Amos 2:16

Amos 2:16 Meaning and Explanation

And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.

King James Version (KJV)

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Even the bravest warrior will throw down his weapons and flee defenseless in the day of the Lord's judgment.

What Does Amos 2:16 Mean?

The chapter closes with its most startling image: the most courageous of soldiers, the very bravest among the mighty, will cast off his armor and flee away naked, stripped of weapons and dignity, to save his life on that day.

Courage itself, the last and noblest of human strengths, fails when God arises in judgment. The picture of the hero fleeing naked is meant to shatter every illusion of self-sufficiency. Israel's confidence is utterly emptied. Yet even this severe word serves mercy, for it is meant to drive a complacent people back to the Lord before the day arrives. The reader hears the warning and is invited, while there is still time, to seek the only One who saves.

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What does Amos 2:16 mean?

Even the bravest warrior will throw down his weapons and flee defenseless in the day of the Lord's judgment.

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