1.

Temporal [Comparative] Clause: Succeeding Situation

5:19A

1
7

5:19A

15

5:19B
5:19B
5:19B

yiqtol

5:19A
5:19B

VC

VC

weqat
al

VC

weqat
al

weqat
al

VC

1
1

VC

weqat
al

that usually introduces comparative clause is at this point used with the yiqtol and it sets
up subjunctive mood which can be translated as if[though](unreal condition) or just as.(comparative)
The following weqatal in v. 19 contains sequential sense that forms hypothetical situation introduced by

.
ESV
as if a man
fled from a
lion, and a
bear met
him, or went

NRSV
as
if someone fl
ed from a
lion, and was
met by a

NIV
It will be
as though a
man fled
from a
lion only to

NLT
In that day
you will
be likea
man who
runs from a

NET
Disaster will
be
inescapable,
as if a
man ran from

Suggestion
As though a
man[someon
e] fled from a
lion and a
bear met

into the
house and
leaned his
hand against
the wall, and
a serpent bit
him.

bear; or went
into the
house
and rested
a hand
against the
wall, and wa
s bitten by a
snake.

meet a bear,
as
though he e
ntered
his house
and rested hi
s hand on the
wall only to
have a
snake bite hi
m.

lion only to
meet a bear.
Escaping
from the
bear, he lean
s his hand
against a wall
in his house
and hes
bitten by a
snake.

a lion only to
meet a bear,
then
escaped into
a
house, leane
d his hand
against the
wall, and wa
s bitten
by a poisono
us snake.

him; and
then [as
though he ]
[or] went
into the
house and
then leaned
his hand
against the
wall and
then a snake
bit him.

2. Adversative Clause
6:3A
6:3B

3
6

1
3

VC

ptc
wayyi
qtol

The verb after atnach in 6:3 has a paragogic Nun which marks contrast, unusual or unexpected
action. Verse 3 is divine speech that reminds of Israels spiritual blindness. The first line delivers that
Israel put off a day of disaster, then the following description that Israel bring near the day is not
expected and contrasts to the preceding speech.
ESV
O you
who put far

NRSV
O you that
put far

NIV
You put off
the day of

NLT
You push
away every

NET
You refuse to
believe a day

Suggestion
[O] you put
off the day of

away the day

of disaster
and bring
near the
seat of
violence?

away theevil
day, and
bring near a
reign of
violence?

disaster and
bring near a
reign
of terror.

thought of co
ming disaster
, but your
actions
only bring th
e
day of judgm
ent closer.

of
disaster will
come, but
you
establish a
reign of
violence.

3. Purpose Clause

5:23A

yiqtol/
inv

weyiq
tol

VC

8
5:23B
5:24A

5:24B

3
6
3

NC

impr

adj

The following narrative sequence marks the purpose or result clauses:

Jussive
Jussive
Imperativ
Imperfect
e
+ Waw +
cohortati
cohortati
ve
ve

disaster.
BUT, you
bring near a
reign of
violence.

The verse 23 begins with Hifil imperative and the following verse is introduced by conjuction Waw
plus Nifal jussive. According to the narrative sequence above, it can be said that v. 24 is result(purpose)
clause. In other words, the v. 24 implies the purpose why the Israel needs to stop their songs as well as
what they should do.
ESV
Take
away from
me the noise
of your
songs; to the
melody of
your harps I
will not
listen. But let
justice
roll down
like waters,
and
righteousnes
s like an
ever-flowing
stream.

NRSV
Take
away from
me the noise
of your
songs; I will n
ot listen to th
e melody of
your harps.
But let
justice
roll down
like waters,
and
righteousnes
s like an
ever-flowing
stream.

4. Participial Clause
5.

NIV
Away
with the
noise of your
songs! I will n
ot listen to th
e music of
your harps.
But let
justice roll on
like a
river, righteo
usness like a
never-failing
stream!

NLT
Away with
your noisy
hymns of prai
se! I will not li
sten to the m
usic of your
harps.
Instead, I
want to see a
mighty flood
of justice, an
endless river
of righteous
living.

NET
Take
away from
me your
noisy songs; I
dont want to
hear
the music of
your stringed
instruments.
[] Justice
must
flow like torre
nts
of water, righ
teous
actions like a
stream that
never dries
up.

Suggestion
Take away
from me the
noise of your
songs. I will
not listen the
melody of
your harps.
Then[And],
let justice
roll down
like waters,
and
righteousnes
s like an everflowing
stream.

6:3A
6:3B

3
6

6:4A
6:4A

13
6

6:4B
6:5A

4
9

6:6A
6:6A
6:6B

6
11
5

VC

ptc
wayyi
qtol

PtC

ptc

NC

adj

NC

ptc

1
NC

ptc

VC

qatal

NC

ptc

2
5

6:5B

2
2

6:4B

6:5B

VC

yiqtol

VC

qatal

The function of participial clauses in Amos 5:18-6:14 is mostly substantive that indicates the one
who takes an action.1 As seen in the table above, all of substantival participle with article as subject is
placed at the front of the sentence.

1Only two exceptional participle usage are found in Amos 6:8 and 11. In v. 8, the participle is predicate whose subject
is the Lord. The participle comes first and the subject follows. The participle in v 11. is predicate whose subject is the Lord as
well. But the word order contrasts to v. 8.

ESV translate the paragraph as a single long sentence. Although it has nothing to do with its
meaning, it looks that the sof pasuq of BHS which is at the end of each verse indicates those are
separate verses.

6:4

6:5

6:6

ESV
Woe to those who lie on beds of
ivory and stretch themselves out on
their couches, and eat lambs from
the flock and calves from the midst of
the stall,
who sing idle songs to the sound of the
harp and like David invent for
themselves instruments of music,
who drink wine in bowls and anoint
themselves with the finest oils, but are
not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

6. Circumstantial Clause
7.
5:26A
12
2
1

5:26A

weqat
al

2
5

O those[you] who sing idle songs

O those[you] who drink wine from

bowls and anoint themselves

5:26A
5:26B

VC

Suggestion
O those[you] who lie on beds of
ivoryand eat lambs from the flock

1
weqat
al

5:26B

RC

qatal

V. 25 rhetorical question that describes the historical event and v. 26 which begins with weqatal is
predictive, which means the verse has imperfective sense.
[B]ut in this case the context is a rhetorical question, which is naturally headed by a qatal rather

than a wayyiqtol. Translating literally, therefore,

here
2
you would carry.
ESV
NRSV
NIV
NLT
You shall take You shall take You have
No, you serv
up
up Sakkuthyo lifted up the
ed your
Sikkuth your
ur king, and
shrine of your pagan gods
king,
Kaiwan your
king, the
Sakkuth your
and Kiyyun y star-god,
pedestal
king godand
our star-god
your
of your idols, Kaiwan your
your image images, whic the star of
star god
s thatyou
h you made
your god w the images y
made for
for
hich you
ou made for
yourselves,
yourselves;
made for
yourselves.
yourselves.

2Garrett, Amos(2008), 175.

means, and you were carrying or and

NET
You will pick
up your
images
of Sikkuth,
your king,
and Kiyyun,
your star
god, which
you made for
yourselves,

Garrett
And you were
carrying your
images of the
sky gods