The Oracle Concerning Israel 2

Amos

Literary Structure of Amos’ Oracle Concerning Israel (2:6-16) (notice the legal process of a prophetic rîB) I. Prophetic-messenger formula: “Thus says YHWH” (v. 6a) II. The Numerical parallelism x:x+1 and the statement “I will not cause it to return” (v. 6b). III. The Statements of the Crimes A. Trafficking of the innocent and poor (vv. 6c-8); B. Interlude: Reference to the Past Redemptive Acts of God (vv. 9-10) C. Abuse of God’s chosen persons, the Nazirites and the Prophets (v. 11-12) IV. Judgment (vv. 13-16a) V. Concluding Formula: “Says YHWH” (v.12b).

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vv. 9-11 – Interlude Reference to the Past Redemptive Acts of God (vv. 9-10). --v. 9 The destruction of the Amorites (v. 9): “Amorites” in the OT refer the former settlers of the land of Canaan prior to the coming of Israel, often mentioned together with Canaanites and Hittites (Ezek 16:3; Gen 15:16; Deut 1:7). --In history, the Amorites (lit. “Westerners”) were the Semitic-speaking semi-nomadic people who migrated into the Levant from the Arabian desert during the early second millennium B.C. Their civilization is attested in the dynasty of Hammurabi. For more info on the Amorites, see G. E. Mendenhall, “Amorites,” in Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 1, pp. 199-202. Also go to Amorites wikipedia. --The biblical Amorites are usually pictured as idolaters who committed iniquity (Josh 24:14; Judg 6:10; cf. Lev 18:24-30; 20:23) and consequently destroyed by YHWH and their land given to Israel.

--In this text the Amorites’ height are compared with cedars’ and their strength like that of oak trees. In some texts, Amorites are pictured as giants, the `ánäqîm (Num 13:28; Deut 1:28; 2:10,21; 9:2; Josh 14:12,15; 15:14). --Moreover, the reference to “trees” recall the worship of Asherah, the Canaanite goddess of the earth and fertility oftentimes portrayed as a tree (cf. Deut 16:21-22). For the different meanings of trees in the OT, see my blog www.divinewordseminary.blogspot.com on the post 6th Sunday in Ord Time C: “Like a Tree” (Feb 8, 2007). --The metaphor of “trees” might also refer to the presence of the king of Assyria. In ANE, kings are represented by trees. As we in know in some prophetic texts, the Assyrian kings employ oppressive means on their subjects, especially on the subjugated territories in the form of heavy tribute, forced labor, cruel slavery, and exile (e.g. Isa 10:24; 20:4; 33:18). In the OT, the prophets would preach on the destruction of kings in the image of axed trees (see Isa 10:5-34, esp. v. 34; Ezek 31). --The point then is that since Israel has chosen the path of injustice, it will suffer the same fate as the Amorites -note v. 9a: “I myself” (emphatic!) have destroyed (hišmaºdTî lit. “exterminated”) the Amorite.” -v. 9b “I myself have “exterminated” his fruit…” - . In the OT, when trees bear fruit, the country is under Yahweh's blessing, there is justice in the land; if the fruit harvest fails, it represents a curse, injustice abounds. (see Isa 5:1-7; also Mk 11:12-21). v.10 – The exodus theme: Exodus, wilderness, settlement. Wolff (p. 169) thinks the language is Deuteronomic (see, E.g. Deut 20:1). But such a reference to Exodus often appears not only in the Pentateuch but also in the Prophets (see Jer 7:22-26; Micah 6:4). -The appeal might be related to the idea of Israel’s experience of exodus, God giving them his justice and freedom as an obligation to render justice and freedom to others. This is evident in the commandment on Sabbath observance in the version of Deuteronomy (5:12-15). The idea seems to be that if God had “brought up” Israel out of Egypt, Israel must have also rendered justice and freedom to others, especially the poor and the needy (cf. Mat 18:23-35, the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant).

Amos

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vv. 11-12 Persecution of God’s chosen persons, the Prophets and the Nazirites (v. 11-12) v. 11 “And I raised up some of your children to be prophets; and some of your youths to be Nazirites.” v. 12 But you made the nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, "You shall not prophesy." --God’s acts of justice in the past include raising up of prophets and Nazirites . Here we have to remember the role of the prophets as mediators and as spokespersons of God to constantly remind the people of to keep God’s Torah. The image is that of “sentinels” (see Isaiah 62:6-7; see also Deut 30:19; Luke 4:14-30). The crime seems to imply that Israel prevents the prophets to exercise their ministry. Israel prevented them to prophesy (v. 12; but see also cf. Isa 30:10). -On the Nazirites (lit. “separated” or “dedicated”) . See Num 6:1-7, the text describes a Nazirite as young man who pledges a vow to YHWH which includes non drinking of intoxicating drinks, does not cut the hair of the head and does not come into contact with the dead—hence, living life of frugality and poverty. (so Samuel in 1 Sam 1-3; Samson in Judges 13-16; John the Baptist?, Jesus of Nazareth?). --The crime implies Israel forcing the Nazirites to break their vows-- these persons who are weak and poor in the eyes of many because they have dedicated their lives to YHWH. Wolff, p. 171 writes, “[a]ffluent times could not tolerate those who, by their behavior, bore living witness to the heritage of the frugal life in the wilderness and its concomitant demand for total dedication to YHWH.” --Read the “little ones” in Mk 9:42; also the “least” in Mt 25. vv. 13-16a Judgment on Israel v. 13: “So I will press you down in your place…” The Hebrew has a stronger verb: “So I will split you open (më`îq). ” The image of a cart pressing down filled with sheaves (harvested ears of grain) stresses in a metaphorical way the heavy impact on the ground cracking up the earth. And as Wolff thinks, the “splitting open” might refer to an impending earthquake. See Gowan’s translation, p. 366: “Behold I am causing a quaking beneath you, as wagon filled with sheaves quakes.” --Note that Amos’ fourth and fifth visions of Amos similarly use the imagery of harvest (8:1-2) and earthquake (8:1-4) to portray the coming judgment. vv. 14-16a depicts the image of soldiers being subjugated by enemies in a war. The last verse (v. 16a) is graphic: the supposedly mighty soldiers fleeing away naked, a form of shaming the army, and making sure they have no more weapons and shields with them. --Sweeney, p. 218 says that the image of fleeing naked warriors reverses the imagery of the rich who would sell the poor for sandals or garments in vv. 6-8, hence a kind of inclusio. (compare the fleeing naked young man in Mk 14:51-52). Conclusion Read the theological reflection on God as a warrior by Donald Gowan, “Amos” in The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 7, pp. 366-367, a two-page required reading!!!). Some further theological points on that problem: 1. The influence of ancient Near Eastern religions on Israel’s religion. --the court images of kings and queens and the cult images of gods and goddesses. 2. Israel among Nations: Its experience of defeats, oppression, slavery, and exile. 3. (note: not in the original text) Emblematic text: Deut 9:11-14 – the “carrier” of the Law has the essential obligation to denounce sin including its the consequent punishment. This idea is traditionally embodied in Israel in the ministry of the prophets. It is also not different from the theological position of St. Paul, when he affirms that through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20) thereby making one also aware of being under the “wrath of God” (Rom 1:18). 4. The constant theme of the Old Testament to establish a just order in the world, called “shalom”. see Isa 2:2-5; Micah 4:1-3; and Amos 5:24 “But let justice (mišPä†) roll down like waters, and righteousness (cüdäqâ) like an ever-flowing stream”.