עמוס, פרק ה׳, פסוק כ׳

The human longing for a future day of divine intervention often carries the assumption that such a time will bring rescue and relief. Yet, this expectation meets a sharp and sobering warning. The anticipated day of God will not deliver the hoped-for salvation, but rather a painful judgment offering no escape or comfort [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

In this context, darkness serves as a powerful metaphor for trouble and severe distress. There is a deep irony in the people's intense desire for this approaching time. Human nature naturally craves light, which represents hope and safety. Therefore, it is deeply baffling that the people eagerly await a time that will ultimately plunge them into complete darkness and strip away any chance of rescue [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

The severity of this judgment unfolds through a gradual fading of light. Typically, even in standard darkness, there remains some faint illumination or halo of light from the night sky [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This secondary light, much like the glow of the moon or the stars, usually provides a small measure of visibility [מלבי״ם]. However, the approaching judgment moves beyond ordinary darkness into a state of thick, heavy gloom. In this absolute darkness, even the faint, secondary glow of the night sky is completely extinguished. When this time arrives, not a single ray of light will break through to offer even the slightest relief [רד״ק, מלבי״ם].