Amo 2:4 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Amos 2:4-5: 2:4-5 The southern kingdom of Judah was closest to the northern kingdom of Israel in blood ties and geography, but bitterness existed between the nations. The north regarded the descendants of David in the south as abusive kings who had caused the schism by their forced labor and heavy taxes. 2:4 rejected the instruction (Hebrew torah ) of the Lord : The pagan nations listed to this point had committed atrocities that violated a general sense of human decency, but Judah had gone further; they held the word of God and yet had rejected its teachings (see Hos 4:6 ; 8:1 ). God holds people responsible in proportion to the privilege they have received (see Amos 3:2 ). • led astray by the same lies: Having discarded God’s true instruction, Judah turned to a substitute found in pagan syncretism (the combining of elements from different belief systems) and idolatry (see 1 Kgs 14:22-24 ).

cHos 4:6►

eAmos 3:2►

f1 Kgs 14:22-24►

‏ Amos 2:4

Summary for Amos 2:4-5: 2:4-5 ^a The southern kingdom of Judah was closest to the northern kingdom of Israel in blood ties and geography, but bitterness existed between the nations. The north regarded the descendants of David in the south as abusive kings who had caused the schism by their forced labor and heavy taxes. 2:4 ^b rejected the instruction (Hebrew torah) of the Lord: The pagan nations listed to this point had committed atrocities that violated a general sense of human decency, but Judah had gone further; they held the word of God and yet had rejected its teachings (see Hos 4:6 ^c; 8:1 ^d). God holds people responsible in proportion to the privilege they have received (see Amos 3:2 ^e).

• led astray by the same lies: Having discarded God’s true instruction, Judah turned to a substitute found in pagan syncretism (the combining of elements from different belief systems) and idolatry (see 1 Kgs 14:22-24 ^f).