Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Amos 1:1
The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, which 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.
Amo 1:1 . The Heading
The words of ] The same title as Jer 1:1; Ecc 1:1; Pro 30:1; Pro 31:1; Neh 1:1.
among ] i.e. one of, of: see (in the Heb.) 1Ki 2:7; Pro 22:26.
herdmen ] naad-keepers. The word ( nd) is a peculiar one: its meaning appears from the Arabic. In Arabic naad denotes a species of sheep, found especially in the province of Bareyn, small and stunted in growth, with short legs and ill-formed faces (whence an Arabic proverb, “Viler than a naad ”), but esteemed on account of their choice wool (see Bochart, Hierozoicon ii. xliv., p. 442 f., who cites the saying, “The best of wool is that of the naad ”; or Lane’s Arabic Lexicon, p. 2837). In Arabic nad is a shepherd who tends sheep of this kind; and the Heb. nd is a word of similar import. It may be inferred from this passage that there was a settlement of such naad -keepers at Tekoa: the occupation was perhaps hereditary in particular families (comp. the families following hereditary trades in 1Ch 2:55; 1Ch 4:21; 1Ch 4:23). The word occurs once besides, of Mesha, king of Moab, 2Ki 3:4.
Tekoa ] now Te‘a, on the high ground of Judah, 12 miles S. of Jerusalem, and 6 miles S. of Bethlehem, from which, as Jerome ( Comm. on Jer 6:1) remarks, it is visible (“Thecuam quoque viculum in monte situm quotidie oculis cernimus”). The ruins dating principally from early Christian times lie on an elevated hill, not steep, but broad on the top, and cover some four or five acres. South, west, and north the view is blocked by limestone hills; but on the east the prospect is open, though desolate; the land slopes away for nearly 18 miles to the Dead Sea, lying some 4,000 feet beneath, dropping first “by broken rocks to slopes spotted with bushes of ‘retem,’ the broom of the desert, and patches of poor wheat,” then to “a maze of low hills and shallow dales,” clad with a thin covering of verdure, the Wilderness or Pasture-land of Tekoa (2Ch 20:22; 1Ma 9:33 ), afterwards to a “chaos of hills,” with steep and rugged sides, leading down rapidly to the shore of the Dead Sea (G. A. Smith, The Book of the Twelve Prophets, p. 74 f.). The northern half of this sea is visible from Tekoa, the level mountains of Moab forming the horizon beyond. Jerome (Pref. to Amos) speaks of Tekoa as abounding in shepherds with their flocks, the soil being too dry and sandy to be cultivated for grain. It was the home of the ‘wise woman,’ whom Joab employed to intercede with David on Absalom’s behalf (2Sa 14:2; 2Sa 14:4; 2Sa 14:9).
saw ] beheld: not the ordinary Hebrew word for seeing ( r’h), but zh, a word which is sometimes merely a poetical synonym of r’h (e.g. Psa 58:8; Psa 58:10), but elsewhere is applied in particular to beholding, or gazing in prophetic vision: Num 24:4; Num 24:16, Isa 30:10 “which say to the seers ( r’m), See not; and to the gazers ( zm). Gaze not for us right things, speak unto us smooth things, gaze deceits” (i.e. illusory visions of peace and security), Eze 12:27; of false prophecies, Eze 13:6-9; Eze 13:16; Eze 13:23; Eze 21:29; Eze 22:28, Lam 2:14, Zec 10:2; and, as here, in the titles of prophecies, Isa 1:1; Isa 2:1; Isa 13:1; Mic 1:1; Hab 1:1). The vision, especially in the earlier history of prophecy, appears often as a form of prophetic intuition: comp. zeh, “gazer,” Amo 7:12 (see note): zn, vision (1Sa 3:1; Isa 1:1, &c.; Eze 7:26; Lam 2:9), more rarely izzyn (2Sa 7:17; Isa 22:1; Isa 22:5), zth (Isa 21:2; Isa 29:11), or mazeh (Gen 15:1; Num 24:4; Num 24:16). An interesting passage, illustrating the early frequency of the vision, is Hos 12:10: comp. also Amos 7-9. As the vision was once the predominant form of prophetic intuition, zn becomes a general designation of “prophecy,” or “revelation”; and zh, “to behold,” is even applied inexactly to word or utterance (Isa 2:1; Isa 13:1; Mic 1:1; Hab 1:1), as here to words. See further on Amo 7:1.
concerning Israel ] i.e. the Northern kingdom, which Amos expressly visited (Amo 7:15), and to which his prophecies are almost entirely addressed, Judah being referred to only incidentally (Amo 2:4 f., Amo 6:1; Amo 7:12), or implicitly (Amo 3:1, ‘the whole family’; perhaps Amo 9:8-9), and in the final promise of future restoration (Amo 9:11-12).
in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, &c. ] On the date implied in these words see the Introduction, p. 98.
two year before the earthquake ] Earthquakes are not unfrequent in Palestine, particularly on its Eastern and Western borders (see on Amo 4:11). The earthquake referred to here must have been one of exceptional severity: for not only is Amos’ prophecy dated by it, but the terror occasioned by it is alluded to long afterwards, Zec 14:5, “yea, ye shall flee viz. through the rent made in the Mount of Olives, Amo 1:4 like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen – Amos begins by setting forth his own nothingness, and withal the great grace of his Teacher and Instructor, the Holy Spirit, referring all to His glory. He, like David, Peter, Paul, Matthew, was one of the weak things of the world, whom God chose to confound the mighty. He was himself a herdsman only among herdsmen; but the words which he spake were not his own. They were words which he saw, not with eyes of flesh, but with that vision wherewith words can be seen, the seers vision in the mind. They were words concerning, or rather upon Israel, heavy words coming upon the heavy transgressions of Israel. The Hebrew word saw is not of mere sight, but of a vision given by God. Amos only says that they were his words, in order immediately to add, that they came to him from God, that he himself was but the human organ through which God spake.
Two years before the earthquake – This earthquake must plainly have been one of the greatest, since it was vividly in peoples memories in the time of Zechariah, and Amos speaks of it as the earthquake. The earthquakes of the east, like that of Lisbon, destroy whole cities. In one, a little before the birth of our Lord , some ten thousand were buried under the ruined houses. This terrific earthquake (for as such Zechariah describes it) was one of the preludes of that displeasure of God, which Amos foretold. A warning of two years, and time for repentance, were given, before the earthquake should come, the token and beginning of a further shaking of both kingdoms, unless they should repent. In effect, it was the first flash of the lightning which consumed them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Amo 1:1
The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa.
Amos
Though a native of the kingdom of Judah, Amos was sent with a message to the ten tribes. The unity of the two kingdoms was not the less real that their histories were divergent. In its origin, idea, and ultimate aim, the theocracy was one. The division which took place after the death of Solomon was a departure from the original conception, and the fruit of human sin. Yet, like many other events in which the Divine purpose seems to fail, it was so overruled as to promote the very end which it apparently frustrated. Not only were the two kingdoms a source of moral discipline–a mutual check to each other–but a richer, fuller illustration of Gods dealings with His people was rendered possible than would otherwise have been attainable. This unity in diversity, and diversity in unity, this double development, which is yet one, must not be overlooked if we would understand aright the history of Gods covenant people. Whatever the two kingdoms were to their own thoughts, they were one in the eyes of God. During the vigorous reign of Jeroboam II., the kingdom of the ten tribes attained to a high pitch of prosperity and power. As this resulted from energy in the administration, rather than in any deeper moral principle, it only hastened the progress of inward decay. Luxury, oppression of the poor, lewdness, and profligacy in its many varied forms, followed in the train. It was thus to a people at the crisis of their destiny, in the height of apparent, but delusive prosperity, that Amos, the humble herdman of Tekoa, and gatherer of sycamore fruit, was sent. The circumstances of his mission gave occasion to a new step being taken in advance in the development of the prophetic testimony. Joel, Amoss immediate predecessor, prophesied to those who were chargeable, indeed, with much formality and shallowness of profession, and were therefore justly liable to severe chastisement, but who were yet free from gross and open vice. Hence, in unveiling the great movements of the future, he still identifies generally the covenant people with the friends of God and the objects of Divine deliverance; and the nations generally with the enemies of God, and the objects of His righteous vengeance. In reading the Book of Amos, we find ourselves breathing another atmosphere. The prophet no doubt first proclaims exterminating judgment against the surrounding nations, but this is only the prelude to the announcement of a similar doom on the chosen people themselves, who were eagerly following in the footsteps of the heathen. The prospect is held out, indeed, of blessing in the end, but not in a form that could convey the slightest comfort or hope to that ungodly generation. To them at least it was made abundantly plain that, like their rebellious fathers of old, they should spend their days in a wilderness of tribulation, and should not be permitted to see the promised rest. The book consists of a somewhat lengthened introduction, chaps, 1; 2.
followed by two chief divisions. The first, chaps. 3-6., in the simple form of prophetic addresses. The second, chaps, 7-9., in a series of visions. The whole being concluded with a promise of future deliverance and blessing. (Robert Smith, M. A.)
Amos
This was the earliest of four prophets, who all appeared during the time when Assyria was the greatest world power, the other three being Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. It was probably during the latter half of Jeroboams reign that the prophet Amos appeared. It was the age of Israels greatest splendour; but prosperity, as is so often the case, brought the saddest evils in its train. Although the Book of Kings passes quickly over the reign of Jeroboam, and gives the briefest details, yet the pages of Amos and Hosea abound with descriptions of the fearful evils which had crept in along with the renewed prosperity of the nation. The simplicity which had once characterised the national life had completely gone. In defiance of the Mosaic law, a class of nobles had arisen, who possessed large estates, into which they swept the smaller holdings, and misused their power to oppress the masses, who had sunk into a condition of poverty, and in some cases even actual slavery. Notwithstanding the terrible social evils, a show of worship was kept up. The people sedulously attended the sanctuaries, and brought in abundance their sacrifices and burnt-offerings. It would have seemed most unlikely that the luxurious Israelite nobles and this humble man, Amos, would ever have anything to do with each other. Yet this was the man whose voice was to ring throughout the nation in unsparing condemnation of its many vices. Amos may be pictured as a lonely man, whose spirit was deeply stirred within him by the blow-ledge of the sins which were being committed by the people: a man with a heart completely given to God, his whole being consecrated to Jehovahs service. In the silence of his native fields Amos was spoken to by Jehovah, and received the commission to be His prophet. He responded to the call. Like so many others, he forsook all to obey the Divine summons. He journeyed into the territory of Israel, and made Bethel, Samaria, and other places his headquarters. The average observer would have seen in the northern kingdom a nation at the zenith of its prosperity, and would not have thought of its fall. But the keen eye of the prophet pierced through the glittering cover which wealth had thrown over the foulest corruption . . . There are two truths of vast importance on which Amos especially insists. He starts from the thought of the universal sovereignty of God. That is the one truth. The other is the need for righteousness. If the words which, more than any others, describe the nature of his prophecies had to be given, we could find none more appropriate than these: Let judgment roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty (or overflowing) stream (Amo 7:7-17). The prophet taught persistently that God is ever closely watching the doings of nations and of men, and that He will reward or punish them in accordance with the eternal law of righteousness. The great lesson he has emphasised is, that every sinful nation, no matter how great and prosperous it may seem, will assuredly perish; that the real strength of a people consists in righteousness. (Ernest Elliot.)
The herdman of Tekoa
The prophet was by birth and residence a citizen of Judea. He belonged to the district of Tekoa, a small town some twelve miles south of Jerusalem, perched on a high hill, looking away eastwards across a waste of barren hills to the Dead Sea peeping through their interstices, and the lofty tableland of Moab bounding the horizon beyond. It stands on the edge of the desert, where the fringes of agriculture thin away into a wilderness of rock and sand, broken only by scattered patches of scanty pasturage. The town can never have been much more than a prosperous village; but the adjacent soil is fruitful and kindly, and its oil and honey became celebrated for their excellence. For strategic purposes, it was fortified by Rehoboam, and it had the advantage of lying in a region intersected by some of the busiest highways of commerce. Its inhabitants might see much and hear more, and, in connection with trading caravans, be drawn into travel and become acquainted with the world and its doings. The place was thus, in several ways, not unsuitable for the training of a prophet; and it is arbitrary to argue, as two or three scholars have recently done, because there is now no sycamore culture in the district, and because Amos possesses an intimate knowledge of the north, that therefore we must look for another Tekoa somewhere in Samaria Spite of a floating tradition to the contrary, which still survives in popular circles, the literary merits of the Book of Amos must be rated very high. The general information of the writer is comprehensive and minute. He can paint in detail the religious customs, the social conditions, the local circumstances and vicissitudes of every part of the northern kingdom. With the geography and history, the alliances and feuds, trade relations, national institutions, and aspirations of the neighbouring nations, he is thoroughly familiar. He is possessed of profound ideas about nature, providence, the movements of races, and their place and function in the ,worlds government. For breadth of survey, for strength and massiveness of conception, alike in morals and in religion, he is not surpassed by any of the prophets. He is a poet, orator, philosopher, statesman. But in those days and in his social environment, he might be all this without being a man of books and cities. Native genius, interest in the traditions of his people, intercourse with passing caravans, personal visits to distant parts, and a spirit awake to the presence and working of God in human history, past, present, and future,–these were influences potent enough to educate the man, and admirably adapted to prepare the way for the prophet. And this school was equally open to him, whether he was a poor man, living by his labour, now in one service, now in another, or a prosperous sheep-master and wealthy owner of fig orchards. Jerome remarks that Amos was rude in speech, but not in knowledge; and Jewish tradition has been pleased to credit him with a stutter or impediment of speech. This is probably the origin of a mistaken idea that his book is badly written, or at least betrays the rusticity of its author. On the contrary; the Hebrew of Amos ranks among the purest and most powerful compositions of the Old Testament. His language is choice and melodious, possibly in a few peculiar spellings recording a provincial pronunciation, or more likely the slips of the copyists pens. His style is terse, dramatic, and simple, but very pointed and forcible. He loves brief uninvolved sentences, though occasionally carried away into passionate appeal or lyrical outbursts of poetic delineation. He indulges much in question, apostrophe, and exclamation. He is an orator more than an artist, or a bard. With all his simplicity we find traces of paranomasia, rhythmic arrangement, and rhetorical construction. His exposition abounds in rich and varied imagery derived from nature, and striking illustrations taken from everyday life. The ordered arrangement, compact style, and general literary finish of his book suggest slow, careful, and leisurely construction, while the fire of its invective, the impetus of its appeals, and the terrible directness of its denunciation prove it the record and embodiment of speech originally orally delivered On the surface Amos may seem to make too much of mere morality, but it is only an appearance. With him, to do right is to serve God, and the motive must be the love of God and of our neighbour. (W. G. Elmslie, D. D.)
A sketch of Amos
I. The sphere of life he occupied. He was a herdman. God has often selected the chief messengers of His truth from men in the humbler walks of life. Elisha, David, etc. Our Lord Himself came from a peasant cottage in Nazareth. In this fact we have two things.
1. Worldly pride divinely rebuked,
2. Human nature divinely honoured.
II. The age in which Amos lived. Two events are specified.
1. The political event of this period. In the days of Uzziah, King of Judah. A comparatively peaceful and prosperous period.
2. The physical event of this period. Two years before the earthquake. Why is the period of his life thus described?
(1) Because you cannot rightly judge a mans character unless you understand the circumstances under which he lived.
(2) You cannot estimate the value of a mans mission unless you correctly judge of the moral character of his times.
III. The mission to which he was called. What was it to pronounce Divine judgment? He announced it–
1. As coming according to his vision.
2. As coming in a terrible form.
3. As issuing from a scene of mercy.
4. As fraught with calamitous results.
What an argument for repentance! (Homilist.)
Amos the herdman
Amos was not ashamed of his descent. He was not a farmer, but a farm-labourer. Who cares to be on very close intimacy with a field-hand, or a cow-herd? To a little outdoor work Amos added the process of cleaning and preparing the fruit, either for preservation or for sale. Whilst he was doing his farm-work and attending to his fruit, a blast from heaven struck his deeper consciousness, and he stood up a prophet. The Lord will bring His prophets just as He pleases, and from what place He chooses. Amos was a field-hand, and yet he was fearless; he was all the more fearless because he was a field-hand. A farmer could not have been so fearless. Amos was a farm-labourer, yet he was equal to the occasion. Education is never equal to anything that is supremely great. There are times in human history when inspiration must go to the front–talent must go behind, genius must go into the first place. When we are inspired we forget our rags. When God calls let not man despise. Gods elections are startling. Amos begins where all rude, energetic minds begin; they begin in denunciation. Judgment seems to be a natural work for them to conduct. Amos issues his judgment against Damascus, Gaza, Tyrus, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah, Israel,–all round the circle that judgment-fire sparkles and blazes. It seems so much easier to denounce than to discriminate. Even young prophets began with thunder and lightning. Amos again and again says, I will send a fire. And the nobles were lying on divans of ivory, having corrupted themselves to the point of rottenness. There are times in human history when only the disinfectant that can work the real miracle is fire. Fire never fails. We need voices of this kind; they help to keep the average of human history well up to the mark. (Joseph Parker, D. D.)
Lessons from the prophecy of Amos
It is well to notice–
1. The importance of prophecy in an evidential point of view, as one of the supernatural elements of the Bible. To the honest, earnest, impartial inquirer, no more convincing or impressive proof of the truth of this revealed Word can be offered than its propHetic element affords. The age of miracles is past. The testimony of the more sure (confirmed) word of prophecy, as it has been fulfilled, and as it is daily being fulfilled before our eyes, is all the more important.
2. The importance of the Old Testament Scriptures. The prophet Amos alleges his own inspiration. Much has been made by hostile critics of the supposed discrepancies and contradictions of Scripture; but how little has been said about its marvellous unity! What is it which imparts this unity?
3. In the Book of Amos is illustrated a principle of the Divine dealing. Amos was one of the people, and not in the order of the prophets. The Lord had suddenly and unexpectedly called and commissioned him to be a prophet of Israel. And so, in working for God, the question is not so much whether it is Amos the rude, or Isaiah the polished; the question is, are we verily and indeed called of Him? Are we qualified by His grace, and anointed by His Spirit?
4. The doctrine of a special providence is here strikingly set forth. Judgments were appointed to descend on several nations in succession. Than this there can be nothing more certain, that national sins draw down national judgments and punishments. Men are apt to think they may escape in a crowd. We have each our share in public misfortune and in national guilt, and in Gods sight are held liable accordingly. But it is also true, that a special providence works in and with each of Gods true children. (R. W. Forrest, M. A.)
The refining power of religion
One point of interest in the Book of Amos is its testimony to the power of inspiration and religion on the untaught and uncultivated mind. It shows how such a mind may strike out bold, simple pathways, and forcible expressions, which arrest us with a greater force than even those of the more refined and cultivated. Imagery borrowed from natural scenery and its circumstances, will be among the most forcible modes of expression which such men will use. We may often gather important lessons from this influence of nature on the mind. She teaches us to dive more into her own calm and profound depth, to read the will of God. In Amos we have a mind accustomed to see duties or acts of religion through images borrowed from the external world. But not only does the form of nature influence the ruder mind of the peasant; he is influenced by the customs and conventionalities of the society in which he lives. Amos makes use of these frequently in connection with his religious mission. One practical question opens out to us, it is the real condition and value of the uneducated mind under the influences of religion. There is often an inclination alike to overrate as to underrate this; and serious injury is done by both tendencies. (E. Monro.)
An unscholarly messenger
Do you remember what was the immediate agent in Bishop Hanningtons conversion? Someone sent him a little book. Hannington determined to read every word of it, so he began with the preface. He became impressed with the notion that the book was unscholarly. I therefore threw the book away, and refused to read it. Some time after he was leaving Exeter for St. Petherwyn, and he spied the old book. He knew his friend would ask him if he had read it. I suppose I must read through it, and so I stuffed it into my portmanteau. At Petherwyn I took the book out, and read the first chapter. I disliked it so much that I determined never to touch it again. I rather think I flung the book across the room. So back into my portmanteau it went, and remained until my visit to Hurst, when I again saw it, and thought I might as well read it, so as to be able to tell the sender about it. So once more I took the old thing, and read straight on for three chapters or so, until at last I came upon that called, Do you feel your sins forgiven? And by means of this my eyes were opened. I was in bed at the time, reading. I sprang out of bed, and leaped about the room rejoicing and praising God that Jesus died for me. From that day to this I have lived under the shadow of His wings in the assurance of faith that I am His and He is mine. The Lord used that which was apparently contemptible to be a minister of salvation! What appeared to James Hannington to be despicable turned out to be the instrument of his redemption. Now God loves to use the apparently base and ignoble, and the despised! He loves to send His power along commonplace wires! He calls into His service some uncultured speaker, whose words tumble out in disorder, and whose thoughts are wanting in logical succession, and He fills the ungainly speech with power, and through the rough utterance there come spiritual stabs that pierce to the very hearts of the hearers. He loves to use some letter which is devoid of literary grace, and written with no grammatical accuracy, and He fills it with the dynamic of the Holy Ghost, and it is mighty to the bringing down of strongholds. (Sunday Companion.)
Distinguished workers of humble origin
Many of Gods most distinguished workmen have been called from scenes of the humblest labour. It was when toiling over a shoemakers bench that Careys soul was filled with a zeal for missionary labour. Morrison was once a maker of shoe-lasts. John Williams, of Erromanga, was called from the blacksmiths shop. Dr. Livingstone from working in a cotton mill. Our Saviour also called His disciples from among the fishermen. (J. L. Nye.)
Which he saw concerning Israel.–
The sphere of the prophets labours
The prophet was specifically appointed for the Israelites, though born elsewhere. But how, and on what occasion, he migrated into the kingdom of Israel, we know not. It is probable that this was designedly arranged, that God might check the insolence of the people, who flattered themselves so much in their prosperity. Since the Israelites had hitherto rejected Gods servants, they were now constrained to hear a foreigner and a shepherd condemning them for their sins, and exercising the office of a judge: he who proclaims an impending destruction is a celestial herald. This being the case, we hence see that God had not in vain employed the ministry of this prophet; for He is wont to choose the weak things of the world to confound the strong, and He takes prophets and teachers from the lowest grade to humble the dignity of the world, and puts the invaluable treasure of His doctrine in earthen vessels, that His power, as Paul teaches us, may be made more evident. But there was a special reason as to the prophet Amos; for he was sent on purpose severely to reprove the ten tribes; and he handled them with great asperity. For he was not polite, but proved that he had to do with those who were not to be treated as men, but as brute beasts; yea, worse in obstinacy than brute beasts; for there is some docility in oxen and cows, and especially in sheep, for they hear the voice of their shepherd, and follow where he leads them. The Israelites were all stubbornness, and wholly untameable. It was then necessary to set over them a teacher who would not treat them courteously, but exercise towards them his native rusticity. (John Calvin.)
Two years before the earthquake.–
Earthquakes in Palestine
Palestine lies almost in the centre of one great volcanic region of the earths surface, that, namely, which includes the basin of the Mediterranean, and the provinces of Western or Central Asia. Traces of that volcanic action are found in every direction. The black basaltic rocks of the Hauran, the hot springs of Tiberias, and Emmaus, and Gadara, the naphtha fountains near the Dead Sea, the dykes of porphyry, and other volcanic rocks that force their way through thy limestone, the many caves in the limestone rock themselves,–all these show that we are treading on ground where the forces of the hidden fires of the earth have been, in times past, in active operation. We are, that is, in a zone of earthquakes. On some of these earthquakes, tremendous in their phenomena, and in the extent of the desolation caused by them, we have full details, in earlier and even in contemporary history. The Jewish writer, Josephus, speaks of one which occurred in b.c. 31, as having destroyed many villages, and countless flocks, and herds, and human lives, which he estimates (with somewhat, perhaps, of Oriental vagueness as to statistics) now at ten, and now at thirty thousand. Herod and his army, who were then carrying on war against the Arabs, were only saved by their being encamped in tents, and so free from the peril of falling houses. As it was, he had to combat the panic and depression which it spread through his troops, and with something of a sceptical epicureanism, to assure them that these natural phenomena were not signs of greater evils to come, but were calamities by themselves, having no connection with any others that followed or preceded them. Within the last thirty years again the shocks of an earthquake were felt over the whole of Syria, in Beirdt, Damascus, Cyprus; Safed was almost utterly destroyed; Tiberias was left little better than a heap of ruins, and one-third of the population perished, to the number of a thousand. Rivers forsook their beds, and left them dry for hours. The hot springs that flow into the Sea of Tiberias were largely swollen in volume, and the level of the lake was raised. One such convulsion has left its impress on the history of the kingdom of Judah. It seems to have been the first great earthquake in the history of Israel. It occurred in the time of Uzziah (Amo 1:1; Zec 14:5). There is no trace of anything of the kind in the Book of Judges, or in the earlier history of the Kings. (Dean Plumptre.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET AMOS
Chronological Notes relative to this Book
-Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3217.
-Year of the Julian Period, 3927.
-Year since the Flood, 1561.
-Year from the foundation of Solomon’s temple, 225.
-Year since the division of Solomon’s monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 188.
-Year since the first Olympic games were celebrated in Elis by the Idaei Dactyli, 667.
-Year since the restoration of the Olympic games at Elis by Lycurgus, Iphitus, and Cleosthenes, 97.
-Year before the conquest of Coroebus at Olympia, vulgarly called the first Olympiad, 11.
-Year before the building of Rome, according to the Varronian computation, 34.
-Year before the birth of Christ, 783.
-Year before the vulgar era of Christ’s nativity, 787.
-Cycle of the Sun, 7.
-Cycle of the Moon, 13.
-Twenty-eighth and last year of Caranus, the founder of the kingdom of Macedon.
-Twenty-third year of Nicander, king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Proclidae.
-Twenty-seventh year of Alcamenes, king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Eurysthenidae.
-Eleventh year of Ardysus, king of Lydia.
-Eleventh year of Agamestor, perpetual archon of the Athenians.
-Tenth year of Amulius Sylvius, king of the Albans.
-Fifth year of Telestus, monarch of Corinth.
-Sixth year of Sosarmus, king of the Medes, according to some chronologers.
-Thirty-ninth year of Jeroboam II., king of Israel.
-Twenty-fourth year of Uzziah, king of Judah.
CHAPTER I
This chapter denounces judgments against the nations bordering
on Palestine, enemies to the Jews, viz., the Syrians, 1-5;
Philistines, 6-8;
Tyrians, 9, 10;
Edomites, 11, 12;
and Ammonites, 13-15.
The same judgments were predicted by other prophets, and
fulfilled, partly by the kings of Assyria, and partly by those
of Babylon; though, like many other prophecies, they had their
accomplishment by degrees, and at different periods. The
prophecy against the Syrians, whose capital was Damascus, was
fulfilled by Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria; see 2Kg 16:9.
The prophecy against Gaza of the Philistines was accomplished
by Hezekiah, 2Kg 18:8; by Pharaoh, Jer 47:1;
and by Alexander the Great; see Quintius Curtius, lib. iv.
c. 6. The prophecy against Ashdod was fulfilled by Uzziah, 2Ch 26:6;
and that against Ashkelon by Pharaoh, Jer 47:5.
All Syria was also subdued by Pharaoh-necho; and again by
Nebuchadnezzar, who also took Tyre, as did afterwards
Alexander. Nebuchadnezzar also subdued the Edomites,
Jer 25:9; Jer 25:21; Jer 27:3; Jer 27:6.
Judas Maccabeus routed the remains of them, 1Macc 5:3;
and Hyrcanus brought them under entire subjection. The
Ammonites were likewise conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. The
earthquake, which the prophet takes for his era, is perhaps
referred to in Zec 14:5,
and also in Isa 5:25.
Josephus ascribes it to Uzziah’s invasion of the priestly
office; see 2Ch 26:16.
NOTES ON CHAP. I
Verse 1. The words of Amos] This person and the father of Isaiah, though named alike in our translation, were as different in their names as in their persons. The father of Isaiah, Amots; the prophet before us, Amos. The first, aleph, mem, vau, tsaddi; the second, ain, mem, vau, samech. For some account of this prophet see the introduction.
Among the herdmen] He seems to have been among the very lowest orders of life, a herdsman, one who tended the flocks of others in the open fields, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. Of whatever species this was, whether a kind of fig, it is evident that it was wild fruit; and he probably collected it for his own subsistence, or to dispose of either for the service of his employer, or to increase his scanty wages.
Before the earthquake.] Probably the same as that referred to Zec 14:5, if haraash do not mean some popular tumult.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The words: the Holy Ghost doth in this expression comprehensively take in all the sermons, visions, and predictions which Amos preached and published; all the exhortations to duty, the menaces against sins, the warnings of dangers coming, and the promises of mercy to them that hear and obey his words: see Hag 1:12. And so what Jeremiah preached to his auditors are the words of Jeremiah, Amo 1:1; and the instructions and counsel of Solomon are the words of the Preacher, Ecc 1:1. Both the things spoken and the words wherein they are spoken are included.
Amos: those who think this was father to the prophet Isaiah, either discern not the difference that is in the two Hebrew words, or pronounce hastily without considering what each is in the Hebrew, in which tongue these words have but two letters the same, i.e. M and O, the other are quite different; as also is the signification of each, for the one imports strength or might, the other imports a burden or heavy weight.
Among the herdmen, or shepherds, but whether one of the meaner or one of the chief, whether a master herdman or a servant, the word imports the former, yet because the Scripture doth not say, we shall not inquire, since it conduceth little to our profiting, nor will it add to his authority, since it is God who sent him.
Tekoa: whether it belonged to Zebulun, Asher, or Judah is not much material, though this last be most likely, for, 2Ch 11:5,6, we read of Rehoboam’s building fortresses in Judah, among which Tekoa is mentioned. It was situate on a hill on the north of Judah, as a learned pen describeth it.
He saw; received by revelation: this tells us that the things as well as words were to be understood, when it is said that these were the words of Amos.
Israel; the kingdom of the ten tribes, revolted from the house of David, and now under the government of Jehu’s great-grandson.
Uzziah; called also Azariah, who was smitten with a leprosy for intruding into the priest’s office, 2Ch 26:16,19.
Judah; including the tribe of Benjamin, and such of the Levites as did adhere to the house of David, the kingdom of the house of David. Jeroboam; not son of Nebat, but grandson of Jehu. Joash; who had some successes against Syria, according to the prophecy of Elisha, by which successes Israel was raised from a declining to a thriving, prosperous state.
The earthquake; of which only this text, and Zec 14:5, do make particular mention, and where somewhat is spoken of it; which see. It is the tradition of the Jews, that this earthquake happened when Uzziah usurped the priest’s work and offered incense in the temple, against which violation of Divine rites God testified thus from heaven, say they. Further than this we need not inquire in this matter. It was a great and dismal earthquake, and perhaps by this God did smite the winter and summer houses, as Amo 3:15; however, as it was foretold two years before it came, so we are sure it did come according to the time prefixed by the Lord.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1. The words of Amosthat is,Amos’ oracular communications. A heading found only in Jer1:1.
among the herdmenrather,”shepherds”; both owning and tending sheep; from an Arabicroot, “to mark with pricks,” namely, to select the bestamong a species of sheep and goats ill-shapen and short-footed(as others explain the name from an Arabic root), butdistinguished by their wool [MAURER].God chooses “the weak things of the world to confound themighty,” and makes a humble shepherd reprove the arrogance ofIsrael and her king arising from prosperity (compare 1Sa17:40).
which he sawinsupernatural vision (Isa1:1).
two years before theearthquakementioned in Zec14:5. The earthquake occurred in Uzziah’s reign, at the time ofhis being stricken with leprosy for usurping the priest’s functions[JOSEPHUS, Antiquities,9:10.4]. This clause must have been inserted by Ezra and thecompilers of the Jewish canon.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The words of Amos,…. Not which he spoke of or for himself, but from the Lord; all the prophecies, visions, and revelations made unto him, are intended:
who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa; which was not in the tribe of Asher, as Kimchi; nor of Zebulun, as Pseudo-Epiphanius i; but in the tribe of Judah, 2Ch 11:5. It lay to the south, and was six miles from Bethlehem. Mr. Maundrell k says it is nine miles distant, to the south of it; and, according to Jerom l, it was twelve miles from Jerusalem; though he elsewhere m says, Thecua, or Tekoa, is a village at this day, nine miles from Aelia or Jerusalem, of which place was Amos the prophet, and where his sepulchre is seen: either there is a mistake of the number, or of Aelia for Bethlehem; the former rather seems to be the case; according to Josephus n, it was not far from the castle of Herodium. The Misnic doctors o speak of it as famous for oil, where the best was to be had; near to it was a wilderness, called the wilderness of Tekoa; and Jerom p says, that beyond it there was no village, nor so much as huts and cottages, but a large wilderness, which reached to the Red sea, and to the borders of the Persians, Ethiopians, and Indians, and was full of shepherds, among whom Amos was; whether he was a master herdsman, or a servant of one, is not said. The word is used of the king of Moab, who is said to be a “sheepmaster”, 2Ki 3:4; he traded in cattle, and got riches thereby; and so the Targum here renders it,
“who was lord or master of cattle;”
and Kimchi interprets it, he was a great man among the herdsmen; and so it was a piece of self-denial to leave his business, and go to prophesying; but rather he was a servant, and kept cattle for others, which best agrees with Am 7:14; and so is expressive of the grace of God in calling so mean a person to such a high office. The word used signifies to mark; and shepherds were so called from marking their sheep to distinguish them, which seems to be the work of servants; and, in the Arabic language, a kind of sheep deformed, and of short feet, are so called:
which he saw concerning Israel; or, against Israel q, the ten tribes, to whom he was sent, and against whom he prophesied chiefly; for he says very little of Judah. Words are more properly said to be spoken or heard; but here they are said to be seen; which shows that not bare words are meant, but things, which the prophet had revealed to him in a visionary way, and he delivered; see Isa 2:1;
in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; who was also called Azariah, 2Ki 15:1;
and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel; so he is called to distinguish him from Jeroboam the son of Nebat; this king was the grandson of Jehu; he was, as Jerom says, before Sardanapalus reigned over the Assyrians, and Procas Sylvius over the Latines:
two years before the earthquake; which was well known in those times, and fresh in memory. Zechariah speaks of it many years after, from whom we learn it was in the days of Uzziah, Zec 14:5. The Jewish writers generally say that it was when Uzziah was smote with leprosy for invading the priest’s office; and was in the year in which he died, when Isaiah had a vision of the glory of the Lord, and the posts of the house moved, Isa 6:1; and with whom Josephus r agrees; who also relates, that the temple being rent by the earthquake, the bright light of the sun shone upon the king’s face, and the leprosy immediately seized him; and, at a place before the city called Eroge, half part of a mountain towards the west was broken and rolled half a mile towards the eastern part, and there stood, and stopped up the ways, and the king’s gardens; but this cannot be true, as Theodoret observes; since, according to this account, Amos must begin to prophesy in the fiftieth year of Uzziah; for he reigned fifty two years, and he began his reign in the twenty seventh year of Jeroboam, 2Ki 15:1; who reigned forty one years, 2Ki 14:23; so that Uzziah and he were contemporary fourteen years only, and Jeroboam must have been dead thirty six years when it was the fiftieth of Uzziah; whereas they are here represented as contemporary when Amos began to prophesy, which was but two years before the earthquake; so that this earthquake must be in the former and not the latter part of Uzziah’s reign, and consequently not when he was stricken with the leprosy.
i De Vita Prophet. c. 12. k Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem, p. 88. l Proem. in Amos & Comment. in Jer. vi. 1. m De locis Hebr. in voce Elthei, fol. 91. B. n De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 9. sect. 5. o Misn. Menachot, c. 8. sect. 3. p Proem. in Amos. q “contra Israelem”, so some in Drusius. r Antiqu. l. 9. c. 10. sect. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Amo 1:1 contains the heading, which has already been discussed in the Introduction; and ( “which he saw”) refers to ( the words of Amos). Amo 1:2 forms the Introduction, which is attached to the heading by , and announces a revelation of the wrath of God upon Israel, or a theocratic judgment. Amo 1:2. “Jehovah roars out of Zion, and He utters His voice from Jerusalem; and the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the head of Carmel withers.” The voice of Jehovah is the thunder, the earthly substratum in which the Lord manifests His coming to judgment (see at Joe 3:16). By the adoption of the first half of the verse word for word from Joel, Amos connects his prophecy with that of his predecessor, not so much with the intention of confirming the latter, as for the purpose of alarming the sinners who were at east in their security, and overthrowing the delusive notion that the judgment of God would only fall upon the heathen world. This delusion he meets with the declaration, that at the threatening of the wrath of God the pastures of the shepherds, i.e., the pasture-ground of the land of Israel (cf. Joe 1:19), and the head of the forest-crowned Carmel, will fade and wither. Carmel is the oft-recurring promontory at the mouth of the Kishon on the Mediterranean (see the comm. on Jos 19:26 and 1Ki 18:19), and not the place called Carmel on the mountains of Judah (Jos 15:55), to which the term (head) is inapplicable (vid., Amo 9:3 and Mic 7:14). Shepherds’ pastures and Carmel individualized the land of Israel in a manner that was very natural to Amos the shepherd. With this introduction, Amos announces the theme of his prophecies. And if, instead of proceeding at once to describe still further the judgment that threatens the kingdom of Israel, he first of all enumerates the surrounding nations, including Judah, as objects of the manifestation of the wrath of God, this enumeration cannot have any other object than the one described in our survey of the contents of the book. The enumeration opens with the kingdoms of Aram, Philistia, and Tyre (Phoenicia), which were not related to Israel by any ties of kinship whatever.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Threatenings of Judgment. | B. C. 790. |
1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which 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 will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
Here is, I. The general character of this prophecy. It consists of the words which the prophet saw. Are words to be seen? Yes, God’s words are; the apostles speak of the word of life, which they had not only heard, but which they had seen with their eyes, which they had looked upon, and which their hands had handled (1 John i. 1), such a real substantial thing is the word of God. The prophet saw these words, that is, 1. They were revealed to him in a vision, as John is said to see the voice that spoke to him, Rev. i. 12. 2. That which was foretold by them was to him as certain as if he had seen it with his bodily eyes. It intimates how strong he was in that faith which is the evidence of things not seen.
II. The person by whom this prophecy was sent–Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, and was one of them. Some think he was a rich dealer in cattle; the word is used concerning the king of Moab (2 Kings iii. 4, He was a sheep-master); it is probable that he got money by that business, and yet he must quit it, to follow God as a prophet. Others think he was a poor keeper of cattle, for we find (Amo 7:14; Amo 7:15) that he was withal a gatherer of wild figs, a poor employment by which we may suppose he could but just get his bread, and that God took him, as he did David, from following the flock, and Elisha from following the plough. Many were trained up for great employments, in the quiet, innocent, contemplative business of shepherds. When God would send a prophet to reprove and warn his people, he employed a shepherd, a herdsman, to do it; for they had made themselves as the horse and mule that have no understanding, nay, worse than the ox that knows his owner. God sometimes chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, 1 Cor. i. 27. Note, Those whom God has endued with abilities for his service ought not to be despised nor laid aside for the meanness either of their origin or of their beginnings. Though Amos himself is not ashamed to own that he was a herdsman, yet others ought not to upbraid him with it nor think the worse of him for it.
III. The persons concerned in the prophecy of this book; it is concerning Israel, the ten tribes, who were now ripened in sin and ripening apace for ruin. God has raised them up prophets among themselves (ch. ii. 11), but they regarded them not; therefore God sends them one from Tekoa, in the land of Judah, that, coming from another country, he might be the more valued, and perhaps he was the rather sent out of his own country because there he was despised for his having been a herdsman. See Matt. xiii. 55-57.
IV. The time when these prophecies were delivered. 1. The book is dated, as laws used to be, by the reigns of the kings under whom the prophet prophesied. It was in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, when the affairs of that kingdom went very well, and of Jeroboam the second kind of Israel, when the affairs of that kingdom went pretty well; yet then they must both be told both of the sins they were guilty of and of the judgments that were coming upon them for those sins, that they might not with the present gleam of prosperity flatter themselves either into an opinion of their innocence or a confidence of their perpetual security. 2. It is dated by a particular event to which is prophecy had a reference; it was two years before the earthquake, that earthquake which is mentioned to have been in the days of Uzziah (Zech. xiv. 5), which put the nation into a dreadful fright, for it is there said, They fled before it. But how could they flee from it? Some conjecture that this earthquake was at the time of Isaiah’s vision, when the posts of the door were moved, Isa. vi. 4. The tradition of the Jews is that it happened just at the time when Uzziah presumptuously invaded the priest’s office and went in to burn incense, 2 Chron. xxvi. 16. Josephus mentions this earthquake, Antiq. 9.225, and says, “By it half of a mountain was removed and carried to a plain four furlongs off; and it spoiled the king’s gardens.” God by this prophet gave warning of it two years before, that God by it would shake down their houses, ch. iii. 15.
V. The introduction to these prophecies, containing the general scope of them (v. 2): The Lord will roar from Zion. His threatenings by his prophets, and the executions of those threatenings in his providence, will be as terrible as the roaring of a lion is to the shepherds and their flocks. Amos here speaks the same language with his contemporaries, Hosea (ch. xi. 10) and Joel, ch. iii. 16. The lion roars before he tears; God gives warning before he strikes. Observe, 1. Whence this warning comes–from Zion and Jerusalem, from the oracles of God there delivered; for by them is they servant warned, Ps. xix. 11. Our God, whose special residence is there, will issue out warrants, given at that court, as it were, for the executing of judgments on the land. See Jer. xxv. 30. In Zion was the mercy-seat; thence the Lord roars, intimating that God’s acts of justice are consistent with mercy, allayed and mitigated by mercy, nay, as they are warnings, they are really acts of mercy. We are chastened, that we may be not be condemned. 2. What effect the warning has: The habitations of the shepherds mourn, either because they fear the roaring lion or because they feel what is signified by that comparison, the consequences of a great drought (ch. iv. 7), which made the top of Carmel (of the most fruitful fields) to wither and become a desert, Joel i. 12-17.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
INTRODUCTION TO AMOS
WHO SPEAKS?
Amos, one of the early writing prophets, a contemporary of Hosea, wrote this book. His name means “bearer” or “burden-bearer.” He was born in the village of Tekoa in Judea, some 2,700 feet above sea-level, about six miles south of Bethlehem, and 18 miles west of the Dead Sea. He was a herdsman of sheep and cattle. a gatherer of sycamore fruit, an humble, rugged, independent person, much like John the Baptist. He was not a prophet nor the pupil of a prophet, in attendance at any school of the prophets. He claimed to be a special emissary of God to announce a pending judgment of Divine justice upon Israel, Judah, and the Gentiles round about.
TO WHOM?
Amos addressed his prophetic message to Israel of the northern kingdom, Judah of the southern kingdom, and the six nations of Assyria, Egypt, Syria, Edom, Ammon, and Phoenicia, chapters 1, 2. His judgment prophecies against these nations and their leading cities indicate that he was knowledgeable of civil, social, moral, religious, and political matters, as a thorough student of world affairs.
ABOUT WHAT?
The message of Amos was a message of doom. Though God had led Israel out of Egypt, in mercy and Strength, driven out the inhabitants of Canaan before them, sent His blessings in good rains and good harvests upon them, still they had failed Him. Their rulers and people had turned to a pattern of unrighteousness in thought and deed, in spite of Divine warning, Psa 9:17; Pro 14:34; Pro 16:12. Israel needed a forthright prophet to call them to: a) A vision of the true nature and character of God, and b) The relation between Jehovah God, Israel, and the nations. Amos reveals the personality of God as communicating, 3:7; hating, and abhorring sin, Amo 5:21-22; as swearing by Himself, Amo 4:2; Amo 6:8; As He repents, Amo 7:3; and commands, Amo 9:3-4. These attributes affirm and reflect a God of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence.
WHEN?
The prophecy was spoken and written about 755 B.C., in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah and Jeroboam II, King of Israel. It was near the end of Jeroboam’s reign that Amos was called to preach this message of just judgment doom; Amos delivered the address of this Book at Bethel, before Amaziah, the priest, before a huge audience at the open air shrine of Israel, where Jeroboam I had set up calf-worship 931 B.C.
WHAT WAS THE OCCASION?
Under Jeroboam II, King of Israel, the nation had experienced a golden era of material prosperity. But it had come to a state of moral decay under grossly embraced idolatry by king, priest, and laymen.
Amos the rugged prophet of doom from Tekoa, walked into the festive open air shrine at Bethel, before the calf-god worship, to interrupt an heathen festival. Loud music rang out, priests chanted weird melodies in a minor key, pilgrims from afar milled about chattering and modeling their fine clothes. Priest’s helpers worked feverishly to kill the sacrifices. Altars reeked with the smell of blood of bulls and goats, and the aroma of burning flesh. Pictures, images, and descriptions are taken from country life.
Into the midst of this worldly-happy, carefree, sinful, meandering group, stalked the country preacher. He lifted his hands and began prophesying as the people drew to him like a magnet. He first made them “Hallelujah happy”, as he thundered coming judgment upon heathen nations, then on Judah to the south. Then when Amos had a grip on the masses, who listened in awe, he quickly turned to announce righteous judgment and doom upon Israel because of her false piety, her oppression of the poor, drunkenness, injustice, covetousness, lascivious, sacrilege, usury, unchastity, enslaving her own Hebrew fellows.
Furiously, Amos charged them with debauchery, extortion, reckless cruelty, unjust dealings, corrupt judges and vile thoughts. His message greatly incensed Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, so that he sent Jeroboam word that Amos was prophesying against him, but Amos resisted Amaziah and boldly and courageously pronounced judgment upon him and his family. God called Amos to preach righteous judgment and this he did, Amo 7:10-17.
CHART I
AMOS
JUDGMENT VISITATION
Ch. 1, 2
1. On nations surrounding Israel: (1:3 to 2:1-3)
a) On Damascus for her cruelty in warfare, 1:3-5.
b) On Gaza of Philistia for her slave traffic, 1:6-8.
c) On Tyre, delivered up “brothers,” 1:9, 10.
d) On Edom for her hatred of Israel, 1:11, 12.
e) On Ammon for unjustified cruelty, 1:13-15.
f) On Moab, over vengeance on a king’s carcass, 2:1-3.
2. On Judah: (2:4, 5)
a)For religious apostacy.
b)Note difference between charges: 1) Against the nation’s
cruelty, 2) against Judah it was apostacy.
3) On Israel: theme of Amos’ prophecy, 2:6-16.
a)Sins of Israel enumerated, v, 6-8.
b)Scornful contempt for divine benefits received, v. 9-12.
c)inescapable consequences of this contempt, v. 13-16.
1) The nations accused of cruelty and barbarism, etc.,
2) Judah and Israel accused of civil and religious oppressions. The latter
becomes the thesis of the remainder of the book.
CHART II
AMOS
ISRAEL’S CRIMES AND INDICTMENTS Ch. 3-6
A. On the wealthy rulers, for civil and religious sins, 3:1-4:5.
1.Because they had known Jehovah, 3:1-8.
2.Because of civil oppressions on the masses, 3:9-4:3.
a) Sins of ruling classes, 3:9-15.
b) Sins and judgments of luxury-loving women, 4:1-3.
3.Condemnation of religious festivities, 4:4, 5.
B. Chastisements Unheeded, Amos Turns to the Nation, 4:6-13.
1.Unheeded chastisements named, v. 6-11. a) General famine, “cleanness of teeth,” v. 6.
b) Drought, v. 7, 8.
c) Blasting mildew, locusts, v. 9.
d) Pestilence as the enemy attacked, v. 10.
e) Earthquake, burning, v. 11.
2.Final doom for which to prepare, v. 12, 13.
C. Overthrow of the Northern Ten-tribe Kingdom, chs. 5, 6.
1. Lamentations, denunciations, exhortations, threats, 5:1-17. a) Appeal to forsake idolatry and live, v. 1-6. b) Judgment certain unless Israel turns to righteousness, v. 7-17.
2.First woe, terrors of the day of Jehovah, 5:18-27.
3.Second woe, falls on heads of the nations, ch. 6.
a) Luxury-loving, wealthy rulers, v. 1-6.
b) Both exile and destruction are certain, v. 7-11.
c) It can not be avoided by foolish trust in power, v. 12-14.
CHART III
AMOS
FIVE VISIONS THE PROPHET EXPLAINS Ch. 7:1-9:10
1.Vision of Locusts; God’s mercy turns away catastrophe, v. 7:1-3.
2.Vision of a Consuming Fire: a more severe judgment than that of the locusts also turned away, by Divine mercy of Jehovah, 7:4-6.
3.Vision of the Plumb Line: Destruction measured out to Israel for her idolatry, 7:7-9. Antagonism of Amaziah, priest of Bethel, against.
4)Vision of the Basket of Summer Fruit–meant for Israel was ripe for judgment, ch. 8.
a) Mercy’s day was past, destruction at hand, v. 1-3. b) Final eclipse of Israel, her sunset at high rioon, v. 4-14.
5.Vision of the Smitten Sanctuary–Destruction of the sinful nation, 9:1-10.
THE BLESSED MESSIANIC HOPE
1.Promise of a brighter day, 9:11-15.
2.Doom and gloom fade. This is the first optimistic ray of future glory given by Amos.
3.Note that each of the minor prophets directs a ray of future hope for Judah and Israel, as also certified, Luk 1:31-33; Act 15:14-18.
AMOS – CHAPTER 1
JUDGMENTS PRONOUNCED ON CITIES SURROUNDING PALESTINE
Verse 1 identifies Amos as an humble herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore figs in Tekoa, some 12 miles southeast of Jerusalem, as the author of this book. His message was one of judgment concerning Israel, in the days of King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam of Israel, two years after an earthquake in Israel that occurred while Uzziah was stricken with leprosy for intrusion into the priest’s office, Amo 7:14-15; 2Ki 15:5; 2Ch 26:16-23.
Verse 2 asserts that “The Lord will roar from Zion,” in Jerusalem, a phrase always used to describe pending judgment on Gentile dominions, Isa 42:13; Jer 25:30; Joe 3:16; Zec 14:5; Mat 24:7-8. God’s judgment from Jerusalem will spread terror like the sudden appearance of a beast of prey. The pastures of shepherds will be full of mournful fear and the summit of Mt Carmel with its green pastures, olives, and vines will wither to desolation.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Amos boasts not here, in speaking of his own words, that he adduced anything as from himself, but avows himself to be only the minister of God; for he immediately adds that he received them by a vision. God himself raised up the Prophets and employed their labor; And, at the same time, guided them by his Spirit, that they might not announce anything but what had been received from him, but faithfully deliver what had proceeded from him alone. These two things then, well agree together, — that the prophecies which follow were the words of Amos and that they were words revealed to him from above; for the word חזה, chese, which Amos uses, properly means, to see by revelation; (16) and these revelations were called prophecies.
But he says, that he was among the shepherds of Tekoa. This was a mean towns and had been shortly before surrounded by walls and had ever been previously a village. He then mentions not his country, because it was celebrated, or as though he could derive thereby more authority or renown: but, on the contrary he calls himself a Tekoan, because God drew him forth from an obscure place, that he might set him over the whole kingdom of Israel. They are therefore mistaken, as I think, who suppose that Amos was called one of the shepherds on account of his riches, and the number of his flocks; for when I weigh every thing, I see not how could this be. I indeed allow that נקדים, nukodim are not only shepherds who do the work, but men possessing flocks, carrying on a large business; for the king of Moab is said to have been a נקד, nukod, and that he fed large flocks; but it was by hired shepherds. As to the Prophets I do not see how this can be applied to him; for Tekoa was not a place famous for wealth; and as I have said, it was a small town, and of no opulence. I do not then doubt, but that Amos, by saying that he was a shepherd, pours contempt on the pride of the king of Israel, and of the whole people; for as they had not deigned to hear the Prophets of God, a keeper of sheep was sent to them.
It must be further noticed, that he is not called a shepherd of Tekoa, but from Tekoa; and interpreters have not observed this preposition. We shall see in chapter seven, that though Amos sprang from the tribe of Judah, he yet dwelt in the kingdom of Israel: for the priest, after he had slandered him before the king, bade him to go elsewhere, and to eat his own bread, and not to disturb the peace of the country. He therefore dwelt there as a stranger in a land not his own. Had he been rich, and possessing much wealth, he would have surely dwelt at home: why should he change his place? Since then it appears evident, that he was a sojourner in the land of Israel, he was, no doubt, one of the common people. So that his low condition ( ignobilitias —ignobility) was intended for this purpose, — that God might thereby repress the arrogance of the king of Israel, and of the whole people; for we know how much inflated they were on account of the fruitfulness of their land and their riches. Hence Amos was set over them as a Prophet, being a shepherd, whom God had brought from the sheepfolds.
The time also is to be observed, when he is said to have seen these prophecies; it was in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, two years before the earth-quake, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash. What the state of that time was, I described in explaining the prophecies of Hosea. Sacred history relates that the kingdom of Israel flourished under the second Jeroboam; for though he was an ungodly and wicked man, yet God spared then his people, and caused that not only the ten tribes should remain entire, but also that Jeroboam should enlarge his kingdom; for he had recovered some cities which had been lost. The state of the people was then tranquil, and their prosperity was such as filled them with pride, as it commonly happens. Uzziah also so reigned over the tribe of Judah, that nothing adverse prevailed there. Shortly after followed the earthquake. The time this earthquake happened, sacred history does not mention. But Josephus says, that it was when Uzziah seized on the priestly office, and was smitten with leprosy. He therefore makes that stroke of leprosy and the earthquake to be at the same time. But Amos, as well as other Prophets, spoke of it as a thing well known: thus Zechariah, after the people’s return, refers to it in chapter 14: (Zec 14:5),
‘
There shall be to you a terror, such as was in the earthquake under king Uzziah.’
He states not the year, but it was then commonly known.
Then the Prophet meant nothing more than to show by this event, that he denounced God’s vengeance on the Israelites, when they were in prosperity, and were immersed, as it were, in their pleasures. And satiety, as it ever happens, made them ferocious; hence he was not well received; but his authority is hereby more confirmed to us; for he did not flatter the people in their prosperity, but severely reproved them; and he also predicted what could not be foreseen by human judgment, nay, what seemed to be altogether improbable. Had he not then been endued with the heavenly Spirit, he could not have foretold future calamities, when the Jews, as I have already said, as well as the Israelites, and others, promised themselves all kinds of prosperity; for God then spared the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah, nor did he execute his judgment on neighboring nations.
We must now observe this also, that the words which he saw were concerning Israel. We hence learn, as I have already said that the Prophet was specifically appointed for the Israelites, though born elsewhere. But how and on what occasion he migrated into the kingdom of Israel, we know not; and as to the subject in hand, it matters not much: but it is probable, as I have said before, that this was designedly done, that God might check the insolence of the people, who flattered themselves so much in their prosperity. Since, then, the Israelites had hitherto rejected God’s servants, they were now constrained to hear a foreigner and a shepherd condemning them for their sins, and exercising the office of a judge: he who proclaims, an impending destruction is a celestial herald. This being the case, we hence see that God had not in vain employed the ministry of this Prophet; for he is wont to choose the weak things of the world to confound the strong, (1Co 1:26) and he takes Prophets and teachers from the lowest grade to humble the dignity of the world, and puts the invaluable treasure of his doctrine in earthly vessels, that his power, as Paul teaches us, may be made more evident (2Co 4:7.)
But there was a special reason as to the Prophet Amos; for he was sent on purpose severely to reprove the ten tribes: and, as we shall see, he handled them with great asperity. For he was not polite, but proved that he had to do with those who were not to be treated as men, but as brute beasts; yea, worse in obstinacy than brute beasts; for there is some docility in oxen and cows, and especially in sheep, for they hear the voice of their shepherd, and follow where he leads them. The Israelites were all stubbornness, and wholly untamable. It was then necessary to set over them a teacher who would not treat them courteously, but exercise towards them his native rusticity. Let us now proceed; for of the kingdom of Uzziah and of Jeroboam the son of Joash, the second of that name, we have spoken on the in Hos 1:1. It now follows —
(16) There is an incongruity in our language in saying, “The words of Amos, which he saw. ” To see words, except when written, is no proper expression. To avoid this, Newcome has paraphrased the passage thus, — “Which had come to him in a vision.” There would be no necessity for this, had we a suitable term for “words,” which in Hebrew has the same latitude of meaning with λογος in Greek. Dathius renders it, Effata , oracles. They were the things, the matters, the events, which the Prophet saw, or were discovered to him in a supernatural manner. The faculty of sight seems to have been used, because scenes were presented often to the prophets, when these communications were made to them; and then seeing became the term to designate these divine revelations, when nothing but messages, either of mercy or of judgment, were conveyed to the prophets. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
AMOSOR HEATHENISMANCIENT AND MODERN
Amo 1:1 to Amo 9:15
THE opening sentences of this Book give us briefly, and yet somewhat fully, the history of the Prophet whose name it wears. He belonged to the herdmen of Tekoa, and prophesied in the days when Uzziah was king of Judah, and Jeroboam, Son of Joash, sat upon the throne of Israel, and two years before the earthquake.
There are few Prophets the date of whose living is so definitely fixed. It is known that Uzziah and Jeroboam were contemporary kings in the period 809 to 784 B. C. It is certain, therefore, that sometime in these twenty-five seasons, Amos spoke. Some have thought to fix it accurately by referring to the history of this earthquake, which was one of the most terrible visitations the country had ever known of its kind. Josephus assigned, as the immediate occasion of this earthquake, the act of pride on the part of Uzziah in offering incense, for which God smote him with leprosy, and says, Meanwhile a great earthquake shook the ground and the Temple parting, a bright ray of the sun shone forth and fell upon the kings face, so that forthwith the leprosy came over him. And above the city, at the place called Eroge, the western half of a hill was broken off and rolled half a mile to the mountain Eastward, and there stayed, blocking up the ways, and the kings garden.
But it ought to be said, in all candor, that those people who swear by Josephus, but doubt the inspiration of the biblical writers, have poor occasion for their conduct. This ancient Jewish historian is so often writing down legend, tradition, and even his own imagination, for history, that one dare not receive his statement concerning this earthquake as authentic, and the very year of Amos writing remains undetermined.
The place of his residence is put past dispute, however. It was at Tekoa, a little village twelve to fourteen miles from Jerusalem, and six miles south of old Bethlehem, the very one whence Joab brought the wise woman to intercede for Absalom, and which the king Rehoboam made a fortified town.
His humble station was also affirmed; not even the owner of sheep, but a hireling, who as opportunity offered, followed the herds; and when there was no employment in that avocation, turned to the gathering and selling of sycamore fruit or figs.
The most of the Old Testament Prophets are the sons of honored fathers, descendants from famed families; but already God is beginning to manifest forth the fact, which finds so many illustrations in New Testament teachers, namely,
How that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in His presence? (1Co 1:27-29).
But in keeping with the humble station of this man, and his equally humble estimate of self, he spent only a single verse upon his personal history,
as if the man were of little moment; while Gods message to the people was the subject of supreme concern.
With what a sentence did he smite the ears of his auditorsThe Lord will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
It is not difficult to imagine him a successful street preacher, for these words were doubtless uttered in the alley-like avenues of Jerusalem. When he had finished that first sentence, every Jew within hearing of it would be riveted in attention, and ready to give eager ear to all that followed. It is interesting now to note, either the consummate genius of the speaker, or else Gods evident inspiration for both arrangement and expression of his thought.
It seems to me that this Book, upon close study, falls naturally into four parts and considered as a sermon or discourse, is ideal in its arrangement.
The first of these divisions has to do with
THE PROPHETS NEIGHBORS
Amo 1:3 to Amo 2:3
From Amo 1:3 to Amo 2:3 Amos speaks solely concerning the heathen round about. He denounces Damascus; he condemns Gaza; he excoriates Tyrus; he reproves Edom, he censures Ammon; and delivers sentence against Moab. What an introduction for a street discourse in Jerusalem! Every Jewish auditor would be delighted, for these were their hated enemies, and to have a man whose very mien and tongue told of his Divine appointment to the order of Prophet, utter such excoriations, would arouse the smouldering hatred which the Jews held against these into a flame of enthusiasm for the man speaking such words.
Now, before passing from this subject, let us see some essential truths suggested in these sentences.
First of all, The Prophets ministry is predetermined. His speech was no trick of the elocutionist to catch his auditors by condemning their enemies. Amos disclaims all originality and responsibility for these words, introducing his deliverance by the sentence, Thus saith the Lord. There are people who seem to entertain an impression that a prophet has no right to interfere in any affairs of another, and no occasion to condemn even the bad doings of his neighbors. It is not unusual to hear it said, You belong in the Church; and at the most your ministry should spend itself within the circle of her membership. You may have a right to instruct her youth, and even admonish her adults, but what have you to do with others? Those politicians who live and move in another realm; those science Professors who instruct Truth in skepticism, those liquor sellers who lure you to debauch, that realm of commerce, created for barter, not to speak of other confessedly unchristian circleswhat business have you with them?
They recognize no allegiance to your views, no obligation to your opinions; they regard your speech, concerning their conduct, a presumption. Why, therefore, persist in taking upon yourself a service which is despised by the very ones of whom you speak?
Amos answer to all of this is sufficient! Thus saith the Lord.
That is the answer of every true prophet. He is not spying out his neighbors sins, and speaking against them because the sermon brings him either pleasure or profit, but because God has said,
Preach the Word; he instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
* * But after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry? (2Ti 4:2-5).
Only a few years ago some nominal Christians all over this country were voicing a certain amount of sympathy with the Boxer movement; and taking their cue from the cry of these murderers Down with the foreign devils, asked, What right have we to force our views upon these people when they do not want them?a question which can be answered in two sentences. Christians never force their views upon any, only preach them; and their warrant for doing that is in His Word. He who created China and has never signed a quitclaim to His right in that land and that people, namely, Jesus Himself, says, Go ye therefore, and teach ail nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Gods Prophets who call the Chinese to repentance, are there, commissioned of God Himself. Who will object to His conduct? Shall the creature take issue with the Creator?
The Prophets message also is God-given. When Amos uttered these words concerning Damascus, and Gaza, and Tyrus, and Edom, and Ammon, and Moab, he was not speaking of himself, But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, and I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus and I will send a fire upon Teman, etc., etc. Such would have been utterly meaningless had it originated at the mouth of the Prophet.
There are many people who object to Gods fire, kindled against His enemies, consuming the wicked. But let us not quarrel with Gods Prophet. This blaze was not born of his breath. When the minister reads from Revelation, The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death, dont quarrel with John for the speech. Like Amos of old, his authority for the utterance is in the sentence Thus saith the Lord.
When Hugh Latimer, one New Years day, went along with the bishop and nobles, who were carrying their presents to the king, with a Bible in his hand, and presented that as His gift, and the king opening it read, Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge he was angry with Latimer; and, Herrick says, It is a wonder that bluff and fiery King Hall did not take off Hughs head.
Possibly the reason is found in the fact that even that fiery king knew that these were not Latimers words, and whatever quarrel he had was with God. The man who delivers Gods message is not to be blamed; and the man who does not present it is not Gods Prophet! How shall they preach except they be sent?
When Moses was called to be a Prophet for God he poorly apprehended the Prophets part. His answer was O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord answered him, Who hath made mans mouth * * Go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. The man, who, like Amos, gets his message from God is Gods minister.
This Prophets judgment represents Divine justice. When he says For three transgressions, and for four, of Damascus, Gaza, Tyrus, Edom, Ammon, Moab, I will send a fire, there is absolute justice in the sentence declared. Damascus must suffer because they have Threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron; Gaza because they have carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom; Tyrus, for participating in the same, and forgetting the brotherly covenant; Edom because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever; Ammon because he ripped up the women with child * * that they might enlarge their border: and Moab because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Men did not object when houses, infected with the black plague, were burned. There are some infections that can only be consumed in the flame. And there are some sins which can never be removed away save by the fire of Divine judgment; and that judgment always represents Divine justice also.
Not a few people have spoken to me concerning a sermon once delivered by my colleague, Dr. Frost, expressing their gratitude in that he made it clear that the innocent were never punished on account of the guilty; and that the guilty never suffered above their deserts; and that judgment was always tempered with mercy.
I confess to surprise that these things should strike any as new truths; they are as old as Revelation itself. Aye, they are inseparable from the very character of God.
John Watson, in his Mind of the Master tells us that what has filled many honorable minds with resentment and rebellion is not the fact of separation, but the principle of execution; not the dislike of an assortment, but the fear that it will not be into good and bad. And he continues, But Jesus rested judgment on the firm foundation of what each man is in the sight of the Eternal. He anticipated no protest in His parables against the justice of this evidence; none has ever been made from any quarter. The wheat is gathered into the garner. What else could one do with wheat? The tares are burned in the fire. What else could one do with tares? When the net comes to the shore, the good fish are gathered into vessels; no one would throw them away. The bad are cast aside; no one would leave them to contaminate the good. The supercilious guests who did not value the great supper were left severely alone. If men do not care for Heaven, they will not be forced into it. The outcasts, who had never dared to dream of such a supper, were compelled to come. If men hunger for the best, the best shall be theirs.
That is the truth of Gods judgment everywhere. And when He consumed these nations with the besom of destruction it was only because to continue them would be to condone sin by reproducing sinners, and stain the earth, calling into question His own wisdom by letting iniquity go unpunished. Say what you will of these judgments, you must commend their justice. Who art thou that repliest against God?
But from the Prophets neighbors we turn to
THE PROPHETS NATIONS
Amo 2:4 to Amo 6:14
To be sure Amos belonged by birth to Judah, but both these nations were his, by kinship, and by Divine appointment of Prophet to them. He came out of Judah, but he spake to Judah and to Israel. What a change must have come over the audience when this man, with eloquent speech, flaming with the evident enthusiasm of a Divine commission, turned suddenly from his denouncement of neighbors, to a kindred condemnation of the favored nations.
For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the Law of the Lord, and have not kept His Commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
Thus saith the Lord: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes (Amo 2:4-6).
Heathenism is not all with the heathen. You read the words of this Prophet from Amo 2:4 to Amo 6:14 and you will find the elect backsliders, and indulging in the abominations of their neighbors. It is a phrase employed too often, I fear, by those unwilling to go, or through their gold and silver to send, Why be interested in the heathen or foreign lands when there are so many heathen at home?
Such speak better than they desire. The heathen are at home; aye, the heathen, here, were the very company who called themselves saints. And this Prophets descriptions are not ancient; they are up to date!
No single discourse upon which my hand has fallen has been comparable in clearness of expression, and vigor of thought, to one, once delivered by my late loved friend, Dr. John O. Rust, on The New Heathenism, and printed in the Presbyterian Quarterly, October, 1902, and reprinted in pamphlet form by Whittet and Shepperson, of Richmond, Va. Rusts opening sentence is, We are prone to think that we have left heathenism far behind us in the centuries of the past; or that it is banished from our shores to hide its shame in the remote and darkened corners of the earth; and one is almost stung into a feeling of resentment when the charge is made that there is a lively revival of heathenism at our very doors, here in enlightened America, in this blessed day of grace.
Then Rust continues to show that commercialism has carried many a so-called Christian into heathen practices. The poet has written:
It is success that colors all in life;Success makes fools admired, makes villains honest;All the proud virtues of this vaunting world Fawns on success and power, howeer acquired.
Rust thinks stheticism also has been chosen as a term with which to clothe our cultured heathenism. He says, When the people get rich suddenly they wish to acquire culture quickly. The consequence is that elegant ladies and gentlemen, strong in the languor of luxury, lounge in dainty drawing-rooms, and cultivate an Attic difference to virtue, and a Roman contempt for enthusiasm of robust manhood.
Occultism has, within the last ten years, enjoyed a ridiculous revival. Teachers whose chief qualifications are long hair and soiled linen, profess an acquaintance with the mysteries of philosophy which would appall the real learning of the world. Hypnotists reveal the deep secrets of psychology on a months tuition which has been hidden from the wisdom of the world for ages. And the amazing thing about it is that thousands of people listen to the babble of these fellows who will not heed the oracles of God. A certain statistician has computed that there has been an increase of 300 per cent in fools in this country in the last fifty years, and one is half inclined to believe the estimate.
Socialism represents an extreme reaction against the proud, arrogant and esoteric tendencies, and by its very consciousness of wrong, it is attempting to get its rights by an attack upon all society.
Now I confess it was most interesting to me to take that address of Rusts, and compare his words with those of the Prophet Amos. Commercialism cursed Gods people in the times of Amos also, and they were called to judgment because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes.
stheticism found then the same sensual expression which it is receiving today, They [stretched] themselves upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar. They [drank] the wine of the condemned in the house of their god. By their increased riches, through the oppression of the poor, they bought unto themselves beds of ivory, and stretched themselves upon their couches, and ate the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall, and chanted to the sound of the viol, and invented to themselves instruments of music, defaming David, by saying they were the same as his; and setting aside the little glasses, emptied great bowls of wine.
And, by anointing themselves with the chief ointment imagined that they were a sweet incense to God, forgetting to grieve for the affliction of Joseph, until the drunkards of Ephraim came to be a byword in the streets of Jerusalem.
As to Occultism, they turned from the worship of the True God to such false shrines and sorcerers that a temple to Asherah was restored in Samaria; the gold and silver images to Baal were set up; the smoke of sacrifice to idols could be seen upon their mountain tops, and incense smelt in the shade of every grove until the word was Gilead was given to idols. They transgressed at Bethel, and multiplied transgressions at Gilgal.
And then the socialism that always attends oppression! Selfish and sensual living stirred in the breasts of the unsuccessful, and made it easy to bring against their divided forces nations that should afflict them from the entering of Hamath unto the river of the wilderness.
Beloved, what greater danger to the land in which we live than these same, before which the ancient people of God sadly fell? Is not the Church itself threatened by commercialism in which, as Rust puts it, The evangelist has become the finangelist? The denominations which twenty-five years ago existed on a creedal basis, today continue on a commercial basis. Are not our missionary treasuries pauper-stricken too often because even the people who wear the Name of God, have learned to love palatial residences, and expend upon person and pleasure the whole of their income. And, are not many being brought to the bar of judgment and condemned with the charge having been substantiated against them, by the Lord God Himself, In tithes and offerings ye have robbed Me?
Let us see another thing to be inferred from the language of the Prophet Amos. Sonship does not insure against chastisement. The true father may witness the most evil deeds upon the part of his neighbors child without speaking a word of correction, or claiming the right of chastisement. But not so when his own children go into sin. His very love of them compels their correction; while his past favors give him that paternal prerogative, God makes that the basis of Israels chastisement. He reminds the Children of Israel that He alone had brought them up from Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
It is an Old Testament illustration of the New Testament assertion, Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. For those who have been the recipients of Divine favor in our day, the poets sentences speak this same truth.
But if your ears refuse The language of His grace,Your hearts grow hard, like stubborn Jews,That unbelieving race.
The Lord with vengeance drest,Shall lift His hand and swear,You that despised My promised restShall have no portion there.
Beastly conduct necessitates bitter correction. Sometime when you have looked upon people whose moral filth and sensual living was such that your whole nature reacted from the sight, you have been tempted to adopt the language of the street and call them cattle. Perhaps you did not know that it was also the language of Scripture, and that it is possible for men to go so deeply into sin that God looks upon their condition as that of a beast in an unclean stall.
To these ancient Israelites He said,
Hear this Word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.
The Lord God hath sworn by His holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that He will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.
And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Lord (Amo 4:1-3).
These are rude words of the Prophet; but let us remember that they were not his words, but Gods instead. It is an awful thing for one to come to that moral condition where his conduct reminds God of the cattle of the field!
Such a condition cannot be covered over by feasts, offerings and ceremonies. It is in vain for such to come to Bethel, which means the House of God, and to Gilgal to bring sacrifice every morning, and tithes after three years, and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish a free offering. As Joseph Parker says, There is one thing wanting in all that elegant program, and for want of that one thing the whole arrangement dies in the air like a gilded bubble. What is omitted from this rehearsal? The sin offering, the trespass offering. They will come with sacrifices every morning as donor to God; they will come with service and sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven; they will throw money into the treasury, and announce the sum in plain figures. But where is penitence? Where is contrition? Where is heart-wringing? Where is the tearing conscience, the presence of tormenting agony in the innermost life? Most worship is partial; many will have a little partial religion. Some attention has to be paid to custom, to the habit, wont, and use of life; some mean coin must at least be thrown into the treasury, and thrown in with some ostentation; hymns must be sung, and fault must be found with the music, and judgment must be pronounced upon the rabbi, the priest, the teacher for the time being, and for a certain period there must be an odor of sanctity about what we say and do. All this trickery is possible; but it never reaches the Heaven of God. And God only answers it all by saying,
Seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba * *.
Seek the Lord, and ye shall live * *.
Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is His Name (Amo 5:5-6; Amo 5:8).
But to pass on in our study of this Book, we come upon
THE PROPHETS OPPONENTS
Amo 7:1 to Amo 9:10
It would be a marvel indeed if such a man as this went on without opposition. They beheaded Paul; they killed James, the Just; they crucified Jesus, and Amos reveals no spirit of compromise. How then can he hope to pass on in peace?
The Prophet cannot escape the opponent. There is an Amaziah for every Amos. He will send to Jeroboam, the king, saying,
Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the House of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land (Amo 7:10-11).
It is not pleasant to be pricked by the truth; to be irritated by an inspired word; to feel the lash upon the conscience, quickened by Sacred Scripture; and men always have opposed it, and they always will.
Perhaps in modern times we have had no more faithful minister of the Gospel than was Charles Spurgeon. But he had to learn how to be slandered, he says, in order that he might be made useful to God. His statement is, Down on my knees I have often fallen, with the hot sweat rising from my brow, under some fresh slander poured upon me; in an agony of grief my heart has been well-nigh broken; till at last I learned the art of bearing all and caring for none. * * If to be made as the mire of the streets again, if to be the laughing-stock of fools and the song of the drunkard once more will make me more serviceable to my Master, and more useful to His cause, I will prefer it to all this multitude, or to all the applause that man could give.
That was exactly Amos answer when told to prophesy no more at Beth-el, since it was the kings chapel, and the kings court. He replied, confessing his humble estimate of himself,
I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophets son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit:
And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord send unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.
Now therefore hear thou the Word of the Lord.
It is the only answer one needs to make to his opponent; and it is the only answer one can make that carries with it any assurance of success. Do you remember that when David, the lad, after being scoffed by his elder brother, and scorned by Goliath, the giant, said to that Philistine, Thou contest to me with a sword, and with a spear and with a shield: but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of Hosts. Oh, beloved, whoever our opponents are, and whatever our opposition, that is the only Name in which we can stand; and that Name is sufficient!
Speaking in that Name we cannot be silenced by secular powers. Amaziah, in his inability to meet Amos single-handed, tried the trick of the pious politician, namely, arraying the secular powers against this servant of the Lord. It is an old trick; it was done in the days of Elisha; and repeated in the days of the Son of Man. He was charged with opposition to Caesar; as were His Apostles with rebellion against the civil government. It is most amazing how patriotic some men become, once the preaching of the truth reveals their personal sins, and those which they have in common with so-called statesmen, at one and the same time.
They are not welcomed by the fallen, and sometimes are most bitterly opposed by men who have proclaimed themselves children of the King. Be it remembered, however, that the same Amaziahs who rise to charge Gods Prophets with treason will be compelled to listen, eventually, to the Divine sentence of the Lord,
Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the House of Isaac.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land (Amo 7:16-17).
And yetThe Christians courage will accord with the Divine commission. Amos only needs to answer, The Lord took me as I followed the flock, and * * said unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel. When you have spoken in the language of Scripture, and are conscious that your purpose was to help and not hinder; to reform and not deform; to convert and not divert, then fear will flee away, and like Peter and the other Apostles of Jesus, you can answer the command of silence, We ought to obey God rather than man, and We are His witnesses of these things.
S. E. Herrick, speaking of Savonarola, in the times when all Florence was ablaze, having been basely betrayed by their ruler, says that Savonarola remained the one calm spirit, and assigns as the reason, He is the man who dwells unmoved in (The secret place of the Most High, and under the shadow of the Almighty
Every man ought to dwell there who is consciously seeking the glory of God, and faithfully presenting the Truth of God. Paul seems to have entertained that opinion of the whole Christian life, when he wrote the Ephesians,
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (Eph 6:10-16).
This Book concludes with the
PROPHETS PREDICTION
Amo 9:11-15
I want to make that also the conclusion of this chapter. This prediction is brief, but how blessed!
In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by My Name, saith the Lord that doeth this.
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
And I will bring again the captivity of My people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God (Amo 9:11-15).
Take the three points of this prediction and delight thyself in them.
The restitution of the House of David is pledged.
That day will I raise up the Tabernacle.
That promise is found in a hundred forms in this Old Testament, and was made the occasion of James appeal to missionary endeavor, when, at the council of Jerusalem, he stood before the people saying,
Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His Name.
And to this agree the Words of the Prophets; as it is written,
After this I will return, and will build again the Tabernacle of David, which is fallen dawn.
Simeon did not see that Tabernacle rebuilt; James was not privileged to witness it; nor have we; and yet the Word of the Lord will not fail. The House of David is yet to be exalted in the earth.
Dr. Gordon tells us, There is a fragment of Jewish legend that has floated down to us, which represents two venerable rabbis as musing among the ruins of Jerusalem after its destruction. One is giving way to unrestrained lamentation, saying, Alas! alas! this is the end of all. Our beautiful city is no more; our Temple is laid waste, our brethren are driven away into captivity. The other, with greater cheerfulness, replies: True; but let us learn from the verity of Gods judgments, which we behold about us, the certainty of His mercies. He hath said, I will destroy Jerusalem, and we see that He hath done it. But hath He not also said, I will rebuild Jerusalem, and shall we not believe Him? The latter rabbi was right! The same God who, by His might, said to His people, I will sift the House of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve; and speedily fulfilled the threat, also declared of one day in the future, In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen. He will fulfil His promise. And I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by My Name, saith the Lord that doeth this (Amo 9:11-12).
There is your pledge of the gathering out of the Gentiles. The heathen which are called by Gods Name. Isaiah had long ago said, The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Jesus once reminded the multitudes of the promises of God concerning His SonIn His Name shall the Gentiles trust. But more explicit still is that other statement of His concerning the destiny of JerusalemJerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Beloved, this is your age and mine; the period in which we who were aliens, by nature, are being grafted into the True Vine. Arthur T. Pierson has at some time expressed the thought that he never succeeds in winning a soul to the Saviour without entertaining the hope that this may be the last man needful to the filling up of the time of the Gentiles. But, oh, how such a suggestion ought to stir apprehension in the breasts of all Gentile-unbelievers, lest we approach the day of the Lord, and the time of our opportunity will be past!
Finally:The Prophet also predicts the return of the Jews to their own land.
I will bring again the captivity of My people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God (Amo 9:14-15).
My brethren sometimes ask whether I see what appears clear evidences of the signs of the times; and if I do, there is something marvelous in this Zionist movement. Only a short time ago a clipping from your own paper here says that in the city of Milwaukee alone thousands of Jews have given their most ardent support to this Zionist movement to buy back again their own land, and make it the place of refuge to their persecuted people. So the movement has enlisted the Jews of St. Paul and Minneapolis. They do not see the significance of such a barter, but who knows but God is already beginning to fulfil literally those promises of His Word,
Surely the isles shall wait for Me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far * *.
And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in My wrath I smote thee, but in My favour have I had mercy on thee (Isa 60:9-10).
And again,
I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion (Jer 3:14).
The first-fruits of that final restoration which is fully pledged, and made emphatic by a hundred repetitions, and when, according to Jeremiah, God will gather the remnant of His scattered flock out of all countries into which He has driven them, and bring them again into their fold. And they shall be fruitful and increase, for in those days He will raise up unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and justice in the earth (Jer 23:3; Jer 23:5).
O then that I
Might live, and see the olive bear
Her proper branches, which now lie
Scattered each where,
And without root and sap decay,
Cast by the husbandman away,
And sure it is not far!
For surely He
Who loved the world so as to give
His only Son to make us free,
Whose Spirit, too, doth mourn and grieve
To see man lost, will, for old love,
From your dark hearts this veil remove.
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
CRITICAL NOTES.] Amos] Different from the father of Isaiah, Amots. Tek.] 2Ch. 20:20 Earth.] 2Ch. 26:16. A premonitory sign in nature of revolutions in guilty kingdoms (Mat. 24:7-8).
Amo. 1:2. Roar] Cf. Joe. 3:16; Jer. 25:30. God will spread terror like beasts of prey (Psa. 18:3). Zion] Seat of government from whence they revolted. Hab.] Poetical for inhabitants. Carmel] whose summit abounded in olives and rich pastures; owing to its nearness to the sea, renewed its freshness and verdure (Son. 7:5; Isa. 33:9; Jer. 1:19).
HOMILETICS
THE MAN AND HIS MESSAGE.Amo. 1:1-2
Amos uttered words which were the embodiment of Divine communications in vision. When engaged in the daily routine of homely duties he received a Divine summons, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. His predictions are wonderful. It was a strange event for a prophet to be sent out of Judah into the kingdom of the ten tribes. For a man of no training and position, to rise up from the rank of a shepherd, and foretell the destruction of a prosperous and powerful nation. This would demand universal attention.
I. The Word of God often comes to men of humble birth. The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa. Amos was only a common shepherd and a fig-cultivator. A man of no learning and connection in life. Yet the call came to him. We pander to the prejudice of sects, regard the opinion of the great, and fear the scorn of the ignorant. Most popular and talented men of the times are sought to render our cause welcome to the people. But God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. The proud and mighty are passed by, and men from the dunghill are exalted to the throne and the ministry. Elisha from the plough, David from the sheepfold, Matthew from the receipt of custom, and Peter from the fishing-net, are selected to be messengers for God. Christ made publicans and fishermen apostles to men. The philosophers of Greece and the senators of Rome were passed by. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. Men of the greatest eminence and usefulness have risen from the lowest ranks. God knows the right men for the times, finds them, and puts them into the right place. Many are now cultivating high qualities in humble callings, despised and unknown, but whom God is preparing for more honourable spheres.
This law, though custom now directs the course,
As natures institute, is yet in force,
Uncancelled, though diffused: and he whose mind
Is virtuous, is alone of noble kind;
Though poor in fortune, of celestial race,
And he commits the crime who calls him base.
II. The call from God often takes men from a lower to a higher sphere of life. A humble shepherd was sent to warn the kings of Israel. Some men are discontented in their place, think they deserve a higher, and cherish ambitious schemes for the future. But if we are not faithful in little we shall not be in great things. First deserve and then desire. If we fill our present position with diligence, faith, and earnestness, we are on the way to honour. Merit well the honour and you shall obtain it. The force of his own merit makes his way. Moses was a faithful servant in his own house before he became master in Israel. Our secular avocations are sacred and should not be despised, filled with grand possibilities and elevate to higher blessings. God speaks to men in business, awakens dormant powers, and calls to distinguished honour. Cincinnatus was called from the plough to the dictatorship. Matthew from the toll-booth, and Peter from his boat, were called to follow Christ and become historians and ambassadors of the age. Work in your daily tasks and trust God for the future. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one and setteth up another.
III. The call from God often comes to men in special times. In the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam. Judge a man by the times in which he lived, is a common saying. If we thus estimate the prophet Amos, we learn his moral courage and intense feeling as he delivers the burden of the Lord. He was accused of conspiracy and advised to flee, but defends his innocence and authority, and with the heroism of Gods servant repeats the unpleasant message, and unfolds the Divine displeasure. In shepherds dress he denounced the idolatry of the court, foretold the destruction of the kingdom and the captivity of the people.
1. Times of natural prosperity. During the vigorous reign of Jeroboam II. the kingdom of Israel enlarged its dominions by the subjugation of adjoining states. With greater security from without, and firmer administration within, there were profound peace, material prosperity, and social gratification. Uzziah also had subdued the Edomites and the Philistines, and made the Ammonites pay tribute. He fortified Jerusalem, and raised a powerful army. His name had spread even to Egypt (2 Chronicles 26). Under these kings the two kingdoms had reached the summit of their power and splendour.
2. Times of moral corruption. National prosperity is no guarantee for pure religion. It often begets indifference, love of ease, and maturity for judgment. Prosperous times are very often the least prosperous. Idolatry was sanctioned by the State, and mixed with the worship of God. The luxuries, debaucheries, and reckless conduct of the rich were upheld by oppressing the poor (ch. Amo. 2:7-8; Amo. 3:9). Perversion of justice (ch. Amo. 2:7; Amo. 5:7), bribery (ch. Amo. 2:6; Amo. 5:12), and false measures abounded. In business a griping, hard fisted bargain was sought (ch. Amo. 8:5-6). Everywhere in the events of life, sin showed itself in the vile price given for articles of luxury (ch. Amo. 2:6; Amo. 8:6). In the palace and the sanctuary, from the metropolis to the borders, moral corruption prevailed. But Amos thundered out the word of God amid the splendour and wickedness that surrounded him. He sets before them their sins and pronounces Gods sentence upon them. Therefore thus saith the Lord God. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel. Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord saith thus (Amo. 3:11; Amo. 4:12; Amo. 5:16).
3. Times of physical events. Two years before the earthquake. Earthquakes are sometimes natural harbingers of coming revolutions. When men are steeped in sin and living in utter carelessness God has many means to rouse them from sleep. When they disregard his word, unnatural and extraordinary signs proclaim his anger. This earthquake must have been very great. It is described as the earthquake, and was vividly remembered in the days of Zechariah. Whole cities, like Lisbon, are destroyed by earthquakes in the East, says a writer. Josephus says that in one, a little before the time of Christ, some ten thousand were buried under the ruined houses. Referring to this he says, By it half of a mountain was removed and carried to a plain four furlongs off, and spoiled the kings gardens. But in this shaking of the earth we hear the voice of God warning nations of their danger, before the flash falls and the fire consumes them.
IV. The call which comes from God to men is often a call to deliver an unpleasant message. The Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem. Many are willing to deliver pleasant tidings, to preach smooth things; but few have the courage and self-denial to go in the face of public opinion, and declare the truth at the risk of their lives. Amos had to denounce judgments, which are often as necessary as mercies. They both have one aim, and to separate them indicates perverted views of the Divine character and procedure.
1. Judgments authoritative in their origin. From Zion and from Jerusalem, where God dwelt and was worshipped. Neither in Bethel nor in Dan, nor in the cities of Samaria and Jezreel, but in the cities of Israel did God manifest himself. Zion was the seat of government and the centre of mercy. From thence issued edicts and decrees for Israel and the world. At the very beginning, therefore, the prophet warned Israel, and declared the name and authority of Jehovah, King in Zion. The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation.
2. Judgments loud in their nature. Jehovah will roar against them as a lion, terrible to shepherds and their flocks. His voice must be heard, and the message demands attention. God roars before he tears, and warns before he strikes. Thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
3. Judgments specific in their design. Concerning Israel. All troubles, says Bishop Reynolds, have their commission and instructions from himwhat to do, whither to go, whom to touch, and whom to pass over. The storm passed over adjacent countries, but at last falls down in terrific power and darkness upon the kingdom of Israel. None are beyond the reach or can escape from the punishment of God. The arrows of the Almighty never miss their mark, and stick fast into those at whom they are shot. Sent in love or judgment, they cause a wound which only he can heal. Under his power and presence men are stricken down, and the slain of the Lord are many when he leads in war. Those who sin against light and privileges deserve greater judgment than others. Israels advantages were great, and Israels sins were grievous. Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
4. Judgments terrible in their consequence. This is read in the terms which describe them. Not only like the roaring of a lion from his secret place; but like the outburst of a thunder-storm, which sweeps over the land, and carries desolation in its train. (a) The land is smitten. Its fruitful portions are made barren. The summit of Carmel, denoted for its fertility and excellency, was consumed by drought. All herbage and verdure withered like a flower. Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits (Isa. 33:9). (b) The habitations of men suffer. The habitations of the shepherds shall mourn. This is not mere poetic personification. The shepherds mourn at withered pastures, and their habitations are made desolate by the general calamity. Nature, beasts and men, feel the visitation, and mourn in sorrow. God can blight the fairest blessings of men. When the earth mourneth and languisheth, let us weep in penitence and turn from sin.
HOMILETIC HINTS AND OUTLINES
The same lessons are here repeated and enforced that we have found elsewhere.
1. Those who take no heed to one message may have others louder. (a) Given by strange men. (b) Confirmed by extraordinary signs in nature.
2. But God is slow to anger, and waits patiently. Before the last punishment is inflicted real space is given for repentance. Two years before the earthquake.
3. If all warning is despised, the ministry of the prophet and the sufferings of nature, then there is fearful looking for of judgment, &c. The populous cities, the peaceful homes, and the fruitful fields will all suffer when God speaks in wrath.
The shepherd has shaken, not one country, but the world; not by a passing earthquake, but by the awe of God, which, with electric force, streamed through his words [Pusey]
Amo. 1:1. It is observable that Amos, the shepherd of Tekoa, south of Bethlehem in Judah, directs his prophecies specially to the ten tribes of Israel. He thus presents an example of Divine kindness and tender sympathy for aliens and rebels; and in this respect is like the Good Shepherd, who was born at Bethlehem, and laid down his life for his sheep when they had gone astray [Wordsworth].
God chooses instruments for important service from inferior stations in society.
1. Men should not be ashamed of their mean extraction, or low occupations in life. Some have childishly wished to blot out every incident concerning their origin. Rousseau, a French lyric poet, is said to have been ashamed that he was the son of a shoemaker.
2. Men should not be reproached for former life, if they earnestly discharge the duties of their present position.
3. God thus magnifies his grace, and rebukes human pride. It is a false notion of true dignity and usefulness, to suppose that they belong to an illustrious pedigree or a long purse.
Honour and shame from no condition rise:
Act well your partthere all the honour lies.
Amo. 1:2. Roar from zion. Thus Amos joins on his own prophecy of judgment to that of Joel (Joe. 3:16). God roared out of Zion by the voice of Joel, and of Amos himself, denouncing his judgments. And God roared by the voice of the earthquake, confirming that denunciation by a solemn peal of subterranean thunder. The earthquake, as it were, an Amen to the prophecy [Wordsworth].
Mourn. Amos, like Joel, notes the sympathy of the natural world with man in his sorrow. He also displays his own sympathy for the class to which he belonged, by remembering the home which he loved and now left.
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 1
Amo. 1:1. Station in life. Low station is no obstacle to Gods favour. St John was the son of a fisherman; recommended to our Saviour neither by refinement of education nor by honourable employment, he was diligently engaged in the labours of an humble occupation when chosen to accompany his Lord. For those, indeed, whom it hath pleased God to place in the higher states of life it is right that they should endeavour to perform the duties of their stations, by a due cultivation of their talents, by the acquirement of suitable accomplishments, and by acting up to the rank in society to which by the good providence of God they are born and designated [Bp Manton].
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
PUNISHMENT PROMISED, THE HEATHEN NATIONSDAMASCUS
TEXT: Amo. 1:1-5
1.
The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, which 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, Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the pastures of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
3.
Thus saith Jehovah; For three transgressions of Damascus, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
4.
but I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.
5.
And I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden; and the people of Syria shall go into captivity into Kir, saith Jehovah.
QUERIES
a.
Why would God send a man from Judah to prophesy to Israel?
b.
How does Jehovah roar from Zion?
c.
Where is Kir?
PARAPHRASE
These are words of Amos who was a herdsman living in the village of Tekoa. One day, in a vision, God told him some of the things which were going to happen to the northern kingdom, Israel. This vision came to him at the time Uzziah was king of Judah, and while Jeroboam, (son of Joash), was king of Israeltwo years before the great earthquake. Amos said, The Lord, like a ferocious lion, roars His warning from His dwelling place in Jerusalem, the city of Zion. The lush pasturelands wither from the top of Mount Carmel to the plains.
This the Lords word: Because of sin after sin committed by Damascus I will not leave her unpunished. Because these Syrians crushed the prisoners of my people to death with iron threshing machines of war I will punish them. I will burn down the palaces of Hazael and Benhadad. I will tear down the defenses of the capital city Damascus and slaughter the inhabitants of Syrias major cities, even the potentates of these cities will I slaughter. Those who are left of Syria I will send into captivity into the land of Elam.
SUMMARY
The Lord roars His warnings like a lion from its lair. He begins with Damascus, or Syria. The heathen are responsible to God for their injustices and immoralities.
COMMENT
Amo. 1:1. THE WORDS OF AMOS . . . OF TEKOA . . . CONCERNING ISRAEL . . . We do not know exactly why God chose a man of the southern kingdom, Judah, to send with His message to the northern kingdom, Israel. The fact that Gods presence remained in the Temple which was in Jerusalem, the southern kingdom, may have had something to do with it. However, Hosea, a younger contemporary of Amos, prophet to Israel, was from Israel. All we need to know is that God selected the right man at the right time to do the right job. We have already discussed the date of Amos prophecy and his place of birth in the Introduction of this book. It should be remembered that he preached his messages of denunciation and doom in an atmosphere of unprecedented material prosperity which was being accompanied by a widespread decay of moral values and a wicked oppression of the poor. Disaster seemed most unlikely. Amos and his message were extremely unpopular. Yet within a very few years four kings of Israel had been assassinated, then Hoshea was deposed and imprisoned and Israel ceased to be a nation in 722721 B.C. at the Assyrian captivity. Though he was a shepherder, Amos is the author of the purest and most classical Hebrew in the entire Old Testament. His style is grave, measured, and rhetoricalAmos was an orator. He uses brief, uninvolved sentences. His vocabulary and style are conspicuously those of Semetic homeliness, especially of a man of the wilderness.
Amo. 1:2 JEHOVAH WILL ROAR FROM ZION . . . PASTURES SHALL MOURN . . . AND THE TOP OF CARMEL . . . WITHER . . . How often Amos had probably heard the wild lion of the mountainous regions around Tekoa roar its warning from its lair. The Hebrew people were very familiar with lions and many books in the Bible mention them. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. A number of instances are mentioned where a man of Palestine killed a lion in a single-handed encounter (Jdg. 14:5-8; 1Sa. 17:36-37). See our comments on Joe. 3:16 also. Zion is tsiyon in Hebrew and probably means citadel. It is the name of one of the hills or mountains on which Jerusalem stood. It is first mentioned in the O.T. as a Jebusite fortress (2Sa. 5:6-9), but David captured it and called it the city of David. It is used figuratively for the covenant people of God both of O.T. times and N.T. times (cf. Isa. 33:14; Isa. 34:8; Isa. 49:14, etc. for O.T. covenant people; of. Heb. 12:22 for N.T. usage which also indicates some O.T. usage of Zion was prophetic of the N.T. church). In this case Zion means the city of God, Jerusalem (as evidenced by the parallelism here), where Gods presence dwells. It would be a subtle reminder to the northern kingdom that God was to be worshiped only at Jerusalem! (cf. Exo. 25:21-22; Exo. 29:42-43; Exo. 40:33-38; Num. 7:89; Lev. 1:1; 1Ki. 8:10-11).
Amos reveals that the Sovereign God will bring His judgment upon Israel first through a drought. God will wither the pasture land from the top of forest-crowned Mt. Carmel, the mountain at the mouth of the Kishon river, to the verdant plains of the lowlands. The shepherds heart of Amos could picture no greater display of Gods judgment than the burning and withering of the fresh green pasture lands so urgently necessary to the life of this farming, shepherding people. Carmel means garden. Mt. Carmel was an especially verdant place for grazing sheep. Its perennial springs outlasted even the three years and six months of drought in Elijahs days (cf. 1 Kings 17, 18). If this pasture-land should wither it would be manifestly at the command of God. Practically every prophet reveals Jehovah God as the Sovereign of naturethe Creator, Sustainer and User of Nature. He sustains nature under certain laws inviolable only until He deems it necessary to manipulate or contravene them to serve His omnipotent and omniscient purposes.
Amo. 1:3 . . . FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS OF DAMASCUS . . . FOR FOUR . . . I WILL NOT TURN AWAY THE PUNISHMENT . . . THEY HAVE THRESHED GILEAD WITH THRESHING INSTRUMENTS OF IRON . . . K & D say, . . . the numbers merely serve to denote the multiplicity of the sins, the exact number of which has no bearing upon the matter. It is a Hebrew idiom expressing fulness. J. B. Phillips, in Four Prophets, translates it, Because of outrage after outrage committed by Damascus . . . The Syrians have filled their cup of wickedness full to overflowing. God will not relent! He is going to punish them. Their one greatest sin has been to cruelly crush the Gileadites (a territory east of the Jordan allocated to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh) with iron threshing carts. Hazael the Syrian king did this when he conquered that territory during the reign of Jehu (2Ki. 10:32-33; 2Ki. 13:7; cf. also 2Sa. 12:31). The threshing cart was a sort of a cart with toothed iron wheels underneath, which was driven about to crush the straw in the threshing-floors after the grain had been beaten out. They have despoiled Gods possessionthey have violated, and that in the cruelest fashion, the most basic law of Godthe sanctity of human life. But even worse, they have done despite to the covenant people of God (cf. our comments on Obadiah). To attack Gods people is to attack God!
Amo. 1:4-5 . . . I WILL SEND A FIRE INTO THE HOUSE OF HAZAEL . . . BREAK THE BAR OF DAMASCUS . . . AND THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA SHALL GO INTO CAPTIVITY INTO KIR . . . Hazael was the murderer of Benhadad I, to whom the prophet Elisha foretold that he would reign over Syria, and predicted the cruelties that he would practice towards Israel (2Ki. 8:7 ff). An inscription of Shalmaneser III states that Benhadad perished and Hazael, a son of nobody, (meaning not of royal lineage), seized the throne. Shalmaneser III also records two attacks on Hazael in which he claims great victories for Assyria with severe damage to the Syrian countryside. Hazael reigned for at least 43 years and perhaps longer, and he oppressed Israel all the days of his reign. In 732 Tiglathpileser III subdued the city of Damascus and brought an end to the Aramaean state.
To break the bar of Damascus would mean to break the bolt of the gate. Literally, to destroy the citys defenses and overcome it. To cut off the inhabitant is to slaughter him. Those who were not slaughtered, God would cause to be taken into captivity to Kir. Kir (cf. Isa. 22:6) the territory in ancient Elam east of the Persian Gulf, on the banks of the river Kur, from which, according to Amo. 9:7, the Syrians originally emigrated. Many of the Syrians were taken captive in Tiglathpilesers conquest in 732 B.C.
Jehovah God, all-sovereign Creator of the universe, orders the migrations and national boundaries of the nations (Act. 17:26), and cares for their welfare (Act. 14:15-18). He brought up the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir (Amo. 9:7). He has the right and the power to punish them for their sins. And what are the sins of which they are guilty? As we have mentioned before, they are guilty of desecrating Gods holy people. But in the main their sin is simply inhumanity. They have broken those most basic laws of God written on the heart and conscience of all mankind by which the relation of man to man and nation to nation ought to be governed. They are capable of exercising moral judgments. Therefore the violation of the natural laws of humanity written on their consciences demands punishment.
QUIZ
1.
Why was Amos message so unpopular in his day?
2.
What is the figure of God roaring referring to?
3.
Why be so specific that Gods warning would come from Zion?
4.
How does God use nature to serve His purposes?
5.
How did the Syrians thresh the people of Gilead?
6.
Who was Hazael and when did he live and what kind of a person was he?
7.
What do we learn from Gods message to the heathen here?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
The Prologue to the Prophecies of Amos consists of a series of denunciations of the surrounding peoples. The ground of the awful threatenings is the word of Jehovah made known to the prophet. The reason for the doom predicted on such high authority, is the resistance and cruelty that were offered by these nations to the theocratic people, and, still more, their own moral offences, condemned by universal conscience. The denunciations begin with a judgment upon Syria, the age-long enemy of Judah, sometimes confederate with Israel. Then he passes to Philistia, which had been a thorn in the side of Israel and Judah from the days of the Judges till his own. Then he directs his gaze upon Phnician cities, the emporium of the most extensive commerce in the world, Next he passes in review other three tribes, or nations, more closely related to Israel in blood, language, and proximity, and which, nevertheless, had often manifested an undying hatred of the covenanted people. After this Judah, his own tribe, does not escape. Lastly, the prophet gathers up all his strength to denounce Israel, then at the height of prosperity and splendour.
(1) See Introduction.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1. Title. Each prophetic book has a title, sometimes brief (Oba 1:1), sometimes running through several verses (Jer 1:1 ff.). This title indicates the name, home, occupation, and approximate date of the author, and the nation in whose interest he prophesied.
Words of Amos Of the other prophetic books only Jeremiah contains a similar expression, “words of Jeremiah,” that is, the prophecies are assigned primarily to their human author; everywhere else it is stated or implied that the primary author is God: “The word of Jehovah” (Hos 1:1; Joe 1:1, etc.); “The vision of Isaiah” (Amo 1:1; compare Oba 1:1; Nah 1:1), granted by Jehovah; “The burden” (Hab 1:1, compare Nah 1:1; Mal 1:1), imposed by Jehovah. It does not follow, however, that the utterances of Amos and Jeremiah are less divine than those of the other prophets (compare Jer 1:2, “to whom the word of Jehovah came”; Amo 1:1, “which he saw”; Amo 1:3, “Thus saith Jehovah,” compare Amo 7:14). A rabbinical tradition says that the peculiarity is due to and is a rebuke of the fault-finding spirit of Amos and Jeremiah.
Herdmen Literally, nakad-keepers (see p. 192).
Tekoa See p. 191.
Israel The northern kingdom, to which Amos was sent (Amo 7:15).
He saw See on Hab 1:1. On the chronological data see pp. 195f. The relative clause “who was among the herdmen (of Tekoa)” is thought by some to be a later, though historically reliable, addition.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Introduction ( Amo 1:1-2 ).
Amo 1:1
‘The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen (cattle-breeders) of Tekoa, which 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.’
The heading is succint and presents us with full information containing source (Amos, a lowly cattle-breeder in Judah)), content (the words), occupation (cattle-breeder), the identity of those at whom his words were directed (‘Israel’, the northern kingdom in contrast with Judah), the period in which spoken (in the days of Uzziah and Jeroboam II), and even limits the commencement of his ministry to a particular year (two years before the earthquake). However, while his words may all have been delivered within a fairly short period we need not necessarily assume that they were all given at one time. The fact that his father’s name is not given points to him as having come from a lowly family.
While these opening words are basically unique to Amos, they can be compared with the opening words of other prophecies. The plural ‘words’ is found in Jer 1:1 (compare also Pro 1:1). The idea of ‘seeing’ words (or a word from YHWH) can be paralleled with Isa 1:1; Mic 1:1. The idea of ‘seeing’ does not necessarily involve visions. It is used to indicate receiving, grasping and understanding divine revelation. Thus Amos wants us to recognise that his words were not of his own invention, but were revealed directly to him by YHWH.
The fact that his words began to be spoken two years prior to the massive earthquake that shook Israel and Judah (so large that its effect on the people was even remembered in the days of Zechariah (Zec 14:5) may indicate that that earthquake was to be seen as part of God’s judgments on them (many alive then would certainly have seen it that way, even if it did not have a lasting spiritual effect). Natural catastrophes, while not necessarily directly ‘caused’ by God in response to a particular situation, can certainly always be seen as reminders of God’s judgments, for creation was created in such a way that we would receive constant reminders of such judgments. They are a reminder that God is not only love (1Jn 4:16), but also light (1Jn 1:5). While God sends His rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous (Mat 5:45), He also similarly sends His earthquakes.
Amo 1:2
‘And he said,
“YHWH will roar from Zion,
And utter his voice from Jerusalem,
And the pastures of the shepherds will mourn,
And the top of Carmel will wither.” ’
And it was one such judgment of God that Amos was declaring as about to happen. YHWH would roar from Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem, and the result would be that even the most fruitful places would dry up. The pastures for sheep and other cattle would mourn because they had no rain (of great significance to a cattle-breeder), while the top of Mount Carmel, noted for its vegetation, would wither.
There is in these words a poignant reminder to Israel that the true Central Sanctuary was still in Jerusalem, and that it was, as it were, from there that He would ‘speak’, something backed up by the fact that Amos himself came from Judah. It was directing their minds back to the true worship of YHWH which they had so easily deserted, and reminding them of their need to turn back again to Him.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Amo 1:1-2 Prologue – Amo 1:1-2 serves as a prologue introducing the author and date of his prophecies and a brief summary of his message of divine judgment upon Israel.
Amo 1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which 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.
Amo 1:1
Luk 3:25, “Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,”
Amo 1:1 “who was among the herdmen of Tekoa” – Word Study on “Tekoa” The Hebrew word “Tekoa” “tekoah” ( ) (H8620) means, “pitching” ( Gesenius), or “that is confirmed” ( PTW). The name Tekoah is found seven times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as Tekoa 6, Tekoah 1 (2Sa 14:2, 1Ch 2:24 ; 1Ch 4:5; 1Ch 11:6; 1 Chron 20:20, Jer 6:1, Amo 1:1)
Comments – The Town of Tekoah The town of Tekoah is of little renown in Israel’s history. From there Joab fetched a wise woman to help him reconcile King David with Absalom (2Sa 14:2). It became a city of fortification under the reign of Rehoboam (2Ch 11:6, Josephus, Antiquities 8.9.1 ), for which reason Jeremiah would later prophecy concerning this southern outpost, “blow the trumpet in Tekoa” as a warning of approaching danger to Israel (Jer 6:1). In the wilderness of Tekoa Jehoshaphat stopped to encourage the children of Israel before their battle with the Moabites and Ammonites, and where he appointed singers to lead in battle array (2Ch 20:20). There on the plains of Tekoah the prophet Amos herded his flocks until his call to prophecy to Israel.
The Office of the Prophet – Most, if not all, of the Old Testament was written by men who are called prophets. Prophecy became most prominent during the period of the kings, as they moved the people to an inward relationship to God during the times when the kings had forsaken Jehovah as their God. They also prophesied of the coming of the Messiah and of future events. God would have spoken through the priests, but Israel wanted a king. God would have spoken through the kings, as He did with David and Solomon, but most of the kings forsook the God of Israel. Corruption spoiled this ordained means of delivering God’s message to His people. It was the lineage of prophets whom God raised up a various times from various cities and from various genealogies and in various ways to deliver His messages and prophecies. God found men who would not fear the face of men to speak His Word. God literally raised up a lineage of prophets from Enoch until Malachi. There were periods when there were no prophets to prophesy (1Sa 3:1), but God was always faithful to search for men would represent Him.
1Sa 3:1, “And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.”
The Background of Amos – God found a simple herdsman named Amos to speak His Word because there was not a king or priest willing to obey the Lord with such a task. In Amo 7:14-15 this prophet distinguishes himself from the lineage and school of the prophets which Israel had looked to for centuries for a word from God. He described himself as a herdman, whom the Lord took from following the flock.
Amo 7:14-15, “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.”
The town of Tekoa was located six miles south of Bethlehem, which is six miles from Jerusalem. The hill on which its ruins can be found today rises out of the edge of the Judean plateau.
Amo 1:1 “which 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” Comments – According to Amo 1:1 the prophet Amos traveled to Israel and delivered his oracles during the reigns of Uzziah (791-740 B.C.), king of Judah, and Jeroboam II (793 753 B.C.), king of Israel.
Comments – The biblical chronology in the prophetic books of the Old Testament are not dated in terms of years, but in terms of the reigns of kings, similar to Luk 3:1-2. This is because many ancient cultures did not go by calendar dates, but rather by events, such as the reigns of kings. In Africa, people are not time conscience. Rather, they are event conscience. For example, many of them do not know the day and year of their birth. But they know what major events took place during the year of their birth. These major events usually centered around the events of their king. However, we see Amos making reference to an addition event, which was an apparently large earthquake that shook this region during his prophetic ministry.
Amo 1:1 “two years before the earthquake” Comments – The earthquake mentioned in Amo 1:1 is mentioned in one other place in the Scriptures. The prophet Zechariah makes reference to it as an example of how the people will flee again in fear.
Zec 14:5, “And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.”
George Smith suggests another possible reference to this earthquake in Isa 9:8-10. [11]
[11] George A. Smith, Amos, in The Expositor’s Bible, ed. William R. Nicoll and Oscar L. Joseph (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1956), in Ages Digital Library, v. 1.0 [CD-ROM] (Rio, WI: Ages Software, Inc., 2001), “Introduction.”
Isa 9:8-10, “The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.”
Amo 1:1 Comments The Manner in which Divine Oracles were Delivered unto the Prophets – God spoke through the Old Testament prophets in various ways, as the author of the epistle of Hebrews says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” (Heb 1:1). The Lord spoke divine oracles ( ) through the Old Testament prophets in three general ways, as recorded in the book of Hosea, “I have also spoken by the prophets, and have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.” (Hos 12:10) ( NKJV) In other words, the prophets spoke to Israel through the words they received, they described divine visions to the people, and they acted out as divine drama an oracle from the Lord.
(1) The Word of the Lord Came to the Prophets – God gave the prophets divine pronouncements to deliver to the people, as with Hos 1:1. The opening verses of a number of prophetic books say, “the word of the Lord came to the prophet” Thus, these prophets received a divine utterance from the Lord.
(2) The Prophets Received Divine Visions – God gave the prophets divine visions ( ), so they prophesied what they saw ( ) (to see). Thus, these two Hebrew words are found in Isa 1:1, Oba 1:1, Nah 1:1, and Hab 1:1. Ezekiel saw visions ( ) of God.
(3) God Told the Prophets to Deliver Visual Aids as Symbols of Divine Oracles – God asked the prophets to demonstrate divine oracles to the people through symbolic language. For example, Isaiah walked naked for three years as a symbol of Assyria’s dominion over Egypt and Ethiopia (Isa 20:1-6). Ezekiel demonstrated the siege of Jerusalem using clay tiles (Eze 4:1-3), then he laid on his left side for many days, then on his right side, to demonstrate that God will require Israel to bear its iniquities.
Amo 1:2 And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
Amo 1:2
Stuart notes that the Lord’s roar originates from Jerusalem upon the northern kingdom of Israel as a condemnation of the fact that they had set up a cultic religion in their kingdom and forsaken the holy Temple in Zion.
Amo 1:2 “and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither” – Stuart tells us that the Targum translates the word “shepherds” as kings who ruled over Israel. In Eze 34:2 the word “shepherds” clearly refers to the leaders of Israel, and is translated as “leaders” in the Targum. [12]
[12] Pinkhos Churgin, Targum of Jonathan to the Prophets, in Yale Oriental Series: Researches, vol. xvi (New Haven, Yale University Press, 1907), 90.
Eze 34:2, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
Amo 1:2 Comments – Amo 1:2 serves as an announcement that God’s judgment in accordance with Mosaic Law is about to fall upon the nation of Israel. This verse serves as an introduction to the book of Amos. Stuart notes three aspects of the Mosaic curse, reflects as (1) attacks from wild beasts, (2) distress upon the people, and (3) drought and famine. [13]
[13] Douglas Stuart, Hosea-Jonah, in Word Biblical Commentary: 58 Volumes on CD-Rom, vol. 31, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas: Word Inc., 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), comments on Amos 2:1.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Against Damascus and Gaza
v. 1. The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen, v. 2. And He said, v. 3. Thus saith the Lord, For three transgressions of Damascus, v. 4. but I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, v. 5. I will break also the bar of Damascus, v. 6. Thus saith the Lord, For three transgressions of Gaza, v. 7. but I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof, v. 8. and I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSITION
Verse 1-ch. 2:16
Part I. APPROACHING JUDGMENT.
Verse 1-ch. 2:3
1. The nations bordering on the Holy Land are solemnly summoned to judgment.
Amo 1:1, Amo 1:2
Heading of the book, with short summary of its contents.
Amo 1:1
Heading. The words. So Jeremiah begins his prophecy (Jer 1:1), and the writer of Ecclesiastes (Ecc 1:1). That the words am not those of Amos, but of Jehovah, is shown by the succeeding clause, “which he saw.” Herdmen. The Hebrew word noked used here is found in 2Ki 3:4, applied to Mesha King of Moab, a great “sheepmaster;” hence some have considered that Amos was not a mere mercenary, but a rich possessor of flocks. His own words, however (Amo 7:14, Amo 7:15), decide his position as that of a poor labouring man. Tekoah. A small town of Judah (see above in the account of the author, Introduction, II.). He saw, with inward intuition. Hence his “words” were inspired (comp. Isa 2:1; Hab 1:1). Concerning Israel chiefly, mention of Judah being introduced only incidentally and as connected with the destinies of Israel The Septuagint reads, by some mistake, “concerning Jerusalem.” In the days. (For the date of the prophecy, see above, Introduction, III.) Earthquake. No mention is made of this event in the historical books. It was remembered in after years (see Zec 14:5), and Amos alludes to it as a token of the judgment which he foretold, such catastrophes being regarded as signs of the majesty of God and his vengeance on sinners (comp. Exo 19:18 : Psa 68:8; Mic 1:4; Hab 3:6, Hab 3:10), Josephus (‘Ant.’ 9.10. 4) attributes this earthquake to God’s displeasure at Uzziah’s usurpation of the priest’s office (2Ch 26:16).
Amo 1:2
And he said. This is the commencement of “the words” of Amos (verse 1); and herein the prophet gives a short summary of the judgment which he has to pronounce. The following clause is a repetition of Joe 3:16; and Amos thus connects his prophecy with that of his predscessor, to show the unity of prophetic mission, and to warn the Jews that God’s punishments are not directed exclusively on heathen nations. To the nations denounced by Joel, Amos adds others of Israel’s enemies, viz. Syria, Ammon, and Moab. Roar voice. The thunder is the voice of God announcing his coming to judge. From Zion. Not from Dan and Bethel, the seats of idolatrous worship, but from Jerusalem, the abode of his presence. The habitations; better, the pastures. It is only natural that Amos, the shepherd, should use such terms to express the idea that the whole land, from Jerusalem on the south to Carmel on the north, should feel the vengeance of the Lord. Shall mourn; explained by the following term, shall wither; i.e. shall lose their verdure (comp. Jer 12:11; Hos 4:3). The top of Carmel. This is the Mount Carmel, which stretches boldly into the sea on the south of the Bay of Acre, and is remarkable for its extreme fertility, its rich pastures, its vines, olives, fruits, and flowers. Thomson, ‘The Land and the Book;’ writes thus about it: “The celebrated ridge, called in the Bible Merest Carmel, and by the Arabs Jebel Kurmul, or Mar Elyas, in honour of Elijah, is an extension of the hills of Samaria, in a northwesterly direction, for a distance of about eighteen miles, terminating in the bold promontory of Carmel, which descends almost literally into the sea. It is steep and lofty where it overhangs the Mediterranean above Haifa, and on that face which overlooks the Plain of Acre on the north, and that of Esdraelon towards the southeast. There is no special excellency in Carmel at the present day, whatever may be said of Sharon. Its name, Kurmul, or Kerm-el, signifies ‘the vineyard of God;’ but its vineyards have all disappeared. It was a glorious mountain, however, and a prominent landmark; according to Jeremiah (Jer 46:18), Carmel was a resort of herdsmen. Amos says, ‘The habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither,’ in the time of the threatened judgment, and this implies that its pastures were not ordinarily liable to wither. This may, in part, have been occasioned by the heavy dews which its lofty elevation, so near the sea, causes to distil nightly upon its thirsty head. I found it quite green and flowery in midsummer. It was a noble pasture field, and, in reference to that characteristic, Micah utters his sweet prayer, ‘Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.'”
Amo 1:3-5
Before announcing the judgment on Israel, Amos proclaims the punishment on neighbouring heathen nations for their injurious treatment of the chosen people, thus showing God’s care for his elect, and leading them to fear vengeance for their own greater sins towards him. The order observed in denouncing these nations is not geographical, but is regulated by the nature of each people’s relation to Israel, and the degree in which they have sinned against her. The denunciation begins with Syria, her hitherto most oppressive enemy, and the least akin.
Amo 1:3
For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four. This form of expression is repeated in each of the following strophes, and some critics have taken the terms literally, and have tried to identify that particular number of transgressions in each case; but this is trifling. The phrase and others similar to it are not uncommon, and are used to signify a great number, the last mentioned being supposed to fill up the measure and make it overflow. Thus Job 5:19, “He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee” (comp. Job 33:29; Pro 30:15, Pro 30:18, Pro 30:21; Ecc 11:2). So Hom; ‘Od.,’ 5:306, : and Virg; ‘AEn.,’ 1:94, “O terque quaterque beati;” comp. Hor; ‘Carm,’ 1:31, 13. Damascus had been an active enemy of Israel since the time that Rezon threw off his allegiance (1Ki 11:23, etc.), and seized Damascus, which had been tributary to David (2Sa 8:5). The history of the wars carried on by Syria against the Jews may be read in the sacred books (see 1Ki 15:19, etc.; 2Ch 16:2, etc.; 1Ki 20:1-43.; 22.; 2Ki 7:1-20.; 2Ki 9:14, etc.; 2Ki 10:32, etc.; 2Ki 12:18; 2Ki 13:5, 2Ki 13:25; 2Ch 24:23, etc.; 2Ki 14:28). I will not turn away the punishment thereof. So in the following strophes. Literally, I will not reverse it. Amos does not expressly say what; but he means the sentence or judgment (comp. Num 23:20, “I cannot reverse it,” where the same word is used). The Latin Vulgate gives, Non convertam eum, i.e. Damascum, which Knabenbauer explains, “I will not avert its destruction, will not turn it aside from its downward course.” The LXX. renders, , “I will not turn away from it,” i.e; as explained by Theodoret, “I will no longer disregard its sins.” Because they have threshed Gilead. This is the culminating offence of the Syrians. The word rendered “threshing instrument” (charutz) signifies a kind of corn drag made of heavy planks fastened together and armed beneath with sharp stones or iron points. This machine, weighted with the driver who sat or stood upon it, was drawn by oxen over the corn (comp. Isa 28:27; Isa 41:15). A representation of it is given by Smith, ‘Dict. of Bible,’ 1.31, and Kitto, ‘Cyclop.,’ 1:86. Such an instrument, set with sharp flints in rows, was to be seen in the Indian and Colonial Exhibition of the year 1886, in the Cyprus department. Another kind of instrmuent (moreg) is thus described by Jerome: “Est autem genus plaustri, quod rotis subter ferreis atque dentatis volvitur, ut excussis frumentis stipulam in areis conterat, et in cibos jumentorum propter foeni sterilitatem paleas comminuat.” Such an implement was used in the infliction of capital punishment by David (2Sa 12:31; comp. Pro 20:26). Gilead is here put for all the country east of Jordan (Jos 22:9). The cruel treatment referred to in the text occurred in the time of Hazael during the reign of Jehu. The Septuagint has, “Because with iron saws they sawed asunder women with child.” This is doubtless a reminiscence of Elisha’s words to Hazael (2Ki 8:12).
Amo 1:4
Fire. Material fire, though elsewhere the term is used metaphorically for war and its evils (comp. Num 21:28; Psa 78:63; Jer 48:45). This passage of Amos, combined with verse 14, is quoted by Jeremiah (Jer 49:27), where he is pronouncing the doom of Damascus. House of Hazael palaces of Benhadad. The two expressions are parallel, or they may signify the family of Hazael, and Damascus itself with its magnificent royal palaces. There were three kings of Syria named Benhadad. The first of the name made alliance with Asa, and fought successfully against Baasha (1Ki 15:20); Benhadad II. was the contemporary of Ahab, and carded on war for many years with the northern kingdom (1Ki 20:1-43). He was murdered either by Hazael or his servants (2Ki 8:15). Benhadad III; the son of Hazael, was a monarch of small ability, and Syria under his sway sank into insignificance (2Ki 13:4, etc.; 2Ki 14:27; 2Ki 15:17). All this happened before the time of Amos, who probably refers to all the kings of that name, Benhadad, “Son of the Sun,” being the title of the dynasty.
Amo 1:5
The bar which secured the gate of the city (1Ki 4:13; Jer 51:30; Nah 3:13). Breaking the bar is equivalent to laying the place open to the enemy. From the plain of Avon; Vulgate, de campo idoli; Hebrew, bikath-Aven; Septuagint, ; better, from the valley of Aven, or vanity, perhaps so called analogously with Hosea’s naming Bethel, Bethaven, “House of God” and “House of vanity” (Hos 5:8). Robinson and Pusey refer the name to a valley between Lebanon and Antilibanus, a continuation of the Arabah, still called Bukaa, in the middle of which stood Baalbec, “the Temple of the sun of the valley,” called Heliopolis by Greek and Roman writers (see ‘Classical Museum,’ 3:136). The LXX. Renders “On” in Gen 41:45 by “Heliopolis;” and On and Baal being both titles of the sun, and indeed synonymous, the introduction of “On” into this passage may be accounted for. Him that holdeth the sceptre. The king and princes, as Gen 41:8. From the house of Eden; Hebrew, Beth-Eden, “House of delight;” Vulgate, de domo voluptatis; Septuagint, , “out of the men of Charran.” This last rendering arises from considering that the reference was to the Eden of Gen 2:1-25; which the translators placed in the region of Haran. The place in the text Keil supposes to be the Paradisus of the Greeks, which Ptolemy (Gen 5:15, Gen 5:20) locates southeast of Laodicea. Schrader suggests a place on the banks of the middle Euphrates between Balis and Biredschich called Bit–Adini in inscriptions of Asurnasirhabal and Salmanassur II. But this seems to be a wrong locality. The passage means that all the inhabitants of valley and city, king and peasant, shall be cut off. Shall go into captivity. The word implies that the land shall be “stripped” or “bared” of its inhabitants. Wholesale deportation had not hitherto been common in these regions. Kir has been identified with the country on the banks of the river Kar, which flows into the Araxes on the southwest of the Caspian Sea. It forms part of the territory known as Transcaucasia. From this region the Syrians originally emigrated (Amo 9:7), and back to this land a large body were carried when Tiglath-Pileser, some fifty years later, killed Rezin and sacked Damascus, as related in 2Ki 16:9. Saith the Lord. This is the solemn confirmation of the prophet’s announcement, and recurs in 2Ki 16:8, 2Ki 16:15 and Amo 2:3.
Amo 1:6-8
The judgment on Philistia.
Amo 1:6
Gaza is here used as the representative of the five cities of the Philistines. Three others are mentioned in Amo 1:8, Gath being omitted as having long lost its importance, if not already destroyed. Gaza, modern Guzzeh, was the most southern city of Philistia in the immediate neighbourhood of the desert. The whole captivity; Hebrew, “an entire captivity,” the whole people, so that neither age nor sex was spared. A similar complaint is made in Joe 3:4, Joe 3:6. What the LXX. mean by their rendering here and Joe 3:9, , it is very hard to say. Probably they punctuated the word translated “perfect” (shelemah) shelomoh, making “Solomon” stand for his people Israel. Cyril supposes that the reference is to cities which Solomon established among neighbouring nations; these had now been destroyed or seized. The event referred to may be the invasion of Judah by Philistines and Arabians in the time of Joram, mentioned in 2Ch 21:16, etc; and in which it is possible that a compact was made that the captive Judaeans should be delivered to their bitterest enemies, the Edomites. One would rather have expected a reference to some evil inflicted on Israel (as in 2Ch 21:3) instead of an injury done to Judah.
Amo 1:7
A fire. Each guilty city is to have its own special punishment, though probably the calamity of each is common to all. Gaza was conquered by Sennacherib when he invaded Judea in the time of Hezekiah, by Pharaoh-Necho (Jer 47:1), and by Alexander the Great, who spent more than two months in its siege (Josephus, ‘Ant.,’ 11:8, 4; Arrian; 2:27; see note on Zep 2:4).
Amo 1:8
Ashdod, “the Waster,” hod. Esdud, or Shdood (called Azotus in Act 8:40), and still a large village, lay about thirty-five miles north of Gaza, three miles from the sea. Ashkelon was situated between the two. “Askelon differs from the other celebrated cities of the Philistines, being seated on the sea, while Ekron, Garb, Jamnia, Ashdod, and Gaza are in the interior. It never could have had a harbour of any considerable size, however . The topography of the place is peculiar. An abrupt ridge begins near the shore, runs up eastward, bends round to the south, then to the west, and finally northwest to the sea again, forming an irregular amphitheatre. On the top of this ridge ran the wall, which was defended at its salient angles by strong towers. The specimens which still exist show that it was very high and thick, built, however, of small stones, and bound together by broken columns of granite and marble. This clearly proves that it is patchwork, and not Askelon’s original rampart . The position is one of the fairest along this part of the Mediterranean coast; and when the interior of the amphitheatre was adorned with splendid temples and palaces, ascending, rank above rank, from the shore to the summit, the appearance from the sea must have been very imposing. Now the whole area is planted over with orchards of the various kinds of fruit which flourish in this region”. In spite of its bad harbour, it carried on a lucrative foreign commerce, which was the chief cause of its power and importance (Ewald, ‘Hist. of Israel,’ 1:247, Eng. transl.). It was about fifty Roman miles from Jerusalem. In mediaeval times there were two cities of the name, one on the coast (Jer 47:7), the same as Herod’s Ascalon, and one inland. In its palmiest days the former could never have had a real harbour. Ekron, hod. Akir, was twelve miles northeast of Ashdod, and some nine from the coast. Ashdod was taken by Uzziah (2Ch 26:6), by the tartan, or commander-in-chief, of Sargon (Isa 20:1), and by Psammetichus King of Egypt, when it sustained a siege of twenty-nine years (Herod; 2:157). Sennacherib, in a cuneiform inscription, records how he treated the two other cities: “Zedekiah King of Ashkelon,” he says, “who had not submitted himself to my yoke, himself, the gods of the house of his fathers, his wife, his sons, his daughters, and his brothers, the seed of the house of his fathers, I removed, and I sent him to Assyria. I set over the men of Ashkelon, Sarludari, the son of Rukipti, their former king, and I imposed upon him the payment of tribute, and the homage due to my majesty, and he became a vassal. I marched against the city of Ekron, and put to death the priests and the chief men who had committed the sin (of rebellion), and I hung up their bodies on stakes all round the city. The citizens who had done wrong and wickedness I counted as a spoil”. I will turn mine hand; literally, will bring back my hand; visit again with punishment, or repeat the blow (Isa 1:25; Jer 6:9; see note on Zec 13:7). The remnant. All the Philistines who had as yet escaped destruction (comp. Amo 9:12; Jer 6:9).
Amo 1:9, Amo 1:10
The judgment on Tyre.
Amo 1:9
They delivered up the whole captivity (see note on Amo 1:6). The sin of Tyre, the great Phoenician merchant city, was committed in concert with the Philistines (comp. Psa 83:7), and was of the same character, except that she is not accused of carrying away the captives, but only of handing them over to the Edomites. It is probable that the Phoenicians had gotten into their hands, by purchase or some other means, Israelitish prisoners, whom they delivered over to the Edomites, forgetting the brotherly covenant made by their forefathers with David and Solomon (2Sa 5:11; 1Ki 5:1,1Ki 5:7-11; 1Ki 9:11-14; 2Ch 2:11). The cruel conduct of Tyre was quits unprovoked, as no Jewish king had made war against Phoenicia or its capital.
Amo 1:10
A fire, as Amo 1:7 : see Ezekiel’s prophecy against Tyre (26). She had long been tributary to Assyria, but, revolting, was punished by Sargon, and later was attacked by Nebuchadnezzar, who besieged it for thirteen years, with what success is not known. The Assyrian monuments afford no account of its capture by this monarch (comp. Isa 23:1-18.; Jer 47:4; Arrian; Jer 2:16-24). (For its capture and destruction by Alexander the Great, see notes on Zec 9:2, Zec 9:4.)
Amo 1:11, Amo 1:12
The judgment on Edom.
