King James Version

What Does Amos 8:10 Mean?

Amos 8:10 in the King James Version says “And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all l...” — study this verse from Amos chapter 8 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.”

Amos 8:10 · King James Version


Context

8

Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned , as by the flood of Egypt.

9

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:

10

And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

11

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

12

And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.


Commentaries3 scholars

KJV Study CommentaryPublic Domain
God promises to transform celebrations into calamity: 'I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation.' The Hebrew intensifies the reversal: 'your feasts' (hageykem) become 'mourning' (le-evel), 'your songs' (shirekh em) become 'lamentation' (le-qinah). The imagery becomes visceral: 'sackcloth on all loins' (saq al-kol-motnayim) and 'baldness on every head' (qorhah al-kol-rosh)—ancient mourning practices indicating deepest grief. The comparison 'like mourning for an only son' evokes the most devastating personal loss imaginable (Jeremiah 6:26, Zechariah 12:10). The final phrase 'the end thereof shall be as a bitter day' (aharitah ke-yom mar) promises no relief, only sustained anguish. This anticipates the ultimate fulfillment in those who reject the true only Son.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Amos prophesied during prosperous reign of Jeroboam II (793-753 BC), when Israel enjoyed territorial expansion and economic boom. Religious festivals were elaborate and frequent, but divorced from covenant faithfulness. Within 30 years, Assyria devastated the nation—parties became funerals, prosperity turned to catastrophe. The 'only son' reference especially resonated in ancient culture where a son's death meant end of family line and security. The prophecy's ultimate horizon points to the Day of the LORD (5:18-20), when those who casually expect God's blessing will face His wrath. Revelation 6:15-17 depicts final judgment with similar terror.

Reflection Questions

  1. Do I mistake temporal prosperity and religious activity for God's approval while ignoring sin?
  2. How would my life change if I truly believed judgment day is both certain and imminent?

Compare 3 commentaries from different scholars and time periods for a richer understanding.


Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 21 words
וְהָפַכְתִּ֨י1 of 21

“And I will turn”

H2015

to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert

חַגֵּיכֶ֜ם2 of 21

“your feasts”

H2282

a festival, or a victim therefor

כְּאֵ֣בֶל3 of 21

“into mourning”

H60

lamentation

וְכָל4 of 21
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

שִֽׁירֵיכֶם֙5 of 21

“and all your songs”

H7892

a song; abstractly, singing

לְקִינָ֔ה6 of 21

“into lamentation”

H7015

a dirge (as accompanied by beating the breasts or on instruments)

וְהַעֲלֵיתִ֤י7 of 21

“and I will bring up”

H5927

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

עַל8 of 21
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

כָּל9 of 21
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

מָתְנַ֙יִם֙10 of 21

“upon all loins”

H4975

properly, the waist or small of the back; only in plural the loins

שָׂ֔ק11 of 21

“sackcloth”

H8242

properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), i.e., coarse loose cloth or sacking (used in mourning and for bagging); hence, a bag (for grai

וְעַל12 of 21
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

כָּל13 of 21
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

רֹ֖אשׁ14 of 21

“upon every head”

H7218

the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)

קָרְחָ֑ה15 of 21

“and baldness”

H7144

baldness

וְשַׂמְתִּ֙יהָ֙16 of 21

“and I will make”

H7760

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

כְּאֵ֣בֶל17 of 21

“into mourning”

H60

lamentation

יָחִ֔יד18 of 21

“of an only”

H3173

properly, united, i.e., sole; by implication, beloved; also lonely; (feminine) the life (as not to be replaced)

וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖הּ19 of 21

“son and the end”

H319

the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity

כְּי֥וֹם20 of 21

“day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

מָֽר׃21 of 21

“thereof as a bitter”

H4751

bitter (literally or figuratively); also (as noun) bitterness, or (adverbially) bitterly


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Amos. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Amos 8:10 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Amos 8:10 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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