Amos 3:12

Amos 3:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.
• New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth only two leg bones or a piece of an ear, so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued, with only the head of a bed and a piece of fabric from a couch.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord: "As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord: “As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion Two legs or a piece of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out Who dwell in Samaria— In the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch!

Context of Amos 3:12

10“My people have forgotten how to do right,” says the Lord. “Their fortresses are filled with wealth taken by theft and violence. 11Therefore,” says the Sovereign Lord, “an enemy is coming! He will surround them and shatter their defenses. Then he will plunder all their fortresses.” This is what the Lord says: “A shepherd who tries to rescue a sheep from a lion’s mouth will recover only two legs or a piece of an ear. So it will be for the Israelites in Samaria lying on luxurious beds, and for the people of Damascus reclining on couches. 13“Now listen to this, and announce it throughout all Israel,” says the Lord, the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. 14“On the very day I punish Israel for its sins, I will destroy the pagan altars at Bethel. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

Amos 3:12 word by word

כֹּה֮ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֒ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יַצִּ֨יל הָרֹעֶ֜ה מִפִּ֧י הָאֲרִ֛י שְׁתֵּ֥י כְרָעַ֖יִם א֣וֹ בְדַל־אֹ֑זֶן כֵּ֣ן יִנָּצְל֞וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן בִּפְאַ֥ת מִטָּ֖ה וּבִדְמֶ֥שֶׁק עָֽרֶשׂ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• As the shepherdרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• taketh outנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
• of the mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• of the lionאֲרִי'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
• twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• legsכֶּ֫רַעkârâ‛ · legH3767
• or a pieceבָּדָלbâdâl · pieceH915
• of an earאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
• so shall the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• that dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןshômerôn · SamariaH8111
• in the cornerפֵּאָהpê'âh · sideH6285
• of a bedמִטָּהmiţţâh · bedH4296
• and in Damascusדְּמֶשֶׁקdemesheq · silkH1833
• a couchעֶ֫רֶשׂ‛ereώ · bedH6210

Cross-references for Amos 3:12

• 1 Samuel 17:34But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock,
• Isaiah 31:4But this is what the Lord has told me: “When a strong young lion stands growling over a sheep it has killed, it is not frightened by the shouts and noise of a whole crowd of shepherds. In the same way, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will come down and fight on Mount Zion.
• Amos 9:2“Even if they dig down to the place of the dead, I will reach down and pull them up. Even if they climb up into the heavens, I will bring them down.
• 1 Kings 20:30The rest fled into the town of Aphek, but the wall fell on them and killed another 27,000. Ben-hadad fled into the town and hid in a secret room.
• 1 Kings 22:25And Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”
• Isaiah 8:4For before this child is old enough to say ‘Papa’ or ‘Mama,’ the king of Assyria will carry away both the abundance of Damascus and the riches of Samaria.”
• Isaiah 17:1This message came to me concerning Damascus: “Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins.
• Romans 11:4And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”
• 1 Kings 20:34Ben-hadad told him, “I will give back the towns my father took from your father, and you may establish places of trade in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Then Ahab said, “I will release you under these conditions.” So they made a new treaty, and Ben-hadad was set free.
• 2 Kings 16:9So the king of Assyria attacked the Aramean capital of Damascus and led its population away as captives, resettling them in Kir. He also killed King Rezin.

Commentaries on Amos 3:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion - Scarcely any of you shall escape; and those that do shall do so with extreme difficulty, just as a shepherd, of a whole sheep carried away by a lion, can recover no more than two of its legs, or a piece of its ear, just enough to prove by the marks on those parts, that they belonged to a sheep which was his own. So shall the children of Israel be taken out - Those of them that escape these judgments…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12As the shepherd taketh - (Rather, rescueth) out of the mouth of the lion two legs (Properly, the shank, the lower part of the leg below the knee, which in animals is dry, and bone only and worthless) “or apiece” (the tip) “of an ear, so” (that is, so few and weak, so bared and spoiled, a mere remnant,) “shall the children of Israel be taken out” (rather, “rescued”) “that” now “dwell” at ease “in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus”, in “a…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 That power which is an instrument of unrighteousness, will justly be brought down and broken. What is got and kept wrongfully, will not be kept long. Some are at ease, but there will come a day of visitation, and in that day, all they are proud of, and put confidence in, shall fail them. God will inquire into the sins of which they have been guilty in their houses, the robbery they have stored up, and the luxury in which they lived. The pomp…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12As the shepherd snatches: The people of both Israel and Judah believed that, because they were chosen, God would save them and never let them die. The prophet’s words are ironic. Their rescue would be like a shepherd arriving too late to save the sheep, only able to pull two legs or a piece of an ear from the lion's mouth. just the corner of a bed or the cushion of a couch: This points to how little would remain after the Assyrian attack on Samaria. It…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. shepherd--a pastoral image, appropriately used by Amos, a shepherd himself. piece of ... ear--brought by the shepherd to the owner of the sheep, so as not to have to pay for the loss (Ge 31:39; Ex 22:13). So if aught of Israel escapes, it shall be a miracle of God's goodness. It shall be but a scanty remnant. There is a kind of goat in the East the ears of which are a foot long, and proportionally broad. Perhaps the reference is to this. Compare on…Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 3:12

• Damascus
• Shepherd

In the dictionaries

• Damascus
• Israel
• Samaria
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Samaria, Samaritan
• Children of Israel
• Agreed
• Bed
• Bedstead

Commentaries on Amos 3

• 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