Amo 1:11
His brother. The prophet proceeds to denounce the three nations cognate to Israel, of which the Edomites were the nearest and the most inimical. From the time of Esau until now they had been consistent in enmity, and it is this unbrotherly conduct rather than any specific outrages which Amos here condemns. Edom is accused of relentless persecution, inhumanity, savage fury, and persistent anger. (For the brotherhood of Edom, see Num 20:14; Deu 2:4, Deu 2:5, Deu 2:8; Deu 23:7, etc. For his hostility to Israel, see Num 20:18; 1Ki 11:14; 2Ki 8:20; 2Ch 20:10; 2Ch 25:11, 2Ch 25:12; 2Ch 28:17.) The prophecy of Obadiah is directed against Edom (comp. also Eze 25:12; Eze 35:5, Eze 35:15; Joe 3:19). Did cast off all pity; literally, corrupted his compassions; i.e. did violence to his natural feelings. So >Eze 28:17, “Thou hast corrupted thy wisdom,” perverted it from its proper end. The LXX. gives, (, Alex.) , “did violence to the mother that bare them.” On this Jerome remarks, “Pro misericordia Septuaginta vulvam transtulerant, ducti ambiguitate verborum, quia rehem et vulvam et misericordiam significat.” Did tear, as a wild beast tears his prey. So in Job 16:9, where the same word is used, “He hath torn me in his wrath” (comp. Hos 6:1). And he kept his wrath forever; more literally, and its fury it (Edom) keeps forever. The quarrels of relations are proverbially bitter. Arist; ‘Polit.,’ 7.7, .
Amo 1:12
Teman is the region of Idumaea, of which Bozrah is the capital. Both Jerome and Eusebius (‘Onomast.’) speak of a city so called not far from Petra; but in the Old Testament the name is applied to a district; and as the word in Hebrew means “south,” it is probably the southern portion of the land of Edom. Bozrah (hod. Busaireh) was the old capital of Edom, situated on a hill south of the Dead Sea (see Gen 36:33; Isa 34:6). Jeremiah (Jer 49:17) predicts the punishment of Edom, and Ezekiel (Eze 25:12-14) does likewise. The monologue of Obadiah has been already referred to. The instrument of vengeance in the present ease was Nebuchadnezzar, though it suffered much at the hands of other enemies, as the Nabathaeans and Maccabees.
Amo 1:13-15
The judgment on Ammon.
Amo 1:13
Ammon was connected with Israel as being sprung from Lot, and together with Moab, which had the same origin, retained the stamp of its incestuous birth in habits, character, and worship (Gen 19:30, etc.). The Ammonites seem to have been a predatory and roving nation, though the abundance of rains in the district shows that they possessed fixed abodes; but Rabbah was the only city of importance in their territory (2Sa 11:1). Their hostility to Israel was first shown in their participation with Moab in the affair of Balsam (Deu 23:4). Other instances are seen in their treatment of Jabesh-Gilead (1Sa 11:1-3) and of David’s messengers, and in hiring the Syrians to make war on David (2Sa 10:1-6). We have no historical account of the atrocious outrage on the Gileadites mentioned in the text, but it is quite in character with the ferocity of their disposition, and was doubtless intended to depopulate the territory which they wished to acquire. This barbarity is spoken of in connection with Hazael (2Ki 8:12), in concert with whom probably the Ammonites acted. Another rendering would refer the clause to the removing of landmarks, and yet a third to the storming of lofty fortresses. But the Authorized Version is undoubtedly correct. That they might enlarge their border. The Ammonites laid claim to the territory which the Israelites had wrested from Sihon, lying between the Araon and Jabbok, and made an attempt upon it in the time of Jephthah (Jdg 11:1-40.), and in later years seized on the possessions of Gada proceeding which brought upon them the denunciation of Jeremiah (Jer 49:2-6).
Amo 1:14
Rabbah, “the Great,” or Rabbath-Ammon, the capital of Ammon, was situated on the southern arm of the Jabbok, and was a place of remarkable strength (see Deu 3:11; 2Sa 11:1; 2Sa 12:26, etc.; 1Ch 20:1-3). “For picturesqueness of situation, I know of no ruins to compare with Ammon. The most striking feature is the citadel, which formerly contained not merely the garrison, but an upper town, and covered an extensive area. The lofty plateau on which it was situated is triangular in shape; two sides are formed by the valleys which diverge from the apex, where they are divided by a low neck, and thence separating, fall into the valley of the Jabbok, which forms the base of the triangle, and contained the lower town. Climbing up the citadel, we can trace the remains of the moat, and, crossing it, find ourselves in a maze of ruins. The massive wallsthe lower parts of which still remain, and which, rising from the precipitous sides of the cliff, rendered any attempt at scaling impossiblewere evidently Ammonite. As I leant over them and looked sheer down about three hundred feet into one wady, and four hundred feet into the other, I did not wonder at its having occurred to King David that the leader of a forlorn hope against these ramparts would meet with certain death, and consequently assigning the position to Uriah. Joab afterwards took the lower city, which he called ‘the city of waters,’ indicating very probably that the Jabbok was dammed into a lake near the lower city, to which the conformation of the valley would lend itself”. There is a sketch of the citadel hill in the ‘Dictionary of the Bible,’ 2:985. The city was taken by Nebuchadnezzar (Jer 27:3, Jer 27:6; Jer 49:2, Jer 49:3), either at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, or in the course of his Egyptian campaign (Josephus, ‘Ant.,’ 10.9. 7). The expression, I will kindle a fire (not “send,” as elsewhere), possibly implies, as Pusey suggests, a conflagration from within. The shouting is the battle cry of the opposing host, which adds to the horror of the scene (Job 39:25). With a tempest. The idea is that the walls should fall before the invaders, as if they were teats swept away in a whirlwind.
Amo 1:15
Their king; Septuagint, . So Keil, Trochon, and others consider that the King of the Ammonites is meant. The Vulgate, with Aquila, Symmachus, the Syriac, and Jerome, retrains the word Melchous, or Melcham, which is the same as Molech, their god. This interpretation is favoured by passages in Jeremiah, of which one is evidently quoted from Amos, “For Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together” (Jer 49:3); and the other (Jer 48:7) is similar, with the substitution of “Chemosh,” the god of Moab, for “Maleam.” That the localized deity should share the fortunes of his worshippers is quite in accordance with the ideas of the time (comp. Isa 46:1, Isa 46:2). Probably Amos meant to include both notionstheir “Malcam,” whether king or god. should be carried into captivity, accompanied by the princes, all the chiefs, military and sacerdotal, so that no one should he left to head a future revolt.
HOMILETICS
Amo 1:1
A voice from the sheepcotes.
The Jewish nation is almost seven centuries old. A wayward nonage had passed into a maturity incorrigibly perverse. Alarmed by prophetic thunders, and riven by the lightning bolts of judgment (Amo 4:6-11), Israel clung to its iniquities in spite of all (Amo 2:4; Amo 5:11; Isa 1:5). Yet God had not cast off his people whom he foreknew. There were other arrows in his quiver still, and he would shoot them against national obduracy with a stronger bow. Amos shall take up his controversy against Israel where Moses, and Samuel, and Elijah, and Elisha had laid it down. Famine and the sword and captivity shall maintain and strengthen his expostulation (Amo 2:14 16). The argument shall at length prevail, and, the irreconcilables destroyed, a remnant shall enjoy his grace and choose his way (Amo 9:11-15). In this prefatory word consider
I. THE SEER. An idol priest supplies the title (Amo 7:12), but it is suitable and endures. A prophet sees, where other men are blind, the meaning of what is and the nature of what shall be.
1. His name. Amos signifies “Bearer,” or “Burden,” or “Heavy.” And it was prophetically significant of the owner’s work. His words were weighty (Amo 7:10), the burden of dram was weightier still (Amo 6:1), and weightiest of all was the Divine authority with which they came (verse 3).
2. His extraction. “From among the shepherds.” These were probably small sheep owners, who tended their own flocks (Keil, Lange, etc.). They were in the lower ranks of life, the rank from which God has called, and calls the majority of his servants (1Co 1:27, 1Co 1:28). The poor man depends for all his well being on spiritual good (Luk 6:24). He therefore chooses it more readily (Mar 12:37), advances in it more easily (Mat 13:22), rejoices in it more entirely (Isa 29:19), and is chosen to it rather than the rich (Jas 2:5). “Poverty is the sister of a sound mind,” was a heathen maxim embodying a kindred truth.
3. His calling. “A herdsman and gatherer of sycamores.” This occupation would be no mean preparation for his prophetic office. A true prophet must be tender of human life, even when he denounces death; and if from the love of man we may rise to the love of God (1Jn 4:20), why not from the love of plant and animal to the love of man?
“He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us
Hath made and loveth all.”
4. His home. Tekoah, a city south of Bethlehem, in the land of Judah. Thence he went to Bethel, in the land of Israel, to prophesy. That he may not be “without honour,” and corresponding influence, he goes from his own to a neighbouring country (Mat 13:57). Then, like Elijah and John the Baptist, he goes to the pampered and dissolute town dwellers, that with the healthy tastes and simple habits and strong pure life of a dweller in the fields, he might put their laxity and luxury to shame (Amo 6:1-6).
II. THE VISION. The term does not occur in Amos, but the equivalent of it does, and it is common elsewhere in Scripture (Isa 1:1; Hab 2:2).
1. It was what “he saw.” Of the way in which God revealed truth to inspired men we know nothing. It is above reason and outside revelation. It was not with the bodily eye, nor in the natural sense, that the vision was seen; but the revelation was adequate, and the result was knowledge (Act 4:20). Their cognizance of matters was at once sure and clear (1Jn 1:1), and comparable in both respects to that of Christ himself (Joh 3:11).
2. It was “words.” A word is the body of a thought. A thought is the spirit of a word. It is only by words, or something answering to words, that thoughts can be conveyed from man to man. Analogy would suggest that the same method is employed by God. If, as some hold, we think in words, the hypothesis would be greatly strengthened. In any ease, what Amos got was not simply thoughts, but words, and the words of Scripture are, in some real and important sense, “words which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1Co 2:13; 2Sa 23:2).
III. THE SPEAKING OF THE VISION. Coming from his simple shepherd life into a luxurious city, and with the burden of his heavy tidings on his heart, the prophet’s speech is:
1. Deeply serious. A grave character and a grave message make a prophetic utterance a solemn thing. Amos had to tell of a cup of iniquity full, of a Divine patience exhausted, of a dispensation of forbearance expired, and of a national ruin ready to fall; and he tells it as one weighted down with the piteous tiding, which yet he cannot choose but speak (Amo 3:1; Amo 4:1; Amo 5:1; Amo 6:1).
2. Blunt. Amos is outspoken and honest, names the condemned, and unequivocally denounces their impending doom. He may not mince his tidings who is the messenger of death (Mat 3:10; Luk 13:3; Rom 1:18). Suppression would be murder, and even euphemy would be cruel. Life and death hang on his lips, and all sentiment apart he must speak out.
“The power to bind and loose to truth is given;
The mouth that speaks it is the mouth of Heaven.”
3. Characteristic. His style is bold and clear and tender, like his own nature (Amo 4:4, Amo 4:12, Amo 4:13; Amo 9:5, Amo 9:6; Amo 6:9, Amo 6:10); and his imagery is racy of the mountains and fields in which his character was formed (verse 2; Amo 2:9,Amo 2:13; Amo 3:4, Amo 3:5; Amo 5:19). The word of God in one sense, it is in another, and no less really, the word of Amos. The Divine Spirit supplies the breath and the fingering, and determines and directs the time, but the human instrument gives forth its own characteristic sound.
IV. THE WRITING OF THE VISION. Scripture contains matters that were written at the Divine dictation, and first promulgated in their written form. But it also contains much that was spoken first and written afterwards, for preservation. Such is the Book of Amos. The writing of it was:
1. Some years after the speaking. He spoke years before an earthquake, after which he wrote his book. This earthquake he had foretold in his oral prophecy (Amo 8:8; Amo 9:5), and he thus puts on record the fulfilment of his own prediction. “After fulfilling his mission, he probably returned to Judah, his native land, where his prophecies were most likely first committed to writing” (Keil).
2. In a different form from the speaking. Amaziah (Amo 7:10, Amo 7:11) refers to, and gives a summary of “words” that are not recorded. The book is a resume of the essential contents of the oral prophecies (Keil, Lange). Accordingly, it does not contain them in the very form, nor necessarily in the exact order, in which they were spoken.
3. With a widened purpose. The oral prophecies were for those whom they directly concerned. The written prophecies were for the sages and the ages that were to follow. They were the flower of the prophecies that went before (Joe 3:16, Joe 3:18), and the bud of those that came after (Hos 8:14; Hos 9:3; Jer 49:3, Jer 49:13-27; Jer 46:6; Jer 25:30; see Lange). They also contain truths essentially important and requisite for the perfecting of the man of God in all ages (Amo 3:3, Amo 3:6, Amo 3:7; Amo 5:4-6, Amo 5:14, Amo 5:15; Amo 7:2, Amo 7:3).
4. Under the same Divine guidance. The contents of the book lie between the expressions, “thus saith the Lord” (Amo 1:3), and “saith the Lord thy God” (Amo 9:15). These formulae cover both the oral and the written prophecy, each being the subject of a distinct inspiration for its own special purpose. So Paul takes an inspired utterance of David, and, under inspiration, charges it with a new lesson (comp. Psa 40:6 with Heb 10:5; also Isa 60:1 with Eph 5:14).
V. THE SUBJECT OF THE VISION. It is brief, but it covers much ground.
1. The Jews. Judah and Israel are mentioned separately, having been distinct kingdoms for above a century (Amo 2:4, Amo 2:6). The entire Hebrew people are also grouped together as forming the family of Israel which God redeemed from Egypt (Amo 3:1). It is as earthly kingdoms that destruction is denounced on both (Amo 2:4, Amo 2:6), but it is as one covenant people that they survive in a remnant, and are restored (Amo 9:11-15).
2. Their oppressors. God had made the neighbouring nations “the rod of his anger” (Amo 3:11; Amo 5:27; Isa 10:4) to smite Israel. They accomplished his purpose unconsciously, and impelled by evil motives of their own (verses 3, 6, 9, 13; Isa 10:7). Accordingly, their wars and oppressions, inflicted on Israel, were essentially wicked, and deserving punishment in turn. It is thus that the wrath of man, which he punishes at last, God makes meanwhile to praise him by the unwitting execution of his will.
3. Those who resemble either. God acts on the same principles in all ages. He afflicts the Church for the sins of its members. To the insincere his judgments mean punishment only (Rom 1:18). To the sincere but faulty they mean discipline also (2Co 4:17). To the Church as a whole they mean separation between tares and wheat (Mat 13:29, Mat 13:30). To the outside wicked, through whom they often come, they mean more sin now, and a heavier punishment at last (Luk 18:7).
VI. THE TIME OF THE VISION. On this point we have information the most explicit.
1. Generally it was in the days of Uzziah and Jeroboam. During those reigns Judah and Israel were in the zenith of their career. It was, therefore, a vision of adversity when prosperity was at its height, of disastrous war when peace by conquest had been obtained with neighbouring powers, of both these as punishment when idolatry and corruption were at their worst. This proves its genuineness, as it could not have been suggested by the observed shadows of coming events. At the same time, it accounts for its comparative failure as a warning, the future predicted being so utterly unlike the present.
2. Specially it was “before the earthquake.“ “The presumption is natural that these words indicate not only the period but the motive of the composition” (Lange). The approach of the earthquake was the occasion of the oral prophecy, and the occurrence of it the occasion of the written one. That the latter should contain a record of the fulfilment of the former (Amo 8:8; Amo 9:5) is proof that in addition to being genuine the vision is authentic.
Amo 1:2
The thunder that both frights and smites.
These words are an echo of Joe 3:16. We hence infer the continuity of the two prophetic messages. The one strikes the keynote, and the other takes up and continues the strain.
I. DIVINE INTERVENTION. This is to end a period of quiescence. It is:
1. Intervention. “Utters his voice.” The silence of God is often treated as equivalent to inaction (Psa 28:1; Psa 50:21). So his speech would mean his becoming active, whether for good or for evil. Here the breaking silence is for evil. God bears long with his open enemies, and longer still with his seeming friends. But inactivity does not show indifference nor inattention. It is simply forbearance, that will not strike till it must. Action delayed is no less certain, and will be no less vigorous for the delay.
2. Angry intervention. Shall “roar,” like a lion ready to devour. Not till his anger burneth sore does God break the silence. But when he breaks it he does so emphatically. He thunders with his voice. His roar expresses wrath, and preludes a stroke; and is thus power and light in one (Job 37:5; Job 40:9).
3. Forcible intervention. God’s speech is followed by action. It is more; it is accompanied by action. It is more still; it is itself action. Creative power, preserving power, redeeming power, each goes forth in a word (Psa 33:6, Psa 33:9; Mat 9:2). Christ says, “Be clean,” “Come forth;” and the sick are whole, and the dead live at his word. In speaking, God acts. The thunder of his voice is loaded with the electricity of his power. The vehicle of the Divine active energy is, in fact, a word.
II. GOD‘S BASIS OF OPERATIONS. God intervenes in character, and along established lines. He operates:
1. From Jerusalem. This is God’s own city, the metropolis of his earthly kingdom. Nothing could be more appropriate. Going forth to war, the king marches from his capital. There he has his magazine, his arsenal, and his headquarters. From thence he can bear down resistlessly on foes from whatever side, with all the resources of his kingdom.
2. From Zion. God’s seat and citadel within his city. The place he loves and chooses and honours above all others (Psa 87:2; Psa 132:13; Psa 48:12, Psa 48:13). Here he has made his dwelling place (Psa 68:16; Psa 132:14). The place out of which go forth salvation and destruction. The place out of which the things that come are perfect after their kind. If they be blessings, there are no others so sweet; if curses, no others so stern. Zion is the beating heart of the spiritual world, which sends forth pure or poisoned blood to each greatest and least extremity.
3. From the temple. This is not mentioned, but it is necessarily implied. The glory of Jerusalem was Zion, and the glory of Zion (using the word in its broad sense) was God’s house. This was his sanctuary. There he dwelt in symbolic presence. There he revealed himself in symbolic portraiture. There he operated in unparalleled energy. Thence accordingly we might expect his activity to issue (Psa 20:2). There, too, was his mercy seat, from which judgment never came till every merciful expedient had been tried, but would come then with the fury of outraged goodness. Now, Jerusalem and Zion and God’s house are each a type, and their common anti-type is the Church of Christ. And this is God’s base of spiritual operations through all time (Isa 2:3; Luk 24:47). He dwells in it (Act 7:38; Eph 1:23), speaks by it (Eph 3:10), operates through it (Dan 2:44), and conquers in it (Dan 7:13, Dan 7:22).
III. AFTER THE CAMPAIGN. God makes no fruitless expedition. The armies of his judgments leave desolation in their track.
1. The pastures wither. God’s voice, as a figure for meteorological phenomena, is often spoken of as changing the surface of the earth (Psa 29:3-9). Here it stands for many agencies, including these, and especially drought. Nature is one, and if any part suffers the other parts suffer with it (Jer 25:36). Amos, as a herdsman, thinks naturally first of the calamity as it would affect the pastures by which he made his living. God’s judgments strike each man in his special interest. It is as menacing this interest chiefly that they are feared.
2. The head of Carmel is dried up. Carmel was in the north, and the pastures in the prophet’s mind were in the south. The enumeration, therefore, points to the withering as prevailing over the entire land. Carmel was one of the richest and best-watered spots in Palestine. When it was withered, all other places must have been scorched. God’s judgments come seldom, and with tardy foot; but they are thorough, and make an end of their work (1Sa 3:12 : Isa 60:12). Nor was this a passing visitation. It remains in its leading characteristics till the present day. Carmel, as its name implies, was rich in vineyards. Now there is only scrub, and the debris of ruined walls. The “head” is dried up, that might once have been said to “drop down new wine.”
Verse 3-ch. 2:3
A hexade of woes.
The heathen in judgment: general features. In these verses is denounced a series of six woes, on six of the oppressing nations, round about the land of Israel. Each woe has characteristics peculiar to itself, but there are points common to them all to which it will be well to make preliminary reference.
I. IN EVERY CASE JUDGMENT IS THE ACT OF GOD. “I will send;” “I will kindle” (Amo 2:4, Amo 2:7, Amo 2:10, Amo 2:12). It is not fate, whose “winged shaft” is but a phantasy. It is not chance, which is but another name for inscrutable direction. It is not idols, the guesswork likenesses of imaginary things. It is not natural laws, which am simply forces put into things by their Maker. It is GodGod in intelligence of device and energy of execution, who “creates evil” (Isa 45:7)the evil of calamitous events.
II. IN EVERY CASE GOD‘S JUDGMENT IS THE COMPLEMENT OF MAN‘S SIN. “Because they have threshed;” “Because they carried away.” The connection between human sin and human suffering is original, constant, and necessary. They came together, dwell together, and will die together. And just as our common suffering is the abiding result of our common sinfulness, so special suffering connects itself somewhere with special sin. Its relation to the sin, whether as a punishment, a deterrent, or a chastisement, is often obscure. The particular sin, or even the particular sinner, can seldom be pointed to with certainty. There is a warning against judging harshly of the specially afflicted (Luk 13:4, Luk 13:5). Yet the plain teaching of Scripture and experience and reason is that sin has “brought death into the world, and all our woe” (Rom 5:12; Job 4:7, Job 4:8).
III. IN EVERY CASE THE SIN SELECTED FOR PUNISHMENT IS THAT COMMITTED AGAINST GOD‘S PEOPLE. In five cases out of the six the sin was committed directly against Israel, and in the sixth case it was committed against their ally. God loves the world as a whole, but he loves his people best (Joh 3:16; Joh 14:23). He gives to the wicked “life and breath and all things,” but he gives to his saints the wicked, and all they have (1Co 3:21, 1Co 3:22; Eph 1:22). He avenges the ill done even to the sinner, but he avenges more sternly, because he personally feels, the ill done to his people (Zec 2:8, Zec 2:9). Their persons are more sacred than those of others (Mat 10:30), and their lives more precious in his sight (Psa 72:14; Psa 116:15). Accordingly, the worst form of murder is martyrdom (Luk 18:7, Luk 18:8), and the worst form of theft is sacrilege (Ma Amo 3:8).
IV. JUDGMENT IS PRECIPITATED BY PERSEVERANCE IN SIN. “For three, transgressions and for four” is the invariable formula. The expression (see Pro 30:15, Pro 30:18, Pro 30:21; Job 5:19; Ecc 11:2) means lot many transgressions, culminating in a final one. Persistent sin means cumulative guilt. Drop is added to drop till at last the cup is full. The tendency toward sin God warns; the first sin he rebukes; the second he threatens; the third he menaces with uplifted hand; the fourth he smites. God bears long with the wicked, but they may sin once too often. Your past offences have escaped, your next one may endanger the Divine forbearance, “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
V. IN EVERY CASE THE EXTREME OF GUILT INVOLVES THE EXTREME OF PUNISHMENT OR ENTIRE DESTRUCTION. This is inflicted by fire, the most destructive element in each case. God employed fire in many of his most startling miracles (Gen 19:24; Exo 9:23; Num 11:1; Num 16:35; Le Num 10:2; 2Ki 1:10, 2Ki 1:12). In the language of figure it is the ideal destructive agent (Isa 4:4; Isa 9:5). In prophecy, too, fire is or symbolizes the agent that destroys the beast, the false prophet, and all the wicked (Dan 7:11; Rev 19:20; Rev 20:15). To the impenitent, fire will be a destroying, not a cleansing power. It points onward to the vengeance of eternal fire, which will be the fitting retribution of sin at last.
Amo 1:3-5
The woe against Damascus.
The kingdom of Syria is here named from its capital The crime charged against it had been foretold by Elisha to Hazael, and by him indignantly repudiated (2Ki 8:12, 2Ki 8:13). But a man in one set of circumstances little knows what he would do under an entirely different set; especially a man beginning a sinful life, the magnitude of the crimes of which he may yet be capable. Accordingly, Hazael fulfilled one prophecy, and supplied the materials of another, by smiting Israel as the man of God had said (2Ki 10:32, 2Ki 10:33).
I. THE CRIMINAL. Damascus stands by metonymy for Syria, judging of whom by her representative we see that:
1. Riches do not prevent rapacity. Damascus was noted for wealth, the fertile neighbourhood being irrigated by numerous canals, and the city itself lying in the highway of commerce. Yet greed instigated the barbarous treatment described. The wars waged against Israel were wars of rapine and annexation. “The eye that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver.” Rather does the lust of gain grow by what it feeds on. Whether it be culture, or power, or pleasure, or wealth, men tend to make a god of the thing they abound in. It was when Israel was richest that her oppression of the poor was most extreme. It was by her richest neighbours that she herself was most rapaciously despoiled. It is thus that the conditions leading men to sin are the guarantee of its punishment in kind.
2. Beautiful surroundings do not humanize. Writers speak in glowing terms of the unrivalled beauty of this ancient city. “Its white buildings, embedded in the deep green of its engirdling orchards, were like diamonds encircled by emeralds” (Pusey). Yet here, in scenes of ideal beauty, grew up the monsters of barbarity who took the women and children of Gilead, and, “casting them as into a sort of threshing floor, savagely threshed them out like ears of corn with saw-armed wheels” (see 2Ki 13:7). Physical scenery and moral character have no necessary connection. The fairest lands have often produced the coarsest and most cruel men. The determining element is the presence or absence of the gospel of Christ. It is not aesthetics, but Christianity, we must look to for the moral elevation of men.
3. The possession of strength is a temptation to violence. The beauty of Damascus was also its strength. The miles on miles of walled orchards in which it was set formed an admirable defence against an advancing enemy (see Pusey), and, thus entrenched, the legions of Syria were strong beyond their seeming. Now, just as the subtle choose diplomacy and the rich subsidy in the settlement of disputed matters, so do the strong choose force. It is the readiest and most effective weapon within their reach. How many wars, how much bloodshed and desolation and misery, are directly traceable to “the strong man glorying in his strength”!
II. THE CRIME. Gilead, meaning the whole land given to the two tribes and a half is here put by metonymy for the inhabitants. The horrible and atrocious outrages on the people described by Amos suggest that:
1. The obverse of ungodliness is inhumanity. The relation to God is the fundamental one. If it be wrong, all others are awry. Morality has its basis in religion. There is no duty to men apart from a God and a revelation of his will. There is no good will toward men apart from his gracious influence (Tit 3:3). The mere animal nature is selfish, and regardless of all life but its own. It will kill for the most trifling advantage, and sometimes in the lust of blood for no advantage at all. Heathen hearts are “hateful and hating one another,” and a heathen home is “a habitation of cruelty.”
2. Bloodthirsty men make war even with the implements of peace. There is a time coming when warlike weapons will be converted into farming implements (Isa 51:4; Mic 4:3). This will be when the gospel shall universally prevail. Meanwhile a readier ear is leant to Joel (Joe 3:10) than to Micah, and the converse process goes on instead. The threshing instrument was not made, but only pressed into service, for the occasion. Fallen man is at heart a savage, and, under excitation, his inner nature will break out through the artificial habits of peace. So little is there between work and war, between lawful industry and lawless murder, in the godless life.
3. Ideal cruelty is utterly indiscriminate. Elisha’s prophecy to Hazael (2Ki 8:12), of which this horrid butchery was the fulfilment, mentions women and children as the chief victims of the outrage. There is a bloodhound instinct in wicked men which is aroused to fury by the taste of blood. The horrors of the French Revolution and of the Spanish Inquisition reveal it in the infidel and the fanatic respectively. It knows no distinction of age, or condition, or sex. It simply wants to “slay, and slay, and slay.” It is a humiliating thought about our species, but it is a fact that must be faced by all who would humanize the race. The tie of blood is perhaps a natural one, and respected more or less by even heathen peoples, as it is by the very beasts that perish. But even this scarcely operates beyond the filial relation and the period of childhood. And then, as for friendship and philanthropy, they have no place in the sphere of mere nature. The question, “Is man utterly selfish?” is rather a nice one than practical. He has shown himself sufficiently selfish to make unsafe the life of any human being whom he could gain by killing.
III. THE SENTENCE. This is severe, detailed, and striking.
1. It falls on the things in which the nation was pre-eminent. “I will break also the bar of Damascus.” The bar or bolt which secured the gate was an essential part of the city defence. To break it would be to throw open the city to the enemy. By this figure is meant the breaking of the national strength and means of resistance, and leaving the nation helpless before its enemies. Thus God declares himself omnipotent. Those who glory in their strength are broken, and those who trust in their riches are impoverished (Isa 2:11; Isa 13:11; Psa 52:7). Punishment adjusted so is more effectual for its purpose, whether of mercy or of judgment, for it brings the criminal to his knees at once. The niceness of the adjustment is, moreover, a revelation of the Divine directing hand in the whole event, and so a lesson in itself.
2. It strikes at the national sin. The “vale of Aven,” whose inhabitant was to be cut off, was remarkable as containing Baalbec, or Heliopolis, the seat and centre of the Syrian sun worship. There were observed idolatrous orgies, in which men and women abandoned themselves to shameless profligacy; and there, where their “offence smells rank to Heaven,” the hottest bolts of Heaven’s vengeance fall. Others would be carried into captivity, but the inhabitants of Aven would be utterly cut off. The flies of God’s judgment alight upon the sores of our idol sins. He strikes the covetous in his pocket, and the self-indulgent m his power of enjoyment. And so in every other ease. The practice that provokes his judgment is the one on which its first and heaviest effects fall.
3. It includes the royal house. The king is in a sense the figurehead of the nation. His policy embodies the national sentiment, if it does not inspire it. Accordingly, national guilt culminates in him. It would be an anomaly if the people were to perish and he escape. Then the destruction that includes king and people is utter and irretrievable. There could be no restoration, no resurrection. When only ashes remain, the rekindling of the fire of national existence has become impossible.
4. It denounces on all poetic justice. “Shall go into captivity to Kir.” “From Kir the forefathers of the Syrians had, of their own will, been brought by the good all-disposing providence of God. Now, softened as they were by luxury, they were to be transported back to the austere though healthy climate whence they had come” (Pusey). The family of Ne’er-do-well fall into the mud out of which they were raised at first, and find it has got deeper in the interval. The last state of the misuser of good, in the nature of the case, is worse than the first.
IV. THE EXECUTION. The woe fell half a century later, in the time of Tiglath-Pileser, who slew Rezin the king, and carried the Syrians away captive. Thus the event was fifty years after the prediction. Prophecy by the Spirit of God is as easy to the prophet a millennium before the event as an hour. But if it has not been forgotten in the mean time, it is the more impressive and striking, the longer the interval between the utterance and the fulfilment. Then the evil prophesied was one previously unheard of, and antecedently most unlikely. “The transportation of whole populations was not, so far as we know, any part of Eastern policy at the time of the prophet” (Pussy). There are unfulfilled predictions, loaded with the world’s weal or ill, whose fulfilment is even more distant and more unlikely. But the “sure Word of prophecy” overrides both time and chance, and lifts remotest events above the horizon, and into the light of decisive certitude. For all we fear and hope this is the guarantee, “Hath he said it, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good!”
Amo 1:6-8
The woe against Philistia.
Gaza was one of the capitals of Philistia, and is put for the country as a whole. Its wealth and strength and special activity against Israel fitted it to be the representative of all the other capitals which are afterwards (Amo 1:8) enumerated as sharing its punishment. The outrage charged against Gaza is probably that recorded in 2Ch 21:16 and Joe 3:6, and which occurred in the time of Jehoram. The crime denounced was
I. THE CROWNING ACT OF A LONG SERIES. Israel and Philistia were hereditary foes. In the history of their feud were many bloody acts, which culminated in this wholesale deportation. In the judgment provoked by it, however, these acts would all be punished. So the murders of the prophets, throughout a series of ages, remained unavenged till they culminated in the death of Christ, and then it and they were all avenged together (Luk 11:49-51). Thus vicarious is much of human suffering. God visits the iniquities of the fathers upon the children generally (Exo 20:5), and specially on those like minded with the fathers (Mat 23:1-39 :84-36). The sufferings of each age are largely an inheritance from the ages before.
II. AN ACT OF WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION. “Because they carried away captives in full number.” This cruelty was gratuitous, as many captives could have given their captors no offence; and it was senseless as well, for many would be utterly worthless as slaves. It indicated deep and indiscriminating hate of the entire people, and a fixed purpose to root out and utterly exterminate them. Such hatred, directed doubtless against Israel in their character as the people of God, is specially criminal, and calls for special punishment (see Mat 10:40, Mat 10:41).
III. AN ACT OF AGGRAVATED CRUELTY. Not satisfied with the suffering they could inflict themselves, they called in the help of Israel’s bitterest foe. They sold the people to the Edomites, and so became responsible for the intolerable cruelties to which they were handed over. We are in God’s sight as guilty of the crime we procure as of the crime we commit. The Church’s mediaeval device of condemning heretics, and handing them over to the civil power to be executed, was as vain as the washing of Pilate’s hands. The blood shed at our instigation, and with our connivance or through our indifference, is blood that will be required of us in the great day (Eze 3:18-20).
IV. A PUNISHMENT IN WHICH THE CAPITAL CITIES ARE SPECIALLY PROMINENT. Of the five capitals of Philistia, four are mentioned by name, and the fifth is included under the word “remnant” Capitals are centres of opinion, and are largely responsible for the moulding of the national sentiment. They are centres of power, and take the lead in determining the national policy. They were in this case centres of commerce, and so took a prominent part in the work of bartering Israel to the Edomites. Moreover Gaza, the one singled out and emphasized, was through its character and position the chief sinner in this business, and so is the chief sufferer. They were also the seats of as many different idolsAshdod of Dagon, Ashkelen of Derceto, Eron of Baalzebub, and Gaza of Maruaand therefore centres of national sin (see Pusey). Add to this that they were the national depots and strongholds, and therefore the places which it would most weaken the nation to destroy.
V. A PUNISHMENT TO BE FRAMED AFTER THE FASHION OF THE CRIME. “The remnant of the Philistines shall perish.“ As they had spared none, so none of them would be spared. This is God’s way often. That it may be adequate, and all may be able to recognize it, punishment often comes in the likeness of the crime. The rule, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed,” embodies the principle that like will be the punishment of like. It reappears in the gospel dictum, “With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Not only will sin be punished, it will all be punished, and punished fully. When God’s last word has been spoken, the criminal shall be even as his victim, and be God’s enemy besides.
Amo 1:9, Amo 1:10
The woe against Tyre.
Tyre stands for Phoenicia, of which it was the capital. It was a renowned and very ancient city. Greatest, richest, proudest, and most luxurious, perhaps, of all the cities of its time, it passed through vicissitudes which were equally beyond the common lot. As with most ancient capitals, there were points at which its path and that of Israel crossed, involving that there should be corresponding points where they would recross, and on these the prophet has intently fixed his eye. Of the denunciation against it observe
I. IT SINNED IN CHARACTER. The Phoenicians were a commercial people, and theirs was a commercial sin. “They delivered up the whole captivity to Edom.” They did not make war, nor take prisoners, but they traded in them as slavesbought them probably from the Syrians and sold them to the Ionians (“Grecians,” Joe 3:6). For this their woe is denounced; and thus early was branded with condemnation “the wild and guilty phantasy that man can hold a property in man.” The image of God is not a thing to be trafficked in. “The law” is against men stealers (1Ti 1:10) among other criminals. A man’s liberty is precious to him next to life itself. Slavery is the intolerable theft of his manhood and moral agency, and is contrary to the entire spirit of the Bible.
II. IT SINNED AGAINST A COVENANT. This was no doubt the covenant between Hiram and Solomon (1Ki 5:12). It was a covenant of peace, of which the trading in Hebrew captives was a flagrant violation. This circumstance made the detestable traffic doubly guilty. It was two sins in oneperjury added on to oppression. And all Christian sin is in this red, poet its counterpart. The believer is in covenant with God. He has said, “This God is my God forever and ever,” etc. Any after sin is, therefore, a breach both of God’s Law and his own vow. The believing sinner has broken through more restraints and violated more laws than the unbelieving, and so is double dyed in guilt. The difficulty of bringing such to repentance again (Heb 6:4-6) is no doubt closely connected with this fact.
III. THE FORGOTTEN COVENANT WAS A BROTHERLY COVENANT. This circumstance aggravated the guilt of the violation. Ties are strong in proportion as they are amicable. The electric core of friendship in the cable of a mutual tie gives it a character all its own. The breaking of it means to both parties more of change and loss in proportion as this core is relatively large. The Phoenicio-Israelitish covenant was brotherly:
1. In its origin. It was the outcome of brotherly feeling and affection previously existing. “Hiram,” we read, “was ever a lover of David” (1Ki 5:1), and in token of it he had voluntarily sent materials and workmen, and had built him a house (2Sa 5:11). And the feeling was evidently transferred to Solomon. Hiram and he were on such cordial terms that he asked for, and Hiram readily sent him, skilful Sidonian woodmen to hew trees, and an accomplished Tyrian graver to act as foreman over his own workmen in carving, engraving, embroidery, and doing other cunning work for the temple (2Ch 2:3-16). Solomon in turn gave Hiram wheat and oil in liberal measure for provisioning his house, and the outcome of these cordial relations was that “they two made a league together” (1Ki 5:11, 1Ki 5:12), the brotherly Covenant referred to. The covenant was brotherly also:
2. In its working. It was renewed from time to time with various additions, and was long kept by both parties. Israel never made war against Tyre, nor broke the letter or spirit of their fraternal league. The heartless sin of Tyre was, therefore, not only a violation of the covenant provisions, but of the intimate and cordial relations which it both expressed and fostered. It was a sin against both vows and close relations, and put on thus an aspect of double criminality.
3. The covenant had even a religious aspect. Hiram grounds the good will and help, extended to Solomon, on the facts that the people he ruled and the house he was going to build were God’s, as well as on the fact that he had a special gift of wisdom from above (2Ch 2:11, 2Ch 2:12). His covenant was thus made with Israel as God’s people, and in testimony of his belief in Jehovah as the true God, and his desire to advance his glory. This fact adds much to the significance and solemnity of the covenant, and so of the breach of it. What is done in God’s name and as an act of homage to him is done under the highest sanctions possible. The commonest act is glorified, the smallest act becomes great in the greatness of its underlying principle. And as is the doing so is the undoing. The higher the promiser has risen, the lower has the violator fallen. Tyre’s sin implied and sealed a large amount of previous deterioration, and so the more emphatically sealed her doom.
Amo 1:11, Amo 1:12
The woe against Edom.
We have here an inspired description of an ideal hate. It is loaded with every quality, and emphasized by every circumstance, and stained by every act, which could conspire to establish for it an “unbeaten record” in the emulation of evil passions.
I. IT RESTS ON A BROTHER. Over and above the brotherhood arising out of their common humanity (Act 17:26; Gen 9:5), Israel and Edom were bound by the nearer tie of descent from the twin sons of their common ancestor Isaac. And on the basis of this relation they are spoken of as brothers in a special sense (Deu 23:5). To the relation of brotherhood belongs the duty of love (1Jn 2:10), which must be distinctive in proportion as the relation is close (1Pe 2:17). And the breach of this law of love is great in proportion to its normal strength. It is bad to hate an enemy, but it is worse to hate a friend, and worse still to hate a brother. It is against nature, for “no man hateth his own flesh” (Eph 5:29). It is against our innate tendency to love them that love us. And it is against the popular sentiment which expects us to “love as brethren.” Hatred of a brother is the grossest hate there is.
II. IT IS AGGRESSIVE. “He pursues his brother with the sword.” It is hard for hatred to be still. It is a restless devil in the heart. It wants to inflict injury. It actually inflicts it the first opportunity. If opportunity does not come, it seeks it and makes it. In the presence of the hated one it can no more be quiescent than fire in contact with fuel. Edom’s hatred of Israel did not fail thus to express its intensity. On every opportunity it broke out into offensive and cruel action (2Ch 28:17; Psa 137:7; Eze 25:12). Rapine, outrage, and murder, and the incitement of others to these, are fitting credentials to an ideal hate.
III. IT IS MURDEROUS. “Tears in pieces.” It inflicts not injury only, but deadly injury. It must have blood. And it not only kills, but murders. Unable to fight Israel in battle, Edom always played the part of “wrecker,” and spoiled the dead, and murdered the wounded, after some stronger enemy had defeated them (Psa 137:7). Then it murdered with an excess of truculence and savage cruelty that were natural to weakness rather than to strength. Hatred is a passion “blood alone can quell.” “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer;” a murderer in fact if opportunity offers, in any case a murderer in heart. Let hatred enter your heart, and from the moment it settles you wear the brand of Cain.
IV. IT IS PITILESS. “Did cast off all pity.” No special occasion or act is mentioned, because the thing was habitual. A traditional and inordinate hate of Israel was fostered till it became a first principle of the Edomite’s creed, and was gratified till it ate all his humanity out. Too weak to be a soldier, he became a murderous looter, and when the Assyrian or Philistine had vanquished Israel in battle, the Edomite came vulture-like on the scene to butcher the living, and pillage and mangle the dead (Oba 1:10-14). There is a pity proper to the human heart on the platform of mere nature. Of the “flowers of Eden we still inherit” is a ruth that shrinks from murder in cold blood. Where the crime is committed, this feeling has previously been choked out. The power to do this, to harden and deaden his own nature, is one of man’s most fatal gifts. He disregards the voice of pity till it becomes dumb. He fights against the movings of passion till at lass they are felt no more.
V. IT IS INSATIABLE. “His anger endures forever.” The persistence of Edom’s hate was matter of contemporary notoriety (Eze 35:5), and it was precisely what one might expect. There is an infinity that belongs to the human soul, and which imparts itself to all its affections. Love is not exhausted by indulgence, but strengthened. It goes on and grows forever, and so with hate. One who knew well has said –
“Now hatred is by far the longest pleasure;
Men love in haste, but they detest at leisure.”
(Byron.)
Hate is fed by indulgence as a fire is fed by fuel. Do not think your hatred will be appeased when you have got what you consider a just revenge. It will only then begin to burn with normal fierceness. Such feelings grow by what they feed on. The only way to banish them is to cut off the supplies. Starve a hungry hate, by giving it neither outlet nor audience, and it will soon atrophy and die.
VI. IT IS ALL ON ONE SIDE. Israel’s relation to Edom as friendly, considerate, and disinterested, was laid down in explicit terms (Deu 23:7; Deu 2:4, Deu 2:5), whilst the brotherhood of the two nations was emphasized (Num 20:14; Deu 2:8). Cruel things were done in spite of this (1Sa 14:47; 2Sa 8:14; 1Ki 11:15, 1Ki 11:16), but they were done in defensive wars, and after Edom’s enmity had proved itself incurable. It is a robust and thoroughly malignant hate that beats down and burns in spite of others’ friendly attitude and feeling. Such hate belongs to a nature utterly inverted, and no longer human but devilish. And in proportion as it is such it becomes impossible of cure. The fire that burns without fuel, and in spite of water, has the elements of perpetuity in it. It is the beginning of the fire that shall never be quenched.
Amo 1:13-15
The woe against Ammon: brutality in its element.
There is a climax in these woes as we advance. Each seems to outdo in horror the one before. This one in which Ammon figures has circumstances of wanton atrocity and senseless savagery in it unparalleled in any other.
I. UNNATURAL CONNECTIONS MAY BE EXPECTED TO BREED UNNATURAL MONSTERS. Ammon and Moab were the children of unnatural and shameful lust (Gen 19:30-38). Begotten in drunkenness, and conceived in a paroxysm of lewdness, their chance of inheriting a healthy physical, mental, or moral organization was very small The almost inevitable moral twist with which they entered the world, their education by dissolute mothers would only strengthen and confirm. And the passionate and sensual nature he inherited, Ammon transmitted to the nation of which he became the father. An illustration of this inherited coarse corruption in the Ammonites was their gross and indecent treatment of David’s servants, sent on a friendly errand (2Sa 10:4, 2Sa 10:5). The other occasion, recorded in our text, is an example of savage and senseless atrocity unparalleled in the annals of human violence. As to the women, it was from their number that Solomon’s harem was largely recruited (1Ki 11:1, 1Ki 11:7), and they took to harlotry as easily as their ancestress herself (Num 25:1; Num 31:16). Our besetting sins are likely to be those of our forefathers, and therefore against these we should be specially on our guard. They are likely also to beset our children after us, and should be all the more vigorously rooted out, lest we transmit to posterity the heritage of our sin and shame. That the thing can be done, let the virtuous simplicity of Ruth the Moabitess prove. Trained and moulded in a godly Hebrew family, she responds to religious influence, and exhibits a character that has been the admiration of all the ages.
II. OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL, THAT IS THE GREATEST SIN FOE WHICH THERE IS THE LEAST OCCASION. “He who has committed injustice lot a less advantage has done it under the impulse of a less temptation The more paltry it is in respect of profit, the more profane it may be in respect of principle” (Chalmers). In the case of Ammon there was the extreme of disproportion between the crime and the incentive to it. The object was to enlarge their border, an object
(1) unnecessary,
(2) under the circumstances unjust,
(3) in itself supplying no occasion for the horrid outrage, and
(4) to the attainment of which the atrocity was in no wise essential.
The act was simply one of stolid barbarism, unsoftened by any extenuating circumstance, and unaccounted for by any consideration of need or fitness.
III. MURDER AS AN ACT OF REPRISAL IS STILL MURDER. David had put the inhabitants of Rabbah of the sons of Ammon to a death as dreadful as that inflicted on the women in Gilead (2Sa 12:31). The present act of Ammon might look like a just retaliation. But, whatever may be thought of David’s conduct, it is clear that sin does not justify more sin. Then David’s siege and destruction of Rabbah was a natural and suitable act of defensive warfare against persistent attacks by Ammon in league with Syria. The aggressor in such a case is responsible for the bloodshed on both sides. Man has a natural right to kill in self-defence, and he whose action necessitates such bloodshed is the party on whose head the guilt of it must lie.
IV. GOD‘S JUDGMENTS STRIKE THE DEVISERS OF WICKEDNESS AS WELL AS THE DOERS OF IT. “The king and his princes,” These ancient kings were absolute monarchs. Every national act was an expression of their will. With them, therefore, the responsibility for it ultimately rested. It was done by their direction and under their superintendence, done often in part by their own hand, and so was in every case their own act. And the princes, as the king’s advisers, were parties to it. Therefore kings and princes alike must suffer. To strike them was to strike the criminal on the head. Thus far and wide do the consequences of sin reach, devouring from every side. The committer of sin, the suggester of sin, the deviser of sin, the tempter to sin, the procurer of sin, the knowing occasion of sin, the person privy to sin, all are sinners, and as such are written down for the sword. Some are nearer the centre than others, but all are in the vortex, and all must be swallowed up together.
HOMILIES BY J.R. THOMSON
Amo 1:1
Amos the herdsman.
There must be some special reason why this prophet putts upon record the employments in which he spent his earlier years, and from which he was called to assume the office of the Lord’s messenger to Israel. On the barren hills to the south of Bethlehem, where there is no tillage, and where the population must always have been scanty, Amos tended flocks of sheep or of goats, and at certain seasons of the year gathered the fruit from the wild sycamore trees.
I. RURAL AND MENIAL OCCUPATIONS WERE NO BARRIER TO THE ENJOYMENT OF DIVINE FAVOUR OR TO ELECTION TO SPECIAL AND HONOURABLE SERVICE. This lesson, taught by the career of Amos, was taught again by the election of the apostles of the Lord Christ. The great of this world are often apt to regard men of lowly station with disdain, but God takes no heed of social and artificial distinctions.
II. THE SECLUSION OF A PASTORAL LIFE WAS A SUITABLE TRAINING FOR THE PROPHETIC VOCATION. As David, when guarding the sheepfolds and leading the flocks to water, enjoyed many opportunities for solitary meditation and for devout communion with God, so Amos in the lonely pastures of Tekoah must have listened to the voice that speaks especially to the quiet and the contemplative, the voice of inspiration and of grace.
III. THE RURAL SURROUNDINGS OF THE PROPHET AFFORDED HIM MUCH APPROPRIATE AND STRIKING IMAGERY. The rain and the harvest, the sheep and the lion, the bird and the snare, the fish and the hook, the cart and the sheaf, the earthquake, the fire, and the flood, etc; are all pressed into the service of this poetic prophecy. God taught his servant lessons which stood him in good stead in after years.
IV. BY RAISING AMOS FROM THE HERDSMAN‘S TO THE PROPHET‘S LIFE GOD MAGNIFIED HIS OWN GRACE. The cultivated and the polished are liable to take credit to themselves for the efficiency of their ministry. But when the comparatively untaught and those who have enjoyed but few advantages are raised to a position in which they do a great work for God, “the excellency of the power is seen to be of God himself.”T.
Amo 1:2
The voice of terror.
This imagery is evidently derived from the prophet’s own experience. In the southeast of Palestine the lion was a frequent and formidable visitor, which every herdsman had reason to dread. The majestic roar of the king of beasts is here employed to denote the judgments of the Lord upon the disobedient and rebellious, especially of Israel.
I. OBSERVE WHENCE THE VOICE OF THREATENING PROCEEDS.
1. It is the voice of the Lordthat voice which assumes now the accents of compassion and mercy, and again the tones of wrath, but which is always authoritative.
2. It proceeds from the sacred city, which was the favoured abode of Jehovah.
II. AND WHITHER THE VOICE OF THREATENING PENETRATES. From the habitations of the shepherds in the south, to the flowery Carmel in the north, this roar makes itself heard. That is to say, it fills the land. Judah and Israel alike have by disobedience and rebellion incurred Divine displeasure, and against both alike the denunciations of the prophet go forth.
III. CONSIDER THE EFFECT WHICH THE VOICE OF THREATENING SHOULD PRODUCE.
1. Reverent attention.
2. Deep humiliation and contrition.
3. Repentance and prayer.
4. Such reformation as the heavenly summons imperatively demands.T.
Amo 1:3-5
The judgment on Damascus.
The beauty of Damascus has been the admiration of travellers and the praise of poets. It is a mournful reflection that a city so magnificently situated, and with associations so romantic, should so often have been the scene of human injustice, cruelty, and bloodshed. The “pearl girdled with emeralds”as Damascus was gracefully designatedis beautiful without, but, as the text reminds us, has often contained a lawless and godless population.
I. THE OFFENCE OF DAMASCUS.
1. In itself this consisted of atrocious cruelty. The records inform us that war frequently prevailed between Syria and Israel. By Gilead in this passage we understand the land possessed by the Israelites on the east side of Jordan. The inhabitants of this pastoral territory were treated by the Syrians in a way fitted to awaken the indignation even of those who lived in times when saw, go cruelty was but the too common accompaniment of war. The unfortunate Israelites who were conquered in war seem to have been literally torn to pieces and mangled by the threshing implements fitted with wheels and armed with teeth of iron. Thus was God’s image defaced and God’s Law defied.
2. The offence was aggravated by repetition. Thrice, nay, four times, had the Damascenes offended the Divine Ruler of men by their violence and inhumanity. The sin was thus shown to be no mere outbreak of passion, but a habit, evincing a corrupt and degraded nature.
II. THE PUNISHMENT OF DAMASCUS.
1. Observe upon whom it came.
(1) Upon the king, the rulers and princes of the land. These were the leaders in the nefarious practices here censured. Their ambition and unfeeling selfishness accounted for the sin; and upon them came down the righteous penalty. The annals of many a nation may prove to the reflective student of history that a righteous retribution visits those royal houses which have been infamous for selfish ambition, for perfidy, for tyranny, for serf-indulgence. The King of kings asserts his authority, and brings down the lofty from the throne.
(2) The people of Syria shared in the disaster, which thus became national. They may have been misled by their rulers, but it seems rather to have been the case that there was sympathy between kings and subjects, and that the soldiers in the Syrian army delighted in the opportunity of venting their evil passions upon their prostrate foes.
2. Observe in what the punishment consisted.
(1) Destruction (“a fire”) came upon the royal house.
(2) The splendid and powerful city was laid open to the incursion of the enemy. The brazen “bar” which secured the city gate was broken.
(3) The people were carried into captivity, the worst misfortune which could humiliate and distress a nation.T.
Amo 1:6-8
The judgment on Philistia.
The great religious truth which is conveyed in this prophetic warning addressed to Philistia is thisnational retribution is inevitable.
I. NATIONAL RETRIBUTION IS NOT AVERTED BY WEALTH AND PROSPERITY. Philistia was a fertile plain, abounding in all material riches. The people not only possessed the produce of a fruitful soil; they were versed in the arts of life, being famous as artificers and craftsmen; and they enjoyed the fruits of commerce both by sea and land. There is danger lest; prosperous nation should trust in its riches. Yet history tells us that the wealthiest communities have been overtaken by the righteous judgments of God.
II. NATIONAL RETRIBUTION IS NOT AVERTED BY UNION AND CONFEDERACY. The five cities of the Philistines were leagued together; each supported the other, and every one furnished a contingent to the national armies. Union is strength. But the united strength of the Philistines could not avail them in the day of the Lord. “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished.”
III. NATIONAL RETRIBUTION IS NOT AVERTED BY POWERFUL ALLIANCES. The Philistines on the west of Judah leagued with the Edomites on the east. And when the Philistines gained an advantage over the Jews, they delivered their foes into the hands of their allies of Mount Self. But Edom was not able to deliver her confederate in the time of trial and of retribution.
IV. NATIONAL RETRIBUTION IS NOT AVERTED BY CRUELTY TO A FOE. Human policy sometimes urges that the complete destruction of an enemy by the sword or by captivity is the surest protection against revenge. But Divine government dominates human policy. The crafty and the cruel must submit to the decrees of the Judge of the whole earth.T.
Amo 1:9, Amo 1:10
The violation of a brotherly covenant.
The reproach addressed to Tyre, on account of Tyre’s league with Edom against the Israelites, is peculiarly severe. This is to be explained by the previous history of the two nations. Hiram, King of Tyre, had been a warm friend both of David and of Solomon. A close and intimate connection had thus been formed. And when Tyre made war upon the Jews and, like Philistia, gave Israel into the hands of Edom, the grievance was felt to be peculiarly distressing. In fact, it was recognized as such by the inspired prophet of Jehovah.
I. THE DEEPEST FOUNDATION FOR NATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS IS THEIR COMMON BROTHERHOOD IN THE FAMILY OF GOD. The Creator has made them of one blood, has appointed the bounds of their habitation, has given to each nation its own advantages, its own opportunities, its own responsibilities. Each has thus a service to render to the Lord and Father of all; and consequently each has a claim to the respect and good will of neighbouring nations.
II. NATIONAL FRIENDSHIP IS RECOMMENDED AND PROMOTED BY MUTUAL INTEREST. The exchange of commodities which had taken place between Tyre and Jerusalem may be regarded as an example of the use which one country may be to anothera use in some way or other always to be reciprocated. In peace every nation may supply the lack of others; whilst in war both nations so engaged inflict loss and injury. No doubt, when excited by passion, nations lose sight of their welfare; yet it is wall to cultivate in men’s minds the conviction that unity and concord are of the highest material as well as moral advantage.
III. NATIONAL FRIENDSHIP MAY BE CEMENTED BY SOLEMN COVENANTS AND ALLIANCES. Human nature is such that it is contributive to many desirable ends that men should enter into solemn compact and should ratify covenants with one another. When nations enter into friendly alliance, it is always regarded as peculiarly base when one nation, without overpowering reason for doing so, turns against the other, and betrays or attacks it. Such seems to have been the action of Tyre.
IV. BROTHERLY COVENANTS BETWEEN NATIONS CANNOT BE VIOLATED WITH IMPUNITY. Tyre was one of the great cities of antiquity, especially famous for maritime and Commercial prosperity. Proud and confident in its greatness, Tyre little anticipated the fate which Providence had in reserve for it. Yet the inspired prophet foresaw the ruin of Tyre, and connected that ruin with the perfidy for which the city was in this passage so justly blamed. The Lord who rules in the whole earth is a Judge righteous and supreme, whose sentences will surely be executed.T.
Amo 1:11, Amo 1:12
A brother’s faithlessness and injustice.
If Tyre was doubly blamable because, being an ally, she turned against Israel, much more deserving of censure was Edom, inasmuch as Edom was near akin to Israel, and yet was guilty of the Conduct described in this passage.
I. KINDRED INVOLVES SACRED OBLIGATIONS TO MUTUAL REGARD AND SUCCOUR. Moses had addressed Edom as a brother, and Israel had forborne to attack Edom, even when tempted to do so by most unneighbourly, unbrotherly conduct. The proper response to such conduct would have been something very different from what is here recorded. Amongst all nations, and in every stage of society, common descent from one ancestor is accepted as a bond of brotherhood and a pledge of friendliness.
II. THERE ARE INSTANCES IN WHICH THESE OBLIGATIONS ARE UTTERLY DISREGARDED. Such was the case with the Edomites. We trace in their conduct towards their kinsmen of Israel several stages of iniquity.
1. Aggression. Edom “pursued his brother with the sword.”
2. Pitiless anger. Edom “corrupted his compassions.”
3. Implacability. Edom “kept his wrath forever.” Such treatment would have been unjustifiable from any nation towards another; but the relation and circumstances made it flagrantly and atrociously wicked in the instance under consideration.
III. VIOLATION OF OBLIGATIONS SO SACRED INCURS DIVINE DISPLEASURE AND MERITED PUNISHMENT. A nation sins and a nation suffers. Doubtless innocent persons endure in many cases the sufferings which the guilty deserve. This is a mystery of Divine providence. Yet it is evident that cities, tribes, nations, may be, and often have been, chastised, as a proof of the Divine rule, as a correction for human disobedience, and as an inducement to repentance.T.
Amo 1:13-15
Greed of territory.
The history of the Ammonites is full of indications of their natural qualities and of their conduct towards Israel. They were an unprincipled arid cruel people, and were continually at war with their neighbours. Their settlement on the east of the Jordan brought them into constant conflict with the Jews, and from the Book of Deuteronomy down to that of Nehemiah references to Ammon occur from which we gather that they were an idolatrous, restless, pitiless, lustful, and treacherous tribe. The incident upon which Amos founds this prediction was an incursion which the Ammonites made into Gilead during the reign of King Uzziah.
I. GREED OF TERRITORY IS A NATIONAL SIN. How many a nation has been possessed with a selfish desire to “enlarge its border”! When population increases, emigration and colonization may become necessary, and may be for good. What is blamed is the desire for a neighbour’s land, the extirpation or subjugation of friendly neighbours, in order to obtain room for expansion or increase of luxury or of power.
II. GREED OF TERRITORY LEADS TO NEFARIOUS CRUELTY. The instance here mentioned is no doubt an extreme one; it shows convincingly that Ammon had no sense of humanity, compassion, or decency. Alas! the annals of our race afford too many an instance of the cruelty to which ambition leads. The history of the Spaniards in America is a sufficient proof of the awful lengths to which conquerors will go when urged by greed of power or of gold. And settlers even from our own land have not seldom been guilty of most indefensible cruelty and oppression towards the natives of the territories they have acquired. For the protection of aborigines it has been necessary to awaken public opinion, to institute special laws; Men plead necessity or expediency in defence or in extenuation of conduct which is a reproach to any people.
III. GREED OF TERRITORY AND ITS FRUITS ARE NOT UNNOTICED BY HIM WHO RULES OVER ALL. “The earth is the Lord’s.” He has “given it to the children of men.” But when he beholds sordid greed animate men to robbery, and not to robbery only but to inhumanity and vile cruelty, his indignation is aroused. Amos makes use of the fire, the tempest, the whirlwind, to set forth the retribution which must overtake the capital of Ammon, its king and princes. But the Lord reigneth over all lands. The violent shall not always prosper. The day shall come when their schemes shall be defeated, and they themselves be laid low in the dust.T.
HOMILIES BY A. ROWLAND
Amo 1:1
The true teacher.
“The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa.” In the little village of Tekoa, six miles south of Bethlehem, the young peasant Amos lived. He was a lad of humble birth and lowly occupation. Sometimes be trimmed the sycamore trees, and sometimes drove the cattle to and from their pasture. But he heard the voice of God everywhere, and saw his works in all the scenes around him; for he was devout, and feared the Lord exceedingly. Although he lived in Judah, his heart was stirred with the thought of the sins committed in the neighbouring kingdom of Israel, and of the judgments which would ultimately ensue. It was a time when Israel had every sign of prosperity. The warlike Jeroboam II. was on the throne, and his frequent victories gave his kingdom power, wealth, and security greater than it had before, or would ever have again. Amos, however, as a true “seer,” saw under the surface of society. He was not to be diverted from sins and woes at home by dashing enterprises abroad. He knew that the poor were oppressed, that other classes were sinking into luxurious effeminacy, that the worship of Jehovah was ignored; and these and other evils he rightly traced to the idolatry which had its seat in Bethel Inspired by God to denounce these sins, he visited the towns and villages of Israel, everywhere delivering his message, until he came to Bethel itself, and boldly denounced idolatry in its chosen seat. He was expelled the kingdom by force, in obedience to the order of Jeroboam, who was instigated by Amaziah the high priest. But (as Church history has often shown) the attempt to silence a voice from God made its echoes reverberate through all the ages. Secluded in his little native village, Amos recorded the words which God had given him as a message to his contemporaries, and hence they have come down to us for our instruction. The history of the man and the style of his teaching in themselves teach us important lessons. We are reminded first
I. THAT GOD OFTEN CHOOSES HIS SERVANTS FROM AMONGST MEN OF LOW ESTATE. We often quote the words (1Co 1:27, 1Co 1:28), “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen.” But we glide over the surface of that assurance without noting, as we should do, its deep significance and profound truth. As a matter of history, however, it is true that the world is most indebted, not to its kings, but to its shepherds, fishermen, and tentmakers. In the stress of poverty and toil, not in the indulgences of luxury, the noblest characters have been formed. It is what a man is, and not what a man lugs, that fits him for the service of God. The Church has lost much moral power by ignoring that. No one can visit our places of worship without noticing that members of the artisan class are conspicuous by their absence. Their energy and activity are too often antagonistic to religion. And since they form the basis of society, and it is ultimately their work which makes our wealth, the outlook is sufficiently serious. Doubtless they are to blame, but the Church is to blame also. Abstention from places of worship is often due, in its initial stage, to absence of welcome; to the unexpressed desire, on the part of Christians, to treat certain of their fellow men as a separate class, which is “to be done good to” with effusive benevolence. Once more let it be true that “the rich and the poor meet together, and the Lord is the Maker of them all,” that “the poor have the gospel preached to them,” and we shall see a marvellous change. Those who now, when intelligent, are too often cynically sceptical, or, when degraded, are too often sunk low in drunkenness, will become as of yoreamongst the noblest upholders of love, righteousness, and truth.
II. THAT GOD DESIRES HIS SERVANTS TO DO THEIR WORK NATURALLY. Amos drew almost all his illustrations from the natural objects and scenes with which he was familiar in his calling among the herdmen. Perfect naturalness is a source of moral power to any teacher, especially to a teacher of religious truth. Nothing is more offensive in him than pretence, unreality, and affectation. To ape the style of another man, to speak confidently on subjects which have not been personally studied, etc; brings nothing but contempt. Be real and genuine, and thoroughly yourself, wherever you are, but most of all in speaking for God. Amos the herdman would not put on the style of Solomon the king. He was as wise as David was when he put off the armour of Saul because it was untried and therefore unsuitable. The shepherd lad was mightiest with the shepherd’s sling and stone.
