Amos 5 · Verse 3

Amos 5:3

For thus saith the Lord God; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.
Amos 5:3, King James Version

Amos 5:3 in other translations

BSBThis is what the Lord GOD says: “The city that marches out a thousand strong will only see a hundred return, and the one that marches out a hundred strong will have but ten left in the house of Israel.”
WEBFor the Lord GOD says: “The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went out one hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel.”
ASVFor thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel.
YLTFor thus said the Lord Jehovah: The city that is going out a thousand, Doth leave an hundred, And that which is going out an hundred, Doth leave ten to the house of Israel.
DARBYFor thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, for the house of Israel.
BBEFor these are the words of the Lord God: The town which was able to send out a thousand, will have only a hundred; and that which sent out a hundred, will have only ten, in Israel.
WebsterFor thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave a hundred, and that which went forth by a hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.

What does Amos 5:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. went out by a thousand--that is, "the city from which there used to go out a thousand" equipped for war. "City" is put for "the inhabitants of the city," as in Am 4:8. shall leave ... hundred--shall have only a hundred left, the rest being destroyed by sword and pestilence (De 28:62).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 The city that went out by a thousand - The city that could easily have furnished, on any emergency, a thousand fighting men, can now produce scarcely one hundred - one in ten of the former number; and now of the hundred scarcely ten remain: so reduced was Israel when Shalmaneser besieged and took Samaria, and carried the residue into captivity.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Amos 5:1-6

The convincing, awakening word must be heard and heeded, as well as words of comfort and peace; for whether we hear or forbear, the word of God shall take effect. The Lord still proclaims mercy to men, but they often expect deliverance from such self-invented forms as make their condemnation sure. While they refuse to come to Christ and to seek mercy in and by him, that they may live, the fire of Divine wrath breaks…

Read the full comment on Amos 5:1-6 →

Amos 5:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּ֣יkiforH3588
כֹ֤הkhohthusH3541
אָמַר֙'a.Marhe saysH559
אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] LordH136
יְהוִ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3069
הָעִ֛ירha.'Irthe cityH5892
הַיֹּצֵ֥אתhai.yo.Tzetwhich goes outH3318
אֶ֖לֶף'E.lefa thousandH505
תַּשְׁאִ֣ירtash.'Irit will have leftH7604
מֵאָ֑הme.'Aha hundredH3967
וְהַיּוֹצֵ֥אתve.hai.yo.Tzetand which goes outH3318
מֵאָ֛הme.'Aha hundredH3967
תַּשְׁאִ֥ירtash.'Irit will have leftH7604
עֲשָׂרָ֖ה'a.sa.RahtenH6235
לְבֵ֥יתle.Veitof [the] house ofH1004
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃\ \סYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Amos 5:3

  • Romans 9:27

    Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

  • Isaiah 10:22

    For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

  • Isaiah 6:13

    But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

  • Ezekiel 12:16

    But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

  • Isaiah 1:9

    Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

  • Deuteronomy 28:62

    And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the Lord thy God.

  • Deuteronomy 4:27

    And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you.

  • Amos 6:9

    And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The city.
De 4:27; 28:62; Isa 1:9; 10:22; Eze 12:16; Ro 9:27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Amos 5:2

    The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

  • Amos 5:3

    For thus saith the Lord God; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.

  • Amos 5:4

    For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:

Read all of Amos 5

Amos 5:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque así ha dicho el Señor Jehová: La ciudad que sacaba mil, quedará con ciento; y la que sacaba ciento, quedará con diez, en la casa de Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car ainsi dit le Seigneur, l’ Éternel: La ville qui allait en campagne avec 1 000, en aura 100 de reste; et celle qui allait en campagne avec 100, en aura dix de reste, pour la maison d’Israël.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn so spricht der Herr, Jehova: Die Stadt, die zu tausend auszieht, wird hundert übrigbehalten, und die zu hundert auszieht, wird zehn übrigbehalten für das Haus Israel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quia hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Urbs de qua egrediebantur mille, relinquentur in ea centum; et de qua egrediebantur centum, relinquentur in ea decem in domo Israël.