Amos 5:21-25

21-25. The popular service is an abomination to Jehovah. The prophet represents Jehovah as out of sympathy with and even hostile to the popular worship. In what sense this is to be understood see on Hosea 6:6.

Hate,… despise Exceedingly strong expressions of displeasure. The emphasis throughout is on the pronoun. Their practices are an abomination to Jehovah.

Feast days See on Hosea 2:11.

Will not smell R.V., “will take no delight.” The metaphor is based upon the primitive material conception that the Deity literally smelled the sweet odor of the sacrifice. He indicated his displeasure by refusing to smell it (compare Genesis 8:21; Isaiah 11:3; Leviticus 26:31).

Solemn assemblies See on Joel 1:14; compare on Hosea 2:11, where a different Hebrew word is used. The prophet next enumerates the most common and most popular kinds of sacrifice which Jehovah despises.

Burnt offerings See on Hosea 6:6.

Meat offerings R.V., “meal offerings.” See on Joel 1:9 (compare Leviticus 2:1 ff.; Numbers 15:1 ff).

Peace offerings Margin, “thank offerings.” Not the same word as in Amos 4:5. They are the offerings prompted by a desire to restore peace, to renew intimate fellowship with God, after, in some manner, it had become interrupted (Leviticus 3:1 ff; Leviticus 7:15 ff.).

Fat beasts Only the choicest animals were used for sacrifice. The joyful music accompanying the sacrifices also was displeasing to Jehovah.

From me Literally, from upon me. It is oppressing Jehovah like a heavy burden (Isaiah 1:14).

Noise The use of this word implies a feeling of disgust. “The best music becomes mere noise when, for any reason, it ceases to appeal to him who hears it.”

Songs Songs and music were undoubtedly a part of religious celebrations from an early period, but their exact nature among the Hebrews in pre-exilic times is not definitely known.

Viols Our knowledge of musical instruments in ancient times is very fragmentary. The instrument named here is probably a harp-shaped instrument with strings. Josephus says that in his day it had twelve strings (compare Psalms 33:2) and was played with the fingers. Here it represents all musical instruments used in connection with worship (compare Encyclopaedia Biblica, article “Music”).

Amos 5:24 is to be interpreted not as a threat, that the righteous judgment of Jehovah will sweep over the land with the destructiveness of a flood, but as an exhortation. In the place of a meaningless ceremonial Jehovah desires a righteous life (Isaiah 1:10-17).

Judgment [“justice”]… righteousness Practiced in the ordinary relations of life (see on Amos 5:7).

Run R.V., “roll”; literally, roll itself; that is, manifest itself continually.

As waters Great masses of water; a picture of abundance and continuity.

A mighty stream R.V. margin, “ever-flowing.” The allusion is to a perennial stream. In nearly all the rivers of Palestine the flow of water is interrupted during the dry season. It is not to be thus with the practice of justice and righteousness; it is to go on unobstructed and uninterrupted forever.

Lack of space will not permit even to enumerate the different views held by commentators concerning Amos 5:25-26. The interpretation suggested here is the one in most complete accord with the context. In Amos 5:25 Amos points out, by the use of a rhetorical question, the absurdity of the people’s attempt to secure the favor of Jehovah by their heartless ceremonial worship; sacrifice is not an essential element in worship at all.

Sacrifices Animal sacrifices.

Offerings R.V. margin, “meal offerings.” The same word as in Amos 5:22, here all offerings not consisting of animals. The two cover all forms of sacrifice (Isaiah 19:21; Psalms 40:6).

In the wilderness During the wanderings preceding the conquest of Canaan (Numbers 14:33-34; Joshua 5:6).

Have ye offered [“Did ye bring”] The answer expected is an emphatic No! And yet, the prophet would say, during these forty years Jehovah was as near to you as at any time in your history (Amos 2:9-10). If so, his presence and favor cannot depend upon the bringing of numerous sacrifices (Jeremiah 7:22), hence you are mistaken when you expect your present elaborate ritual to secure for you the divine favor. Sacrifice antedates the time of Moses, and that some sacrifices were offered during the desert wanderings cannot be doubted. But this is not a contradiction of the statement of Amos, for his question does not necessarily imply a denial of the bringing of all sacrifice. The demands of the language are satisfied if his words are interpreted as meaning that during the desert wanderings the people did not conform to a ritual as elaborate as that practiced in his own day; and such interpretation satisfies also the demands of his argument.