוֹסֵ֔ף [Joseph] (156) + וְאָכְלָ֥ה [and·it·shall·consume] (62) + וְאֵין־מְכַבֶּ֖ה [and·none·quenching] (134) + לְבֵֽית־אֵֽל [to·Beth-el] (473) = 2793.
Rashi
“Lest it succeed like fire.” Perhaps it will ignite with the fire of His wrath.
Beit Yosef. Just as it says, “To the house of Joseph, lest it break out like fire,” [so too here]: “Lest his anger rise like fire against the house of Joseph.”
Ibn Ezra
They expounded: “[lest] he break forth (yitzlach)” — [i.e.,] he shall break through (yivka), like “and they crossed the Jordan” (2 Samuel 19:18); and “the house of Joseph” is the object (pa'ul), and it is Jeroboam, who is from Ephraim, as I will yet explain.
Radak
They expounded: “Lest it succeed like fire in the house of Joseph.” “It will break forth”—the Targum translates “it will break forth” as “and he split the wood of the burnt offering,” and “succeed” is like the great fire that breaks through everything it passes over and consumes it; and “the house of Joseph” refers to the kingdom of Ephraim.
Metzudat David
“Lest it prosper.” This means: Lest the anger of the Lord prosper and grow strong against the House of Joseph, like a fire that prospers, grows stronger and stronger, and consumes.
Bet Yosef: This is the kingdom of Ephraim, who are from the sons of Joseph.
"And it shall eat." And it burned the men of Samaria who served the calf that was in Bethel, and no one was found to extinguish the fire; this means that no one was found to save and rescue them.
Metzudat Zion
It shall prevail. The matter of overcoming:
“And it shall consume. And it shall burn:”
Malbim
“Seek the Lord and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph,” [this is said] in opposition to what is stated above, “And you shall be like a brand plucked from the burning, and you did not return to Me,” which is the final blow He struck them with, and they still had not returned. He says: Will it not be by this very thing that the house of Joseph will break out like fire to consume even the remaining brand, for it will devour and there will be no extinguisher, until nothing remains of them? And He also alluded to them regarding the rebellion that arose among them in the days of Hoshea son of Elah, whose cause was the calf in Bethel, which Hoshea sought to abolish, and two factions arose among them, as I have explained in Hosea in many places. And through this rebellion, they devoured one another. As it is stated (Isaiah 9:18), “And the people will be like the fuel of fire, one devouring another, without pitying; Manasseh against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh.” And this is what is meant by “the house of Joseph will break out like fire,” for a burning tree consumes its neighbor closest to it. And so they will devour one another. And according to this, the Lord warned them to seek Him and live, but they did not heed His voice, and therefore He did not restore them from their fall, for they themselves were the cause of their downfall.
You who turn judgment to wormwood, And cast righteousness to the ground;
verse value 1379
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "judgment" (מִשְׁפָּ֑ט, 4 letters) and the longest is "that·turn" (הַהֹפְכִ֥ים, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "that·turn" (הַהֹפְכִ֥ים), "cast" (הִנִּֽיחוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·land" (root ארץ, 20x in Amos). First appearance of the root משפט ("judgment") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'judgment', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הַהֹפְכִ֥ים [that·turn] (160) + לְלַעֲנָ֖ה [to·wormwood] (185) + מִשְׁפָּ֑ט [judgment] (429) + וּצְדָקָ֖ה [and·righteousness] (205) + לָאָ֥רֶץ [to·the·land] (321) + הִנִּֽיחוּ [cast] (79) = 1379.
Rashi
Those who turn judgment into wormwood. And they do not remember the reversals that I reverse, etc.
Ibn Ezra
"The ones who turn" – the kings are the judges.
"And they left righteousness for the land" – to practice it. And Yefet said: They left it to the inhabitants of the land, and how did they forget that it is the Name?
Radak
"The opposites are for bitterness, judgment." For kings and judges incline the judgment and show partiality to the great in judgment, and behold, their judgment for the oppressed is like bitterness, which is a bitter thing; and behold, it is the opposite, for judgment when it is in its proper place is a sweet and good thing, but when it is perverted, it is bitter.
And they left charity to the earth. This means that they did not perform acts of charity, but rather left it cast upon the earth, paying no heed to it and not remembering the Maker of the Pleiades and Orion, who executes justice and righteousness through them on the earth. And He teaches mankind that they too should do likewise, as it is said: "I am the Lord, who practice kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for in these things I delight," says the Lord.
Metzudat David
“The ones who invert.” Those who invert the judgment of the Torah, which is sweet as honey, in order to take in exchange for it the calf, which is bitter as wormwood.
They laid them down to the earth. "They cast righteousness down to the earth."
Metzudat Zion
La'anah (wormwood). The name of a bitter herb.
Malbim
"The overturners," he further said, are the cause of why they fell without any one to raise them up, because they turn justice into bitterness. For it is impossible for Israel to endure except through justice and righteousness. Justice encompasses the commandments between man and his fellow, and righteousness encompasses the commandments between man and his Creator. They are the grapes that the Lord hoped for from the vineyard that He planted in the corner of the son of oil, as it is stated (Isaiah 5:1-2). And justice walks in the land to guard the civil lives, so that they may live sweet and pleasant lives, to guard the community from oppression and robbery, and so that they may live in comfort and tranquility. Yet they turn justice into bitterness. And righteousness lifts its wings to heaven to find, through the happiness of the soul, that it is a daughter of God, spiritual and divine. Yet they left righteousness to the earth, regarding it as an earthly, material matter, counted as nothing, because they do not believe in the eternity of the soul and its holiness.
Him that makes the Pleiades and Orion, And brings on the shadow of death in the morning, And darkens the day into night; That calls for the waters of the sea, And pours them out upon the face of the earth; Hashem is His name;
verse value 3876
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 71 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "doing" (עֹשֵׂ֨ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·water·of·the·sea" (לְמֵֽי־הַיָּ֗ם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 75: Pleiades, night. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "Pleiades" (כִימָ֜ה), "and·Orion" (וּכְסִ֗יל), "and·turning" (וְהֹפֵ֤ךְ). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "and·day" (root יום, 21x in Amos); "the·land" (root ארץ, 20x in Amos). First appearance of the root חשך ("darkens") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'darkens', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Rashi
“Who turns deep darkness into morning light.” There are those who are now immersed in darkness, and I illuminate for them.
"And the day and the night He darkened." And there is one whose appointed time stands for him like the light of day, and I darken it into night.
"The one who calls forth the waters of the sea." Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "Who said to gather many hosts, like the waters of the sea, and scattered them over the face of the earth." Our Sages explained [this] as referring to the generation of Enosh, upon whom He caused the waters of the ocean to flood.
"The Lord is His name. If you had served Him, He would have made you mighty against your enemies."
Ibn Ezra
“Making the Pleiades”: Abraham the author says: Know that there are two places in the sphere, namely, the poles and Ash (Ursa), which is the Wain, the Chariot, which is called the Bear; it is close to the northern pole. Therefore, the Wain is always seen in summer and winter in all the northern inhabited lands. And there is near the southern pole a large red star called Suhayl in the language of Ishmael. And there are small stars close to it, and these are seen at times by everyone who dwells near the equator, but the northerners do not see any of these. Therefore, Scripture called them: “The chambers of the south.” And these are called “the chambers of the south” because they are not seen in the inhabited lands. And the Wain is called “the Wain” from the root of “making” (osho), because they are seven that do not separate.
And now it remains to explain "kesil" and "kima" – and the opinion of our ancient sages is: that "kima" is the tail of the ram and the head of the bull, and they are six visible stars, even though they are small. And it is known through conclusive proofs that the sphere of the zodiac is connected to the upper sphere in two places, and in both of them they are called the points of inclination, and from there the sphere of the zodiac inclines toward the north twenty-three and a half degrees – one and a half degrees being one-sixth of them – and so too toward the south. And behold, these are three points. And the sun travels along the path of the sphere of the zodiac. Therefore, the morning is turned into darkness, and day into night, and it grows dark throughout all inhabited lands.
And the meaning of calling the star Kimah “Kimah” is that there it was Kimah in ancient times, for every hundred years the sphere of the zodiac revolves from west to east by nearly one and a half degrees. And behold, in the days of the sage Ptolemy, who lived only a thousand years ago, he found the heart of the Lion at two degrees, whereas now it is at eighteen degrees. And it is known that the heart of the Lion is always at nine degrees opposite the form, but not opposite the connecting point. And behold, Kesil is opposite Kimah, yet they are not one, but many, and the heart of the Scorpion is among them, and these matters require explanation.
And the meaning of “the one who calls for the waters of the sea” is that He gathers the clouds that rise up, and afterward He pours them out upon the earth. The interpretation that this refers to the drowning of Pharaoh is neither the peshat (literal meaning) nor the derash (homiletical interpretation), for Pharaoh did not drown on dry land. The reason for mentioning these matters is that it is fitting for a king, who serves as a judge, to know the wisdom of God and His might—how He can turn day into night, and how by His power He can lift the waters from the sea, which are below, and pour them out upon the earth. And how could they not fear, since God will overturn the kingdom of the judge, and an enemy will come by God’s command and decree upon him to destroy his kingdom, and therefore [comes] the [verse] after it.
Radak
"He makes the Pleiades and Orion." Remember these stars, for in them lies the sustenance of the crops in their seasons, and this is the opposite of that, and both are for the sustenance of the world. He did not mention the sun and the moon, even though in them lies the sustenance of the world, because they rule throughout the entire year, whereas these two stars rule at specific times of the year, and they are the need of the world and its order. And similarly it says, "Bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen the bands of Orion." And our Sages of blessed memory said that in the Pleiades there is great cold, which nips the fruit, and in Orion there is great heat, which ripens the fruit. And they said that the Pleiades is the tail of the ram. And behold, they invert the order for evil, and they did not mention Him who inverts the matters in order for the good of the world and its sustenance. And similarly, the day and the night in the seasons, He makes them opposites for good.
And He turns darkness into morning. In the days of summer, He turns darkness into light, for the days are long and the nights are short; and in the days of winter, it is the opposite, for the day is darkened and called night, for the nights are long and the days are short. And all this reversal is the sustenance of the world and its proper order. Similarly, He calls forth the waters of the sea, which are salty, and raises them up in clouds, and pours them down upon the face of the earth to water it, and they are sweet. Behold, He turns things for the good of the world, and you did not remember Him, and you turn His good judgments into evil.
"His name is the Lord." This is what is stated above: "The Lord, God of Hosts, is His name," as we have explained.
Metzudat David
"He makes the Pleiades and Orion." This phrase is dependent on the preceding verse, which states, "Seek the Lord." This is the One who creates the Pleiades and Orion, even though they differ in their actions: the Pleiades cools, while Orion heats.
"And He turns, etc."—He turns the darkness to become morning, and He darkens the day to become night.
One who reads “the waters of the sea” – [this refers] to raising them up in clouds, and after a time, pouring them out upon the face of the earth.
"The Lord is His name," indicating that He is the Master of all.
Metzudat Zion
"Kimah and Kesil." These are the names of constellations:
Tzelamut. The shadow of death, which is the darkness of the grave.
Malbim
“He makes” – thus, just as they invert sweet into bitter, and heavenly bliss into earthly matters, and invert the orders that the Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for their success in this world and for their welfare in the World to Come, so too will the Holy One, blessed be He, invert the orders of creation to strike them down and destroy them. And he explained that just as the Holy One, blessed be He, arranged the orders of creation in the most optimal and beneficial manner, for He made Kimah and Kesil. Kimah refers to the constellations that bring cold and water, and in opposition to this, He made Kesil, which brings heat and dryness, as our Sages of blessed memory stated: “Were it not for the heat of Kesil, the world could not endure the cold of Kimah.” And they said that the Holy One, blessed be He, took two stars from Kimah and brought a flood upon the world. And Kesil maintains the order of creation so that the waters do not become dominant and flood the land. And similarly, He turns darkness into morning, for He created the light by which darkness is turned into morning. Now He will invert these orders for evil: in opposition to what turns darkness into morning, now He darkens day into night, causing day to return to being night; and in opposition to what He made Kesil do to guard against the evil of Kimah prevailing and bringing a flood upon the world, now He Himself calls forth the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land, for “The Lord of Hosts is His Name,” the One who rules over all the hosts and arranges them according to His will. And just as they inverted the order of governance, so too will He invert the order of the governance of the world to destroy them from the face of the earth.
That causes destruction to flash upon the strong, So that destruction comes upon the fortress.
verse value 1332
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. Verse gematria: 1332 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "destruction" (שֹׁ֖ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "he·who·flashes" (הַמַּבְלִ֥יג, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "he·who·flashes" (הַמַּבְלִ֥יג), "destruction" (שֹׁ֖ד), "upon·the·strong" (עַל־עָ֑ז). The root שד appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·the·strong" (root על, 28x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·strong', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הַמַּבְלִ֥יג [he·who·flashes] (90) + שֹׁ֖ד [destruction] (304) + עַל־עָ֑ז [upon·the·strong] (177) + וְשֹׁ֖ד [and·destruction] (310) + עַל־מִבְצָ֥ר [upon·the·fortress] (432) + יָבֽוֹא [will·go·in] (19) = 1332.
Rashi
המבליג. The one who increases, like "and I will strengthen myself a little" (Job 10:20), "my sorrow has increased over me" (Jeremiah 8:18).
Robber. A person who is robbed and weakened—He empowers the weak over the strong, and the robbers over the fortified cities of the strong, and establishes dominion.
Ibn Ezra
He who suddenly brings destruction upon the strong and the fortress shall not avail; therefore, robbery will come upon the fortress.
Radak
“Who makes destruction flash forth upon the strong.” And if you say that you will trust in your fortresses — [know that] the Holy One, blessed be He, is the One who strengthens the plundering enemy against a strong people; and so, by His will, the plunderer comes upon a strong fortress and captures it; and so shall one come upon you who will capture your fortresses.
“Shod.” An adjective on the paradigm of “lechem cham” (hot bread).
“Ha-mavlig.” A transitive verb, from “and I would recover a little” (Job 10:20, ve-avligah) — and that [ve-avligah] is an intransitive verb.
Metzudat David
The one who intensifies [destruction]. Is he not strengthening robbery and desolation upon a mighty people?
"And destruction." This means: Likewise, destruction will come upon the fortress in which you place your trust. It is as if He said: Since this is the case, seek the Lord and live.
Metzudat Zion
המבליג. The meaning is "strength," as in "and I will strengthen myself a little" (Job 10:20).
"שוד" – a matter of destruction and ruin, as in: "of destruction (shod) when it comes" (ibid. 5:21).
Malbim
The one who overlooks, and likewise through their turning justice into wormwood, the order is reversed even among human beings, in that the plunder prevailed even over the strong and the mighty. And it also means that the plunder itself gained mastery over them, in that they were punished through the plunder. And furthermore, plunder will come upon a fortress; even though the mighty one dwells in a fortified city, the fortress will not save him, for the plunder will come and conquer the fortress.
They hate him that reproves in the gate, And they abhor him that speaks uprightly.
verse value 2203
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "they·hate" (שָׂנְא֥וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "reprover" (מוֹכִ֑יחַ, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "they·hate" (שָׂנְא֥וּ), "reprover" (מוֹכִ֑יחַ), "and·speaking" (וְדֹבֵ֥ר). 6 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root שנא ("they·hate") in Amos. First appearance of the root שער ("in·the·gate") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'reprover', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָׂנְא֥וּ [they·hate] (357) + בַשַּׁ֖עַר [in·the·gate] (572) + מוֹכִ֑יחַ [reprover] (84) + וְדֹבֵ֥ר [and·speaking] (212) + תָּמִ֖ים [complete] (490) + יְתָעֵֽבוּ [they·abhor] (488) = 2203.
Rashi
“They hate him that reproves in the gate.” You did not fear Him or His prophets, and you hated those who reprove you at the gates of the courthouses.
Ibn Ezra
And if a prophet rebukes the judge, he and his officers will hate him; therefore it is written: “They hate in the gate him who reproves.”
Radak
As it is taught: “One who reproves them in the gate”—that is to say, in public—will be hated by them. And those who reprove them are the true prophets and the pious among them, who reprove them in public because they are numerous, and they are the inhabitants of the gate, in place of the upright judges.
"And a perfect word." He mentioned tamim and yashar (upright); for it is either an adjective or a noun, as in "in truth and in perfection." And Jonathan translated: "and him who speaks like a dove, they treat crookedly."
Metzudat David
As it is stated: “And yet they hated at the gate the prophet who reproved them.” This means that even in the city gate, a place of public prominence, they displayed hatred toward the one who reproved them.
And one who speaks uprightly. And he who speaks words that are upright and straightforward, they detest him:
Metzudat Zion
"they shall be detestable." The word is derived from the root meaning "detestation" and "abomination."
Malbim
As it is stated: “He said further, the cause of their downfall is that there was no one to uphold [justice], because they hated the reprovers who sought to straighten them and return them to the right path—whether the reprover concerning matters of law between one person and another, who reproves at the gate, which is the place of judgment (for it was the custom of the judges to sit at the gate), or likewise the one who speaks with integrity to straighten them concerning matters of righteousness in the commandments between a person and the Divine; they detested him. And thus, there is no hope that they will return from their evil deeds through teachers and reprovers.”
Therefore, because you trample upon the poor, And take from him exactions of wheat; You have built houses of hewn stone, But you shall not dwell in them, You have planted pleasant vineyards, But you shall not drink wine thereof.
verse value 7057
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 77 letters. The shortest word is "in·them" (בָ֑ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·exaction·of·grain" (וּמַשְׂאַת־בַּר֙, 7 letters). 13 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "because" (יַ֣עַן), "your·trampling" (בּוֹשַׁסְכֶ֞ם), "upon·the·poor" (עַל־דָּ֗ל). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 44x in Amos); "houses·of" (root בית, 35x in Amos); "upon·the·poor" (root על, 28x in Amos). First appearance of the root לקח ("you·will·take") in Amos. First appearance of the root בנה ("you·built") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Rashi
"בושסכם" – like "בוססכם," meaning that you trample and crush upon the poor, as it is said, "They have trodden down my portion" (Jeremiah 12:10).
"And from the burden that you have taken." [This refers to] the imposing of a loan that you charged upon them, [by] raising the prices to sell them grain at interest, in order to take their inheritance from them. Therefore, the houses and vineyards that you have built and planted on those inheritances will not endure in your hands. And "burden" is in the sense of a load that you have made heavy upon them.
My vineyard of delight. My vineyard of delight:
Ibn Ezra
Therefore, "bo-sheschem" – there is no companion to it, for the bet is a root, since it is impossible for it to serve together with the name of the verb, except that its weight and meaning are to do violence to the poor.
“And a burden of grain” — that which he toiled for, you take from him by force; and this is your reward: "You built houses of hewn stone."
Radak
“Therefore, because of your trampling upon the poor.” This word has no cognate, and its meaning according to its context is “your burdening and troubling [of them]”; and he said this concerning the princes and the judges. Jonathan rendered the bet as a servile [prefix], but this is not tenable by the way of grammar. And he [Jonathan] interpreted “shassechem” as a term of plunder, like “plundering the threshing floors” (1 Samuel 23:1), “the plunderers of my heritage”; and so Jonathan rendered [it]: “because you plunder the poor.” And my master, my father, of blessed memory, explained that the shin stands in place of a samekh — like “u-voles shikmim” (a gatherer of sycamores, Amos 7:14), which is like “bolesh,” from the Targum of “and he searched” (va-yechappes) [namely] “u-valash.” And the word is an infinitive from the quadriliteral po‘el conjugation — “bosaskhem,” in the paradigm of “ta‘ankhem” — and the sense of the word is [that of] trampling, like “and upon My mountains I will trample him” (Isaiah 14:25).
"And a burden of grain you take from him." Just as he has labored and carried upon his shoulder from the produce to his house to live from it, so you shall take it from him, because he is poor and has no strength to save himself from your hands. And what will be your punishment for this? That you will despoil the house of the poor.
“Stone houses you have built, but you shall not dwell in them.” Your houses that you built with stone, through oppression and robbery, you shall not dwell in them for a long time, for soon the enemy will come and drive you out from them and destroy them. And likewise, you shall not drink the wine of the vineyards that you planted through oppression, for you will soon be exiled from your land.
"Vineyards of delight." They are delightful and good, as it is stated regarding "houses of hewn stone," which denotes a beautiful and fine building. Alternatively, the interpretation of "vineyards of delight" is that you coveted them and robbed them from the poor, in the manner of the verse that states, "And they coveted fields and seized them."
Metzudat David
“Because you trample [the poor]” (Yachan boschem): Because you trod underfoot the poor and plundered from him the burden of produce that was upon his shoulder, for this reason the stone houses that you built—and they are yours—nevertheless you shall not dwell in them, for the enemy shall take them; and likewise the pleasant vineyards that you planted—and they are yours—nevertheless you shall not drink their wine, only the enemy.
Metzudat Zion
בושסכם: Like בוססכם, and it is the sense of trampling, as in "they trampled my field" (Jeremiah 12:10).
And a burden. The word is from "burden."
Bar. "Grain" is like "to buy grain" (Genesis 42:3):
Gazit. Stones that are hewn with precision, as it is stated: “You shall not build with them hewn stones” (Exodus 20:22).
Malbim
Therefore, thus says the Lord: If they had heeded reproof, He would have waited for them still, perhaps they would return. But since there is no hope that they will return, the Lord decreed and said: “Because you have crushed the poor,” and by means of your crushing and oppressing the poor, thereby you took from him his best produce; and from this injustice that you take—the poor man’s harvest—you built houses of cut stone; therefore you shall not dwell in them. Likewise, from the injustice of your crushing the poor, you planted pleasant vineyards; therefore you shall not drink their wine, for you will go into exile, and this is fitting for you, measure for measure.
For I know how manifold are your transgressions, And how mighty are your sins; You that afflict the just, that take a ransom, And that turn aside the needy in the gate.
verse value 3909
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·needy" (וְאֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים, 8 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "your·transgressions" (פִּשְׁעֵיכֶ֔ם), "mighty" (וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים), "your·sins" (חַטֹּאתֵיכֶ֑ם). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 22x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·sins', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ [I·know] (494) + רַבִּ֣ים [many] (252) + פִּשְׁעֵיכֶ֔ם [your·transgressions] (520) + וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים [mighty] (256) + חַטֹּאתֵיכֶ֑ם [your·sins] (488) + צֹרְרֵ֤י [binding] (500) + צַדִּיק֙ [just] (204) + לֹ֣קְחֵי [who·had·married] (148) + כֹ֔פֶר [ransom] (300) + וְאֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים [and·needy] (125) + בַּשַּׁ֥עַר [in·the·gate] (572) + הִטּֽוּ [they·turn·aside] (20) = 3909.
Rashi
"The adversaries of the righteous" – they oppress him, the innocent one.
In the gate they turn aside. "In the gates of your courts, turn aside the judgment of the poor:"
Ibn Ezra
"For I know" – If you do this in secret, I know it.
"The adversaries of the righteous man—according to the law."
"beshar" – in public.
Radak
"For I know": Do not think that I do not see and know your evil deeds, for I know everything. And the bribe that you take in secret to bind up the righteous in his judgment and to harm him because of the bribe that you took in secret, and it is the ransom that you take to save the wicked from the hand of his adversary, who is righteous in his judgment.
“And the needy in the gate they turn aside.” The matter is doubled in what is stated: for the poor are righteous in their judgment, for the most part, because they are oppressed and do not oppress, since they lack the power to oppress. And what is said “at the gates” is because there they sit for judgment, like “to the gate, unto the elders” (Deuteronomy 25:7).
Metzudat David
"Your sins are many." That is, your sins are numerous, and your iniquities are strong. You oppress the righteous man and take a ransom to exempt the guilty one from the punishment of death, and at the gate, the place of judgment, you pervert the justice of the poor.
Metzudat Zion
And mighty. Strong:
"צוררי" – from the word "צר" meaning "enemy" or "adversary."
Kofer. Redemption:
Malbim
“‘For I know your transgressions are many’—the term ‘transgression’ (pesha) refers to the aspect of rebellion, whereas ‘sin’ (chet) is that which a person sins out of desire and pleasure, not out of intent to rebel. Now, a transgression is always more severe than a sin, since one intends to rebel; yet sins are always more numerous than transgressions, for the majority of sinners sin out of desire and the evil inclination, and only rarely will one be found who commits a sin not for the sake of benefit, but rather with the intent to provoke anger and rebel. But with you, even the transgressions are numerous in quantity, and likewise your sins are great, in that even the sins are great in quality.
He explains what is stated, “your transgressions are many”: they are enemies of the righteous. That they pervert the judgment of the righteous is not out of desire and pleasure, but rather because they are hostile to whoever is righteous. For through their rebellion, they love the oppressor and the wicked, and hate the upright and the robbed one, who is righteous in his judgment. Thus, the righteous one emerges liable before them even without any acceptance of bribes whatsoever. If so, this is a continuous transgression.
And corresponding to what is stated, “your sins are great,” he explains “takers of ransom (kofer)”: that they sin in this matter for their own benefit, by accepting bribes, is not merely to pervert monetary cases. Rather, they accept “ransom” (kofer), for “ransom” refers to perverting capital cases (as it is stated, “You shall not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer”). This, although it is a sin that they commit for the benefit of money, is great in quality, for thereby the land is defiled with blood, and thereby “the poor are crushed in the gate.” For the poor man has nothing, and his case in the gate is not about monetary matters, but rather about capital cases—beatings and wounds—and they accept ransom and pervert the judgment of the poor man who is beaten and murdered.”
Therefore the prudent does keep silence in such a time; For it is an evil time.
verse value 1843
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·prudent" (הַמַּשְׂכִּ֛יל, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "the·prudent" (הַמַּשְׂכִּ֛יל), "time" (בָּעֵ֥ת), "that" (הַהִ֖יא). The root עת appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 22x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'keeps·silent', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: לָכֵ֗ן [therefore] (100) + הַמַּשְׂכִּ֛יל [the·prudent] (405) + בָּעֵ֥ת [time] (472) + הַהִ֖יא [that] (21) + יִדֹּ֑ם [keeps·silent] (54) + כִּ֛י [for] (30) + עֵ֥ת [time] (470) + רָעָ֖ה [evil] (275) + הִֽיא [it] (16) = 1843.
