Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Amos 2:2

But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, [and] with the sound of the trumpet:

2. the palaces of Kerioth ] more exactly eriyyoth: named here and Jer 48:41 (cf. Jer 48:24) as a representative city of Moab, and hence evidently a considerable place, if not the capital of Moab. Mesha, also, in a passage of his Inscription (lines 10 13), sufficiently interesting to extract in full, speaks of it in terms implying that it was a place of importance, possessing a sanctuary of the national god (Num 21:29; 1Ki 11:7), and a royal residence: “And the men of Gad had dwelt in the land of Ataroth (Num 32:3; Num 32:34) from of old; and the king of Israel built for himself Ataroth. And I fought against the city, and took it. And I slew all [the people of] the city, a gazing-stock [cf. Nah 3:6 ] to Chmsh, and to Moab. And I brought back [ or, took captive] thence the altar-hearth of Davdoh (?), and I dragged it before Chmsh in eriyyoth.” From the fact that, notwithstanding its importance, it is not mentioned in the long enumeration of Moabite cities in Isaiah 15-16, and that conversely where Ar, the capital of Moab, is named, eriyyoth is not mentioned, it has been supposed by many that Ar and eriyyoth were different names of the same place. Its situation is uncertain, though, if it was identical with Ar, it will have lain somewhere on the N. or N.E. border of Moab, in the valley of the Arnon (see Deu 2:9; Deu 2:18).

and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the horn ] The nation is personified, and pictured here as dying, under the assault of its foes, as in Isa 25:11 it is pictured as drowning. The tumult is the confused roar, or din, of the fray (cf. Hos 10:14; Psa 74:23; the same word, of a distant roar of a great multitude, or of rushing waters, Isa 17:12-13): the shouting, as Amo 1:14, is that of the attacking foe, parallel with die shphr or horn, calling them on, as Jer 4:19 (‘the shouting of battle’), Zep 1:16, Job 39:25.

The shphr was the curved horn of a cow or ram, to be carefully distinguished from the long straight metal atztzerh, or trumpet, with expanding mouth, represented on Jewish coins, and on the Arch of Titus (Stainer, Music of the Bible, p. 131; in use also among the Assyrians, ib. p. 132 f.). The shphr was principally, and in early Israel perhaps entirely, used for secular purposes, chiefly to give signals in war (Jdg 3:27; 2Sa 2:28; 2Sa 20:1, &c., and here), or to raise an alarm (see on Amo 3:6), sometimes also to announce or accompany an important public event, such as an accession (1Ki 1:34; 1Ki 1:39), or other joyous occasion (2Sa 6:15 [142] ; cf. Psa 47:5): as a sacred instrument it is mentioned rarely, and mostly, if not entirely, in later writers (Psa 81:4; Psa 98:6; Psa 150:3; 2Ch 15:14; cf. Lev 23:24; Lev 25:9, and Joe 2:15). The atztzerh, on the other hand, appears rarely as a secular instrument (Hos 5:8; 2Ki 11:14), but often, especially in later times, in the Chronicler’s descriptions of religious ceremonies, as a sacred, instrument (2Ki 12:13; 1Ch 13:8 ; 1Ch 15:28 [ added to the earlier narrative of 2Sa 6:5; 2Sa 6:15 ]; 2Ch 15:14; 2Ch 20:28; Ezr 3:10, &c.; cf. Num 10:3-9). The two words are very unfortunately confused in the English version, except where they occur together, when shphr is rendered ‘cornet’ (e.g. Hos 5:8; Psa 98:6; 1Ch 15:28; 2Ch 15:14). Comp. Stainer, Music of the Bible, p. 127; Nowack, Heb. Arch. i. 277 f.

[142] Note that the shphr is here in the hands of lay Israelites.

Shphrs as used in a modern synagogue, on New Year’s Day (Lev 23:24, Num 29:1), and at the close of the Day of Atonement (Lev 25:9). (From Engel’s Music of the Most Ancient Nations, 1870, p. 293.)