III. THAT GOD MAKES HIS WORLD TO BE VOCAL WITH TEACHING. The prophecy of Amos is crowded with scenes which the herdman had witnessed. It is worthy of study, if only as a bold picture of the incidents of village life in the East in olden days. Let us trust ourselves to his guidance in imagination. We see the gin set for the bird, and the snare spread for the game. We hear the roar of the lion in the thicket when he has caught his prey, and stand by the fisherman with his hooks, as with skill and patience he plies his craft. We watch the man fleeing from the lion only to meet the bear, and the fugitive bandit hoping for refuge in the caverns of Mount Carmel. We follow Amos to the field. Here the ploughman and vinedresser are busy at work; and there the gardens, cursed with mildew and blasting, bear no fruit. Now we hear the chirp of the grasshopper in the meadow, and now the patter of the rain as it falls after the king’s mowings. In harvest time, as we walk with Amos, we see the laden cart pressed down with the weight of the sheaves, and hear the thud of the flail as it falls on the threshing floor, and watch the corn beaten out flung into the sieve, and note that while the chaff is scattered “not the least grain fails upon the earth.” Then in the evening, when the land is quiet, and the heavens are glorious with stars, we hear Amos speak of him who “made the Pleiades and Orion,” who makes the day dark with night, and then, in all the splendour of the Oriental dawn, turns the shadow of death into morning. What an example is he to us! Let us re-echo the prayer of Keble
“Thou, who hast given me eyes to see
And love this sight so fair,
Give me a heart to find out thee,
And see thee everywhere.”
IV. THAT GOD WOULD HAVE HOLY THOUGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH ORDINARY THINGS. We all know the power of association. Sometimes we hear a riddle or a joke which presents a text or hymn in a ludicrous aspect. We never hear the text or the hymn afterwards without being reminded of the grotesque thought. Hence such “jesting which is not convenient,” and which is unhappily a staple ingredient of American burnout, should be repressed by thoughtful men. Our endeavour should be in the opposite direction. Instead of making sacred things profane, let us rather make profane things sacred, so that the prophecy of Zechariah shall be fulfilled, “In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord; and the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar.” All things belong to God. He is present in the fields as well as in his house. He is near us in our homes as well as in our temples; and the life we live as Christian men has sanctity, whether it be spent in the engagements of business or in the services of the sanctuary. Let us seek grace to follow in the footsteps of Amos, or rather in the footsteps of One infinitely greater than he; and then when we see the sower in the field, or the merchant in his business, when we gaze on the lilies in the garden, or on the tares amid the corn, we shall have sweet thoughts of those higher truths which our Lord has associated with them. The voice from heaven still says, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”A.R.
HOMILIES BY D. THOMAS
Amo 1:3, Amo 1:6, Amo 1:9, Amo 1:11, Amo 1:13; Amo 2:1, Amo 2:4, Amo 2:6
Great sufferings following great sins.
“For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment,” etc. Amos, we are informed, was a native of Tekeah, a small region in the tribe of Judah, about twelve miles southeast of Jerusalem. Nothing is known of his parents. He evidently belonged to the humbler class of life, and pursued the occupation of the humble shepherd and dresser of sycamore trees. From his flock he was divinely called to the high office of prophet; and though himself of the tribe of Judah, his mission was to Israel. He was sent to Bethel, into the kingdom of the ten tribes. He commenced his ministry in the reign of Uzziah, between B.C. 772 and 746, and therefore laboured about the same time as Hosea. In his time idolatry, with its concomitant evils and immoralities of every description, reigned with uncontrolled sway amongst the Israelites, and against these evils he hurls his denunciations. The book has been divided into three or four parts: First, sentences pronounced against the Syrians, the Philistines, the Phoenicians, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Jews, and the Israelites (Hos 1:1-11 and Hos 2:1-23). Second, special discourses delivered against Israel (Hos 3:1-5 to 6). Third, visions, partly of a consolatory and partly of a comminatory nature, in which reference is had both to the times that were to pass over the ten tribes previous to the coming of the Messiah, and finally to what was to take place under his reign (Hos 7:1-16 to 9). His style is marked by perspicuity, elegance, energy, and fulness. His images are mostly original, and taken from the natural scenery with which he was familiar. We may say that the whole passage, extending from Amo 1:13 to Amo 2:8, illustrates the three following great truths:
1. The sins of all the people on the earth, whatever the peculiarities of their character or conduct, are under the cognizance of God.
2. That of all the sins of the people, that of persecution is peculiarly abhorrent to the Divine nature.
3. That these sins expose to suffering not only the actual offenders, but others also. The first and second of these truths we will not here notice; but to the third we must now give a moment’s attention. In all the passages to which we have referred at the head of this sketch punishment is the, subject. We offer two remarks on this subject.
I. GREAT SINS ENTAIL GREAT SUFFERINGS. The calamities threatened to these different tribes of different lands are of the most terrible description. But they are all such as to match their crimes.
1. The connection between great sins and great sufferings is inevitable. The moral Governor of the world has so arranged matters that every sin brings with it its own punishment, and it is only when the sin is destroyed the suffering ceases. Thank God, this sin can be destroyed through faith in the mediation of him who came to put away sin by faith in the sacrifice of himself.
2. The connection between great sins and great sufferings is universal. All these sinful peoples had to realize it from their own bitter experience. It does not matter where, when, or how a man lives, his sins will find him out.
II. GREAT SINS OFTEN ENTAIL GREAT SUFFERINGS UPON PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THE ACTUAL OFFENDERS. “The fire,” which is here the instrument of God’s retribution to us sinners, would not only scathe the persons and consume the property of the actual offenders, but others. The fact is patent in all history and in all experience, that men here suffer for the sins of others. We are so rooted together in the great field of life, that if the tares are pulled up the wheat will be injured if not destroyed. The cry of men in all ages has been, “Our fathers have sinned, and we have borne their iniquities.” Two facts may reconcile our consciences to this.
1. That few, if any, suffer more than their consciences tell them they deserve.
2. That there is to come period when the whole will appear to be in accord with the justice and goodness of God.D.T.
Amo 1:3, Amo 1:6, Amo 1:9, Amo 1:11, Amo 1:13; Amo 2:1, Amo 2:4, Amo 2:6
The enormity of the sin of persecution.
“For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four,” etc. “They are all charged in general,” says an old expositor, “with three transgressions, yea, with four; that is, with many transgressions, as by ‘one or two’ we mean many; as, in Latin, a man that is very happy is said to be terque quaterque beatus‘three and four times happy;’ or, ‘with three and four,’ that is, with seven transgressionsa number of perfection, intimating that they have filled up the measure of their iniquities, and are, ripe for ruin; or, ‘with three’ (that is, a variety of sins), and with a fourth especially, which is specified concerning each of them, though the other three are not, as Pro 30:15, Pro 30:18, Pro 30:21, Pro 30:29. Where we read of ‘three things, yea, four,’ generally one seems to be more especially intended” (Henry). Now, the sin especially referred to here as the “fourth” is taken to be that of persecution, that is, the sin of inflicting suffering upon others because of their peculiar religious convictions and doings. Other sins innumerable, varied and heinous, they had committed, but this fourth seems to be the crowning of their evil. Persecution has been called the measure filling sin of any people, the sin that will be taken into account on the last great day. “I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat,” etc.
I. PERSECUTION IS A MOST ARROGANT CRIME. The religious persecutor acts upon the assumption that his ideas of religion are absolutely true, that his theological knowledge is the test by which all other opinions are to be tried. Such a man is represented by the apostle as one that “sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2Th 2:4). Presumptuous mortal! The proud tyrant who has won his way through seas of blood to the throne, and claims authority over men’s bodily movements, shows an arrogance before which servile spirits bow, but from which all thoughtful and noble men recoil with disgust and indignation. But his arrogance is shadowy and harmless compared with the arrogance of him who enters the temple of human conscience, and claims dominion over the moral workings of the soul. Yes, such arrogant men abound in all ages, and are by no means rare even in this age and land of what is called civil and religious liberty. The most arrogant title that mortal man can wear is “Vicar of Christ.”
II. PERSECUTION IS A MOST ABSURD CRIME. Far wiser is the fool who would legislate for the winds or the waves, and, like Canute, give commands to the billows than he who attempts to legislate for human thoughts and moral convictions. Still more foolish to attempt to crush men’s religious beliefs by inflicting civil disabilities or corporeal suffering. In sooth, the way to give life, power, and influence to religious errors is to persecute. And truth never seems to rise in greater power and majesty than under the bloody hand of cruel persecution. It has been well said that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
“A blameless faith was all the crime the Christian martyr knew;
And where the crimson current flowed upon that barren sand,
Up sprang a tree, whose vigorous boughs soon overspread the land;
O’er distant isles its shadow fell, nor knew its roots decay,
E’en when the Roman Caesar’s throne and empire passed away.”
III. PERSECUTION IS A MOST CRUEL CRIME. What ruthless inhumanities are in these verses charged against the various peoples mentionedthose of Damascus, Gaza, Tyrus, etc.! It has often been observed that no anger is so savage as the auger which springs up between relations of blood. A brotherly hate is the chief of hates; and it may be truly said that there is no animosity that burns with a more hellish heat than that connected with religion. Gibbon, referring to the cruelties inflicted upon the early Christians, says, “They died in torments, and their torments were embittered by insult and derision. Some were nailed on crosses, others sewn up in the skins of wild beasts and exposed to the fury of dogs; others, again, smeared over with combustible material, were used as torches to illuminate the darkness of the night. The gardens of Nero were destined for the melancholy spectacle, which was accompanied by a horse race and honoured with the presence of the emperor, who mingled with the populace in the dress and attitude of a charioteer.”D.T.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
AMOS
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CHAPTERS 1, 2
The Superscription (Amo 1:1)
1 The words of Amos (who was among the shepherds of Tekoa), which 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.
And he said:
I. The Divine Judgment is announced first against the Countries lying around Israel, then against the Kingdom of Judah, but at last remains standing over the Kingdom of Israel (Amo 1:2 to Amo 2:16).
2 Jehovah roars out of Zion
And out of Jerusalem he utters his voice
Then the pastures of the shepherds wither
And the head of Carmel is dried up.
(a) Damascus (Amo 1:3-5).
3 Thus saith Jehovah,
For three transgressions of Damascus
And for fourI will not reverse it
Because they threshed Gilead with iron rollers,
4 I will send fire into the house of Hazael,
And it shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.
5 And I will shatter the bolt of Damascus,
And cut off the inhabitant from the vale of Aven,
And the sceptre-holder out of Beth-Eden;
And the people of Syria shall go into captivity to Kir, saith Jehovah.
(b) Gaza (Amo 1:6-8).
6 Thus saith Jehovah,
For three transgressions of Gaza,
And for fourI will not reverse it
Because they carried away captives1 in full number2
To deliver them up to Edom,
7 I will send fire into the wall of Gaza,
And it shall devour their palaces.
8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod
And the sceptre-holder from Ashkelon;
And I will turn my hand against Ekron
And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord, Jehovah.
(c) Tyre (Amo 1:9-10).
9 Thus saith Jehovah,
For three transgressions of Tyre,
And for fourI will not reverse it
Because they delivered prisoners in full number to Edom,
And remembered not the brotherly covenant,
10 I will send fire into the wall of Tyre
And it shall devour their palaces.
(d) Edom (Amo 1:11-12).
11 Thus saith Jehovah,
For three transgressions of Edom,
And for fourI will not reverse it
Because he pursues his brother with the sword,
And stifles his compassion,3
And his wrath continually tears in pieces,
And his anger endures forever,4
12 I will send fire into Teman
And it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
(e) Ammon (Amo 1:13-15).
13 Thus saith Jehovah,
For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon,
And for fourI will not reverse it
Because they ripped up the pregnant women of Gilead,
To enlarge their border,
14 I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
And it shall devour their palaces,
With a war-shout in the day of battle,
With a storm in the day of the whirlwind.
15 And their king5 shall go into captivity,
He and his princes together, saith Jehovah.
Amos 2
(f) Moab (Amo 2:1-3).
1 Thus saith Jehovah,
For three transgressions of Moab
And for fourI will not reverse it
Because it burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime,
2 I will send fire into Moab,
And it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth,
And Moab shall die in the tumult,
With a war-shout, with a trumpet-blast;
3 And I will cut off the Judges 6 from the midst thereof,
And will slay all his princes with him, saith Jehovah.
(g) Judah (Amo 2:4-5).
4 Thus saith Jehovah,
For three transgressions of Judah,
And for fourI will not reverse it
Because they despised the law7 of Jehovah,
And kept not his commandments,7
And their lies misled them,
After which their fathers walked;
5 I will send fire into Judah,
And it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
(h) Israel (Amo 2:6-16)
6 Thus saith Jehovah,
For three transgressions of Israel
And for fourI will not reverse it
Because they sell the righteous for money,
And the needy for8 a pair of shoes;
7 They who pant after the dust of the earth upon the afflicted,
And pervert the way of the sufferers;
And a man and his father go in to the same girl
In order9 to profane my holy name:
8 And they stretch themselves upon pawned clothes by every altar,
And they drink the wine of the punished10 in the house of their God.11
9 And yet12 I destroyed the Amorite before them,
Him who was as high as the cedars
And as strong as the oaks;
And I destroyed his fruit from above
And his roots from beneath.
10 And yet I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And led you in the wilderness forty years,
To inherit the land of the Amorite;
11 And I raised up of your sons prophets,
And of your young men dedicated ones.
Is it not so, ye sons of Israel? saith Jehovah.
12 But ye made the dedicated ones drink wine.
And commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.
13 Behold, I will press you down13
As the full14 cart presses the sheaves.
14 Then shall flight be lost15 to the swift,
And the strong shall not confirm his strength,
And the hero shall not save his life.
15 He that beareth the bow shall not stand,
And the swift-footed shall not save,
And the rider of the horse shall not save his life,16
16 And the courageous one among the heroes,
Naked shall he flee away in that day, saith the Lord17.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Amo 1:1. The Superscription.The words of Amos. The expression is somewhat unusual. It is customary to state the contents of a prophecy as the word of Jehovah which came to this one or that one, as in the first verse of Hosea, Joel, Micah, etc. Jeremiah uses the same phrase as Amos, but adds expressly, to whom the word of Jevoah came. Here also the divine inspiration of the words of Amos is put beyond doubt by the addition, which he saw, for is the technical formula to denote the prophets immediate intuition of divine truth. His words therefore originated in such an intuition, and were not the outflow and expression of his own thoughts. He saw first what he afterwards recorded, and this seeing rested upon a divine revelation. Upon the addition to the prophets name, who was among, etc., see the Introduction, 1.
Upon Israel. The peculiar aim of the prophets utterances is the kingdom of Ephraim; but this came into view only in so far as it was a kingdom of Israel, and contained a partin extent a greater partof the people of Israel. Besides, the threatenings extend to the kingdom of Judah, therefore to all Israel. Moreover, it must be considered that these threatenings terminate in the promise after their execution of a new glorious Israel, in which no account is taken of the existing division of the kingdom. As to the note of time in the days of Uzziah. etc., see the Introduction, 2, where it is shown to be correct according to the contents of the book.
Two years before the earthquake. See also the Introduction. This date is not so much chronological as argumentative. It is inserted in reference to Amo 8:8 (also Amo 9:5), since this earthquake occurring two years after the prophesying, was a declaration in act that God would make good the words of his servant. As to the genuineness of the entire superscription, no argument against it is to be found in the statement who was among the herdmen, etc., and especially the expression who was; or if indeed this statement is not original it might yet have been inserted in a superscription otherwise genuine. In favor of this view is the above-mentioned unusual character of the phrase words of Amos which he saw. It is scarce conceivable that a later editor would use this expression rather than the customary one, The word of the Lord which came, etc. If then the words two years before the earthquake are cited, as by Baur, as a proof of spuriousness, because if genuine the prophecy must have been written two years after Amoss appearance in Bethel, while its whole character shows that it was written soon after that event, we answer that this latter assertion is wholly unfounded. Nothing forbids the opinion that two years, which is no great space of time, elapsed before the record was made, and besides we have before shown that the book is by no means a mere record of the oral discourse. On the other hand, even Baur himself must admit that the precise date and the peculiar form of the superscription presuppose in any event its composition not long after the prophecies were delivered. Surely he who prefixed these words did it in reference, as above stated, to its bearing upon the subject of the prophecies following. And as there is nothing against the authorship of Amos, it is most natural to think that he who suggested the reference recorded it. Besides, we have already seen (Introduction, 3) that there is reason to believe that the earthquake induced Amos to write his prophecies; indeed, he perhaps refers to it in Amo 1:2. Certainly then nothing is more natural than to assume that he himself contributed this note of time, and thus indicated the inducement which led him to write.
Amo 1:2. Jehovah roars out of Zion, etc. Comp. Joel 4:16. Amos connects himself directly with Joel in describing the judgments upon the heathen as enemies of Gods people. For even from Amo 1:3, he announces the divine wrath upon all the surrounding nations. But suddenly the denunciation turns to Judah, and then to Israel, where it remains standing, so that it is plain that he aimed especially at Israel, and that the threats against the heathen which seemed to be most important, served only for an introduction to what follows. This appears even in the verse before us, since he applies the phrase borrowed from Joel differently from that prophet, namely, against Israel, for since the drying up of Carmel is stated to be the result of Gods wrath, the pastures of the shepherds, which are said to wither, are to be referred to Israel. Woods and pastures are mentioned by Amos in accordance with his peculiar mode of characterizing the country. Or, we are to assign the meads of the shepherds to the pasture grounds of the wilderness of Judah, which was the prophets home in the south, and to this Carmel stands opposed on the north, so that Amos sees the whole land from south to north withered. The withering means generally destruction, not to be limited to mere drought as a natural occurrence, although this is not excluded, but extending to the devastation of a foreign foe, as the later statements require.
From Amo 1:3 begin the threatenings against the heathenin the way of a preface. The storm of divine wrath rolls around the outlying kingdoms, until it comes to a stand on Israel. The heathen kingdoms mentioned in their order are six: Syria (Damascus), Gaza, or rather all Philistia (Amo 1:8), Tyre, Edom, Amnion, Moab. These manifestly constitute two groups, three in each. For the three first are more distant from Israel, the latter nearer, as allied in origin. The ground of their punishment is stated to be their transgressions, especially against Israel; they come into view, therefore, as enemies of Gods people, and as such are threatened with wrath. In the succession of the groups we see a climax of guilt, since naturally the ill-doing of a kindred people is worse than that of a foreign race. Upon this ground the question, why just these were selected, answers itself. It was these from whom Israel had severely suffered, and their guilt lay in the foreground. They are then representatives of a class; a threatening upon such grounds proclaims the guilt of a similar course of action generallywherever it may be found.
See further, in respect to the bearing of menaces against the heathen upon menaces against Israel, in the Doctrinal and Practical Remarks.
2. DamascusSyria, Amo 1:3-5. Thus saith Jehovah; for three transgressions, etc. It is peculiar that the threatenings throughout both chapters are always introduced in the same manner. The phrase for threeand for four, is well explained by Hitzig, who says: The number four is added to the number three, to characterize the latter as simply set down at pleasure, to say that it is not exactly three but much more. Three would be enough, but it is not limited to three. The plurality is not rigidly denned, on purpose to indicate the ever increasing number of sins. These nations therefore have incurred not a light but a heavy degree of guilt.The with which the threatening begins is in each case repeated before the special transgression mentioned, and this latter, being a single case, seems to conflict with the preceding plurals. But in truth the commencement, having firmly asserted the plurality of the sins, may well allow the subsequent address, as it hastens from one people to another, to be content with naming a single wrong act as a flagrant example which necessarily presupposes the existence of many others. The phrase interposed in each caseI will not reverse it, i. e., the punishment decided uponcuts off every thought of repeal, and declares the execution to be inevitable. In every case the judgment is described as a sending of fire to consume the palaces, which can mean only the fire of war, conquest, and destruction. Because they threshed, refers to the cruelty with which they crushed the captured Gileadites under iron threshing-machines. This occurred when Palestine east of the Jordan was subjugated by Hazael under the reign of Jehu (2Ki 10:32-33; cf. 2Ki 13:7Benhadad; was it the first of that name, or the second? Probably both. Shatter the bolt, i. e., of the gate=the conquest of Damascus. The inhabitants of the valley of Aven and the sceptre-holder, i. e., prince or ruler, of Beth Eden, are extirpated. lit., valley of nothingness, is probably the modern Bekaa, the valley between Lebanon and Antilibanus, of which Heliopolis (Baalkek) was the most distinguished city. then perhaps= the name of the Egyptian Heliopolis, whence the LXX. render ; but designedly written in the former method to play upon the idol worship performed there (cf. for .
either the modern Bet-el-Ganna, not far from Damascus, or, better, the in the district of Laodicea (Ptol. 5, 5, 20). The rest are to be carried away to Kir, an Assyrian province, on the banks of the River Kir, the modern Tahoma. This was fulfilled by Tiglath-Pileser (2Ki 16:9).
3. GazaPhilistia. Amo 1:6-8. Gaza stands as a representative of the other Philistine states which are similarly threatened, and is named first, perhaps because it was most actively engaged in the sale of the captives (Keil). There is perhaps an allusion to the same case which Joel mentions (Amo 3:6). Although Joel speaks of a sale to the Grecians, and Amos of a sale to Edom, there is no discrepancy, for both occurred. Joel mentions the Greeks, because he sought to set forth the wide dispersion of the Jews and their future recall from all lands; but Amos wishes to emphasize the hatred of the Philistines, and therefore speaks of the sale made to Israels chief foe, Edom. Why Gath is not named, does not appear. Doubtless it was comprehended under the phrase remnant of the Philistines.
4. TyrePhnicia. Amo 1:9-10. The crime here is the same as in the preceding, namely, the sale of prisoners to Edom. But it does not include carrying them away, therefore they must have bought them from others and then sold them. Hence Joel says that the Philistines sold the prisoners whom they captured to the Greeks. But the Phoenicians as a trading people may just as well have bought from others, such as the Syrians, and sold the captives thus acquired to Edom. Their sin here was the greater, because David and Solomon had made a brotherly covenant with the king of Tyre. The threatening in Amo 1:10 is limited to the commencement of what is denounced upon Damascus and Gaza. The same is true of Edom and of Judah.
5. Edom. Amo 1:11-12. No particular crimes are here charged, but an implacable hatred against Israel, which broke out in acts of cruelty. Teman is either an appellative, the South, or the name of a province in Edom (cf. Jer 49:20; Hab 3:3; Job 2, 11; Eze 25:13). Eusebius and Jerome speak also of a city named Teman, six hours from Petra. Bozra, probably the capital of Iduma, south of the Dead Sea, still preserved in the village of el-Buseireh in Jebl.
6. Ammon. Amo 1:13-15. The fact stated here is not mentioned in the historical books of the Old Testament. Rabbah, in its full form, Rabbah of the Sons of Ammon, the capital of the Ammonites, is preserved in the ruins of Amman. The destruction here threatened is more closely defined. It will take place through a foreign conquest which is compared to a storm, indicating either its speed or its violence.
7. Moab. Chap. 2 Amo 2:1-3. The burning of the body into lime, i. e., to powder, indicates the slaking of vengeance even upon the dead. Nothing is said of this in the historical books, but it was perhaps connected with the war waged by Joram of Israel and Jehoshaphat of Judah, together with the king of Edom, against the Moabites. In that case the king of Edom was a vassal on the side of Israel, and the insult to him would be, at least indirectly, a crime against Israel. Kerioth is the proper name of a chief city of Moab, still preserved in the place called Kereyat. is applied to Moab, considered as a person. Here also the occurrence of a battle is mentioned. Judge, used only to vary the expression, is equivalent to king, or sceptre-holder in Amo 1:5. From the midst refers to Moab as a country.
8. Judah. Amo 2:4-5. The sin of Judah consists in apostasy from God. Their lies means their idols, as nonentities, destitute of reality.
9. Israelthe Ten Tribes. Amo 2:6-16. Now in a surprising manner Israel is brought forward, and by a similar introduction placed on the same line with the others; only in place of a short statement, there is a lengthened and detailed representation of its sin, guilt, and punishment.
(a.) Israels Sins.
Amo 2:6-8. Unrighteousness in judgment is charged, Amo 2:6. The righteous = one who is such in the judicial sense, i. e., innocent. Money, which they had received or expected. Sell, declare guilty and punish. The sentence is called a sale because the judge was bribed. The phrase, for a pair of shoes, does not state the price with which the judge was bribed [the poorest slave was certainly worth much more than thisKeil], but the occasion of the proceeding, namely, a pair of shoes, i. e., a mere trifle, for which the poor man was in debt and for which the judge gave him up to the creditor as a slave (Lev 25:39).
Amo 2:7. They who, etc. Plainly, not a new fault, but a description of the sin out of which the former sprang. Pant after the dust, etc., i. e., endeavor to bring these into such misery that they will strew dust on their heads, or that they will sink into the dust, i. e., perish. Pervert the way, etc., prepare for them embarrassments and distress. Son and father go in to the (i. e., one and the same) girl. In order to profane my holy name. The conjunction indicates that the profanation was deliberate and therefore willful. It is so called because it was an audacious violation of Gods commandments. Prostitution in or near the temple itself is not to be thought of here.
Amo 2:8. Every altar and the house of their God, certainly refer to the sacred places at Beer-sheba and Dan, but it must be kept in mind that in these Jehovah was worshipped. There is no reference to the worship of heathen deities, which indeed did not exist under Jeroboam 2, for the conduct here condemned is condemned just because it took place in the sanctuary, and thus was a daring contempt of God. Pawned clothes, i. e., upper garments consisting of a large square piece of cloth, used also as a bed-covering by the poor. These were pawned, given in pledge to a creditor, by the poor. Such the law required to be returned before nightfall (Exo 22:25; Deu 24:12). But instead of this, they were retained, and used as cloths on which the creditors stretched out, i. e., their limbs; and on what occasion? According to what follows, at banquets or sacrificial meals, as the connection shows. Wine of the punished, means wine bought with the proceeds of fines. Manifestly the oppression of the poor is censured also in Amo 2:8. It only connects with this sin that of frivolous luxury.
(b). The sin is the more heinous because Israel is the chosen people of God.
10. Amo 2:9-12. These verses recall to mind the manifestations of Gods grace. He had put Israel in possession of Canaan. Here Amos mentions first the direct means by which this was done, namely, the destruction of the Canaanites, then, what preceded, namely, the deliverance from Egypt and the guidance through the wilderness. And Iemphatic, the very being whom you now treat with contempt. The Amorites are named as the strongest race of the Canaanites (cf. Gen 15:16; Jos 24:15); they are likened to a mighty tree, and their destruction to its complete overthrow. A similar reference to these gracious dispensations is found in Deu 8:2; Deu 9:1-6; Deu 29:1-8. Further, the gift of prophecy and the institution of the Nazarites are mentioned as special favors, which God had given to Israel but which they despised.
(c). The Punishment.
This is to be a crushing so severe that no one can escape. The figure of the cart is explained in Textual and Grammatical.
Amo 2:14. Flight is lost to the swift = he will Hot have time to escape.
Amo 2:16. Will flee naked = will not defend himself, but leave behind the garment by which the enemy seizes him (cf. Mar 14:52). The punishment threatened in Amo 2:13 ff. is manifestly the invasion of a superior foe. The powerlessness before him and the consequent fright are depicted in the liveliest manner.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL.
1. In Joel, prophecy quickly drops the form of a threatening against Gods people which however it certainly has, and then assumes so much the more fully the character of a promise. It is altogether different with the next prophet of whom we have any written memorial, as indeed would be expected from the fact that his mission was to the ten tribes. On one side he stands connected with Joel, but on the other goes far beyond him; his message is not only the earnest calling of a degenerate people to repentance, but the annunciation of Gods destructive judgments upon them. But the transition from Joels point of view to that of Amos is worthy of consideration. The former announced a judgment upon the heathen, but in general terms. This the latter takes up with a slight allusion to Israel, but he does not expand it farther until he has paved the way by a succession of threatenings upon foreign nations. He unrolls before the eyes of Israel a picture of the Divine Justice in its sure and awful march through the kingdoms. But if the people at first regard this with satisfaction because it concerns their foes upon whom they will thus be revenged, they are frightfully awakened from their security by a sudden turn in the direction of the menace. Israel itself is counted among these Gentile kingdoms, and treated in the same way. This shows that the address to Israels foes is only an introduction; and therefore it passes rapidly from one to another, not entering into details, but content with indicating the multitude of their transgressions, and citing one only as an example of the rest. The prophet thus prepares to make the stroke which at last falls upon Israel heavier and more lasting. Were those nations punished Not less will this one be. Did they suffer who had not received the law nor enjoyed special tokens of Gods favor; far heavier will be the punishment of this people who, although chosen of God, had yet in the grossest manner despised Him and his well-known commands. The storm of divine wrath, which they had gazed at as it fell upon others, would discharge itself upon them in all its fury.
Thus does God prick the conscience of his own people by the judgments threatened upon others. They hear his voice saying, If I thus punish others, what must I do to you? The more generally and widely his punishment is inflicted, the less can Israel complain when it comes to them; much rather must they acknowledge it as just.
To Israel in the stricter sense an especial warning is given in the fact that the divine judgment in its circular sweep does not spare Judah, and even names this before Israel. It should sink deep into the heart of the ten tribes that not even the possession of such exalted prerogatives as the temple and the throne of David, could avert the merited punishment. If such be the energy of Gods righteousness, what had they to expect? (Hengstenberg.) That is, the ten tribes might at first hear gladly, and even feel flattered by a threatening against Judah, but so much the more surprising must it be when the same thing comes in turn to themselves. Then the matter assumes a different appearance, and they could infer from Judahs not being spared, how little they could count upon any exemption.
2. Returning to the judgments upon the heathen, the question arises, Why were they punished? One might answer without ceremony, Because of their offenses against Israel, the people of God. Undoubtedly these nations are considered as Israels foes, and their crimes so far as specified are crimes against Israel; in part they are the same as those charged by Joel, who speaks so plainly of the hostility of the heathen toward Israel. Only in the case of Moab (Amo 2:1), is the fact otherwise, for here the offense stated is one only indirectly against Israel. But this shows that the relation to Israel is not the only point of view, and that the threatenings against these nations are not to be attributed solely to this cause; a view which is confirmed by a closer inspection of the sins mentioned; crushing with a threshing sledge, giving prisoners to embittered foes (Edom), forgetting the brotherly covenant, slaying a brother, stifling compassion, ripping the pregnant, displacing the landmarks, burning the bones of a corpse. These are plainly moral offenses, trangressions of the simplest laws of morals. They are therefore sins against a natural divine ordinance, not positively revealed, but manifesting itself in every ones conscience; and as such they incur a heavy guilt. The crimes of these nations then are against God and not merely against his people. So much the more necessary is it for God to punish them.And He can do this because He is a God who controls all nations, and to whom all are subject even if they do not serve Him. Observe how self-evident this truth is to the prophet. Does not this assumed universality of the power of Israels God imply indirectly, or at least negatively, that faith in Israels God is destined for all? Under one God, who has power over all, all shall yet bow themselves.
3. Hence it is the more conceivable that Judah and Israel are joined so directly to the threatened heathen nations. Judah, it is concisely said, has not kept the law, in which God positively declared to them his will. To Israel, on the contrary, nothing is said here of the sin of idolatry (which indeed is presupposed), but individual offenses of a gross kind (partly of course allied with idolatry), are specified; base oppression of the poor through avarice, shameless sensuality, spending in drunkenness money wrested from the poor, and this, most offensively blended with idol-worship. How this is regarded is strikingly shown by an expression at the end of Amo 2:7 which applies to the whole series. It is, says God, a profaning of my holy name. In the view of Scripture there is a holy divine ordinance which is violated by such moral offenses. They are therefore offenses against God, profanations of his holy name, who instituted this ordinance. Therefore the punishment is absolutely necessary. For God cannot suffer his holy name to be profaned with impunity. Upon the sins against the poor, see also Doctrinal and Ethical, 2, upon chap. 3.
4. It is remarkable that the very same threat is made against the heathen and against Judah. This is certainly not without design. Even if it were owing in the first instance to the fact that the prophet had in view one and the same means of punishment for all, namely, subjugation by a foreign foe, still the intentional uniformity suggests equally the unvarying and impartial character of Gods punitive righteousness. There is no respect of persons with Him. Wherever there are sins, there inflexibly the divine wrath makes its appearance; and even if the sins are different in kind, yet where Gods law whether natural or revealed, is transgressed, there a corresponding reaction of his holiness is provoked.