Rashi
The wise man: He who is wise remains silent when evil comes, and does not question the attribute of justice, for all of these things have already been done.
"For it is an evil time." The time appointed to receive their evil.
Ibn Ezra
Therefore - there are some among the wise who remain silent and do not reprove, on account of fear of the king.
Radak
Therefore, the wise man will be silent at that time. Since they hate the one who rebukes them, it is said: whoever is wise among the good ones will be silent and will not rebuke them, so that he will not hear the reproach that they will return to him.
"For it is a time of distress." The hand of the wicked has prevailed.
Metzudat David
Therefore. On account of these judgments, behold, the wise man will remain silent at the time of the coming of the calamity, and he will not ponder over the measure of justice, for the time has come to receive the evil, for the measure has been filled.
Metzudat Zion
Yedom. The matter of silence, as in "And Aaron was silent" (Leviticus 10:3).
Malbim
Therefore, and by means of this that you have become rooted in sins and transgressions, the wise man will be silent at that time. The wise men of the people, who know your wickedness, whose way it was to reprove, will now be silent and place a hand over their mouth, because it is a time of evil, and they hate the reprover and kill him. And therefore, there is no one who reproves and sets the people straight, and there is absolutely no hope that they will return from their iniquities, as it is stated, “They hate him who reproves in the gate.” And therefore, “She has fallen to the ground; she is not raised up,” for it is impossible for them to rise except by returning from their iniquities.
Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; And so Hashem, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you say.
verse value 3783
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 52 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֧ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3783 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "for·purpose·of" (לְמַ֣עַן, 4 letters) and the longest is "God·of·hosts" (אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֛וֹת, 9 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "seek·good" (דִּרְשׁוּ־ט֥וֹב), "and·not·evil" (וְאַל־רָ֖ע), "you·shall·live" (תִּֽחְי֑וּ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "you·spoke" (root אמר, 52x in Amos). First appearance of the root אל ("and·not·evil") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·shall·live', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: דִּרְשׁוּ־ט֥וֹב [seek·good] (527) + וְאַל־רָ֖ע [and·not·evil] (307) + לְמַ֣עַן [for·purpose·of] (190) + תִּֽחְי֑וּ [you·shall·live] (424) + וִיהִי־כֵ֞ן [and·let·it·be·so] (101) + יְהֹוָ֧ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֛וֹת [God·of·hosts] (545) + אִתְּכֶ֖ם [with·you] (461) + כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר [as] (521) + אֲמַרְתֶּֽם [you·spoke] (681) = 3783.
Rashi
"And it shall be so, etc." If you do this, then the Omnipresent will be with you, as you have said in your heart, that your greatness will be established for you.
Ibn Ezra
They expounded: “A good name” – either a good epithet, or the attribute of goodness, or the way of goodness, or the law, or the matter.
"As you said" – in your hearts.
Radak
“Seek good.” The prophet again reproaches them, perhaps they will heed.
"And it shall be so." If you seek the good and distance yourselves from evil, the Lord will be with you as you have said; that is to say, in every matter in which you have envisioned success and good fortune, it shall be exactly so.
Thus, the Lord, the God of hosts, is with you. And he repeated the matter, saying further:
Metzudat David
"Seek good." Therefore, seek to do good, and do not seek to do evil, in order that you may attain life.
“And it shall be so, etc.” – This means: “Thus shall the Lord be with you,” firmly established in your hearts, as you said and vowed at the time you accepted Him as God.
Malbim
“Seek good”: return to his earlier words, where he said, “Thus says the Lord: Seek Me and live, and do not seek Bethel.” The meaning is: if you wish to live, this will not be achieved by seeking Bethel, but rather by seeking the Lord. Therefore, “that you may live, seek good and not evil,” for you will not live by seeking evil—by seeking the calves of Bethel—but only by seeking good. For in seeking good, you are thereby seeking the Lord, as it is stated, “Seek Me and live.” That is to say, seek good, for through this the Lord of Hosts will be with you, as you yourselves say. You yourselves declare that you strive for the Lord to be with you, to save you from the hands of your enemies and your troubles. Yet you choose means that distance the Lord from you, for through the calves and through oppression, the Lord will hide His face from you. But if you desire that the Lord be with you, as you yourselves say, then seek good, which is itself the seeking of the Lord, and it will benefit you, so that the Lord will be with you and you will live.
Hate the evil, and love the good, And establish justice in the gate; It may be that Hashem, the God of hosts, Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
verse value 3588
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 58 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3588 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "good" (ט֔וֹב, 3 letters) and the longest is "God·of·hosts" (אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֖וֹת, 9 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "hate·the·evil" (שִׂנְאוּ־רָע֙), "and·love" (וְאֶ֣הֱבוּ), "good" (ט֔וֹב). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos). First appearance of the root רע ("hate·the·evil") in Amos. First appearance of the root טוב ("good") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'judgment', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: שִׂנְאוּ־רָע֙ [hate·the·evil] (627) + וְאֶ֣הֱבוּ [and·love] (20) + ט֔וֹב [good] (17) + וְהַצִּ֥יגוּ [and·establish] (120) + בַשַּׁ֖עַר [in·the·gate] (572) + מִשְׁפָּ֑ט [judgment] (429) + אוּלַ֗י [perhaps] (47) + יֶחֱנַ֛ן [will·be·gracious] (118) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֖וֹת [God·of·hosts] (545) + שְׁאֵרִ֥ית [rest] (911) + יוֹסֵֽף [Joseph] (156) = 3588.
Rashi
The remnant of Joseph. All Israel are called by his name, for he sustained them.
Ibn Ezra
As it is taught: “Raa” is a descriptor, and it refers to a wicked person; and similarly, “tov” is one who reproves and speaks with integrity.
The remnant of Joseph – for the king is from the children of Joseph.
Radak
As it is stated: “They hated evil, and they established justice at the gate.” This means: They instituted the administration of justice at the gate, which is the place where the judges and elders sit.
Perhaps the Lord will have mercy. Even though you have sinned against Him greatly, perhaps the Lord will have mercy on the remnant that remains, if you return to Him, for He is gracious and merciful.
“The remnant of Joseph.” This refers to the kingdom of Ephraim. The term “remnant” is used because the majority of them had already gone into exile prior to the reign of Jeroboam son of Joash, and they were destroyed by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as it is stated: “For the Lord saw the severe affliction of Israel, that there was no one held back, and no one left” (2 Kings 14:26).
Metzudat David
As it is stated: “Hate evil.” [The verse teaches:] “Hate what is evil in the eyes of the Lord, and love what is good in His eyes, and establish justice in the gate, that justice may be established and stand firm.”
"Perhaps He will have mercy on them." If you do so, perhaps the Lord will have mercy on the remnant that remains of Joseph. And He called all Israel by the name of Joseph, because he sustained them in Egypt.
Metzudat Zion
And they presented him. The meaning of "presenting" is akin to standing, as in "you shall stand him alone" (Judges 7:5).
Perhaps. Its meaning is: lest.
Yechanan. From the root of "chaninah" and "chamalah" (mercy and compassion).
Malbim
“Hate evil” — this adds that you should not only refrain from seeking evil, but rather seek only good. For it is fitting that you hate evil, since it is through it that you receive punishment; and it is fitting that you love good. This is not as the verse states regarding the adversaries of the righteous, who hate good and thereby pervert the judgment of the righteous. Rather, it is fitting that you do the opposite: love good, and thereby you will establish justice at the gate. Perhaps through this, the Lord will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph, to grant them a remnant and hope.
And one can also learn from this that what is stated, “Seek good,” refers to matters between a person and God. And what was added, “Hate evil and love good,” refers to matters between a person and his fellow, as it says, “Establish justice at the gate.” And through your seeking good in matters of faith and commandments toward God, the Lord will be with you. And through your establishing justice at the gate, the Lord will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph. For the root cause of the exile was due to transgressions between a person and his fellow, as it is stated, “Because you have oppressed the poor” etc.
Therefore thus says Hashem, The God of hosts, the Lord: Lamentation shall be in all the broad places, And they shall say in all the streets: ‘Alas! alas! ’ And they shall call the husbandman to mourning, And proclaim lamentation to such as are skilful of wailing.
verse value 3685
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 83 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "therefore" (לָ֠כֵ֠ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·in·all·streets" (וּבְכׇל־חוּצ֖וֹת, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 65: my·lord, wailing. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "in·all·broad·places" (בְּכׇל־רְחֹב֣וֹת), "and·in·all·streets" (וּבְכׇל־חוּצ֖וֹת), "they·will·say" (יֹאמְר֣וּ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "thus·says" (root אמר, 52x in Amos); "my·lord" (root אדון, 26x in Amos). First appearance of the root מספד ("wailing") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'alas!·alas!', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Hu, hu." This is the language of a cry:
And they call the farmer to mourning. The caravans of the plowmen who are plowing in the fields are struck by the sound of the mourners’ wailing as they cry out in the streets:
And mourning to those who know lamentation. And those who make mourning shall meet those who make wailing; and it is only a doubled expression, like "judgments and laws" (Psalms 9:5):
Ibn Ezra
Therefore—if you will not listen, evil will come upon you; in all the streets there will be mourning.
"Ho, ho" – lacking a yod, like "hoveh."
“And they shall call the farmer to mourning” — for they shall not reap what they sowed, just as they shall not drink the wine of their vineyards; therefore [it is stated in what follows].
Radak
Therefore: If you do not return to Me, evils will come upon you, until there will be mourning in all the streets.
“Ho, ho.” It is the sound of lamentation, like “hoi, hoi” (woe, woe).
“And they call the farmer to mourning.” The farmer (ikkar) is one who works the fields; and they call him to come to the mourning, for his labor and toil were in vain, since the crops and plants were smitten — they sowed but did not reap.
“And wailing to those skilled in lamentation.” [This is] as if by inversion: “and those skilled in lamentation [they call] to wailing.” And likewise “do you know it, for then you were born” (Job 38:21) is like “do you know [that] then you were born”; [and] “a place, there, of a grave” is like “a place of a grave there” — and the like. And Jonathan translated with an ellipsis: “and he makes wailing for those skilled in lamentation.”
Metzudat David
"Therefore": This means, since you did not act accordingly, therefore, thus says [the Lord], etc.
Lamentation. It shall be a lamentation:
And they call him a farmer. They call out to the farmer to mourn over his work, which was in vain.
And mourning. And in mourning they shall call upon those skilled in lamentation, who are those who arouse the mourning:
Metzudat Zion
"Chutzot." – These are the markets.
"Hu, hu." Like "Hoy, hoy," and it is a matter of a cry of wailing.
Ikkar. Thus is called one who performs fieldwork, and likewise, “and the farmers were ashamed” (Joel 1:11).
A wailing. The matter of lamentation and wailing:
Malbim
(16-17) Therefore, thus says the Lord: Since you are not returning to the Lord, mourning will be in all the streets, for I will pass through your midst. This is an exposition of what was stated: “Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord.” It was accepted among them from the prophets that there is a day prepared for the Lord, on which the Lord will reveal Himself in His glory to punish the nations that have done evil to Israel. This day is called the great and awesome day of the Lord, and at that time Israel will be saved with an everlasting salvation. Already Joel prophesied (chapter 3): “The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” And Israel desired and awaited that day, that the Lord would pass through their midst, for then He would bring down all the nations into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and judge them for the evil they had done to Israel. The prophet said to them that they are mistaken in this matter, for the day of the Lord that will come for the benefit of Israel will be at a time when Israel is whole, righteous, and worthy of salvation. But the day of the Lord that is coming now, when the Lord passes through their midst, will be for them a day of darkness and gloom, for He will pass through their midst to destroy them and to exile them (in the manner of: “And the Lord passed through to smite Egypt”). And this is what it says: Now, when I pass through your midst, there will be mourning in all the streets. The “street” is the wide place in front of the houses where the people gather, and the “alleys” are the narrow places behind the houses where only the residents of the lane and the courtyard are found, namely women and children. This indicates that in the streets all will gather to mourn, and the women and children who will stand in the alleys will answer the lamentation with “Ho, ho.” And they will call the farmer to mourning, for it was the custom to lament first and afterward to observe mourning, as it is stated: “And they mourned there with a great and very heavy mourning, and they observed mourning for his father seven days.” During the days of mourning, one is exempt from work; therefore, the farmers, who work the land, did not participate in the people’s mourning, lest they be exempted from their work in the field. But to this mourning they will also call the farmer, for in any case the land will bear desolation, and they will have no work in the field. And they will summon those skilled in the dirge for the wailing, because for the mourning they will call those who know how to raise a bitter voice in the language of “Ho” and “Hoy” to intensify the bitterness of the lamentation. And also in all the vineyards there will be mourning, whereas until now they celebrated in the vineyards, rejoiced, and danced in dances. And all this will be at the time when I pass through your midst.
And in all vineyards shall be lamentation; For I will pass through the midst of you, Says Hashem.
verse value 1446
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "said" (אָמַ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·in·all·vineyards" (וּבְכׇל־כְּרָמִ֖ים, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "and·in·all·vineyards" (וּבְכׇל־כְּרָמִ֖ים), "for·I·will·pass" (כִּֽי־אֶעֱבֹ֥ר), "in·your·midst" (בְּקִרְבְּךָ֖). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "said" (root אמר, 52x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wailing', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּבְכׇל־כְּרָמִ֖ים [and·in·all·vineyards] (368) + מִסְפֵּ֑ד [wailing] (184) + כִּֽי־אֶעֱבֹ֥ר [for·I·will·pass] (303) + בְּקִרְבְּךָ֖ [in·your·midst] (324) + אָמַ֥ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 1446.
Ibn Ezra
"And in all the vineyards there is mourning" – the meaning of "for I will pass through" is an allegory for His wrath and anger, namely the decrees that will pass over them.
Radak
"And in all vineyards there shall be mourning." This means that there will be no grapes in them, for I will pass through you to bring harm upon you, just as it is said: "And I will pass through the land of Egypt."
Metzudat David
Mispad. There shall be mourning over the deficiency of the wine:
"When I pass through you." To strike you:
Woe to you that desire the day of Hashem! Wherefore would you have the day of Hashem? It is darkness, and not light.
verse value 1849
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 46 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1849 = 43². The shortest word is "ah!" (ה֥וֹי, 3 letters) and the longest is "desire" (הַמִּתְאַוִּ֖ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "desire" (הַמִּתְאַוִּ֖ים), "the·day" (אֶת־י֣וֹם), "why·this" (לָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "day" (root יום, 21x in Amos). First appearance of the root אור ("and·not·light") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: ה֥וֹי [ah!] (21) + הַמִּתְאַוִּ֖ים [desire] (502) + אֶת־י֣וֹם [the·day] (457) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + לָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה [why·this] (87) + לָכֶ֛ם [to·you] (90) + י֥וֹם [day] (56) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + הוּא־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ [it·is·darkness] (340) + וְלֹא־אֽוֹר [and·not·light] (244) = 1849.
Rashi
“Woe to those who desire...” – those who say, “Let Him hasten, let Him speed up His work” (Isaiah 5:19):
"For what purpose is this to you, etc." This is like a parable of a rooster and a bat who were waiting for the light, as it is stated in [perek] Chelek (Sanhedrin).
Ibn Ezra
Woe—according to the approach of those who say: “Yimhar yichisha.”
The day of the Lord – to take vengeance upon them.
Radak
“Woe to those who long for it” – just as it is stated in Isaiah: “Those who say, ‘Let him make haste, let him speed his work, that we may see it’” etc.
Metzudat David
“Woe to those who desire.” This is said regarding the House of Judah, as it is stated: “They say, ‘Let Him make it quick, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it’” (Isaiah 5:19). For the House of Judah were mocking the words of prophecy, saying, “Let Him hasten to bring the decrees of calamity, so that we may see whether He can carry it out,” as if they were desiring it. Hence the verse says: “Woe to those who desire the day of calamity that comes from the Lord.”
"For what reason is this, etc." – Meaning: Why do you crave?
Day of the Lord. Is it not a day of darkness, and not a day of light?
Metzudat Zion
The covetous. From the word “desire” (ta’avah):
Malbim
Alas! This means: And if so, after the seven days when I pass through your midst, there will be for you wailing and mourning, many evils and afflictions. Therefore, I call out to those who covet the Day of the Lord—that is, the day when the Lord will reveal Himself in His glory to punish the wicked—why do you desire the Day of the Lord? Although the Day of the Lord will be a day of salvation for Israel in the end of days, this will be at a time when Israel is righteous. But not for you, you wicked ones! Although the Day of the Lord that comes in the end of days will be darkness followed by light—for out of the darkness of afflictions there will be light for the righteous and salvation for Israel—this will be at the time of rectification. But for you, it will be only darkness and not light, for on that day there will be for you distress and darkness.
As if a man did flee from a lion, And a bear met him; And went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him.
verse value 3262
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אִישׁ֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·wall" (עַל־הַקִּ֔יר, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 126: he·shall·flee, and·he·shall·lay. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "man" (אִישׁ֙), "from·face·of" (מִפְּנֵ֣י), "and·met·him" (וּפְגָע֖וֹ). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·house" (root בית, 35x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'bear', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר [as] (521) + יָנ֥וּס [he·shall·flee] (126) + אִישׁ֙ [man] (311) + מִפְּנֵ֣י [from·face·of] (180) + הָאֲרִ֔י [lion] (216) + וּפְגָע֖וֹ [and·met·him] (165) + הַדֹּ֑ב [bear] (11) + וּבָ֣א [and·he·shall·come] (9) + הַבַּ֔יִת [the·house] (417) + וְסָמַ֤ךְ [and·he·shall·lay] (126) + יָדוֹ֙ [his·hand] (20) + עַל־הַקִּ֔יר [upon·the·wall] (415) + וּנְשָׁכ֖וֹ [and·bit·him] (382) + הַנָּחָֽשׁ [serpent] (363) = 3262.
Ibn Ezra
"כאשר" – The meaning is: If he escapes from one evil, he will not escape from another evil when he flees, for one calamity will come upon another; and he who escapes from the lion – the bear will meet him; and if he yet escapes and comes into the house and feels secure, thinking that he has escaped – a serpent will bite him.
Radak
"When a man flees." That is to say, you shall go from one distress to another.
Metzudat David
"As it is said: 'That day shall be such that when a man flees from the lion, the bear shall meet him; and when he comes into the house to hide himself and leans his hand against the wall to search for a hidden place, the serpent shall bite him.' This means: when you are saved from one calamity, another shall come upon you."
Metzudat Zion
The wall. The wall:
And they bit. The language of the biting of the teeth:
Malbim
As it is said, "Is not now the day likened in its parable to a man fleeing from a lion, only to encounter a bear; for those who survive the first exile, which the King of Assyria brought about, will be overtaken by the second exile. And even he who escapes from the bear of the second exile, comes home, and leans his hand against the wall, thinking that in his house he will find refuge from the bear, is bitten by a serpent"—meaning that the one who escapes the second exile will be overtaken by the third exile, as it is stated: "As at the first He lightly afflicted, but the latter He heavily afflicted" (Isaiah 8:23).
Shall not the day of Hashem be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?
verse value 938
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·it" (לֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·darkness" (הֲלֹא־חֹ֛שֶׁךְ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "not·darkness" (הֲלֹא־חֹ֛שֶׁךְ), "and·dark" (וְאָפֵ֖ל), "and·not·brightness" (וְלֹא־נֹ֥גַֽהּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "day" (root יום, 21x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·not·light', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֲלֹא־חֹ֛שֶׁךְ [not·darkness] (364) + י֥וֹם [day] (56) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + וְלֹא־א֑וֹר [and·not·light] (244) + וְאָפֵ֖ל [and·dark] (117) + וְלֹא־נֹ֥גַֽהּ [and·not·brightness] (95) + לֽוֹ [to·it] (36) = 938.
Ibn Ezra
"Is it not so" – the meaning is: How can you desire to come today, when behold, it is dark? For light is a delight to the eyes, not darkness.
Radak
“Surely darkness,” and not light. Even a little light is not in it, for the darkness is complete; and the darkness is an allegory for distress.
Metzudat David
“Is it not darkness?” This means: if so, that day will be darkness, and what will you desire from it?
Metzudat Zion
“Nogah.” Illumination and dawn:
Malbim
Is it not so? And if so, why do you need the day of the Lord? Is it not darkness on the day of the Lord, and not light, for there is no hope of salvation in it? And it adds, “and gloom,” for the gloom is worse than the darkness, for in the darkness one will at least find the gleam of the moon and the stars, but in the gloom one will not find even a gleam.
I hate, I despise your feasts, And I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
verse value 2441
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֥א, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·your·assemblies" (בְּעַצְּרֹתֵיכֶֽם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "I·loathe" (מָאַ֖סְתִּי), "savor" (אָרִ֖יחַ), "in·your·assemblies" (בְּעַצְּרֹתֵיכֶֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 44x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·feasts', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שָׂנֵ֥אתִי [I·hate] (761) + מָאַ֖סְתִּי [I·loathe] (511) + חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם [your·feasts] (81) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + אָרִ֖יחַ [savor] (219) + בְּעַצְּרֹתֵיכֶֽם [in·your·assemblies] (832) = 2441.
Rashi
“On your solemn assemblies.” [Targum:] the sacrifice of your assembly, when you proclaim a solemn assembly (atzeret).
Ibn Ezra
"I hated" – If you were to say that all the days during which we offer burnt offerings are not considered evil, therefore it states: "I hated."
Your festival – your lambs: “They shall bind the festival offering with strong cords; the festivals shall be struck.”
"And I will not smell" — "The fragrance on your Feast of Weeks, but if you bring up burnt offerings that you are not obligated [to bring], and meal-offerings to appease Me, I will not smell."
Radak
"I have hated." This is stated in allusion to the Kingdom of the House of Judah, for it was in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, that he prophesied, as it is written, and similarly it says nearby: "Woe to those who are at ease in Zion." Although they were offering sacrifices in the Temple, nevertheless the Holy One, blessed be He, rejected their sacrifices because their deeds were evil.
"Your festivals." The sacrifices of your festivals; and likewise, "in your solemn assemblies," [referring to] the sacrifices of your solemn assemblies. The matter is doubled in what is stated, for the festival is a solemn assembly, as it says, "A solemn assembly shall be for you." "A solemn assembly" is for the plural, "solemn assemblies," just as from "crown" comes "crowns," and similarly, "crowns" and "solemn assemblies." The dagesh in the tzadi of "your solemn assemblies" is for the beauty of the reading, like the dagesh in the qof of "sanctuary." The tzadi of "your idols" is gutturalized, and similar cases.
Metzudat David
"I have hated." This means: Do not rely on the bringing of sacrifices, for truly I have hated and despised the sacrifices of your festivals, and I will not smell the aroma of the burnt offerings that you bring when you are detained and delayed before Me in the Temple. This means they are not accepted before Me.
Metzudat Zion
Your festivals. The sacrifices of your festivals:
Ariach. The word is derived from "re'ach" (smell):
“On your solemn assemblies.” A matter of being detained/staying in a place, like “detained before the Lord” (I Samuel 21:8).
Malbim
"I hate, I despise your festivals," and in contrast to their reliance on the sacrifices they brought to the Lord, particularly the sacrifices they brought during the festivals, He says that the Lord hated them. Now, hatred is directed toward that which was loathsome from the very beginning. And detestation is directed toward that which was initially chosen and subsequently became loathsome. And He states that there are festivals that He entirely hates. And even the festivals that are for the Lord, which were initially beloved, He now detests them after they have sinned. "And I will not accept your solemn assemblies," meaning that even on the days when you stand before Him, it shall not be a pleasing aroma.
Indeed, though you offer me burnt-offerings and your meal-offerings, I will not accept them; Neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts.
verse value 2774
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "though" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "if·you·offer·to·me" (אִם־תַּעֲלוּ־לִ֥י, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "if·you·offer·to·me" (אִם־תַּעֲלוּ־לִ֥י), "and·your·gifts" (וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם), "land" (אֶרְצֶ֑ה). The root עלה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 44x in Amos); "though" (root כי, 22x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'land', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [though] (30) + אִם־תַּעֲלוּ־לִ֥י [if·you·offer·to·me] (587) + עֹל֛וֹת [burnt-offerings] (506) + וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם [and·your·gifts] (574) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + אֶרְצֶ֑ה [land] (296) + וְשֶׁ֥לֶם [and·peace-offering-of] (376) + מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם [your·fatlings] (321) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + אַבִּֽיט [I·will·look] (22) = 2774.
Rashi
“And the peace-offering of your fatlings.” [Targum:] “and the peace-offerings of your fatlings” — fatted beasts.
Ibn Ezra
And "whole" (shalem) – singular, for [instead of] the plural noun 'meshulamim', it is said as "whole" in the singular.
And your teacher [holds] in accordance with the words of our master Hai, of blessed memory: [It is derived] from the language of the Mishnah [stating that] its fat is forbidden. And it is not a species unto itself, as stated by the Gaon Rabbi Saadia, of blessed memory, who said that its fat is permitted, and he explained it using the term "Gamus" in the language of Ishmael. And it is not found in these places, and it is larger than an ox and resembles it.
Radak
"Only if you go up," just as it is stated in the prophecy of Isaiah: "Why to Me the multitude of your sacrifices?" and the entire matter [discussed therein].
"and the peace-offering of your fatlings" – one of the "peace-offerings of your fatlings," as it is stated there, "and the fat of the well-fed ones," which are the fattened animals.
Metzudat David
"And your offerings." And even the offerings that you bring up, I will not accept them.
“And the peace-offering of your fatlings.” The peace-offerings that you bring — fatlings — I will not look upon them favorably, and they are not acceptable.
Metzudat Zion
"I will be pleased." From the word "desire":
And it shall be whole. The word is from shelamim (peace-offerings):
Your fatlings. Fatted beasts; and likewise “he sacrificed an ox and a fatling” (II Samuel 6:13).
Malbim
"If you bring Me up burnt offerings, even though during the festivals they were obligated to bring burnt offerings of appearance and peace offerings of the festival, and with the burnt offering they would bring a meal offering, He said that the burnt offerings that you bring Me with their meal offerings I will not desire. And even though the burnt offering comes to atone for positive and negative commandments that can be rectified by a positive action, I will not accept them from you, and all the more so the peace offerings — the peace-offering of your fatlings — I will not regard at all. And similarly it is said (Jeremiah 6:20): 'Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices do not please Me.'"
Take you away from Me the noise of your songs; And let Me not hear the melody of your psalteries.
verse value 2253
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·song of praise" (וְזִמְרַ֥ת, 5 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "remove" (הָסֵ֥ר), "from·me" (מֵעָלַ֖י), "multitude·of" (הֲמ֣וֹן). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 44x in Amos); "from·me" (root על, 28x in Amos). First appearance of the root שיר ("your·songs") in Amos. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·songs', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: הָסֵ֥ר [remove] (265) + מֵעָלַ֖י [from·me] (150) + הֲמ֣וֹן [multitude·of] (101) + שִׁרֶ֑יךָ [your·songs] (530) + וְזִמְרַ֥ת [and·song of praise] (653) + נְבָלֶ֖יךָ [your·psalteries] (112) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + אֶשְׁמָֽע [I·will·hear] (411) = 2253.
Rashi
"Remove from Me the multitude of your songs." For the Levites sing on the platform only after you have become robbers and perverters of justice.
Ibn Ezra
"Remove" – [remove] the service of the Levites and the word 'hamon' (multitude) [is] on their account, as if it said, "Remove the assembly of the Levites, the singers," or it is derived from the root of "the roaring of the sea," [meaning] the roar of the songs.
Radak
“Remove from Me the multitude of Your songs.” The multitude of Your songs that the Levites would chant over the offering, both with the voice and with instruments. I do not desire either the offerings or the songs, for they are not acceptable, for Your deeds are evil. What good will the offerings do if You serve Me from one side and rebel against Me from the other?
Metzudat David
“Your songs are many.” The multitude of the song is that which the Levites sing before [the Ark]:
"And the melody of your harps." What they play before Me with harp instruments, I will not listen to, for they are not agreeable to Me.
Metzudat Zion
The multitude. The word is derived from the root meaning "to make noise."
Your songs. The word is derived from the root of "song":
"The melody of." From the word "song":
"Your harps." It is a musical instrument:
Malbim
"Remove," and also regarding what you say, that you sing songs during the festival at the time of bringing the sacrifice, I say: Remove from Me the multitude of Your songs, for they are not songs of the Lord, but only a multitude and clamor; likewise, the melody of Your harps, which is the song played on instruments, I will not hear.
But let justice well up as waters, And righteousness as a mighty stream.
verse value 1362
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "and·let·it·well·up" (וְיִגַּ֥ל, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·righteousness" (וּצְדָקָ֖ה, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "and·let·it·well·up" (וְיִגַּ֥ל), "as·the·water" (כַּמַּ֖יִם), "as·wadi" (כְּנַ֥חַל). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'judgment', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְיִגַּ֥ל [and·let·it·well·up] (49) + כַּמַּ֖יִם [as·the·water] (110) + מִשְׁפָּ֑ט [judgment] (429) + וּצְדָקָ֖ה [and·righteousness] (205) + כְּנַ֥חַל [as·wadi] (108) + אֵיתָֽן [ever·flowing] (461) = 1362.
Rashi
"And judgment shall flow like waters." This is what you shall do, and I shall be pleased with you: the judgment that you have conquered and concealed shall be revealed and shall flow between you like springing waters.
And righteousness. It will be revealed like a steady stream:
Ibn Ezra
"Vayigal" – from the root of "gullot illiyot" (upper springs, cf. Joshua 15:19), and it is a verb of the pa'al binyan with gemination (doubled root letters), just as "yimats." This is the view of all the grammarians of Spain. And the meaning is: "Perform justice, not sacrifice and song, for I have no desire in them, only in justice."
Radak
"Justice shall flow like waters." This is from the root meaning "to roll water," for the gimel is open, indicating that it is from the root *galal* (to roll), meaning that justice shall proceed like waters.
"And righteousness shall be as a river that never fails." Like a strong river that flows swiftly, so I desire that justice and righteousness proceed without hindrance; do not detain or delay them, nor leave them stagnant on the ground. I do not desire that you bring sacrifices before Me instead.
Metzudat David
"And judgment shall flow like waters." This means: The judgment that you have subdued in the hidden depths shall be revealed like waters that spring forth, issuing from the womb of the earth, from a hidden place. And the righteousness that you have ceased from, continue in it like a mighty stream that flows on and does not cease.
Metzudat Zion
And it shall be revealed. The word is in the form of "galui" (revealed):
Aitan. Strong, like "mighty as rivers" (Psalms 74:15):
Malbim
"And judgment shall flow like waters," as it is stated, "To do justice and righteousness is more chosen by the Lord than sacrifice." And judgment pertains to the relationship between a person and his fellow, whereas righteousness pertains to the relationship between a person and the Divine. Judgment is rooted in human intellect, for since man is by nature a social being, he requires judgment, through which the social community is maintained. Therefore, it is compared to a spring of water, whose source flows from itself and issues outward to others; similarly, judgment flows forth from the source of human intellect and nature. Righteousness, however, is not found in human nature; rather, one receives its commandments from the Lord. It is likened to a river, whose waters are not found within it of themselves, but are gathered into it from waters flowing down from the mountains and from external sources. So too, righteousness comes from without, from the Lord. Moreover, the waters of the river do not flow forth like a spring to fill others, but are gathered only within the riverbed itself. Similarly, the primary purpose of the act of righteousness is for the perfection of the soul itself. This is what is meant by "and righteousness as a mighty stream," implying that the essential purpose of the pilgrimage festivals and the sacrifices was to learn there the statutes of the Lord and His judgments, as it is stated, "that you may learn to fear the Lord your God." Thus, righteousness and judgment are the desired end, not the sacrifices.
Did you bring to Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
verse value 2848
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "you·brought·to·me" (הִֽגַּשְׁתֶּם־לִ֧י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "the·sacrifices" (הַזְּבָחִ֨ים), "and·grain·offering" (וּמִנְחָ֜ה), "you·brought·to·me" (הִֽגַּשְׁתֶּם־לִ֧י). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "house·of" (root בית, 35x in Amos); "Israel" (root ישראל, 25x in Amos). First appearance of the root נגש ("you·brought·to·me") in Amos. Full calculation: הַזְּבָחִ֨ים [the·sacrifices] (72) + וּמִנְחָ֜ה [and·grain·offering] (109) + הִֽגַּשְׁתֶּם־לִ֧י [you·brought·to·me] (788) + בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר [in·the·wilderness] (248) + אַרְבָּעִ֥ים [forty] (323) + שָׁנָ֖ה [year] (355) + בֵּ֥ית [house·of] (412) + יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [Israel] (541) = 2848.
Rashi
The sacrifices and the meal-offering. And does this imply that My will is for sacrifices and meal-offerings? Yet in the wilderness I did not speak to your fathers to offer Me sacrifices. Rather, I said, "When a man brings an offering" (Leviticus 1:2), meaning only when he wishes to bring one. And it is stated, "And the children of Israel kept the Passover at its appointed time" (Numbers 9:2). This teaches that the Israelites in the wilderness offered no other sacrifice except that single Passover offering.
Ibn Ezra
The Sacrifices – The simple understanding is that the “heh” in “the sacrifices” is a “heh” of wonder, and behold, the reason is that they did not bring them. And our forefathers of blessed memory said: that the Levites brought them; and if it is a tradition, we accept it. For according to the simple understanding, they did not bring them. The commentator who says that one lamb in the morning and one in the evening did not cost any of you even a prutah has no basis, for the Name did not command to bring more. And behold, the continual burnt-offering was brought by Israel at Mount Sinai for fifty days, and Israel was in a settled state, for on the first of Nisan in the second year the Tabernacle was erected, and in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, they journeyed from Sinai; behold, fifty days. And all the time they were at Sinai, they were in a settled state. And they had wine while they stood at Mount Sinai for a year, and they had wine for idolatrous libation, and afterward they journeyed and took wine with them, until the Day of Atonement passed, for so it is written in the portion of Acharei Mot: “And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.” And they came to the land of Arvot and Shochah, and there was no pasture for their flocks, and they had no wine. Only in the fortieth year did they plunder the Midianites and Amorites, and likewise when they came to Kadesh in a settled state in the fortieth year, they plundered the Midianites and acquired livestock. And behold, according to logical reasoning, they did not bring them, and there is no argument from the calculation of forty days, for one day in a year is considered a year. And behold, the reason is as it says: “When I led you in the wilderness for many years, you did not bring Me burnt-offerings.” Rather, I commanded you to do justice, and likewise: “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice.” And likewise in Jeremiah it says: “For I did not speak to your fathers, nor did I command them concerning the matter of burnt-offerings and sacrifices.”
