Amos 6:3
Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
Original Language Analysis
הַֽמְנַדִּ֖ים
Ye that put far away
H5077
הַֽמְנַדִּ֖ים
Ye that put far away
Strong's:
H5077
Word #:
1 of 6
properly, to toss; figuratively, to exclude, i.e., banish, postpone, prohibit
לְי֣וֹם
day
H3117
לְי֣וֹם
day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
2 of 6
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
וַתַּגִּשׁ֖וּן
to come near
H5066
וַתַּגִּשׁ֖וּן
to come near
Strong's:
H5066
Word #:
4 of 6
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
Cross References
Amos 9:10All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.Isaiah 56:12Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.Ezekiel 12:27Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.2 Peter 3:4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.Matthew 24:48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;1 Thessalonians 5:3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.Amos 3:10For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.Ezekiel 12:22Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
Historical Context
Israel's prosperity under Jeroboam II created illusion of divine favor despite systemic injustice. The wealthy oppressed the poor while assuming covenant status protected them. This cognitive dissonance—ignoring warnings while multiplying sins—typifies pre-judgment societies throughout Scripture.
Questions for Reflection
- How do modern people 'put far away the evil day' by dismissing biblical warnings about judgment?
- What does it mean to have violence 'enthroned' in society—normalized, legalized, institutionalized?
- How can churches avoid the trap of assuming God's patience means approval rather than opportunity for repentance?
Analysis & Commentary
Ye that put far away the evil day (הַמְנַדִּים לְיוֹם רָע, hamenadim l'yom ra)—they mentally distance themselves from coming judgment, assuming it won't arrive. The Hebrew נָדָה (nadah) means 'to remove, put at a distance.' And cause the seat of violence to come near (וַתַּגִּישׁוּן שֶׁבֶת חָמָס, vatagishun shevet chamas)—while pushing judgment away, they bring violent oppression near. שֶׁבֶת (shevet, 'seat, throne') suggests enthroned violence—injustice institutionalized in their society.
This describes psychological denial: people suppress awareness of judgment while embracing the very sins that guarantee it. Romans 2:4-5 warns against despising God's patience, storing up wrath. The more people distance themselves from judgment mentally, the closer they bring it actually through continued sin.