Amos 4:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Additionally, He charges them with oppressing the needy and effectively trampling the poor underfoot, for it is written, “the pastures of the rich are uboziah” (Sir 13:23). He further states, “They who say to their masters, ‘Give us drink,’” indicating their disobedience, as they refuse to submit to those in authority regarding royal matters. Their extreme arrogance leads them to impose on their masters obligations typically assigned to servants, as it is more characteristic of those who seek power to demand from those in authority rather than to obey. What then shall be the fate of individuals steeped in such madness? The Lord swears by His holy things—sacraments and Himself, the highest of all—that there will come times when even you, immersed in luxury and pleasure, will be forced by the dread of suffering into the rigors of warfare and battle. Yet, even if they take up arms, they will be captured along with their beloved children, spouses, and flattering companions, who offer constant praise and affection, declaring them blessed—the very same flatterers who do nothing but please the wicked and indulgent shall face destruction. You will then know the loss of all glory, stripped of pleasure and the luxurious life you once enjoyed, ultimately led away into captivity, banished to Mount Remman. This mountain, located in Armenia at the furthest reaches of Persian territory, represents how the pursuits of those seeking pleasure can lead to bitter ends. Conversely, “Blessed are those who weep,” as the Savior declares (Matt. 5:4), for tears alleviate pleasure, and the reward for toil is rest, as noted in the saying, “the fruit of good works is blessed” (Prem. 3:15). It is plausible that the maidens of Bashan symbolize the women of Samaria, who, in their pursuit of luxury and ostentatious adornment, oppress the needy. They diminish the dignity of the impoverished and incite shameful desires in the vulnerable, who are spiritually bereft and lack the fortitude to resist temptation. These women demand of their masters, “Give us, let us drink,” for corrupt women perpetually seek out men, leading those drawn to them into overwhelming depravity. Though such individuals might regard them as their lords, they allow themselves to become servants to indulgence, yielding to the desires of their hearts. Nevertheless, God declares that these young women will be captured—not by lovers who flatter and feign devotion due to their passion, but through the cruelty and severity of war. They will be taken away, stripped of their deceitful exteriors, and led to Mount Remman.

The Septuagint refers to you as the cows of Bashan, sitting in the mountain of Samaria, who trample upon the needy, demanding of your rulers, "Give us drink." The Lord has sworn by His saints that the days are upon you, when you will be captured in arms while others are cast into boiling pots, the merchants of destruction, and you will be driven out, stripped bare, facing one another, as stated by the Lord.

This imagery of "well-fed cows" is directed at the leaders of Israel and the nobility of the ten tribes who indulge in pleasure and greed. They are told to heed God's word, which reveals that they are not working cattle, but rather pampered cows grazing in the rich pastures of Bashan. This is indicative of their fate—set for slaughter rather than for labor. You are the well-fed cows of Samaria, oppressing the lowly and instructing your leaders to provide for your desires, showing a thirst for indulgence rather than sustenance. The phrase "give us drink" signifies an insatiable desire for luxury, indicating their intoxication with wine and pleasure, which corrupts the mind.

The Lord God swore by His holy ones that imminent days of reckoning approach, marked by turmoil and captivity. The text conveys that those once referred to as "fat heifers" will find themselves taken away on spades or shields, while, like small fish tossed into a cauldron, they will face captivity and ruin.

The phrase "you shall go out by the openings one against another" signifies your path to captivity is set. When calamity strikes, you shall find yourselves fleeing in disarray. You will be thrown into the lands of Armenia, known as Armona, capturing the sense of their downfall into a designated place of shame.

This divine exhortation serves as a warning to the heretics, who indulge in worldly appetites, calling them shameful cows as a reflection of their moral state. These denizens of Samaria are described as proud and arrogant, professing to uphold the Lord's commands while maliciously oppressing the humble—those who trust in the simple truth of the Church without seeking out heretical delights or grand eloquence.

These "cows" demand of their leaders, whom we might liken to the early church’s false teachers, "Bring forth and we will drink." This aligns with the practices of heretics like Valentinus, Marcion, Arius, and Eunomius, who spread their misguided teachings and lead others astray. To them, these heifers cry for indulgence, for without it, they would find themselves spiritually malnourished.

It must be recognized that water and drink represent teaching, as clarified in the discourse between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, who offered worldly water but could not provide true life-sustaining truth. True believers invited to "drink from the waters of thy vessels" are encouraged to partake in the teachings of the Church, in contrast to the empty promises of heresies.

The Lord promises that judgment awaits those unholy heifers, indicating that retribution is near. They will be taken prisoner, stripped of all they have, and face their shame, ultimately cast down upon Mount Remman—symbolizing their lofty pride leading to their downfall. Such judgments will expose their shallow knowledge, leading to their humiliation.

As the days of reckoning arrive for the heifers of Samaria, they will be overtaken in battle, pushed to the fortified cities, mirroring the fate of Jerusalem—like a cauldron filled to the brim—filled with devastation and despair, compelling its inhabitants to face exposure to starvation and pestilence as they meet their captors.

Endure this, says God, like those who were corrupt in Bethel and Galgalah, who audaciously held feasts lasting three days to idols, offering tithes that I commanded to be presented to My priests, who instead served the ministers of wickedness, and who entered into agreements with idols to adhere to their decrees. Concerning these matters, God proclaimed: