Bible Strands
Amos 6:13
you who rejoice in Lo-debar and say, ‘Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?’
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Amos addresses the elite of the house of Israel during a period of military complacency. He delivers a prophetic declaration of impending judgment against those who trust in their own conquests.
The words — The Hebrew הַשְּׂמֵחִים (ha-sme-chim) identifies the "rejoicing" group, while לְלֹא דְבָר (le-lo de-bar) names the location "Lo-debar." The phrase בְּחָזְקֵנוּ (be-cha-ze-ke-nu) translates literally to "by our own strength," underscoring self-reliance.
The thread — The motif of self-congratulatory arrogance appears in Isaiah 28:14 among scoffing rulers and Luke 12:19 in the parable of a man boasting of his stored goods. The geographical reference in 2 Kings 14:25 independently records Jeroboam restoring Israel's boundaries from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to distinguish between attributing security to human effort and recognizing divine sovereignty. It confronts self-deception by juxtaposing present boasts with the imminent national oppression described in the immediate context.
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
Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?
Cross-references
- Isaiah 28:14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
- Luke 12:19 Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- 2 Kings 14:25 This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher.
- James 4:16 As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil.
- Exodus 32:18 But Moses replied: “It is neither the cry of victory nor the cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!”
- Judges 9:19 if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.
- Judges 9:27 And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
- Judges 16:23 Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.”
- 1 Samuel 4:5 When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
- 2 Kings 13:25 Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times, and so recovered the cities of Israel.