Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Amos 2:7
That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the [same] maid, to profane my holy name:
7. That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor ] The expression is a singular one; but, if the text be sound, the meaning is probably (Hitzig, Pusey, Duhm), “who are so avaricious that they are eager even to secure the dust strewn upon their heads by the poor, in token of their distress,” whether after an unjust condemnation, or any other misfortune. Dust on the head was a sign of grief or misfortune: see e.g. 2Sa 1:2; 2Sa 15:32; Lam 2:10. Others (Keil, Gunning) think the meaning is merely, Who are eager to see dust on the head of the poor, i.e. to see them reduced to a state of misery. The former explanation involves a thought which, it must he owned, is somewhat far-fetched; but it is more exact exegetically than the second. Jerome, pronouncing the verb differently ( shphm, for sh’ ph m), and not expressing the prep. on, renders; “Who crush (Gen 3:15; Psa 94:5, Targ.) the heads of the poor upon the dust of the earth,” a forcible metaphor (cf. Isaiah’s ‘grind the faces of the poor,’ Amo 3:15), and Micah’s ‘strip the flesh off their bones,’ Amo 3:2-3) for oppression. This yields a good sense, and may be the original text. Wellh. also reads crush, omitting ‘upon the dust of the earth’ (cf. Amo 8:4, “Who pant after [ or crush] die needy”); but if these words are not genuine, it is difficult to understand how they found their way into the text. The word rendered poor ( dal) is lit. thin (of kine, Gen 41:19, of Amnon, 2Sa 13:4); fig. reduced in circumstances, poor, Exo 23:3, and frequently.
turn aside the way of the meek ] place hindrances in their way, thwart their purposes, oblige them to turn aside from the path that they would naturally follow, to land them in difficulties. Cf. Job 24:4, “and turn aside the needy from the way” (mentioned among other acts of high-handed oppression). By the meek are meant the humble-minded servants of Jehovah, who by character, and often also by circumstances, were unable to protect themselves against the oppressions or persecutions of a worldly-minded aristocracy, and who, especially in the Psalms, are often alluded to as both deserving and receiving Jehovah’s care. In Isa 32:7 they are the victims of the unscrupulous intriguer; in Isa 29:19 they are described as able by the overthrow of injustice ( Isa 29:20-21) to rejoice thankfully in their God; in Isa 11:4 the Messianic king judges their cause with righteousness. They are named, as here, in parallelism with the ‘poor’ ( dal) in Isa 11:4, and with the ‘needy’ ( ebhyn) in Isa 29:19; Isa 32:7; Psa 9:19; Job 24:4; see also Isa 61:1; Psa 22:26; Psa 34:2; Psa 37:11; Psa 76:9.
will go in ] go (R.V.) i.e. resort: the verb is not the one ( b) used in Gen 16:4, &c. ‘ Will go’ means ‘are in the habit of going’: will having the same force as in Pro 19:6; Pro 19:24; Pro 20:6 &c.); but it is better omitted in translation.
unto the same maid ] to a girl: the art. is generic, and, as such, is properly represented in English by the indef. article: the enormity lies not in its being an exaggeration of ordinary immorality (1Co 5:1), but in the frequency and publicity with which it was practised: father and son are thus found resorting to the same spots. The allusion is in all probability not to common immorality, but to immorality practised in the precincts of a temple, especially in the service of Ashtoreth, as a means by which the worshippers placed themselves under the patronage and protection of the goddess; a singular and revolting practice, found in many Semitic religions, and frequently alluded to in the Old Testament. The persons attached to a temple who prostituted themselves with the worshippers were called Kdshth, i.e. sacred or dedicated (to the deity in question): see Gen 38:21-22 and (in N. Israel) Hos 4:14; and comp. the masc. Kd shm, 1Ki 14:24; 1Ki 15:12 ; 1Ki 22:46; 2Ki 23:7 (under Manasseh, even in the Temple at Jerusalem). Deu 23:17 forbids Israelites (of either sex) to be made such temple-prostitutes. Comp. in Babylon Hdt. 1. 199, Bar 6:43 , Strabo xvi. 1, 20, in Byblus, Lucian, De dea Syria, 4, in Cyprus (in the service of the Cyprian Aphrodite, who corresponded to Ashtoreth), Hdt. I. 199 end, Clem. Alex. Protrep. pp. 12, 13; see also the present writer’s note on Deu 23:17 f.
