The Meaning of Amos 6:13 Explained

Amos 6:13

KJV: Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

YLT: O ye who are rejoicing at nothing, Who are saying, 'Have we not by our strength taken to ourselves horns?'

Darby: ye that rejoice in a thing of nought, that say, have We not taken to us power by our own strength?

ASV: ye that rejoice in a thing of nought, that say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Ye which rejoice  in a thing  of nought,  which say,  Have we not taken  to us horns  by our own strength? 

What does Amos 6:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The leaders felt very proud and confident because under Jeroboam II Israel had recaptured some territory that it had formerly lost to Aram (cf. 2 Kings 14:25). This included the town of Lo-debar in Transjordan (cf. 2 Samuel 9:4; 2 Samuel 17:27). Amos , however, cleverly made light of this feat by mispronouncing the city "Lo-dabar," which means "not a thing." They had taken nothing of much value. The people were also claiming that they had taken the town of Karnaim (lit. a pair of horns, symbols of strength) by their own strength. It was not they but Yahweh, however, who had strengthened them to achieve this victory over a symbolically strong town. Really Karnaim was quite insignificant.

Context Summary

Amos 6:1-14 - "woe To Them That Are At Ease In Zion!"
Zion is included with Samaria in this prophecy and the nobles are especially condemned for their drunkenness, gluttony, and insolence. The prophet quotes the example of great neighboring peoples as a warning that the abuse of God's good gifts leads to their withdrawal. Calneh on the Tigris, and Hamath, had fallen before Assyria; Gath, also, had been recently overwhelmed-how unlikely, therefore, that Israel, eaten through by extravagance and luxury, could endure. National dissolution is not far away, when palaces are filled with riot while the poor rot in neglect. It was thus that Joseph's brethren ate their food at the pit's mouth, while Joseph lay beneath. Many professing Christians are similarly "at ease," indifferent to their brother's woe.
The greatness of approaching judgment is illustrated by a simple incident. A household of eleven is smitten by plague; ten die, one only survives. So great has been the mortality that no nearer relative than an uncle is left to carry out the dead for cremation; and when the matter of a funeral service is broached, the suggestion is instantly met by the remark, "Those old customs cannot be observed amid the stress of such a time; we do not now mention God's name." Funeral rites would pass out of use. God's dealings with His people had been as useless as plowing rocks would be. [source]

Chapter Summary: Amos 6

1  The wantonness of Israel,
7  shall be plagued with desolation;
12  and their incorrigibleness shall end in affliction

What do the individual words in Amos 6:13 mean?

You who rejoice of nothing over Lo Debar who say have not by our own strength we taken for ourselves Karnaim
הַשְּׂמֵחִ֖ים לְלֹ֣א דָבָ֑ר הָאֹ֣מְרִ֔ים הֲל֣וֹא ؟ בְחָזְקֵ֔נוּ לָקַ֥חְנוּ לָ֖נוּ קַרְנָֽיִם

הַשְּׂמֵחִ֖ים  You  who  rejoice 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
לְלֹ֣א  of  nothing 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
דָבָ֑ר  over  Lo  Debar 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֹ֣מְרִ֔ים  who  say 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הֲל֣וֹא  have  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
؟ בְחָזְקֵ֔נוּ  by  our  own  strength 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: חֹזֶק  
Sense: strength.
לָקַ֥חְנוּ  we  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לָ֖נוּ  for  ourselves 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
קַרְנָֽיִם  Karnaim 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קֶרֶן 
Sense: horn.