1The time when Amos prophesied. 3He sheweth God's judgments upon Syria, 6upon the Philistines, 9upon Tyrus, 11upon Edom, 13upon Ammon.
1THE 1words of Amos, who was among the 2herdmen of 3Tekoa, which he 4saw concerning Israel in the days of 5Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before 6thea earthquake.
1 Or, things, matters.
2 See Amos 7:14. The Hebrew word we have likewise in 2 Kings 3:4, where it is used of the king of the Moabites for a sheep master.
3 See 2 Sam. 14 on verse 2.
4 That is, which were revealed to him by God in visions; also Micah 1:1. See Ezek. 13 on verse 3, etc.
5 From this it is plain that this prophet prophesied at the same time as Hosea. See Hosea 1:1.
6 Compare Zech. 14:5. The Jews believe that this earthquake happened at the time when Uzziah was smitten of God with leprosy, for having entered upon the priests’ office, 2 Chron. 26:19. Others hold it was after the death of this king Jeroboam, for the fearful conspiracies and murders, which ensued thereupon in Israel (especially among the great ones), and are often mentioned by the prophet Hosea.
a Zech. 14:5.
2And he said, The LORD will 7roarb from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the 8habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the 9top of Carmel shall wither.
7 See Jer. 25:30; Joel 3:16, with the annotations.
b Jer. 25:30; Joel 3:16.
8 Or, pastures, goodly fields, where the herdsmen have their huts, and feed their cattle. These shall be in a miserable condition, as suffering for the people’s sins. Compare Amos 4:6, 7. From these words some do gather that here God foretells of a great drought in Israel, which He would cause to be prophesied by a prophet in Judah and send it forth out of Zion, as from His habitation. Compare Amos 3:8.
9 Hebr. the head. Of Carmel see Jer. 50 on verse 19.
3Thus saith the LORD; 10For three transgressions of 11Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away 12the punishment thereof; because they have threshed 13Gilead with 14threshing instruments of iron:
10 That is, for many, gross and heinous sins (especially committed against My people) which from time to time they have heaped up, vilely abusing My patience. A certain number for an uncertain. Compare Job 5 on verse 19; 33:29. Likewise verses 6, 9, 11, 13; Amos 2:4, 6.
11 That is, Syria, and further the Syrians. Of Damascus see Gen. 14 on verse 15; 2 Sam. 8:5.
12 Namely, the judgment, set down in the following verse; it shall be no longer withheld or delayed. Some take it thus: For three, etc., nay for four will I not recompense her, but for having threshed Gilead, etc., as if the Lord had said: Many past sins I might have yet winked at, and not punished them so severely for them, but now they have dealt so tyrannically with My people, I will cause My judgment to proceed against them; and so in the sequel. Other, I shall not bring them back again, namely, so far into My favor, as to spare them any further.
13 That is, Israel, inhabiting the land of Gilead, situated beyond the Jordan, towards Syria. See Gen. 31 on verse 21.
14 Compare verse 13; 2 Sam. 12 on verse 31. This may be understood of the cruelty of Hazael and Benhadad (see 2 Kings 8:12; 10:32, 33; 12:18; 13:3, 7), which names of the two tyrants are mentioned in verse 4.
4But I will send a 15fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.
15 Plague of war and destruction, etc. See Jer. 49:27, with the annotations, and so in the sequel frequently.
5I will breakc also the 16bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the 17plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the 18sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto 19Kir,d saith the LORD.
c Isa. 17:1, etc.; Jer. 49:23, etc.
16 That is, the power, strength and stability of the kingdom of Syria, and especially of the capital Damascus. See 2 Kings 16:9; Isa. 17:1.
17 This appears to have been two cities or royal houses of pleasure in Syria, in comparison with verse 8. Bikeat-Aven is to say valley of vanity, Beth-Eden, house of pleasure. Of Eden see Gen. 2 on verse 8.
18 That is, the governor; for such was a sign of government. See Gen. 49 on verse 10; Ezek. 19:11, 14.
19 See 2 Kings 16 on verse 9 and compare Amos 9:7.
d 2 Kings 16:9.
6¶Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of 20Gaza,e and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away 21captive 22the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
20 See Judges 16 on verse 1. By this is understood likewise the other chief cities of the Philistines. See verse 8.
e 2 Chron. 21:16, 17; 28:18.
21 Hebr. for their carrying away captive, etc. See 2 Chron. 21:16, 17; 28:18; Joel 3:4, 6.
22 Or, in a complete captivity, delivering them up to Edom.
7But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
8And I will cut off the inhabitant from 23Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine 24hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines 25shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
23Ashdod and the other cities, mentioned in this verse, were all principal cities of the Philistines, known in the Scripture.
24 That is, extend My power. See the phrase 2 Sam. 8:3; Ezek. 38:12.
25 Hebr. shall (plural), that is, the survivors shall perish.
9¶Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of 26Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole 27captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly 28covenant:
26 See Joshua 19 on verse 29, and further on Tyrus Isaiah 23; Jer. 47:4; Ezekiel 26; 27; 28.
27 Compare Joel 3:4, 6, with the annotation.
28 David and Solomon both had made a covenant with Hiram, the king of Tyre, and called one another brethren. See 2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:1; 9:13.
10But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
11¶Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of 29Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his 30brother with the sword, and did cast off all 31pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his 32wrath for ever:
29 See Isa. 21:11; Jer. 49:7; Ezek. 25:12; Obadiah verse 1.
30 That is, his own kindred, namely, Israel or the Israelites, descending from Jacob, the brother of Esau, who was the father of the Edomites. See Gen. 27:40; Deut. 23:7.
31 That is, the natural affections and sympathies, which kinsmen ought to bear and show one another.
32 Which Esau first took up against his brother Jacob (Gen. 27:41), and was basely pursued or continued by his posterity. See Psalm 137:7, etc.
12But I will send a fire upon 33Teman, which shall devour the palaces of 34Bozrah.
33 See Jer. 49 on verse 7.
34 Of the Edomites, as Isa. 34:6; 63:1; Jer. 49:22. For, it seems undoubtedly that there was another Bozrah, belonging to Moab, Jer. 48:24, otherwise (according to some) called Bezer, Joshua 21:36, where were many pastures and sheep. See Micah 2:12 and compare 2 Kings 3:4. Unless, by their lust for war, the Edomites might have subdued and drawn to themselves Bozrah of Moab, as it is not far situated from their borders.
13¶Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the 35children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have 36ripped up the women with child of 37Gilead, that they might enlarge their 38border:
35 See Jer. 49:1; Ezek. 25:2.
36 By this one, atrocious kind of tyranny understand all the others, as verse 3; Hosea 14:1.
37 See on verse 3.
38 The land of the Ammonites bordered on Gilead, both were situated eastward beyond Jordan.
14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of 39Rabbah, and it shall devour the 40palaces thereof, with 41shouting in the day of battle, with a 42tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
39 See 2 Sam. 11 on verse 1.
40 Of the city Rabbah, the capital city of the Ammonites.
41 Or, trumpet-sound, war-cry; likewise Amos 2:2.
42 By a war, which through God’s heavy wrath shall light as suddenly and terribly upon them, as a tempest, hail storm or whirlwind. See Job 9:17; Prov. 1:27; 10:25; Hosea 8:7, with the annotations.
15And their 43king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD.
43 Other, Malcam, that is, the idol of the Ammonites shall be carried away into captivity, according to the manner of those nations, when they subdued a country. See Isa. 46:1; Jer. 48:7; 49:1, 3; Hosea 10:6, with the annotations.