The Lord GOD has sworn by himself, declares the LORD, the God of hosts: “I abhor the pride of Jacob and hate his strongholds, and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God's oath here isn't just about punishment; it reveals the deep personal affront He feels. He doesn't just "dislike" Jacob's "pride" (or the splendor it represents); He "abhors" it as something vile, a direct contrast to His own character. This revulsion is so profound it drives His vow to destroy their cherished city and everything within it.
The Lord GOD has sworn by himself, declares the LORD, the God of hosts: “I abhor the pride of Jacob and hate his strongholds, and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Amos has been denouncing the complacency and injustice of Israel's wealthy elite, who are reveling in luxury while ignoring their sin. In this passage, God solemnly swears by His very being that He detests their arrogant pride and the opulent palaces built on exploitation. This divine oath is a solemn declaration that judgment is coming, and their cherished city and everything within it will be given over to destruction.
Why would an all-powerful God need to swear an oath? This verse reveals God's deep commitment to His justice.
God declares that He has "sworn by himself." This isn't because God needs reassurance or because His word isn't enough. Rather, it's a profound declaration for our benefit, underscoring the absolute certainty and immutability of His pronouncements.
God doesn't just dislike sin; He 'abhors' and 'hates' specific manifestations of it. What does this reveal about His perspective?
God's gaze falls sharply on the "pride of Jacob" and "his palaces." This isn't a casual disapproval, but a deep-seated revulsion.
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God's hatred of pride leads to a stark consequence: the "deliverance" of the city. What does this mean for those within?
The pronouncement "I will deliver up the city and all that is in it" is not a promise of protection, but a decree of judgment. It signifies the complete handing over of Samaria (and by extension, any who follow their path) to destruction.
Understand the original words
Adonai Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
A divine title referring to the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth, emphasizing His supreme authority and power over all creation and historical events.
tseba’oth · Hebrew Noun
A title highlighting God as the supreme commander of the celestial armies, emphasizing His incomparable power and authority over the spiritual and material realms.
ta’ab · Hebrew Verb
A strong expression of divine repulsion and total rejection of that which is morally offensive or contrary to God's holy character.
ga’on · Hebrew Noun
An arrogant attitude or posture of heart that places self-sufficiency above reliance on God; it is consistently opposed by God throughout Scripture.
Ya’aqob · Hebrew Proper Noun
A name for the patriarch whose descendants became the nation of Israel, often used in the prophets to address the collective sins or covenant failures of the people.
armon · Hebrew Noun
Fortified places or structures used for defense, which in prophetic literature can represent false security or human reliance on worldly defenses rather than God.
Amos delivers a scathing prophecy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a period of apparent prosperity, warning of impending judgment. The "excellency" and "palaces" he condemns represent a hollow pride built on injustice, a pride God will utterly destroy. The historical context of rising Assyrian power underscores the real and terrifying threat behind God's pronouncements.
c. 760-750 BC— this verse
Amos prophesies to Israel
Amos, a shepherd from Judah, is called to prophesy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of prosperity and complacency under King Jeroboam II.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian expansion under Tiglath-Pileser III
The Neo-Assyrian Empire begins a period of aggressive expansion, posing a significant military threat to the smaller kingdoms of the Levant, including Israel.
734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
Assyria invades the region, and the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) is devastated. Many Israelites are exiled, and the kingdom's territory is significantly reduced.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital city of the Northern Kingdom, Samaria, falls to the Assyrians after a prolonged siege, leading to the destruction of the kingdom and the exile of its people (the ten lost tribes).
This passage echoes God's oath and solemn declaration of judgment, mirroring the weight and finality found in Amos 6:8. It highlights how God swears by Himself, emphasizing the certainty of His pronouncements against His people's sin.
Isaiah 9:9-10This prophecy directly addresses the pride of Ephraim (the northern kingdom, like Jacob here) and their material wealth, stating that their houses, though built with hewn stones and cedars, will fall. It parallels Amos's condemnation of pride and the inevitable destruction of their strongholds and palaces.
Micah 3:10-12This passage from Micah, a contemporary prophet to Amos, condemns the leaders of Israel for building Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity, prophesying that it will be plowed like a field and become heaps of ruins. It speaks to the same theme of corrupt foundations leading to God's judgment and destruction of their grand structures.
Psalm 47:4This psalm speaks of God choosing Jacob's inheritance as 'the pride of him.' While Amos uses 'pride of Jacob' to signify something God abhors, this psalm shows how God Himself elevates Jacob, highlighting the contrast between God's intended glory for His people and their perversion of it into destructive arrogance.
barnesAmos 6:8: "The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein."
The Lord God - He who alone is and who alone hath power, "hath sworn by Himself," literally, "by His soul;" as our "self" comes from the same root as "soul." Jerome: "So God saith in Isaiah, "Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul hateth" Isaiah 1:14 ; not that God hath a soul, but that He…
clarkeAmos 6:8: "The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein."
The Lord God hath sworn by himself - בנפשו benaphsho, by his soul, his being, existence.
God's oath here isn't just about punishment; it reveals the deep personal affront He feels. He doesn't just "dislike" Jacob's "pride" (or the splendor it represents); He "abhors" it as something vile, a direct contrast to His own character. This revulsion is so profound it drives His vow to destroy their cherished city and everything within it.
The prophet Amos has been denouncing the complacency and injustice of Israel's wealthy elite, who are reveling in luxury while ignoring their sin. In this passage, God solemnly swears by His very being that He detests their arrogant pride and the opulent palaces built on exploitation. This divine oath is a solemn declaration that judgment is coming, and their cherished city and everything within it will be given over to destruction.
The prophet Amos has been denouncing the complacency and injustice of Israel's wealthy elite, who are reveling in luxury while ignoring their sin. In this passage, God solemnly swears by His very being that He detests their arrogant pride and the opulent palaces built on exploitation. This divine oath is a solemn declaration that judgment is coming, and their cherished city and everything within it will be given over to destruction.
"The Lord GOD has sworn by himself, declares the LORD, the God of hosts:
“I abhor the pride of Jacob
and hate his strongholds,
and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.”" — God's oath here isn't just about punishment; it reveals the deep personal affront He feels. He doesn't just "dislike" Jacob's "pride" (or the splendor it represents); He "abhors" it as something vile…
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Last reviewed October 2026