Amos 3:10 (LSB)

Passage

But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares Yahweh, “these who hoard up violence and devastation in their citadels.”

Nearby Context

Amos 3:8 A lion has roared! Who will not fear? Lord Yahweh has spoken! Who can but prophesy?

Amos 3:9 Make it heard on the citadels in Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Gather yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see the great confusions within her and the oppressions in her midst.

Amos 3:10 But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares Yahweh, “these who hoard up violence and devastation in their citadels.”

Amos 3:11 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “An adversary, even one surrounding the land, Will pull down your strength from you, And your citadels will be plundered.”

Amos 3:12 Thus says Yahweh, “Just as the shepherd delivers from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear, So will the sons of Israel inhabiting Samaria be delivered— With the corner of a bed and the cover of a couch!

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "right", "declares", "yahweh", "hoard", "violence", "devastation", and "citadels". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "right" and "declares", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 9's "Make it heard on the citadels in..." into verse 11's "Therefore thus says Lord Yahweh An adversary...", so "right" and "declares" 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 "right" and "declares" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.