"Hear this word, you cows of Bashan"
Text: Amos 4:1
THE MENFOLK OF ISRAEL
The kings and princes were the principal offenders in causing the fall of Israel as a nation. Many were the wicked and violent crimes committed by them against the poor of the land. God held them accountable and responsible (Amos 3:13-15).
THE WOMENFOLK OF ISRAEL
The womenfolk were not free from blame either, as this text indicates. They may have been personally responsible for inflicting actual pain upon the poor. They certainly abetted their men in their sinful and cruel activities. They enjoyed the luxuries that came with the “success” of their men.
“Hear this word, you cows of Bashan,
Who are on the mountain of Samaria,
Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
Who say to your husbands, ‘Bring wine, let us drink!'”
Amos 4:1
1. “Bashan”
a) This was a very large tract of very fertile land stretching from Gilead in the south to Hermon in the north.
b) The breeding of cattle, sheep/goats was famous in this region (Deuteronomy 32:14).
2. “Cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria”
a) This was a caustic reference to the womenfolk of Israel.
b) They were probably the wives of the royal family.
c) They may also be wives of the rich and powerful who took advantage of the disadvantaged.
d) They were rebuked for their part in the oppression of the poor and needy.
e) They were compared to the well-fed cows common in Bashan.
3. Sins highlighted:
a) “Who oppress the poor”
i) The poor should have been cared for (Deuteronomy 15:1-18).
ii) Instead they were oppressed both by the powerful and rich men and the women of Israel.
b) “Who crush the needy”
i) The poor were often also “needy” people.
ii) But they were not offered any help. Instead they were “crushed”.
iii) The womenfolk were singled out for mention in this text.
c) “Who say to your husbands, ‘Bring wine, let us drink!'”
i) The women enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle.
ii) Wine-drinking was a common past-time of the rich and powerful.