The Meaning of Amos 3:14 Explained

Amos 3:14

KJV: That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

YLT: For in the day of My charging the transgressions of Israel on him, I have laid a charge on the altars of Beth-El, And cut off have been the horns of the altar, And they have fallen to the earth.

Darby: that in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also punish the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

ASV: For in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also visit the altars of Beth-el; and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

Discover Amos 3:14

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Amos 3:14?

MEANING: What does Amos 3:14 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Amos 3:14 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Amos 3:14?

What is the context of Amos 3:14?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

What does Amos 3:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God now promised to destroy the pagan altars that Jeroboam I had erected at Bethel at the same time He destroyed the people of Israel (cf. 1 Kings 12:26-30). This altar, and the one at Daniel , had taken the place of the one in Jerusalem for most of the Israelites. The one in Bethel was the most popular religious center in Israel. There the Israelites practiced apostate worship. The horns of this altar, symbolic of the strength of its deity, would be cut off and would fall to the ground, showing its impotence. The horns of an altar were also places of asylum in the ancient Near East ( 1 Kings 1:50), so their cutting off pictures no asylum for the Israelites when God"s judgment came.

Context Summary

Amos 3:1-15 - The Lord's Word Must Come True

The closer our relationship with God, the more searching His scrutiny and chastening. The sins of God's children which may seem of slight consequence are rigorously dealt with by their Heavenly Father, who loves them too well to allow their life to be permanently injured. It is because God loves us that He is so quick in detecting the least symptoms of disease. But we must agree with Him as to the sinfulness of sin, the need of cleansing, the hopelessness of our old nature, and the world's urgent need both of our sympathy and sacrifice. So only shall we walk with God as Enoch did. The soul that is one with Him is on the alert, as is the traveler who hears the lion's roar in the forest. Watch; ye know not the hour!

The nobles of Egypt and Philistia are summoned to view the sins of Samaria and to confirm the justice of her penalty. From all sides the invader would descend on the recreant land. Only a fragment should escape, like the small piece of a lamb rescued from the jaws of the savage beast of prey. The couch of luxury, the bed of sloth, the golden calf of Beth-el-all marked the degeneracy of the Chosen People. May the sorrows through which the world is passing at this hour be the means of cleansing human society from these same evils that our Christian civilization may escape the penalties that overtook Israel! [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 3

¹ The necessity of God's judgment against Israel
⁹ The publication of it, with the causes thereof

What do the individual words in Amos 3:14 mean?

that in the day I punish for transgressions Israel their and I will visit [destruction] on the altars of Bethel and shall be cut off the horns of the altar and fall to the ground

כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם פָּקְדִ֥י פִשְׁעֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עָלָ֑יו וּפָֽקַדְתִּי֙ עַל־ מִזְבְּח֣וֹת בֵּֽית־ אֵ֔ל וְנִגְדְּעוּ֙ קַרְנ֣וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְנָפְל֖וּ לָאָֽרֶץ

כִּ֗י	that
Parse: Conjunction Root: כִּי Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בְּי֛וֹם	in the day
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: יׄום Sense: day, time, year.
פָּקְדִ֥י	I punish
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular Root: פָּקַד Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
פִשְׁעֵֽי־	for transgressions
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct Root: פֶּשַׁע Sense: transgression, rebellion.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל	Israel
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וּפָֽקַדְתִּי֙	and I will visit [destruction]
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular Root: פָּקַד Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
מִזְבְּח֣וֹת	the altars
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct Root: מִזְבֵּחַ Sense: altar.
אֵ֔ל	Bethel
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: בֵּית־אֵל Sense: ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name).
וְנִגְדְּעוּ֙	and shall be cut off
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural Root: גָּדַע Sense: to cut, hew, chop, cut down, hew down, hew off, cut off, cut in two, shave off.
קַרְנ֣וֹת	the horns
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct Root: קֶרֶן Sense: horn.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ	of the altar
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: מִזְבֵּחַ Sense: altar.
וְנָפְל֖וּ	and fall
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural Root: נָפַל Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
לָאָֽרֶץ	to the ground
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular Root: אֶרֶץ Sense: land, earth.

What are the major concepts related to Amos 3:14?

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Similar Scriptures for Amos 3:14

		2 Kings 23:15 [7]
		Hosea 10:5-8 [5]
		Hosea 10:14-15 [4]
		Amos 5:5-6 [3]
		2 Chronicles 34:6-7 [3]
		Micah 1:6-7 [2]
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