Chapter XLVIII (continued, part 7)
the final Anticlirist, from whom God will at last deliver His
peo])le, as lie did from Sennaclierib (2 Kings 19. 3-5). face
.. . . hinder part—more applicable to a human army's mn and j-fi((r, than to locusts. The northern Invaders are to be dispersed in every other direction but that from which
thej' had come: "A land barren and desolate," i. e., Arabia Deserta: "The eastern. (or front) Sea,'' i. e., the Dead Sea : " The utmost (or hinder) sea," i. e., the Mediterranean. In front and behind mean east and west, as, In marking tlie quarters of the world, Ihey faced the east, which was therefore "In front;" the west was behind them ; the south was on their right, and the north on their left, stink—metaphor from locusts, which perish when blown by a storm into tlie sea or the desert, and emit from tlieir putrefying bodies such a stencli as often breeds a pestilence, because lie hatlt done great tilings —i.e., because the invader ha,th haughtily magnified himself
u. '2(i; the twice-asserted truth enforces its unfailing ceitainty. As the "shame " in v. 20 refers to temporal bless-
ings, so in this verse it refers to the spiritual blessings flowing from the presence of God with His people (cf. Jeremiah 3. 16, 17; Revelation 21. 8). 28. afterward—" In the last days " (Isaiah 2. 2) under Messiah after tlie Invasion and deliverance of Israel from the northern army. Having heretofore stated the outward blessings, he now raises their minds to tlie expectat! in of extraordinary spiritual
Future DUming^ to Zion Promistd, JOEL 111. God's Judgvients against her Enemies.
sault of Antichrist. "In Zion and Jerusalem" the Saviimt first appeared ; and there again shall He appear as tU« Deliverer (Zechariah 14. 1-5). as tlie Lord liatli said- .loel herein refers, not to the other prophets, but to his own words preceding, call—metaphor from an invitation to a feast, which is an act of gratuitous kindness (Luke 14.
blessings, wliich constitute the true restoration of God's people (Isaiuli 44. 3). FultiUed In earnest (Acts 2. 17) on Peniecost; among the Jews and the subsequent electioa of a people among the Gentiles; hereafter more fully at the restoration of Israel (Isaiah &4. 13; Jeremiah 31. 9, 34; Ezekiel 39.29; Zeohariah 12. 10) and the consequent conversion of the whole world (Isaiah 2.
16) . So the remnant called and saved is according to tlie election of grace, not for man's merits, power, or eflorts (Romans 11. 5).
2; 11. 9; (iti. 18-2:5; Micah 5. 7; Romans 11. 12, 15). As the Jews have been the seedsmen of the elect Church gathered out of Jews and Gentiles, the first Gospel preachers being Jews from Jerusalem, so tliey shall be the harvest-men of the coming world-wide Cliurch, to be set up at Messiah's appearing. Tliat tlie promise is not restricted to the first Pentecost appears from Peter's own words : " The promise
Ver. 1-21. God's Vengeance on Israel's Foes in the ValI/EY of Jehoshaphat. His Blessing on the Church. 1. bring again tlie captivity i.e., reverse it. The Jews restrict this to the return from Babylon. Christians refer it to the coming of Christ. But tlie propliet comprises the wliole redemption, beginning from tlie return out of Babylon, then continued from tlie lir.st advent of Christ down to the last day (His second advent), when G6d will restore His Church to perfect felicity. [Calvin.] 3. Parallel to Zechariah 14. 2, 3,4, where tlie "Mount of Olives" answers to the "Valley of Jehosliaphat" lieiei The latter is called " the valley of blessing" (Berachali) (2 Chronicles 20. 26). It lies between Jerusalem and llio Mount of Olives, and has the Kedron flowing through it. As Jehoshaphat overthrew the confederate foes of Judah,
Is (not onlj') unto you and to your children, (but also) to
all thai are afar off (both in space and in time), even as manj'as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2. 39). So here "upon all flesh." I will pour out—under the new covenant: not merely, let fall drops, as under the Old Testament (John 7. .39). my Spirit—the Spirit "proceeding from the Father and the Son," and at the same time One with the Father and the Son (cf. Isaiah 11. 2). sons . . . dangliters . . . old . . . young—not merely on a privileged few (Numbers 11. 29) as the prophets of the Old Testament, but men of all ages and ranks. See Acts 21. 9, and
1 Corinthians 11. 5, as to " daughters," i. e., women, propliesyi!ig. dreams ... visions—(Acts9. 10; 16. 9). The"dreams" are attributed to the "old men," as more in accordance with their years; "visions" to the "young men," as adapted to their more lively minds. The three modes whereby God revealed His will under the Old Testament (Numbers 12. 6), "prophecy, dreams, and visions, " are here made the symbol of the full manifestation of Himself to all His people, not only in miraculous gilts to some, but by his indwelling Spirit to all in the New Testament (John 14. 21, 23; 15. 15). In Acts 16. 9, and 18. 9, tlie term used is "vision," though in the night, not a dream. No othe'- dream is mentioned in the New Testament save those given to Joseph in the very beginning of the New Testament, before the full gospel had come; and to the wife of Pilate, a Gentile tMatthew 1. 20; 2. 13; 27. 19). "Prophesying" in the New Testament is applied to all speaking under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and not merely to foretelling events. All true Christians are "priests" and "ministers" of our God (Isaiah 61. 6), and have the Spirit (Ezekiel 36. 26. 27). Besides this, probably, a special gift of prophecy and miracle-working Is to be giveu at or before Messiah's coming again. 29. And also And even. The very slaves by becoming the Lord's servants are His freemen (1 Corinthians 7. 22; Galatians
viz.. Amnion, Moab, &c. (Psalm 8;?. 6-8), in this valley, so God was to overthrow the Tyrians, Zidonians, Philistines, Edom, and Egypt, with a similar utter overthrow
(v. 4, 19). This has been long ago fultlUed; but the ultimate event shadowed forth herein is still future, wlien God shall specially interpose to destroy Jerusalem's last foes, of whom Tyre, Zidon, Edom, Egypt, and Pliilistia are the types. As " Jelioshaphat" means "the judgment of Jehovah," the valley of Jehoshaphat may be used as a general term for the theatre of God's final judgments on Israel's foes, with an allusion to the judgment inflicted on them by Jelioshaphat. The definite mention of tlie Mount of Olives in Zechariah 14., and the fact that this was the scene of the ascension, makes it likely the same shall be the scene of Christ's coming again : cf. " this same Jesus
. . . shall so come in like manner iis ye have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1. 11). all nations viz., whicli have maltreated Judah. plead with tlaem — (Isaiah 66. 16; Ezekiel 38. 22). my heritage Israel—(Deuteronomy 32. 9; Jeremiah 10. 10.) Implying that the source of Judali's redemption is God's free love, wherewith He chose Israel as His peculiar heritage, a,nA at the same time assuring them, when desponding because of trials, that he would plead their cause as His own, and as if He were injured in their person. 3. cast lots for my people i. e., divided among themselves my people as their captives by lot. Cf. as to the distribution of captives by lot (Obadiah 11 ; Nahum 3.
3. 28; Colossians 3. 11 ; Philemon 16). Therefore, in Acts 2.
18 it is quoted, "my servants" and " wij/ handmaidens ;"
as it is only by becoming the Lord's servants they are spiritually fi'ee, and partake of the same spirit as the other members of the Church. 30, 31. As Messiah's manifestation is full of joy to believers, so It has an aspect of wrath to unbelievers, which is represented here. Thus when the Jews received Him not in His coming of grace. He came injudgment on Jerusalem. Physical prodigies, massacres, and conflagrations preceded its destruction [Josephus,
10). given a boy for . . . harlot— instead of paying a harlot for her prostitution in money, they gave her a Jewish captive boy as a slave, girl for wine—so valueless did they regard a Jewish girl that they would sell her for a diauglit of wine. 4. what have ye to do with me ye have no connection with me (i. e., vnth my people : God identifying Himself with Israel; I, i. e., my people, have given you no cause of quarrel), why then do ye trouble me
J. B.]. To these the language here may allude; but the figures chieHy symbolize political revolutions and changes In the ruling powers of the world, prognosticated by previous disasters (.\mos 8. 9; Matthew 24. 29; Luke 21. 25-
(i. e., my people)? Cf. the same phrase, Joshua 22.24 ; Judges
11. 12; 2 Samuel 16. 10; Matthew 8. 29. Tyre . . . Zidon . . . Palestine—(Amos 1.6, 9.) if ye recompense me—if ye injure me (my people), inrevenge for fancied wrongs (Ezekiel 25. 15-
27), and convulsions such as preceded the overthrow of the Jewish polity. Such shall probably occur in a more appalling degree before the final destruction of the ungodly world ("the great and terrible day of Jehovah," cf. Malachl 4. 5), of which Jerusalem's overthrow is the type and earnest. 33. call on . . . name of . . . Lord Hebrew, Jehovah. Applied to Jesus in Romans 10. 13 (cf. Acts 9.
