201. Internal Meaning of Amos, Chapter 1 (1)

1-2 [The teaching of] the Lord about the Word and doctrine from the Word: (1, 6)

3-5 About those who pervert knowledges [cognitiones] from the Word which are of service to doctrine and who thus turn away also the good of those knowledges: these will perish. (3, 15)

6-8 About those who apply the Word to a heretical falsity: these will perish. (3)

9-10 About those who pervert knowledges [cognitiones] of good and truth, and thereby do injury to the external sense of the Word. (3)

11-12 About those who pervert the sense of the letter of the Word by falsity, by which doctrine perishes. (3)

13-15 About those who falsify the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word: they do not resist in the day of combat, but destroy the truth of doctrine. (3, 15)

A "house" is essentially a container -- for a person, a family, several families or even a large group with shared interests (think of the term "houses of worship.") In the Bible, a "house" is also a container, but for spiritual things rather than natural things. In various uses a "house" can represent part of the mind, the whole mind, a whole person or even a church. The other nuance to the word "house" is that it is generally used in regards to our affections and desires rather than our thoughts and principles. This makes sense; we tend to engage our thoughts and rationality when we are out in the world doing our work, but when we are inside our houses we are driven most by love for our families and the desire to be good to those we love. So "house" tends to represent the things we want and care about -- which are ultimately the things that define us.