Amos 6:8

The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself—the LORD, the God of Hosts, has declared: “I abhor Jacob’s pride and detest his citadels, so I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Yahweh speaks through the prophet Amos to the complacent leadership of Israel at a moment when feasting and false security are abruptly ending. The declaration follows the immediate warning that the people will become the first captives in exile.

The words — נִשְׁבַּע (nishba') translates literally as "he has sworn," establishing that Yahweh, the Lord God of Hosts, uses His own life as the guarantee for the coming destruction.

The thread — This divine oath formula appears in Jeremiah 51:14 and Amos 4:2 to confirm the certainty of judgment, while Psalm 47:4 provides the contrasting declaration that God actively chooses Jacob’s inheritance.

Why it lands — The text states plainly that God abhors Jacob’s pride and detests his fortified cities, then declares He will hand over the city and all within it. The passage requires readers to abandon reliance on national privilege or military strength and accept that divine judgment operates independently of human status.

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

נִשְׁבַּע֩nish.Ba'he has sworn אֲדֹנָ֨י'a.do.Nai[the] Lord יְהוִ֜הYah.wehYahweh בְּנַפְשׁ֗וֹbe./naf.Sh/oby/ self/ his נְאֻם־ne.'um-[the] utterance of יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.HeiGod of צְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'othosts מְתָאֵ֤בme.ta.'Ev[am] loathing אָֽנֹכִי֙'a.no.KhiI אֶת־'et-<obj.>גְּא֣וֹןge.'on[the] pride of יַֽעֲקֹ֔בya.'a.KoJacob וְאַרְמְנֹתָ֖יוve./'ar.me.no.Ta/vand/ fortresses/ his שָׂנֵ֑אתִיsa.Ne.tiI hate וְהִסְגַּרְתִּ֖יve./his.gar.Tiand/ I will deliver up עִ֥יר'ir[the] city וּמְלֹאָֽהּ׃u./me.lo.'A/hand/ what fills/ it

King James Version

The Lord God hath sworn by himself, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 51:14 The LORD of Hosts has sworn by Himself: “Surely I will fill you up with men as with locusts, and they will shout in triumph over you.”
Amos 4:2 The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, the days are coming when you will be taken away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.
Psalms 47:4 He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah
Jeremiah 22:5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself, declares the LORD, that this house will become a pile of rubble.’”
Amos 8:7 The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget any of their deeds.
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.”
Psalms 106:40 So the anger of the LORD burned against His people, and He abhorred His own inheritance.
Genesis 22:16 saying, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son,
Leviticus 26:11 And I will make My dwelling place among you, and My soul will not despise you.
Leviticus 26:30 I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.