See also 7:25. 4:27 Again we see Daniel's boldness and

See also 7:25. 4:27 Again we see Daniel's boldness and

DANIEL 4:8 1142

8 But finally Daniel came into my presence. His name is Belteshazzar, after the name of my god. The Spirit of the holy gods is in him; and I told the dream to him, saying,

the holy gods is in you.

19 "Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was astonished for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke and said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.

9 "O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation. 10 These are the visions of my head on my bed: I looked and saw a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew, and became strong, and its height reached to the sky, and it could be seen to the ends of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. The beasts of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

"Belteshazzar answered and said, 'My master, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies. 20 The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, its height reaching to the sky, and its appearance to the whole earth, 21 with its beautiful leaves, and its abundant fruit, and on which was food for all, and under which the beasts of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their dwelling place, 22 this tree is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. For your greatness has increased and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

13 "On my bed I looked in the visions of my head, and saw a watcher, a holy one coming down from heaven. 14 He cried out loudly, and said this: 'Chop down the tree, and cut off its branches. Shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get away from under it, and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump from its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let it become wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man, and let a beast's heart be given to him, and let seven times pass over him. 17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the decision by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men.'

23 "'And as for the king seeing a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, "Chop down the tree, and destroy it, but leave the stump from its roots in the ground with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, until seven times pass over him."

24 "'This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come against my master the king: 25 They will drive you from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field, and they will make you eat grass like oxen, and they will wet you with the dew of sky. And seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will. 26 And as for their command to leave the stump from the tree roots, your kingdom will be assured to you, after you learn that heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your evil deeds by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps

18 "This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, O Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you are able, for the Spirit of

4:8 1:7."Holy gods" – or, possibly "holy God." 4:9 He had not yet understood that Daniel was not a magician at all, that the source of Daniel's wisdom was not any kind of magic, but the true God alone. 4:13 "Watcher" (also in vs 17,23) – are there not, then, some angels appointed especially by God to keep watch over the earth?

unwelcome truth. 4:22 "Tree" – in the Bible individuals and nations are sometimes compared to trees (Ps 1:3; 37:35; 52:8; 92:12; Isa 17:6; Jer 11:16; Ezek 17:22-24; Rom 11:17). 4:26 "Heaven rules" – that is, the God of heaven rules. This is a fact clearly revealed in the Bible – Ps 10:16; 47:2 (note); 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; Isa 52:7; Rev 19:6. But how slow, how reluctant people are to acknowledge it! Much of man's history is the story of rebellion against heaven's authority. 4:27 Again we see Daniel's boldness and faithfulness in dealing with those in high places.

"Holy one" – an angel. 4:16 "Seven times" – also verses 23, 25, 32. This almost certainly means seven years. See also 7:25. 4:17 In spite of the truth the king had heard in 2:36-45 he had not yet understood this fact (v 25). 4:19 Sometimes God's servants must speak

"To the poor" – God demands that those in positions of authority show justice and

1143 DANIEL 5:4

your tranquility will long continue.'"

35 And all the inhabitants of the earth count for nothing; and he does according to his will in the

28 All this came on King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon, 30 and the king spoke and said, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal residence by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?"

army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and no one can hold back his hand,

or say to him, 'What are you doing?'

31 While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven, saying, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, this is spoken to you: The kingdom has departed from you. 32 And they will drive you from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. They will make you eat grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you learn that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will."

36 "At the same time my reason returned to me, and my honour and splendour returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. And my counsellors and my nobles sought me out, and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, whose works are all in truth, and whose ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase."

33 That same hour this word was fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from men, and ate grass like oxen, and his body became wet with the dew of the sky, until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank from them. 4 They drank

34 "And at the end of these days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I extolled the Most High, and I praised and honoured him who lives forever,

"Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom is from generation

to generation.

King of heaven is a God of love, mercy and kindness. 4:37 It is a great thing and shows a great work of God in the heart when a man stops praising himself and what he has done, and starts praising God.

kindness. 4:30 The king had a whole year to think over the truth God had given through Daniel. But pride is a great enemy of truth and hardens the heart against it (5:20. God's attitude toward pride is seen in His Word – Prov 6:16,17; 8:13; Isa 2:10-18; 23:9; Jer 13:9; Jam 4:6. 4:31 "A voice fell from heaven" – another instance of God's remarkable dealings with this king. 4:33 God will always do as He has said (Prov 19:21; Isa 14:24; 44:26; 46:10; Matt 5:18). 4:34 "Lifted up my eyes" – an indication that reason and sanity were returning to the king. Men who will not look to God for help, who will not acknowledge God's greatness and authority, are spiritually insane, and behave like the greatest of fools (Ps 14:1; Eccl 9:3; etc). Here the king does what God said he must do. See the word "until" in vs 25,32. 4:35 "Nothing" – Isa 40:15-17. "According to his will" – Ps 115:3; 135:6; Rom 11:33-36.

"Just" – Deut 32:4; Ps 33:4,5; etc. "Abase" – Ps 18:27; Prov 3:34; 16:18; Jam 4:10. 5:1 Belshazzar means "May Bel protect the king". But Bel (the Babylonian god Marduk) could not and did not do that – vs 30,31. In vs 2,11,18 Nebuchadnezzar is called Belshazzar's father. As often in the Old Testament the word father here simply means ancestor. Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 BC and was succeeded by his son EvilMerodach (2 Kings 25:27; Jer 52:31). Belshazzar came to power in Babylon many years later and after a brief reign was slain in 539 BC. 5:2 "Wine" – Prov 20:1; Isa 5:12; 21:5 (about Babylon); Jer 51:57.

"Father" – or "ancestor", or "predecessor" (also in verses 11,13,18. See note on Gen 5:6-32).

"What are you doing" – Deut 32:39; Job 9:4; Isa 45:9; Rom 9:20. The king learned what all men should learn. The one true God has absolute, eternal authority over the earth and the universe. If we rebel and live as we please without reference to Him, we will pay the price for such folly and sin. 4:36 This was altogether of God's grace. The

"Jerusalem" – 2 Kings 24:13; Jer 52:19. 5:3,4 They were not acting in ignorance of previous events (vs 22,23). They were showing their utter contempt for Jehovah, the God of Israel, the God of heaven, the only God there is. Having rejected the true God the only gods left to praise were those

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wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

"Are you that Daniel who is one of those captives from Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought into my presence that they might read this writing, and reveal its interpretation to me, but they could not tell the interpretation of the thing. 16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you can read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation, you will be clothed in scarlet, and have a chain of gold around your neck, and will become the third ruler in the kingdom."

5 In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the candlestick on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace. And the king saw the part of the hand that was writing. 6 Then the king's expression changed, and his thoughts so alarmed him that the joints of his hips became slack and his knees knocked together.

7 The king loudly called out orders to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, will be clothed in scarlet, and have a chain of gold placed around his neck, and will become the third ruler in the kingdom."

17 Then Daniel answered and said in the king's presence, "Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

8 So in came all the king's wise men, but they could not read the writing, or reveal its interpretation to the king. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and the expression on his face changed, and his nobles were astonished.

18 "O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour. 19 And because of the majesty that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and men of all languages, trembled and were afraid in his presence. He killed whomever he wished, and kept alive whomever he wished, and he elevated whomever he wished, and put down whomever he wished. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardened with pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him, 21 and he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like that of the beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it whomever he will.

10 Now the queen, because of the words of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall, and the queen spoke and said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you, or let your expression change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, made him the head over the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, 12 because an excellent spirit and knowledge and understanding, the ability to interpret dreams and explain riddles and solve difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will reveal the interpretation."

13 Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king. And the king spoke and said to Daniel,

22 "And you, his son, O Belshazzar, have not

made by men – Ps 115:3-8; etc. 5:5 "In the same hour" – God had had enough. His patience with these ungodly men was at an end. Compare Gen 6:3; Prov 29:1; etc. 5:6 No doubt Belshazzar had seen the tricks and seeming wonders of his magicians. This was his first encounter with a true sign from heaven.

in later was probably either the mother or grandmother of Belshazzar, and so, in this case, queen means "queen mother." 5:11-13 Evidently Daniel had been shoved aside from the high position he held in the days of Nebuchadnezzar (2:48), and almost forgotten. 5:16 Did Belshazzar think that only promises of great reward would move Daniel to declare the truth? How mistaken he was appears in the next verse. God's true servants never need to be bribed or paid to declare God's Word, and they do not do so for money or men's rewards. 5:17 This prophet was not for hire – unlike Balaam and many others since (2 Pet 2:15; 1 Tim 6:5). 5:20 4:29,30. 5:22 "Son" – here means "descendant", or "successor" (see note on Gen 5:6-32).

"Expression" – the Hebrew word (translated "countenance" in the KJV) literally means "brightness" or "bright appearance." 5:7-9 In spite of their repeated failures (2:10-13; 4:7) such people retained their hold on Babylon. But neither threats of death, nor promises of power could get any wisdom out of them, any true interpretation of dreams or events. Such men are as useless today as they were then. 5:10 "Queen" – the wives of Belshazzar were already present (v 3). This one who came

1145 DANIEL 6:7

humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And they have brought the vessels of his temple to you, and you, and your nobles, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know anything ; and the God in whose hands your breath is, and all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 So the part of the hand was sent from him, and this inscription was written.

in the kingdom.

30 In that night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was slain. 31 And Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who would be over the whole kingdom, 2 and over these, three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, so that the satraps might be accountable to them, and the king might not suffer loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself among the presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king considered setting him over the whole realm. 4 Then the presidents and satraps sought to find a matter for an accusation against Daniel concerning the kingdom. but they could find no such matter or fault, because he was faithful, and no error or corruption was found in him. 5 Then these men said, "We will not find any matter against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

25 "And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN

26 "This is the interpretation of the words: MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and put an end to it.

27 TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.

28 PERES: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

29 Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel in scarlet, and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he would be the third ruler

6 Then these presidents and satraps came together to the king, and said this to him, "King Darius, live forever! 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors and the satraps, the counsellors and "Knew" – this made Belshazzer's action in vs 1-4 so much more worthy of condemnation. Compare Heb 10:26,27; 2 Pet 2:21; etc. 5:23 "Lifted up yourself" – Jer 47:10; 50:29. "In whose hands your breath is" – see Job 12:10. How insane it is to refuse to honor God who has absolute authority over our lives now and over our eternal destinies. 5:25 These words were in Aramaic, a language of same family as Hebrew. Only consonants in the words would have been written (as with Hebrew). They were written in such a way that the wise men of Babylon could not be sure what words were meant (v 8). Of course they could have no idea what the interpretation of them might be.

62:9; Prov 16:2. 5:28 Daniel gives a double meaning to the three consonants PRS. "Peres" meant "divided", "Paras" meant "Persia". Divided here would mean broken up, ended. The end of the Babylonian empire was at hand, and the Persians would take it over. 5:29 Though the interpretation brought bad news to Belshazzar he did as he said he would in v 16. Daniel accepted the position probably with a view to the influence he might bring to bear on the new rulers of Babylon for the good of the Jews. 5:30 Babylon was a large city with very high and thick walls, and strongly fortified. But it fell to the Medes and Persians just as God said it would (2:39; Isa 13:1,17,18; Jer 50:1,2). 5:31 "Darius the Mede" – Cyrus was the chief ruler of the Medo-Persian Empire (1:21; 6:28; 10:1; Ezra 1:1-4; Isa 45:1-4). Darius must have been appointed by Cyrus to rule over Babylon. 6:2 No doubt Daniel came to his notice because of the position he already occupied (5:29).

"Upharsin" – the "u" at the beginning of this word means "and" in Aramaic, and is omitted in some versions. Pharsin or Parsin is a plural form (the "in" ending of the word indicates the plural). The consonants which appeared on the wall were the Aramaic for MN, MN, TKL, PRSN. Vowels were not written in the original. The vowels now found in the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures were not put there until many centuries had passed after the words were first written down. 5:26 Daniel revealed what the words were and what God meant by them. MN, signifying "mene," means "numbered," and the interpretation is that God had counted up the full time He would permit Babylon to be ruled by Belshazzar and the time was over. 5:27 TKL, signifying "tekel", means "weighed", but it was not some commodity or unit of money being weighed, but Belshazzar himself. Compare Job 31:6; Ps

"Daniel was one" – when used in a series (first, second, etc) the Hebrew word means "first", otherwise it means "one". 6:4 Envy lifted its poisonous head. See Prov 14:30; 27:4; Matt 27:18; Acts 7:9; 13:45; 17:5; Rom 1:29; 13:13; 1 Cor 3:3; Gal 5:26; Jam 3:14,16. "No error or corruption" – the inability of enemies to find anything wrong in a person's life is a great testimony for him. See also Mark 14:55; John 18:38; 19:4,6; 1 Pet 3:13-16; 4:14-16. 6:7 "All" – a lie. Daniel had not agreed to

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the commanders, have consulted together about establishing a royal law and making a firm decree, that whoever makes a prayer to any God or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which is unalterable." 9 Therefore king Darius signed the document containing the decree.

brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you serve continually, will rescue you."

17 And a stone was brought, and laid on the den's mouth, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring, and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. 18 Then the king went to his palace, and spent the night fasting; nor were instruments of music brought before him; and his sleep left him.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went into his house, and the windows in his room being open toward Jerusalem, he got down on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks in the presence of his God, just as he did before. 11 Then these men came together, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and hurried to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with an anguished voice to Daniel. And the king spoke and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"

21 Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever! 22 My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his presence. And also I have done no wrong before you, O king."

12 Then they approached the king and spoke concerning the king's decree: "Did you not sign a decree stating that every man who requests anything from any God or man for thirty days, except from you, O king, will be cast into the den of lions?"

The king answered and said, "The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which is unalterable."

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad for him, and gave orders to take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury at all was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

13 Then they answered and said to the king, "That Daniel, who is one of those captives from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you signed, but makes his prayer three times a day." 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was deeply distressed, and set his heart on Daniel to rescue him; and he made efforts until sunset to rescue him.

24 And the king gave orders, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel and threw them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives. And the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they got to the bottom of the den.

15 Then these men came together to the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is this: no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed."

25 Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and those of all languages who live on the whole earth: "Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I issue a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

16 Then the king gave an order, and they

their plan, and they knew he never would agree to elevate any man to the place of God. 6:10 Daniel did not close the windows and resort to secret prayer. In his faithfulness to God and courage in the face of danger he was an example not only to those of his own day but to all succeeding generations. If he considered something right to do, he did it regardless of consequences.

God beginning to awaken in his heart? 6:22 Ps 37:3-6. 6:23 "Because he had trusted" – 1 Chron 5:20; Ps 22:13,21; 91:1,2,9,10,13-15; Heb 11:33. 6:24 Ps 37:34; 91:8; 7:15,16; Prov 26:27. 6:25-27 Because of Daniel, some of the mightiest monarchs in ancient times wrote down professions of faith in the greatness of the God of Israel, and sent them everywhere. This is an example of what one man can do who boldly and openly stands for God in all circumstances. King Darius meant well in making this decree (v 26). He was trying to turn his whole kingdom to thoughts of the God of Daniel. It seems he little realized that fear and reverence for God cannot be a matter of a proclamation of a king no matter how powerful. These things must come from the heart made new by God's Spirit.

"Thanks" – notes on thanksgiving at Lev 7:12,13; Ps 7:17; 50:14,15; 56:12; Eph 5:20; etc. 6:14 "Distressed" – v 18; Mark 6:26. Rulers often bring grief to themselves and others by foolish decisions. 6:16 Verse 20. Another testimony to Daniel's character (v 4). 6:20 "The living God" – a remarkable phrase from the lips of an idolater who had issued the decree of v 7. Was faith in the true

1147 DANIEL 7:8

"For he is the living God, and continues on forever, and his kingdom will not be destroyed, and his dominion will be to the end. 27 He delivers and rescues, and he performs signs and wonders

wings. I watched until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on its feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

5 "And then appeared another beast, a second, like a bear; and it raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And this was said to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!'

in heaven and on earth, he who has delivered Daniel from the

6 "After this I looked, and another beast appeared, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. Also the beast had four heads; and dominion was given to it.

power of the lions."

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

7 "After this I was watching in the night visions, and then a fourth beast appeared, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong, and it had great iron teeth. It was devouring and crushing, and trampling what remained with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts that preceded it; and it had ten horns.

In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel, on his bed, had a dream and visions came to his mind. Then he wrote down the dream, relating the substance of the words.

2 Daniel spoke and said, "I saw in my vision at night, and there appeared the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, different from one another.

8 "I considered the horns, and then another horn, a little one, appeared, which came up among them. Before it three of the first horns were 6:28 "In the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus" – this could possibly be translated "In the reign of Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus." See note on 5:31. 7:1 "First year" – before the events of chapter 5. Giving dreams and visions was one way God revealed His truth to the prophets (Gen 15:1; Num 12:6). 7:2 The great sea here may indicate the Mediterranean, but it could indicate the nations and people of the world (compare v 17 – "out of the earth", and Isa 17:12,13; Rev 13:1; 17:1,15).

4 "The first was like a lion, and had eagle's

up on one side – that is, Persia was the more dominant power in this alliance. The three ribs may symbolize the three principal kingdoms conquered by the Medes and Persians – Lydia, Egypt, and Babylon. 7:6 The leopard symbolizes Alexander's Greco-Macedonian empire. The leopard is a swifter beast than the others mentioned and the four wings add to the suggestion of very rapid movement. Alexander's swift conquests were a marvel in the ancient world.

"Four heads" – after Alexander's death what remained of his empire was divided into four parts. 7:7 This beast symbolizes the Roman Empire, the same kingdom symbolized by the legs and feet of the image of chapter 2. Just as in chapter 2 it is the fourth kingdom to arise beginning with Babylon. Other features of its description also suggest its identity with the fourth kingdom of chapter 2.

"Four winds" – north, south, east and west – here may possibly symbolize the forces in the whole world that God uses to produce in the world the four kingdoms of this chapter. 7:3-7 The four beasts symbolize four kingdoms (v 17). They seem to be the same four kingdoms King Nebuchadnezzar saw in the form of a statue (chapter 2). In this vision God caused them to appear as wild beasts. By this symbolism something of their true nature is revealed. The following interpretation of the identity of these kingdoms is the one taught by most commentators who believe the book of Daniel. It seems more likely to be the right one than any other interpretation. For a possible reason why God gave different dreams about the same kingdoms see Gen 41:32. 7:4 The first beast symbolizes Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian empire. The prophets spoke of Nebuchadnezzar as both a lion and an eagle (Jer 4:7; 48:40; 49:22; 50:17; Ezek 17:3,12). "Like a man" – with Nebuchadnezzar's experience recorded in chapter 4 and his acknowledgment of the true God, Babylon lost something of its beastly character. 7:5 The bear symbolizes the empire of the Medes and Persians. The bear was raised

"Iron" – 2:33,40; "crushing" – 2:40; "ten" – 2:42,44; 7:24. These ten horns together with the description of the "little horn" and the judgment of God in the following verses indicate the Roman Empire in its final form at the end of this age (2:40,44). Revelation chapter 17 makes it clear that this beast is associated with the city of Rome (17:3,9,18), and 17:12 states that the ten kings had not yet arisen in John's day. 7:8 The ten horns are kings (v 24), so it is safe to assume that this "little horn" symbolizes a king. Though he is called "little" he is "more imposing" than the others (v 20. The Hebrew means "in sight greater"), and evidently he soon becomes the dominant figure (v 21). "Little" may indicate lowly beginnings or the comparative insignificance of the kingdom from which he comes. The eyes of a man suggest intelligence or cunning.

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clouds of heaven; and he came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And dominion, and glory, and a kingdom were given to him, so that all peoples, nations, and those of all languages, would serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one which will not be destroyed.

uprooted. And eyes appeared in this horn like a man's eyes, and a mouth speaking big things.

9 "I watched until thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days sat down. His garment was as white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was like a fiery flame,

15 "I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within me, and the visions coming to my mind troubled me. 16 I approached one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth about all this. So he told me, and made known to me the interpretation of these things:

and its wheels like blazing fire. 10 A stream of fire came out, issuing from his presence. Thousands upon thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand

stood before him. The court of judgment was seated,

17 "'These great beasts, which are four, are four kings who arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High will take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.'

and the books were opened.

11 "I watched then because of the sound of the great words which the horn spoke. I watched until the beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the blazing flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

19 "Then I wanted to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and whose nails were of bronze, which devoured, crushed, and trampled what remained with its feet; 20 and of the ten horns which were on its head, and of the other horn which came up,

13 "I watched in the night visions, and then one like the Son of man appeared, coming with the

The mouth that speaks boastfully suggests the person described in 2 Thess 2:4 and Rev 13:5,6, the antichrist who will arise at the end of this age and be the ruler of the Roman Empire in its final form. 7:9-14 Here is a picture of judgment. With the brutal and boastful form of the fourth beast man's kingdoms will come to an end. These verses refer to the same time period as 2:34,44,45. 7:9 "Thrones" – a possible connection with the thrones of Rev 4:4.

name appears more than 80 times in the Gospels). The title indicates the Son of God's true humanity.

"Clouds" – in the Old Testament signified the presence of God (Deut 33:26; Ps 97:2; 104:3; Isa 19:1. In the New Testament see Matt 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; Rev 1:7). The picture here is of the one true God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, coming into the presence of God the Father. The next verse speaks of all people "serving [or worshiping – the Hebrew word means both]" the Son of man. This is a further indication of His true deity. 7:14 This receiving of sovereign power seems to be at the time of the destruction of the 4th beast at the end of this age. It corresponds with the events described in 2:34,35,44. Revelation chapter 5 seems connected with these same events. It is true that the Lord Jesus has already received authority (Matt 28:18) and His kingdom is established in the hearts of His people. But the time to come to earth and reign openly as king has not yet come. He still waits until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet (Acts 2:35; Heb 10:13). When the time comes for man's kingdoms to be judged and destroyed He will come and openly set up His own kingdom (2:45; Rev 19:11-16). 7:15 "Within me" – the meaning of the Hebrew word translated "body" here in the KJV is doubtful, but may mean "sheath" or "scabbard." 7:16 "One of those" – an angel. 7:17 "Kings" – they represent the four kingdoms (v 23). 7:18 "Saints" – vs 22,27; Matt 5:5; 19:28,29; 25:34; Luke 22:29,30; Rom 4:13; Rev 2:26,27; 3:21; 20:4-6.

"Set in place" – or "cast down." Strange as it may seem, the Hebrew can mean either (see the note at Ps 14:7). If "cast down" is taken as the meaning, it refers to the thrones of earth's kings.

"Ancient of Days" – the Hebrew means "one advanced in days" and would, except for the context, mean simply an old person. Here it means God Himself sitting in judgment.

"Wheels" – here are connected with the throne. Compare Ezek 1:15-21,26,27. 7:10 "Fire" – Ps 50:3; 97:3; Isa 29:6; 30:27,28,33; 2 Thess 1:7,8; Heb 12:29. "Thousands" – Rev 5:11; Jude 14,15. "Books" – 12:1; Ex 32:32; Ps 69:28; Mal 3:16; Rev 20:12-15. 7:11 God's judgment will result in the total destruction of the fourth beast and the fiery punishment of the little horn who will head it up (Rev 19:20). 7:12 Before the death of the fourth beast the first three beasts (vs 4-6) lost their power one by one, but the nations they symbolized were not immediately destroyed. 7:13 "Son of man" – Rev 1:13. This name the Lord Jesus often applied to Himself (Matt 16:13-15; 24:27,30; Luke 19:10. The

1149 DANIEL 8:8

and before whom three fell, that horn which had eyes and a mouth that spoke big things, whose appearance was more imposing than his associates. 21 As I watched, the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, to me, Daniel, after the one which appeared to me the first time. 2 And while I was looking in a vision it came about as I watched that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw that in the vision I was by the river Ulai. 3 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and a ram appeared there, standing beside the river. It had two horns, and the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up last. 4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward, so that no beast could withstand him, nor was there any that could rescue from his hands, but he did as he pleased and became great.

23 "'He said this: "The fourth beast will be the fourth kingdom on earth. It will be different from all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and crush it. 24 And the ten horns are ten kings who will arise from this kingdom, and another will arise after them; and he will be different from the earlier ones, and he will subdue three kings. 25 And he will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High, and plan to change times and laws. And they will be given into his hands until a time and times and half a time.

5 And as I was considering this, a male goat appeared, coming from the west across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a notable horn between its eyes. 6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him in his powerful anger. 7 And I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with rage against him, and struck the ram and broke off his two horns. And there was no power in the ram to withstand him, so he threw him down to the ground, and trampled him. And there was no one who could deliver the ram from his hands. 8 Therefore the male goat became very great. But when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and in its place four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven.

26 "'But the court of judgment will sit, and they will take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it forever. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heavens, will be given to the saints, the people of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and all dominions will serve and obey him.'

28 "This is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and the expression on my face changed, but I kept the matter in my heart."

7:21 Verse 25; Matt 24:21; Rev 13:7,15. 7:22 The antichrist will persecute and slay God's saints until the second coming of Christ. The "horn" can defeat the saints, but not their Lord. 7:23 Verse 7. 7:24 "Ten kings" – judging from 2:44 and Rev 17:12 these kings all live at the same time just before the return of Christ. So this vision of the fourth beast cannot refer to the Roman Empire as it was at the first coming of Christ. 7:25 "Speak" – v 8. "Saints" – Rev 13:7. "Given into his hands" – a time of great testing for God's people. See note on testing at Ps 66:10-12.

to be destroyed, but handed over to the saints. They will reign with Christ (references at v 18).

"Serve" – the Hebrew word also means "worship" – Ps 22:27; 72:11; 86:9; Zech 14:16-19; Rev 21:24. 8:1 551 BC. 8:2 "Shushan" – (sometimes written Susa) was the chief city of Elam and became the principal capital of the Persian empire.

"Palace" – or it might be translated "citadel."

"Elam" – a mountainous region east of Babylon in what is now western Iran. 8:3 Verse 20 tells us what this ram symbolizes – the Medo-Persian kingdom. The larger horn represents Persia which was the dominant power in the alliance. 8:4 Medo-Persia became the most powerful kingdom in the world of its day. 8:5 According to v 21 this goat symbolizes Greece. The prominent horn was Alexander the Great, the first king of the GrecoMacedonian Empire. 8:6,7 Alexander crushed the Medo-Persian Empire in the years 334-330 BC, more than 200 years after this prophetic vision. 8:8 "Broken" – refers to the death of Alexander in 323 BC.

"Time and times and half a time" – 4:16. In Nebuchadnezzar's case seven times was a limited brief period, almost certainly seven years. Three and a half times obviously means only half of that. This same time period is referred to as 1260 days and 42 months in Rev 11:2,3; 12:6; 13:5. There is no good reason to think these figures are not to be taken literally. If not taken literally no man can know how long or how short this time period will be. 7:26 Rev 19:19-21. 7:27 The kingdoms of the world are not said

"Four" – these represent the four divisions

DANIEL 8:9 1150

9 And out of one of them a little horn came out, which grew exceedingly great, toward the south and toward the east, and toward the glorious land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven. And it threw some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and trampled on them. 11 Yes, it set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host, and it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down. 12 And an army was given to it against the daily sacrifice, because of transgression, and it threw the truth down to the ground; and it was active and prospered.

and said, "Gabriel, cause this man to understand the vision."

17 So he came near the place I was standing; and when he came, I was afraid, and prostrated myself on my face. But he said to me, "Understand, son of man; for the vision concerns the time of the end."

18 Now as he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep with my face toward the ground, but he touched me and stood me upright.

19 And he said, "Look, I will cause you to know what will happen at the end of the indignation. For the end will occur at the appointed time. 20 The ram which you saw which had two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the rough goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn that is between its eyes is the first king. 22 Now as for that one being broken and four arising in its place, four kingdoms will arise out of the nation, but not with its power.

13 Then I heard one holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that holy one who had spoken, "How long is the time in the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression that causes desolation, causing both the sanctuary and the army to be trampled under foot?"

