Amos 6:13

6:13 You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. ¹ 

You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim ²  by our own power?”

Amos 7:15

7:15 Then the Lord took me from tending ³  flocks and gave me this commission, ⁴  ‘Go! Prophesy to my people Israel!’

Amos 9:2

9:2 Even if they could dig down into the netherworld, ⁵ 

my hand would pull them up from there.

Even if they could climb up to heaven,

I would drag them down from there.

[6:13]  ¹ tn Heb “those who rejoice over Lo-Debar.”

[6:13]  sn Lo-Debar was located across the Jordan River in Gilead, which the Israelite army had conquered. However, there is stinging irony here, for in Hebrew the name Lo-Debar means “nothing.” In reality Israel was happy over nothing of lasting consequence.

[6:13]  ² sn Karnaim was also located across the Jordan River. The name in Hebrew means “double horned.” Since an animal’s horn was a symbol of strength (see Deut 33:17), the Israelites boasted in this victory over a town whose very name symbolized military power.

[7:15]  ³ tn Heb “from [following] after.”

[7:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “and the Lord said to me.”

[9:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “into Sheol” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV), that is, the land of the dead localized in Hebrew thought in the earth’s core or the grave. Cf. KJV “hell”; NCV, NLT “the place of the dead”; NIV “the depths of the grave.”