Amos 5 | “Why Do You Want the Day of the Lord?”

Let us briefly recall the historical background of Amos’s prophecies. The book takes place during the reign of Yorovam son of Yoash, king of Israel. He “did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Melakhim II 14:24), yet despite this, he achieved great political success (ibid., v. 25). The verses in Sefer Melakhim acknowledge the contradiction between Yorovam’s wickedness and his political success and explain the reason for it: “For the Lord had seen the depth of Israel’s bitter suffering, with neither bond nor free left and no helper for Israel. But the Lord had not decreed to blot out Israel’s name from under the heavens, so He delivered them through Yerovam son of Yoash” (ibid., vv. 26-27). Israel’s salvation did not come from righteousness but from misery. After generations of oppression by the king of Aram (see Melakhim II 13:7, for example), God decided to redeem and assist them — not because they repented, but because of His great mercy in seeing His people in helplessness.

Amos stands before a well-fed and prosperous nation, enjoying political and economic success. This people is confident that God is with them — they worship Him through the golden calves in Beit El and Dan and receive His assistance. They believe they are on the direct path to redemption and that all that remains is to wait for the day of the Lord, for the ultimate salvation. In response to this mindset, Amos speaks harshly, declaring: “Ah, all those who long for the day of the Lord. What is the day of the Lord to you, and why do you want it? The day of the Lord is darkness and not light” (5:18) – when the day of the Lord arrives, you will be on the wrong side. For you, that day will be darkness, not light.

The concept of the day of the Lord in Tanakh is a broad topic that could be explored further. However, one of its key ideas is presented in our chapter: the day of the Lord includes great salvation, but it also carries heavy costs — it is a time of judgment, where some are discharged, and others are condemned. It is not certain that people should eagerly await sudden salvation from God, given its consequences. It would be better for them to correct their ways so they may be worthy of a redemption they truly deserve.

The prophet also clarifies the people’s mistake: God does not desire their sacrifices — “I have hated, I have loathed your holiday sacrifices, and I will not take in the scent of your festival offerings” (5:21) — but rather demands social justice: “Let justice roll on like water and righteousness like a roaring river” (5:24). Amos further warns them at the beginning of the chapter that worshipping the calves in Beit El and Dan does not mean they are seeking God: “Do not go to Beit El seeking, do not come to the Gilgal... Seek the Lord and live.”