to profane my holy name ] in order to profane &c.: it ought to have been so clear to them that such practices were contrary to Jehovah’s will that Amos represents them as acting in deliberate and intentional contravention of it. To profane Jehovah’s name is an expression used more especially in the “Law of Holiness” (Leviticus 17-26), and by Ezekiel. Jehovah is Israel’s Owner; and as such, His name is ‘called over it’ (see on Amo 9:12): hence the name is said to be ‘profaned,’ when something is done bringing it into discredit, or, in virtue of His connexion with Israel, derogatory to Him: for instance, by the worship of Molech (Lev 18:21; Lev 20:3), perjury (Lev 19:12), the humiliation of Israel in exile (Isa 48:11; Eze 20:9; Eze 20:14; Eze 36:20-23).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That pant after the dust of the earth – Literally, the panters! with indignation. Not content with having rent from him the little hereditary property which belonged to each Israelite, these creditors grudged him even the dust, which, as a mourner, he strewed on his head Job 2:12, since it too was earth. Covetousness, when it has nothing to feed it, craves for what is absurd or impossible. What was Naboths vineyard to a king of Israel with his ivory palace? What was Mordecais refusal to bow to one in honor like Haman? What a trivial gain to a millionaire? The sarcasm of the prophet was the more piercing, because it was so true. People covet things in proportion, not to their worth, but to their worthlessness. No one covets what he much needs. Covetousness is the sin, mostly not of those who have not, but of those who have. It grows with its gains, is the less satisfied, the more it has to satisify it, and attests its own unreasonableness, by the uselessness of the things it craves for.
And turn aside the way of the meek – So Solomon said, A wicked man taketh a bribe out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of judgment. (Pro 17:23. God had laid down the equality of man, made in His own image, and had forbidden to favor either poor Exo 23:3 or rich Exo 23:6. Amos calls these by different names, which entitled them to human sympathy; poor, depressed, lowly; poor, in their absolute condition; depressed, as having been brought low; lowly, as having the special grace of their state, the wonderful meekness and lowliness off the godly poor. But all these qualities are so many incentives to injury to the ungodly. They hate the godly, as a reproach to them; because he is clean contrary to their doings, his life is not like other peoples; his ways are of another fashion (Wisdom Amo 2:12, Amo 2:15). Wolves destroy not wolves but sheep. Bad people circumvent not the bad but the good. Besides the easiness of the gain, there is a devilish fascinating pleasure to the bad, to overreach the simple and meek, because they are such.
They love also to turn aside the way of the meek, by , turning them from what is truly right and good; or from the truth; or again to thwart them in all their ways and endeavors, by open injustice or by perverting justice. Every act of wrong prepares the way for the crowning act; and so the turning aside the way of the meek foreshadowed and prepared for the unjust judgment of Him who was the Meek and Lowly One Mat 11:29, the selling the righteous for a trilling sum prepared for the selling the Holy One and the Just Act 3:14 for the thirty pieces of silver. : Contrariwise, whoso is truly wise, cordially venerates the humble and abject, the poor and simple, and prefers them in his own heart to himself, knowing that God has chosen the poor, and the weak things of the world, and things despised, and things which are not 1Co 1:27-28; and that Christ hath likened Himself to such, saying in the Psalm, I am poor and sorrowful Psa 69:29.
