Am 3:9-15

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The corruption of Samaria (Am 3:9-4:3)

Amos tries to shame the people of Israel (capital: Samaria) by inviting their enemies to come and see how bad the nation is, with all its oppression, lawlessness, violence and greed (Am 3:9-10).

Israel will surely be conquered and plundered. The only things that will remain as a reminder of former luxury will be a few scraps of furniture. The remains of the nation will be like the remains of a sheep that has been attacked and eaten by wild animals (Am 3:11-12).

The altars of the Baal worshippers and the luxurious houses of the corrupt upper classes will be smashed to pieces (Am 3:13-15).

The wealthy women, who have urged their husbands on to exploit the poor simply to increase their own extravagance, are likened to a lot of fat cows. When the enemy conquers Samaria, these women will be taken captive and led out, like cows, through the gaps in the broken city wall (Am 4:1-3).