prophecy – Bite-Sized Exegesis

The Trajectory of Hebrew Prophecy – Amos 4:4-5

Amos 4:4-5 sits in the middle of the trajectory of Hebrew prophecy by declaring that only worship that proceeds from a heart that loves God and loves its neighbor is acceptable to God. Amos sounds a lot like Jesus.

The Cows of Bashan – Amos 4:1-3

In Amos 4:1-3, the prophet focuses on the women of Samaria and calls them “Cows of Bashan”. Is he simply insulting these women and speaking out of an essentially misogynistic patriarchal worldview, or is he making a constructive theological point with this image?

The Authenticity of Amos 1:9-12

Many biblical scholars doubt the authenticity of the oracles against Tyre and Edom in Amos 1:9-12. But not only do many of the arguments against their authenticity have other, better explanations, some, particularly those that argue for a much later date of the Edom oracle based upon its “appropriateness”, commit a fundamental error in logic.