The same damsel – This is not expressly forbidden by the law, except in the case of marriage, the father being forbidden to marry his sons widow, and the son to take his fathers widow to wife Lev 18:8, Lev 18:15. Abominations, unless they had become known to Israel in Egypt, were not expressly forbidden, but were included in the one large prohibition, which, as our Lord explains, forbade every offence, bearing upon it. Israel must have so understood the law, since Amos could upbraid them with this, which is not forbidden by the letter of the law, as a willful insult to the Majesty of God. Reverence was due from the son to the father, example from the father to the son. But now the father was an example of evil to the son; and the son sinned in a way which had no temptation except its irreverence. People, sated with ordinary sin seek incitement to sin, in its very horrors. Probably this sin was committed in connection with their idol worship (see the note at Hos 4:14). The sin of marrying the fathers widow was fornication not so much as named among the Gentiles 1Co 5:1; it was unknown, as seemingly legalizing what was so unnatural. Oppression of the poor, wronging the righteous, perverting the way of the meek, laid the soul open for any abomination.
To profane My Holy Name – that is, as called upon them, as the people of God. God had said, ye shall keep My commandments and do them (Lev 22:31-32; add Lev 20:3; Lev 18:21; Lev 21:6). I am the Lord, and ye shall not defile My Holy Name. For I will be sanctified among the children of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you. The sins of Gods people are a reproach upon Himself. They bring Him, so to say, in contact with sin. They defeat the object of His creation and revelation. He created man in His Image, to bear His likeness, to have one will with Himself. In effect, through sin, He has created rebels, deformed, unlike. So long as He bears with them, it seems as if He were indifferent to them. Those to whom He has not revealed Himself, must needs think that He takes no account of what He permits unnoticed. Israel, whom God had separated from the pagan, did, by mingling with the pagan and learning their works Psa 106:35, all which in them lay, to profane His Holy Name. They acted as if they had no other purpose than to defile it (see the note at Hos 8:4).
Had such been their object, they could not have done it more effectually, they could not have done otherwise. In deliberate sin, people act, at last, in defiance of God, in set purpose to dishonor Him. The Name of God has ever since been blasphemed, on account of the sins of the Jews, as though it were impossible that God should have chosen for His own, a people so laden with iniquities Isa 1:4. Nathans words to David, Thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2Sa 12:14, have been fulfilled until this day. How much more, Christians, who not only are called the people of God but bear the name of Christ incorporated in their own. Yet have we not known Muslims flee from our Christian capital, in horror at its sins? He lives like a Christian, is a proverb of the Polish Jews, drawn from the debased state of morals in Socinian Poland. The religion of Christ has no such enemies as Christians. Dionysius: As the devout by honoring God, shew that He is Holy, Great, Most High, who is obeyed in holiness, fear and reverence, so the ungodly, by dishonoring God, exhibit God as far as in them lies, as if lie were not holy. For they act so as if evil were well-pleasing to Him, and induce others to dishonor Him. Wherefore the Apostle saith; the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Rom 2:24; and by Ezekiel the Lord saith oftentimes, Ye have profaned My Holy Name. And I will sanctify My great Name which wets profaned among the pagan, which ye hare profaned in the midst of them Eze 36:23. The devout then are said to magnify, sanctify, exalt God; the unrighteous to profane Eze 13:19, despise, God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. See Clarke on Am 2:6.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor; or swallow up, as the word is most frequently turned by our interpreters; and so perhaps more plainly is their cruelty and violence set forth, in that they make a prey of the poor, who walk with dust on their heads by reason of distresses that are upon them, and, without any compassion towards them, greedily, and as at once, swallow up and devour the poor, whom, by the law of God, and the office they bear as judges, they should deliver out of the hand of the oppressor.
Turn aside the way of the meek; perversely and maliciously misinterpret the actions, words, and designs of the humble and meek, of the compassionate and merciful, who pity the poor in these straits and dangers. These corrupt judges and violent oppressors are also shameless adulterers and fornicators, they commit that lewdness which the better-tutored heathens abhor and forbear; a kind of incestuous pollution; the father and son keep the same harlot, and go in unto her. Thus they profanely dishonour me, by casting off my law, and doing that which is so shamefully indecent and unlawful; and giving heathens occasion to blaspheme my name, and either think, or say, Like people, like God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. pant after . . . dust of . . .earth on . . . head of . . . poorthat is, eagerly thirst forthis object, by their oppression to prostrate the poor so as to castthe dust on their heads in mourning on the earth (compare 2Sa 1:2;Job 2:12; Eze 27:30).
turn aside . . . way of . . .meekpervert their cause (Amo 5:12;Job 24:4 [GROTIUS];Isa 10:2).
a man and his fatheracrime “not so much as named among the Gentiles” (1Co5:1). When God’s people sin in the face of light, they often falllower than even those who know not God.
go in unto the same maidfromAm 2:8 it seems likely “thedamsel” meant is one of the prostitutes attached to the idolAstarte’s temple: prostitution being part of her filthy worship.
to profane my . . .nameIsrael in such abominations, as it were, designedlyseeks to insult God.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor,…. Either were greedy after money, the dust of the earth, and even that small portion of it the poor were possessed of; they could not be easy that they should enjoy that little of it they did, but were desirous to get it out of their hands by oppression and injustice: or they were eagerly desirous of throwing the poor upon the earth, and trampling upon them, and dragging them through the dust of it, thereby filling their heads and covering their faces with it; and caused them to put their mouths in the dust, and be humble suppliants to them. Some think there is an allusion to an ancient custom, which Joseph ben Gorion r speaks of, that a guilty person should stand before the judges, clad in black, and his head covered with dust; and this these judges desired here might be done by the rich, that the poor might be accused by them from whom they expected gifts:
and turn aside the way of the meek; decline doing them justice, pervert it, and hinder the course of it, denying it to those who are humble, meek, and modest; or else by one means or another turned them from the good ways in which they were walking, and by degrees at length brought them to such impudence and immodesty as is next expressed, so Aben Ezra:
and a man and his father will go in unto the [same] maid, to profane my holy name; that is, will be guilty of such uncleanness, as not only to have and enjoy the same harlot, but of such incest, as that the son would lie with his father’s wife, and the father lie with his son’s wife; a sin which was not named among the Gentiles, 1Co 5:1; and whereby the name of God was blasphemed among them, as if their religion taught them and encouraged them in such filthy actions; see Ro 2:24.
r Hist. Heb. c. 44. apud Drusium in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here Amos charges them first with insatiable avarice; they panted for the heads of the poor on the dust of the earth. This place is in my judgment not well understood. שאף, shaph, means to pant and to breathe, and is taken often metaphorically as signifying to desire: hence some render the words, “They desire the heads of the poor to be in the dust of the earth;” that is, they are anxious to see the innocent cast down and prostrate on the ground. But there is no need of many words to refute this comment; for ye see that it is strained. Others say, that in their cupidity they cast down the miserable into the dust; they therefore think that a depraved cupidity is connected with violence, and they put the lust for the deed itself.
But what need there is of having recourse to these extraneous meanings, when the words of the Prophet are in themselves plain and clear enough? He says that they panted for the heads of the poor on the ground; as though he had said, that they were not content with casting down the miserable, but that they gaped anxiously, until they wholly destroyed them. There is then nothing to be changed or added in the Prophet’s words, which harmonize well together, and mean, that through cupidity they panted for the heads of the poor, after the poor had been cast down, and were laid prostrate in the dust. The very misery of the poor, whom they saw to be in their power, and lying at their feet, ought to have satisfied them: but when such an insatiable cupidity still inflamed them, that they panted for more punishment on the poor and the miserable, was it not a fury wholly outrageous? We now perceive the Prophet’s meaning: He points out again what he has said in the former verse, — that the Israelites were given to rapacity, avarice, and cruelty of every kind.
He adds at last, and the way of the miserable they pervert. He still inveighs against the judges; for it can hardly comport with what belongs to private individuals, but it properly appertains to judges to pervert justice, and to violate equity for bribery; so that he who had the best cause became the loser, because he brought no bribe sufficiently ample. We now see what was the accusation he alleged against the Israelites. But there follows another charge, that of indulgence in lusts.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) Dust of the earth on the head of the poor.Can only mean, as Ewald and Keil interpret: they long to see the poor reduced to such distress that dust is thrown on their heads in token of grief. The meek are defrauded as being too weak to claim their own. The latter part of the verse points to the sensuality of the popular worship, the word maid being really the prostitute (Heb. kdshah) who was devoted to the lustful ritual of Ashera.[17] This obsccnity is regarded by the prophet as part of a deliberate act of desecration to the name of the Holy One of Israel. Moreover, the relation of father and son was thereby sullied and degraded. (Comp. Lev. 18:8; Lev. 18:15; Lev. 20:11.)
[17] Kuenen, Religion of Israel, vol. 1, pp. 92, 93.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Amo 2:7. That pant, &c. That stamp upon, or tread upon the heads of the poor, in the dust of the earth, &c. Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Amo 2:7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the [same] maid, to profane my holy name:
Ver. 7. That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor ] Covetousness is craving and cruel; it rides without reins, as Balaam did after the wages of wickedness; and cares not whose head it rides over, to compass commodity. Yea it “panteth after the dust of the earth, on the head of the poor,” as desirous not only to lay them in the dust, but to lay them a bleeding and a dying there. They gape over the head (or life) of the poor, in the dust of the earth (so some read the words), as devising to destroy them. A poor man’s livelihood is his life, Mar 12:44 Luk 8:43 , for a poor man in his house is like a snail in a shell; crush that and you kill him. These cormorants earnestly desired, and endeavoured to bring dust upon poor men’s heads (the garb of those that were in heaviness, Job 2:12 Eze 27:30 Lam 2:20 ), by their oppressions and injustice; yea, to bring them down to the dust of the earth, to set them as far underground as now they were above. Lo, this they do as greedily and as greatly desire, as serpents and other hot creatures covet the fresh air, to cool their scorched entrails. See Jer 14:6 Job 5:5 ; Job 7:2 . It is said of Saul the persecutor, that he “breathed out threatenings against the Church,” Act 9:1 , as a tired wolf, that wearied with worrying the flock lieth panting for breath. So Bonner whipped the poor martyrs till he was breathless. Some interpreters note out of Joseph Ben Gorion, that there was an old custom that those that were accused before the judges, should be arrayed in black, and have their heads covered with dust. And hence they conceive the sense to be this: “That pant,” i.e. that earnestly desire that such poor men may be accused by the rich, of whom they may receive gifts to pervert judgment. And this they think to be confirmed by the following words.
They turn aside (or pervert) the way of the meek] That is, the cause, business, judgment of the modest and self-denying poor, the subject of rich men’s injuries (for most part), the unreasonable oppressions, Jas 2:6 . A crow will stand upon a sheep’s back pulling off wool from her side; she dare not do so to a wolf or a mastiff. a Even reasonless creatures know whom they may be bold with; so do wicked oppressors. The meek by pocketing up one wrong, invite another. ( Veterem ferendo iniuriam invitas novam. ) “Ye have condemned and killed the just: and be doth not resist you,” Jas 5:6 . Ye not only rob, but ravish the poor, that are fallen into your nets, Psa 10:9 , ye do even whatsoever you please to them; as one martyr said of John Baptist, that he was put to death, as if God had been nothing aware of him.
And a man and his father will go in, &c.
