Amos 9:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Even captivity offers no refuge; God's eye is set upon them for harm and not for good.
What Does Amos 9:4 Mean?
The last imagined escape is exile itself. Even if they go "into captivity before their enemies," thinking distance might spare them, judgment follows: "thence will I command the sword." There is no border that places them outside God's authority. The very land of their captors is still under His hand.
The verse ends with a solemn reversal: "I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good." The watchful gaze of God, which had so often guarded and blessed His people, is now turned to bring the consequences of their long rebellion. This is the sober end of the catalog of hiding places. Yet even this fearful word is not the last word of the book, for the same God who sets His eye against the guilty will, in the closing verses, set His hand to rebuild and restore.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amos 9:4
What does Amos 9:4 mean?
Even captivity offers no refuge; God's eye is set upon them for harm and not for good.