[1] 1:1 vision Something like a dream used by God to speak to people.

[2] 1:2 Zion The southeastern part of the mountain that Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the city of Jerusalem, the people of God living there, or the Temple.

[3] 1:2 Mount Carmel A mountain in northern Israel. This name means "God's vineyard." This shows that it was a very fertile hill.

[4] 1:3 for the many crimes they did Literally, "for three crimes . and for four .." This shows that these people were very sinful-and it was time to punish them. Also in verses 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6.

[5] 1:3 Gilead The area east of the Jordan River where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh lived. See Num. 26:29.

[6] 1:3 threshing Putting newly harvested wheat or other grain on a hard floor and walking on it or beating it with special tools to separate the hulls from the grain.

[7] 1:4 Hazael Hazael was the king of Aram (Syria). He murdered Ben-Hadad I so that he could become king. See 2 Kings 8:7.

[8] 1:4 Ben-Hadad Ben-Hadad II, the son of Hazael, king of Aram (Syria). See 2 Kings 13:3.

[9] 1:5 Damascus The capital city of Aram (Syria).

[10] 1:5 the Valley of Aven A name that can mean "Restful Valley" or "Empty Valley of Misfortune.

[11] 1:5 Beth-Eden The royal city of Aram (Syria) on Mount Lebanon. This name means "House of Pleasure" or "Paradise."

[12] 1:5 Kir Or, "Kur," an area controlled by the Assyrians. See Amos 9:7.

[13] 1:6 Gaza An important city of the Philistines.

[14] 1:6 Edom A country southeast of Judah. It is also known as Seir after the mountain range by that name in Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. At times, they were enemies of the Israelites.

[15] 1:8 Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron Important cities of the Philistines.

[16] 1:9 Tyre The capital city of Phoenicia.

[17] 1:9 Edom A country southeast of Judah. It is also known as Seir after the mountain range by that name in Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. At times, they were enemies of the Israelites.

[18] 1:11 Edom A country southeast of Judah. It is also known as Seir after the mountain range by that name in Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. At times, they were enemies of the Israelites.

[19] 1:12 Teman A city at the northern part of the country of Edom.

[20] 1:12 Bozrah A city in the southern part of Edom.

[21] 1:13 Ammonites The Ammonites were the descendants of Ben-Ammi, son of Lot. Read Gen. 19:38.

[22] 1:13 Gilead The area east of the Jordan River where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh lived. See Num. 26:29.

[23] 1:14 Rabbah The capital city of the Ammonites.

[24] 1:14 whirlwind A strong wind that blows in a circle.

[25] 2:1 Moab A country east of the Dead Sea, named after one of Lot's sons. See Gen. 19:37.

[26] 2:1 Edom A country southeast of Judah. It is also known as Seir after the mountain range by that name in Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. At times, they were enemies of the Israelites.

[27] 2:2 Kerioth A city in Moab. This might be Ar, the capital city of Moab.

[28] 2:3 kings Literally, "judges."

[29] 2:4 ancestors Literally, "fathers," meaning a person's parents, grandparents, and all the other people that person is descended from. In the New Testament it usually refers to people who lived during Old Testament times.

[30] 2:8 altar A raised area, pile of stones, or table where sacrifices were offered as gifts to God. An important altar was the one in front of the Temple in Jerusalem. See also "golden altar."

[31] 2:8 as a promise for payment. See Deut. 24:12-13 for the rules about making loans to the poor.

[32] 2:9 Amorites One of the nations who lived in Canaan before the Israelites came. They were the people who scared the Israelites while Moses was leading them in the desert. See Num. 13:33.

[33] 2:9 fruit above and their roots below This means the parents and their children.

[34] 2:11 Nazirite A person who has made a special vow of dedication to God. This name is from the Hebrew word meaning "to separate" or "to consecrate" and refers to the promise Nazirites made to set themselves apart for God and to separate themselves from others by not drinking wine or any other intoxicating drink or eating anything made from grapes, by not touching a dead body, and by not cutting their hair.

[35] 2:12 prophesy To speak or teach things from God.

[36] 3:8 prophesy To speak or teach things from God.

[37] 3:9-10 Ashdod An important city of the Philistines.

[38] 3:13 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[39] 3:14 altar A raised area, pile of stones, or table where sacrifices were offered as gifts to God. An important altar was the one in front of the Temple in Jerusalem. See also "golden altar."

