Amos 4:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Moreover, those who demand of their masters, “Give us drink,” demonstrate their disobedience; they refuse to honor their rulers and, out of their great arrogance, presume to dictate to their masters what servants are expected to do. It is more characteristic of those aspiring to command to assert demands rather than to yield honor to those in authority.

What fate awaits such individuals who have succumbed to this level of delusion? The Lord swears by His holy things—sacraments, which include Himself, as there is nothing greater by which to swear—that there will be days when even you, indulged and accustomed to luxuries, will be driven by the fear of suffering into the toils of battle. However, even if you prepare yourselves and take up arms, you will be captured along with your cherished children, wives, and sycophants—those who consistently praised you and called you blessed (for many flatterers say this to those who sustain them). These flatterers, who serve as destroyers, pleasing only those who revel in vice, will face destruction; and you will find yourselves devoid of glory, stripped of pleasure, and bereft of your former prosperity, ultimately led into bondage and captivity, turned away to Mount Remman. This mountain is located in Armenia, at the far reaches of Persian territory, highlighting how the pursuits of the indulgent lead to dire consequences.

Conversely, “Blessed are those who mourn,” as the Savior states (Matt. 5:4); for tears provide relief from pleasure, and the end of toil is rest, as expressed by another who states, “the fruit of good deeds is blessed” (Prem. 3:15). It is reasonable to interpret the young women of Bashan as representing the women of Samaria, who, engrossed in luxury, self-indulgence, and elaborate attire, oppressed the impoverished. They diminished their inner beauty and exploited the weak, inciting shameful desires amongst those with spiritual poverty, who, lacking the riches of brave hearts, easily yielded to temptation. These young women call to their masters, “Give us, let us drink”; for morally compromised women incessantly seek men, and those who fall under their sway are often led to ruin through debauchery.

While they may view these men as their lords, they treat them instead as objects of lust, wielding control over them through insatiable indulgence. Yet, the Lord declares that you young women shall be taken in battle—not by lovers lured by adoration and servitude, but rather through the ruthless nature of warfare, and your paramours will be seized. Stripped of your deceitful allure, you will be led away to Mount Remman.

The Septuagint translates "fat heifers" as "heifers of the Bashanites," while Aquila and Theodotion use the Hebrew term "Vasan." Following Symmachus, who rendered it as “well-fed heifers,” we also use "fat heifers." This message is directed at the leaders of Israel and the nobles of the ten tribes who indulge in luxury and oppression, reminding them that they are not hardworking beasts of burden but lazy culls, akin to those grazing in the lush pastures of Bashan. It signifies that they are not meant for productive work but for slaughter.

You are the complacent cows on the mountains of Samaria who exploit the lowly, compelling them to submit to your whims, essentially saying to your rulers, “Just give us your command, and we will consume everything.” The phrase “give us, and we will drink” highlights their indulgence in wine and sensuality, leading to a corrupted mindset. Thus, the Lord God swore by His holy ones, that the time of your judgment is near—not distant but imminent—when these complacent ones will be taken as prisoners, and those among you will be thrown into boiling pots.

In a metaphorical sense, the "spades" referenced can also mean "weapons," representing how they will be taken captive in war. As the heifers are compared to belongings taken away on shields or in pots, the sins of the complacent cows will lead to their disorderly oppression and eventual captivity. The phrase "you shall go out by the openings one against another" indicates that the pathway to your demise is clear, as you emerge in a state of disarray.

You will be cast into the lands of Armenia, referred to as "Armonoia." Some translations refer to this as "Mount Remmam" or "Mount Armona." The Lord’s word to the complacent cows serves as a call to those who serve their appetites and pride, justly termed gluttonous heifers, indicating their shame. When the judgment day arrives, those who oppose the church will meet their downfall; they shall be taken away, defeated in battle, and thrown into pots, facing destruction.

During their punishment, these once proud individuals will emerge exposed, rid of their previous possessions, seeing their ruin as they are cast down to Mount Remman, symbolic of their height and arrogance leading to their undoing. It can also imply that, in their judgment, they will realize their delusions as they were never truly wise.

This may also hold a literal meaning: when the moment of captivity arrives for the cows of Samaria, their adversaries will overpower them in battle, forcing those who withstand to flee to fortified cities. Just as Jerusalem, with its trapped populace, is likened to a boiling cauldron, so too will the cities of Samaria be viewed as cauldrons. The inhabitants, pressed by hardship and disease, will be compelled to emerge and face captivity, ushered away to the mountains of Armona in Armenia, near Medea and Persia.