Bible Strands
Amos 3:11
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “An enemy will surround the land; he will pull down your strongholds and plunder your citadels.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord GOD speaks through Amos to the northern kingdom of Israel, pronouncing judgment immediately after condemning its leaders for storing up violence in their citadels.
The words — The Hebrew לָכֵן (lakhen, "therefore") and כֹּה (koh, "thus") introduce the declaration, while צַר (tsar, "opponent") and סְבִיב (seviv, "around") specify the encircling attack.
The thread — This prediction of an encircling enemy and plundered strongholds corresponds to the Assyrian campaigns detailed in 2 Kings 15:19 and 2 Kings 17:3.
Why it lands — The text states that a surrounding adversary will dismantle the very fortresses where violence was hoarded, leaving only scattered remnants of what was once defended.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 18:9 In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it.
- 2 Kings 15:19 Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver in order to gain his support and strengthen his own grip on the kingdom.
- 2 Kings 17:3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.
- Amos 2:5 So I will send fire upon Judah to consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”
- Amos 6:14 For behold, I will raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD, the God of Hosts, “and they will oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of the Arabah.”
- 2 Kings 15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria.
- 2 Chronicles 36:19 Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value.
- Isaiah 7:17 The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since the day Ephraim separated from Judah—He will bring the king of Assyria.”
- Isaiah 8:7 the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
- Isaiah 10:5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath.