◄ Amos 1:15 ►
Their king will go into exile--he and his princes together," says the LORD.
Study Bible
Their king
The term "king" in this context refers to the monarch of the Ammonites, a people who were often in conflict with Israel. The Hebrew word for king, "melek," signifies not just a political leader but also a representative of the nation's identity and strength. Historically, kings were seen as the embodiment of their people's power and divine favor. The prophecy of the king going into exile indicates a complete overthrow of the Ammonite leadership and a significant blow to their national pride and stability.

will go into exile
The phrase "go into exile" is derived from the Hebrew word "galah," which means to uncover or remove. Exile was a common form of divine judgment in the Old Testament, symbolizing not only physical displacement but also spiritual and cultural dislocation. For the Ammonites, exile would mean the loss of their land, their gods, and their identity. It serves as a stark warning of the consequences of their actions against Israel and their defiance of God's will.

he and his princes together
The inclusion of "his princes" alongside the king emphasizes the totality of the judgment. The Hebrew word for princes, "sarim," refers to the chief officials or leaders under the king. This indicates that the entire ruling class of Ammon would be removed, leaving the nation leaderless and vulnerable. It underscores the comprehensive nature of God's judgment, affecting not just the king but all who shared in his governance and, presumably, his guilt.

says the LORD
This phrase, "says the LORD," is a declaration of divine authority and certainty. The Hebrew term "Yahweh" is used here, the covenant name of God, which underscores His sovereignty and faithfulness. When the LORD speaks, it is not merely a prediction but a decree that will surely come to pass. This assurance of divine intervention serves as both a warning to the nations and a comfort to Israel, affirming that God is actively involved in the affairs of the world and will uphold justice.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Amos
A prophet from Tekoa, a small town in Judah, who was called by God to deliver messages of judgment to Israel and surrounding nations.

2. The King
Refers to the ruler of the nation being judged, likely the king of Ammon in this context, as Amos 1:13-15 addresses the transgressions of Ammon.

3. Princes
The officials or leaders under the king who will also face exile.

4. Ammon
A nation east of Israel, often in conflict with Israel, known for its cruelty and aggression.

5. Exile
The forced removal from one's homeland, a common consequence of divine judgment in the Old Testament.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Nations
God holds all nations accountable for their actions, and no king or ruler is beyond His reach.

The Consequences of Sin
Persistent sin and rebellion against God lead to judgment and consequences, as seen in the exile of the king and princes.

The Certainty of God's Word
When God declares judgment, it is certain to come to pass, underscoring the reliability of His word.

Leadership and Responsibility
Leaders bear significant responsibility for their actions and the actions of their people, as seen in the judgment on the king and princes.

Hope in Repentance
While judgment is pronounced, the broader biblical account offers hope for those who turn back to God in repentance.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the judgment on the king and princes of Ammon reflect God's justice and sovereignty?

2. In what ways can the exile of the Ammonite leaders serve as a warning to contemporary leaders and nations?

3. How does the theme of exile in Amos 1:15 connect with other instances of exile in the Bible, and what lessons can we learn from them?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure that we, as individuals or communities, do not fall into the same patterns of sin that led to Ammon's judgment?

5. How can we find hope and encouragement in the broader biblical account, even when faced with passages of judgment like Amos 1:15?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 49:3
This passage also speaks of the judgment against Ammon, reinforcing the theme of divine retribution for their sins.

2 Kings 24:12
Provides an example of a king and his officials going into exile, illustrating the fulfillment of prophetic judgment.

Isaiah 13:11
Discusses God's judgment on nations for their evil, similar to the judgment pronounced in Amos.

Psalm 2:10-12
Advises kings and rulers to serve the Lord with fear, contrasting with the fate of the Ammonite king and princes.

Proverbs 21:1
Reminds us that the heart of a king is in the hand of the Lord, emphasizing God's sovereignty over rulers.
Sermons
Greed of TerritoryJ.R. Thomson Amos 1:13-15
People
Amos, Aram, Ben, Benhadad, Ben-hadad, Hadad, Hazael, Jehoash, Jeroboam, Joash, Teman, Uzziah
Places
Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beth-eden, Bozrah, Carmel, Damascus, Edom, Ekron, Gaza, Gilead, Jerusalem, Kir, Rabbah, Syria, Tekoa, Teman, Tyre, Valley of Aven, Zion
Topics
Captains, Captivity, Exile, Heads, Officials, Princes, Prisoner, Removal, Says
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Amos 1:15

     7212   exile

Library
The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The River of Egypt, Rhinocorura. The Lake of Sirbon.
Pliny writes, "From Pelusium are the intrenchments of Chabrias: mount Casius: the temple of Jupiter Casius: the tomb of Pompey the Great: Ostracine: Arabia is bounded sixty-five miles from Pelusium: soon after begins Idumea and Palestine from the rising up of the Sirbon lake." Either my eyes deceive me, while I read these things,--or mount Casius lies nearer Pelusium, than the lake of Sirbon. The maps have ill placed the Sirbon between mount Casius and Pelusium. Sirbon implies burning; the name of …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Whether, in Prophetic Revelation, New Species of Things are Impressed on the Prophet's Mind, or Merely a New Light?
Objection 1: It would seem that in prophetic revelation no new species of things are impressed on the prophet's mind, but only a new light. For a gloss of Jerome on Amos 1:2 says that "prophets draw comparisons from things with which they are conversant." But if prophetic vision were effected by means of species newly impressed, the prophet's previous experience of things would be inoperative. Therefore no new species are impressed on the prophet's soul, but only the prophetic light. Objection 2: …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether a Natural Disposition is Requisite for Prophecy?
Objection 1: It would seem that a natural disposition is requisite for prophecy. For prophecy is received by the prophet according to the disposition of the recipient, since a gloss of Jerome on Amos 1:2, "The Lord will roar from Sion," says: "Anyone who wishes to make a comparison naturally turns to those things of which he has experience, and among which his life is spent. For example, sailors compare their enemies to the winds, and their losses to a shipwreck. In like manner Amos, who was a shepherd, …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

How the Rude in Sacred Learning, and those who are Learned but not Humble, are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 25.) Differently to be admonished are those who do not understand aright the words of the sacred Law, and those who understand them indeed aright, but speak them not humbly. For those who understand not aright the words of sacred Law are to be admonished to consider that they turn for themselves a most wholesome drought of wine into a cup of poison, and with a medicinal knife inflict on themselves a mortal wound, when they destroy in themselves what was sound by that whereby they ought, …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

A Discourse of Mercifulness
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 These verses, like the stairs of Solomon's temple, cause our ascent to the holy of holies. We are now mounting up a step higher. Blessed are the merciful . . '. There was never more need to preach of mercifulness than in these unmerciful times wherein we live. It is reported in the life of Chrysostom that he preached much on this subject of mercifulness, and for his much pressing Christians to mercy, he was called of many, the alms-preacher, …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

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