Hi,
I'm in a social studies class and we're studying the Bible, which I have trouble comprehending. I need to write on why Amos chose to single out the "cows of Bashan" as his scorn subjects. Would this be because women appeared to be the main cause of sinning (as in the Garden of Eden)? I'm really unclear.
Thank you for any help. :)
http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/3004.htm
"(this part) opens with a summons to Israel's women, sarcastically termed 'cows of Bashan' -- perhaps a proverbial term for the sleek, fat cattle of this fertible tableland East of the Sea of Galilee (cf Deut 32:14, Ps 22:12, Ezek 39:18, Mic. 7:14). While women were occasionally involved in business dealing and thus could be heartless exploiters, Amos pictures fine ladies of Saramia as continuously nagging their husbands, lit. "lords," into ceaseless exploration to keep the endless round of feasts going."
(The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the Bible, page 470)
So it seems Amos uses that term to speak directly to the women of the area. Amos was writing in a time of great prosperity and, in 4:1, seems to be talking about how women (in this case) are oppressing people, yet are demanding (and even ungreatful) for what they do have.
Bashan was a city taken over as Moses was travelling. Og, the king, was defeated when he took his army against Moses (Numbers 21 and Deuteronomy 3) Amos is probably using that reference to point out the culture of the time was turning into a civilization that was going against God's wishes. If you read through the accounts in the chapters I just listed, you'll see that Bashan was completely destroyed in the battle and there were no survivors. Amos is saying if you go against God, realize we could be in for the same fate.
The question of why Amos used cows is interesting. In other areas of scripture, the term "bull" is used. Was Amos pointing out something specific about the females of the time? That speculation can definitely be made and it is a good observation. Was Amos speaking more about the meat and milk a cow provides and contrasting that with the poverty and hunger mentioned? Another good thought.
In reality, unless we uncover something specific about that area at that time that proves something either way, it's anyone's guess. But that's part of the reason I love Scripture so much...a lot of these things are just not absolutely certain and we have to take our best guess.
Matt