Commentary for Amos 3:12

As the shepherd saves—I.e, he saves little.

about the nation and tribes and what will be with them, Gd says "just like the shephard saves from the lion only two hindlegs or a piece of an ear, meaning the shephard is only able to rescue the ear piece as a witness that the lion. Similar to the piece needed as witness in (Shemot 22:12). And that matter that only a small piece is saved from the lion and he wasn't able to consume it, to that extent the Israelites who live in Shomron will be saved. Not the warriors and mighty men but rather the sick ones who are bedridden from their illness in the corner of the bed. And from the trouble of the enemy there will remain a small corner of the bed. The meaning of those "dameshek arish" (the piece of the couch) according to the Radak is the prophet repeating himself in different words. The word "damashek" means "corner" and "arish" is a "bed" as you see in other pesukim in the Torah (Yeshaya 33:4). And the two phrases used for the corner of the bed refer to the sick man who is lying in the corner of the bed unable to move (peat hamitah) and the sick man who can't rest because of his pain who is "mesheck" moving and rolling around from side to side of the bed (damashek arish). Rashi says this is referring to what is says about the end of the King of Aram in King Yehoyachaz ben Yehu and Jerobam ben Joash when they were rescued only a remnant (Malachim 2 14:27) and Hashem did not say to destroy the name of Israel and to save them through Jeroban ben Joash." and Hashem return the borders of Israel. THis is the meaning of the corner of the bed. The corner of the bedi n the corner of the house is the strength of the house and therefore refers to the stregnth of Jerobams reign and Amos lived and prophesized during this time. And he prophesized that they would end up reliant on the King of Aram like they were in the days of the King Pekach ben Remalliyahu who joined with them. This is the meanin of "demeshek arish" that their main source of reliance was on Damascus/demeshek.

the cartilage of an ear Heb. בְּדַל. [from Jonathan]