[40] 3:14 Bethel A town in Israel. This name means "God's house."

[41] 3:14 horns of the altar The corners of the altar were shaped like horns and were an important part of the altar.

[42] 4:1 cows of Bashan This means the wealthy women in Samaria. Bashan was a place east of the Jordan River. It was famous for its big bulls and cows.

[43] 4:1 your husbands Literally, "their masters."

[44] 4:3 throw . dead bodies Or, "You will be thrown away. People will take you to Mount Hermon." The Hebrew is hard to understand. It is not clear if the women will be "thrown away" or if the women will be "throwing something away."

[45] 4:4 Bethel . Gilgal Places of worship for the people of Israel. God wanted the people of Israel and the people of Judah to worship him only in the Temple at Jerusalem.

[46] 4:5 Offer your sacrifices . freewill offerings All these things were against the Law of Moses. The leaders and false priests started these new festivals and different ways of worshiping God.

[47] 4:6 I didn't give you any food to eat Literally, "I gave you clean teeth."

[48] 4:9 vineyard A garden or farm where grapes are grown.

[49] 4:9 locusts Insects like grasshoppers that could destroy a large crop very quickly. See Ex. 10. The law of Moses said that locusts could be eaten. See Lev. 11:21-22.

[50] 4:11 Sodom A city that God destroyed, together with the city of Gomorrah, because the people living there were so evil. See Gen. 19.

[51] 4:11 Gomorrah A city that God destroyed, together with the city of Sodom, because the people living there were so evil. See Gen. 19.

[52] 4:13 your minds Or, "the wind."

[53] 4:13 Yahweh, God of the armies This is usually translated "Lord God All-Powerful."

[54] 5:2 virgin The Hebrew word can mean "a woman who has not had sexual relations with anyone," but here, it means the city of Samaria.

[55] 5:4 nation Literally, "house." This might mean the royal family of that country.

[56] 5:5 Bethel, Gilgal, Beersheba Ancient places of worship. Abraham and Jacob built altars in these places, but God had told the Israelites that they should go to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship him.

[57] 5:5 taken away as prisoners In Hebrew this sounds like the name "Gilgal."

[58] 5:5 destroyed The Hebrew word is like the name "Beth Aven." This name means "House of Wickedness." The prophets often used this name for Bethel.

[59] 5:6 Joseph's house Here, this means the ten tribe nation of Israel. Joseph was the ancestor of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh in Israel.

[60] 5:6 Bethel This name means "El's house" or "the house of God." There was a temple here where the people from the northern tribes worshiped.

[61] 5:7-9 Pleiades and Orion Two well-known groups of stars (constellations).

[62] 5:7-9 Yahweh This name is usually translated "Lord."

[63] 5:7-9 poison Literally, "wormwood," a type of plant with bitter leaves. It could be used as a medicine, or if strong enough, as a poison.

[64] 5:11 take unfair taxes The exact meaning of this Hebrew word is unclear.

[65] 5:11 vineyard A garden or farm where grapes are grown.

[66] 5:15 survivors People who escaped some disaster. Here, this means the Jewish people who survived the destruction of Judah and Israel by its enemy armies.

[67] 5:16 professional criers People who went to funerals and cried loudly for the dead. Families and friends of the dead person often gave food or money to these people.

[68] 5:17 vineyard A garden or farm where grapes are grown.

[69] 5:22 burnt offering A gift to God. Usually these were animals that were killed and completely burned on the altar.

[70] 5:22 fellowship offering An offering to God that was also eaten by the person giving the sacrifice and shared with others, especially during New Moon celebrations.

[71] 5:25 Or, "Israel, did you offer me sacrifices and offerings in the desert for 40 years?"

[72] 5:26 Sakkuth, your king, and Kaiwan Or, "Sakkuth, Moloch, and Kaiwan," names of Assyrian gods.

[73] 5:26 star god This might be to honor a special god or all the stars in the sky. Many people thought the sun, moon, stars, and planets were gods or angels. This verse might also be translated, "You carried the shelter for your king and the footstool for your idols-the star of your gods that you made for yourselves." The ancient Greek version gives the names Moloch and Raphan.

[74] 6:1 Zion The southeastern part of the mountain that Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the city of Jerusalem, the people of God living there, or the Temple.

[75] 6:2 Calneh A powerful city in northern Syria.

[76] 6:2 Hamath A city in the country of Aram (Syria).

[77] 6:5 practice on Or, "invent." The Hebrew word means to "think," "become skilled," or "design."

[78] 6:6 fancy cups Very large bowls used in worship rituals.

[79] 6:8 oath A strong declaration that one will tell the truth or keep a promise, often using the name of God or something else known to be real or important.

[80] 6:8 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[81] 6:10 And when someone dies . burned Here, the exact meaning of the Hebrew is not clear.

[82] 6:10 No, . The full answer might have been, "No, praise the Lord," but the person was interrupted.

[83] 6:13 Lo-Debar A place name meaning "nothing."

[84] 6:13 Karnaim Another place name meaning "horns." Horns are often a symbol (picture) for strength.

[85] 7:1 locusts Insects like grasshoppers that could destroy a large crop very quickly. See Ex. 10. The law of Moses said that locusts could be eaten. See Lev. 11:21-22.

[86] 7:2 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[87] 7:5 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[88] 7:7 plumb line A string with a weight on one end to make sure that the walls of a building were straight. Sometimes the line was coated with paint or chalk to mark the way with a straight line.

[89] 7:9 high place A place of worship usually on top of a hill, a mountain, or a man-made platform. Although high places were sometimes used for the worship of Yahweh, they are most often associated with pagan worship of false gods.

[90] 7:9 Jeroboam The king of Israel. See verse 10.

[91] 7:10 Bethel A town in Israel. This name means "God's house."

[92] 7:12 seer A kind of prophet (see "prophet") who received messages from God in visions.

[93] 7:12 eat there This shows that Amaziah thought that Amos was a professional prophet who prophesied to receive food or money.

[94] 7:12 prophesy To speak or teach things from God.

[95] 7:15 prophesy To speak or teach things from God.

[96] 7:17 foreign Literally, "unclean."

[97] 8:2 end This Hebrew word sounds like the word for "summer fruit."

[98] 8:3 In silence . the pile Or, "People will be saying, 'Hush!'" See Amos 6:10.

[99] 8:5 merchant A person who earns a living by buying and selling things.

[100] 8:5 New Moon The first day of the month for Israelites or Jews, which they celebrated as a special day of rest and worship. The people met together and shared in the fellowship offerings like those described in Lev. 7:16-21.

[101] 8:5 We . smaller Literally "We will make the ephah small and the shekel large."

[102] 8:5 We . people Literally, "Cheat with lying balances."

[103] 8:10 baldness . head People shaved their heads to show that they were very sad or upset.

[104] 8:11 famine A time when there is not enough rain for crops to grow, causing people and animals to die without enough food or water.

[105] 8:14 sin of Samaria The calf god in Samaria.

[106] 8:14 Dan One of Israel's holy places was in this city.

[107] 8:14 Beersheba A town in Judah. This name means "well of the oath (promise)."

[108] 9:1 altar A raised area, pile of stones, or table where sacrifices were offered as gifts to God. An important altar was the one in front of the Temple in Jerusalem. See also "golden altar."

[109] 9:2 ground Literally, "Sheol, the place of the dead."

[110] 9:2 skies Or, "heaven."

[111] 9:3 Mount Carmel A mountain in northern Israel. This name means "God's vineyard." This shows that it was a very fertile hill.

[112] 9:6 skies Literally, "dome," or "vault."

[113] 9:6 Yahweh This Hebrew name for God is usually translated "Lord." This name is like the Hebrew word meaning "He is" or "He makes things exist."

[114] 9:7 Caphtor An island west of Israel, probably Crete or Cyprus.

[115] 9:7 Kir Where the Arameans came from and where the Assyrians sent them in exile. There are several places with this name.

[116] 9:8 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[117] 9:9 sifter Something like a cup with a screen on its bottom. A sifter is used for removing large lumps from the good flour.

[118] 9:11 David's tent This probably means the city of Jerusalem or the country of Judah.

[119] 9:12 This verse is from the ancient Greek version. The Hebrew has "Then they will take the people who are left in Edom and the other nations that are called by my name."

[120] 9:12 Edom A country southeast of Judah. It is also known as Seir after the mountain range by that name in Edom. The Edomites are descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. At times, they were enemies of the Israelites.

[121] 9:14 vineyard A garden or farm where grapes are grown.

© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.