17),I will requite you In your own coin swiftly and speedily. 5. my silver . . . my goid—{. e., the gold and silver of my people. The Philistinesand Arabians had carried olf all the treasures ofKingJehoram's house (2 Chronicles 21.16,17). Cf. also 1 Kings 15. 18 ; 2 Kings 12. 18 ; 14. 14, for the spoiling of the treasures of the temple and the king's palace in Judah by Syria. It was customary among the heathen to hang up in the idol temples some of the spoils of war as presents to their gods. 6. Grecians lit,, Javauites, i. e., the lonians, a Greek colony on the coast of Asia Minor who were the first Greeks known to the Jews. The Greeks themselves, however, in their original descent came from Javan (Genesis 10. 2, 4). Probably the germ of
14 ; 1 Corinthians 1. 2). Therefore, Jesus is Jehovah ; and the phrase means, " Call on Mfessiah in His Divine attributes." shall be delivered—as the Christians were, just before .lerusalem's destruction, by ratiring to Pella, warned hy the Saviour (Matthew 24. 16) ; a type of the spiritual deliverance of all believers, and of the last deliver-
Hiice of the elect "remnant" of Israel from the final as-
JOEL III.
Ood Ui he knovm, in His Judyvients.
His Blessing upon Ike Cliureh.
Greek civilization in part oame through the Jewish slaves Imported into Greece from Phoenicia by traffickers. Ezekiel 'Zi. 18 mentions Jdvan and Tyre as trading in the persons of men. far from tlieir border— far from Judea; BO that the captive Jews were cut oH' from all hope of return. 7. raise fUein—i. e., I will rouse them. Neither sea nor distance will prevent my bringing them back. Alexander, and his successors, restored to liberty many Jews In bondage in Greece (Josephus 13. 5; J. B. 3. 9, 2). 8. sell
to Its full maturity. God docs not cut off the wicked at once, but waits till tlieir guilt is at its full (so as to the Amorites' iniquity. Genesis 15. 10), to show fortli His own long suffering, and thejustice of their doom wlio have so long abused it (Mattliew 13. 27-30, 38, 40; Revelation 14. la-
Id). For the image of a harvest to be threslied, cf. Jeremiah 51. 33; and a wine press, Isaiah 03. 3 ; Lamentations
1. 15. 14:. The propliet in vision .seeing tlie immense array of nations congregating, exclaims, "Multitudes, multitudes!" a Hebraism for immense multitudes, valley of decision—i. e., the valley in wliicli they are to meet tlieir determined doom. The same as "the valley of Jehoshaphat," i.e., "the valley of judgment" (Note, v. 2). Cf. v. 12, "there will I sit to judge," which confirms AYi/zHa/i Version rather than Margin, " threshing." The repetition of " valley of decision" heightens the effect, and pronounces the awful certainty of their doom. 15. (Notes, ch. 2. 10, 31.) 16,
tlieni to . . . Snbeans—the Persian Artaxerxes Mnemon and Darius Ochus, and chiefly the Greek Alexander, reduced the Phoenician and Philistine powers. Thirty thousand Tyrians after the capture of Tyre by the last conqueror, and multitudes of Philistines on the taking of Gaza, were sold as slaves. The Jews are here said to do that which the God of Judah does in vindication of their wrong, viz., sell the Phoenicians who sold them, to a people " far off," as was Greece, whither the Jews had been
(Cf. Ezekiel 38. 18-22.) The victories of tlie Jews over their cruel foe Antiochus, under the Maccabees, may be a reference of this prophecy; but the ultimate reference is to the last Antichrist, of whom Antiochus was the type. Jerusalem being the central seat of the theocracy (Psalm 132.
Bold. The Sabeans at the most remote extremity of Arabia Felix are referred to (cf. Jeremiah 6. 20; Matthew 12.
12). 9. The nations hostile to Israel are summoned by Jehovali to " come up" (this phrase is used because JeruBalem was on a hill) against Jerusalem, not that they may destroy it, but be destroyed by the Lord at It (Ezekiel 38.
13), it is. from thence that Jehovah discomiits the foe. roar—as a lion (Jeremiah 25. 30 ; Amos 1. 2 ; 3. 8). Cf. as to Jehovah's voice tliundering. Psalm 18. 13; Habakkuk 3.
7-2:3 ; Zechariah 12. 2-9 ; 14.2,3). Prepare war—lit., iSanc-
10, 11. liord . . . the liope of liis people—or, their refuge (Psalm 46. 1). n. shall ye know—experimentally by the proofs of favours which I shall vouchsafe to you. So "kuow" (Isaiah 60. 16; Hosea 2. 20). dweUlng in Ziou— as peculiarly your God. lioly . . , no strangers pass throiigli—to attack, or to defile, the holy city (Isaiah 35.
lify war: because the heathen always began war with religious cerenfonies. The very plirase used of Babylon's preparations against Jerusalem (Jeremiah 6. 4) Is now used of the final foes of Jerusalem. As Babylon was then desired by God to advance against her for her destruction, Bo now all her foes, of whom Babylon was the type, are desired to advance against her for their own destruction. 10. Beat your plouglisliares into swords—As the foes are desired to "beat their plouglislvares into xwords, and
8; 52.1; Zechariah 14. 21). Strangers, or Gentiles, shall come to Jerusalem, but it shall be in order to worship Jehovah there (Zechariah 14. 16). 18. mountains . . . drop
. . . wine—figurative for abundance of vines, wtiich were cultivated in terraces of eartli between the rocks on the sides of the hills of Palestine (Amos 9. 13). hills . . . flow with milk i.e., they shall abound in flocks and herds yielding milk plentifully, tluough the richness of the pastures, waters—the great desideratum for fertility in the parched East (Isaiah 30. 25). fountain . . . of . . . house of . . . Lord . . . water . . . valley of Shittim— the blessings, temporal and spiritual, issuing from Jehovah's house at Jerusalem, shall extend even to Shittim, on the border between Moab and Israel, beyond .lordan (Numbers 25. 1; 33. 49; Joshua 2.1; Micah 6. 5). Shittim means acractas, which grow only in arid regions: implying, that even the arid desert shall be fertilized by the blessing from Jerusalem. So Ezekiel 47. 1-12 describes the waters issuing from the threshold of the house as flowing into the Dead Sea, and purifying it. Also in Zechariah
their pruninfj hooks into spears," that so they may perish in their unhallowed attack on Judah and Jerusalem, so these latter, and the nations converted to God by them,
after the overthrow of the Antichristian confederacy, shall, on the contrary, " beat their swords into ploughshares, and Xhe'w spears into pruning hooks," when under Messiah's coming reign there shall be war no more (Isaiah 2.4; Hosea 2. 18; Micah 4. 3). let tlie weak say, I am strong —so universal shall be the rage of Israel's foes for invading her, that even the weak among them will fancy themselves strong enough to join the Invading forces. Age and Infirmity were ordinarily made valid excuses for exemption from service, but so mad shall be the fury of the world against God's people, that even the feeble will not desire to be exempted (cf. Psalm 2. 1-3). 11. Assemble " Hasten." [Mauker.] tliltlier—to the valley of Jehoshaphat. thy mighty ones—the warriors who fancy themselves " mighty ones," but who are on that very spot to be overthrown by Jehovah. [Maitrer.] Cf. " the mighty men" {v. 9). Rather, Joel speaks of God's really "mighty •nes" in contrast to the self-styled " mighty men" (i^ 9; Psalm 103. 20; Isaiah 13. 3; cf. Daniel 10. 13). Auberlen remarks: One prophet supplements the other, for they
14. 8 the waters flow on one side Into the Mediterranean, on the other side into tlie Dead Sea, near which latter Shittim was situated (cf. Psalm 40. 4; Revelation 22. 1). 19. Kdom—it was subjugated b.y David, but revolted under Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21. 8-10); and at every subsequent opportunity tried to injure Judah. Egypt under Sliisliak spoiled Jerusalem under Rehoboam of the treasures of the temple and the king's house; subsequently to the oaptivit.v. It inflicted under the Ptolemies various injuries on Judea. Antiochus spoiled Egypt (Daniel 11. 40-
all prophesied only " in part." What was obscure to one was revealed to the other; what is briefly described by one is more fully so by another. Daniel calls Antichrist a king, and dwells on his worldly conquests ; John looks more to his spiritual tyranny, for which reason he adds a second beast, wearing the semblance of spirituality. Antichrist himself IS described by Daniel. Isaiah (Isaiah 29.), Joel (ch. 3), and Zechariah (Zechariah 12., 13. and 14.), describe his army of heatlien followers coming up against Jerusalem, but not Antichrist himself. 13. See v. 2. Judge all the heathen round about i. e., all the nations from all parts of the earth which have maltreated Israel, not merely, as Henderson supposes, the nations round about Jerusalem (cf. Psalm 110.6; Isaiah 2. 4; Micah 4.3, H-13; Zephaniah 3. 15-19 ; Zechariah 12. 9; 14.3-11; Malaahl 4. 1-3). 13. Direction to the ministers of vengeance to execute God's wrath, as the enemy's wickedness is come 668
43). Edom was made " desolate" under the Maccabees (Josephus 12. 11, 12). The low condition of the two coun-
tries for centuries proves the truth of the prediction (cf. Isaiah 19. 1, &c. ; Jeremiah 49. 17 ; Obadiah 10). So shall
fare all tlie foes of Israel, typified by tliese two (Isaiah 63,
1, &o.). ^0. dwell for ever—(Amos 9. 15), t. e., be established as a flourishing state, m. cleanse . . . blood . . not cleansed—I will pui'ge away from Judah the extremt guilt(represeiited by " blood," tlie sliedding of which was the climax of her sin, Isaiah 1. 15) which was for long not purged away, but visited witli judgments (Isaiaii 4. 4). Messiah saves from guilt, in order to save from punishment (Matthew 1. 21).
G<n^s Judgment/ upon Syria, AMOS I. Philistia, Tyre, Edom, and Ammon.
AMOS.
Amos (meaning in Hebrew " a burden ") was (ch. 1. 1) a shepherd of Tekoa, a small town of Judah, six miles soutn-
Piisl from Betlileliem, and twelve from Jerusalem, on the borders of the great desert (2 Chronicles 20. 20 ; cf. 11. 6, ibid). The region being sandy was fitter for pastoral than for agricultural purposes. Amos therefore owned and tended
flocks, and collected sycamore figs; not that the former was a menial office, kings themselves, as Mesha of Moab (2 Kings X 4), exercising it. Amos, however (from ch. 7. 14, 15), seems to have been of humble rank. Thougli belonging to Judah, he was commissioned by God to exercise his prophetical function in Israel ; as the latter kingdom abounded in impostors, and the prophets of God generally fled tojudah through fear of the kings of Israel.a
irne prophet from Judali was the more needed in It, His name is not to be confounded with that of Isaiah's father,
Afnoz.
The time of liis prophesying was in the reigns of Uzzlah king of Judea, and Jeroboam II. son of Joash, king of Israel
(ch. 1. 1), i.e.. In part of the time in which the two kings wei'e contemporary; probably in Jeroboam's latter years,
aflpr that mon.arch had recovered from Syria " the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath to the sea of the plain "
(2 Kings 14. '2.~i-'I7); for Amas foretells that these same coasts, "from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of the wilderness," should be t lie scene of Israel's being afllicted (ch. 6. 14); also his references to the state of luxurious security then existing (cli. 6. 1, 4, l'?), and to the speedy termination of it by the Assyrian foe (ch. 1. 5; 3. 12, 15; 5. 27; 8.2), point to the latter part of Jeroboam's reign, which terminated in 784 b. c, the twenty-seventh year of Uzziah's reign, wliich continued down to 759 B. c.
He was contemporary with Hosea, only that the latter continued to prophesy in reigns subsequent to Uzziah (Hosea 1. 1), wliereas Amos ceased to prophesy in the reign of that monarch. The scene of his ministry was Beth-el, wliere the idol calves were set up (oh. 7. 10-13). There his prophecies roused Amaziah the idol priest to accuse him of conspiracy, aud to try to drive him back to Judah.
The first six cliapters are without figure ; the last three symbolical, but witli the explanation subjoined. He first denounces the neighbouring peoples, then the Jews, then Israel (from ch. 3. to the end), closing with the promise or restoration under Messiali (ch. 9. 11-15). His style is thought by Jekomb to betray ills humble origin ; but though not Bublime, it is regular, perspicuous, and energetic; his Images are taken from the scenes in nature with which he was familiar; his rliythms are flowing, his parallelisms exact, and his descriptions minute and graphic. Some peculiar expressions occur: "cleannessof teeth " i. e., want of bread (ch. 4. (i); " tlie excellency of Jacob " (ch.6.8; 8.7); "the high places of Isaac " (ch. 7. !)); "tlie house of Isaac" (ch. 7. 16); "he that createth the wind " (ch. 4. 13). Hengstenbeeg draws an able argument for the genuineness of the Mosaic records from the evidence in Amos, that tlie existing institutions in Israel as well as Judah (excepting the calves of Jeroboam), were framed according to the Pt iitateuch rules.
Two quotations from Amos occur In the New Testament (cf. Acts 7. 42, 43, with ch. 5. 25, 26 ; and Acts 15. 16, 17, with
ch. 9. 11).
Philo, Josephus, Melito's catalogue, Jerome, JusTinr Martyr (sec. 22, quoting the fifth and six chapters of Amos as "one of the twelve minor prophets"), and the 60th canon of the Laodicean council support the canonicity of the book of Amos.
When Carmel itself " withers," how utter t^ desolation I (Song of Solomon 7. 5; Isaiah aS. 9; S5. 2; Je"miah 50. 19; Nahum 1. 4). 3. Here begins a series of threatenings of vengeance against six other states, followed by one against Judah, and ending with one against Israel, with whom the rest of the prophecy is occupied. The eight predictions are in symmetrical stanzas, each prefaced by " Thus saith the Lord." Beginning with the sin of others, which Israel would be ready enough to recognize, he proceeds to bring home to Israel her own guilt. Israel must not think hereafter, because she sees others visited similarly to herself, that such judgments are m.atters of chance; nay, they are divinely foreseen and foreordered, and are confirmations of the truth that God will not clear the guilty. If God spares not the nations that know not the truth, how much less Israel that sins wilfully (Luke
CHAPTEit I.
Ver. 1-15. God's Judgments on Syria, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, and Ammon. 1. Tlie words of Amos—i. e., Amos' m acular communications. A lieading found only In Jeremiah 1. 1. amoug tlie herdmen—rather, "shepherds;" both owning and tending sheep; from an Arabic
root, to mark with pricks, viz., to select the best among a species of sheep and goats ill-shapen and short-footed (as others explain the name from an Arabic root), but distinguished by their wool. [Maurer.] God chooses "the weak things of the world to confound the mighty," and makes a humble shepherd reprove the arrogance of Israel and her king arising from prosperity (cf. 1 Samuel 17. 40). whlcli he saw—in supernatural vision (Isaiah 1. 1). two years before the eartSiqnake—mentioned In Zecharlah
12. 47, 48 ; James 4. 17) ! For tliree traiiggressions . . . and for four—If Damascus had only sinned once or twice, I would have spared them, but since, after having been so often pardoned, they still persevere so contimially, I will no longer " turn away" their punishment. The Hebrew is simply, "I will not reverse it," viz., the sentence of punishment which follows; the negative expression implies more than it expresses, i. e., " I will most surely execute it;" God's fulfilment of His threats being more awful than human language can express. "Three and four" imply sin multiplied on sin. Cf. Exodus 20. 5; Proverbs 30. 15, IS,
14. 5. The earthquake occurred in Uzziah's reign, at the time of his being stricken with leprosy for usurping the priest's functions. [Josephus, Antiquities 9. 10. 4.] This clause must have been inserted by Ezra and the compilers of the Jewish canon. 3. will roar—as a lion (Joel 3. 16). Whereas Jehovah Is there represented roaring in Israel's behalf, here he roars against her (cf. Psalm 18. 13; Jeremiah Vy. .W). from ZIon . . . Jerusalem—the seat of the theocracy, from which ye have revolted; not from Dan and Beth-el, the seat of your idolatrous worship of the calves, hiililtation . . . mourn—poetical personification. Their inhabitants shall mourn, imparting a sadness to the very habitatioTis. Carmel — the mountain promontory north of Israel, In Asher, abounding in rich pastures, uUves, and vines. The name is the symbol of fertility.
21; "six and seven," Job 5. 19; "once and twice," Job 33.
