Amos 4:12-13

12, 13. The sentence. The corrupt nation must bear a heavier blow.

Therefore Because previous judgments have failed.

Thus How? One would expect a description of the threatened judgment, for the words point to something not yet mentioned, but no description is given. This very indefiniteness suggests the worst.

This Points to the same thing as thus.

Because Because this terrible and indescribable judgment is about to fall.

Prepare to meet thy God Who is coming in judgment. The words cannot be interpreted as an exhortation to repentance, except in the sense in which “every prediction of disaster was in itself an exhortation to repentance.” They are addressed to the whole nation; but Amos, when delivering this discourse, evidently no longer expected national repentance (but compare Amos 5:4 ff.). They are rather an appeal to prepare for the worst. However, this does not exclude the possibility of repentance on the part of isolated individuals (Amos 5:15). 13. The fulfillment of the threat is assured by the character and power of Him who inspired it.

For The transition is abrupt; there is an ellipsis in thought. The connection may be expressed thus: “Prepare to meet thy God. Do not mock or disregard this announcement, for he who formeth the mountains… , the almighty Jehovah, is the author of it.” Amos 4:13, therefore, serves a purpose similar to that of Amos 2:3-8, to win a reverent hearing for the prophet’s message. The verbs are participial forms throughout, and may be translated, without the relative construction, “He formeth… he createth.…”

Formeth the mountains The verb is one used of the occupation of the potter. Jehovah finds it as easy to fashion mountains as it is for the potter to fashion a vessel (Genesis 2:7-8; Genesis 2:19; Compare Psalms 104:8).

Createth While the verb does not imply the making of “something out of nothing,” it is used in the sense of producing something fundamentally new by powers transcending the ordinary powers of man.

Wind Not “spirit”; may include all the “unseen but mighty forces of nature.”

What is his thought Not the thought of Jehovah, but the thought of man. It requires greater powers to discover the secret thoughts of man than to make known one’s own thoughts to another. Jehovah possesses the greater power; that he can do the other is assumed throughout the Old Testament. The ancient versions present different readings, each one going its own way.

Maketh the morning darkness Or, maketh darkness into morning. The last word is literally dawn. He does this by his sudden appearance in a storm cloud (Psalms 18:9), or by the natural change of day into night, or night into day. Some interpret it, with less probability, of the transformation of spiritual darkness into light.

Treadeth upon the high places of the earth Jehovah is described frequently as riding upon the clouds; in doing so he treads upon the high places, the mountains of the earth (Psalms 18:10; Micah 1:3; compare Judges 5:4-5).

Jehovah, The God of hosts The mention of this title would in itself call attention to the majesty and power of Jehovah (see on Hosea 12:5; compare Amos 3:15). On the authenticity of Amos 4:13, and the similar passages Amos 5:8-9; Amos 9:5-6, see Introduction, pp. 217ff.