14 And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred days. Then the sanctuary will be cleansed."

23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their full extent, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark schemes, will arise. 24 And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power; and he will cause appalling destruction, and will prosper, and be

15 And it came about when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, and was seeking for the meaning, then someone appeared who looked like a man, standing before me. 16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called out

of his empire that came about after Alexander's death (7:6). 8:9 "Little horn" – there is a difference of opinion among commentators about this "little horn". Some say he is the same as the "little horn" of 7:8,20-25. Others say he is not, because this one comes out of one of the divisions of the Grecian Empire, that one comes out of the Roman Empire after the Grecian Empire and all of its four divisions had lost their power. Most commentators agree that this "little horn" symbolizes a king who arose in Syria in the 2nd century BC and became a great enemy of the Jews. His name was Antiochus Epiphanes. He may be regarded in some ways as a type of the coming antichrist. See also 11:21-35.

probably refers to believers in Israel seen as stars in this vision (compare 12:3). Antiochus swept down into Israel, captured Jerusalem, killed many thousands of people, desecrated the temple, and prevented the Jews from offering sacrifices.

"Prince of the host" – Jehovah of hosts. 8:12 The disaster to the Jews in the days of Antiochus was a result of their sin and rebellion against God.

"Army" – or "host" – the same word in Hebrew. 8:13,14 "Days" – literally, "Evening, morning". This may mean 2300 days (compare Gen 1:5,8; etc). This is a little more than six years – the period of time of the persecution by Antiochus (171-164 BC). But some scholars have thought the figure 2300 means 1150 days, this being the number of days it would take for 2300 sacrifices offered both morning and evening. 1150 days was the time between Antiochus' desecration of the temple and its reconstruction by the Jews (168-165 BC). 8:16 "Gabriel" – 9:21; Luke 1:19,26. 8:17 "Son of man" – Ezek 2:1. 8:19 In the context of the verses which follow, the time of wrath, the time of the end spoken of here probably means the end of the days covered by the vision of vs 3-14, especially the end of the time of Antiochus. But those days were surely a picture of the days of the antichrist at the end of this age. 8:23-25 Antiochus Epiphanes. 8:24 "Not by his own power" – compare 2 Thess 2:9; Rev 13:2. "The holy people" – of Israel.

Some students of the Bible are of the opinion that just as Antiochus was king in Syria so the antichrist at the end of this age will arise in Syria. It appears to be true that antichrist will arise from within the boundaries of the old Roman Empire (7:8), and Syria was once a part of that Empire. Others think, however, that the case of Antiochus is brought forward in Daniel to show only something of the character and deeds of the coming antichrist and not the country of his origin. This is the opinion of the author of these notes. But we should be careful not to be dogmatic in doubtful matters such as these.

"Glorious land" – or "beautiful land." The translation "pleasant land" though possible is not likely. The land meant is, of course, Israel (11:16,41; Jer 3:19; Ezek 20:6). 8:10,11 "Of the host and of the stars" –

1151 DANIEL 9:13

active and destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25 And through his cunning he will also cause deceit to prosper in his hands. And in his heart he will exalt himself, and by peace will destroy many. He will also stand up against the Prince of princes. But he will be broken, but not by human hand.

rebelled, by departing from your precepts and from your judgments. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

7 "O Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us shame of face, as it is this day, to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those near, and those far away in all the countries where you have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness they have shown against you. 8 O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him. 10 We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us through his servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Israel have transgressed your law by departing from you, so as not to obey your voice. Therefore the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against him.

26 "And the vision of the evenings and the mornings which was told is true. So seal up the vision, for it will not take place for many days."

27 And I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick for days. Afterward I got up, and did the king's work. And I was astonished at the vision, but no one understood it.

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that he had specified for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, seventy years. 3 And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant and mercy for those who love him, and for those who keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned, and have done evil, and have behaved wickedly, and have

12 "And he has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven nothing has been done like what was done in Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, this whole disaster has come on

8:25 "Prince of princes" – God Himself. "Human hand" – Antiochus was not killed in battle but by an act of God. Compare 2 Thess 2:8; Rev 19:20. 8:26 "Seal up" – preserve it. 8:27 "No one understood it" – prophecies of future events were often not understood even by those through whom them came. We should not rashly assume that we know all about them now. 9:1 5:31. This Ahasuerus is not the same as the one of the book of Esther.

1:4; Esther 4:3; Ps 35:13; 69:10; Acts 14:23; 2 Cor 6:5; 11:27. "Sackcloth, and ashes" – Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 13:19; Esther 4:1-3; Job 16:15; Ps 30:11; Lam 2:10. 9:4 "Keeps his covenant and mercy" – Deut 7:9,12; 1 Kings 8:23; 2 Chron 6:14; Neh 1:5; 9:32. 9:5 "We" – Daniel includes himself (v 20). Compare Ezra 9:5-7; Isa 64:5-9; Jer 3:25.

"Sinned" – 1 Kings 8:46-50. 9:6 2 Kings 18:12; Jer 7:13-15,25,26. 9:7 "Righteousness" – Ps 11:7; 119:137; 145:17. "Shame" – Ezra 9:6; Ps 44:14-16; Jer 3:25; 31:19. "Unfaithfulness" – Ps 78:57; Isa 1:4; Jer 3:6-10; Ezek 39:23,24. 9:9 Ex 34:6,7; Ps 4:1; 15:1; 86:5; 103:8,13; Isa 55:7; Jer 33:8; 42:12. 9:10,11 2 Kings 17:13-15; 18:12; 2 Chron 36:15,16; Jer 25:3,4. "Curse and" – Lev 26:14,33; Deut 11:26-28; 27:15-26; 28:15,63-67. 9:12 Jer 44:2-6; Lam 1:12; Ezek 5:9. "Judges who judged us" – or "leaders who led us" – the Hebrew means either. 9:13 "Not made our prayer" – Isa 9:13; 64:7. Observe that truly seeking God's favor means to turn from sin and give attention to the truth He has revealed.

"First year" – 538 BC. 9:2 Observe that Daniel regarded the writings of Jeremiah as inspired by God and authoritative. Twice Jeremiah spoke of 70 years – 25:11,12 and 29:10. The first invasion of Judah by the Babylonian armies was in 605 BC. The 70 years were nearly over. 9:3 The knowledge that the 70 years were nearing their end inspired Daniel to prayer, not to complacency. Likewise God's promises to us should move us to prayer, should inspire us to claim them, to act on them. Let us learn from Daniel's prayer how to seek God in time of need with humility, confession, repentance, pleading. Observe the great earnestness with which Daniel sought God. He was seeking according to Deut 4:29; Jer 29:12,13.

"Fasting" – Jud 20:26; 1 Sam 7:6; Neh

DANIEL 9:14 1152

us. Yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our evil deedss and understand your truth. 14 Therefore the LORD kept the disaster in view and brought it on us. For the LORD our God is righteous in all the deeds which he does, because we did not obey his voice.

before you because of our righteousnesses, but because of your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For your own sake, O my God, do not delay. For your city and your people are called by your name."

20 And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, flying swiftly, came and touched me about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 And he gave me information, and talked with me and said, "Daniel, I am now come forth to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you; for you are greatly beloved. Therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

15 "And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made yourself a name, as at this day, we have sinned, we have behaved wickedly. 16 O Lord, I beg you, according to all your righteousness, let your anger and your fury be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain, because for our sins and for the evil deeds of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of scorn to everyone around us.

17 "Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of your servant, and his supplications, and, for the Lord's sake, cause your face to shine on your sanctuary that is desolate. 18 O my God, bow down your ear, and hear. Open your eyes, and look on our desolations, and the city which is called by your name. For we do not present our supplications

24 "Seventy 'weeks' have been decreed for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for wickedness, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision

disagreement among scholars about the meaning of these verses. Some words and phrases in Hebrew are obscure in meaning and the interpretation difficult. 9:24 "Weeks" – in Hebrew "sevens." It is clear that one "week" means seven years (4:16; 7:25). God had decreed 70 sevens for the accomplishment of six purposes. These purposes concern the Jews ("your people") and Jerusalem ("holy city"). But, of course, the results of God's work there would affect the whole world. Question: Were these six purposes fulfilled at the first coming of Christ and at His death? Or will they be fulfilled sometime in the future? The author of these notes believes that by the sacrifice of Christ the foundation was laid for the fulfillment of these purposes, but that as regards Israel as a nation and Jerusalem not all of them have been fulfilled. For example, Jerusalem remained sinful and in rebellion against God after the death of Christ and was destroyed in 70 AD. It remains in rebellion to this day.

9:14 Gen 18:25; Neh 9:33; Ps 7:9; 19:9; 129:4; 145:17. It was because God is perfectly just that He brought disaster on them. Justice must punish sin that is not repented of and forsaken. Instead of complaining against God everyone should humble himself or herself, and confess that God is just (2 Chron 12:6). 9:15 Ex 14:26-31. "Name" – Ex 9:16. 9:16 Daniel continues to place the emphasis where it belongs – on their sin and God's righteousness. 9:17-19 "For the Lord's sake" – 1 Sam 12:22; Ps 23:3; 25:11; 31:3; 106:8; Isa 37:35; 43:14,25; Jer 14:7,21; Ezek 20:9; 36:22. God's reputation was bound up with the people and the land and the city He had chosen. 9:18 "Not. . .because of our righteousness" – compare Luke 18:9-14. In this book we see that Daniel was a mighty man of God, pure and upright. However, in prayer he did not depend on any of that, but on God's mercy alone. 9:20 "Holy mountain" – Mount Zion. 9:21 "In prayer" – v 23; 10:12; Isa 65:24; Luke 18:7,8. "Gabriel" – 8:16. "Evening sacrifice" – Ex 29:39. 9:22 1:17; 7:16; 10:14; Amos 3:7. 9:23 "Greatly beloved" – the Hebrew verb from which this comes means "to desire", "take pleasure in", "delight in." It is not from the Hebrew word meaning "love." Heaven viewed Daniel with special regard, took pleasure in him, delighted in him. How could anyone receive a better commendation than this? How much better to be highly esteemed in heaven than on earth. 9:24-27 There has been, and is, much

The words "seal up prophecy" probably means here to completely fulfill it and to lay it aside as being no longer necessary (1 Cor 13:8). Certainly not all prophecies concerning the Jews and Jerusalem were fulfilled at the first coming of Christ. Another reason for thinking these six purposes were not all fulfilled at the first coming of Christ is this: 70 sevens are decreed to fulfill these purposes, but Christ was put to death after 69 sevens and before the 70th was finished (vs 25,26).

"Finish" – or, possibly, "restrain." "The Most Holy" – this may refer either to the Most Holy Place in the temple or to the Most Holy One (Christ).

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and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.

one 'week', but in the middle of the 'week' he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations will be one who creates desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on the desolator."

25 "Know therefore and understand that from the issuing of the command to restore and build Jerusalem to the Messiah the Prince will be seven 'weeks', and sixth-two 'weeks'. The streets and the wall will be rebuilt, but in troublesome times. 26 And after the sixty-two 'weeks' Messiah will be cut off, but not for himself. And the people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary; and its end will come as with a flood, and to the end of the war desolations are decreed. 27 And he will confirm a covenant with many for

In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the message was true, and involved a great conflict. And he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision.

9:25 The decree mentioned here was probably that of king Artaxerxes in 445 BC. See Neh 2:1-9. The temple had been finished and some other buildings had been constructed in Jerusalem before then. But it could not be said that the city had been rebuilt, for Nehemiah said he wished to go and rebuild it, and he received permission to do so. Some of the troubles he had in rebuilding the city are recorded in Nehemiah chapters 4 and 6. From the time of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the ministry and death of the Messiah (the Lord Jesus) 69 sevens were to be completed.

in the last part of v 26 (the people of the Roman Empire). He has not yet appeared. When he comes to power he will confirm an agreement for seven years with many. The "many" probably refers to the majority of Jews living in Israel at the end of this age. In the middle of the seven, that is, after 3 and 1/2 years he will stop the rituals and worship of the Jews (compare 11:31; 12:11), and will try to make himself the only object of worship in Israel (and, for that matter, throughout the whole world). This will be the "abomination of desolation" that Christ warned about in Matt 24:15, and the act of the "man of lawlessness" Paul described in 2 Thess 2:3,4.

If this time period is calculated according to the lunar year which the Jews used (360 days to a year), it reaches to the last days of Christ on earth. So we have here a prophecy of the time of the death of Christ given more than five centuries before. 9:26 "Cut off" – this word was used in the Old Testament for the death penalty. See Ex 31:14; Lev 7:20,21,25,27; 20:2,3.

A difficult question which arises from this interpretation is this: Why is the 70th "seven" separated from the 69 "sevens" by a great many centuries (Christ was crucified after the 69th in the first century of this age, but the 70th occurs at the end of the age)? The answer may be that the book of Daniel is not at all concerned with the course of this present age. In chapter 2 four kingdoms are seen – Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman; then the thought leaps to the end of this age to the second coming of Christ. In chapter 7 the same four kingdoms are seen; then again many centuries are passed over in silence until the antichrist appears and is destroyed at the second coming of Christ. So we should not be surprised at the same way of treating events here in chapter 9.

"Not for himself" – this could also be translated "have nothing" or "have no one." Christ certainly did not die for himself, but for us, and on the cross, in the place of sinners, he was forsaken by both God and men (Matt 26:56; 27:46), and had received nothing that rightly belonged to Him as the Messiah of Israel.

"Will destroy the city and the sanctuary" – this probably refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD by the Romans. This took place nearly 40 years after the end of the 69 sevens. "The ruler who will come" – probably means the final ruler of the Roman Empire at the end of this age, the antichrist, the "little horn" of chapter 7. It is important to observe that in this verse that coming ruler is said to belong to the same nation or people who destroyed Jerusalem. 9:27 "He will confirm a covenant" – some have taught that this refers to the Messiah mentioned in vs 25,26. But how can one "seven" (almost certainly meaning seven years) have to do with the covenant Christ confirmed to His disciples just before His death (Matt 26:26-29)? That covenant was not for seven years, nor did it take seven years to confirm it.

"On the wing of abominations will be" – this may also be translated "will place abominations on a wing of" (the temple). 10:1 Chapters 10-12 form a unit and give things Daniel saw and heard on the same occasion.

"Third year of Cyrus" – Daniel was an aged man. He had been brought to Babylon more than 70 years previously as a youth.

"True and involved a great conflict" – or it could be translated "true and concerned an extended conflict", or possibly "true and burdensome," or "true and the appointed time is a long way off," or "true and covers a long period of time," but the translation in the text above seems best. The problem with translating here is that the Hebrew words have more than one meaning and so the phrase is ambiguous. See note on the Hebrew language at Ps 14:7.

What seems a better explanation is this: "he" is the coming ruler of the people who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD mentioned

DANIEL 10:2 1154

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant food, and no meat or wine came into my mouth, and I did not anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were over.

I stood trembling.

12 Then said he to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days. But, see, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days; for the vision concerns days still future."

4 And on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, the Hiddekel, 5 I lifted my eyes and looked and saw a man clothed in linen. He had a belt of fine gold of Uphaz around his waist. 6 And his body gleamed like beryl, and his face had the appearance of lightning, and his eyes shone like lamps of fire, and in colour his arms and his feet were like polished brass, and the sound of his words was like the sound of a multitude.

15 And when he was speaking these words to me, I turned my face to the ground, and was speechless. 16 And, suddenly, someone like the sons of men in appearance touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to the one who was standing in front of me, "O my lord, because of the vision sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have no strength left. 17 For how can this servant of my lord talk with you my lord? For as for me, now no strength remains in me, no breath is left in me."

7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but great trembling fell on them, so that they ran away to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone and saw this great vision; and no strength remained in me, for my vigour changed in me to utter weakness, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet I heard the sound of his words. And when I heard the sound of his words, I was in a deep sleep on my face, my face toward the ground.

18 Then the one who had the appearance of a man came again and touched me and strengthened me, 19 and said, "O man greatly beloved, do not fear. Peace be with you. Be strong, yes, be strong." And when he had spoken to me, I was strengthened, and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."

10 And, suddenly, a hand touched me, which placed me on my knees and the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, O man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright; for I have now been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me,

20 Then he said, "Do you know why I have

10:2,3 We are not told why Daniel fasted and mourned. Perhaps it was because of the troubles the Jews were having in Jerusalem (see Ezra 4:1-5). Perhaps it was because of the sins of those left in Babylon, or because of their lack of desire to return to Jerusalem to help in the work there. 10:5-7 A vision of a great and glorious person who can hardly have been anyone other than the Son of God. Compare v 6 with Rev 1:13-16. Concerning other appearances of the Son of God as the divine messenger see Gen 16:7. 10:8,9 Rev 1:17; Isa 6:5. 10:10 It does not say that "His" hand touched Daniel. This may refer to the hand of an angel. In the verses which follow, the speaker may be different from the one who appeared in such glory in vs 5-9. But it is not clear whether two beings or only one are with Daniel in this chapter – v 16. Certainly in chapter 12 (which was given at the same time as this) two others are seen (12:5,6). 10:11 "Greatly beloved" – note at 9:23. 10:12 "From the first day" – Isa 30:19; 58:9; 65:24. Here is great encouragement for all those who, like Daniel, humble themselves and seek an understanding of God's revelation. God delights to hear the prayers of such people. 10:13 This verse reveals something of what

goes on in the unseen realm of spirits. It also gives a reason why the answer to a prayer may be delayed.

"Prince" – he is not the same as the king of Persia in the same verse. The king was Cyrus. Who was this "prince" (ruler)? It is said that he resisted God's angelic messenger, so he was hostile to God. The angel Michael is also called a "prince." It seems clear that the prince of the Persian kingdom was a fallen angel, an evil spirit who was trying to influence king Cyrus against the Jews. Verse 20 speaks of the "prince" of Greece. In v 21 Michael is called "your" (that is, the people of Israel's) prince.

Evidently there is a war going on in the unseen world of spirits between those sent to do God's will and those who oppose them. On angels see note at Gen 16:7. For other references to fallen angels see Isa 24:21; 1 Cor 8:5; 10:20; Eph 6:12; Rev 12:7. What goes on among the nations of earth is partly a result of spiritual battles fought in the unseen world – and praying believers have a part in it all. If our prayers are not immediately answered we should not think no answer will come, but continue on in faith. 10:14 "Your people" – the Jewish nation. The rest of the book of Daniel, in large part, is concerned with what will happen to that people. 10:20 "Prince of Greece" – the most

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come to you? And now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. And when I have gone away, see, the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the true writings. (And there is no one who upholds me against these powers, except Michael your prince.

deal with them, and prevail, 8 and will also carry away as captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their valuable articles of silver and of gold. And he will continue more years than the king of the north. 9 So the king of the north will come to his kingdom, but will return to his own land. 10 But his sons will be stirred up, and shall assemble a great many forces, and they will certainly come like an overflowing flood passing through, coming back then, stirred up to wage war as far as his fortress.

And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to support and strengthen him.) 2 "And now I will tell you this truth: See, there will still be three kings in Persia who arise, and the fourth will be far richer than them all; and by his strength, through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the realm of Greece. 3 And a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority, and act according to his will. 4 And when he arises, his kingdom will be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity, or according to the authority with which he ruled. For his kingdom will be uprooted for others instead of those.

11 "And the king of the south will be moved with rage, and come out and fight with him, with the king of the north, who will muster a great multitude. But the multitude will be given into the hand of his enemy. 12 And when the king of the south has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up with pride, and he will overthrow many tens of thousands, but he will not remain in a position of strength by it. 13 For the king of the north will return, having mustered a multitude greater than the former one. He will certainly come after some years with a great army and much equipment.

5 "And the king of the south will be strong, along with one of his princes who will gain power over him, and have dominion. His dominion will be a great dominion. 6 And at the end of some years they will join together, for the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to reach an agreement. But she will not retain the power of authority, and neither he nor his authority will stand. But she will be given up with those who brought her there, and her father, and the one who strengthened her at that time.

14 "And in those times many will stand up against the king of the south. Also the violent ones among your people will exalt themselves to fulfil the vision; but they will fall. 15 So the king of the north will come, and build up a siege mound, and take the most fortified cities; and the arms of the south will not withstand him ; nor will his chosen people; nor will there be any strength for withstanding. 16 But the one who comes against him will do according to his own will, and no one will be able to stand before him. And he will stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hands. 17 He will also set his face

7 "But out of a branch of her roots someone will arise in his place. He will come with an army, and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and

powerful of the evil spirits Satan had appointed to fulfill his evil will in that nation. 10:21 "The true writings" – apparently a heavenly record of those things that God had decreed should happen. This truth is revealed in some detail in the next two chapters. 11:1 "Darius" – 5:31. 11:2 From here to 12:4, beginning with Daniel's day and going on to the end of this age, there is a remarkable glimpse into the future. The prophecies contained in verses 2-36 were fulfilled over a period of 362 years.

with Syria. A very few commentators have taught that all these verses relate to the end of this present age. The great majority have taught that they give a succession of rulers of those two kingdoms over a period of roughly 160 years, beginning in 323 BC. This is the view given in these notes. The first king of the south was Ptolemy Soter, a Macedonian. The first king of the north was Seleucus. The land of Israel was directly between the kings of the north and the kings of the south. 11:6 "Daughter" – Berenice. "King of North" – Antiochus II. 11:7-9 "One from her family line" – this was Ptolemy III.

"Three kings" – Cambyses, PseudoSmerdis, Darius Hystapis. The fourth was Xerxes (the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther). He launched an invasion against Greece in 480 BC which failed. 11:3 Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C.). 11:4 "Four" – 7:4-7; 8:8. After Alexander's death his empire broke into four parts. 11:5-34 Gives us the struggle for predominance between two of the four parts of Alexander's former empire. The king of the south is the ruler of Egypt. The king of the north is the ruler of Syria and lands allied

"King of the north" – Seleucus II. 11:10 "His sons" – Seleucus III and Antiochus III. 11:11-13 "King of the south" – Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus III in a battle at Raphia. 11:14 "South" – Ptolemy V. "Among your people" – Jews who joined forces with the king of the north. 11:16 "One who comes" – Antiochus III. 11:17 "Daughter" – Cleopatra I. The

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to come with the power of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him. He will do this. And he will give him the daughter of women, to ruin it. but she will not stand on his side, or be for him. 18 After this he will turn his face to the coastlands, and take many. But a prince will put a stop to the scorn shown by him, and will make his scorn turn back on him. 19 Then he will turn his face toward the fortress of his own land, but he will stumble and fall, and not be found.

stand, for they will devise plots against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the food he provides will destroy him, and his army will be swept away, and many will fall down slain. 27 And both these kings' hearts will be set on evil, and they will speak lies at the same table. But it will not succeed, for the end will still come at the appointed time. 28 Then he will return to his land with great riches. And his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action, and return to his own land.

29 "At the appointed time he will return, and come to the south. But this latter time will not be like the former. 30 For the ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened, and return in fury against the holy covenant, and take action. Yes, he will return and be favorable toward those who forsake the holy covenant.

20 "Then in his place will arise someone who imposes taxes for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he will be destroyed, but not in anger, or in battle.

21 "And in his place a contemptible person will arise. They will not give royal honours to him, but he will come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by intrigue. 22 And with the power of a flood they will be swept away from before him, and will be shattered, yes, also the prince of the covenant. 23 And after an alliance has been made with him he will act deceitfully. For he will come up, and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He will enter peaceably into even the richest places of the province, and will do what neither his fathers or grandfathers ever did; he will distribute among them the plunder, and loot, and riches. Yes, and he will devise his plots against the strongholds, but only for a time.

31 "And forces of his will arise and defile the sanctuary stronghold, and will take away the daily sacrifice ; and they will put there the abomination that causes desolation. 32 And he will corrupt by flattery those who act wickedly against the covenant, but the people who know their God will be strong, and do exploits.

33 "And those among the people who understand will instruct many. Yet for many days they will fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they will be aided by a little help, but many will join them who are not sincere. 35 And some of those who have understanding will fall, to refine them, and to purify them, and to make them white, until the time of the end. For it will still come at the

25 "And he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south will be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army. But he will not

Hebrew of this verse is very obscure and difficult to translate. 11:18 "Prince" – a Roman leader named Scipio Asiaticus. 11:19 Antiochus III perished in 187 BC in Elymais. 11:20 "In his place" – Seleucus IV. 11:21 Antiochus IV, also known as Antiochus Epiphanes. See 8:9-13,23-25. He seized power when the rightful heir to the throne was very young. 11:22-24 At first Antiochus IV was very successful in battle. But he was very treacherous toward those who had made agreements with him. 11:25 "King of the south" – Ptolemy VI. 11:26 "Army" – Ptolemy's army. 11:27 "These kings" – Antiochus IV and Ptolemy VI. 11:28 "Against the holy covenant" – Antiochus hated Israel. In 169 BC he came to Jerusalem, killed many Jews, and plundered the temple. 11:29 "Appointed time" – the time appointed by God to fulfill His purposes through Antiochus. 11:30 "Ships" – Roman ships commanded by Papilius Laenas.

"Those who forsake" – apostate Jews who sided with Antiochus (v 32). 11:31 In 168 BC Antiochus sent troops to take possession of Jerusalem. They attacked people on the Sabbath day and took captive many women and children. The temple was taken and Antiochus ordered the Jews to stop all sacrifices. He had an altar to the Greek god Zeus erected in the temple court on the altar of burnt offering. This was the state of things for more than three years. This abomination of desolation was not the same as that Jesus spoke of in Matt 24:15, but was a type, a picture of it. See Dan 9:27; 12:11. 11:32,33 The Jews were divided. Some wicked and ambitious persons came under the influence of Antiochus. Other Jews were strong to resist him, taught the people the truth, and endured great persecution at his hands. They were Jews who knew God and were willing to suffer for Him. Compare Heb 11:36-38. 11:34 "Not sincere" – in every age there will be hypocrites who say one thing and do another. 11:35 "Fall" – the very "falling" of the wise will be, in God's hands, a means to their further refinement and purification. The

"Holy covenant" – v 28.

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appointed time.

pass on through.

36 "And the king will do just as he wishes. And he will exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and will speak extraordinary things against the God of gods, and will be successful until the time of indignation is fulfilled. For what is decreed will be done. 37 He will not have regard for the God of his fathers, or for the one women desire, or have regard for any god; for he will exalt himself above all. 38 But in their place he will honour a god of fortresses, will honour a god unknown to his fathers, with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and desirable things. 39 Thus he will do in the strongest fortresses with a strange god. He will give great honour to those who acknowledge him, and he will cause them to rule over many, and will divide up the land for gain.

41 "He will also invade the glorious land, and many countries will be overthrown. But these will escape from his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the leaders of the children of Ammon. 42 He will also stretch out his hand over other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. 43 But he will have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the desirable things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Ethiopians will be at his feet. 44 But news from the east and from the north will trouble him, therefore he will set out with great fury to destroy, and do away with many. 45 And he will pitch his palace tents between the seas in the glorious holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

"And at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the children of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of trouble such as never occurred since there was a nation until that same time. And at that time your people 12

40 "And at the time of the end the king of the south will push at him, and the king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he will invade countries, and overwhelm them and

Hebrew word here translated "fall" means to stumble from lack of strength. The truly wise through stumbling in their weakness will learn to seek and find their strength in God. Then there will be no stumbling (Isa 40:31). On refining see Ps 66:10-12. "The time of the end" – perhaps the end of that particular time of persecution. Or the phrase may point suddenly to the end of this age. The verses which follow actually do so – v 40-45. As in chapters 2, 7, and 9 many centuries are passed over in silence and the end of this age is brought into view. 11:36-45 The king here is not Antiochus Epiphanes whose doings are described in vs 21-32. There is no evidence that he magnified himself above every god and showed no regard for the gods of his fathers (vs 36,37). And the death of Antiochus was different from that described in verses 44,45. Antiochus was but a type or picture of this one who will come at the "time of the end" (v 40).

the earth and the vast majority of people bowing down to him.

"Time of indignation" – Isa 26:20,21; 30:27,28; 34:2; Jer 30:4-8; Dan 8:19; 12:1; Joel 3:12-16; Matt 24:21,22. 11:37 "God" – or, perhaps "gods." This future king may possibly be either an apostate Christian or an apostate Jew. 11:38 "God of fortresses" – he will honor the person who helps him to be victorious in war. This will be the only "god" he will show respect for. Though the language of verses 36,37 suggests this king may be the "man of lawlessness" of 2 Thess 2:3,4 and the first beast of Revelation chapter 13, he may be the second beast of Revelation 13 (13:4,11-17). We should not be dogmatic about this. 11:39 "The land" – Israel. No other country could be designated here simply "the land". 11:40-45 The king of the north is in view here. He may or may not be the same as the king of v 36. 11:40 He will make many conquests (vs 41-43). Compare Rev 6:2; 13:4,7. 11:41 "Glorious land" – Israel (v 16; 8:9; Ezek 20:6).

