Amos 3:2 (ASV)

Passage

You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.

Nearby Context

Amos 3:1 Hear this word that Jehovah hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying,

Amos 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.

Amos 3:3 Shall two walk together, except they have agreed?

Amos 3:4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "iniquities", "only", "known", "families", "earth", "therefore", "visit", and "upon". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "iniquities" and "only", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "Hear this word that Jehovah hath spoken..." into verse 3's "Shall two walk together except they have...", so "iniquities" and "only" belong inside that flow. In Amos context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "iniquities" and "only" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.