Albert Barnes Commentary Amos 6:11

"For, behold, Jehovah commandeth, and the great house shall be smitten with breaches, and the little house with clefts." — Amos 6:11 (ASV)

The Lord commands and He will smite - Jerome: “If He commands, how does He smite? If He smites, how does He command? In that thing which He “commands” and instructs His ministers, He Himself is seen to “smite.” In Egypt the Lord declares that He killed the first-born, who, we read, were slain by the destroyer (Exodus 12:23). The “breaches” denote probably the larger, “the cleft” the smaller ruin. The greater pile was the more greatly destroyed.