The language of v 40 is obscure in Hebrew, so it is difficult to know whether the king of v 36 is attacked by both the king of the south and the king of the north, or whether he himself is the king of the north who attacks the king of the south. If he is the king of the north, vs 41-45 refer to him. If he is not the king of the north they do not refer to him. Since the language is obscure we should be careful not to be dogmatic and make statements which cannot be proved. The fulfillment will make the prophecy clear. 11:36 7:8; 2 Thess 2:3,4; Rev 13:5,6. Here is the essence of sin – self-will and self-exaltation. It began with Adam's one act of self-will in the garden of Eden. It will end with one man of utter self-will ruling

"Edom", "Moab", "Ammon" – countries east and southeast of Israel. 11:44 "East" and "north" – compare Ezek 38:1-9; Rev 16:12-16. At the end of this age the armies of all earth's great nations will be marching toward Israel (Joel 3:9-16; Zech 12:2,3; 14:2-4). 11:45 "Between the seas" – the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea.

"Holy mountain" – Ps 48:1,2. "To his end" – 2 Thess 2:8; Rev 19:19,20. 12:1 "Michael" – 10:13. "Trouble" – a time of trouble is coming which will be worse than any the world has

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will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavenly expanse, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut away the words, and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many will travel here and there, and knowledge will increase."

7 And I heard the man dressed in linen speak, the one above the waters of the river, as he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the power of the holy people has been fully shattered, all these things will be finished.

8 And I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, "My Lord, what will be the result of these things ?"

9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, and made white, and refined. But the wicked will behave wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and saw two others standing there, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be to the end of these wonders?"

11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination that causes

ever seen. The Lord Jesus warned about it in Matt 24:21. Verses 29,30 of the same chapter make it clear that He was speaking of the end of this age.

and righteous life. 12:4 "Seal. . .until the time of the end" – 8:26. The book of Daniel has now been preserved for more than 2,500 years. 12:5,6 A continuation of the vision which begins at 10:4,5. The question in v 6 seems to be, not how long will it be before those events are fulfilled? but, how long will it take to fulfill them once they began to take place? The events meant seem to be those of 11:35 - 12:1. 12:7 This taking of an oath indicates that a very solemn and important matter is being referred to. Compare Deut 32:40,41; Ps 110:4; Heb 6:13-18; Rev 10:5,6. "Time, times, and half a time" – see 7:25; 9:27; Rev 12:14; etc. "Holy people" – the nation of Israel is called a holy people because God separated it from all other nations to be His special treasure (Ex 19:6; Deut 7:6). Now believers in Christ are called a holy nation (1 Pet 2:9,10). Who is meant here in Daniel? Israel and the holy land have been at the heart of the prophecy to this point (10:14; 11:39,31-34,45; 12:1). Here the meaning seems to be that the end will come when the nation of Israel is crushed and brought to its lowest condition. 12:8 He did not understand the meaning of the words in v 7. He wanted to know the end result of the things of the prophecy given to him. 12:9,10 It was not necessary for Daniel to understand anything further, and the Lord did not attempt to satisfy his curiosity. The heart of the prophecy related to the time of the end. Then the wise would be able to know all they would need to know. As the events unfold they will be able to understand what is happening. As for the wicked, their wickedness will blind them, and they will worship the antichrist.

"Your people" – Daniel's people were Jews. They will be at the center of that time of trouble called in the New Testament "great tribulation" (Matt 24:21; Rev 7:14). But this does not mean that non-Jews will not suffer at that time. It will be a time of trouble for some from every tribe and nation (Rev 7:9; 12:17; 13:7,8; 20:4).

"Delivered" – Isa 45:17; Jer 30:7-9; Zech 12:8,9; 14:3; Rom 11:26,27; Rev 7:1-8; 12:13-17. This probably speaks of the physical deliverance from danger of those Jews whom God has chosen. It is not the same as the resurrection spoken of in the next verse.

"Book" – Ex 32:32; Luke 10:20; Phil 4:3; Rev 20:12. 12:2 "Will awake" – refers to the resurrection of the dead. Does this teach a general resurrection of the saved and unsaved at the same time? Nothing is said about the saved and unsaved dead rising at the same time – only the fact is given that both classes of people will rise. Rev 20:4-6 seems to teach clearly that there will be two resurrections separated by a thousand years. The prophets of the Old Testament spoke of events separated by long periods of time without indicating those events would be so separated. There are other examples of this in the book of Daniel. See the closing remarks in the note on 9:27. 12:3 "Wise" – v 10; 11:33; Job 28:28; Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7; 3:35. There are not two separate classes of people here. The wise are those who will lead many to righteousness – that is one way their true wisdom is revealed. See Prov 11:30. By their teaching and righteous living many will be turned to the God of righteousness and be made righteous themselves. This verse gives only a hint of the eternal reward and glory which await those who live such a wise

"Refined" – 11:35; Zech 13:9; Mal 3:2-4. See Ps 66:10-12. 12:11 The abolishing of sacrifices and the appearance of the abomination of

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desolation is set up, there will be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits, and comes to the end of the thousand three hundred and thirty-five

days.

13 "But you, go your way until the end. For you will rest, and rise to receive your allotted portion at the end of the days."

prophecy (1 Cor 13:2), and knowledge has a tendency to puff us up but love to build us up (1 Cor 8:1). But if we ask God in faith He will give us all the understanding we need to live lives of integrity and faithfulness whatever time we may live in. And to faithful believers who are living when prophecies of the end time at last have their fulfillment He will surely give all the understanding they will need to have. 12:13 "Rest" – here means death. "Rise"– v 2. "Allotted portion" – Matt 5:5; Acts 20:32; Rom 8:17; Eph 1:11; Col 1:12; 3:24; Heb 9:15.

desolation are referred to also in 9:27 and 11:31. This verse does not say what will happen at the end of 1290 days. The persecutions by antichrist are said to be a time, times, and half a time (1260 days, 42 months). We are not told here what happens during these 30 extra days. 12:12 The meaning of this too is now hidden from us. Those who reach the end of those days will understand the blessedness of it. If we do not understand now it should not trouble us. Let us remember in the study of prophecy an important matter or two – living a life of love for God and man is far more important than understanding all

HOSEA

Author:

Hosea, the son of Beeri. His name means "salvation" or "save". All we know about him is what is written in this book. Neither he nor his ministry is mentioned anywhere else in the Old Testament.

Date:

The kings mentioned in the first verse reigned 740-700 BC. Hosea and Isaiah prophesied at the same time. See Isa 1:1.

Theme:

The people of Israel had forsaken the true God and had fallen into false worship and idolatry. As a result their personal lives and their national life as a whole had become corrupt. Hosea (and God speaking through Hosea) urged them to repent and turn back to the God they had deserted. He set forth the long-suffering love of God, and depicted Israel as an adulterous wife. Though the behavior of His people brought great grief to God, He did not cease to love them, or to call them back to Himself. The prophet shows that eventually Israel would turn back to God.

Contents:

Hosea's wife and children .............................................................................. 1:1-11 The unfaithfulness of the nation Israel ........................................................... 2:1-13 The promise that Israel would be restored

to their former state of well-being ......................................................... 2:14-23 Hosea brings back the wife who had proved

unfaithful ........................................................................................... 3:1-5 God's charges against Israel .......................................................................... 4:1-19 Warnings and exhortations to the king, to the

priests, and to the people .................................................................... 5:1-15 A call to repentance ..................................................................................... 6:1-3 Further charges against Israel ....................................................................... 6:4-14 Rebellion, adultery, and drunkenness ............................................................. 7:1-16 The judgment on the people of Israel ............................................................. 8:1 - 10:15

Reaping the whirlwind .............................................................................. 8:1-14 Captivity and exile ................................................................................... 9:1-17 Disgrace ................................................................................................. 10:1-15 God's love toward sinful Israel ....................................................................... 11:1-11 Israel's guilt, the goodness God had shown to

them in the past .................................................................................. 11:12 - 12:14 Israel's unfaithfulness, God's anger on them ................................................... 13:1-16 A call to repentance, the promise of blessing .................................................. 14:1-9

1161 HOSEA 1:11

The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

Lo-Ruhamah; for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but will utterly take them away. 7 But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will save them through the LORD their God, but will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by battle, by horses, or by horsemen."

2 At the beginning of the word of the LORD to Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take a prostitute as your wife, and have children by a prostitute; for the land has engaged in great prostitution, departing from the LORD." 3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim. She conceived and bore him a son.

8 Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. 9 Then God said, "Call his name Lo-Ammi; for you are not my people, and I will not be your God.

10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And this will happen: in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people', there it will be said to them, 'You are the sons of the living God.' 11 Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together, and appoint one head for themselves, and they will come up out of the land; for great will

4 And the LORD said to him, "Call his name Jezreel; for in just a little while I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease. 5 And on that day it will come about that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel."

6 And she conceived again, and bore a daughter. And God said to him, "Call her name

1:1 "The word . . .came" – 2 Sam 24:11; 1 Kings 16:7; Isa 38:4; Jer 1:2; Ezek 1:3. "Hosea" – the name means "save" or "salvation."

was different from the kingdom of Judah – v 7. 1 Kings chapter 12 describes how the division came about. 1:5 Israel's military power was broken in the valley of Jezreel some months before Samaria fell to the Assyrians. 1:6 "Lo-Ruhamah" – means "not an obtainer of mercy", "not loved." God had borne patiently with the northern kingdom for two hundred years. He sent them great prophets like Elijah and Elisha. See 2 Kings 17:13. But they refused His love and trampled underfoot all His commands. At last things had reached a state where God would no longer bear it and so He brought their kingdom to an end. Compare Gen 6:3,6,7; Prov 1:22-29; Jer 7:13,25. 1:7 God showed love to Judah for another hundred and twenty years, until they too went the same way as Israel.

"Kings of Judah" – Isa 1:1. Isaiah and Hosea lived and prophesied during the same years.

"Son of Joash" – 2 Kings 14:23-29. 1:2 "The LORD to Hosea" – the prophets of the Bible were living channels through whom the Word of God came. Compare 2 Sam 23:2; Jer 1:9; Matt 22:43; Acts 28:25; 2 Tim 3:16; Heb 4:7; 2 Pet 1:21. "Prostitute as your wife" – a possible meaning is this: God was telling him to marry a woman who He foresaw would later prove unfaithful to Hosea (3:1).

"Prostitution" – here the Lord is speaking of spiritual matters; the people of Israel had been unfaithful to God. See Ex 34:15; Lev 17:7; Deut 31:16; Jud 2:17; Jer 2:2,20; Ezek 16:15-34; 23:2,3. In spiritual matters forsaking God is the vilest thing that people can do. 1:3 Gomer means "perfection," but she proved far from perfect. Perfection is also what God wants for His people (compare Matt 5:48), but Israel as a nation proved as bad as Gomer the individual. 1:4 "Jezreel" – a wide valley or plain in the northern part of Palestine south of the hills of Galilee. Hosea was to name his son Jezreel as a sign to Israel. Compare Isa 8:3,18. The name means "God scatters". God was signifying what He was going to do.

"Not. . .by bow" – Ps 33:16,17; Isa 37:36,37; Zech 4:6. 1:8,9 "Lo-Ammi" means "not my people". Temporarily God was rejecting them because they were rejecting Him. This was according to His word through Moses in Deut 31:1618. Compare Lev 26:14-39; Deut 28:15-68. 1:10 In Rom 9:26 Paul applies this verse in a spiritual sense to the conversion of non-Jewish peoples. This does not mean that he was teaching there could be no literal fulfillment in the nation of Israel. See Rom 11:26-29. Here through Hosea God says that His rejection of Israel was only temporary.

"Sand" – Gen 22:17; 32:12. "The place" – the land of Israel. This is where God said that Israel was not His people, so this is where God would call them His sons. This seems to speak of the restoration and transformation of that people descended from Jacob. Compare 2:23; Lev 26:40-45; Isa 11:12; Jer 23:5,6; 30:1-3; 31:27,28; Ezek 37:11-14; Amos 9:14,15. 1:11 "Together" – Ezek 37:15-23. "One head" – 3:5; Jer 30:21; Ezek 37:24,25.

"Jehu" – 1 Kings 19:16. The account of his rise to power in Israel and the massacre in the valley of Jezreel is in 2 Kings chapters 9 and 10. Jehu was the instrument God used in punishing the house of the wicked king Ahab, but God punished the house of Jehu for their own wickedness. Compare Isa 10:5,6,12; Jer 51:20-25. "Cause. . .to cease" – 2 Kings 17:1-23. The kingdom of Israel was made up of ten tribes descended from Jacob (Israel). It

HOSEA 2:1 1162

be the day of Jezreel.

to my first husband, for then it was better for me than now.' 8 For she did not know that it was I who

"Say to your brethren, 'Ammi', and to your sisters, 'Ruhamah.'

gave her grain and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold,

2 "Bring charges against your mother,

which they used for Baal.

bring charges; for she is not my wife, nor am I her husband. But let her put away her prostitution

9 "Therefore I will return, and take away

my grain at its time, and my wine in

its season, and will take back my wool and my flax

from her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts, 3 so that I do not strip her naked,

given to cover her nakedness. 10 And now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers,

and expose her as on the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and make her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. 4 And I will not have mercy on her children,

and no one will deliver her from

my hand. 11 I will also put a stop to all her rejoicing, her feast days, her new moons, and her Sabbaths,

for they are children of prostitution. 5 For their mother has behaved like a prostitute;

she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, 'I will go after my lovers

all her appointed feasts. 12 And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, of which she has said, 'These are my rewards that my lovers

who give me my food and my water,

my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.' 6 Therefore, see, I will block your way

have given me.' And I will make them a forest, and the

with thorns, and make a wall so that she cannot

beasts of the field will eat them. 13 And I will punish her for the days of the Baals, when she burned

find her paths. 7 And she will follow her lovers,

incense to them, and adorned herself with her earrings

but she will not catch up with them; and she will seek them,

but not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go and return

and her jewels, and went after her lovers,

"Day of Jezreel" – the day when God blesses His people in the great valley where He once punished them. 2:1 Compare 1:6,8. This points to a complete reversal of God's dealings with Israel. Ammi means "my people." Ruhamah means "obtainer of mercy." 2:2 "Bring charges against" – this seems a better translation than "plead with."

experience great disappointments with the idols and gods it went after, and eventually return to the one true God. Compare Lev 26:40-45. 2:8 Verse 5. The people thought God's good gifts came from the false gods they worshiped.

"Used for Baal" – compare Ezek 16:1519. Note on "Baal" at Jud 2:11. 2:9-13 God had made Israel prosperous, and He would ruin their prosperity because of their idolatry and many sins. 2:9 "Grain" – "corn" (KJV) was not then a crop in that part of the world. 2:10 "From my hand" – see Heb 10:31. None of the gods Israel worshiped, none of the nations it begged for help would be able to rescue it. 2:11 Their religious feasts had become a mockery. God had appointed them (Leviticus chapter 23), but they had no heart for God when they observed them. Compare Isa 1:12-17. So for a time He would make it impossible to them to observe them. 2:13 God declares repeatedly in His Word that He will punish idolatry – Deut 13:1-8; 27:15; Rev 21:8. "Forgot me" – the very thing God often warned them about (Deut 6:12; 8:11, 14,19).

"Mother" – from here to the end of the chapter God speaks through the prophet about the kingdom of Israel.

"Not my wife" – Israel was unfaithful to God and was like a woman forsaking her husband (1:2). So He was presently rejecting that people as if He were no longer its "husband".

"Let her put away" – repentance was the only hope for them. 2:3 Ezek 16:37; Lev 26:31-33; Deut 28:63. 2:4,5 1:6. The people of the kingdom of Israel, spiritually speaking, were not the children of God. Israel had turned to idols and the people were "children" of false gods. Morally, ethically and spiritually they were the result of the union of Israel with idolatry.

"I will go" – Jer 3:1,6; 44:17,18. 2:6 God would make it very difficult for Israel to continue in its idolatrous practices. 2:7 This suggests that Israel would

1163 HOSEA 3:3

and forgot me, says the LORD.

yes, I will betroth you to me in

righteousness, and in justice, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness; and you will know the LORD.

14 "Therefore, see, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness,

and speak to her heart. 15 And there I will give her vineyards back to her and the valley of Achor

21 "And it will happen on that day that I will answer, says the LORD, I will answer the heavens,

as a door of hope. And she will sing there,

and they will answer the earth, 22 And the earth will answer the grain and the wine and the oil,

as in the days of her youth, and as on the day when she came up

out of the land of Egypt.

and they will answer Jezreel. 23 And I will sow her for myself in the earth. And I will have mercy on her who had

16 "And it shall be on that day, says the LORD, that you will call me Ishi, and will no longer call me Baali. 17 For I will take away the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they will no more be remembered

not obtained mercy, and I will say to those who were not

my people, 'You are my people,' and they will say, 'You are my God.'"

by their name. 18 And on that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field,

Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by a friend, but an adulteress. Show her love just like the love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love their raisin cakes."

and with the birds of the sky, and with the creeping things of

the ground. And I will break the bow and the sword

2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and for a homer and a half of barley. 3 And I said to her, "You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not engage in prostitution, and you

and abolish war from the earth, and will cause them to lie down in safety. 19 And I will betroth you to me forever;

2:14-23 God here speaks of a time after Israel had suffered its punishment. He says He will bring the people back to Himself. See 1:10 - 2:1. 2:14 God is saying He will take the nation Israel again as His "wife". That time will be like a new "betrothal" (vs 19,20).

"In righteousness" – or "with righteousness." "Know" – compare Jer 24:7; 31:34. 2:21,22 When Israel turns back to God He will make the land and the people fruitful and prosperous again. 2:23 "In the earth" – or "in the land" – Jer 23:8; Ezek 36:24; 37:24,25; Amos 9:15. The same Hebrew word means both earth and land.

"Speak to her heart" – the literal translation of the Hebrew. 2:15 "Give her" – restore Israel's prosperity.

"My people" – 1:8; 2:1. Compare Rom 9:25. See note at Hos 1:10. "My God" – they will take the one true God as their God again and renounce false gods and idols. 3:1 "Adulteress" – 1:2. The Lord for a time would not show His love to Israel – 1:6, but His love had not been destroyed (compare Song of songs 8:6,7). We should be very glad that God's love is not as changeable and fleeting as ours can be.

"Achor" – compare Isa 65:10. Achor was the place where Achan was punished for his sin – Josh 7:25,26. The word means "trouble". But God would transform trouble into blessing when Israel turned back to Him.

"Sing" – or possibly "respond." "Youth" – compare Jer 2:2. "Egypt" – 12:9; Ex 12:51; 14:30,31. 2:16 "Ishi" – means "my husband" – Isa 54:5. "Baali" – means "my master or "my Baal." 2:17 Compare Ex 23:13; Ps 16:4. God says He will break Israel free from idolatry and fulfill the righteousness of the law in them. 2:18 In other words, wild beasts will not harm them as they did in the time of their punishment (v 12). Compare Isa 11:6-9.

"Raisin cakes" – these were offerings the people made for the false god Baal. 3:2,3 "Fifteen shekels" – about 170 grams. It seems from this that Gomer, Hosea's wife, had become a slave. Possibly one of her lovers had sold her into slavery. So Hosea paid in money and grain the total price to buy her back. The value put on a female slave was thirty shekels – Ex 21:7,32.

"Abolish war" – Ps 46:9; Isa 2:4; Zech 9:10. 2:19,20 The LORD (Jehovah – Ex 3:14,15) will again take Israel as His "bride". From then on the five qualities He lists in these verses will prevail. Compare Isa 1:27; 54:8.

"Homer and a half" – about ten bushels or 330 liters. Gomer's slavery was a picture of the captivity and enslavement of Israel to foreign nations. But God would release them from captivity in due time (Jer 30:8).

HOSEA 3:4 1164

shall not be for another man; so I will also be for you."

yes, the fish in the sea will also be

taken away.

4 For the children of Israel will remain many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim. 5 Afterward the children of Israel will return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and will show reverence for the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

4 "But let no man strive, or rebuke another;

for your people are like those who

strive with the priest. 5 Therefore you will stumble in the day,

and the prophet also will stumble

with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of

knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge,

Hear the word of the LORD,

you children of Israel; for the LORD has a controversy to bring

I will also reject you, so that you will not be a priest for me. Since you have forgotten the law of

with the inhabitants of the land: "For there is no faithfulness, or mercy,

your God, I will also forget your children. 7 The more they increased, the more

or knowledge of God in the land, 2 but swearing, and lying, and killing,

and stealing, and committing adultery. They use violence, and bloodshed

they sinned against me; therefore I will change their glory

follows bloodshed. 3 Therefore the land will mourn,

into shame. 8 They feed on the sin of my people,

and everyone who lives in it will

and they set their heart on their evil. 9 And it will be,

waste away, along with the beasts of the field and

'Like people, like priest'; and I will punish them for their ways,

the birds of the sky;

their sins. 4:4 All were guilty, people and priests alike, so no one should accuse and condemn anyone else. Compare Rom 2:1-4.

3:4 God would remove them from the land of Israel and bring them under foreign rule. They would not be able to worship as they had been doing.

"Priest" – note at Ex 28:1. 4:5 "Day", "night" – there was no rest from sinning. Sin makes a cruel master, keeping its slaves on the job continually.

"Ephod" – see Ex 25:7. Here the word is used of something connected with idolatry, and not for the purpose God designed.

"Teraphim" – household gods. 3:5 This is a clear statement of the future turning of Israel to God (5:15; Isa 10:20).

"Prophet also" – compare Isa 28:7; Jer 2:8,26; 5:13,31; 6:13; Ezek 13:2. "Mother" – the kingdom of Israel. 4:6 Lack of knowledge of God and His ways is a great destroyer of people – Prov 1:29-32; 10:21; Isa 1:3; Eph 4:18,19. "Rejected knowledge" – He speaks now to the priests and says their lack of knowledge of God was deliberate. They did not know God and His ways because they did not wish to know.

"David" – see Jer 30:9; Ezek 34:23,24; 37:24,25. "The latter days" – Deut 4:30; Isa 2:2; Jer 50:4,5. 4:1 "Word of the LORD" – 1:1. "Controversy" – God now brings against the people of the northern kingdom of Israel (v 15) a fuller description of their wrongdoing.

"Forgotten the law" – they failed in their most important task (Deut 31:9-13; 2 Chron 17:8,9; Ezra 7:10). "Forget your children" – they ignored what was most important to God; He would ignore what was most important to them. Compare Ps 18:25,26; Gal 6:7. 4:7 Compare Ps 106:20; Rom 1:23. 4:8 When people sinned they brought sacrifices to the priests to offer. The priests ate those offerings – Lev 6:24-29. The more the people sinned the more sacrifices they brought and the more the priests could take for themselves. They were not the last of the priests or religious leaders to make use of people's sins for selfish reasons. It goes on to this day. 4:9 People will become like their religious

"No faithfulness" – Ps 12:1; 18:25,26; 78:8,37. "No mercy" – they were failing in everything God wanted them to be.

"No knowledge" – 2:20. They did not know the Lord and did not want to know Him. Compare Rom 1:28. 4:2 "Swearing" – the Hebrew means to pronounce a curse on.

"Use violence. . .bloodshed" – when a people lack faithfulness, mercy and the knowledge of God there will be little or no restraints on their sinful nature. They will plunge into the evils God most hates (Prov 6:16-19). 4:3 There are terrible penalties that come on people who live as Israel did. Their whole country would be involved in punishment for

1165 HOSEA 5:1

and repay them for their deeds. 10 For they will eat, but not have enough. They will engage in prostitution,

with temple prostitutes. So a people without understanding fall

into ruin.

but shall not increase; because they have stopped obeying the LORD. 11 Prostitution and wine and new wine take away the heart. 12 My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, and get their answers from their rod

15 "Though you, Israel, act like a prostitute, let not Judah offend. So do not come to Gilgal,

nor go up to Beth-Aven, nor swear, 'As the LORD lives.' 16 For Israel is as stubborn as a rebellious heifer. How can the LORD pasture them like a

of divination. For the spirit of prostitution has caused

lamb in a large field? 17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone. 18 Their drink is sour; they give themselves to prostitution

them to go astray, and they have given themselves to

prostitution against their God. 13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under

continually; her rulers love shamefully, saying, 'Give!' 19 The wind wraps her up in its wings, and they will be put to shame

oaks and poplars and terebinths,

because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters engage in

prostitution and your brides

because of their sacrifices.

commit adultery.

14 "I will not punish your daughters when they engage in prostitution, or your brides when they commit adultery, because the men themselves go off

"Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For judgment is against you, because

with harlots and offer sacrifices

you have been a snare at Mizpah,

teachers and leaders and they will be punished like them.

God" into a place of evil practices. Compare Matt 21:12,13.

"Repay" – Deut 32:35; 1 Kings 2:32,44; Ps 28:4; Prov 24:12. 4:10-12 "Enough" – Lev 26:26; Micah 6:14. "Prostitution" – He probably meant both literal and figurative prostitution, sexual sins and the sin of forsaking the true God for idols (v 13). These two sins sometimes go together.

"As the LORD lives" – taking an oath in the name of Jehovah God. The people of Israel did this hypocritically – they were devoted to idols. 4:16 "Stubborn" – compare Deut 9:7; 1 Sam 15:23; Ps 78:8; 81:12; Isa 1:5; Jer 5:23; 7:24.

"Heifer" – the nation was like a young rebellious cow.

"Wine" – 7:5,14; Prov 20:1; 23:31. "Ask counsel from. . .idol" – compare 2 Kings 1:2-4; 2 Chron 25:15; Isa 19:3; 44:14-20; Ezek 21:21. "Spirit of prostitution" – 5:4. This means a mind to leave the true God and run after gods and idols. 4:13 "Hills" – 10:8; Deut 12:2; 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 17:10; Jer 2:20. 4:14 The daughters and daughters-in-law learned their evil behavior from the men and so the men were more guilty than they.

"Lamb" – God cannot treat people like His young sheep when they are like cattle which refuse to accept training. 4:17 "Ephraim" is here used for the whole northern kingdom of Israel – see Isa 7:2,5,8,9,17; 11:13; Jer 7:15. "Leave him alone" – that kingdom was so determined to ignore God and worship idols that nothing could be done for it (1:4-6; Prov 29:1). 4:18 They did not need to drink in order to abandon themselves to sin. 4:19 "Wind" – compare 8:7; 13:15; Ps 1:4; Prov 1:27; Isa 40:24. "Shame" – Isa 1:29. By worshiping idols they thought they would have prosperity and peace. Instead they would be ruined and destroyed – vs 6,14. 5:1 Political leaders, religious leaders and people were all guilty.

"Temple prostitutes" – women connected with idol temples and shrines who engaged in sexual sins with the men who came to worship.

"Without understanding" – v 6. Ruin will be the result to any people anywhere who refuse the knowledge of the true God. 4:15 Notice the distinction between the northern kingdom and the southern. Gilgal and Beth Aven were places where the northern kingdom had places of idol worship. "Beth Aven" means "house of wickedness". Here it is used to indicate Bethel (which means "house of God" – Gen 28:19). The people of Israel had changed the "house of

"Snare. . .net" – literal snares were to catch birds and animals, but here the words are used figuratively. They were catching people for their own selfish purposes and oppressing the poor and helpless. Mizpah was a town, Tabor a hill in Israel.

HOSEA 5:2 1166

and a net spread on Tabor. 2 And the rebels are deep in slaughter,

Cry out loudly at Beth-Aven,

'Behind you, O Benjamin!' 9 Ephraim will be desolate in the day of rebuke.

though I have rebuked them all. 3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not

Among the tribes of Israel I make

hidden from me; for now, O Ephraim, you engage in

known what is sure. 10 The princes of Judah are like those who remove boundary stones, therefore I will pour out my wrath on

prostitution, and Israel is defiled.

4 "They will not employ their deeds to

them like water. 11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly followed human orders. 12 Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rot. 13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to the Assyrian,

turn to their God, for the spirit of prostitution is among them, and they do not know the LORD. 5 And the pride of Israel testifies against him.

Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble

in their wickedness. Judah also stumbles with them. 6 They will go with their flocks and with

their herds to seek the LORD,

and sent a message to king Jareb. But he could not cure you,

but they will not find him. He has withdrawn himself from them. 7 They have dealt treacherously against

or heal you of your wound. 14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house

the LORD; for they have begotten alien children. Now a New Moon festival will devour

of Judah. I myself will tear them and go away. I will take them away,

them with their portions.

8 "Blow the horn in Gibeah,

and no one will rescue then. 15 I will go away and return to my place,

and the trumpet in Ramah!

destruction were coming. 5:8 War was about to come on the northern kingdom.

5:2 God's rebukes are often ignored by those who are determined to go on their own way. 5:3 "I know" – Ps 33:13-15; 94:9; Prov 5:21; Jer 16:17; 23:24; Amos 5:12; Heb 4:13.

"Beth Aven" – note at 4:15. "Benjamin" – this area was a part of the southern kingdom. It would join with other people against Israel. 5:9 "Sure" – Isa 46:10; Zech 1:6. When God speaks of judgment on sinful people it is no idle threat. 5:10 "Judah" – evidently the southern kingdom had taken part of Israel's territory. The Bible forbids moving boundary stones – Deut 19:14; Prov 22:28. Judah's leaders would pay the penalty for breaking God's command. 5:12 God had decided to destroy both Israel and Judah. 5:13 Both Israel and Judah had been defeated by foreign armies and left like a wounded body. Compare Isa 1:5-7. Note on Assyria at 2 Kings 15:19. 5:14 This is why the king of Assyria was not able to help Israel. God was against Israel and had decreed its destruction – v 9. If God is against us who can be for us?

"Ephraim" – note at 4:17. "Prostitution" – 1:2; 2:2; 4:10-12. 5:4 "To turn" – they had hardened their hearts so much with their sins that they had no desire to repent. Compare Heb 3:13.

"Spirit of prostitution" – 4:11. "Not know" – 4:6; Jer 4:22. 5:5 "Pride" – those who are the most spiritually ignorant are often the most arrogant, and they who have least to be proud about are often the most proud.

"Judah" – the southern kingdom was being affected by the idolatry and corruption of the northern kingdom. 5:6 "Seek" – 1 Chron 16:10,11; 2 Chron 7:14; Ps 27:8; 119:2; Jer 29:13; Matt 7:7. Seeking God from proper motives is the best thing anyone can do. But Israel was not seeking God from right motives. They continued in their idolatry and corruption but wanted God's blessing on top of it. So He would have nothing to do with them. Compare Isa 58:1-4. The Bible tells us how we must seek God if we would find Him – Isa 55:6,7; Jam 4:8-10. 5:7 1:2; 2:4. As long as they were determined to continue in their sins their seeking God was in vain.

"Tear them" – God would use foreign armies to tear them, so it was as if He were doing it. Compare Isa 10:5-7; 13:4; Jer 25:9. 5:15 God would leave Israel as He said He would – 1:6,9; Josh 24:20; 2 Kings 21:14.

"Until" – He would not forsake them forever, but would wait for true repentance. Compare Isa 54:7; Rom 11:11,25-27. God says a time would come when Israel

"New Moon" – Isa 1:14. In spite of their attempts to worship God, judgment and

1167 HOSEA 7:2

until they acknowledge their offense,

7 But like men they have transgressed

and seek my face. In their affliction they will seek me earnestly."

the covenant. There they have dealt

treacherously against me. 8 Gilead is a city of evildoers,

"Come, and let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, but he will heal us. He has struck us, but he will bind up

and is defiled with blood. 9 And as bands of robbers lie in wait for

our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us;

a man, so the company of priests commit

on the third day he will raise us up,

murder on the way to Shechem; they commit shameful deeds. 10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel. There is the prostitution of Ephraim,

and we will live in his sight. 3 Then we will know the LORD,

if we press on to know him. His coming is as certain as the morning, and he will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth."

Israel is defiled. 11 Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I bring

4 "O Ephraim, what shall I do with you?

back my people from captivity.

O Judah, what shall I do with you? For your goodness is like a morning cloud, and it goes away like the early dew. 5 Therefore I have cut them down by the

"When I would have healed Israel,

then the guilt of Ephraim was

uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they practice deceit. The thief comes in, and the band of

prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth. And judgments on you are like light

going forth. 6 For I delight in mercy, and not sacrifice,

robbers plunders outside. 2 And they do not consider in their

and the knowledge of God more than

hearts that I remember all their

burnt offerings.

and Judah would seek Him in a proper way. Compare vs 6,7. 6:1-3 These words seem to indicate the repentance and faith that would come to Israel and Judah sometime after God tore them to pieces and withdrew from them (5:14,15). Hosea is putting these words into the mouths of a future generation of people. They could not have spoken these words at the time Hosea was writing because God had not yet torn them to pieces. But eventually that nation would understand that God had torn them in justice and would heal them in mercy, that He tore them just so they would turn to Him for mercy. 6:2 "Two days . . . third day" – a comparatively brief time. But see 2 Pet 3:8.

its coming was absolutely certain. The words of His mouth were spoken through His prophets and they signified destruction for the people. Compare Jer 23:29. 6:6 Here is the reason why God punished His people. They were content with the outer forms of their religion and rejected its heart. Compare Ps 50:7-23; Isa 1:11-17; Matt 23:23,24. See also Matt 9:13 and 12:7 where Jesus quoted these words. 6:7 "Like men" – this could be translated "like Adam". The Hebrew word for Adam and man is the same. 6:8 "Gilead" – 12:11. A palce belonging to Israel east of the Jordan river. 6:9 "Priests" – not only did they fail in their most important task (4:6), they trampled God's law under their feet and became utterly vile. 6:10 4:10,12,18; 5:3,4. 6:11 "Bring. . .from captivity" – this could be translated "restore the well-being of" – the Hebrew means either. 7:1 God did not want to punish His people. He much preferred to heal and bless them (compare Matt 23:37. See note at Jer 48:31-39). But He could not justly do so. The great Judge of the universe must uphold justice and righteousness and punish those who break His laws.

"Revive. . .raise" – compare 2:14-23; Isa 44:26; 49:6,8; 57:18; 61:4; Jer 15:19; 16:15; 30:17,18; Ezek 37:11-14. 6:3 "Know" – 2:20. "Press on" – compare Phil 3:10-12. "He will come" – words indicating faith. Rains came to the land of Israel in winter and spring and brought life to the land. God would come and rain blessings again on His people. Compare 10:12; Ps 72:6; Isa 44:3; 45:8; Ezek 34:26. 6:4 "I" – God speaks again. At the same time Hosea wrote neither Israel nor Judah was for a complete turning to God. What little devotion they had to Him was very brief. 6:5 God pronounced judgment on them through His prophets, and once pronounced

"Samaria" – 8:5,6. 7:2 "I remember" – 8:13; Jer 14:10; 44:21,22. Compare Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12; 10:17.

HOSEA 7:3 1168

wickedness. Now their own deeds have surrounded

their God, or seek him,

in spite of all this.

them; they are before my face.

11 "And Ephraim has become like a silly dove without heart. They call out to Egypt, they go to Assyria. 12 When they go, I will spread my net on them. I will bring them down like the birds

3 "They make the king glad with their

wickedness, and please the princes with their lies. 4 They are all adulterers, like an oven

heated by the baker, who stops stirring up the fire after

of the sky. I will punish them, as their

kneading the dough until it is leavened. 5 On the king's special day the princes

congregation has heard. 13 Woe to them! For they have strayed from me. Destruction to them! Because they have transgressed

become inflamed with bottles of wine. He stretches out his hand with scoffers. 6 For they prepare their heart like an oven,

while they lie in wait. Their baker sleeps all night; in the morning it burns like a blazing fire. 7 They are all as hot as an oven,

against me. Though I redeemed them, they have

spoken lies against me. 14 And they have not cried out to me with their heart, when they wailed on their beds. They gather together for grain and

and they have devoured their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is none among them who calls

out to me.

new wine, but they rebel against me. 15 Though I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against me. 16 They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a deceitful bow. Their princes will fall by the sword

8 "Ephraim has mixed himself among the

peoples. Ephraim is a cake not turned over. 9 Foreigners have devoured his strength,

and he does not know it. Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him,

because of the insolence of their tongue. This is why they will be mocked in the

but he does not know it. 10 And the pride of Israel testifies against him. And they do not return to the LORD

land of Egypt.

"Before my face" – 5:3; Ps 90:8. 7:3 4:2; Micah 7:3. Only wicked rulers take delight in the wickedness of their people. 7:4-7 These verses describe the condition among the people that delighted their rulers – adultery, drunkenness and uncontrollable passions. Verse 13 gives the result. All this in the midst of a people God chose to be His holy people and a special treasure! 7:5 "Scoffers" – Ps 1:1; Prov 1:22; 21:24; 2 Pet 3:3. They who live evil lives will mock at the things of God. 7:7 "Their judges" – or "their leaders" or "their rulers." The history of the northern kingdom of Israel was full of intrigues and assassinations of rulers. Some kings lasted only a year or two, some only a few months, one only seven days. In the 200 years of the existence of that kingdom not one of its kings was a good man who tried to serve God. 7:8 "Mixed" – Israel was the exact opposite of what God wanted them to be (v 11; Ex 19:5,6; Deut 7:1-6). Compare 2 Cor 6:14-18.

Israel was getting old and enfeebled and still remained in ignorance of it. 7:10 "Pride" – 5:5. "Seek" – they sought God half-heartedly and from wrong motives (v 14; 5:6,7). 7:11 "Silly" – Isa 1:3; Jer 5:21. Instead of seeking help from the Almighty they sought it from various military alliances. Note on Assyria at 2 Kings 15:19. 7:12 God knows how to deal with people who behave like that. Compare 5:13,14. 7:13 "Woe" – 9:12; Isa 3:9,11; 5:8,11,18, 20,21,22. "I redeemed them" – note on redeem at Ps 78:35. God had often freed them from their troubles and their enemies, but this is how they repaid him. 7:14 "Heart" – they wept over their sufferings and troubles; they pitied themselves, but they would not heartily seek God. Compare Deut 4:29; 2 Chron 6:37,38; Jer 29:13. 7:15 Israel was His people. All they had came from Him. He had done them good, but see what He got in return. This is the way with the people of this world. They want God's blessings and complain bitterly if they don't get them, but they will do only evil in return for all His good. 7:16 "Deceitful bow" – they will be useless

"Not turned" – burned on one side, raw on the other; unfit for the purpose it was made. 7:9 Alliances with foreign countries cost them dearly both economically and spiritually. And

1169 HOSEA 8:14

"Put the trumpet to your mouth! The enemy is coming like an eagle

foreigners would swallow it up. 8 Israel is swallowed up.

against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my

Now they will be among the Gentiles

like a vessel in which

no one takes pleasure. 9 For they have gone up to Assyria,

covenant, and rebelled against my law. 2 Israel will cry out to me,

a wild donkey alone by itself. Ephraim has hired lovers. 10 Yes, though they hire them among the nations, now I will gather them, and they will begin to diminish because

'My God, we know you.' 3 Israel has rejected what is good.

The enemy will pursue him. 4 They have set up kings, but not by me.

They have made princes,

of the burden of the king of princes.

but I did not acknowledge it. With their silver and their gold they

11 "Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, they have become for him altars for sinning. 12 I wrote for him the great things of my law, but they were considered something alien. 13 They sacrifice flesh as the sacrifices for my offerings, and eat it ; but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their wickedness,

have made idols for themselves, with the result that they will be cut off. 5 Your calf, O Samaria, is rejected.

My anger burns against them. How long will it be before they attain

to innocence? 6 For this also is from Israel;

the workman made it, therefore it is not God. That calf of Samaria will be broken in pieces.

and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt. 14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built temples; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities. But I will send a fire on his cities,

7 "For they have sown the wind,

and they will reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; it will never produce meal. Even if it did produce meal

in the decisive battles to come. 8:1 "Trumpet" – to sound a warning. "Eagle" – the Assyrian army. "Covenant" – Ex 19:5. "Rebelled" – 7:13. 8:2 Their cry would not sincere and accompanied with repentance (5:6,7). 8:3 "Good" – God's covenant, His law and His way. 8:4 "Kings" – 7:7; 2 Kings 15:8-30. They chose the rulers they wanted without taking into account what God wanted.

and became like others. So God could take no pleasure in them. 8:9 Compare 2 Kings 15:19; 17:3. 8:10 They were willing to pay anyone who would promise to help them.

"Begin to diminish" – the translation of the KJV here – "shall sorrow a little" – is possible, but very unlikely. 8:11 They built altars to false gods, not to the one true God, so all their worship at those places was in defiance of God, and sinful. 8:12 "I wrote" – God says the writings of Moses came from Him. Moses was His pen. Compare 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21.

"Cut off" – observe the cause of the destruction coming on them – idolatry. Compare Ex 20:3-5; Lev 26:30-33; Deut 27:15. 8:5 "Calf" – 10:5. See 1 Kings 12:28-33. Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom and here represents the whole nation.

"Alien" – Israel had become so corrupted that their own law seemed strange to them. 8:13 Verse 2. Even when they offered sacrifices to God rather than to idols, they were lacking in sincerity and their worship was not acceptable. Compare Isa 1:11-17.

"Anger" – Lev 26:28; Num 25:3; Deut 4:25; 11:16,17. Few things that go on in the world make God as angry as idolatry does. 8:6 "Workman" – Isa 40:20; 41:22-24; 44:9-20. "Not God" – there is no connection whatever between any idol and the one true God. He will not accept any worship offered to an idol. 8:7 "Sown. . .reap" – Job 4:8; Prov 22:8; Gal 6:7,8.

"Remember" – 7:2; 9:9. "Egypt" – 7:11,16; 9:3,6. The Assyrians took most of the people away (2 Kings 17:36), but some of them escaped to Egypt (9:6). 8:14 "Forgotten" – see 2:13. "Maker" – ignoring the Creator and turning to idols is a common sin among men (Rom 1:21-25,28). Since Israel had God's law their guilt in this was even worse than that of other peoples.

"Foreigners" – Assyrians. 8:8 "Among the Gentiles" – 7:8. Gentiles means non-Jewish nations. Israel lost its character of being a separate people for God

"Temples" – forgetting the Creator and building temples to false gods is also a common practice among men.

HOSEA 9:1 1170

and it will devour its palaces."

Let Israel know. The prophet is considered a fool,

Do not rejoice, O Israel,

the inspired man insane, because of your many evil deeds,

with joy like other people, for you have gone away from your God

and great hostility. 8 The watchman of Ephraim is with

and engaged in prostitution. You have loved a prostitute's pay at

my God, a prophet; yet a bird catcher's snare is in all his ways, and hostility in the house of his God. 9 They have deeply corrupted themselves,

every threshing floor. 2 The threshing floor and the winepress

will not feed them, and the new wine will fail her. 3 They will not live in the LORD's land,

as in the days of Gibeah. Therefore he will remember their iniquity,

he will punish their sins.

but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean things in Assyria. 4 They will not offer wine offerings to

10 "I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruit of

the LORD, nor will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be for them like the

the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-Peor,

and dedicated themselves to that

bread of mourners. All who eat it will be defiled; for their bread will be for their lives. It will not come into the house of the LORD. 5 What will you do on the appointed day,

shameful thing, and they became as abominable as

what they loved. 11 As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird, without birth,

and on the day of the feast of the LORD? 6 For, see, they are going because of

without pregnancy,

and without conception. 12 Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them until no man is left; yes, and woe to them when I depart

destruction. Egypt will gather them up,

Memphis will bury them. Nettles will possess their treasures of silver, thorns will be in their tents. 7 The days of punishment are coming,

from them! 13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place. But Ephraim will bring out his children

the days of retribution are coming.

9:1 "Rejoice" – with God's judgment hanging over them it was folly to be rejoicing.

watchman is a prophet "with God." God is the supreme "watchman".

"Ephraim" – note at 4:17. "A snare" and "hostility" were what faced all the faithful prophets who warned the people. This is abundantly clear in the history of Jeremiah. 9:9 "Gibeah" – see Judges chapters 19-21. That was one of the most corrupt times in Israel's history.

"Prostitution" – this is a recurring theme of this book (1:2; 2:2; 3:1; 4:1,10,12,15; 5:3,4). 9:2 2:9,12; 4:10. 9:3 The land of Israel is "the LORD's land." He will choose who should live there and who not.

"Egypt" – 8:13. "Unclean" – see Leviticus chapter 11. "Assyria" – 2 Kings 17:3-6. 9:4 "Bread of mourners. . .defiled" – Num 19:14; Deut 26:14; Jer 16:7. "House" – there was only one temple of the LORD and that was in Jerusalem. And they would not be going there. 9:6 "Egypt" – 8:13. Memphis was the capital of northern Egypt.

"Remember" – 7:2; 8:13; 13:12. "Punish" – God is not keen to punish, but He does so when His justice demands it (Ex 34:6,7). 9:10 "I found Israel" – God speaks of the beginnings of the people of Israel as a nation when they came out of Egypt. He was delighted to have them as His people.

"Baal-Peor" – see Num 25:1-5. They gave themselves up to worship a "shameful" and "abominable" image. Note on Baal at Jud 2:11. Loving an immoral god they became immoral themselves – not an uncommon thing in our own day. 9:11 Israel would decrease in numbers and power and prosperity. 9:12 "When I depart from them" – 5:15. This is the greatest disaster possible to any people. 9:13 "Tyre" – see Ezek 27:1-25.

"Nettles. . .thorns" – 2:12; 5:9; 10:8. 9:7 "Inspired man" – the same as a prophet. Note at Gen 20:7; 2 Pet 1:21. Israel considered God's spokesmen as fools and crazy people. Compare 2 Kings 9:11; Jer 29:26,27; Acts 26:24; 1 Cor 4:10.

"Hostility" – Lev 26:21,23,27. Compare Rom 8:7; Jam 4:4; Ps 51:4. 9:8 "Watchmen" – Isa 56:10; Jer 6:17; Ezek 3:17; 33:2-8. Observe that the

1171 HOSEA 10:9

3 For now they will say,

to the murderer."

"We have no king, because we did not

14 Give them, O LORD; what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry

fear the LORD. What then could a king do for us?" 4 They speak words, swearing falsely

breasts.

15 "All their wickedness appeared in Gilgal; so I hated them there. Because of the evil of their deeds

while making a covenant. So judgment springs up like poisonous

weeds in the furrows of the field. 5 The inhabitants of Samaria will fear

I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more. All their princes are rebels. 16 Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up. They will bear no fruit. Yes, even though they bear children,

for the calf idols of Beth-Aven; yes, its people will mourn over it,

and its priests, who have rejoiced

over it for its splendour, because it has now departed from it. 6 And the idol will be carried to

I will slay the loved ones of their womb."

Assyria as a present for King Jareb. Ephraim will be humiliated, and Israel

17 My God will reject them because they did not listen to him, and they will become wanderers among

will be ashamed of his own counsel. 7 As for Samaria, her king will be cut

off like a stick on the water. 8 And the high places of Aven,

the nations.

the sin of Israel, will be destroyed. The thorn and the thistle will come up

Israel became an empty vine. He brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit multiplied, he increased

on their altars, and they will say to the mountains,

the number of altars. As the prosperity of his land increased

"Cover us!" And to the hills, "Fall on us."

they adorned his sacred pillars. 2 Their heart is divided.

9 "O Israel, you have sinned from the

Now they must bear their guilt. He will break down their altars,

days of Gibeah. There they stood. Then the battle in

he will ruin their sacred pillars.

Gibeah against the children of

"Murderer" – because of its sins Israel would face the slaughter of its children and be responsible for it. 9:14 God has been speaking. Now Hosea speaks. Note on such prayers at Ps 35:8. 9:15 God speaks again. "Gilgal" – 4:15 – a place of idol worship.

kingdom was destroyed and their king was in prison – 2 Kings 17:4-6. 10:4 4:1,2; 7:1. This is the way deceitful hearts (v 2) express themselves. Let us resolve to keep away from such poison. See 1 Cor 6:1-8. 10:5,6 "Samaria. . .calf idols" – 8:5. The people were worshiping a god which could do nothing to defend itself. The idol with all its splendor was powerless and was taken captive along with the people of Israel.

"I hated them" – this is just what God said would happen if Israel forsook Him and worshiped false gods (Lev 26:30). Note on "hate" at Mal 1:3. Compare Ps 5:5; 45:7; Prov 6:16.

"Beth Aven" – note at 4:15. "Humiliated. . . ashamed" – their weakness and folly and the powerlessness of their gods would be exposed. Note on Assyria at 2 Kings 15:19. 10:7 2 Kings 17:4-6. 10:8 "High places" – 4:13. "Aven" – 4:15. This could be translated as "wickedness", the meaning of the Hebrew word. Their high places were places of wickedness because there Israel forsook God and worshiped idols.

"Love them no more" – 1:6. 9:16 "No fruit" – 10:1; Jude 12. 9:17 Again Hosea speaks. "Reject" – 2 Kings 17:15,20; Jer 6:30. "Wanderers" – this has been true during much of the history of the Jews. 10:1 "Vine" – Isa 5:1-7. "For himself" – instead of for God who planted the nation in the land.

"Altars . . . sacred pillars" – not to God but to false gods (4:7; 8:11; 12:11; 1 Kings 12:33; 14:23; 16:32). 10:2 "Divided" – Jam 1:8. "Guilt" – 13:16; Ex 34:7.

"The sin of Israel" – 1 Kings 12:30; 13:33,34; 16:26. "Fall on us" – the danger and suffering caused by invading Assyrians would be so great that the people would prefer to have a mountain fall on them and end their misery. Compare Luke 23:30; Rev 6:16. 10:9 See 9:9. God is speaking here.

"Break down" – v 8. The Lord would cause others to do this and so it was the same as His doing it. 10:3 They would speak so, after the

HOSEA 10:10 1172

wickedness did not overtake them. 10 When it is my desire I will punish them; and peoples will be gathered against

the mother was dashed in pieces on

her children. 15 Thus it will be done to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. In one morning the king of Israel will

them, when they are to be bound for

their two transgressions. 11 And Ephraim is like a trained heifer that loves to thresh the grain, but I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will drive Ephraim; Judah will plow,

be completely cut off.

"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 2 But the more they called them,

and Jacob will break up his clods."

the more they went away from them. They sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to carved images. 3 And I taught Ephraim to walk,

12 Sow for yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy. Break up your fallow ground. For it is time to seek the LORD,

taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them. 4 I drew them with human cords,

until he comes and rains

righteousness on you. 13 You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped evil. You have eaten the fruit of lies,

with bands of love. And I was for them like those who take

off the yoke from their jaws, and I bent down and fed them.

because you trusted in your way,

in your many mighty men. 14 Therefore a tumult will arise among your people, and all your fortresses will be plundered, as Shalman spoiled Beth Arbel on the

5 "Will he not return to the land of Egypt?

And the Assyrian will be his king, because they refused to return to me. 6 And the sword will whirl over his cities,

and will make an end of his branches,

day of battle;

10:10 "When it is my desire" – God has a proper time for everything, and we should not think that because judgment does not come for a long time it will not come at all. Compare 2 Pet 3:4-9.

lies and listen to lies will have to endure the results of that kind of behaviour.

"Your way" – Isa 53:6. "Mighty men" – instead of seeking God they put their confidence in human beings. 10:14 We know nothing about Shalman's attack on Beth Arbel. This is the only place in the Bible where these names appear. 10:15 "Bethel" – this is the town where one of the calf idols (v 5) was located (1 Kings 12:28,29). It became a center for idolatry and it would have to pay the price for that sin. 11:1 Here God is speaking again. He is the one who loved Israel and called them out of Egypt – 9:10; Deut 4:37; 7:7,8.

"Two transgressions" – perhaps the two calf idols, one at Dan and one at Bethel. Or perhaps the double sin described in Jer 2:13. The KJV translation of the last sentence of this verse is very doubtful. 10:11 "Ephraim" and "Jacob" signify the kingdom of Israel. Judah means the southern kingdom. Both would eventually go into captivity and work for their captors. 10:12 "Sow. . .reap" – God's law of sowing and reaping is always at work. See 8:7; Job 4:8; Ps 126:5,6; Prov 11:18; 22:8; Eccl 11:6; Gal 6:7. Israel had been "sowing" evil and would reap punishment. They should "sow" right actions and "reap" God's loving blessings.

"Called my son" – Ex 4:22,23; Deut 32:6; Isa 1:2-4; 64:8. Matthew applies these words to the Lord Jesus in Matt 2:15. 11:2 "They" – refers to God's spokesmen the prophets through whom God called the people.

"Fallow ground" – Jer 4:3. He means the "unplowed" hard condition of their hearts.

"Went away from them" – to turn away from the message of the prophets was the same as turning away from God – v 7; Jer 7:13; Isa 1:4; 2 Kings 17:13,14. "Baals" – 2:8,13. 11:3 Like a father God taught Israel how to behave.

"Seek the LORD" – Deut 4:29; Ps 9:10; 22:26; 34:10; 69:32; Jer 29:13; Matt 7:7,8. This is the only way to break up hard hearts and to sow righteousness. We need His power and wisdom to accomplish any spiritual work.

"Rains righteousness" – Isa 45:8. This is the kind of rain we need – God's blessing which will make us behave righteously and justly. And we should seek God until He gives us this kind of "rain." 10:13 Israel had been sowing the wrong sort of "seed" and it resulted in great trouble.

"Healed" – Ex 15:26. 11:4 Jer 31:3. In tender love God lifted the yoke of slavery in Egypt from them and fed them in the wilderness – Ex 2:23; 13:3; 16:13-18; Deut 7:8; Ps 78:25. 11:5 "Refuse to return" – v 7; Job 36:10; Jer 5:3; Ezek 18:30,32. 11:6 13:16.

"Lies" – v 2; 4:2; 7:13. Those who tell

1173 HOSEA 12:8

and destroy them, because of their own

Ephraim feeds on the wind, and follows the east wind. Daily he multiplies lies and violence. And they make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. 2 The LORD also brings a charge against

plans. 7 And my people are bent on backsliding from me.

Though they called them to the Most High,

none at all would exalt him.

8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim?

Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds he will repay him. 3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel,

How can I give you up, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I deal with you like Zeboim? My heart turns over within me,

and with his strength he struggled with

my compassions are kindled. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of my anger.

God. 4 Yes, he struggled with the angel,

I will not destroy Ephraim again,

and prevailed. He wept, and pleaded with him. He found him at Bethel, and there he

for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in your midst. And I will not enter the city. 10 They will follow the LORD. He will roar like a lion. When he roars, the children will come

spoke with us, 5 that is, the LORD God of hosts;

the LORD is his memorial name. 6 Therefore turn to your God.

trembling from the west. 11 They will come trembling like a bird from Egypt, and like a dove from the land of Assyria; and I will settle them in their houses,

Maintain mercy and justice,

and wait on your God continually.

7 A merchant with the balances of deceit

in his hand loves to oppress; 8 And Ephraim says,

says the LORD."

12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit. And Judah still wanders restlessly against God, and against the faithful holy ones.

"Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself. In all my labours they will find

no evil in me that can be called sin."

11:7 "Bent" – they were not unknowingly displeasing God, but were very determined and stubborn in their wickedness, though He called them again and again (v 2).

somewhat obscure and difficult, but the translation of the KJV here – "But Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints" – is very doubtful. For in Hosea Judah is not revealed as faithful – see 5:5,10,12,14; 6:4; 8:14; 12:2. Also the root meaning of the word translated "ruleth" in the KJV is to wander restlessly, to roam. The word translated "with" in the KJV also means against or near. 12:1 This speaks of Israel's useless attempts to find a military ally – 5:13; 7:11; 8:9. Note on Assyria at 2 Kings 15:19. 12:2,3 "Judah" – 5:5,12-14; 6:4,11; 10:11; 11:12. "Jacob" – the people of Israel. They had behaved in accordance with the meaning of the name Jacob (Gen 25:26; 27:36). 12:4 "Angel" – Gen 32:22-28. "Bethel" – Gen 28:12-19; 35:1-15. 12:5 "LORD" – Jehovah. Note at Ex 3:14. 12:6 Jacob had been a deceiver, but he later turned to God with his whole heart. This is what his descendants now needed to do.

"Most High" – 7:16. 11:8-11 Now God says He will not make a full end of Israel. He would punish the people but not completely destroy them. Israel would not become like Admah and Zeboiim (cities near Sodom destroyed with Sodom – Gen 19:24,25; Deut 29:23; Jer 49:18). After sending Israel into exile He would regather them – v 11. 11:8 "How" – God's great love for Israel would not permit Him to cast them off forever.

"Compassions" – 2:19; Deut 30:3; 32:36; Ps 103:13; 116:5; 119:156; 145:9; Isa 14:1; Jam 5:11. 11:9,10 "Anger" – notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11. "Not man" – Num 23:19. Men may think God is like them (Ps 50:21), but He is not (Isa 55:8,9).

"Holy One" – note at Lev 20:7. "Like a lion" – not against them as in 5:14, but as their Redeemer calling them home. 11:11 Amos 9:14,15. 11:12 Hosea now speaks again, and shows that if God shows compassion to Israel it will not be because they deserve it.

"Justice" – Isa 1:16,17; Amos 5:15,24; Micah 6:8.

"Wait" – Ps 5:3; 27:14; 33:20; 37:7,34; 123:2. They (and all God's people always) should look to God for His help and favor rather than trying to find help from men. 12:7,8 Ways in which the people of Israel revealed their deceitfulness. They deceived others and themselves, and thought their

"Lies. . .deceit" – 4:1,2; 10:2,4. The last sentence of this verse is

HOSEA 12:9 1174

9 "But I, who am the LORD your God

and idols according to their own

since the land of Egypt, will make you live in tents again, as in the days of the appointed feast. 10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and given parables through the prophets."

understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen. They say of them, "Let the men who

sacrifice kiss the calves." 3 Therefore they will be like the morning cloud,

and like the early dew that passes away, like the chaff that is driven by the

11 Is there wickedness in Gilead? Surely they are worthless. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; yes, their altars are like heaps of

whirlwind out of the threshing floor, and like the smoke out of the chimney.

4 "Yet I am the LORD your God since the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but me; for there is no saviour except me. 5 I knew you in the wilderness,

stones in a plowed field. 12 And Jacob fled to the country of Syria, and Israel served to get a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. 13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved. 14 Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly. Therefore his Lord will leave his

in the land of great drought. 6 When their pasture was rich,

they became satisfied. They were satisfied, and their heart

was exalted, therefore they forgot me. 7 Therefore I will be to them like a lion.

bloodguilt on him, and bring back his scorn onto him.

I will watch like a leopard by the wayside. 8 I will meet them like a bear robbed of

her cubs, and will tear the flesh from their heart,

When Ephraim spoke, trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended through Baal, he died. 2 And now they sin more and more,

and there I will devour them like a lion. A wild beast will tear them apart.

and have made for themselves cast

9 "O Israel, you have destroyed yourself,

metal images with their silver,

but your help is in me.

deceitfulness would never be discovered.

13:1 In this verse "Ephraim" means one of the twelve tribes and "Israel" means all the twelve tribes.

"Rich" – compare Rev 3:17. "Iniquity. . .sin" – sometimes those who are most wicked have the least consciousness of their wickedness, and can even boast that they are good. See Jer 17:9; Luke 18:10-14. 12:9 "Egypt" – 11:1. "Tents again" – 2:14,15. The people of Israel lived in tents in the desert after they came out of Egypt – Ex 33:8; Num 1:52,53. 12:10 "I have also spoken" – 1:1. Note on prophets at Gen 20:7.

"Trembling" – for a time Ephraim was one of the most powerful of the tribes. Joshua, Moses' successor, and Jeroboam, the founder of the northern kingdom, were from this tribe.

"Baal" – 2:8,13,17; 11:2. "Died" – because of idolatry true spiritual life died out in Ephraim (compare Prov 14:12; Rom 6:23). The tribe lost also its power and prosperity. 13:2 "More and more" – sin not forsaken always leads to more sin.

"Visions" – note at Gen 15:1. "Parables" – 2 Sam 12:1-4; Ps 78:2; Isa 5:1-7; Ezek 17:2; 24:3.

"Craftsmen" – 8:6. 13:3 Israel would soon disappear from the land – 9:17; 10:7; 11:5. 13:4 11:1; 12:9; Ex 20:2,3; Isa 43:11; 45:21,22. 13:5 11:3,4; 12:13. 13:6 Deut 6:11,12; 8:10-14; 11:15,16; 31:20; 32:15,18. It is very possible to set one's heart on the things God gives, to think we deserve them and so get puffed up, and then to forget the One who gave them. 13:7,8 5:14. Compare Lam 3:10,11. 13:9 9:7. What real help is there for those who reject their true Helper? But this is something we see on every hand. People oppose the one true God and then wonder

"Through the prophets" – Heb 1:1; 2 Pet 1:21. 12:11 "Gilead" – 6:8,9. "Gilgal" – 4:15; 9:15. 12:12 Gen 28:2,5; 29:20-28; 30:31; 31:41. Jacob fled to Aram (Syria). His descendants would be taken there as captives (Syria became part of the Assyrian empire). 12:13 "Prophet" – Moses (Num 12:6-8; Deut 18:15; 34:10). God used Moses to care for Israel. 12:14 Ephraim signifies Israel. Their guilt was so great that God could no longer overlook it – 1:6.

"Bloodguilt" – 1:4; 4:2; 5:2; 6:8.

1175 HOSEA 14:5

10 I will be your king. Where is any other to save you in all

valuable article. 16 Samaria will become desolate, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed in pieces,

your cities? And where are your judges to whom you said,

'Give me a king and princes'? 11 I gave you a king in my anger, and took him away in my wrath. 12 The wickedness of Ephraim is bound up. His sin is stored up. 13 Pains as a woman in childbirth will come on him. He is an unwise son, for he should not

and their pregnant women will be

ripped up."

O Israel, return to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your wickedness. 2 Take with you words,

stay long in the place where children

and turn to the LORD. Say to him, "Take away all guilt,

are born.

and receive us graciously, that we may offer the praise of our lips

14 "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be your plagues! O grave, I will be your destruction! Compassion will be hidden from my eyes. 15 Though he is fruitful among his brethren, an east wind will come. The wind of the LORD will come up

like the sacrifice of calves. 3 Assyria will not save us.

We will not ride on horses,

nor will we any longer say to the

work of our hands, 'You are our gods'; for in you the fatherless finds mercy."

4 "I will heal their backsliding.

from the desert, and his spring will become dry,

I will love them freely. For my anger has turned away from him. 5 I will be like the dew to Israel.

and his fountain will dry up. It will plunder the treasury of every

that their lives are filled with trouble and there seems no help for them anywhere. 13:10,11 3:4; 10:7; 1 Sam 8:4-9,19,20; 13:14; 15:10,11,28; 1 Kings 11:29-31; 14:10. 13:12 7:2; 8:13; 9:9. "Stored up" – compare Rom 2:5. 13:13 Isa 13:8; 21:3; 26:17; Jer 4:31; 13:21; Matt 24:8. 13:14 In the midst of warnings and disaster God gives this great promise to Israel (compare 1:10,11; 2:14-23).

1 Kings 8:46-51; Ps 25:11; Jer 31:34; Dan 9:19; Matt 6:12; 1 John 1:9.

"Praise of our lips" – literally "the calves of our lips." The Septuagint has "the fruit of our lips" – compare Heb 13:15. 14:3 They should realize that their trust must not be in men, or in false gods or idols, and turn to the true Helper of needy men (compare 13:9).

"Mercy" – 2:19; 11:8. 14:4-8 God speaks these words through Hosea. When Israel turns to God and prays according to the words of vs 2,3, God will hear them and restore them. See Lev 26:40-45; Deut 4:29-31. Verses 5-7 give a beautiful poetic picture of this restoration. Compare Isa 27:3-6; 32:15-18; 35:1,2. 14:4 "Backsliding" – going away from God to pursue one's own way – 11:7; Ps 58:3; Prov 1:32; Isa 53:6. Healing of this terrible characteristic of going astray is what we all need. The only hope for healing is in God (Isa 29:24; Jer 31:33).

"Ransom" – means to pay a price for the purpose of rescue. See note on redeem at Ps 78:35.

"Grave" – the word in Hebrew is "Sheol". See note at Gen 37:35.

"From death" – v 1. "Destruction" – see 1 Cor 15:55. 13:15 The redemption God promises in v 14 was in the future. God would first punish the nation as He said He would.

"East wind" – the Assyrian army which God would send on Israel. 13:16 7:1,13; 8:5,6; 10:5,7,14; 11:6,7. 14:1 "Return" – 10:12; 12:6. "Stumbled by your wickedness" – this is one of the principal themes of Hosea. Misery and destruction came on Israel for one reason only – their sins. This is a message for all people anywhere in any era. Compare Num 32:23; Rom 6:23. 14:2 Hosea by God's Spirit is so eager for their repentance he gives them the very words they should say.

"Love" – 2:1,19,23; 3:1; 10:12; 11:4; Jer 31:3; Isa 54:6-8; Micah 7:1820; Zeph 3:17; 1 John 4:8. After their repentance, after their sins are taken away and their waywardness healed, there will be no longer any obstacle to God's fully expressing His love to them.

"Anger has turned away" – sin is the reason for His anger, and when sin is taken away and forgiven there is no longer cause for anger. Note on God's anger at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11; John 3:36; Rom 1:18. 14:5 "Dew" – Gen 27:28. This speaks of

"Take away" – or "forgive." Ex 34:9;

HOSEA 14:6 1176

He will grow like the lily,

'What have I to do any more with idols?' I have heard him, and observed him. I am like a green fir tree. Your fruit comes from me."

and thrust out his roots like a cedar

of Lebanon. 6 His branches will spread, and his

beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon. 7 Those who dwell under his shade will return.

9 Who is wise?

He will understand these things. Who is discerning? He will know them. For the ways of the LORD are right,

They will come alive like the grain,

and grow like the vine; their renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. 8 Ephraim will say,

and the just will walk in them, but the transgressors will fall in them.

God's blessing, new every morning. 14:8 "What have I to do any more with idols?" – v 3. A question they should have asked long before.

14:9 Ps 107:43. "Understand" – Dan 12:10; Prov 4:5,7; 9:10.

"Ways of the LORD" – Ps 37:34; Prov 8:32; 23:26; Matt 7:13,14. "Right" – Ps 111:7,8; Zeph 3:5. Every individual either walks in God's ways or stumbles because of a rebellious heart – 4:5; 5:5

"From me" – God is the one who is the source of all fruitfulness. This is especially true of spiritual fruitfulness – John 15:4,5; Gal 5:22,23.

JOEL

Author:

Joel was a prophet who lived in the southern kingdom of Judah. His name means "Jehovah is God".

Date:

Some time about 835 BC.

Themes:

The great and terrible Day of the LORD; the warning that because of Israel's sin that day will bring on them great destruction; that destruction will be like a devastating invasion of locusts; however, God will preserve Israel at that time and punish those who attack them. In 2:28,29 there is the great prophecy about the Holy Spirit.

Contents:

The destruction caused by locusts ................................................................. 1:2-20 The Day of the LORD ................................................................................... 2:1 The armies which will invade Israel ................................................................. 2:2-10 A call to repentance ..................................................................................... 2:11-17 God's promise of help and blessing if they repent ............................................. 2:18-20 A message of joy ......................................................................................... 2:21-24 Future blessings, the outpouring of God's Spirit ............................................... 2:25-32 Judgment on those who cause Israel's suffering .............................................. 3:3-16 A promise that blessings will come to Israel ..................................................... 3:17-21

JOEL 1:1 1178

The priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn. 10 The field lies waste, the land mourns, for the grain is ruined, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. 11 Be dismayed, you farmers! Wail, you vinedressers! Weep for the wheat and the barley,

The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.

2 Hear this, you elders, and listen, all you inhabitants of the land. Has anything like this happened in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? 3 Tell your children of it,

because the harvest of the field has

and may your children tell their children, and their children another generation. 4 What the gnawing locust has left the

perished. 12 The vine has dried up, and the fig tree has withered. The pomegranate tree, the palm tree also,

large locust has eaten; and what the large locust has left the

and the apple tree, all the trees of the field are withered. Indeed, joy has withered away from

crawling locust has eaten; and what the crawling locust has left

the shearing locust has eaten.

the sons of men.

5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep. And wail, all you drinkers of wine,

13 Put on sackcloth and lament, you priests. Wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, lie all night in sackcloth,

because of the new wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth. 6 For a nation has invaded my land,

you ministers of my God. For the grain offering and the drink

strong, and without number. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it has the fangs of a great lion. 7 It has laid waste my vine,

offering are withheld from the house

of your God. 14 Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the

and splintered my fig tree. It has stripped it bare, and thrown it away. Its branches have become white.

inhabitants of the land to the house

of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.

8 Lament as a virgin dressed in sackcloth

mourns for the husband of her youth. 9 The grain offering and the drink

15 Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand,

offering have been cut off from the

house of the LORD.

and it will come as a destruction 1:1 "Word. . .came" – Hos 1:1. "Joel" means Jehovah is God. 1:2-4 Locust swarms are referred to in other parts of the Bible and were regarded as a judgment of God (Ex 10:13-15; Deut 28:38,42; 2 Chron 7:13). The one Joel speaks of here was the worst in the land of Israel for a very long time. The locust is similar to the grasshopper of India but not the same. Verse 4 in Hebrew has four different names for locusts – either different kinds of locusts or locusts in four different stages of development (the exact meaning of each of the four Hebrew words used here for locusts is unclear). 1:5 "Drunkards" – notes on drunkenness at Gen 9:21; Prov 23:29-35. This was evidently a common sin in Israel at that time.

the whole nation. Their grief should be as great as a bride who loses her husband before the marriage is consummated. 1:9-12 "Offering" – Ex 29:40; Lev 2:1; 23:18; Num 6:15; 29:16. The locusts had destroyed the vines and the grain in the fields so there was nothing left to bring as offerings to the temple. Verse 12 indicates that along with the plague of locusts there was a drought in the land. 1:13 "Sackcloth" – Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 3:31; 1 Kings 21:27; Neh 9:1; Esther 4:1; Job 16:15. 1:14 "A fast" – 2:15; Lev 16:29; Jud 20:26; 2 Sam 12:16; Jer 14:12; Jonah 3:4,5; Matt 6:16; 9:15. "Cry out" – they were to repent and plead with God to take away His judgment and restore the people and the land. 1:15 "The day of the LORD" – this phrase appears four more times in Joel (2:1,11,31; 3:14). There is no good reason to think the phrase does not have the same meaning in each place. Joel had been speaking of a past event but suddenly sees a much greater future event. The past one is just a little picture of the future one. The "day of the LORD" appears also in other books of the Bible – Isa 13:6,9; Ezek 13:5; 30:3;

"Weep" – vs 8,11,13. God was punishing them for their sins. It was no time for drunkenness and carelessness but for repentance and confession of sin – 2:12-14. 1:6,7 "Nation" – Joel means the locusts. He describes them as an invading army. Swarms containing millions of locusts come like a cloud and cover a land and are very destructive. 1:8 "Lament as a virgin" – now Joel addresses

1179 JOEL 2:6

from the Almighty. 16 Has not the food been cut off before our eyes; yes, joy and gladness from the house

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand, 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess,

of our God? 17 The seeds shrivel under their clods, the storehouses are in ruins, the barns are broken down,

a day of clouds and of dense darkness. Like dawn spreading on the mountains,

so a vast and mighty people come. There has never been such as this; nor will there be any such after it, even to the years of many generations.

for the grain is withered. 18 How the beasts groan! The herds of cattle are bewildered,

3 Before them a fire devours,

because they have no pasture; yes, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

and behind them a flame burns. Before them the land is like the

19 O LORD, to you I cry out, for the fire has devoured the

garden of Eden, but behind them a desolate wilderness; yes, and nothing escapes them. 4 Their appearance is like the

wilderness pastures, and flames have burned up all the trees

of the field. 20 The beasts of the field also cry out to you, for the streams of water have dried up, and the fire has devoured the

appearance of horses, and they run like cavalry. 5 They leap over the mountains with a

noise like that of chariots, like the sound of a flame of fire that

wilderness pastures.

devours the stubble, like a mighty people set in battle array. 6 Before their faces the people are

Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound

an alarm in my holy mountain!

despair and hardening one's heart. They should stir us to pray and seek God's face.

Amos 5:18,20; Obadiah 15; Zeph 1:7,14; Mal 4:5; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Thess 2:2; 2 Pet 3:10. The day of the LORD has to do with events which will take place at the end of this age when Christ returns to earth.

"Fire" – this may mean that the locusts and the drought destroyed everything like a great fire would do, or possibly because of the dry conditions literal fire broke out here and there. 2:1 "Trumpet" – Lev 23:24; 25:9; Num 10:5; Hos 5:8; 8:1. "My holy mountain" – Ps 2:6. Both this phrase and Zion refers to Jerusalem. God speaks now through Joel.

"At hand" – in several of the above references it is said that the day of the LORD is near. If that day still has not come, how could the prophets speak of it as near in their own time? There are various possible explanations.

We may say that "near" or "at hand" does not necessarily mean "coming soon". It can mean impending, ready to come whenever God sees the time is ripe, not far off in distance. See Rom 13:11,12; Rev 1:3.

"At hand" – note at 1:15. God is here speaking of a time at the end of this age when the day of the LORD will very suddenly come. 2:2 "Darkness" – compare 2:10,31; Isa 13:10; Amos 5:18,20; Zeph 1:15. "Vast and mighty people" – the locusts Joel speaks of in chapter 1 were like an invading army (1:6). Does God here speak of a more literal army? Very possibly. We know that before the day of the LORD fully comes vast armies of some kind will be on the march on earth. See Revelation chapter 9. Certainly nowhere else does the Bible tell us that there will be a world-wide plague of literal locusts at the end of this age.

Or we may say that God was speaking through the prophets and regarding time in His own way (compare 2 Pet 3:8,9 – in His eyes it is only as the passing of three days since He spoke through His servants, or even much less than three days – Ps 90:4).

Or we may say that Joel and the other prophets were given a vision of events at the end of this age and from that point of view the day of the LORD zwas near in time (compare Hab 2:3).

"Years of many generations" – God speaks of an army so vast there has never been one like it before and never will be afterwards. He is speaking, then, of an event still to come. Compare 3:9-11; Zech 12:3,9; Rev 16:14. 2:3 Literal armies can be as destructive to a land as locusts and, of course, far more destructive to human life. 2:4,5 Rev 9:7,9. 2:6 "Collect warmth" – or "gather brightness"

"Destruction" – see further descriptions of that day in Isa 2:10-21; 24:1-13; Revelation chapters 15 and 16.

"Almighty" – in Hebrew "Shaddai" – note at Gen 17:1. 1:16-20 Joel resumes his description of the event in his day which was a small picture of the great and terrible day of the LORD still to come. 1:19 "To you I cry out" – calamities are not times for complaining against God, or for

JOEL 2:7 1180

in anguish; all faces collect warmth. 7 They run like mighty men.

kindness, and relents concerning disaster." 14 Who knows but that he may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him,

They climb the walls like warriors; and each one of them marches on in

line and they do not break their ranks. 8 They do not bump one another.

a grain offering and a drink

offering for the LORD your God.

Each one walks in his path; and when they fall by the sword

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast! Call a solemn assembly! 16 Gather the people, consecrate the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those nursing

they are not stopped. 9 They run to and fro in the city.

They run along on the wall, they climb into the houses; they enter at the windows like a thief. 10 The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars withdraw their shining. 11 And the LORD makes his voice sound before his army; for his camp is very great, for strong is the one who carries out his

at the breast. Let the bridegroom come out of his chamber, and the bride from her room. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the portico and the altar,

and let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and do not

give up your inheritance to scorn, so that the nations rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples,

word. For the day of the LORD is great and

'Where is their God?'"

18 Then the LORD will be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yes, the LORD will answer and say to his people, "See, I will send you grain, and wine,

very terrible, and who can endure it?

12 "So even now," says the LORD, "turn to me with all your heart,

and with fasting, and with weeping,

and with mourning, 13 And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the LORD your God. For he is gracious and merciful,

and oil, and you will be satisfied with it. And I will no longer make you an

object of reproach among the nations, 20 But will remove far from you the northern invader, and will drive him into a barren and or "take on a ruddy colour." These are more literal translations of the Hebrew than the KJV, which, it seems, followed the Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate here, rather than the Hebrew. Perhaps the phrase means that their faces will be red with weeping or exertion. Several modern versions translate this "turn pale." 2:9 There will be no safety, no escape. 2:10 Isa 13:13; 24:17-21; Jer 4:23-26; Nah 1:5,6; Hab 2:21; Heb 12:26-28.

slow to get angry, and abounding in

"Turn" – Jer 3:12, 14,22; Lam 3:40; 5:21; Hos 14:1,2. "Slow to get angry", etc – Ex 34:6,7; Micah 7:18,19; 1 John 4:8.

"Relents" – Jer 18:8; Jonah 3:10; 4:2. 2:14 Verse 18; Jer 26:3; Amos 5:15. The blessing the prophet was thinking of is the ability once again to worship God with offerings. 2:15,16 This is a call for the people to meet together and earnestly seek God. No one was to stay away for any reason whatever. It is the way to the blessing of the previous verse. 2:17 The religious leaders of the people must take the lead in repentance and seeking God.

"Withdraw their shining" – vs 2,31; Isa 13:10; Rev 6:12-14. 2:11 "His army" – God says they are His army because they are an instrument in His hands to fulfill His purposes of judgment. Compare Isa 10:5-7; 13:4; Jer 25:9; 43:10-13; Hab 1:5,6. "Day of the LORD" – 1:15. "Who can endure it" – Nah 1:6; Rev 6:17. 2:12 1:13,14. 2:13 "Not your garments" – in those times the tearing of garments was an outward expression of grief or alarm (Gen 37:29,34; 44:13; Josh 7:6; Job 1:20; 2:12). Repentance means much more than that. It is hard hearts that need to be torn, not clothing – Ps 51:17; Isa 57:15.

"Inheritance" – Deut 4:20; Ps 28:9; 33:12; Eph 1:18. "Scorn" – Deut 9:26-29; 1 Kings 9:7; Ps 44:13,14.

"Where is their God" – Ps 42:3,10; 79:10; 115:2. 2:18 If the people will do their part, God will be sure to do His part. Compare Jam 4:8-10. "Jealous" – Isa 26:11; Zech 1:14; 8:2. 2:19 2 Chron 7:14; Ezek 34:29. 2:20 Some scholars think this is a reference

1181 JOEL 2:31

desolate land with his face toward

and the shearing locusts, my great army which I sent among you. 26 And you will have plenty to eat, and will be satisfied and praise

the eastern sea, and his back toward the western sea, and his stench will go up, and his bad smell will rise, because he has done monstrous things."

the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wonderfully with you; and my people will never be put to shame. 27 And you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God,

21 Do not fear, O land. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD will

do great things. 22 Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field, for the wilderness pastures are springing up, for the tree is bearing its fruit,

and there is no other; and my people will never be put to shame.

the fig tree and the vine are

28 "And it will come about afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will

yielding their strength. 23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the early rains justly, and he causes the rains to fall for you,

prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 And in those days I will also pour out my Spirit on my male and female servants. 30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of

the early rains, and the later rains

in the first month. 24 And the threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with wine and oil.

25 "And I will repay you for the years that the gnawing locusts have eaten, the large locusts, the crawling locusts,

to the "army" of locusts seen in chapter 1. Compare v 25. Others think it means a literal army which will invade Israel at the end of this age (compare Ezekiel chapters 38,39). Perhaps it refers both to the time then and the time still to come. See note on Isa 60:1-22.

Note on praise at Ps 33:1. 2:27 See Jer 31:34. "No other" – Isa 44:8; 45:18,21,22. "Never be put to shame" – this must speak of a time not yet come. From Joel's day to this Israel has often been put to shame. But a time is coming when this will happen no more – Isa 29:22; 45:17; 54:4. 2:28-32 See Acts 2:16-21. Pentecost was the beginning of the fulfillment of these verses. 2:28 "Afterward" – here this means "the last days" (Acts 2:16). On "last days" see John 6:39; 11:24; 2 Tim 3:1; Heb 1:8; Jam 5:3; 1 Pet 1:20; 2 Pet 3:3; 1 John 2:18; Jude 18. The last times began with Christ's first coming and go on at least until His second coming.

"Eastern sea" – the Dead Sea. "Western sea" – the Mediterranean. "Stench" – compare Isa 34:3; Ezek 39:11,12. 2:21-24 In the earlier part of Joel the people of Israel are told to weep, wail and mourn – 1:5,8,11,13; 2:17. Now they are told to be glad and rejoice. What makes the difference? On their part, repentance and turning to God; on God's part, restoring and blessing the people and the land.

"The LORD will do great things", not they (Ps 126:3; Isa 25:1; 1 Sam 12:24). And they must rejoice in Him (v 23), not in themselves.

"Your sons and your daughters" – that is, people of Israel. There are other promises concerning God's giving His Spirit to Israel. See Isa 32:15; 44:3,4; Ezek 36:27,28; 37:14; 39:29. Judging from the contexts of these promises the time when God will fulfill them is still in the future. Because there was the beginning of fulfillment at Pentecost does not mean that there will not be a final outpouring of the Spirit on Israel sometime in the future. 2:30,31 Compare Matt 24:29; Rev 6:1214. These events will take place just before the "day of the LORD" (1:15; 2:1,11; 3:14). The fact that God refers to them in connection with the outpouring of His Spirit may suggest that there will be an outpouring just before the end of this age.

"Early rains, and the later rains" (v 23) – he means literal rains. There had been a drought in the land and God will give them rains "as before." 2:25 Note at 1:4. "Repay" – God speaks. He sometimes has to chastise and punish His people. But when they accept correction He pours out His blessings on them, and these blessings more than make up for the hardships and trouble they endured.

"My great army" – compare v 11. Whether an army of locusts or of men, God can use it for His purposes, and so it becomes His army. 2:26 "Praise" – compare Isa 12:1-3; 25:1.

JOEL 2:32 1182

the LORD comes. 32 And it will come to pass, that whoever calls on the name of

took my silver and my gold, and carried my valuable possessions into your temples. 6 And you sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem to the Greeks, so that you might remove them far from their borders.

the LORD will be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem

there will be deliverance,

7 "See, I will raise them out of the place where you sold them, and will bring your retaliation back on your own head, 8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the children of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off, for the LORD has spoken."

as the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls.

"For, see, in those days,

and at that time, when I reverse the captivity of Judah

9 Proclaim this among the Gentiles: "Prepare for war! Rouse the mighty men! Let all the warriors draw near; let them come up. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.' 11 Assemble and come, all you nations, and all around gather yourselves

and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations,

and will bring them down into the

valley of Jehoshaphat, and will enter into judgment with

them there for my people and

for my inheritance Israel. They scattered them among the nations,

and divided up my land. 3 And they cast lots for my people,

together. Have your mighty ones go down there,

and traded a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine,

O LORD. 12 Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the valley of

that they might drink. 4 "Yes, and what have you to do with me, O Tyre, and Sidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? Will you retaliate against me? And if you retaliate against me, swiftly and speedily I will bring your retaliation back on your own head, 5 because you

Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the

surrounding nations. 13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down, for the winepress is

2:32 "Saved" – Rom 10:13. "Deliverance" – Isa 46:13; 59:20,21; Rom 11:26.

25:8-12; Luke 21:24. "My land" – those who fight for possession of the land of Israel are fighting about land which belongs to God. And God will give it to those He chooses. 3:3 "Cast lots for my people" – Obadiah 11. When their enemies conquered the land they treated the people like slaves. 3:4-8 God singles out Tyre and Sidon as examples of what He will do to "all nations" which have mistreated the people of Israel. See the principle upon which God will judge – "I will bring your retaliation back on your own head." Compare Deut 32:40-43; Ps 79:1-7; 83:1-18; 94:23; Jer 25:12-14. Note on Tyre and Sidon at Isa 23:1,2. 3:9 "War" – this war is connected with the day of the Lord (vs 14-16), and so awaits fulfillment at the end of this age. 3:10 Compare Isa 2:4 which describes what things will be like when this final great battle is over. 3:11 "Your mighty ones" – this may mean angels who come to oppose the armies coming against Jerusalem. Compare Zech 14:5.

"Remnant" – Isa 10:20; 11:10,11; Zech 13:8,9. "Calls" – Acts 2:39. 3:1 "Days. . .time" – the time indicated in 2:30-32. "Reverse the captivity of" – or it could be translated "restore the well-being of" – the Hebrew means either. Here it seems to mean to bring Judah and Jerusalem back to a place of spiritual prosperity and God's blessings (2:26,27,32; Isa 2:1-4; 40:911; 44:1-5; 51:1-3; 59:20 - 60:22; 62:112; Jer 31:35-40; Ezek 37:15-27; Hos 2:1423; Amos 9:14,15; Zech 14:8-11,20,21. 3:2 "Valley of Jehoshaphat" – as far as is now known there has never been a valley by this name in Israel. The word "Jehoshaphat" means "The LORD (Jehovah) judges" and the valley is here called by that name because of events to take place there in the future. They will take place near Jerusalem (vs 14-16). God will bring "all nations" there. Compare vs 11,12; Isa 29:7; Zech 12:3; 14:2; Rev 16:14. "My inheritance Israel" – 2:17. God is going to deal with those nations in accordance with the way they have treated His people.

"There" – vs 2,14-16. 3:12 God speaks. "Jehoshaphat" – v 2. This is not a judgment of individuals. God will deal with the armies which come against Jerusalem and pour out His judgment on them. Compare Zech 12:2-9; 14:3. 3:13 Compare Rev 14:14-20.

"Scattered" – 2 Kings 17:3-6; 24:14;

1183 JOEL 3:21

full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great."

18 And it will happen in that day, that the mountains will drip with new wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah will flow with

14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the

water, and a fountain will flow from the

valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon will be darkened, and the stars will withdraw their shining. 16 And the LORD will roar out of Zion, and makes his voice heard from

house of the LORD and water the

valley of Shittim. 19 Egypt will become a desolation, and Edom will become a desolate

wilderness, because of their violence against the

Jerusalem. And the heavens and the earth will shake, but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

children of Judah, for they shed innocent blood in their land. 20 But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation

17 "So you will know that I am the LORD your God, dwelling in Zion,

to generation. 21 For I will cleanse away their bloodguilt which I have not cleansed; for the LORD dwells in Zion."

my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no foreigners will pass through her again.

3:14 "Multitudes" – v 2. The valley called Jehoshaphat in vs 2,12 is here called "decision". This does not mean God will come there and decide something. It means He will put into effect a decision He has already made.

Jerusalem. In other places also God says He will make Jerusalem His dwelling place in the future – Ps 132:13,14; Ezek 48:35; Isa 12:6; 24:23; Jer 3:17; Zech 8:3; 14:16-21. But Jerusalem will be greatly changed from what it is now. 3:18 2:24. Compare Ex 3:8. "House of the LORD" – see Ezek 47:1-12. 3:19 Isa 19:5-8; 34:5-15. 3:20,21 "Forever" – Ps 68:16; Ezek 37:2528; 43:7,9; Amos 9:15; Micah 4:6,7; Gen 17:8; 48:4. No good reason appears to the author of these notes to think that Judah and Jerusalem are not to be taken literally. It is the same city which is guilty of shedding blood, and which remained for a time unpardoned, which will exist through all generations.

"Day of the LORD" – 1:15. 3:15 2:2,10,31. 3:16 "From Jerusalem" – indicating that Jerusalem will be the center of God's activities in that coming great battle.

"Shake" – Heb 12:26. "Hope" or "Refuge" – Ps 2:12; 5:11; 46:1-3; Zech 12:8,9. 3:17 God speaks again through the prophet. "Then" – at the time of the day of the Lord. God will dwell in Jerusalem. That this means a literal Jerusalem on earth seems clear from the statement "no foreigners will pass through her again." Of course, foreigners never did invade the heavenly

"I will cleanse" – Jer 31:31,34; Ezek 36:25; Mic 7:18-20. "In Zion" – Ps 43:3; 74:2.

AMOS

Author:

Amos means "One who carries a load". He was a shepherd, and evidently a poor man who earned money by looking after sycamore trees. His village Tekoa was about 9 kilometers south of Bethlehem, 18 kilometers south of Jerusalem.

Date:

Sometime about 760 BC.

Theme:

God is faithful to His people, so they must obey His commands and live in accordance with them; the condition of society as a whole is a reflection of the condition of the individuals who live in it; God is the Supreme Ruler of the world and will punish evil nations; He will also punish His own people who are unfaithful and disobedient to His covenant; because of Israel's sin God will use other people to uproot them from their land; but He gives a promise of eventual redemption for Israel.

Contents:

The prophet introduces himself and shows

the condition of the land ...................................................................... 1:1,2 God pronounces judgment on other peoples .................................................... 1:3 - 2:3

On Damascus .......................................................................................... 1:3-5 On the Philistines ..................................................................................... 1:6-8 On Tyre .................................................................................................. 1:9,10 On Edom ................................................................................................ 1:11,12 On Ammon .............................................................................................. 1:13-15 On Moab ................................................................................................ 2:1-3 Judgment on Judah ...................................................................................... 2:4,5 Judgment on the northern kingdom of Israel ................................................... 2:6-16 The greater the privileges the greater the

responsibilities .................................................................................... 3:1-3 God speaks through the prophet.................................................................... 3:4-8 The people of Israel, afflicting the poor

and living in luxury, will fact punishment ................................................. 3:9-15 Israel's wealth, their detestable worship,

their coming punishment ...................................................................... 4:1-5 Former punishment had not produced good results .......................................... 4:5-13 Lamentation, and a call to repentance ............................................................ 5:1-6

Seek the LORD and live ............................................................................ 5:4-6 Wealth gained by afflicting the poor will be

destroyed .......................................................................................... 5:7-13 Seek good, otherwise wailing will be heard

in the streets ...................................................................................... 5:14-17 The Day of the LORD will be full of darkness .................................................... 5:18-20 Criticism of Israel's religious ways ................................................................... 5:20-27 Israel's pride and arrogance .......................................................................... 6:1-14 Visions concerning the disasters coming on Israel ............................................. 7:1-9 The ruin to come on Amaziah the priest .......................................................... 7:10-17 Visions ........................................................................................................ 8:1 - 9:10

The basket of summer fruit ....................................................................... 8:1-14 The destruction of the temple at Bethel ...................................................... 9:1-10 A promise of the future restoration of Israel ................................................... 9:11-15

1185 AMOS 1:11

The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, the visions he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. 2 And he said, "The LORD roars from Zion, and makes his voice heard from Jerusalem, and the pastures of the shepherds mourn and the top of Carmel withers."

6 Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Gaza,

and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they deported all the captives,

to deliver them up to Edom. 7 So I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza,

which will devour its palaces. 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,

and the one who holds the sceptre from

Ashkelon, and I will turn my hand against Ekron;

3 Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Damascus,

and the rest of the Philistines

and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,

will perish," says the Lord God.

9 Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Tyre,

because they have threshed Gilead

with iron threshing implements. 4 So I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which will devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad. 5 I will also break the gate bar of Damascus,

and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,

because they delivered up all the

captives to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of

and cut off the inhabitant from the

valley of Aven, and the one who holds the sceptre

brotherhood. 10 So I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, which will devour its palaces."

from Beth Eden; and the people of Syria will go into

captivity to Kir," says the LORD.

11 Thus says the LORD:

1:1 "Shepherds – Amos was no leader in the religious establishment (7:14,15). Often God calls people from very ordinary jobs to do His great work – see Judges 6:1114; Ps 78:70,71; Matt 4:18-22; 9:9. "Tekoa" – this village was about nine kilometers south of Bethlehem.

east of the Jordan river. Syria had captured it and behaved in a very cruel way toward the Israelites there. Now the Syrians had to pay for their sins against God's people. 1:4 Hazael was king of Syria about 842-796 BC, and Ben-Hadad was his son who ruled about 796-775 BC. 1:5 "I will also break the gate bar" – God would send enemy armies to do this. See note at Isa 10:5,6.

"Visions he saw" – this means God revealed to him what he has written down. Compare Isa 1:1; Hos 1:1; Joel 1:1.

"Uzziah" – 2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chron 26:23. He reigned 792-740 BC. "Jeroboam" – 2 Kings 14:23. This was Jeroboam the Second who reigned 793-753 BC.

"Kir" – Isa 22:6. This was probably located somewhere in what is present-day Iran. The valley of Aven and Beth Eden evidently were somewhere in Syria. "Aven" means "evil" or "wickedness". 1:6,7 "Gaza" – Gen 10:19; 1 Sam 6:17; Zeph 2:4. This was one of the chief cities of the Philistines. It was on the Mediterranean coast, west of Judah.

"Joash" – a variant of Jehoash. 1:2 Jerusalem was the city God made His special dwelling place on earth. His temple was there. See Ps 43:3; 68:16; 132:13,14.

"Roars" – compare Jer 25:30. The words signify that God was aroused and pronouncing judgment against sinful people. Those "roars" make up the large part of this book.

"Deported all the captives" – possibly refers to people in Judah whom they had captured. They would have to pay for this contempt for God's people. 1:8 Three more chief cities of the Philistines are named in this verse.

"Withers" – a severe drought was coming on the land of Israel. 1:3-5 Damascus was (and is) the capital of Syria. For other prophecies concerning it see Isa 17:1; Jer 49:23-27. 1:3 "Thus says the LORD" – Amos was not speaking his own words but words God gave him to speak. Compare Jer 1:9,10; 2 Pet 2:21.

"The rest. . .will perish" – there are no Philistines today. The nation has disappeared into history.

"Lord God" – see the note at Gen 15:2. 1:9,10 "Tyre" – for other prophecies concerning this city see Isa 23:1-18; Ezek 26:1 - 28:19. "Covenant of brotherhood" – 1 Kings 5:1,12; 16:30,31. Its sin also was selling people (probably people of Israel) into slavery. 1:11,12 "Edom" – see Gen 25:23-30. The

"Transgressions" – God sees what is going on in the world, and at the right time sends punishment on nations and cities, people and individuals. Here He speaks of national sins and national punishment.

"Gilead" – an area belonging to Israel

AMOS 1:12 1186

"For three transgressions of Edom,

and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,

and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,

because he burned the bones of the

because he pursued his brother

king of Edom to lime. 2 So I will send a fire on Moab,

with the sword, and cast off all pity, and his anger tore continually, and he kept his wrath permanently. 12 So I will send a fire on Teman, which will devour the palaces of Bozrah."

and it will devour the palaces of Kirioth; and Moab will die amid tumult and shouting and the sound of the trumpet. 3 And I will cut off the judge from its midst,

and will slay all its princes with him,"

says the LORD.

13 Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of the

4 Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Judah,

children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,

and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,

because they have ripped up the

because they have despised the law

pregnant women of Gilead, so they could enlarge their border. 14 So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah, and it will devour its

of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies led them astray,

the lies their fathers followed. 5 So I will send a fire on Judah, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem."

palaces, amid shouting in the day of battle, and a tempest in the day

of the whirlwind; 15 And their king will go into captivity, he and his princes together,"

6 Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Israel,

says the LORD.

and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Moab,

because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals.

land lay southeast of Judah. For other prophecies about it see Isa 34:5-17; Jer 49:7-22; Ezek 25:12-14; Obadiah. "His brother" – the people of Israel were descended from Jacob, the Edomites from Jacob's brother Esau. God sees the hate, rage, and brutality in any nation and will punish it. Teman was a region and Bozrah a chief city in Edom. 1:13 "Ammon" – Gen 19:38; Jer 49:1-6; Ezek 25:1-7; Zeph 2:8,9. This land was east of Israel.

2:3 "I will cut off" – God used an invading army to do this. Compare 1:5. 2:4 From here to the end of this book God speaks of His own people. He has much more to say about their sins than about the sins of other nations. Because they had His law and knew much more truth than other people, they were more guilty and deserved harsher punishment. God determined to punish other nations; He could not let His own people escape punishment. See 3:2.

"Despised the law" – the sins of the nations described in 1:3 - 2:3 were against other people. Judah had sinned grievously against the law of God and the God who gave the law (Jer 6:19; Ezek 20:23,24; Acts 7:53; Rom 3:19).

"Gilead" – v 3. "Enlarge their border" – observe what nations sometimes do to gain more land for themselves. God will see that they pay for it. 1:14,15 Rabbah was the capital of Ammon. It was destroyed by the Assyrians. Today it is called Amman and is the capital of the kingdom of Jordan. Compare Jer 49:6. 2:1 "Moab" – a land east of the Dead Sea, north of Edom, south of Ammon. For other prophecies concerning it see Isa 15:1 - 16:14; Jeremiah chapter 48; Ezek 25:8-11; Zeph 2:8-11. "Burned" – in the culture of that day this was considered an evil act. This was not Moab's only sin but was a symbol of the hatred and contempt they showed toward other nations. 2:2 "Kirioth" – probably the same as Kir Moab or Kir Hareseth, the capital of Moab. But the Hebrew here may be translated "of her cities".

"Lies" – may signify idols or false gods. Compare Hab 2:18. Following false gods is a sin against which God repeatedly warned His people – Ex 20:3-6; etc. A worship of gods will always lead people away from the one true God.

"Fathers" – or "ancestors" – Josh 24:14,15; Jud 2:10-12,16-19; Jer 9:14. 2:5 "Fire" – 1:5,7,10,12,14; 2:2. Since God determined to destroy other kingdoms for their sins, could He pass over guilty and unrepentant Judah? He could not and would not. 2:6-8 Now attention is focused on Israel, especially the northern kingdom (concerning the division of the twelve tribes into two kingdoms see 1 Kings chapter 12). It too

1187 AMOS 3:3

7 They pant after the dust of the earth

and commanded the prophets, saying,

that is on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the humble. And a man and his father go in to the

'Do not prophesy'.

13 "See, I am weighed down by you, as a cart full of sheaves is weighed down. 14 Therefore flight will perish from the swift, and the strong will not strengthen his power, nor will the mighty deliver himself, 15 Nor will the one who handled the bow be able to stand; and the one who is swift of foot will not

same girl, thus profaning my holy name. 8 And they lie down beside every altar

on clothes taken in pledge, and in the house of their god they drink

the wine of those who have been

condemned. 9 Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite

escape, nor will the one who rides a horse

before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and whose strength was like the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit above,

deliver himself. 16 And the bravest of the mighty will run away naked in that day,"

says the LORD.

and his roots below.

10 "Also it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the desert, to possess the land of the Amorite. 11 And I raised up some of your sons as prophets, and some of your young men as Nazirites. Is it not so, O children of Israel?"

Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

2 "You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your

evil deeds. 3 Can two walk together, unless they are in agreement? was guilty of many sins against God and His law, and had to be punished. The nation as a whole was called to be a holy and righteous people, to have compassion on the poor – Ex 19:3-6; 23:11; Deut 15:7,8,11. Instead they persecuted the righteous and oppressed the poor, and for financial gain were willing to commit any evil – 4:1; 5:11; 8:4-6. They were not interested in justice, only in bribes and profit. The poor and oppressed could not pay bribes and so got no justice.

says the LORD. 12 "But you gave the Nazarites wine to drink,

2:12 This is how Israel treated these great gifts of God. They showed utter contempt for the servants of God and therefore for God Himself. If a Nazirite drank wine he broke his vow of dedication. Israel did not want people fully dedicated to God or people telling them the truth of God. They did not want to be rebuked for their sins by either the lives or words of anyone. Compare 2 Tim 4:3,4. "Do not prophesy" – 7:12,13; Isa 30:10; Jer 11:21; Micah 2:6. It is sad when people do not have the truth, but sadder still when they do not want the truth. 2:13-16 There could be no escape for such people even if they were God's chosen nation. 2:16 "In that day" – the day when He sent the Assyrian army to punish Israel (2 Kings 17:5-23). 3:1 2:10. "Whole family" – not just the ten tribes of the northern kingdom but Judah and Levi also. 3:2 "You only" – Ex 19:5,6; Deut 10:15-17. "Known" – the word here indicates a special intimate relationship.

"The same girl" – another example of despising God's law (Lev 18:7,8,15; 20:11,12).

"Profaning my holy name" – Lev 18:21; 19:12; 21:6; Jer 34:16; Ezek 20:9. God's name is linked with His people. When they sin His reputation in the world suffers. 2:8 "Altar" – they committed immoral acts at the shrines of their false gods.

"Pledge" – a further breach of the law (Ex 22:26,27; Deut 24:12,13,17). 2:9 "Amorite" – those who lived in Canaan before Israel took the land (Gen 15:16; Jud 6:10). 2:10 "Egypt" – 3:1; Ex 20:2; Deut 8:2; Josh 21:43-45. 2:11 "Prophets" – Israel alone of all the nations on earth had men inspired by God to tell the people the Word of God (this was what prophets were – Gen 20:7).

"Therefore" – they may have thought that since they were God's special people, God would not punish them for their sins (compare Matt 3:7-10). The exact opposite was true. He would punish them because they were His people. Great privileges bring great responsibilities, and when these are ignored great punishment is sure to follow. 3:3 God and Israel could not go on together unless Israel was in agreement with God's

"Nazirites" – (Num 6:1-21) were people wholly dedicated to the one true God. Observe that it was God who raised up prophets and Nazirites. Compare Eph 4:11,12.

AMOS 3:4 1188

and he will deprive you of your strength,

4 Will a lion roar in the forest,

and your palaces will be plundered."

when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den,

12 Thus says the LORD: "As a shepherd takes out of the mouth

if he has caught nothing? 5 Can a bird fall in a snare on the earth,

of a lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so will the children of Israel who live

where there is no trap for it? Will a trap spring up from the ground,

in Samaria be taken out on the

if it has caught nothing at all? 6 Will a trumpet be blown in the city,

corner of a bed, and to Damascus on a couch. 13 Listen and testify against the house of Jacob," says the Lord God,

without the people being afraid? Will there be a disaster in a city,

without the LORD causing it ? 7 Surely the Lord God does nothing

the God of hosts, 14 "That in the day that I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will also punish the altars of Bethel,

without revealing his secret to his

servants the prophets. 8 The lion has roared! Who will not fear?

and the horns of the altar will be

The Lord God has spoken!

cut off, and fall to the ground. 15 And I will strike the winter house with the summer house, and the houses of ivory will perish, and the great houses will come to

Who can but prophesy? 9 Make a proclamation in the palaces at Ashdod,

and in the palaces in the land of Egypt,

and say, "Assemble on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults in her midst,

an end," says the LORD.

and the oppression within her." 10 "For they do not know how to do right," says the LORD, "who store up in their palaces

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands,

the gains of violence and robbery."

"Bring something, and let us drink."

11 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "There will be an enemy surrounding

2 The Lord God has sworn by his own holiness: "See, the days are coming on you when

the land,

and did not know God are called as witnesses against Israel. Even such people could see that what Israel was doing was wrong. 3:11 The rich and powerful in Israel hoarded their wealth and oppressed the poor – 2:6,7. God would deal with them as they dealt with others (see note at Ps 18:25,26).

laws and ways. If Israel would not agree there must be the punishment of separation. Compare Hos 1:2-9. 3:4,5 Every event has a cause. Lions roar thinking of their prey. They growl when they are eating it. Birds are not caught without a trap or snare. And traps and snares do not catch something if there is nothing there. Amos means that God was roaring against them (1:2) and had laid a trap for them. 3:6 People tremble when a trumpet sounds in alarm – Joel 2:1. Disaster coming on a city is like a trumpet sound from God. It does not come without cause and the cause is the Lord Himself. 3:7,8 Here Amos applies the above illustrations. Why is he there warning them of coming disaster? Because God had revealed to him what was coming and told him to prophesy. His prophesying was God roaring like a lion through him and the roar was a sure sign that disaster was coming on them. Compare Hos 5:14.

"Enemy" – Assyria. 3:12 There would be only a few survivors of the Assyrian captivity (Isa 10:20-23; 11:11). 3:13,14 "Punish" – 2:6; 3:2. "Bethel" – this town was a center for idolatry in Israel (1 Kings 12:26-33). 3:15 This verse speaks of wealth and luxury. God would destroy all that because it was based on selfishness and contempt for the poor (4:1). See 1 Tim 6:6-19. 4:1 "Bashan" – the cows of Bashan were fat and sleek and fed on the finest pasturelands in Israel. The prophet compares the wealthy women of Israel to them.

"Needy" – 2:6,7; 5:11; 8:4-6. These women ate the finest things and cared not at all whether the poor had anything at all to eat.

"Revealing His secret" – this God did throughout the Bible. He told people in advance what He would do – Isa 46:10.

"Drink" – luxury and pleasure are all they thought about while the needy died on their doorsteps (compare Luke 16:19-25). 4:2,3 "Sworn by His holiness" – the Almighty

"Prophesy" – why did Amos come to Israel to speak God's message? He felt an inner compulsion. 3:9,10 People who did not have God's law

1189 AMOS 4:12

8 So two or three cities wandered

he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. 3 And you will go out the breaks in the

to another city to drink water, but they were not satisfied. Yet you have not returned to me,"

wall, each one straight ahead of her, and you will throw down your riches

says the LORD.

in the palaces," says the LORD.

9 "I have struck you with blight and mildew.

When your gardens and your vineyards

4 "Come to Bethel, and transgress!

and your fig trees and your olive

At Gilgal multiply transgression! And bring your sacrifices every morning,

trees increased, the locust devoured them. Yet you have not returned to me,"

and your tithes every three years, 5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving

says the LORD.

with leaven, and proclaim and announce the freewill

10 "I have sent plague among you, like the plague of Egypt. I have slain your young men by the sword, and have taken away your horses, and have made the stench of your

offerings: for this you love to do, O children

of Israel," says the Lord God. 6 "But I have also given you cleanness of

teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places. Yet you have not returned to me,"

camps to come up into your nostrils. Yet you have not returned to me,"

says the LORD. 11 "I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand snatched

says the LORD.

7 "And I have also withheld the rain from you,

three months before the harvest; and I caused it to rain on one city, and withheld the rain on another city. One part was rained on, and the piece

out of the blaze. Yet you have not returned to me,"

says the LORD.

which was not rained on dried up.

12 "Therefore this is what I will do

speaks in this solemn and emphatic way so that the people might understand the gravity of their situation, the certainty of their danger. God has compassion on the poor and when people oppress them He sees it and one day He will arise in anger to punish the oppressors.

used to turn His people back to Him. They were chastisements and warnings. But Israel refused to repent and stubbornly went on its own way, so there was no remedy – Hos 11:7; 2 Kings 17:14-20. 4:6 "Cleanness of teeth" – indicating nothing to eat. God sent famines to Israel because of their sins – 1 Kings 18:2; 2 Kings 4:38; 6:25; 8:1. But the people did not heed these warnings. 4:7,8 Drought was another way God chastised and warned His people – 1 Kings 17:1; Jer 3:3. 4:9 Deut 28:22; Joel 1:4-12. 4:10 "Egypt" – Exodus chapters 7-12. "Sword" – God sent war to Israel. He used their enemies against them so He says "I have slain". 4:11 "Sodom" – Gen 19:24,25. God completely destroyed some places in Israel (probably using foreign armies). Compare Isa 1:5-9. Israel itself as a nation had just barely survived. All these various punishments were in accordance with His own Word to Israel long before, and they should have understood and turned to God. See Lev 26:14-39; Deut 28:15-35.

"Hooks" – compare 2 Chron 33:11. The Assyrians actually put hooks through the lip or nose of prisoners of war and led them away with ropes. God is declaring here that this is fitting punishment for anyone who selfishly oppresses the poor. 4:4,5 He tells them to go ahead and do what He knows they are determined to do anyway (compare Rom 1:28). Here He is speaking ironically. Bethel and Gilgal were once places where God's people erected memorials to the one true God, but Israel now worshiped false gods there (Gen 28:1019; 35:1; Josh 4:20-24). "Morning" – Ex 29:38-42; Num 28:3,4. "Tithes" – Lev 27:30-32; Num 18:21. "Every three years" – or "on the third day." "Thanksgiving" – Lev 7:12,13. They were thanking idols for what God alone had given.

"Freewill offerings" – Ex 36:3; Lev 7:16; 22:18. There were giving God's offerings to idols.

"Yet you have not returned to me" – this was their most grievous sin and the root cause of their other sins and the punishment which came on them. Compare Ps 107:10-13, 17-19,33,34,43. 4:12 They had ignored all His words, warnings, chastisements, and methods. So

"Love to do" – their offerings, indeed their whole religion, was hypocritical and vain. So twisted can the mind and heart of people become. See Jer 17:9; Prov 14:12. 4:6-12 The Lord speaks of methods He had

AMOS 4:13 1190

For Gilgal will surely go into captivity,

to you, O Israel; and because I will do this to you,

and Bethel will come to nothing." 6 Seek the LORD, and you will live;

prepare to meet your God, O Israel."

otherwise he will break out like fire in

13 For, see, he who forms the mountains, and creates the wind, and declares his thought to man, he who darkens the morning,

the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one in Bethel to quench it. 7 You are those who turn judgment to

bitterness, and abandon righteousness in the earth. 8 Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion,

and treads on the high places of the

earth, The LORD God of hosts is his name.

and turns the shadow of death into

morning and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea

Hear this word, a lament which I take up against you, O house of Israel: 2 "The virgin Israel has fallen.

and pours them out on the surface of

the earth; the LORD is his name. 9 He causes destruction to burst out

She will rise no more. She is forsaken on her land;

there is no one to raise her up."

against the strong, so that destruction comes to the fortress. 10 They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks uprightly. 11 Therefore, since you trample on the poor, and compel him to give wheat, though you have built houses with

3 For thus says the Lord God: "The city that marched out a thousand

strong will have a hundred left, and that which marched out a hundred

strong will leave only ten to the

house of Israel."

dressed stone, you will not live in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you will not drink wine from them. 12 For I know your many transgressions,

4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek me, and you will live. 5 But do not seek Bethel,

do not go to Gilgal,

and do not travel to Beersheba.

God would bring on them one final punishment – 3:11-15. There would be no escape for the nation as a whole, and they should prepare to face God's judgment. This may be the meaning of "prepare to meet your God". But this phrase may also be taken as a call to repentance. They should turn their backs on their sins and prepare to hear what God has to say to them. Compare 5:4-6. 4:13 The God they must deal with is the almighty Creator of the universe (Gen 1:1; Isa 40:25,26; 42:5).

in Hebrew "Aven", which has various meanings. Here it probably refers to Bethel as "Beth Aven" (Hos 4:15). 5:6 "House of Joseph" here signifies the whole kingdom of Israel. Ephraim, the dominant tribe in Israel, was descended from Joseph – Gen 41:52; 48:17-20.

"Fire" – Deut 4:24; Heb 10:26-31; 12:29. "Bethel" – the false god at Bethel could not even save itself, let alone Israel. 5:7 Amos begins again to describe some of the sins that were bringing God's judgment on Israel. They were sins against justice and righteousness. Israel had become a thoroughly corrupt society where people as a whole only thought of what they could get, and not of how they could help others. 5:8,9 He reminds them again of the God who was watching them – 4:13. The Creator of the universe was well able to judge and punish Israel if the people would not seek Him.

"Declares his thoughts to man" – 3:7; Dan 2:28; 2 Cor 2:10. The Bible as a whole is a revelation of God's thoughts. 5:1 Amos accepts the fact that God will execute His judgment on Israel and grieves as if it were already done. 5:2 "Virgin Israel" – compare 2 Kings 19:21; Isa 23:12; Jer 14:17; 18:13. The words personify Israel but do not mean Israel was pure.

"Never to rise again" – this means only that the northern kingdom as such was to be destroyed forever. 5:3 See 3:11,12; Isa 6:13. 5:4 "Seek me and you will live" – Ezek 18:30-32; Jer 29:13; Isa 55:6,7; 45:19. 5:5 "Gilgal" – 4:4. He is saying that idols cannot help them.

"Pleiades and Orion" – two well-known constellations. See Job 9:9. 5:10 All they wanted was to do what they pleased and get away with it. Justice and truth meant nothing to them. See the danger of this in 2 Thess 2:11,12. 5:11 See again God's regard for the poor – 2:7; 4:1; 8:4,6. God would see to it that their oppressors would pay for their crimes – 3:15; 4:1-3. 5:12 "I know" Hos 5:3; Heb 4:13. "Bribe" – Ex 23:8; Ps 15:5; Prov 15:27;

"Beersheba" – evidently this town, far to the south in Judah, had also become a place of idolatry. See 8:14.

"Nothing" – or "grief", or "wickedness" –

1191 AMOS 5:26

and your enormous sins. You afflict the just. You take a bribe, and you turn away

and not light. 19 As if a man flees from a lion, and a bear meets him; or goes into the house and leans his

the poor in the gate from their right. 13 Therefore the prudent keeps silent at that time; for it is an evil time. 14 Seek good, and not evil, that you may live, and so the LORD, the God of

hand on the wall, and a serpent bites him. 20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Very dark with no brightness in it?

hosts, will be with you,

as you have spoken. 15 Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts

21 "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not savour your solemn

assemblies. 22 Though you offer me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them ; nor will I have regard for your peace

will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph."

16 Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, says this:

offerings of fattened animals. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the music of your harps. 24 But let justice flow down likes water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

"Wailing will be in all the streets, and they will say in all the highways,

'Alas! alas!' And they will call the farmer to mourning, and those who are skilled in laments

25 "Did you offer sacrifices and offerings to me in the desert forty years,

to wailing. 17 And in all the vineyards there will be wailing; for I will pass through your midst,"

O house of Israel? 26 But you carried the tabernacle of your Moloch and Kiyun, your idols,

says the LORD. 18 "Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! What will it mean for you? The day of the LORD is darkness,

the star of your god, which you made for yourselves.

Eccl 7:7; Isa 1:23; 33:15. The Bible condemns those who demand bribes and those who give bribes to pervert justice. It says nothing about the helpless who are forced to give tips or bribes to get anything done (as in so many offices in India). In such cases the responsibility and the sin belongs to those who demand bribes. 5:13 A prudent man knows when to speak out and when it is useless to speak out. 5:14 "Live" – vs 4,6. Seeking God means to seek good and to turn from evil. God meets those who do this with forgiveness and blessing. Compare Jam 4:8-10.

did not understand what the day of the LORD would be like. On that day there would be absolutely no escape for the wicked. 5:21-24 Compare Isa 1:11-17. "Burnt. . .and grain offerings" – Leviticus chapters 1 and 2. Some worship can never be acceptable to God. Jesus spoke of the kind of worship God wants – John 4:23,24.

"Peace offerings" – notes at Leviticus chapter 3. "Harps" – the fault was not in their music but in their hearts. 5:24 Ps 89:14; Jer 9:24; 22:3; Micah 6:8; Matt 5:6,10,20. No one who perverts justice and puts righteousness to one side (as Israel did) can be pleasing to the one true God, and the worship of such people will never be acceptable. 5:25 Israel was disobedient in the desert. That is why they had to wander there forty years – Num 14:22-35. What if they brought sacrifices to God? Sacrifices without obedience is not acceptable to Him. See 1 Sam 15:22,23. 5:26 What good are sacrifices and religious ceremonies and worship when people do things God hates? How could they even imagine God was with them when they trampled underfoot one of His most important laws – Ex 20:3-6? Compare Hos 8:1113. The first three lines of this verse may be translated in various ways. It could be "You have lifted up Sakkuth your king and

"As you have spoken" – God was not with them; they were deceiving themselves (compare Hos 5:6,15). 5:15 Ps 97:10; Isa 1:16,17; Rom 12:9. "It may be" – Ex 33:19. Even if they repented they would not deserve His mercy, and they would have to wait and prove their repentance was genuine.

"Remnant" – God had already determined to destroy the kingdom of Israel and only some survivors would receive mercy – 3:11,12. 5:16,17 God says this because He knew that Israel at that time would not repent and seek Him.

"I will pass through" – in judgment like a roaring lion – 1:2; 3:8. 5:18-20 Isa 2:10-21; 13:6; Joel 1:15; 2:1,2,11; 3:31. Evidently some in Israel

AMOS 5:27 1192

27 Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus,"

but are not grieved at the ruin of Joseph. 7 Therefore they will now go away

says the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.

captive with the first who go away

captive, and the banqueting of those who

Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, notable men of the chief of the nations,

stretch themselves out will pass away.

8 The Lord God has sworn by himself, the LORD God of hosts says,

to whom the house of Israel comes! 2 Go to Calneh, and see;

"I abhor the arrogance of Jacob,

and hate his palaces. Therefore I will deliver up the city

and go from there to Hamath the great. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or their border greater than your border? 3 You who would put the day of disaster

with all that is in it."

9 And it will happen, if ten men remain in one house, that they will die. 10 When an uncle, with someone who burns bodies, picks up the bodies to take them out of the house, he will say to him who is in a corner of the house, "Is there anyone with you?" And he will say, "No." Then he will say, "Hold your tongue! For we must not mention the name of the LORD."

far off, and cause the seat of violence to come near, 4 who lie on beds of ivory,

and stretch out on your couches, and eat the lambs from the flock,

and the calves from the midst of the stall, 5 who chant to the sound of the harp,

11 For, see, the LORD gives a command, and he will smash the great house

and invent musical instruments for

themselves, like David, 6 who drink wine from bowls,

to pieces, and the little house to bits. 12 Do horses run on the rock? Does one plow there with oxen?

and anoint yourselves with the best

ointments,

Kiyun your idols, your star-gods". Or, according to the Septuagint, "You have lifted up the shrine of Moloch and the star of your god Raphan, their idols" (compare Acts 7:43 – a quotation from the Septuagint). 5:27 Their disobedience would have a very painful result.

why Amos makes the comparison he does in this verse. Doubtless it was understood by those who heard him. 6:3 "Put. . .off" – in their thinking they would not admit a day of disaster was near, and by refusing to do so they brought that day nearer. 6:4-6 Here is a picture of their complacency. They refused to think of God's coming judgment and sought only luxury and pleasure.

"Captivity" – 4:2; Hos 5:14; 9:3. "Beyond Damascus" – in the land of Assyria. 6:1-7 Amos here describes the sin of complacency and pronounces God's judgment on it. See also Isa 32:9-11; Zeph 1:12,13. God had been like a lion roaring against them, pointing out their terrible sins and threatening terrible punishment – 1:2; 2:48; 3:14,15; 4:1-3; 5:16,17. It was no time for complacency and feelings of security, but for repentance and turning to God with all their heart and mind and strength. Complacency was the result of unbelief. It was utter foolishness and made more certain their destruction. See Prov 1:32. Today, in the light of the teachings of Jesus such as Matt 4:17; 5:29,30; 7:13,14; 13:49,50; 16:24-27; 25:26, complacency, smug self-satisfaction, is a mark of the utmost folly.

"Like David" – 1 Sam 16:15-23; 2 Sam 23:1. There is nothing wrong with this in its time and place. But that was not the time and place for it. 6:6 "Not grieve" – compare Ps 119:136; Jer 9:1; 13:17; Ezek 9:4-6; Joel 2:12,13; Matt 5:4; Luke 19:41.

"Joseph" – note at 5:6. 6:7 "They" – the careless and hardened who cared nothing for either God or man. 6:8 "Sworn by Himself" – compare Heb 6:13,14. "I abhor the arrogance" – see Prov 6:16,17; Isa 2:12-18; etc. "Palaces" – or fortresses (the Hebrew word can mean either). God hated their luxury and unreasoning confidence in their own wealth and strength. 6:9-11 This is the sort of situation that would develop when the enemy captured the city of Samaria. There would be great slaughter and destruction, and fear even to mention the name of the true God. 6:12 Israel's leaders had been acting against both reason and God's order in the world.

"At ease" (v 1) – this was carnal security, thinking they were secure in themselves no matter what God or His prophets had to say. 6:2 Hamath was a city in Syria about 180 kilometers north of Damascus. Perhaps Calneh was a city near there.

"Gath" – Josh 11:22; 13:3. It is unclear

1193 AMOS 7:14

For you have turned justice into gall,

standing on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me,

and the fruit of righteousness into poison, 13 you who rejoice in nothing, who say, "Did we not take power for ourselves

"Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "See, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. And I will not pass by them any longer.

by our own strength?"

14 "But, see, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel," says the LORD, the God of hosts, "and they will afflict you from the

9 "And the high places of Isaac will

become desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be

entrance of Hamath to the river of

the wilderness."

laid waste; and I will rise against the house of

This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw that he was forming a swarm of locusts at the beginning of the late crop, and saw it was the late crop after the king's mowing. 2 And it came about when it had finished eating the grass of the land, that I said, "O Lord God, forgive, I beg you. How can Jacob stand? For he is small."

Jeroboam with the sword."

10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For Amos says this: 'Jeroboam will die by the sword,

3 The LORD relented about this. "It will not be," said the LORD.

and Israel will surely be led away

captive from their own land.'"

4 This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw the Lord God calling to contend by fire, and it consumed the great deep, and was eating up a part of the land. 5 Then I said, "O Lord God, stop, I beg you. How will Jacob stand? For he is small."

12 Also Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go! Run away to the land of Judah, and eat food there, and prophesy there. 13 But do not prophesy any more at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and the king's court."

6 The Lord relented about this. "This also will not be," said the Lord God.

14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, "I was not a prophet, and not the son of a prophet,

7 This is what he showed me: I saw the Lord

one that came on Sodom (Gen 19:23-28). 7:7,8 The Lord here compares Israel to a wall. He wanted Israel to be "straight." When He tested them He found them altogether crooked. So the wall had to come down. 7:9 He would not send a devastating plague of locusts or destroying fire, but He would send an enemy army to destroy their places of idolatry and many of the people.

Horsemen and farmers had better sense then they.

"Justice into gall" – they perverted justice and by that means harmed and killed the helpless – l2:7; 5:7,12. See an illustration of this in 1 Kings 21:1-16.

"Righteousness into poison" – 5:7. They perverted the righteousness God required into self-righteousness and pride and an excuse to exalt themselves and despise others. Compare Luke 18:9-14. 6:13 "In nothing. . .strength" – or "in Lo Debar. . .Karnaim" (towns east of the Jordan river in Gilead). In Hebrew Lo Debar means "nothing", and Karnaim means "horns" (power or strength). 6:14 "A nation" – Assyria (Isa 10:5,6). "From the entrance of Hamath to the river of the wilderness" – or "the valley of the Arabah" – the whole land of Israel from the northernmost boundary to the Dead Sea. 7:1 "Showed me" – in a vision. "A swarm of locusts" – God was preparing them to send on Israel for their punishment. Compare Joel chapter 1. 7:2 "I said" – compare Gen 18:23-33; Ex 32:11-13,31,32. "Jacob" – the people of Israel. 7:3 "Relented" – Ex 32:14; Deut 32:36; Jer 18:8; 26:19; Hos 11:8.

"Isaac" – Jacob's father here signifies the people of Israel.

"Jeroboam" – 1:1; Hos 1:1. 7:10 Bethel was a place of idolatry – 4:4; 5:5,6; 1 Kings 12:28-30. So Amaziah was an idolatrous priest and not a true one. He did his best to get rid of God's prophet Amos.

"Not able to bear his words" – in other words, could not bear the truth. Compare 5:10. 7:11 Amos did not say Jeroboam himself would die by the sword, and Jeroboam did not (2 Kings 14:29). The sword did come on the "house of Jeroboam" – v 9; 2 Kings 15:8-10. 7:12 "Seer" – 1 Sam 9:9. Amos told Israel what he saw in visions. So Amaziah sarcastically calls him a "seer" (one who sees). 7:13 Bethel was a wicked king's temple; the temple of the King of heaven was in Jerusalem. 7:14,15 Amaziah was completely mistaken in his view of Amos. So Amos explained

"Not be" – the locust plague described in Joel was at a different time. 7:4 "By fire" – perhaps a judgment like the

AMOS 7:15 1194

but I was a shepherd, and a gatherer of sycamore figs. 15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' 16 Now therefore hear the word of the LORD. You say,

And the Sabbath, that we may set out

wheat for sale, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit, 6 that we may buy the poor for silver,

'Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not drop your words against the

and the needy for a pair of shoes, yes, and sell the refuse of the wheat?"

house of Isaac.'

7 The LORD has sworn by the excellence of Jacob, "Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. 8 Will the land not tremble for this, and everyone mourn who lives in it? And all of it will swell like the river Nile ; and it will be tossed up and subside,

17 "Therefore thus says the LORD: "'Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters will

fall by the sword, and your land will be divided by line, and you will die in a defiled land, and Israel will surely go into captivity

like the river of Egypt.

out of his land.'"

9 "And this will come about in that day, says the Lord God:

This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw a basket of summer fruit. 2 And he said, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the LORD said to me, "The end has come on my people Israel. And I will not pass by them any longer. 3 And the songs of the temple will become wailing sounds in that day, says the Lord God. There will be many dead bodies everywhere. They will throw them out in silence."

I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and darken the earth in broad daylight. 10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamenting, and bring sackcloth on every waist, and baldness on every head, and make it like the mourning for an only son, and its end like a bitter day.

11 "See, the days come," says the Lord God, "when I will send a famine on the land;

4 Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, and do away with the poor of the land, 5 Saying, "When will the new moon be

not a famine of bread,

or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.

gone, that we may sell grain?

that he was not a professional prophet, that was not how he "earned his bread" (v 12), and that the king of Judah had not sent him to "conspire" in Israel (v 10). He came to Israel only because God sent him. 7:16 "Now therefore, hear" – since God had sent him to prophesy he would do so whether Amaziah or Israel liked it or not. 7:17 Amos repeats his prophesy that Israel would go into exile (5:27) and adds predictions concerning Amaziah. 8:1 "Showed me" – 7:1,4,7. 8:2 When fruit is ripe men pluck it and take it away. So Assyria would do to Israel. 8:3 "Wailings" – 5:16,17. This phrase may also be translated "the temple singers will wail."

"Falsifying the balances" – Deut 25:15; Prov 11:1; 16:11; Hos 12:7; Micah 6:10,11. 8:6 2:6. 8:7 "The excellence of Jacob" – the Lord Himself. Compare 6:8.

"Never forget" – this speaks of the certainty of punishment for an unbelieving, unrepentant people. See Hos 8:13. Compare Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12; 10:17. 8:8 Egypt's great river, the Nile, every year during the rainy season would rise by as much as 25 feet and flood all the surrounding land. God's judgment would be like that. 8:9 Compare 5:18. The day God speaks of here is not the "day of the LORD", but it is something like it, in some ways a little picture of it. 8:10 Verse 3. "Sackcloth" – Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 3:31; 21:10; Isa 3:24. "Baldness" – Isa 7:20; Jer 47:5. 8:11 "A famine of. . .words of the LORD" – surely the worst of all possible famines. The people would be left without a word of encouragement or comfort or rebuke or hope or warning or guidance. God would no longer speak to them through His prophets, and they would have to face His judgments without a word from Him. Compare Prov 1:2233, especially vs 28,29; Hos 5:6,15.

"Silence" – was Amos about to plead for Israel as he did in 7:2,5? God did not want to hear it for He had decided that this punishment must come on them. 8:4,5 Again we see God's concern for the poor and needy – 2:6,7; 4:1; 5:12. Merchants cared nothing for the sufferings they caused the poor. They were greedy for gain and practiced dishonesty to get it. Even their religious festivals and days of rest were a burden to them because they could not do business at those times.

1195 AMOS 9:9

12 And they will wander from sea to sea, and from the north to the east,

and it will bite them. 4 And though they go into captivity in

running here and there to seek the

front of their enemies, I will command the sword there,

word of the LORD,

and will not find it.

and it will slay them. And I will set my eyes on them for

13 "In that day the beautiful virgins and young men will faint for thirst. 14 Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, and say,

disaster, and not for good."

5 The Lord God of hosts is he who

touches the land, and it melts, and all who live there mourn, and all of it rises like the river Nile and subsides like the river of Egypt. 6 He it is who builds his upper rooms

'Your god, O Dan, lives!' and, 'The way of Beersheba lives!'

will fall, and never rise up again."

in the heavens, and places his foundation on the earth. He it is who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of

I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said, "Strike the top of the doorposts,

so that the thresholds shake, and break on the heads of them all. And I will slay the last of them with the sword. The one among them who flees will not

the earth. The LORD is his name.

7 "Are you not like children of the

Ethiopians to me, O children of Israel?" says the LORD. "Did I not bring Israel up out of the

get away, and the one among them who escapes

will not be rescued. 2 Though they dig into hell,

land of Egypt? And the Philistines from Caphtor,

my hand will take them from there. Though they climb up to heaven, I will bring them down from there. 3 And though they hide themselves on

and the Syrians from Kir? 8 See, the eyes of the Lord God are on

the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of

the top of Carmel, I will search them out and take them

the earth. Yet I will not totally destroy the house

from there. And though they hide from my sight in

of Jacob, says the LORD. 9 For, see, I will give a command,

the bottom of the sea, I will give a command to the serpent there,

and will sift the house of Israel among

all the nations,

8:12 Compare Ezek 20:1-3,31. When they had God's Word they would not obey it. This was their punishment. They would understand something of its great value when it was taken away from them. 8:13 "Thirst" – he probably means both physical and spiritual thirst. 8:14 "Sin" – the idol of Samaria. Compare Jer 11:13; 32:34.

"For disaster and not for good" – compare 2 Chron 16:9. We can well imagine the fearful condition of a people or an individual whom God determines to punish. 9:5 "Melts" – Ps 46:6; 68:2; Heb 12:29. "Egypt" – 8:8. 9:6 A beautiful picture of the work of the Creator. It was He with whom Israel had to deal.

"Dan" – 1 Kings 12:28,29. "god" – or "power." "Beersheba" – 5:5. "Will fall" – Hos 8:4. 9:1 "I saw" – 7:1. "The altar" – probably the one at Bethel (7:13).

"LORD" – Jehovah (Ex 3:14,15). 9:7 "Ethiopians" – Isa 18:1,2. Because Israel had broken God's covenant and trampled underfoot His laws, He says He would treat them as other peoples. It is true He brought them up from Egypt but He had moved other peoples also from place to place.

"Strike" – this signified the destruction of the place of worship there (3:14).

"Caphtor" – the island of Crete. 9:8 "Eyes" – v 4. "Not totally destroy" – God would destroy the kingdom of Israel but not all the people (3:12). 9:9 "Among all the nations" – Lev 26:33. "Sieve" – there would be a great shaking and sifting process which would completely separate the "grain" from what was not grain.

"I will slay" – God would use Israel's enemies as His instruments. 9:2 "Into hell" – or "to Sheol" (note at Gen 37:35). 9:2-4 Compare Ps 139:7-12. For Israel there would be no possibility of escape from God who is everywhere.

"Carmel" – a mountain in Israel.

AMOS 9:10 1196

like grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not the smallest grain will fall onto

says the LORD, "when the plowman will overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who

the earth. 10 All the sinners among my people will die by the sword, all those who say, 'The disaster will not overtake or meet us.'

sows seed. And the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and all the hills will melt. 14 And I will reverse the captivity of my people Israel, and they will build the ruined cities and

11 "In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and repair the broken places, and raise up its ruins, and build it up as in the days of old, 12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the nations which are called by

live in them, and they will plant vineyards and drink

the wine from them, and they will make gardens and eat

their fruit. 15 And I will plant them in their land, and they will never again be uprooted

my name," says the LORD who will do this.

from their land which I have given

13 "See, the days are coming,"

them," says the LORD your God.

9:10 Though a remnant of the people would survive, there would be no hope for those who went on in their sins. 9:11,12 In Acts 15:15-18 James refers to these verses. His purpose was not to show that they were completely fulfilled in his day, but to show that Gentile peoples would also bear God's name - that is, find salvation in Christ.

quotation from the Septuagint. 9:13 Joel 3:18. 9:14 Isa 11:10-16; Jer 29:14; 33:7; etc. "I will reverse" – or "I will restore the fortunes of" – the Hebrew means both. 9:15 Here is a plain declaration that the final restoration of the people of Israel to the land of Israel would be permanent (compare Joel 3:20). Since this was not the case when the Jews returned from Babylon in the 6th century BC, God is speaking of another "planting" of Israel in their land. Up to this present century this never happened. Whether the existence of Israel as a nation in the land now is in fulfillment of this verse is not clear – at least to the author of these notes. But it is clear that Israel will eventually be planted permanently there.

"In that day" – in the prophets this sometimes means the "the day of the LORD" – Isa 10:21; 13:6-13; Joel 1:15; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3:10. See Joel 3:1,18; etc. "Tabernacle of David" – the kingdom of David. He ruled over the twelve united tribes. This kingdom would be restored. See also Ezek 34:23,24; 37:15-28. The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament made before the birth of Christ) is different here. See Acts 15:17 which is a

"Given them" – Gen 13:14,15; 28:13; Jer 3:18; Obadiah 17.

OBADIAH

Author:

The Bible tells us nothing about Obadiah. He is not the same person as the government official of the same name who lived in the days of Elijah and Ahab (1 Kings 18:3-16), or any of about a dozen other men in the Old Testament named Obadiah. His name means "Worshipper of Jehovah" or "Servant of Jehovah".

Date:

Probably sometime about 845 BC.

Theme:

The punishment that will come on the people of Edom because of their acts of violence against Israel.

Contents:

The destruction coming on Edom .................................................................... 1-9 The reason for God's judgment on Edom ......................................................... 10-14 The judgment coming on Edom and others ...................................................... 15,16 The future restoration and possessions of Israel ............................................. 17-21

OBADIAH 1 1198

The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord God says concerning

Those who eat your food prepare a

wound for you. He has no understanding!"

Edom; We have heard a report from the LORD, and a messenger has been sent among

8 The LORD says,

"In that day will I not destroy the wise

the nations – Arise, and let us go up against her in battle.

men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain

2 "See, I have made you small among

of Esau? 9 And your mighty men, O Teman, will

the nations. You are greatly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,

be dismayed, so that everyone belonging to the

you who live in the clefts of the rock, whose home is in the heights,

mountain of Esau may be cut off in

the slaughter. 10 Because of your violence against your brother Jacob shame will cover you, and you will be cut off forever.

who says in his heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?' 4 Though you exalt yourself like the eagle,

and though you set your nest among

11 "On the day that you stood on the other side, on the day strangers took his forces captive, and foreigners entered through his

the stars, I will bring you down from there,"

says the LORD.

5 "If thieves came to you,

gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. 12 But you should not have watched on the day of your brother, on the day that he became a foreigner; nor should you have rejoiced over the

if robbers at night (oh, how you will be cut off!), would they not steal only until they

had enough? If grape pickers came to you,

would they not leave some grapes? 6 Oh, how Esau's land will be searched out!

children of Judah on the day of

their destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly on

How his hidden treasures hunted! 7 All the men of your confederacy will

the day of distress. 13 You should not have entered through the gate of my people in the day of

bring you to the border. The men who were at peace with you

will deceive you,

their calamity. Indeed, you should not have looked on

and prevail against you.

1 "Vision" – Isa 1:1; Gen 15:1. "Edom" – for other prophecies concerning this land and people see Isa 34:5-15; Jer 49:7-22; Ezek 25:12-14; Amos 1:11,12. 2-4 They were a very proud people, so God would humble them. They thought they were greet, so He had made them small. See Prov 3:34; 6:16,17; Jam 4:6-10; 1 Pet 5:5,6; Ps 18:25-27; Isa 2:11-18. "Rock" (v 3) – the capital city of Edom was located among rocks and cliffs and they were sure that no enemy could take it. They forgot about God the Almighty One. 5,6 Edom's enemies would deal with them in a much worse way than thieves and robbers. They would leave nothing behind.

themselves.

"Esau" – another name for Edom. See Gen 25:29,30. 9 Teman was a tribe descended from Esau. It gave its name to the region it occupied in Edom. 10-14 Here is the principal reason why God would send destruction on Edom. When Israel was attacked by enemies Edom was glad and actually took part in destroying Israel. 10 "Brother Jacob" – Edom was Jacob's brother (Gen 25:24-30). So Edom and Israel were brother nations. This is what made their joy over Israel's destruction worse than it would otherwise have been.

"Grapes" – Deut 24:20,21. 7 Edom's friends and allies would prove false and treacherous and deceive the people. God would use this means of destroying them. 8 Edom was famous for men of worldly wisdom – Jer 49:7 (Job's friend Eliphaz was a native of an Edomite city – Job 2:11).

"Forever" – Ezek 35:9. 11 "One of them" – Esau was like one of Israel's worst enemies. 12 To be glad at the destruction of a brother is devilish and those guilty of it will have to face God's judgment. Here was a whole nation guilty of this. 13 "Laid hands on their wealth" – they jumped on a suffering people and made their sufferings worse.

"Destroy" – their wisdom would not be able to save either the country or

1199 OBADIAH 21

their affliction in the day of their calamity, or laid hands on their wealth in the day

18 And the house of Jacob will be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set them on fire and

of their calamity; 14 nor should you have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among

consume them. And no one will remain of the house

them who were escaping; nor should you have delivered up those

of Esau, for the LORD has spoken."

among them who remained in the

19 And those of the south of Israel will possess the mountain of Esau, and those of the plains the land of

day of distress.

15 "For the day of the LORD is near on all the nations. It will be done to you as you have done. Your payment will return on your own head. 16 For as you drank on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. Yes, they will drink, and they will swallow, and they will be as though they had

the Philistines, and they will possess the fields of Ephraim,

and the fields of Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead. 20 And the returned captives of this host of the children of Israel will possess

the land of the Canaanites as far

as Zarephath, and the captives from Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the south. 21 And saviours will come up on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau. And the kingdom will belong to the LORD.

never been. 17 But on mount Zion there will be deliverance, and there will be holiness, and the house of Jacob will possess

their possessions.

18 Ezek 25:12-14; Zech 12:6. God will treat Edom as Edom treated Israel, and will use Israel as the instrument in its destruction. 19,20 People of Israel will occupy the land of Edom. This has not yet taken place, but as sure as God's Word is true it will yet happen.

14 They were determined that none of their "brother" nation should escape, so deadly was their malice and hatred. 15 "Day of the LORD" – Joel 1:15; 2:1,11,31; 3:14. "Own head" – here is a theme that runs throughout the Bible (Ps 7:15,16; 18:2527; Jer 50:29; Ezek 35:11; Hab 2:8; Gal 6:7. This will be true of both individuals and nations. 16 "On my holy mountain" – the mountain where Jerusalem is. The Edomites celebrated Israel's defeat with drinking parties. But Edom and many other nations would have to drink something other than alcoholic beverages at the time of the day of the LORD. See Jer 25:15-29; 49:12,13; Rev 14:10. 17 Joel 2:32; Amos 9:11-15; Rom 11:26,27. "Their possessions" – Gen 13:14,15.

"Philistines" – at that time a people along the Mediterranean coast west of Israel.

"Gilead" – a region east of the Jordan river. Israel does not now possess it.

"Zarephath" – 1 Kings 17:9. The location of Sepharad is uncertain. 21 The center of authority and, apparently, the capital of the coming kingdom will be Jerusalem. And the kingdom of Israel and the rule over the nations will belong to the LORD – Isa 2:1-4; 11:10-16; Ezek 48:35; Joel 3:20,21; Zechariah chapter 14; Rev 11:15.

JONAH

Author:

It is not stated anywhere that Jonah wrote this book, but according to tradition he was the author, and the prayer in chapter 2, being in the first person, is evidence that he wrote down at least that. Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25. His village, Gath-Hepher was in the territory of Zebulun in the northern part of Israel. His name means "dove."

Date:

Possibly sometime about 760 BC.

Themes:

God has ways of making His disobedient servants obedient; God's compassion and love, not only toward Israel, but toward people of other nations; to be spared destruction those people must repent and turn to God; people from Israel were responsible to declare God's grace to other people and be an instrument to turn them to God.

Contents:

God's command to Jonah, Jonah's flight .......................................................... 1:1-3 The storm ................................................................................................... 1:4-7 Jonah confesses who he is ............................................................................ 1:8-12 Jonah's prayer from the belly of the great fish ................................................ 2:1-10 Jonah proclaims God's message in Nineveh ...................................................... 3:1-5 The king repents and tells his people to show

their repentance ................................................................................. 3:6-9 God shows His forgiving nature and relents ..................................................... 3:10 Jonah's anger at God's show of mercy ............................................................ 4:1-4 The plant and the worm ................................................................................ 4:5-8 God rebukes Jonah ...................................................................................... 4:9-11

1201 JONAH 1:14

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it, for their wickedness has come up before me."

lot fell on Jonah.