Two silver atztzerahs (Num 10:2), as figured on the Arch of Titus, in front of the Table of Shewbread. (From the Speaker’s Commentary, i. 363. Comp. Reland, De Spoliis Templi, 1716, p. 70.)

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

It shall devour the palaces of Kerioth – Literally, the cities, that is, a collection of cities. It may have received a plural form upon some enlargement, as Jerusalem received a dual form, as a double city. The name is, in different forms, very common . In the plain or high downs of Moab itself, there were both Kiriathaim, double city and Kerloth Jer 48:23-24; in Naphthali, a Kiriathaim, (1Ch 6:76, (1Ch 6:61 in Hebrew)) or Kartan Jos 21:32; in Judah, the Kerioth Jos 15:25 from where the wretched Judas has his name Iscariot; in Zebulon, Kartah Jos 21:34 also, which reappears as the Numidian Cirta. Moab had also a Kiriath-huzoth, city of streets Num 22:39, within the Arnon . This alone was within the proper border of Moab, such as the Armorites had left it.

Kerioth and Kiriathaim were in the plain country which Israel had won from the Amorites, and its possession would imply an aggression of Moab. Jeroboam II had probably at this time brought Moab to a temporary submission (see the note at Amo 6:14); but Israel only required fealty and tribute of Moab; Moab appears even before the captivity of the 2 12 tribes, to have invaded the possessions of Israel. Kerioth was probably a new capital, beyond the Arnon, now adorned with palaces and enlarged, as Paris, Prague, Cracow , London, are composed of different towns. In Jeromes time, it had probably ceased to be .

Shall die with tumult – Jeremiah, when prophesying the destruction of Moab, designates it by this same name sons of tumult Jer 48:45. A flame shall devour the corner of Moab and the crown of the sons of tumult. And probably herein he explains the original prophecy of Balaam, shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of tumult Num 24:17. As they had done, so should it be done to them; tumults they caused, in tumult they should perish.

After the subdual of Moab by Nebuchadnezzar, it disappears as a nation, unless indeed Daniel in his Prophecy, Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon shall escape out of his hand Amos 11:41 (Antiochus Epiphanes,) means the nations themselves, and not such as should be like them. Else the intermarriage with Moabite women Ezr 9:1 is mentioned only as that with women of other pagan nations which had ceased to be. The old name, Moabitis, is still mentioned; but the Arabs had possessed themselves of it, and bore the old name. Alexander Jannaeus subdued we are told, of the Arabians, the Moabites and Gileadires, and then, again, when in difficulty, made it over with its fortified places, to the king of the Arabians . Among the cities which Alexander took from the king of the Arabians , are cities throughout Moab, both in that part in which they had succeeded to Israel, and their proper territory south of the Arnon .

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 2. The palaces of Kirioth] This was one of the principal cities of the Moabites.

Moab shall die with tumult] All these expressions seem to refer to this city’s being taken by storm, which was followed by a total slaughter of its inhabitants.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

I will send a fire: see Amo 1:4.

Moab; some think, but I know not on what ground, that there was a city of this name, and meant here, but on better reason we conclude it to be the whole country, or by a metonymy the people, who were the posterity of Lot by his elder daughter.

It shall devour the palaces: see Amo 1:4.

Kerioth; a strong and principal city of this country; or the cities, so the word will bear, and then the threat is against all their cities.

Moab, the Moabites, all sorts and ranks of them, shall die, be destroyed, and perish utterly, with tumult; such as soldiers in fight or assaults make, when they carry all by force, bearing down all opposition, and slaying all opposers, with that rigour which in such cases is very usual.

With shouting; as conquerors shout, to the end they may dishearten the enemy, and animate their fellow soldiers.

With the sound of the trumpet: this added partly to explain, and partly to confirm, what the prophet had foretold.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

2. Kirioththe chief city ofMoab, called also Kir-Moab (Isa15:1). The form is plural here, as including both theacropolis and town itself (see Jer 48:24;Jer 48:41, Margin).

die with tumultthatis, amid the tumult of battle (Ho10:14).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

But I will send a fire upon Moab,…. Either on the whole country, or on some particular city so called, as in all the other prophecies; and there was a city called Moab, now Areopolis,

[See comments on Jer 48:4]; though it may be put for the whole country, into which an enemy should be sent to destroy it, even Nebuchadnezzar:

and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth; a principal city in the land of Moab; according to Kimchi, it was the royal city, and therefore mention is made of the palaces of it, here being the palace of the king and his princes; see Jer 48:24; though the word may be rendered cities, as it is by the Septuagint and Arabic versions; and so the Targum,

“and shall consume the palaces of the fortified place;”

and so may signify all the cities of Moab, and their palaces: or however may be put for them:

and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, [and] with the sound of the trumpet: that is, the Moabites shall die, not in their beds, and in peace, but in war, amidst the howlings of the wounded, the shouts of soldiers, the clashing of arms, and the sound of trumpets,

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

He therefore adds a threatening, I will send a fire on Moab, which shall devour the palaces of קריות , Koriut We have stated that what the Prophet means by these modes of speaking is that God would consume the Moabites by a violent punishment as by a burning fire, that fortified places could not hinder him from executing his vengeance, and that though they were proud of their palaces, yet these would avail them nothing.

And he subjoins, Moab shall die with tumult, with noise, with the sound of the trumpet; that is, I will send strong enemies, who will come and make no peace with the Moabites, but will take possession of every place, and of fortified cities, by force and by the sword. For what the Prophet means by tumult, by shouting, by the sound of the trumpet, is, that the Moabites would not come under the power of their enemies by certain agreements and compacts, as when a voluntary surrender is made, which usually mitigates the hostile rage of enemies; no, he says, it shall not be so; for their enemies shall have not only their wealth but their lives also.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(2) Kirioth.This properly signifies a group of towns, but here refers to a single large town in Moab, the modern Kureit. (Comp. Jer. 48:24.)

CURSE ON JUDAH.

Great privileges have met with mad and foolish despite. Exalted to the highest heaven of possibility, Judah has despised the Law of the Lord, instead of preserving, with sacred reverence, His ordinances and institutions.

Their lies.i.e., their false deities, which they have treated as divine. The lies after which the fathers walked deceived the children. The children canonise the errors of their fathers. Human opinion is as dogmatic as revelation (Pusey).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Amo 2:2 But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, [and] with the sound of the trumpet:

Ver. 2. But I will send a fire ] See Amo 1:4 .

And it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth ] A city so fair and large that it hath a plural name, which signifieth cities by way of excellence; as Athens was called the Greece of Greece; Rome, the epitome of the world. ‘ E .

And Moab shall die with tumult ] With all these together, on a huddle, as it were: they are here set down by an elegant asyndeton, to set forth the suddenness and terror of the judgment threatened. They shall be stormed, and have no quarter given them. Here Osiander noteth, that it is one of the many punishments of sin for a man not to die in his bed, but in battle. It was promised to Josiah “he should die in peace,” 2Ch 34:28 . True it is he died in battle; but he died before that general desolation that followed shortly after (for, indeed, with him died all the prosperity of that people). And beside, his weeping and humiliation had altered the very nature of the trouble, and made war to be peace to him.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

palaces. See note on Amo 1:4.

Kirioth: or, his cities. Now el Kureiyat, or Kiraiathaim, between Dibon and Medeba. Mentioned by Mesha on the Moabite Stone. See App-54.

shouting = war-cry. Cy. Amo 1:14

trumpet. Heb, shophar.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Kirioth: Jer 48:24, Jer 48:41

with tumult: Amo 1:14, Isa 9:5, Jer 48:34

Reciprocal: Exo 32:17 – There is a noise Num 21:28 – a fire Jer 17:27 – then Jer 20:16 – let him Jer 48:1 – Moab Jer 48:45 – a fire Jer 50:32 – kindle Eze 28:18 – therefore Eze 30:8 – when I Amo 1:4 – I will

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Amo 2:2. Kirioth was an important city of the Moabites and it was destined to be destroyed by Are from an attacking army. The success of the invader was to be accompanied with shouts and the Instruments commonly used in warfare.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary