English Standard Version
Amos 5:3
3For thus says the Lord God: "The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went out a hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel."
Amos 5:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For thus saith the Lord God; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel: “Your city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left; your town that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)For thus says the Lord God: “The city that goes out by a thousand Shall have a hundred left, And that which goes out by a hundred Shall have ten left to the house of Israel.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)The Sovereign Lord says: “When a city sends a thousand men to battle, only a hundred will return. When a town sends a hundred, only ten will come back alive.”
Context of Amos 5:3
1Hear this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel: 2"Fallen, no more to rise, is the virgin Israel; forsaken on her land, with none to raise her up." For thus says the Lord God: "The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went out a hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel." 4For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: "Seek me and live; 5but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing."
Read all of Amos 5Amos 5:3 word by word
כִּ֣י כֹ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הָעִ֛יר הַיֹּצֵ֥את אֶ֖לֶף תַּשְׁאִ֣יר מֵאָ֑ה וְהַיּוֹצֵ֥את מֵאָ֛ה תַּשְׁאִ֥יר עֲשָׂרָ֖ה לְבֵ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- The cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- that went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- a thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- shall leaveשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- an hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
- to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Amos 5:3
- Deuteronomy 4:27And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you.
- Deuteronomy 28:62Whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God.
- Isaiah 1:9If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.
- Isaiah 10:22For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness.
- Ezekiel 12:16But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the Lord."
- Romans 9:27And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,
Commentaries on Amos 5:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The city that went out by a thousand - The city that could easily have furnished, on any emergency, a thousand fighting men, can now produce scarcely one hundred - one in ten of the former number; and now of the hundred scarcely ten remain: so reduced was Israel when Shalmaneser besieged and took Samaria, and carried the residue into captivity.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The city that went out by a thousand - (that is, probably that sent out a thousand fighting men, as the word “went out” is often used for, “went out” to fight,) “shall have” literally, “shall retain, an hundred.” She was to be decimated. Only, the tenth alone was to be reserved alive; the nine-tenths were to be destroyed. And this, alike in larger places and in the small. The city “that went forth an hundred shall retain ten.” Smaller places escape for…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3This verse is a reversal of the promises made in Leviticus 26:8.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. went out by a thousand--that is, "the city from which there used to go out a thousand" equipped for war. "City" is put for "the inhabitants of the city," as in Am 4:8. shall leave ... hundred--shall have only a hundred left, the rest being destroyed by sword and pestilence (De 28:62).Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Amos 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries