Amos 5:25

Authorized King James Version

Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
הַזְּבָחִ֨ים
unto me sacrifices
properly, a slaughter, i.e., the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)
#2
וּמִנְחָ֜ה
and offerings
a donation; euphemistically, tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary)
#3
הִֽגַּשְׁתֶּם
Have ye offered
to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an enemy, to attack; religious to worship; causati
#4
לִ֧י
H0
#5
בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר
in the wilderness
a pasture (i.e., open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert
#6
אַרְבָּעִ֥ים
forty
forty
#7
שָׁנָ֖ה
years
a year (as a revolution of time)
#8
בֵּ֥ית
O house
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
#9
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
of Israel
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of the literary conventions and historical circumstances of biblical literature shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of salvation within the theological tradition of Amos Understanding the ancient worldview that shaped the author's theological expression helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes divine revelation in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection