Amos 4:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God sees the comfort of the few that is built on the crushing of the many, and He calls it by its name.
The Context of Amos 4:1
Bashan, east of the Jordan, was famous for its rich pastureland and its sleek, well-fed cattle. Amos turns that picture on the pampered women of Samaria, Israel's capital, who lived in ease while the poor around them were ground down. Calling them 'kine of Bashan' is a hard image: fattened beasts, heedless of how their feeding is paid for.
What Does Amos 4:1 Mean?
The verse opens with a summons that cannot be ignored: 'Hear this word.' Amos names a comfortable life resting on the backs of the helpless. These are people who oppress the poor and crush the needy, then turn to their husbands and call for another drink, untroubled. God notices not only open cruelty but the casual ease that looks away while others suffer. The luxury and the oppression are bound together, and He refuses to let the one hide the other.
Scripture never lets us forget that God hears the cry of the crushed. The same heart that burned here is the heart of Jesus, who announced good news to the poor and release to the oppressed (Luke 4:18), and who warned that what we do to the least we do to Him (Matthew 25:40). He does not despise the needy; He draws near to them. In His kingdom the lowly are lifted, and the comfortable are invited to come down and join them.
Amos 4:1 in the Original Language
dal (דַּל), 'poor' -- the weak, low, and helpless, those without power to defend themselves.
How to Apply Amos 4:1 Today
God pays close attention to how our comfort is purchased, and to the people overlooked in the getting of it. The verse gently turns us toward the poor and the needy as those God Himself is watching over, and invites us to see them, and to share, as Jesus did.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amos 4:1
What does Amos 4:1 mean?
God sees the comfort of the few that is built on the crushing of the many, and He calls it by its name.
What is the context of Amos 4:1?
Bashan, east of the Jordan, was famous for its rich pastureland and its sleek, well-fed cattle. Amos turns that picture on the pampered women of Samaria, Israel's capital, who lived in ease while the poor around them were ground down. Calling them 'kine of Bashan' is a hard image: fattened beasts, heedless of how their feeding is paid for.
How can I apply Amos 4:1 today?
God pays close attention to how our comfort is purchased, and to the people overlooked in the getting of it. The verse gently turns us toward the poor and the needy as those God Himself is watching over, and invites us to see them, and to share, as Jesus did.