SUMMARY
“You only have I known among all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities” (3:2).
ANALYSIS
While AmosProphet to the northern kingdom who condemned Israel's oppression of the poor, calling for justice to "roll down like waters." More opens with condemnation of surrounding nations for “three, no four” transgressions, God and the prophet’s ire are targeted on Israel. Even Egypt and Philistine cities are called up to the hills surrounding Samaria to witness the unique meting out of punishment against Israel (3:9), punishments administered from still another enemy surrounding the land (Assyria) (3:11).
The internal logic of this section is that God knew and had a special relationship with Israel. God brought them up out of the land of Egypt (3:1). Therefore, they have a special obligation to perform righteousness. And just as nature reveals logical progression from observation to consequence (3-6), so God’s judgments need to be understood in a context of prophetic warnings meeting with continued indifference (7-8). God gave special warnings to the special nation of Israel through special servants, the prophets. When those warnings were ignored, Israel was singled out for special punishments.