To profane my holy name
a A large, powerful dog with a large head, drooping ears and pendulous lips, valuable as a watch-dog. D.
b An adherent, partisan, supporter, abettor. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
pant = crush. Hebrew. shaaph, A Homonymyn, meaning (1) to gasp or long for (Job 7:2; Job 36:20, Psa 119:131. Ecc 1:5. Jer 2:24); (2) to crush (like shuph i n. Gen 3:15 Rendered “swallow up” in Amo 8:4. Job 5:5. Psa 56:1, Psa 56:2; Psa 57:3. Eze 36:3. So here it = crush. See Oxford Gesenius p. 983, vol. 2. Render: “crush the head of the poor ones in the dust of the earth”.
the poor = impoverished ones. Hebrew. dal (plural) See note on “poverty”, Pro 6:11. Not the same word as in Amo 2:6.
turn aside the way = pervert their whole way.
the meek = humble ones, Heb, plural of `ani, See note on “poverty”, Pro 6:11
a man. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
and his father. This was done in the Canaanite idolatry, with the women of’ the temples, called Kadeshoth (feminine.) and Kadeshhim (masculine)
maid = a young person (male or female). So called because of youthful vigour.
to profane, &c. This marks the result, not the in tention, and shows the enormity of the sin in Jehovah’s sight. Reference to Pentateuch, (Lev 18:21; Lev 20:3). App-92. Compare Isa 48:11. Eze 20:9, Eze 20:14; Eze 36:20-23, Rom 2:24. 1Co 5:1.
holy. See note on Exo 3:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
pant: Amo 4:1, 1Ki 21:4, Pro 28:21, Mic 2:2, Mic 2:9, Mic 7:2, Mic 7:3, Zep 3:3
and turn: Amo 5:12, Isa 10:2
and a: Lev 18:8, Lev 18:15, Eze 22:11, 1Co 5:1
maid: or, young woman
to profane: Lev 20:3, 2Sa 12:14, Eze 36:20, Rom 2:24
Reciprocal: Exo 20:17 – thy neighbour’s house Lev 18:17 – a woman Lev 20:11 – General Lev 20:14 – a wife Deu 24:14 – General Deu 27:20 – General Job 24:4 – turn Job 24:10 – they take away Psa 10:9 – when Pro 30:14 – to devour Isa 3:15 – ye beat Isa 32:6 – empty Isa 57:5 – Enflaming Eze 22:10 – discovered Hos 12:7 – he loveth Mal 1:12 – ye have Luk 20:47 – devour Act 24:26 – hoped Jam 2:6 – Do
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Amo 2:7. All the terms of any passage should be interpreted in view of the general thought of the whole writing in the connection. We know the prophet Is writing about the mistreatment the leaders of Israel were imposing upon the poor and otherwise dependent common people. They had very little regard for even the humble customs and religious practices of their brethren. It was a custom in ancient times to put dust upon the head in times of grief and anxiety, or at such occasions when devout servants of the Lord wished to emphasize their feeling of reverence for God, These wicked leaders were so bitter against the common poor people that they panted or selfishly sought to cast this dust of devotion from the heads and dash it to the ground. They were also very loose in their conduct of the intimate affairs of life. Ali the laws or decency forbade a man and his son being intimate with the same woman, but these corrupt men did not stop short of that kind of iniquity.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2:7 That pant after the {e} dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the [same] maid, to profane my holy name:
(e) When they have robbed him and thrown him to the ground, they open wide their mouths for his life.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Second, the Israelites were perverting the legal system to exploit the poor. The courts were siding with creditors against their debtors; they were "stepping on" the poor. This was as painful and humiliating as having one trample on one’s head as it lay in the dust. The oppressors longed to see the poor reduced to extreme anguish. They may have been so greedy that they craved even the dust that the poor threw on their heads in mourning. The Mosaic Covenant called for justice in Israel’s courts (Exo 23:4; Deu 16:19).
Third, fathers and sons were having sexual intercourse with the same women. The women in view may be temple prostitutes, servant girls taken as concubines, or female relatives (cf. Exo 21:7-11; Lev 18:8; Lev 18:15). This showed contempt for Yahweh’s holy character (cf. Exo 3:13-15). The Law forbade fornication, including incest (Lev 18:6-18; Lev 20:11; Lev 20:17-21).