1. Amos 3:14 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What is the significance of cutting off the horns of the altar of Bethel?

Amos 3:14 (ESV)

14 “that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.

The horns of the altar represented the place where people could seek refuge and protection (Exodus 21:14; 1 Kings 1:50–51; 1 Kings 2:28–29). Cutting off the horns desecrated the altar, transforming it from a sacred site into an ordinary object.