8 Then they said to him, "Tell us, we beg you, who is to blame for this calamity on us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?"

3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa. And he found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

9 And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. "

10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "Why have you done this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

4 But the LORD sent out a great wind onto the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. 5 Then the sailors were afraid, and each one cried out to his god. And they threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it by that much. But Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean by this, sleeper? Arise, call on your God. Perhaps your God will think about us, so that we do not perish."

11 Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, so that the sea may calm down for us?" For the sea was growing more stormy.

12 And he said to them, "Pick me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will calm down for you. For I know that because of me this great tempest has come on you."

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to reach land, but they could not; for the sea was growing even more stormy against them. 14 Therefore they cried out to the LORD, and said, "We beg

7 And they all said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, so that we can find out who is to blame for this calamity on us." So they cast lots, and the

1:1 "Word. . .came" – Jer 1:2; Hos 1:1; Joel 1:1. 1:2 Nineveh" – Gen 10:11; 2 Kings 19:36; Nahum chapters 1-3; Zeph 2:13; Matt 12:41. Nineveh was the chief city of Assyria, and the greatest city in the world in those days. According to an ancient tradition, to go around it and all of its suburbs or sister cities was a journey of about 100 kilometers. It was about 800 kilometers from Jonah's home town in Israel.

Creator is in charge of His creation and can use any of it at any time for His purposes. 1:5 "Each. . .his god" – these sailors were of nations other than Israel and worshiped various and sundry gods, worthless and helpless gods which had no power to control the elements of nature (compare Ps 115:3-8).

"Sleep" – evidently Jonah did not much care what happened or whether he lived or died. He was out of touch with the true and living God, and in a stupor of disobedience and possibly despair. 1:6 The captain saw that prayer to other gods was not working and thought maybe Jonah's God would do something for them. 1:7 "Cast lots" – Lev 16:8; Josh 18:6; 1 Chron 24:5; Ps 22:18; Ezek 21:21; Acts 1:26. 1:9 "Hebrew" – Gen 14:13; 39:14; Ex 1:15; Phil 3:5. "LORD" – in Hebrew "Jehovah" (Ex 3:14). "God of heaven" – 2 Chron 36:23; Ezra 1:2; Neh 1:4; Dan 2:18; Isa 66:1; Ps 115:3. "Who made" – Gen 1:1; Isa 40:25,26. 1:10 "Exceedingly afraid" – they realized that the God worshiped by Jonah was no mere tribal deity, not one of the lesser gods most people worshiped.

"Their wickedness" – in Nahum's day Nineveh had become an arrogant, violent, cruel, evil, corrupt city (Nah 1:11; 2:12,13; 3:1,4,16,19). It must have been something like that in Jonah's day – 3:8. It was the great enemy of Israel and eventually – after Jonah's time – crushed the northern kingdom and took the people into captivity. See 2 Kings 17:3-6. Sometimes God asks His servants to do very difficult things and things they do not at all wish to do or understand the necessity of doing. 1:3 "To flee" – in 4:2 Jonah himself gives his reason for this. He did not want Nineveh to repent or to have God's forgiveness. He wanted God to destroy the city. Little did he seem to understand that no one can run away from God – Ps 139:7-12. And did he vainly imagine that he was the only prophet in Israel and that God had no one else He could send to Nineveh?

"Told them" – Jonah was at least perfectly open and frank with them (v 12). 1:12 It seems that Jonah was in a state of mind that welcomed death – v 5. He saw he could not run away from God, and he would rather die than go to Nineveh. 1:13-15 They had been terrified at the mention of Jehovah, the God of heaven – v 10, and did not want to offend Him by harming one of His servants.

"Tarshish" – this city (probably on the southern coast of present-day Spain) was as far away as he could get from Nineveh and in the opposite direction. "Joppa" was in Israel on the Mediterranean coast. 1:4 "The LORD sent" – compare v 17; 4:6,7,8; Ps 107:25; Ps 29. God the

"Stopped its raging" – Ps 107:29; Matt 8:26.

JONAH 1:15 1202

you, O LORD, we beg you, do not let us perish for this man's life, and do not put innocent blood to our account. For you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you." 15 So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD, and made vows.

All your billows and your waves passed

over me. 4 Then I said, 'I am cast out of your sight. Yet I will look again toward your holy temple.' 5 The waters surrounded me to the soul. The deep closed around me, the weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains.

17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.

The earth with its bars were about to

enclose me forever. Yet you have brought up my life from

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly, 2 and said,

the pit, O LORD my God. 7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD, and my prayer went up to you,

"I cried out to the LORD because of my

distress, and he heard me. I cried out from the belly of hell,

and you heard my voice. 3 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas,

into your holy temple. 8 Those who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice to you with the

and the floods surrounded me.

1:16 "Feared the LORD" – Mark 4:41; Ex 20:1; Ps 76:7; 96:4; Mal 1:14. They had seen dramatic and unmistakable evidence that the mighty Creator was at work. It does not say that they renounced their own various gods. Possibly they simply tried to add Jehovah to the list of gods to be worshiped. All too often this is the way with people. Many do not understand that to worship and serve the true God, men must renounce all gods and idols – Ex 20:1-6; 1 Kings 18:21; Isa 42:8. 1:17 Compare v 4. "Great fish" – it does not say this was a whale and it may have been a special fish that God prepared for this one event. God sent this fish to save Jonah from death in the sea.

How much more will God hear those who obey Him.

"Hell" – in Hebrew "Sheol" – the unseen realm of the dead (note at Gen 37:35). It seemed to Jonah that he was as good as dead. Some commentators think that Jonah actually died, and that God brought him to life again. This interpretation also does not seem impossible, but it is not demanded by the language here, which is, after all, poetry. 2:3 "You" – 1:15. The sailors were merely God's instruments. Compare Job 1:21.

"Billows", "waves" – Ps 42:7. 2:4 Ps 31:22. "Yet" – Ps 73:22,23; Lam 3:19-23. Our danger or trouble is never so great as to be beyond the reach of God's help, if we will call to Him. This should always be our confidence.

"In the belly" – the God who made both Jonah and the great fish could keep Jonah alive in it as long as He wished.

"Holy temple" – v 7. Probably means God's temple in heaven – Rev 7:15; 11:19; 15:5,6; 16:17. 2:5 Compare Ps 69:1,2. 2:6 "Pit" – v 2; Ps 30:3; 69:15. 2:7 Verse 2; Ps 78:34,35; Hos 5:15. It is sad that people often wait until they are in the depths of trouble before they remember God and seek Him. But it is better to remember Him then than not to remember Him at all. 2:8 "Lying vanities" – sometimes this is the way the Jews referred to false gods. Deut 32:21; 1 Sam 12:21; Ps 115:4-8. "Forsake their own mercy" – they turn their back on God's grace, the grace of the God who demands that they forsake their idols. 2:9 Though he is still in the fish's belly (v 1), he has faith that God will deliver him and enable him to sing and offer sacrifices again.

"Three days and three nights" – see Matt 12:40; 16:4. 2:1 This is surely the strangest place from which anyone ever prayed. But the true and living God can hear us no matter where we are, no matter how extreme our trouble or how great and desperate our need. In the prayer which follows it is significant that Jonah does not pray to get out of the fish's belly. But since he is turning back to God, it seems that he assumed that God would deliver him – v 9. He may have realized that the fish was God's way of deliverance from death in the sea. 2:2 Compare Ps 18:5,6; 30:3; 50:15; Lam 3:55; Matt 14:30.

"I cried out" – he had faced death calmly, and even thought it was good for him to die – 1:12. But facing death and actually experiencing it are two different things. He went into the sea quietly enough, but when the sea began to go into him he was alarmed.

"Thanksgiving" – Lev 7:12,13; Ezra 3:11; Ps 7:17; 56:12; Eph 5:20; 1 Thess 5:18.

"He heard me" – yes, we see God's goodness even to a disobedient prophet.

"Vowed" – Ps 50:14; 56:12; 61:8; 65:1; 66:13,14; 16:12-19.

1203 JONAH 4:2

voice of thanksgiving. I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD."

arose from his throne, and laid aside his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And by the decree of the king and his nobles, he caused this proclamation to be published throughout Nineveh, saying, "Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not eat, or drink water, 8 But have man and beast covered with sackcloth, and cry out mightily to God. Yes, have every one of them turn from his evil way, and from the violence of their hands. 9 Who can tell but that God may turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish?"

10 And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.

And the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."

3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, in accordance with the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, three days' journey in size. 4 And Jonah began to go into the city on the first day's journey, and he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh will be overthrown!"

10 And God saw their deeds, that they turned from their evil way, and God relented concerning the harm that he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it.

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

But this displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 2 And he prayed to the

6 For word came to the king of Nineveh, and he

"Salvation is of the LORD" – always true of every kind of salvation – Ps 3:8; Isa 43:11; 64:4; Acts 4:12; Eph 2:8,9. 2:10 "The LORD spoke" – Ps 33:9; 148:5,7,8. In this book everyone and everything, except Jonah, is seen obeying God's will. And after Jonah's disobedience God made him also willing to obey. 3:1 "The second time" – why did not God send another prophet and reject Jonah once and for all? God does not give up on His servants so easily. Compare Matt 26:34,35; Mark 16:7; Luke 22:31,32,61,62; Ex 3:11; 4:10,13; Jer 1:6. God does not accept excuses and He knows how to make His servants obedient. Perhaps we may be glad that He doesn't always use such drastic ways as He used with Jonah, but it is far better that He use such means than that He leave us in disobedience. A state of disobedience is much worse than any trouble that moves us to be obedient. 3:2 "Preach. . .the message that I tell you" – this was the work of a prophet. He was simply to deliver God's message whether it had to do with the future or the present, whether it meant prediction or just preaching. 3:3 "Arose and went" – Jonah still did not want to go, and later he was not happy when his preaching met with success (4:1-3), but he went. Perhaps God's servants are to be more commended when, in obedience to God, they do things they don't want to do rather than when they do things they do want to do.

as we know. This was a city of the Gentiles which worshiped many gods and with little knowledge of the true God. See 1:2 for the character of the people. Yet there was this turning to God at the preaching of Jonah – something that the cities of Galilee and Judea did not do at the preaching of the Lord Jesus Himself (Matt 11:20-24; 12:41).

"Sackcloth" – 1 Kings 21:27; Neh 9:1; Dan 9:3. 3:6 The king of Nineveh was the very powerful king of Assyria.

"Ashes" – signifies a remarkable and complete humbling of himself. 3:7 "Eat or drink" – the people were to devote themselves to repentance and calling on God, and not to go about their usual tasks. 3:8 "Evil way", "violence" – he admitted the terrible spiritual condition of his people and made no excuses for them, no attempt to cover up their sin (compare Prov 28:13). 3:9 "Who can tell" – Joel 2:14; Amos 5:15. 3:10 This was according to His nature and His word – Ex 34:6,7; Joel 2:13. Jer 18:7,8 (written long after this) reveals God's dealings with cities or countries.

"Relented" – Ex 32:14. God delights to show mercy (Micah 7:18), and is reluctant to punish and destroy (compare Jer 48:31,32; Matt 23:37; etc). 4:1 "Angry" – what other preacher in history reacted like this to a great success? Why was Jonah angry? Nineveh was a great enemy of Israel and he thought God should not have mercy on it. His view was that if God is going to show mercy to anyone let it be to Israel alone, and not to Gentile enemies of Israel. Though Jonah was a prophet of the true God his heart was not in tune with God's heart in these matters. He did not want what God wanted, and did not delight in what God delighted in. 4:2 He knew the truth of Ex 34:6,7; Ps 86:15; 103:8; 116:5; Joel 2:13; etc.

"Three days" – see note at 1:2. 3:4 God's message was simple and direct. Of course, God did not mean that Nineveh would be destroyed whether the people repented or not (compare Jer 18:7,8; Ezek 18:21-23; 33:10,11,14-16). God is what Jonah thought Him to be – gracious and compassionate (4:2). 3:5 This was a marvelous thing, not equaled in all the days of the Old Testament, as far

JONAH 4:3 1204

LORD, and said, "Please, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore before this I fled to Tarshish. For I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to get angry, and of great kindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, I beg you to take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."

morning dawned, God prepared a worm, and it attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 And it came about when the sun rose that God prepared a hot east wind. And the sun beat down on Jonah's head, so that he fainted, and wished that he might die, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."

9 And God said to Jonah, "Are you right to be angry about the plant?"

4 Then the LORD said, "Are you right to be angry?"

And he said, "I am right to be angry, even to death."

5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat at the east side of the city, and there he made a booth for himself, and sat under it in the shade, until he could see what would become of the city. 6 And the LORD God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, so that it might give shade over his head, to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad about the plant. 7 But the next day when

10 Then the LORD said, "You are sorry about the plant, for which you did not labour or make to grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not spare Nineveh, that great city, where there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also many cattle?"

from the Hebrew. Possibly it was some sort of gourd. 4:7 God can take away our comforts as easily as He provides them, and may do so to teach us a lesson. 4:8 Again we see that Jonah thought entirely too much of his comforts and not enough of the people to whom God sent him to minister. He still wanted to die, not because of the vine, but because he was still not reconciled to God's ways and God's heart. 4:9 "I am right" – he was utterly mistaken in this. No person has the right to be angry with God for taking away what He once gave. Compare Job's attitude with Jonah's – Job 1:21,22. This is one reason why Job was the best man in his day, and Jonah was hardly the best man in his. Are not many of us more like Jonah than like Job? Do we not sometimes get upset with God because He won't do as we want Him to do and takes away some of the things we delight in? 4:10,11 Here is the lesson Jonah needed to learn. Let us learn it too. Let us learn that all things of this world, like the vine that gave shade to Jonah, are passing away – 1 John 2:17, and that we must care about the things that God cares about. God is concerned about all the peoples of the world. Are we taken up only with ourselves and our comforts?

But he wanted this truth applied to himself and to his people, not to outsiders. 4:3 "Take my life" – compare 1 Kings 19:4. Jonah's life meant nothing to him since God would not act as he wanted Him to act (others since then have fallen into depression for the same reason). He wanted Israel exalted above all peoples and nations, and could not see that God's behavior toward Nineveh was the way to go about it. 4:4 God now has to deal again with His grieved and angry prophet. We see how gently He does this in the rest of the chapter. The answer to the question of this verse is plainly "no". No one ever has any right to question God's ways (compare Rom 9:20). It is our part to learn God's ways and gladly yield to them. 4:5 "What would become of the city" – perhaps he hoped that Nineveh's repentance was only skin deep and that God would have to destroy it after all. 4:6 "Prepared" – vs 7,8; 1:17. God begins to teach Jonah a very important lesson. Jonah was concerned about trifling things such as personal comfort, and cared nothing for the salvation of people other than his own. It is a sad fact that in this matter there are a great many in Christian churches just like him. They are glad for comforts and luxuries but care nothing for the souls of men.

"Plant" – what kind of plant is not clear

MICAH

Author:

Micah was probably from the town of Moresheth-Gath which was near the Philistine city of Gath. His name is an abbreviated form of Micaiah, which means "Who is like Jehovah?" He is not the same as the prophet by that name who prophesied in the days of Ahab. This Micah is mentioned in Jer 26:18.

Date:

Perhaps sometime about 700 BC, though Micah had been prophesying for many years before that.

Themes:

The wickedness of the people and God's coming judgment. This little book contains prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. The place of His birth is announced 700 years before it took place (5:2), and His coming kingdom is briefly described (4:1-8). A famous description of true religion is given in 6:8, and a beautiful passage about God's mercy and love in 7:18-20.

Contents:

God is about to bring punishment on evil people ............................................... 1:2-5 God will bring ruin on Samaria and its idols ....................................................... 1:5-7 A lament concerning the coming invasion of

the Assyrians ........................................................................................ 1:8-16 The reasons for God's severe judgments ........................................................ 2:1-11 The future well-being of the remnant of Israel ................................................. 2:12,13 Warnings to evil leaders and false prophets .................................................... 3:1-7 The difference between Micah and false prophets ........................................... 3:7,8 Complete destruction of Jerusalem because of

the wickedness of rulers, priests, prophets .............................................. 3:9-12 God's coming kingdom will rule the whole earth ................................................ 4:1-8 Suffering and exile will end, well-being return .................................................. 4:9-13 The future Ruler will be born in Bethlehem....................................................... 5:1-5 Israel, delivered from idolatry, will conquer

its enemies ........................................................................................... 5:7-15 God's indictment against His people ................................................................ 6:1-5 Acting justly, loving mercy ............................................................................. 6:6-8 God's indictment continued ............................................................................ 6:9-16 The prophet's lament over the wickedness

of the people ........................................................................................ 7:1-6 Hope in God ................................................................................................ 7:7-9 Future well-being of Jerusalem ...................................................................... 7:10-13 God will forgive the sins of His people, forget those sins

forever, and deal with His people lovingly ................................................. 7:14-20

MICAH 1:1 1206

The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

planting a vineyard, and I will pour her stones into the valley, and I will uncover her foundations. 7 And all her carved images will be

smashed to pieces, and all her earnings will be burned

2 Hear, all you peoples!

Listen, O earth, and all that is in it,

with fire, and all her idols I will

that the Lord God may be a witness

make desolate. For she collected them from the

against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3 For, see, the LORD is coming out of his place,

earnings of a prostitute, and they will return to the earnings of

a prostitute.

and will descend and tread on the high

places of the earth. 4 And the mountains will melt under him,

8 Therefore I will wail and mourn.

I will go stripped and naked. I will wail like the jackals,

and the valleys will split,

like wax before the fire, and like water poured down a steep place. 5 All this is because of the transgression

and mourn like the owls. 9 For her wound is incurable;

and it has come to Judah. It has come to the gate of my people,

of Jacob, and because of the sins of the house of

to Jerusalem. 10 Tell it not at Gath, weep not at all. In the house of Aphrah roll yourself in

Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?

the dust. 11 Pass by in naked shame, inhabitant of Saphir. The inhabitant of Zaanan does not come out. Beth-Ezel is in mourning. Its standing place has been taken

6 Therefore I will make Samaria a heap

of ruins in the field and a place for

1:1 Jer 1:2; Hos 1:1; Joel 1:1. "Moresthite" – he was probably from the town of Moresheth-Gath, a town in southern Judah.

1 Kings 3:2; 12:32, etc. Micah means that the whole of Jerusalem had become a place of idolatry and false worship. This happened in the days of king Ahaz – 2 Kings 16:1-18; 2 Chron 28:25. 1:6,7 Now God speaks through Micah. "I will make" – using foreign armies to do it (Isa 10:5,6). See 2 Kings 17:5-20 for the fulfillment of this.

"Hezekiah" – Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea.

"Vision he saw" – see Isa 1:1. "Jerusalem" – Micah, unlike some of the prophets, was a prophet concerning both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. 1:2 The whole earth should hear what God has to say to Israel and Judah. Compare Isa 1:2. When God speaks of the sins of His people He is also witnessing against all the nations of earth, for they are guilty of the same sins.

"Prostitute" – see Hos 4:10-15. 1:8 "I will wail" – compare Isa 16:9-11; 22:4; Jer 8:21-9:1; 13:17; 48:31,36; Luke 19:41-44.

"Naked" – Isa 20:2-4. 1:9 "Incurable" – Isa 17:11; Jer 30:12,13; Hos 7:1. For God to heal a people there must be some willingness on their part. If they refuse God's healing, their wound is indeed incurable. Here Micah speaks of the destruction the Assyrians would bring on Israel.

"His holy temple" – in heaven (Rev 7:15; 11:19; 15:5,6; 16:17). 1:3 "Coming" – Micah means that God was about to take decisive action. Compare Ps 18:9; 144:5; Isa 26:21; 31:4; 64:1-3. "High places" – Amos 4:13. High places may mean either mountains (v 4) or places of false worship which were often erected on hills (v 5). 1:4 "Melt" – 46:6; 97:5; Nah 1:5. This language signifies God's coming in judgment to punish evildoers. 1:5 "Jacob" – means here the northern kingdom of Israel.

"To Jerusalem" – Isa 36:1,2. 1:10 "Gath" – Josh 11:22; 13:3; 1 Sam 5:8; 6:17. The prophet did not want the misery and destruction of God's people told in the cities of their enemies.

"In the house of Aphrah" – or it could be "in Beth-le-Aphrah," a Philistine city. "House of Aphrah" means "house of dust". 1:11 "In naked shame" – that is, "in the shame of nakedness." This is the way conquering armies led away their captives. Compare Isa 20:4. "Saphir" means "pleasant." "Zanaan" sounds like the Hebrew for "come out."

"Samaria" – the capital of Israel and the center of that nation's rebellion against God and His laws.

"High places" – Lev 26:30; Num 22:41;

1207 MICAH 2:8

away from you. 12 For the inhabitant of Maroth longed for good, but disaster from the LORD came down

by violence, and covet houses and seize them ; so they oppress a man and his house,

a man and his inheritance. 3 Therefore thus says the LORD:

to the gate of Jerusalem. 13 O inhabitant of Lachish, harness the chariot to the swift beast (she was

"See, I am devising a disaster against

this family, from which you will not remove your necks; nor will you walk haughtily,

the beginning of sin to the

daughter of Zion), for the transgressions of Israel were

for it will be a time of disaster. 4 In that day they will take up a proverb

found in you. 14 Therefore you will give presents to Moresheth-Gath. The houses of Achzib will prove false

against you, and mourn with a bitter lament,

and say, 'We are utterly ruined! He has changed the portion of my people. How he has removed it from me! He has divided our fields to a traitor.'" 5 Therefore you will have no one in the

to the kings of Israel. 15 Yet I will bring an heir to you, O inhabitant of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam. 16 Make yourselves bald, and cut off your hair in mourning for the children

congregation of the LORD who will

cast a measuring line by lot.

of your delight. Make your baldness like that of the eagle, because they have gone away from you

6 "Do not prophesy," they say to those

who prophesy. "Do not prophesy to them," so that

into captivity.

they will not be ashamed. 7 "O you who are named the house of Jacob,

Woe to those who devise iniquity,

is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who

and work out evil on their beds! When morning light comes, they do it,

because it is in the power of their hand. 2 And they covet fields and take them

walks uprightly? 8 Lately my people have risen up like an enemy.

"Seize them" – compare 1 Kings 21:1-16. 2:3 "Devising" – the powerful and rich in society left the true God out of their planning but He did not leave them out of His.

1:12 "Maroth" sounds like the Hebrew for "bitter."

"From the LORD" – compare Isa 10:5,6. 1:13 "Lachish" – a large town in Judah about 50 kilometers southwest of Jerusalem. The name sounds like the Hebrew for "team."

"Not remove your necks" – their wealth and power would come to nothing on the day of disaster.

"Beginning of sin" – perhaps this means that the idolatry which later found a place in Jerusalem had its beginnings in Lachish.

"Haughtily" – see in Isa 2:10-18 what God thinks of man's pride. 2:4 Prov 3:34,35. "To a traitor" – or "to one who has turned back." 2:5 "By lot" – Num 34:13; Josh 18:10. Micah means they won't be in the land at all. 2:6 "Do not prophesy" – Isa 30:10; Jer 11:21; 26:7-9; Amos 2:12; 7:12,13; Acts 4:18; 5:40. They had the greatest privilege any people on earth every had – to hear messages direct from God through His servants. But this was the last thing they wanted. 2:7 Now God speaks through Micah. The people were badly mistaken if they thought God could not be angry with them. God's words would do good only to those who were obedient to Him and straight in their dealings with others. But the wicked would not be able to escape from disaster by trying to silence God's prophets – they would only make that disaster more certain to come. 2:8,9 "Enemy" – the leaders of those called the people of God were behaving like the people of the devil. They were enemies of

"Daughter of Zion" – the city of Jerusalem. Compare 2 Kings 19:21; Ps 9:14. 1:14 Moresheth-Gath (v 1) would be lost to the enemy. "Achzib" means "deception." 1:15 "Mareshah" sounds like the Hebrew for "conqueror." The "glory of Israel" was God Himself – 1 Sam 15:29. Compare Ps 106;20; Jer 2:11; Hos 4:7. Perhaps the prophets called God this because He appeared as a cloud of glory in both tabernacle and temple – Ex 40:34,35; 1 Kings 8:10,11. "Adullam" – God will come to punish the people there. 1:16 "Make. . .bald" – shaving the head was a sign of grief (Job 1:20).

"Captivity" – Deut 4:27; Amos 5:27; 6:7; 7:17. 2:1-5 Micah is speaking of the wealthy and powerful in the land. Compare Amos 1:6,7; 3:15 - 4:3. 2:2 "Covet" – see Ex 20:17.

MICAH 2:9 1208

You pull off the robe with the garment

who strip the skin from the people

from those who pass by feeling secure,

and the flesh from their bones, 3 Who also eat the flesh of my people,

like men returning from war. 9 You cast out the women of my people

and flay their skin from them?" And they break their bones,

from their pleasant homes. You have taken away my glory from

and chop them in pieces, like meat for the pan, and like flesh in the pot.

their children forever. 10 Arise and depart, for this is not your rest, because it is defiled. It will destroy you with a great destruction. 11 If a man who is a liar, walking in the spirit of falsehood, says, 'I will prophesy to you of wine and

4 Then they will call to the LORD,

but he will not hear them. He will even hide his face from them

at that time, because of the evil deeds they have

strong drink,' he will become the

committed. 5 Thus says the LORD concerning the

prophet of this people.

12 "I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob. I will surely gather the

prophets who cause my people to go

astray, who cry out 'Peace' when chewing

remnant of Israel. I will put them together like the sheep

with their teeth, but prepare war against the one who

of Bozrah, like the flock in the

middle of their pasture. Because the men will be so many they

puts nothing into their mouths. 6 Therefore night will come to you,

will make a great noise. 13 The one who breaks will go up before them. They will break out, pass through the gate,

without a vision, and darkness will come to you,

without divination. The sun will go down on the prophets, and the day will become dark over them. 7 Then the seers will be ashamed,

and go out by it; and their king will pass before them,

with the LORD at their head."

and the diviners confounded. Yes, they will all cover their lips,

And I said, "Please listen, O heads of Jacob, and you rulers of the house of Israel. Is it not for you to know justice, 2 You who hate the good and love the evil,

for there is no answer from God.

8 But truly I am full of power by the

Spirit of the LORD, and of justice and might,

truth, of righteousness, of the people, and of God (compare Jam 4:4). 2:10 There was no longer any security for them in the land of Israel. By their sin they had defiled and ruined it. 2:11 The people wanted to be told only what they wanted to hear, not the truth they needed to hear. Compare 2 Tim 4:3. 2:12 As God often did, here in the middle of prophecies of disaster He promises eventual deliverance and blessing for the people of Israel.

was absolutely essential. 3:2 "Hate the good and love the evil" – this was, of course, the exact opposite of what they should have been. But all too often in every country and in every era this describes what leaders are like. 3:3 Of course, they were not literally eating the people. These words signify how they violently oppressed them. 3:4 "They" means the leaders. "He will not hear" – compare Prov 1:2431; Isa 1:15; 59:1,2; Jer 11:11. "Hide His face" – Deut 31:17; Isa 45:15; Hos 5:6,15. 3:5-7 The prophets who should have spoken for God were as bad as the leaders of Israel. Instead of leading the people to the truth they led them away from it. Compare Isa 3:12; 9:16; Jer 6:13,14; Matt 7:15; 24:24; 2 Pet 2:1. 3:6 Prophets were supposed to have God's light, but because these particular ones did not want the light God would plunge them into darkness. The punishment exactly fitted their crime. 3:7 "Seers" – see 1 Sam 9:9. 3:8 "The Spirit of the LORD" – Ex 31:3; Isa

"Gather" – Isa 11:14; Jer 29:14; 31:8,10; Ezek 34:13; 36:24. "Sheep" – Jer 23:3,4. 2:13 This verse probably looks forward to the end of this age. Compare Isa 11:1016; Amos 9:14,15. "One who breaks" seems to refer to the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. He will remove all obstacles to the permanent settlement of Israel in their land. "Their king" and "the LORD" (Jehovah) also refer to Him. 3:1-4 These rulers and leaders of Jacob and Israel included those of Judah. See vs 9,10. 3:1 "Know justice" – they were called to be God's people, a holy righteous people, therefore knowing and administering justice

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