Bible Exegetical Paper about Amos (Essay Sample)

Bible Exegetical Paper about Amos 9: 11-15
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Bible Exegetical Paper about Amos 9: 11-15
A comparison of different translations of the same text can give us a wider perspective of the meaning of the text, thus enabling us to get the correct interpretation of the text. Comparing different translations of the same text enables us to break the barriers to correct interpretation that may exist with the single interpretation. This paper is an exegetical paper that seeks to get the correct interpretation of Amos 9: 11-15. To achieve this end, a comparison of two different translations of the text, Amos 9:11-15, is done. The comparison shows the differences in the two translations and the effect that the differences may have in the correct interpretation of the text. The two different translations used in this paper are the NIV, and KJV translations. After the comparison of the two texts, a word study of the text is done, which aims at getting the correct interpretation of the text from the original language in which the text was written, i.e. Hebrew. The next part of the paper looks at the Historical background of Amos 9: 11-15. The historical background of the paper is followed by an analysis of the Movement of the text; the next part of the paper is the themes and the Theology of the text, and lastly, a summary and application of the message of the text is given
A comparison of NIV and KJV translations of Amos 9: 11-15 shows that on verb tense, the two translations are written in the same tense, i.e. future tense. The two translations, however, have some fundamental differences in vocabulary and phrasing. The first difference in diction is in verse 11. While NIV uses the phrases, "… restore David’s fallen shelter… repair its broken walls…" the KJV translation uses the phrases, raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof”. The main difference in these two phrases is that while the NIV uses the vocabularies shelter and broken walls, the KJV translation uses the vocabularies tabernacle and breaches. In the same verse, while the NIV translation uses the phrase, "restore its ruins" the KJV translation uses the phrase "raise up his ruins”. This is indeed a significant difference in the two translations. This is because while the NIV translation talks of restoring the ruins of the broken shelter of David, the KJN translation talks about the raising up of David’s ruins. This is clearly a significant difference that can help us in getting the correct exegesis of this verse. Another difference in this verse is that, while the NIV translation talks about the building the house of Israel as it used to be, the KJN translation talks about building the tabernacle of David as in the days of the old. The message expressed by these phrases however is essentially the same: restoration of Israel as we shall see later in this paper.[Amos 9:11-15, is a prophecy of hope on the great things that the Lord God would do for the people of Israel, i.e. restoration of the people of Israel who were captives in Babylon. For that reason, this prophecy explains things that will happen in the future and hence, the prophecy is expressed in the future tense.] [This differences in the two translations is the result of different translations of the Hebrew word Sukkah, which can be literally translated in English to mean a hut or a tabernacle.]
In Amos 9:12, there are also differences in diction. While in the NIV translation the Lord gives the reason for the restoration of the shelter of David as the possession, by the Israelites, of Edom and all the nations that bear the Lord’s name, the KJN translation uses the phrase, "and all the heathen”, in reference to the other people who bear the Lord’s name that the Israelites will be able to possess, besides possessing Edom. Another difference in the vocabulary used in this verse is that while the NIV translation uses the word "Declares" the KJN translation uses the work "saith”, which is a variant of the word says.[A comparison of these two different translations with the original Hebrew text shows that the KJV’s translation is the literal translation of the Hebrew text. This is because in the original Hebrew Text, the Lord promised the Israelites to give them Edom and all the pagans, in other words, all the people who do not know the Lord God of Israel.]
In Amos 9:13, there are also fundamental differences in vocabulary and phrasing. Firstly, while the NIV translation uses the phrase "New wine" in reference to the wine that will drip on the promised day of the Lord, the KJN translation uses the phrase, "sweet wine" in reference to the same wine. This is indeed a fundamental difference in diction and the difference can give us an insight into the correct interpretation of verse thirteen of the book of prophet Amos. The second difference in this verse is that while the NIV translation says that the new wine will flow from all the hills, the KJN translation says that all the hills shall melt. This again is a fundamental difference in this verse that can give us a wider perspective of the correct interpretation of this verse.
A minor vocabulary difference in Amos 9:14 in the two translations is that while the Lord in NIV translation says that He will bring His people from exile, the KJV translation uses the word Captivity in reference to the same idea of saving His people from their captivity in Babylon. In Amos 9:15, there are no major vocabulary and phrasing differences between the NIV and the KJV translations of the text.
Word Study
In order to be able to get the correct interpretation of Amos 9:11-15, it is imperative to look at the original Hebrew text itself. Looking at the words used in the original text will help us to avoid the ambiguities in meaning that we get from these two different translations. One of the most important phrases that can help us in this paper to get the correct interpretation of this text is found in verse 11.
In the original Hebrew text of Amos 9:11-15, one of the important words that is used is the word Sukkah. We find the word Sukkah in Amos 9:11.In Hebrew, the word Sukkah refers to a hastily constructed temporary hut. Among the Jews, the Sukkah was used as a temporary house for the cattle, Sukkah was also used by soldiers in the field; watchers in the vineyard also used Sukkah. When the Israelites where wandering in the desert, they used Sukkah as their dwelling huts. Later when the Israelites settled in Canaan, they started yearly feasts of commemorating their 40 year wandering in the desert, and they called the feast Sukkot, after the word Sukkah; Sukkot was also called the feast of the Tabernacles. During th Sukkot feasts, the Jews used to construct and to live in Sukkah in remembrance of how they used to live in the wilderness. Sukkot therefore was a very important and solemn feast among the Jews.[Ludwig, Koehler . Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros. (Grand Rapids: Eardmans, 1953) 37] [Walter. H. Joel and Amos. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977) ,56] [M. Paul, S.A Commentary on the Book of Amos.(Minneapolis: Aurgsburg, 1991), 68]
In the Old Testament, we find the term Sukkah used several times. For instance the term Sukkah is used in the book of Jonah in reference to the temporary shelter that provided shelter when the sun is hot . The term Kukkah also is used in the book of Genesis in reference to the temporary house of soldiers in the field . As we have seen therefore the correct English interpretation of the word Sukkah is hut. However, the word can also be interpreted to mean tabernacle since during the feasts of Sukkot, the terms Sukkah and Tabernacle were used interchangeably.[Johan 4:5] [Genesis 33:7] [The feast of Sukkot came to be called the feast of the Tabernacles because, when the Israelites were wandering in the desert, the Sukkah was where the Tabernacle of the Lord was kept. For this reason, the commemoration of the life in the desert involved commemoration of the Tabernacle, i.e. the presence of the Lord in the desert. This therefore explains why the feast of the Sukkot came to be known as the Feast of the Tabernacles.]
As we have seen in the above English translation of the Hebrew word Sukkah, the correct interpretation of this word is hut or tabernacle. And for this reason, the KJV interpretation of the Hebrew word Sukkah into tabernacle seems to be the literal translation of the Hebrew word. The NIV translation of the word into shelter is not a literal translation. This is because although of course a Sukkah is a shelter, the term shelter is generic and does not specify the particular kind of shelter that is being referred to in this verse. The NIV’s translation of the word Sukkah into tabernacle therefore is the correct and the best translation of the term Hebrew term Sukkah.
In the New Testament, we find Jesus Christ going to the feast of the Tabernacles . The word Sukkot therefore is use in the New Testament in reference to the Jew’s feast of the Tabernacles. The interpretation of the word Sukkot into the feast of Tabernacles shows that the Jews used these two terms interchangeably.[John 7:2. The exact Hebrew Word used in this verse is Sukkot, in reference to the Jewish feast of the Tabernacles.]
Historical Background
The book of Moses was written by prophet Amos, who was both a herdsman and a sycamore farmer. The word Amos means a burden bearer; the word Amos is derived from the word amass, which means to carry a burden. Amos was a prophet in the Northern kingdom, Israel. The book of Amos was written in the years between 760 B.C- 755 B.C. Prophet Amos lived and prophesied during the reign of king Jeroboam 11. During the reign of king Jeroboam, Israel enjoyed military success and also economic prosperity....