14; "twice aud thrice," Margin; "oftentimes," Englifh Version, Job 33.29; "seven and also eight," Ecclesiaste*
11. 2. There may be also a reference to seven, the productoj
OofTs Judgments apon Syria, Philistia, etc. AMOS II. His Wrath (igainit Moab.
three Rnd four added; seven expressing the full completion of the measure of their guilt (Leviticus 26.18,21,24; cf. Mattliew 23. 32). tUreshed—tlie very term used of the Syrian king Hazael's oppression of Israel under Jehu and Jelioahaz (2 Kings 10. 32, 33; 13. 7). Tlie victims were tlirown l)pfore tlie threshing-sledges, the teeth of which tore their bodies. So David to Ammon (2 Samuel 12. 31;
chadnezzar, the Persians, Alexander, and lastly the Asmoneans. 9. Tynis . . . delivered up the . . . captivity to E^lom—the same charge as against the Pliilistines (v.
6). remembered not the brotherly covenant—the leairue of Hiram of Tyre with David and Solomon, tlie former supplying cedars for the building of the temple and king's house in return for oil and corn (2 Samuel 5. 11 ; I Kings 5. 2-6; 9. 11-14, -27 ; 10. 22; 1 Chronicles 14. 1 ; 2 ChroniclCN 8. 18;
cf. Isaiah 28. 27). 4. Haznel . . . Bcn-liadnd—A black morl)le obelisk found in the central palace of Nimroud, and now in tlie British Museum, Is inscribed with the names of Hazael and Ben-hadad of Syria, as well as Jehu of Israel, mentioned as tributaries of "Shalmanubar," king of Assyria. The kind of tribute from Jehu is mentioned, gold, pearls, precious oil, &c. [G. V. Smith.] Tlie Ben-hadad here is the son of Hazael (2 Kings 13. 3), not the Ben-hadad supplanted and slain by Hazael (2 Kings 8.
9. 10). 10. lire—(Cf.ti. 4,7; notes, Isaiah 2:^.; Ezekiel 2(i.. 27., and '28.) Many parts of Tyre were burnt by fiery missiles of the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. Alexaiulei of Macedon subsequently overthrew it. 11. Edom . . . did pursue his brother—(Isaiah .34. .5.) The chief aggravation to Edom's violence against Israel was, that they both came from the same parents, Isaac and Rebecca (cf. Gene-
sis 25. 21-26; Deuteronomy 2.3. 7, 8; Obadiah 10, 12; Maliiclii
7, The phrase, " I will send a fire," <S:c., j. e., the flame of war (Psalm 78. 63), occur also {v. 7, 10, 12, 14, and ch. 2. 2, 5; Jeremiah 49. 27; Hosea 8. 14). 5. Bar of Damascus i.
1. 2). cast off all pity lit., destroy compassions, i. f., did suppress all the natural feeling of pity for a brollier in distress, his M'rath for ever—as Esau kept up his grudge against Jacob, for having twice supplanted him, viz., as to the birth-right and the blessing (Genesis 27. 41), so Esau's posterity against Israel (Numbers 20. 14, 21). Eilom first showed his spite in not letting Israel pass through his borders Avlien coming from the wilderness, liut threatening to "come out against him with the sword;" next, when the Syrians attacked Jerusalem under Ahaz (cf. 2 Chronicles 28. 17, with 2 Kings 16.5); next, when Nebuchadnezzar assailed Jerusalem (Psalm 137. 7, 8). In each case Edom chose the day of Israel's calamity for venting his grudge. This is the point of Edom's guilt dwelt on in Obadiah 10-13. God punishes the children, not for the sin of their fathers, but for their own filling up the measure of their fathers' guilt, as children generally follow in the steps of, and even exceed, tlieir fathers' guilt (cf. Exodus
e., tlie bar of its gates (cf, Jeremiah 51. 30). the Inliabltant—singular lor plural, " inhabitants." Henderson, because of the parallel, "him that holdeth the sceptre,"
translates, " the ruler." But the parallelism is that of one clause complementing the other, " the inhabitant" or sub-
ject here answering to " him that holdeth the sceptre" or ruler there, botli ruler and subject alike being cut ofT. Aven—the same as Oon or Un, a delightful valley, four hours' journey from Damascus, towards the desert. Proverbial in the East as a place of delight. [Josephus AbAssus.] It is here parallel to " Eden," which also means pleasantness; situated at Lebanon. As Josephus Abassus is a doubtful authority, perhaps the reference may be rather to the valley between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, called El-Bekaa, where are the ruins of the Baalbek temple of the sun ; so the LXX. render it On, the same name as the city in Egypt bears, dedicated to the sun-worship (Genesis 41. 45; Margin, Ezekiel 30. 17, Heliopolis, " the city of the sun"). It is termed by Amos " the valley of Aven," or vanity, from the worship of idols in it. Kir—a region
20. 5). 12. Teman—a city of Edom, called from a grandson of E.sau (Genesis 36. 11, 15; Obadiah 8, 9). Situated five miles from Petra; south of the present Wady Musa. Its people were famed for wisdom (Jeremiah 49. 7). Boxrali —a city of Edom (Isaiah 63. 1). Selah or Petra is not mentioned, as it had lieen overthrown by Amaziah (2 Kings
sulfject to Assyria (Isaiah 22. 6) in Iberia, the same as that called now in Armenian Kur, lying by the river Cyrus
14.7). 13. Ainmon—the Ammonites under Naliash attacked Jabesh-gilead, and refused to accept the ofl'er of the latter to save them, unless the Jubesh-gilead-
wliicli empties itself into the Caspian Sea. Tiglath-pileser
fulfilled tills prophecy when Ahaz applied for help to him against Rezin king of Syria, and the Assyrian king took Damascus, slew Rezin, and carried away its people captive
ites would put out all their right eyes (1 Samuel 11. 1, &c.). Saul rescued Jabesh-gilead. The Ammonites joined the Chaldeans in their invasion of Judea for the sake of plunder, ripped up women with child—as Hazael of Syria also did (2 Kings 8. 12; cf. Hosea 1.3. 16). Amnion's object in this cruel act was to leave Israel without "heir," so as to seize on Israel's inheritance (Jeremiah 49. 1). 14. Kabbah—the capital of Ammon: meaning "the Great." Distinct from Kabbah of Moab. Called Philadelphia, afterwards, from Ptolemy Philadelplius. tempest— t. <., with an onset swift, sudden, and resistless as a hurricane, day of the whirlwind—parallel to " the day of battle ;" therefore meaning "the day of the foe's tumultuous assault." 15. tlieir king . . . princes—or else, "their Moloch (the idol of Ammon) and his priests." [Grotius and LXX.]
to Kir. 6. Gaza—tiie soutliernmost of the five capitals of the five divisions of Philistia, and the key to Palestine on
tlie south: lieiice put for the whole Philistine nation. Uzziah commenced the fulfilment of this prophecy (see 2 Chronicles 26. 6). because they carried away . . . the tvhole captivity—t. e., they left none. Cf. with the phrase here, Jeremiah 13. 19, " Judah . . . carried captive all of it
. . . wholly carried away." Under Jehoram already the Philistines had carried away all the substance of the king of Judah, and his wives and his sons, "so that there was never a son left to him, save Jehoaliaz ;" and after Amos' time (if the reference include the future, which to the prophet's eye Is as if already done), under Ahaz (2 Chroni-
cles 28. 18), they seized on all the cities and villages of the low country and south of Judah. to deliver them up to Edom—Judali's bitterest foe; as slaves (v. 9; cf. Joel 3. 1,
Isaiali 43.28 so uses "princes" for priests. So ch. 5. 26, "your Molech ;" and Jeremiah 49. 3, Margin. English Ver-
sion, however, is perhaps preferable both here and in Jeremiah 49. 3; see notes there.
3,6). Grotius refers it to the fact (Isaiah 16. 4) that on Sennacherib's invasion of Judah, many fled lor refuge to neiglibouring countries; the Philistines, Instead of hospitably sheltering the refugees, sold them, as if captives
CHAPTEE II.
Ver. 1-16. Charges against Moab, Judah, and lastly Israel, the chief Subject of Amos' Prophecies.
in war, to their enemies, the Idumeans. 7. tire i. e., the flame of war (Numbers 21. 28; Isaiah 26. 11). Hezekiah
1. burned . . . bones of . . . kin^ of Edom Into limewhen Jehoram of Israel, Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom, combined against Mesha king of Moab, the latter failing in battle to break through to the king of Edom, ttxik the eldest son of the latter and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall (2 Kings 3. 27). [Michaells.] Thus, "king of Eilom" is taken as the heir to the throne of Edom. But " his son" is rather the king of Moah's own son, whom the father oirered to Molech. [Josephus, An-
fulfilled the prophecy, smiting the Pliilistines unto Gaza
(2 Kings 18. 8). Foretold also by Isaiah 14. 29, 31. 8. Ashdod, &c.—Oalh alone Is not mentioned of the five chief Philistine cities. It had already been subdued by David; and it, as well as Ashdod, was taken by Uzziah (2 Chroni-
cles 26. 6). Gath perhaps had lost its position as one of the
five primary cities before Amos uttered this prophecy, whence arose his omission of it. So Zephaniah 2. 4, 5. V.i. Jeremiah 47. 4; Ezekiel 25. 16. Subsequently to the subjugation of the Philistines by Uzziah, and then by Hezetlah, they were reduced by Psamraetlcus of Egypt, Nebu-
tiquities, 9. !^.] Thus the reference here in Amos isndtto that fact, but to the revenge which probably the kinu
Ooifs Judgments against Judah and Israd. AMOS III. IsraeUs Ingratitude to Qod.
they unjustly fined. 9. Yet—My former benefits to yon heighten your ingratitude. tl>e Amorlte—the most powerful of all llie Canaanite nations, and therefore put for them all (Genesis 15. 16; 48. 22; Deuteronomy 1. 20; .loshua
Moab took on the king of Edom, when the forces of Israel and Judah had retired after their successful campaign against Moab, leaving Edom without allies. The Hebrew
tradition is, that Moab in revenge tore from their grave, and burned the bones of the king of Edom, the ally of Jehoram and Jehoshaphat, who was already buried. Probably the " burning of the bones" means, he burned the king of Edom alioe, reducing his very bones to lime. [MauRER.] a. iClrloth—the chief city of Moab, called also KirMoab {Isaiah 15. 1); the form is plural here, as including both the acropolis and town itself (see Jeremiah 48. 24, 41, Margin), die wltU tumult i.e., amidst the tumult of battle (Hosea 10. 14). 3. the Judge—the chief magistrate, the supreme source of justice. "King" not being used. It seems likely a cliange of government had before this time substituted for kings, supreme judges. 4. From foreign kingdoms he passes to Judah and Israel, lest it Bhould be said, he was strenuous in denouncing sins abroad, but connived at those of his own nation. Judah's
7. 7). heiglit . . . like . . . cedars—(Numbers 13. 32, 3.3.) destroyed his fiiiit . . . above . . . roots . . . beneath —i. e., destroyed him utterly (Job 18. .16; Ezekiel 17. 9; Malachi 4. 1). 10. brought you up from . . . Egypt^ "brought up" is tlie phrase, as Egypt was low and flat, and Canaan hilly, to possess the land of tlie Amorite— the Amorites strictly occupied both sides of the Jordan, and the mountains afterward possessed liy Judah; but
tliey here, as in t'. 9, stand .for all the Canaanites. God kept Israel forty years in the wilderness, whicli tended to
di.scipline them in His statutes, so as to be the better fitted
for entering on the possession of Canaan. 11. Additional obligations under which Israel lay to God ; the prophets, and Nazarites, appointed by Him, to furnish religious instruction and examples of holy self-restraint, of your young men—It was a specimen of Israel's highly favoured state, that, of the class most addicted to pleasures, God chose those who by a solemn vow bound themselves to abstinence from all produce of the vine, and from all ceremonial and moral defilement. The Nazarite was not to shave (Numbers 6. 2, &c.). God left nothing undone to secure the purity of their worship and their faithfulness
guilt differs from that of all the others, in that It was di-
rectly against God, not merely against man. Also because Judah's sin was wilful and wittingly against light and knowledge, law—the Mosaic code in general, commaitdments—or statutes, the ceremonies and civil laws, their lies—their lying idols (Psalm 40. 4; Jeremiah 16. 19), from which they drew false hopes. The order is to be observed. The Jews first cast off the Divine law, then fall into lying errors; God thus visiting them with a righteous retribution (Romans 1. 25, 26, 28 ; 2 Thessalonians 2. 11, 12). The pretext of a good intention is hereby refuted: the "lies" that mislead them are "tfieir (own) lies." [Calvin.] after . . . wlilcli their fathers . . . wallied—we are not to follow the fathers in error, but must follow tiie word of God alone. Nay, it was an aggravation of the Jews' sin, that it was not confined to preceding generations; the sons rivalled the sins of their fathers (Matthew 2;5. 32; Acts 7.51). [Calvin.] 5. a Are—Nebuchadnezzar. 6. Israel—the ten tribes, tlie main subject of Amos' prophecies, sold the righteous—Israel's Judges for a br.be are induced to condemn in judgment him who has a righteous cause; in violation of Deuteronomy 16. 19. the poor for a pair of shoes—Zti., iandais of wood, secured on tlie foot by leathern straps ; less valuable than shoes.
to it (Lamentations 4. 7). The name comes from a Hebrew
root, Nazar, " to set apart." Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist were Nazarites. Is It not even thus—WlH any of you dare to deny it is so? 13. Ye so despised these my favours, as to tempt the Nazarite to break his vow; and forbad the prophets prophesying (Isaiah 30. 10). So Amaziah forbad Amos (ch. 7. 12, 13, 14). 13. I am pressed under you—so Calvin (cf. Isaiali 1. 14). Margin translates actively, "I will depress your place," i. e., I wiU make it narrow, a metaphor for afflicting a people; the opposite of enlarging, i. e., relieving (Psalm 4. 1 ; Proverbs 4.
12). Maurer translates, "I will press you down" (not as Margin, " your place;" so the Hebrew, Job 40. 12; or v. 7 in Hebrew text). Amos, as a shepherd, appropriately draws his similes from rustic scenes. 14. flight shall perish from . . . swift—even the swift shall not be able to escape, strong shall not strengthen his force i. e., shall not be able to use his strength, himself— his life. 10. flee
Cf. tlie same phrase, for the most paltry bribe, ch. 8. 6; Ezekiel 13. 19 ; Joel 3. 3. They were not driven by poverty to such a sin; beginning with suffering themselves to be tempted by a large bribe, they at last are so reckless of all shame as to prostitute justice for the merest trifle. Amos convicts them of injustice, incestuous unchastity, and oppression first, as these were so notorious that they could not deny them, before he proceeds to reprove their contempt of God, which they would have denied on the ground that they worshipped God in the form of the calves. 7. pant after . . . dust of . . . earth on . . , head of . . . poor—j. e., eagerly thirst for this object, by their oppression to prostrate the poor so as to cast the dust on their head.s in mourning on the earth (cf. 2 Samuel
. . . naked—if any escape, it must be witli llie loss of accoutrements, and all that would impede rapid ttitcht.. They must be content with saving their life alone.
CHAPTEE III.
Ver. 1-15. God's extraordinary Love, being repaid BY Israel with Ingratitude, of necessity caj.j,s for Judgments, which the Prophets announce, not at random, but by God's commission, which they cannot BUT FULFIL. THE OPPRESSION PREVALENT IN ISRAEL WILL BRING DOWN RUIN ON ALL SAVE A hMALL REMNANT. 1. Children of Israel—not merely ihe ten tribes, but " the whole family brought up from Egypt ;" all the descendants of Jacob, including Judah and Benjamin.
1. 2; Job 2. 12; Ezekiel 27. 30). .turn aside . . . way of
. . . meek—pervert their cause (ch. 5. 12; Job 24. 4 [Gro-
TltJs]; Isaiah 10. 2). a man and his father—a crime " not BO much as named among the Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 5.
Cf. Jeremiah 8.3, and Micah 2.3, on "family" for tlie nation. However, as the prophecy following refers to Ihe ten tribes, t/iej/ must be chiefly, If not solely, meant: they were the majority of the nation; and so Amos concedes what they so often boasted, that they were the elect people of God [Calvin], but implies that this only heightens their sins. a. You only have I known—i. t., acknowledged as my people, and treated with peculiar favour (Exodus 19. 5 ; Deuteronomy 4. 20). Cf. the use of " know," Psalm 1.6; 144. 3 ; John 10. 14 ; 2 Timothy 2. 19. therefore 1 will punish—the greater the privileges, the heavier the punishment for the abuse of them; for to the other offences there is added, in this case, Ingratitude. When God's people do not glorify Him, He glorifies Himself by punishing them. 3. Here follow several questions of a parable-like kind, to awaken conviction in the people. Can two walk together, except they be agreed 1—Can God's prophets be so unanimous in prophesj'ing against you. If God's Spirit were not Joined with them, or if their
1). When God's people sin in the face of light, they often
fall lower tlian even those who know not God. go In unto tlie game maid—from v. 8 it seems likely the damsel meant is one of the prostitutes attached to the idol Astarte's temple : prostitution being part of her filthy worship, to profane my . . . name—Israel In such abominations as it were designedly seeks to insult God.
8. lay tliemselves . . . upon clothes laid to pledge the outer garment, which Exodus 22. 25-27 ordered to be restored to the poor man before sunset, as being his only covering. It aggravated the crime, that they lay on these clothes in an idol temple, by every altar—they partook In a recumbent posture of their idolatrous feasts; the ancients being in the habit of reclining at full length In eating, the upper part of the body resting on the left elbow, not sitting as we do. drink . . . wine of the condemned—t. e., wine bought with the money of those whom
AMOS III.
against Israel, and Ike Cause thereof.
Tlie Publication oj God's Judi,meni
hills surrounding and commanding the view of Samaria, the metropolis of the ten tribes, which was on a lower hill (ch. 4. 1; 1 Kings 16. 24). The mountains are to be the tribunal on whlcli the Phillstines and Egyptians are to sit aloft to have a view of your crimes, so as to testffy to the Justice of your punishment (v. 13). tumults—caused by the violence of the princes of Israel in "oppressions" of the poor (Job 35.9; Ecclesiastes 4.1). 10. knovF not to do— their moral corruption blinds their power of discernment so that they cannot do right (Jeremi all 4.22). Not simple intellectual ignorance; the defect lay in the heart and will, store up violence and rol>l)ery i. e., treasures obtained by "violence and robbery." (Proverbs 10.2). 11. OTranslate," Xn adversary (the aliruptness produces a startling effect) ! and that too, from every side of the land." So in the fulfilment, 2 Kings 17.5: "The king of Assyria (Shalmaneser) came up throughout
prophecies were false? The Israelites were "at ease," not believing that God was with the prophets in their denunciations of com inn ruin to the nation (ch. 6. 1,3 ; cf. 1 Kings
22. IS, 24, 27; Jeremiah ^:!. 2). This accords with v. 7, 8. So "I will be with thy mouth" (Exodus 4. 12; .leremlah 1.8; Matthew 10. 20). If the prophets and God were not agreed,
tlie former could not predict the future as they do. In ch. 2.12 he had said, the Israelites forbad the prophets prophesying; therefore, in r. 3, 8, he asserts the agreement between the prophets and 6rod who spake by them against
Israel. [Rosenmuller.] Rather, I once walked with you (Leviticus 26. 12) as a Father and Husband (Isaiah 54.5; Jeremiah 3. 14); but now your way and mine are utterly diverse, there can therefore be no fellowsliip between us Buch as there Avas (v. 2); I will walk with you only to "punisli you;'' as a " lion" walks with his " prey" (u. 4), nsabird-catcherwithablrd. [Tarnovids.] Theprophets, and all servants of God, can have no fellowship with the ungodly (Psalm 110.63; 2 Corinthians 6.16, 17; Ephesians
all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years." bring down thy strength from tliee—t. e., bring thee down from thy strengtli (the strength on which thon didst boast thyself): all thy resources (Proverbs 10. 15). palaces shall be spoiled—a Just retribution in kind(f. 10). The palaces in which spoils of robbery were stored up, " shall, be spoiled." 13, shepherd—a pastoral image, appropriately used by Amos, a shepherd himself, piece of
5.11; James 4. 4). 4. The same idea as in Matthew 34. 28. Where a corrupt nation is, there God's instruments of punishment are sure also to be. The lion roars loudly only when he has prey in sight, will a young lion cry out
. . . if iie (the "lion," not the "young lion") liivve taken notlilngT—The young lion just weaned lies silent, until the old lion lirings the prey near; then the scent rouses him. So, the prophet would not speak against Israel, If God did not reveal to him Israel's sins as requiring punishment. 5. When a bird trying to fly upwards is made to
. . . ear—brought by the shepherd to the owner of the sheep, so as not to have to pay for the loss (Genesis 31. 39; Exodus 22. 13). So if aught of Israel escapes, it shall be a miracle of God's goodness. It shall be but a scanty remnant. There is a kind of goat in the East the ears of which are a foot long, and proportionally broad. Perliaps the reference is to this. Cf. on the image 1 Samuel 17. 34,
fall upon the earth by an earth-snare, it is a plain proof
tliat the snare is there; so, Israel, now that thou art fall-
ing, infer thence, that it Is in the snare of the Divine Judgment that thou art entangled. [LuDOVicus de Dieu.]
35; 2 Timothy 4. 17. that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed—I. e., that live luxuriously in Samaria (cf. ch. 6. 1, 4). "A bed" means here the Oriental divan, a raised part of the room covered with cushions, in Damascus In a couch—Jeroboam II. had lately restored Damascus to Israel (2 Kings 14. 25, 28). So the Israelites are represented as not merely in "the corner of a bed," as In Samaria, but " in a (whole) couch," at Damascus, living in luxurious ease. Of these, now so luxurious, soon but a remnant shall be left by the foe. The destruction of Damascus and that of Samaria shall be conjoined
sliall one itake up a snare from the earth, and liave taken notliing—The bird-catcher does not remove his snare off th-^ ground till he has caught some prey; so God will not withdraw the Assyrians, &c., the instruments of punishment, until tiiey have had the success against you which God gives them. Tlie foe corresponds to the " snare" suddenly .spring'idfir from the ground and enoloBing the bird on the latter touching it; the Hebrew \s lit., "Shall the snare sprntflr from the earth?" Israel entangled in Judgments answers to the bird " taken." 6. When the sound of alarm is trumpeted by the watchman in the
as here their luxurious lives, and subsequently under Pekah and Rezin their inroads on Judah, were combined (Isaiah 7. 1-8 ; 8. 4, 9; 17. 3). The parallelism of " Samaria'
city, tlie people are sure to run to and fro in alarm {ITebrew
lit.). Yet Israel is not alarmed, though God threatens Judgments, eitall tlierc be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it T—This is the explanation of the preceding similes: Go<l is the Author of all the calamities which happen you, and which are foretold by His prophets. The evil of sin is froTn ourselves; the evil of trouble is from God, whoever be the instruments. 7. his secret viz.. His purpose hidden from all, until it is revealed to His prophets (cf. Genesis 18. 17). In a wider sense, God's will Is revealed to all who love God, which it is not to the world (Psalm 25. 14; John 15. 15 ; 17. 25, 26). nnto his servants— who being .spri'or?/!* cannot but obey their Lord in setting forth His purpose (viz., that of Judgment against Israel) (Jeremiah 20. 0; Ezekiel 9. 11). Therefore the fault which the ungodly find with them is groundless (1 Kings 18.17).
to " Damascus," and LXX. favour English Version rather than Gesenius: "on a damask couch." The Hebrew point-
ing, though generally expressing damask, may express the city " Damascus ;" and many MSS. point it so. Cf. for
Israel's overthrow, 2 Kings 17. 5, 6; 18. 9-12. 13. testify in the house, &c.—i. e., against the house of Jacob. God calls on the same persons as in v. 9, viz., the heathen Philistines and the Egyptians to witness with their own eyes Sama-
ria's corruptions above described, so as that none may be able to deny the Justice of Samaria's punishment. [MauREK.] God of liosts—having all the powers of heaven and earth at command, and therefore One calculated to strike terror into the hearts of the guilty wiiom he threatens. U. That—rather, since, or for. This verse Is
It aggravates Israel's sin, that God is not about to Inflict Judgment, witliout liaving fully warned the people, If haply tiiey might repent. 8. As when "the lion roars"
not,iia English Vasion translates, the thing which the witnesses cited are to " testify" (u. 13), but the reason why God calls on the heathen to witness Samaria's guilt, t»2.. In order to Justify the punlsnment which He declares He
(cf. ch. 1. 2; and v. 4 al)ove), none can help but " fear," so when Jehovah communicates His awful message, the prophet cannot but prophesy. Find not fault with me for projihesy ing, I must obey God. In a wider sense true of
will inflict. I wll) also visit . . . Beth-el—the golden calves which were the source of all " the transgressions of Israel" (1 Kings 12.32; 13.2; 2 Kings 23. 15, 16), though Israel thought that by them their transgressions were atoned for and God's favour secured, horns of tlie altar —which used to be sprinkled with the blood of victims. They were hornlike projecting points at the corners of ancient altars . The singular, "a,\tcir," refers to the great altar erected by Jeroboam to the calves. The "altars," plural, refer to tne lesser ones made In imitation of the great one (2 Chronicles 34. 5, cf. with 1 Kings 13. 2; Hose»
all believers (Acts 4. 20; 5. 29). 9. Publish in . . . palaces —as tieing placets of greatest resort (cf. Matthew 10.27); and also as it is the sin of prmce* that he arraigns, he calls on princes (the occupants of the "palaces") to be the witnesses. Ashdod—put for all Phillstla. Convene the Philistine and the Egyptian magnates, from whom I have on various occasions rescued Israel. (The opposite formula to "Tell it not in Gath," viz., lest the heathen should glory over Israel). Even these Idolaters, in looking on your enormities, will condemn you, how much more will the holy God ? upon the mountains of Samaria—on the
8 11; 10.1). 15. winter . . . summer house— (Judges 8,
20; Jeremiah 36. 22). Winter houses of the great were In sheltered positions facing the south to get all possible
AMOS I\
for Idolatry, and for Incorrigibleneu,
Israel Reproved for Oppression,
mals, leavened bread was also commanded (Levltlcua 7.12, 13), but not as a "meat offering" (Leviticus 2. 11). this llketh you—t. e., this is what ye like. 6-11. Jehovah details His several chastisements inflicted with a view to reclaiming them: but adds to each the same sad result, "yet have ye not returned unto me" (Isaiah 9.13; Jeremiah 5.3; Hosea7. 10); the monotonous repetition of the same burden marking their pitiable obstinacy, cleanness ofteeth—explained by the parallel, " want of bread." The famine alluded to Is that mentioned, 2 Kings 8. 1. [Grotius.] Where there is no food to masticate, the teeth are free from uncleanness, but It is the cleanness of want.
aunshlne, summer houses in forests and on htlls, facing
the east and north, houses of Ivory—having thelrwalls,
doors, and ceilings inlaid with Ivory. So Ahab's house
(1 Kings 22. 39; P.salm «. 8).
Ver. 1-13. Denunciation of Israel's Nobles fok Oppression; and of the whole Nation fob Idolatry; AND for their BEING UNREFORMED EVEN BY God's Judgments : therefore they must Prepare FOR THE Last and Worst Judgment of all. 1. Ulne of Bashan—fat and wanton klne sucli as the rich pasture of Basliau (east of Jordan, between Hermon and
Cf. Proverbs 14. 4, " Where no oxen are, the crib is clean." So spiritually, where all Is outwardly smooth and clean,
It Is often because there is no solid religion. Better fightings and fears with real piety, than peace and respectable decorum without spiritual life. 7. wlthholden . . . rain
Gilea<i) was famed for (Deuteronomy o2. 14 ; Psalm 22. 12; Ezeklel 39. 18). Piff. for those luxurious nobles mentioned,
eh. 3. 9, 10, 12, 15. The feminine, fcine, or coivs, not bulls, expresses their effemlnacj'. This accounts for masculine forms In the Hebrew being Intermixed with feminine ; the
. . . three months to . . . harvest—the time when rata was most needed, and when usually " the latter rain" fell,
viz., in spring, the latter half of February, and the whole of March and April (Hosea 6. 3 ; Joel 2. 23). The drought meant is that mentioned 1 Kings 17. 1. [Grotius.] rain upon one city . . . not . . . upon another—any rain that
latter belnf;/i.<;., the former the real persons meant, gay to their mn8t«(rs—t. e., to their king, with whom the princes indulged ir.. f*)tatlons (Hosea7. 5), and whom here they Importune for more wine. "Bring" Is xingiilar, In the Hebrew Implying that one "master" alone Is meant, a. The Iiord—the same Hebrew as " masters" {v. 1). Israel's nobles say to their master or lord. Bring us drink: but "theliOrd"of him and thera"hath sworn," &c. by his holiness—which binds Him to punish the guilty (Psalm
fell was only partial. 8. three cities wandered—f. e., tA« inhabitants of three cities (cf. Jeremiah 14. 1-6). Grotius explains this verse and v. 7, "The rain fell on neighbouring countries, but not on Israel, which marked the drought to be, not accidental, but the special judgment of God." The Israelites were obliged to leave their cities and homes to seek water at a distance. [Calvin.] 9. blasting—the blighting influence of the east wind on the corn (Genesis 41. 6). when . . . gardens . . . Increased in vain ye multiplied your gardens, Ac, for I destroyed their produce. Bochart supports Margin, " the multitude of your gardens." palmer-worn —a species of locust ia here meant hurtful to fruits of trees, not to herbage or corn. The same east wind which brought the drought, blasting, and mildew, brought also the locusts into Judea [Bochart] (Exodus 10. 13). 10. pestilence after the manner of Egypt—such as I formerly sent on the Egyptians (Exodus 9. 3, &c., 8, &c. ; 12. 29 ; Deuteronomy 28. 27, 60). Cf. the same phrase, Isaiah 10. 24. have taken away your horses lit., accompanied with the captivity of your horses: I have given up your young men to be slain, and their horses to be taken by the foe (cf. 2 Kings 13. 7). stink of your camps—{. e., of your slain men (cf. Isaiah 34. 8 ; Joel
89. 35). he will take you away i.e., God by the instrumentality of the enemy, with hooks—2t<., "thorns" (cf.
2 Chronicles 33. 11). As fish are taken out of the water by hooks, so the Israelites are to be taken out of their cities by the enemy (Ezeklel 29. 4; cf. Job 41. 1, 2; Jeremiah 16.
16; Habakkuk 1. 15). The image is the more appropriate, aa anciently captives were led by their conquerors by a hook made to pass through the nose (2 Kings 19. 28), as Is to be seen In tlie Assyrian remains. 3. go out at the breaches—t)tz., of the city walls broken by the enemy, every coiv at that which is before Ixcr—flg. for the once luxurunis nobles (cf. v. 1, " klne of Bashan") shall go out each
orne right before her ; not through the gates, but each at the breach before him, not turning to the right or left, apart from one another ye shall ctiat them into the palace "them," t. e., "your posterity," from v. 2. Yourselves
gliall escape through the breaches, after having cast your
little children Into the palace, so as not to see their destruction, and to escape the more quickly. Rather, " ye shall cast j/ourselves Into the palace," so as to escape from
2. 20). to come up unto your nostrils—The Hebrew is more emphatic, " to come up, and that unto your nostrils." 11. some of you—some parts of your territory, as God^ overthrew Sodom — (Deuteronomy 29. 23; Isaiah 13.19;. Jeremiah 49. 18 ; 50. 40 ; 2 Peter 2. 6 ; Jude 7.) " God" is oftea repealed in Hebrew instead of I. The earthquake here apparently alluded to is not that in the reign of Uzzlah, which occurred " two years" later (ch. 1. 1). Traces ofearthquakes and volcanic agency abound in Palestine: to some of the eflTects of these In previous times the allusion here ISi Cf. the prophecy, Deuteronomy 28. 15-68, with v. 6-11 here. OS a firebrand plucked out of . . . burning—(Cf. Isaiah 7.
It out of the city. [Calvin.] The palace, the scene of the princes' riots (ch. 3. 10, 15; 4. 1), Is to be the scene of their Iguomlnlous flight. Cf. In the similar case of Jerusalem's capture, the king's escape by way of the palace, through abreach In the wall, Ezeklel 12.5,12. QESEmus translates, " Ye shall be cast (as captives) Into the (enemy's) stronghold;" In this view, the enemy's stronghold Is called "palace," In retributive contrast to the "palaces" of
Isreiel's nobles, the riore-houses of their robberies (ch. 3. 10). *. God gives them up to their self-willed Idolatry, that they may see how unable their Idols are to save them from their coming calamities. So Ezeklel 20. 39. Beth-el—(Ch.
4 ; Zechariah 3. 2.) The phrase Is proverbial for a narrow escape from utter extinction. Though Israel revived a« a nation under Jeroboam II., It was but for a time, and that after analmost utter destruction previously (2 Kings 14.
3. 14.) Gilgal—(Hosea 4. 15; 9. 15; 12. 11.) sacrifices every morning—as commanded in the law (Numbers 28. 3, 4). They imitated the letter, whilst violating by calf-worship the spirit, of the Jerusalem temple worship, after three years—every third year; lit., after three (years of) days
26). 18. Therefore—as all chastisements have failed to make thee " return unto me." thus will 1 do unto thee —as I have threatened (v. 2. 8). prepare to meet thy God —God is about to inflict the last and worst judgment on thee, the extinction of thy nationality ; consider then what preparation thou canst make for encountering Him as thy foe (Jeremiah 46. 14; Luke 14. 31, 32). But as that' would be madness to think of (Isaiah 27. 4 ; Ezeklel 22. 14 Hebrews 10. 31), see what can be done towards mitigating the severity of the coming Judgment, by penitence (Isaiah
(i. e., the fullest complement of days, or a year); "after three full yeare." Cf. Leviticus 25. 20; Judges 17. 10, and " the days" for the years, Joel 1. 2. So a month of days Is ased for a full month, wanting no day to complete It {Margin, Genesis 29. 14; Numbers 11. 80, 21). The Israelites here also kept to the letter of the law In bringing in the tithes of their increase every third year (Deuteronomy 14. 28; 28.12). 5. oflTer lit., burn incense; i.e., "offer a sacri-
27. 5; 1 Corinthians 11. 31). This latter exhortation Is followed up In ch. 5. 4, 6, 8, 14, 15. 13. The God whom Israel
fice of thanksgiving with burnt incense and with leavened bread." The frankincense was Jald on the meat offering, and taken by the priest from It to burn on the altar (Leviticus 2. 1, 2, 8-11). Though unleavened cake* were to accompany the peace offering sacrifice of aci-
is to "prepare to meet" (t>. 12) is here described In sublime terms, wind— not as Margin, "spirit." The God with whom thou hast to do is the Omnipotent Maker of things
seen, such as the stupendous mountains, and of things too
«73
A Lamenlation for Fallen Israel, AMOS V. An Exhortation to Repentanee,
ntbtle to be seen, though of powerful agencj', as the " wind." declari'tli imto man . . . Uls lUouglit—(Psalm 139. 2.) Ye thiiiK that your secret thoughts escape my cognizance, but 1 am tlie searclier of hearts. iiiaWetU . . . inornliig darknessi—(Cli. 5.8; 8.!).) Both lit. turning the sunsliine Into darkness, ami Jig. turning tlie prosperity of tlie ungodly into sudden adversity (Psalm 73.12, 18, 19; cf. Jeremiah 13. Iti). trcadetli u]in» . . . high places—God treadeth down the proud of the earth. He subjects to Him all things however high they be (Micah 1. 3). Cf. Deuteronomy 32. 13; 33. 29, where the same phrase is used of God's people, elevated by (Jod above every other human height.
shadow of deatli—Hobr.Tism for the <lcn.<<rst darknes*. calleth for the waters of tlie sen— bolli lo si-nd dclugei in judgment, and the ordinary rain in nieicy (1 Kings 18.
44). 9. strcngtheneth the spoiled— i/7., .ijioil or devastation: hence the pn-son s-poilcd. Winku, Maukj;r, and Iht best modern (MiUi:H translate, " makrlh (U-vaslation lo: de siructioni suddi-nlji lo arise," lit., makrth it to glenm forth lilct the dawn. yVncient versions support £n(//(>/i Versiim. Tht Hebrnii is elsewhere used, to make, to shine. In make glad
and as English Version liere (I'salm 39. 13), "recover sirenylh." the spoiled shall come—"devastation," or "destruction sliall come upon." IMaurer.| English Version expresses lliat, strong as Israel fancies hersell alter the successes of Jeroboam II. (2 Kings U. 2.3), even the weakest can be made by God to prevail against the slrong. 10. him that rebuketh In the gate—the judge wllo condemns lliei r i n iq u i ty in the place of judgment ( Isaiah 29. 21 ). abhor him that speaketli uprightly—the /)» op/ie< telling them the unwelcome truth: answering in the parallelism to Xhti judge " that rebuketh in the gate" (cf. 1 Kings 22. K; Proverbs 9.8; 12. 1; Jeremiah 36. 23). 11. burdens of wixe&t^burdensome taxes levied in kind from the w/icat of the needy, to pamper the lusts of the great. [Henderson.] . Or wheat advanced in time of scarcity, and exacted again at a burdensome interest. [Habbi Salomon.) built houses . . , but not dwell In them . . . vineyards, . . . but not drink wine of them—according to the original prophecy of Moses (Deuteronomy 28. 30, 38,39). The converse shall be true in restored Israel (ch. 9. H; Isaiah 65. 21, 22). la. they aitllct . . . they take—rather, "(ye) who afflict . , . take." bribe— HI., a jirice witli wliich one wiio has an unjust cau.se ransoms liimself from your sentence (1 Samuel 12.3, Margin; Proverbs 6.35). turn aside the poor lu the gate—refuse them their right in the place of jtistice (ch. 2. 7 ; Isaiah 29. 21). 13. the prudent—the spiritually wise, shall keep silence—not mere silence of tongue, but the prudent shall keep himself quiet from taking part in any public or private allai)-? which he can avoid: as it is "an evil time," and one ill which all law is set at naught. Ephesians5. 16 refers lo this. Instead of impatiently agitating against irremediable evils, tlie godly wise will not cast pearls before swine, wlio would trample these, and rend the ollerers (Matthew
Ver. 1-27. Elegy over the Prostrate Kingdom: kbNEWED Exhortations TO Repentance: God declares THAT the coming DAY OF JUDGMENT SHALL BE TERRIBLE TO THE SCORNERS WHO DESPISE IT: CEREMONIAL SERVICES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE TO HiM WHERE TRUE PlETY EXISTS not: Israel shall therefore be Removed far Eastward. 1. lamentation—an elegy for the destruction coming on you. Cf. Ezekiel 32. 2, " take up," viz., as a mournful burden (Ezekiel 19. 1 ; 27. 2). trirglu of Israel —the Israelite state heretofore unsubdued by foreigners.
Cf. Isaiah 23.12; Jeremiah 18. 13; 31.4, 21; Lamentations 2. 13 may be interpi-eted, Thou who wast once the "virgin daughter of Zion." Rather, "virgin" as applied to a state implies its beauty, and the delights on which it prides it-
self, its luxuries, power, and wealth. [Calvin.] no more rise—in the existing order of things: in the Messianic dispensation it is to rise again, according to many proph-
ecies. Cf. 2 Kings 6.23; 24.7, for the restricted sense of "no more." forsaken upon her land—or, "prostrated upon," &c. (cf. Ezekiel 29. 5; 32. 4). [Maurer.J 3. went out by a thousand i. e., " the city from which there used to go out a thousand" equipped for war. " City" is put for "the inhabitants of the city," as in ch. 4. 8. shall leave
. . . hundred—shall have only a hundred left, the rest being destroyed by sword and pestilence (Deuteronomy
28. 02). 4. Seek ye me, and ye shall live lit., "Seek , . . me, and live." The second imperative expresses the cer-
tainti/ of "life" (escape from judgment) resulting from obedience to the precept in the first imperative. If they perish, it is their own fault; God would forgive, if they would repent (Isaiah 55.3,6). 5. seek not Beth-el i. e., the calves at Beth-el. Gllgal— (iVo^e, ch.4. 4.) Beer-sheba —in Juilah on the southern frontier towards Edom. Once "the well of the oath" by Jehovah, ratifying Abraham's covenant with Abimelech, and the scene of his calling on " the Lord, the everlasting God" (Genesis 21. 31, 33), now a stronghold of idolatry (ch. 8. 14). GUgal shall surely go into captivity—a play on similar sounds in the Hebrew, Gilijdl, galoU, yigleh : "Gilgal (the place o( rolling) shall rolling be rolled away." Beth-el shall come to naught— Beth-el (i.e., the house of God), called because of its vain idols Beth-aven (i. e., the home of van:t}/, or naught, Hosea4. 15; 10.5, 8), shall indeed "come to naught." 6. break out like Arc—bursting through every thing in His way. God is "a consuming fire" (Deuteronomy 4.
7. 0), but will patiently wait for God's lime of deliverance In silent submission (Psalm 39. 9). 14. and so—on condition of your "seeking good." shall be with you as ye have spoken—as ye have boasted, viz., that God is with you, and that j'ou are His people (Micali 3. 11). 15. Hate
. . . evil . . . love . . . gooti— (Isaiah 1. 16, 17; Romans
12.9.) judgment lu the gate—justice \n tlie place where causes are tried. It may be that tlie Lord . , . will be gracious—so, " peradveuture " (Exodus 32. ;10). Not that men are to come to God with an uncertainty whether or no He will be gracious: the expression merely implies the difficulty in the way, because of the want of true repentance on man's part, so as to stimulate the zealous earnestness of believers in seeking God (cf. Genesis 16.2; Joel 2. 14; Acts 8. 22). the remnant of Joseph—(see v. 6.) Israel (represented by "Ephraim," the leading tribe, and descendant of Joseph) was, comparatively to what it once was, now but a remnant, Hazaei of Syria having smitten