And behold, the meaning of "and it rolls like water" is that it should not be paused, as is done with "and your peace is like a river."
Radak
The offerings. The question is as follows: It is stated, “If you have brought Me offerings and grain offerings for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel,” just as it is said in the prophecy of Jeremiah, “For I did not speak to your fathers, nor did I command them on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning the matter of burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And there we explained the matter. Our Sages of blessed memory said: Regarding those made at Mount Sinai, Rabbi Eliezer says that the laws of the burnt offering were stated at Sinai, but the offering itself was not brought. Rabbi Akiva says that it was brought and never ceased. But then, how do I fulfill the verse, “If you have brought Me offerings and grain offerings for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel”? It refers to the tribe of Levi, who did not serve foreign gods; they were the ones who brought them. Furthermore, in their statements it is said, “And the children of Israel kept the Passover at its appointed time.” The verse speaks in condemnation of Israel, for in the wilderness they did not bring anything except this very Passover. And so it is stated, “If you have brought Me offerings and grain offerings for forty years in the wilderness.” Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says that Israel did not bring offerings. And who did bring them? The tribe of Levi, as it is stated, “They shall put incense before You,” etc. And it is said, “Whoever is for the Lord, to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered to him. Israel, who had served foreign gods, did not bring offerings; the tribe of Levi, who had not served foreign gods, brought them.
Metzudat David
The sacrifices. That is to say: Is everything dependent on the sacrifices? Did you bring before Me in the wilderness sacrifices and meal-offerings throughout the forty years that you journeyed? Did they not, in those days, offer only one Passover, and even burnt-offerings were not brought, as our Sages of blessed memory have stated? Rather, He is saying: Was I not then pleased with you apart from the sacrifices?
Metzudat Zion
"You shall bring." The matter of the offering:
Malbim
"The sacrifices and the meal-offering, you brought them near to Me in the wilderness": this serves as proof from the time when they were in the wilderness for forty years, that they did not then have many cattle for sacrifices or wines for libations, and the essence of their service was what they did by practicing justice and righteousness. As it is stated: "The Lord has done righteousness, and His judgments with Israel."
So shall you take up Siccuth your king and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which you made to yourselves.
verse value 4122
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 51 letters. Notable word values: "Chiun" (כִּיּ֣וּן) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 4122 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "and·(object marker)" (וְאֵ֖ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·bring" (וּנְשָׂאתֶ֗ם, 6 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "and·bring" (וּנְשָׂאתֶ֗ם), "Siccuth" (סִכּ֣וּת), "your·king" (מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם). 11 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·images', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words.
Rashi
“And you shall carry the tabernacle of your king.” This returns to the matter of the calamity mentioned above: “The Lord darkened their day, and there was no light.” “And you shall carry” [with you] into exile your idols, and the enemies will mount them upon your necks, so that you bear them with you into exile.
Sukkot. Kiyyon. Kokhav. These are the names of idols:
Ibn Ezra
“And you shall take up Sikkuth [an idol]” – from the root of “to listen” and “to hear,” and its root is “to bear,” meaning “to bear with willingness.” Similarly, in the language of Ishmael, a person says to his friend: “Sabteli,” which means he should say to him, “Bear my words and accept them with willingness.”
And the word “Kiyyun” is known in the Arabic language — also that it is “Kaywan,” and it is [the planet] Shabbetai (Saturn), for they made an image for it. “Which you made” refers back to “your images.”
And a star – [the word] star is adjacent to [the phrase] your gods, [implying that] you made its likeness to worship it.
Radak
“And you shall take up.” He said: “You did not accept the commandment of the Lord, blessed be He, yet you will accept and bear the service of the ‘Sukkot’ of your king.” And ‘Sukkot’ is the name of a pagan deity. And ‘your king’ refers to a star that was made into a pagan deity in its name, and they call it ‘king’ because they consider it to be king over them; or it is a great star in the heavenly host, which is like a king over its army. And similarly, ‘to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven,’ as I explained in the book of Jeremiah. And some say that ‘Sukkot’ refers to the matter of ‘hiskah’ and ‘shema,’ meaning listening to the service of pagan deities. And Jonathan translated: “And you shall take up the food of your priests.” And similarly, “And cursed be his king,” he translated: “And they shall despise the food of your priests.” Another reading has: “And they shall despise your priests’ food.” And similarly, he translated “those who swear by their king,” and the matter concerns pagan deities.
"And your carved images." Some say that "kiyon" is like "le'asot kiyunim" (to make figurines). And we have already explained in the Book of Jeremiah that they are types of food prepared for idolaters, and therefore they are called "kiyunim." And we further explained that "kiyon" refers to the planet Saturn, and it is also called "Kaywan" in the languages of Ishmael and Persia, and they made its likeness to serve it.
“Your star, which you made for yourselves”: The word “star” is in the construct state, for it is pointed with a patach; that is, you made an image of the star of your god. And the “star” is that which they designated as their deity, and they fashioned an image of a star for it.
Metzudat David
"And you shall carry." This means: Since not everything depends on sacrifices, they will not protect you, and you will go into exile, and you will bear upon your necks the idol of idolatry, Sikkuth, which you accepted upon yourselves as king and as god—and the idol Kiyyun, since you made its image to worship before it, and the idol, the star, etc., for the enemy will compel them to bring them along with them into exile.
Metzudat Zion
And you shall carry. The word is from the root of "burden" and "load":
Sukkot, Kiyon, Kokhav: these are names of types of idolatry.
Malbim
“And you shall carry” – this returns to the above, to what was stated: “Is not the day of the Lord darkness and not light?” For then you will be exiled to the diaspora, and sacrifices and festivals will not benefit you, because you will go into exile with the idols that you made. “And you shall carry the Sukkot of your king” – these were the Sukkot of your kings, which they made for the worship of Molech, resembling booths, as it is stated: “And the men of Babylon made the Sukkot of the daughters.” And likewise, they made for him figurines from dough, as it is stated (Jeremiah 7:18): “The women knead dough to make figurines for the Queen of Heaven.” They made from the dough the form of the image, which they worshipped. And regarding this it says: “Your figurines of the image.” And by this they were directing themselves toward the star to which they attributed divinity. And regarding this it says: “The star of your god.” Moreover, just as when you went out from Egypt you dwelled in booths, and likewise you carried your dough before it was leavened, so too it implies that when you go out from Jerusalem, you will carry the Sukkot of Molech and the dough of the figurine of the image.
Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, says He, whose name is Hashem God of hosts.
verse value 2638
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "said" (אָמַ֛ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "God·of·hosts" (אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֖וֹת, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Amos. Unique to this verse in Amos (hapax): "and·I·will·exile" (וְהִגְלֵיתִ֥י), "beyond" (מֵהָ֣לְאָה), "to·Damascus" (לְדַמָּ֑שֶׂק). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 81x in Amos); "said" (root אמר, 52x in Amos). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Damascus', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְהִגְלֵיתִ֥י [and·I·will·exile] (464) + אֶתְכֶ֖ם [you] (461) + מֵהָ֣לְאָה [beyond] (81) + לְדַמָּ֑שֶׂק [to·Damascus] (474) + אָמַ֛ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֖וֹת [God·of·hosts] (545) + שְׁמֽוֹ [his·name] (346) = 2638.
Rashi
“And I will scatter you beyond Damascus.” This means that you will not be exiled to your neighbors, as has been the case until now, when you were handed over to the kings of Aram, who did not carry you away to a distant place but only as far as Damascus. From now on, however, I will hand you over to Sennacherib, and he will exile you to a distant land.
Ibn Ezra
"And I will scatter them" – this refers to the day of darkness that will come upon them.
Damascus – the east of the Land of Israel.
Radak
“And I will exile you beyond Damascus.” Far beyond Damascus, namely to Halach and Chabor, where the Ten Tribes were exiled. Damascus is mentioned because the king of Damascus did great harm to Israel, as it is written. And He says: Do not think that you will be exiled to Damascus, which is close to your land, but rather far beyond Damascus.
"God of Hosts": He is above and below, and those whom you serve are His messengers.
Metzudat David
Beyond Damascus. Distant from Damascus, from there and beyond:
Metzudat Zion
Beyond. Below: "and distant."
Malbim
"And I will scatter you beyond Damascus": I have already explained above (3:12) that initially He exiled some of them to Damascus, and this was not so difficult in their eyes, for Damascus was close to their border, even though in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash it was the border of Israel (as stated in II Kings 15:28). And it was prophesied to them that afterwards He would exile them from Damascus a second time, further away, to Halah.
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion