Amos 9:4

Amos 9:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.
• New International Version (NIV)Though they are driven into exile by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them. “I will keep my eye on them for harm and not for good.”
• New King James Version (NKJV)Though they go into captivity before their enemies, From there I will command the sword, And it shall slay them. I will set My eyes on them for harm and not for good.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)Even if their enemies drive them into exile, I will command the sword to kill them there. I am determined to bring disaster upon them and not to help them.”

Context of Amos 9:4

2"If they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them; if they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down. 3If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search them out and take them; and if they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them. And if they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them; and I will fix my eyes upon them for evil and not for good." 5The Lord God of hosts, he who touches the earth and it melts, and all who dwell in it mourn, and all of it rises like the Nile, and sinks again, like the Nile of Egypt; 6who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth— the Lord is his name.

Amos 9:4 word by word

וְאִם־יֵלְכ֤וּ בַשְּׁבִי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֹֽיבֵיהֶ֔ם מִשָּׁ֛ם אֲצַוֶּ֥ה אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב וַהֲרָגָ֑תַם וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י עֵינִ֧י עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם לְרָעָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א לְטוֹבָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And though they goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• into captivityשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• their enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• thence will I commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• and it shall slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• them: and I will setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• mine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• upon them for evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• and not for goodטוֹבָהţôb · welfareH2896

Cross-references for Amos 9:4

• Leviticus 26:33And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.
• Deuteronomy 28:64"And the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.
• Ezekiel 5:2A third part you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are completed. And a third part you shall take and strike with the sword all around the city. And a third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will unsheathe the sword after them.
• Zechariah 13:8In the whole land, declares the Lord, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.
• Leviticus 17:10"If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.
• Deuteronomy 28:63And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
• 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars."
• Psalms 34:15The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
• Jeremiah 24:6I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
• Jeremiah 44:11"Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will set my face against you for harm, to cut off all Judah.

Commentaries on Amos 9:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I will set mine eyes upon them for evil - I will use that very providence against them which before worked for their good. Should they look upward, they shall see nothing but the terrible lightning-like eye of a sin-avenging God.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Captivity - , at least, seemed safe. The horrors of war are over. Men enslave, but do not commonly destroy those whom they have once been at the pains to carry captive. Amos describes them in their misery, as “going” willingly, gladly, “into captivity before their enemies,” like a flock of sheep. Yet “thence” too, out of “the captivity,” God would command the sword, and it should slay them. So God had forewarned them by Moses, that captivity should be an…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4God is everywhere (compare Psalm 139:7–12). When people trust, believe, and obey God, his presence is a great blessing. However, because Israel rejected God's message, his presence would bring judgment instead of comfort.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. though they go into captivity--hoping to save their lives by voluntarily surrendering to the foe.Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 9:4

• God Continued...
• Judgments
• Readings, Select
• Sin
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Raise
• Amos (1)

Commentaries on Amos 9

• 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