Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

AMOS 2:9KJV
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Amos 2:9 (KJV)

What does Amos 2:9 mean?

Amos 2:9 describes how God defeated the Amorites for the Israelites, even though the Amorites were as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks. God says He destroyed both their fruit above and their roots below, showing a complete removal of this powerful people.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Amos to remind Israel of His past actions on their behalf. The Amorites were a strong and intimidating nation, but God emphasizes that He overcame them entirely—both what was visible (their "fruit") and what was hidden (their "roots"). This sets the stage for God’s point that Israel owes its history and security to His intervention.

The Hebrew behind Amos 2:9

  • "destroyed" (שָׁמַד, shamad): This word means to completely wipe out or exterminate. God’s use of this word highlights that the victory over the Amorites was total, leaving nothing behind.
  • "Amorite" (אֱמֹרִי, Emori): The Amorites were a significant and powerful group in Canaan. Mentioning them by name reminds listeners of a well-known enemy that once seemed unbeatable.
  • "height" (גֹּבַהּ, govah): This word is used to compare the Amorites to the height of cedars, emphasizing their impressive stature and strength.
  • "cedars" (אֶרֶז, erez) and "oaks" (אַלּוֹן, allon): Both trees are symbols of strength and endurance in the ancient world. Comparing the Amorites to these trees underlines just how formidable they were.
  • "fruit" (פְּרִי, peri) and "roots" (שֹׁרֶשׁ, shoresh): Destroying both the fruit and the roots is a way of saying nothing was left—no future growth, no remnant.

Why Amos 2:9 matters

  • Amos 2:9 makes it clear that Israel’s victories were not due to their own strength or ability, but because of God’s direct action on their behalf.
  • The verse emphasizes the totality of God’s judgment against the Amorites, showing that God’s deliverance was thorough and left no trace of the enemy.
  • By recalling this history, Amos prepares his listeners to consider their own response to God’s past faithfulness, which is a key theme in the surrounding passage.

Where else these words appear

“strong” Hebrew H2634 · used in 2 verses

  • Isaiah 1:31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

“oaks” Hebrew H437 · used in 8 verses

  • Genesis 35:8 But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.
  • Isaiah 6:13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
  • Ezekiel 27:6 Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory, brought out of the isles of Chittim.

“height” Hebrew H1363 · used in 16 verses

  • 1 Samuel 17:4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
  • Job 40:10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
  • Ezekiel 19:11 And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.

“roots” Hebrew H8328 · used in 32 verses

  • Deuteronomy 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
  • Job 30:4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
  • Isaiah 37:31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: