“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.”
My Notes
What Does Amos 6:8 Mean?
God swears by himself — the highest possible oath, since there's no one greater to swear by — that he abhors the excellency (pride) of Jacob and hates his palaces. The things Israel is most proud of — their national greatness, their architectural achievements — are the things God finds most repulsive.
The word "abhor" (ta'av) expresses visceral disgust. God doesn't just disapprove of Israel's pride; he is revolted by it. The excellency (ga'on — pride, arrogance, grandeur) that Israel celebrates is what God finds nauseating. Their source of identity is his source of revulsion.
The consequence — "I will deliver up the city with all that is therein" — is total. Not selective judgment that preserves the good parts. Everything in the city is delivered up. The pride that infected everything means the judgment covers everything. When the disease is systemic, the treatment must be comprehensive.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What are you most proud of — and could it be the thing that provokes God's displeasure?
- 2.How does God's abhorrence of Israel's 'excellency' challenge achievement-oriented faith?
- 3.What's the difference between healthy gratitude for success and the pride that God abhors?
- 4.Where might your 'palaces' (achievements, reputation, infrastructure) be blocking your relationship with God?
Devotional
God swears — on himself, the highest oath — that he hates what Israel is most proud of. Their excellency. Their palaces. The very things they point to and say, "Look what we've built" are the things that make God physically sick.
This is one of the most offensive things God says in the prophets, because it targets identity. Israel's palaces weren't just buildings; they were proof of success. Their national excellency wasn't just reputation; it was self-understanding. And God says: I abhor it. The thing you're proudest of is the thing I hate most.
The oath — sworn by himself — means this isn't going to change. When God swears by his own existence, the commitment is as permanent as he is. The abhorrence isn't a mood; it's a decree. And the decree includes total delivery: the city and everything in it.
This should unsettle anyone whose primary confidence is in what they've built. Your palace — whether literal or metaphorical — might be the very thing that provokes God's disgust. Not because building is wrong, but because the pride that attaches to building replaces the gratitude that should accompany it. The excellency of Jacob was supposed to point to the God who enabled it. When it points to Jacob instead, God is revolted.
What are you most proud of? Because that might be exactly where God's judgment begins.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
The Lord God hath sworn by himself,.... Because he could swear by no greater, Heb 6:13; which shows the importance and…
The Lord God - He who alone is and who alone hath power, “hath sworn by Himself,” literally, “by His soul;” as our…
The Lord God hath sworn by himself - בנפשו benaphsho, by his soul, his being, existence.
In the former part of the chapter we had these secure Israelites loading themselves with pleasures, as if they could…
The contemplation of such strange moral obliquity excites the prophet's indignation, which finds expression in the oath…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture