The Meaning of Amos 6:9 Explained

Amos 6:9

KJV: And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

YLT: And if there are left ten persons in one house, It hath come to pass -- that they have died.

Darby: And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

ASV: And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass, if there remain  ten  men  in one  house,  that they shall die. 

What does Amos 6:9 Mean?

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 6:9 mean?

And it shall come to pass if that remain ten men in house one and they shall die
וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־ יִוָּ֨תְר֜וּ עֲשָׂרָ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֛ים בְּבַ֥יִת אֶחָ֖ד וָמֵֽתוּ

וְהָיָ֗ה  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
יִוָּ֨תְר֜וּ  that  remain 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָתַר  
Sense: to be left over, remain, remain over, leave.
עֲשָׂרָ֧ה  ten 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: עֶשֶׂר 
Sense: ten.
אֲנָשִׁ֛ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בְּבַ֥יִת  in  house 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֶחָ֖ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וָמֵֽתוּ  and  they  shall  die 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.