5. Surely the greatness of what God has done for his people weighs heavily in the scale and greatly aggravates their guilt. The fact of these! enefits is the solid ground of the proceeding against Israels sins. Those benefits are so many loud accusations, from which there is no escape. For all Israels sins are not merely violations of a divine order, but a shameless contempt of his goodness and the blackest ingratitude; and the punishments therefore are only a righteous reversal of abused mercies. Hosea goes farther and represents the ingratitude as conjugal infidelity, since he conceives Gods tender relation to Israel as a marriage bond. The infliction of punishment upon apostate Israel is thus more clearly shown to be a divine right. An approach to this view, an indication of Gods loving fellowship with Israel is found in Amo 2:2 : You only have I known, etc.
6. Along with the great blessings which founded the nationthe deliverance from Egypt, and the guidance through the wilderness, and on the other side, the giving of the law,the institution of prophecy, and the law of the Nazarites are mentioned. These are gifts of grace in which Israel had the advantage of other nations, and was distinguished as the people of God and the medium of salvation for the heathen. Amos reminds the people only of these, and not of earthly blessings which the heathen also enjoyed, because these alone were real pledges of Gods gracious covenant with Israel, and because in the contempt and abuse of these gifts the ingratitude of the people was most glaringly displayed. The Nazarites are placed by the side of the prophets who declared the mind and will of God, because the condition of a Nazarite, although it was in form merely a consequence of his own free will in execution of a particular vow, was nevertheless so far a gift of grace in that the resolution to make such a vow came from the inward impulse of the divine Spirit, and the performance of it was rendered possible only through the power of the same Spirit. The raising up of the Nazarites was intended not only to set before the eyes of the people the object of their divine calling, or their appointment to be a holy people of God, but also to show them how the Lord bestowed the power to carry out his object (Keil); of. also the remarks on Hos 12:10, which rests on this passage in Amos.
7. Whether these threatenings against different heathen nations were fulfilled, is a question we must ask still more in the case of Amos than of Joel. For Amos not merely sees and describes in a general ideal sketch the downfall of the heathen power which then stood opposed to Israels exaltation, but he speaks as if predicting a precise historical occurrence. Yet it is to be considered, that, as was hinted before, the threatening runs essentially in the same terms, is in fact one, and, although subjoining special features in some cases (especially Amo 1:5; Amo 1:15), yet at bottom is very general, and sets forth simply conquest and loss of independence, but by whom, is not said. Just this fate befell these kingdoms, although at different times and in different ways. Syria experienced it from the Assyrians when Tiglath-Pileser, in the time of Ahaz, conquered Damascus and put an end to the kingdom. Later, the Chaldan invasion overthrew the other nations, although the information on the point is scanty. Accordingly we are always justified in saying that these predictions were fulfilled, without necessarily affirming that it was in the sense intended by the prophet. [But this latter is a point of no moment, if the fulfillment was in the sense which the Holy Spirit intended.C.] We must further consider that such threatenings are not absolute. They are given at a particular time, and the issue depends upon the behavior of those whom they concern. For Gods purposes, and therefore his punishments are directed according to our conduct. Hence He delays his visitations, or lessens or increases them; so that what takes place at last little coincides with what the prophet had to announce in his name. Nor should the idea be wholly rejected, that these predictions came to the foreign nations themselves, seeing that they were neighbors, and were laid to heart by them just as the heathen oracles were, so that thus the state of affairs might be changed. For these announcements of punishment are to be viewed as warnings as well to the heathen as to Israelwarnings intended to be heard and regarded. That the threatening against Judah, which is of the same tenor as the others, was fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar, is well known. But even this fulfillment does not answer exactly to what the Prophet had in view, which manifestly was a judgment closer at hand, perhaps by means of the Assyrians. Hence it is clear that Judah obtained a respite, because its condition had meanwhile improved.
[8. It is remarkable that none of these burdens of Amos are addressed to the greatest powers of the heathen world, opposed to Israel and Judah,Assyria and Babylon. The Holy Spirit who spake by him, reserved the declaration of the destinies of these two great kingdoms for two other of the twelve minor prophets. Assyria was reserved for Nahum, Babylon for Habakkuk. There seems, therefore, to have been divine forethought in the omission. The prophecies of Amos are expanded by succeeding prophets. Amos himself takes up the prophecy of Joel whom he succeeds. Joel, by a magnificent generalization, had displayed all Gods judgments in nature and history as concentrated in one great Day of the Lord Amos disintegrates this great whole, and particularizes those judgments. Joel declares that God will judge all collectively; Amos proclaims that He will judge each singly. (Wordsworth.)
[9. Pusey (p. 161), with great propriety, calls attention to the fact that the complete captivity of a population, the baring a land of its inhabitants, was a thing unknown in the time of Amos. It is true, Sesostris brought together many men, a crowd, from the nations he had subdued, and employed them on his buildings and canals (Herodotus, 2:1078). But in this and other like cases, the persons so employed were simply prisoners made in a campaign, and the solo object of the removal was to obtain slaves so as to spare the labor of the native subjects in constructing the public works. This is shown by the earlier Assyrian inscriptions, all of which speak only of carrying off soldiers as prisoners or women as captives, of receiving slaves, or cattle or goods as tribute, or of putting to death in various ways rulers and men at arms. The forced deportation of a whole people, and the substitution of others in their place, is a different thing altogether. The design of this was to destroy effectually the independence of the subject races and put it out of their power to rebel. The first trace of it we find in the policy of Tiglath Pileser toward Damascus and East and North Palestine, and afterwards it came into general use. But Amos foretold this wholesale transportation long before it occurred, and at a time when there was no human likelihood that it would occur. It must have been a divine inspiration which enabled him so clearly to predict such an unprecedented captivity.C.]
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL.
Amo 1:2. The head of. Carmel is dried up. Its glory has passed away, as in the twinkling of an eye. God hath spoken the word and it is gone. All, says Van de Velde, lies waste; all is a wilderness. The utmost fertility is here lost for man, useless to man. The vineyards of Carmel, where are they now ? Behold the long rows of stones on the ground, the remains of the walls; they will tell you that here where now with difficulty you force your way through the thick entangled copse, lay in days of old those incomparable vineyards to which Carmel owes its name. (Pusey.)
Amo 1:3 ff. Every infliction on those like ourselves finds an echo in our own consciences. Israel heard and readily believed Gods judgments upon others. It was not tempted to set itself against believing them. How then could it refuse to believe of itself what it believed of others like itself. If they who sinned without law perished without law, how much more should they who have sinned, in the law, be judged by the law. (Ibid.)For three transgressions, etc. God is long-suffering and ready to forgive; but when the sinner finally becomes a vessel of wrath, He punishes all the former sins which for the time He had passed by. Sin adds to sin out of which it grows; it does not overshadow or obliterate the earlier sins, but increases the mass of guilt which God punishes. When the Jews slew the Son, there came on them all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from righteous Abel to Zacharias the son of Barachias. So each individual sinner who dies impenitent, will be punished for all which in his whole life he did or became contrary to the law of God. Deeper sins bring deeper damnation at last. As good men by the grace of God, do through each act done by aid of that grace gain an addition to their everlasting reward, so the wicked by each added sin, add to their damnation. (Ibid.)I will not reverse it. Sin and punishment are by a great law of God bound together. Gods mercy holds back the punishment long, allowing only some slight tokens of his displeasure to show themselves that the sinful soul or people may not be unwarned. When He no longer withholds it, the law of his moral government holds its course. (Ibid.)
Amo 1:4. Devour Benhadads palaces. What avail the pleasure-houses and palaces of the rich of this world? How soon do they turn to dust and ashes when the fire of Gods wrath kindles on them?
Amo 1:6. Carry away prisoners to deliver them, etc. Who so further afflicts the afflicted, shall in return be afflicted by God. Fugitives who flee to us for refuge should never be treated with hostility nor robbed of their liberty.
Amo 1:7-8. The five cities of Philistia had each its own petty king. But all formed one whole; all were one in their sin; all were to be one in their punishment. So then for greater vividness, one part of the common infliction is related of each, while in fact, according to the wont of prophetic diction, what is said of each is said of all.
Amo 1:9. Remember not, etc. It is a great aggravation of enmity and malice, when it is the violation of friendship and a brotherly covenant. (M. Henry.)
Amo 1:10. Fire into the wall of Tyre. Not fine buildings nor strong walls, but righteousness and honesty are a citys best defense. 2Ki 2:12; 2Ki 13:14.
Amo 1:11. Pursues hit brother with the sword. Eleven hundred years had passed since the birth of their forefathers, Jacob and Esau. But with God eleven hundred years had not worn out kindred. It was an abiding law that Israel was not to take Edoms land, nor to refuse to admit him into the congregation of the Lord. Edom too remembered the relation, but to hate him. Fierce are the wars of brethren. (Pusey.)Stifles his compassions. Edom steeled himself against his better feelings, as we say, deadened them. But so they do not live again. Man is not master of the life and death of his feelings, any more than of his natural existence. He can destroy; he cannot recreate. And he does so far do to death his own feelings whenever in any signal instance he acts against them. (Ibid.)
Amo 1:13. To widen their border. The war of extermination was carried on not incidentally nor in sudden stress of passion, but in cold blood. A massacre here and there would not have enlarged their border. They wished to make place for themselves by annihilating Israel that there might be none to rise up, and thrust them from their conquests and claim their old inheritance. Such was the fruit of habitually indulged covetousness. Yet who beforehand would have thought it possible? (Ibid.)
Amo 1:15. He and his princes. Evil kings have evermore evil counsellors. It is ever the curse of such kings to have their own evil reflected, anticipated, fomented, enacted by bad advisers around them. They link together, but to drag one another into a common destruction. (Ibid.)Amo 2:1. Even the iniquity done to the godless, God will not leave unpunished. To rage against the bodies of the dead is sinful and horrible. Pusey justly remarks, The soul being beyond mans reach, the hatred vented upon ones remains is a sort of impotent grasping after eternal vengeance. It wreaks upon what it knows to be insensible the hatred with which it would pursue, if it could, the living being who is beyond it. Hatred which death cannot extinguish is the beginning of the eternal hate in hell.
Amo 1:3Amo 2:3. Who shall not tremble at the judgments of God? But who shall not gain confidence against all the insolence of men, from the thought how God has judged the world? Who shall not shun all rage, cruelty, and violence, since he knows that God avenges all such sins?
Amo 2:4. Because they despised the law, etc. Many other sins prevailed among the Jewish people, but by mentioning only these two,contempt for the law and false worship,the Lord shows that they are the most grievous, since they violate the first and great commandment, and make up the three and four, i.e., seven, the complete number of sins, the fullness of the measure of iniquity. For it is one of Gods greatest benefits that He gives us his Word containing the revelation of his will and thus points the way not only to our temporal welfare but to eternal blessedness. To throw to the winds such a gift is the grossest ingratitude. From this contempt of the Word, there follows necessarily the other sin of idolatry. For a man cannot exist without a God and worship; his nature forbids it. If any one turns aways from the Word in which God reveals his nature and will, he must needs devise to himself a deity and a worship which is nothing but a pernicious lie.Despised. The prophet uses a bold word in speaking of mans dealings with God. Man carries on the serpents first fraud, Hath God indeed said? He would not willingly own that he is directly at variance with the mind of God. It were too silly as well as too terrible. So he smoothes it over to himself, lying to himself: Gods Word must not be taken so precisely. God cannot have meant. The author of nature would not have created us so if He had meant. Such are the excuses by which man evades owning to himself that he is trampling under foot the mind of God. Scripture draws off the veil. Judah had the law of God and did not keep it; then he despised it. This ignoring of Gods known will and law and revelation is to despise them as effectually as to curse God to his face. (Pusey.)After which their fathers walked. The children canonize the errors of their fathers. Human opinion is as dogmatic as revelation. The second generation of error demands as implicit submission as Gods truth. The transmission of error against himself, God says, aggravates the evil, does not excuse it. (Ibid.)
Amo 2:5. Will send fire into Judah. So we know that a fiery stream will come forth and destroy all who, whether or no they are in the body of the Church, are not of the heavenly Jerusalem; dead members in the body which belongs to the living Head. And it will not the less come, because it is not regarded. Rather, the very condition of all Gods judgments is to be disregarded and to come, and then most to come when they are most disregarded. (Ibid.)
Amo 2:6. For three transgressions of Israel, etc. We see here that the idolatry of Israel was a fountain of all sorts of misdeeds, even of such as would shock a reasonable man, as the list shows; perversion of justice, oppression of the poor, unnatural uncleanness and shameless luxury.
Amo 2:7. Pant after the dust. Covetousness, when it has nothing to feed on, craves for the absurd or impossible. What was Naboths vineyard to a king of Israel with his ivory palace f What was Mordecais refusal to bow to one in honor like Haman? Covetousness is the sin, mostly not of those who have not, but of those who have. It grows with its gains, and is the less satisfied the more it has to satisfy it. (Pusey.)To profane my holy name. The sins of Gods people are a reproach upon himself. They bring Him, so to say, in contact with sin, and defeat the object of his creation and revelation. 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. (Ibid.)
Amo 2:8. They stretch themselves, etc. They condensed sin. By a sort of economy in the toil they blended many sins into one: idolatry, sensuality, cruelty, and, in all, the express breach of Gods commandments. This dreadful assemblage was doubtless smoothed over to the conscience of the ten tribes, by that most hideous ingredient of all, that the house of their God was the place of their revelry. What hard-heartedness to the willfully-forgotten poor is compensated by a little churchgoing! (Ibid.)
Amo 2:9-10. And I destroyed, etc. We need often to be reminded of the mercies we have received, which are the heaviest aggravations of the sins we have committed. God gives liberally and upbraids us not with our meanness and unworthiness, and the disproportion between his gifts and our merit; but He justly upbraids us with our ingratitude and ill-requital of his favors, and tells us what He has done for us, to shame us for not rendering again according to the benefit done to us. (M. Henry.)
Amo 2:11. I raised up dedicated ones. The life of the Nazarite was a continual protest against the self-indulgence and worldliness of the people. It was a life above nature. They had no special office except to live that life. Their life taught. Nay, it taught in one way the more, because they had no special gifts of wisdom or knowledge, nothing to distinguish them from ordinary men except extraordinary grace. They were an evidence what all might be and do, if they used the grace of God. (Pusey.)
Amo 2:12. Made them drink wine. What men despise they do not oppose. They kill us, they do not despise us, were the true words of a priest in the French Revolution. Had the men in power not respected the Nazarites, or felt that the people respected them, they would not have attempted to corrupt or to force them to break their vow. (Ibid).I command the prophets, Prophecy not. Those have a great deal to answer for who cannot bear faithful preaching, and those much more who suppress it. (M. Henry.)
Amo 2:13-16. When Gods judgments go forth, no power, wisdom, wealth, arms, swiftness or experience, is of any avail. Because men so readily fall into contempt of Gods judgments as something easy to be avoided, He at times expresses them in such terms as to show that no escape is possible. (Rieger.)
Footnotes:
[1]Amo 1:6., l, exile; but usually concrete, exiles.
[2]Amo 1:6., complete, therefore in full number=all the prisoners.
[3]Amo 1:11. depends upon , which continues in force as a conjunction., detroys = stifles his compassion = acts mercilessly.
[4]Amo 1:11 may be rendered, and his wrath lies in wait forever, namely, to perpetrate cruelties. [So Ewald; but Keil justly objects that the verb, applied to wrath in Jer 3:5, means to keep, preserve, and that lying in wait is inapplicable to an emotion.] for , the accent being drawn back because of the tone-syllable in the following word, . [Ewald and Green make a nominative absolute, and suppose an omitted mappik in the last letter of the verb, so as to translate, and it keeps its wrath forever.]
[5]Amo 1:15.. Some of the Greek versions, followed by the Syriac and Jerome, give the form , Melchom, as a proper name, but the common text is sustained by the LXX. and Chaldee, and required by the connection.]
[6]Amo 2:3. analogous to , in Amo 1:5; Amo 1:8, is simply a rhetorical variation for .
[7]Amo 2:4. = Gods law, his preceptive will in general. = the separate precepts, whether ceremonial or moral.]
[8]Amo 2:6. is not synonymous with pretii, but means on account of. Frst, Keil, etc. [Pusey and Wordsworth adopt the former view.]
[9]Amo 2:7., not so that, but, in order that, indicating that the sin was practiced not from weakness or ignorance, but a studious contempt of the Holy God.
[10]Amo 2:8.: punished in money, i. e., fined, as in the margin of the Auth. Version.
[11]Amo 2:8., not their gods, i. e., idols [as Henderson], but their God.
[12]Amo 2:9.The repetition of the personal pronoun , here and in Amo 1:10, is very emphatic, equivalent to our English phrase, It was I who, etc.]
[13]Amo 2:13., to enclose, compress, crush, , Keil renders down upon you = crush you. [So Winer. Gesenius, Ewald.] Frst takes the word here and elsewhere as a substantive, meaning place, position, and renders, I will compress your standing-place. The pressure is compared to that of a cart. According to the usual explanation, the cart is further defined as full of sheaves. But in that case it is strange that the pressure of a full cart should be used to represent the destructive crushing here intended. A more appropriate comparison is found in the pressure by which a threshing cart threshes the sheaves. It is better therefore to take as the object, and to refer to = the full threshing cart, since such a cart is always conceived of as heavily laden. The explanation of Frst is forced. He supplies , to which he refers the adjective, so as to render upon the floor full of sheaves.
[14]Amo 2:13. , lit., which is full in itself, has quite filled itself.
[15]Amo 2:14. .The same combination is found in Psa 142:4.]
[16]Amo 2:15. belongs to both members of the verse.
[17]Amos 2:16. = the strong in his heart, i. e., the courageous.
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
CONTENTS
In this first Chapter, Amos in the Lord’s name is calling to account the several nations in the neighborhood of Israel, and rousing them to the apprehension of divine judgments.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The Prophet in a very modest preface, here introduceth himself and his commission, He was but a poor herd man, and that was among the humblest stations. And yet he was called by grace to the work. Reader! recollect how many in all ages of the Church, have been thus Singled out, and set apart for the ministry. What a damp to the pride of life! Elisha shall be called from plowing; and David from the sheep cotes; yea, the Apostles of Christ from fishing! The gospel never flourished in our land equal to those days, when men went forth with their lives in their hand, not sent by men, but by the Lord. The time of Amos commencing his labors is noted by the earthquake. Concerning this earthquake, we have a more certain account of the fact than we have of the time of it. Zechariah con-firms that it was in the days of Uzziah, but doth not state the year. Zec 14:5 . Some make it to he about the time of Isaiah’s vision. Isa 6 . And others when Uzziah profaned the temple. 2Ch 26:16-21 . But what I more particularly beg the Reader to remark is, the solemn way and manner in which the Lord’s warnings are given. Amos calls it, the Lord roaring from Zion, and uttering his voice from Jerusalem. All the Lord’s calls are powerful. And those from his Church and people more alarming than every other!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The Prophet Amos
Amo 1:1
To estimate the Prophets’ message we must consider something of the times in which they lived and the circumstances under which they spoke. Let us do so in the case of the Prophet Amos, from whose writings our lessons for Today are taken. You will notice as you study the prophetical books of the Old Testament that in almost every case the writing opens with a short description of the writer and precise mention of the time during which his witness was given.
I. The Prophet Amos. The book of Amos opens with these words: ‘The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which 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’. We learn here one or two interesting particulars. In the first place, Amos was of humble origin. He had not been brought up in the stir and bustle of town life, but away on the open downs and pastures which stretch to the south of Jerusalem, where he had tended his flocks and pruned his sycamore-trees, far from the haunts of men, his experience of towns confined probably to the yearly journey to one of the markets of the land to sell his wool and dispose of his fruit; and so there he appeared, a mere yokel, in the midst of the festival of Bethel, and was roughly bidden by Amaziah to go about his business. ‘I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.’ God has His own way of preparing His servants for their work, and Amos is not the only Prophet who was in the deserts until the day of his showing unto Israel. There, in the unmitigated wilderness, as a graphic writer calls it, where life is reduced to poverty and danger, where Nature starves the imagination but excites the faculties of perception and curiosity, with the mountain tops, the sunrise in his face, but, above all, with Jerusalem so near, Amos heard the Voice calling him to be a Prophet, and gathered those symbols and figures in which his Prophet’s message reaches us with so fresh and so austere an air. The time of his message was the latter part, probably, of the reign of the namesake of the founder of the kingdom, Jeroboam, the second of whom it is said that ‘he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin’. In Amos, therefore, as most critics agree, we have the earliest recorded voice of prophecy.
II. To Whom he Spoke. Now let us try for a moment to estimate the state of society in Israel in the reign of Jeroboam II. The record of his time is in the fourteenth chapter of the second book of Kings. It was a time of singular prosperity. But prosperity and security brought, as is too often the case, grave evils in their train, and the pages of the Prophet disclose a state of society very different from the old. The primitive simplicity had disappeared, and luxury, oppression, and vice were abounding. Partly for defence and partly for pleasure, society was congregating in the towns. Agriculture was being displaced by commerce, and rural simplicity was giving way to the dangers and conventionalities of city life. The rich were conspicuous for their luxury. They had their winter and their summer houses, sumptuously furnished, houses of ivory, and great houses, as Amos called them, where they feasted to excess. Public and private virtues alike had decayed, and, engrossed with their own pleasures, the individuals showed a callous indifference to the moral ruin of their country. ‘They are not grieved for affliction of Joseph,’ says the Prophet. If the outward ordinances of religion were scrupulously observed, there was no heart worship. They sought evil and not good. Now into such a state of society Amos comes, an unwelcome intruder doubtless, even a despised personality, whose countrified aspect would provoke a smile, but burdened with a message from Jehovah, which he is bold to deliver. In the first place he rudely dispels the fond idea which Israel hugged in its national pride that to the favoured nation of Jehovah no harm could happen. ‘You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.’ Such is his startling and almost paradoxical message, and then, in a series of simple figures, drawn from his desert life and shepherd experience, he strives to gain the ear of the people for himself. Having rebuked their self-delusion, he goes on to predict the comings judgment, and in clear terms he lays down what God requires of them.
III. The Message and Our Own Times. The writings of the Prophets have a function to discharge and a moral to convey to the twentieth century. Recognize, it has been said, that the fundamental meaning of the prophecies must be that which they bore to the living generation to whom they were first addressed, and you are at once inspired by their message to the men of your own time. Yes, and how history repeats itself in the circumstances of our time! The dangers and temptations of city life, as agriculture gives place to commerce, the snare of luxury, the deadening influence of a mere pleasure-seeking existence, the falling away from the simple life, the pride of national prosperity, the bitter cry of the poor, the delusion of a worship which is merely ceremonial, are not all these things with us Today, and do they not form a menace not only to national righteousness and justice and purity, but also to that real personal religion, to that seeking the Lord through Him Who is the Light and to Whom the Old Testament witnesses, and whom the New Testament reveals? Are there none here who feel anxious, sometimes, as to the future of their country, none who have grieved over the sins of our age in the great cities of the world, the insensate luxury, the commercial immorality, the unchastity, the callousness, dark stains on her nominal Christianity? Are there none who fear lest God might say, ‘Shall I not visit for these things, shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?’ We need a Prophet’s voice, backed by a Prophet’s power. ‘Seek the Lord and ye shall live. Seek good and not evil. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.’ We need the power which came in another, a much later Prophet’s vision, when upon the dry bones lying white and bare in the valley the quickening breath of God came, vivifying them into life and activity. And so upon our beloved land, upon our great cities, upon our congregations, upon individual men and women, we want the Divine breath to come which shall quicken each soul, inducing righteousness, stimulating faith, increasing love, till a great army of true and loyal servants of Jesus Christ stands upon their feet, each one a power for righteousness working unceasingly for the conversion of fresh souls and for the regeneration of society. For it is and we must never lose sight of the truth through individual souls seeking for God that the awakening and regeneration must come.
References. II. 11, 12. S. R. Driver, Sermons on Subjects Connected with the Old Testament, p. 99. II. 13. Spur-geon, Sermons, vol. viii. No. 466. III. 1, 2. H. Hensley Henson, Christ and the Nation, p. 117; see also Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxvi. 1904, p. 120. III. 2. W. R. Inge, All Saints’ Sermons, 1905-1907, p. 59. H. C. G. Moule, Fordington Sermons, p. 39. J. H. Rushbrooke, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxxiii. 1908, p. 259. III. 3. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. x. No. 597; vol. xlvi. No. 2668. W. Hay M. H. Aitken, Mission Sermons (3rd Series), p. 82. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets, p. 143. III. 3-6. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xii. No. 705. III. 6. Ibid. vol. vii. No. 426. H. D. Rawnsley, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xliv. 1893, p. 389. III. 7. C. Holland, Gleanings from a Ministry of Fifty Years, p. 150. IV. 4-13. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets, p. 150. IV. 10, 11. Hugh Price Hughes, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lii. 1897, p. 177. IV. 11. A. F. Wilmington Ingrain, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lix. 1901, p. 169. IV.12. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xvi. No. 923, vol. li. No. 2965. H. P. Liddon, Advent in St. Paul’s, pp. 317, 329, 343, 355. ‘Plain Sermons’ by contributors to the Tracts for the Times, vol. i. p. 287, vol. vii. p. 225. J. M. Neale, Sermons Preached in Sackville College Chapel, vol. i. p. 51. W. C. E. Newbolt, Church Times, vol. lii. 1904, p. 793. V. 4. H. C. Beeching, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxx. 1906, p. 345. V. 4-15. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets, p. 157. V. 4-27. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. li. No. 2965. V. 5. Hugh Price Hughes, Essential Christianity, p. 179.
Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson
Divine Judgments
Amo 1
“The words of Amos, who was among the herd men of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel” ( Amo 1:1 ).
Prophets persist in saying that they “saw” the word of God. It is more than a graphic expression; the explanation is not to be found in Hebrew poetry alone. Here is the expression of a deep conviction; here are men, be they whom they may, who shut out every other sight from their eyes, and had their vision fixed upon what they at least supposed to be the word of God. If it be sentimental we shall soon discover it; if it be lacking in substance it will not bear the pressure of the critical finger; but if it be moral, honest, noble, such a vision as commends itself to the conscience of the world, by so much will the prophet justly acquire credit and justly be invested with authority. We shall pay no attention to mere verbal colouring, or to mere verbal music; we shall listen to find out, if we can, whether there is any conscience in the strain, and by the conscience we shall stand or fall in regard to our estimate of any prophet.
Amos was not ashamed of his descent. Amos was not a farmer; Amos was, in the opinion of the best critics, a farm-labourer. We have great interest in farm-labourers as a whole, or in a certain indefinite sense in the abstract Who cares to be upon very close intimacy with a field hand or a cowherd? Yet this is just what Amos was; and to a little outdoor work he added the process of cleaning and preparing the fruit either for preservation or for sale; and whilst he was doing his farm work, and attending to his fruit, a blast from heaven struck his deepest consciousness, and he stood up a prophet. The Lord will bring his prophets just as he pleases, and from what place he chooses. We should like him sometimes to bring them from other places and in other clothes, and with other pedigrees. We are neatly-minded; we pay attention to appearances; we are the devotees of a perishing, because a superficial, respectability. We would have all the clergy brought from the higher ranges of social life, even though they be second sons, and even though they be not equal to the first in breadth and grasp of intellect The Lord will not have it so, and he will be Lord. God cannot vacate. Somebody must come down from the chair of authority; God will not, God cannot, for the reason that he is God. Amos was a field hand, and yet he was fearless; he was all the more fearless because he was a field hand. A farmer could not have been so fearless. The plough was his if nothing else, and some little agricultural property belonged to him, and it would never do needlessly to send abroad a breath of tempest, a roar of judgment. It did hot matter to the field hand where he slept; he could sleep as well outside as inside: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” he was rich in his poverty. Amos was an agricultural labourer; yet he was religious. That is an impossible miracle. That a labourer should have any religion or ever pretend to pray is a startling circumstance. Yet thus it hath pleased God to work, that the mother knows more than the father, the woman’s eye sees miles beyond the masculine vision; while the man is getting his lenses ready, the woman has read all the small print on the horizon. Father, thou hast hidden many things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, for so it seemeth good in thy sight. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. When we know least we often know best Amos was a farm-labourer, yet he was equal to the occasion. Education is never equal to anything that is supremely great Information is handy, useful, and is sometimes particularly available in instances in which men try to make progress by contradiction; but there come times in human history when inspiration must go to the front; talent neat, measurable, drilled, educated, and expensively adjusted talent must go behind, and genius must go to the first place. When we are inspired we forget our rags. Inspiration makes the lowliest descent noble. A man may not have descended from the Plantagenets, he may only have descended from the Shakespeares and Miltons, the Isaiahs and the Ezekiels. It is often conceived that there is only a fleshly pedigree, as if flesh and bone might come down respectable; but what of that mystery that connects the lowliest with the most vital intellectual genealogies? What of that mysterious power that takes a man from the plough, and makes him sing until the ages listen?
Whom God calls let not man despise. God’s elections are startling. When did the Lord choose as we thought he ought to have chosen? The old prophet in search of a king or a successor of a royal line will look upon stature and say, Not that: nobility of figure, and royalty of mien, as who should say in his every attitude, I am king to the manner born, and the old prophet will say, Not that And when all the best specimens of the family have passed under prophetic review, he will say, Is there not another? There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him understanding. The Lord elected in Amos a layman. Ought the laity to prophesy? Ought the pew to have any voice in the church? The Lord answers our inquiries in the affirmative; the Lord has allowed women to preach; the Lord has encouraged little children to make the church walls ring with their resilient and vibrant voices; and when learned rabbis would have checked them, and even imperfect disciples would have had them silenced, he said, Let the children sing; if they did not sing the stones would sing. This is the Lord’s manner of election, and we will not have it. It is always officially unpopular. It is a terrible thing for any man to be official. He is no longer himself his natural, free, frank, fresh, genial, original self; he is weighed down with something; he is afraid of spectators; he reads the bible of precedent; he studies the apocrypha of tradition; and he is always thankful when the official day is over and the official salary is paid. Officialism will not allow the laity to speak above a whisper; officialism will look upon even those who occupy positions of teaching, and unless they have come through a certain routine they will say, Irregular! That is a dangerous word in the mouth of officialism. Officialism is nothing if not regular. Yet all the divine election has been lost upon us; we are as stupid to-day as the men were in the most ancient times. We cannot have it that God has stooped to put a ploughman in the prophet’s office. We may get over it a century afterwards; there may be those who would to-day clap their hands applaudingly at the mention of the name of Bunyan who would not admit a living Bunyan to fellowship, intimacy, hospitality. Something might be given to him at the back door. It is one thing to applaud the heroes, the prophets, the seers of old time, and another to recognise their successors to-day.
History is lost upon us. We learn nothing. How can we learn anything when we were born in the bottle of an island, and we are afraid lest anybody should draw the cork, and let us see out?
Amos begins where all rude, energetic minds begin; they begin in denunciation. Judgment seems to be a natural work for them to conduct. They may be educated out of this educated into moderation, into connivance, into compromise, into concession, but speaking fresh from the Lord, speaking after immediately turning round from the divine face, they judge the world. “Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?” And Amos issues his judgment against Damascus, Gaza, Tyrus, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah, Israel, all round the circle that judgment fire sparkles and blazes. It was like a farm-labourer, to have no resource but fire. All this is true to nature. It seems so much easier to denounce than to discriminate. Even young prophets began with thunder and lightning; in every instance Amos, representing the Lord, says, “But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad…. But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof…. But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof…. But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah…. But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.” And the nobles were lying on divans of ivory, having corrupted themselves to the point of rottenness. There are times in human history when the only disinfectant that can work the real miracle is fire. Fire never fails. When the prophet says, “For three, and for four transgressions” of Damascus, Gaza, Tyrus, Edom, Moab, Judah, Israel, he is not using an arithmetical term; the expression is idiomatic, it means the surplus sin the sin that overflows. The vessel of iniquity is filled up, and then another great wickedness is put in, and the vessel overflows, “for three, yea, for four” for a multitude of sins, for sin carried to the point of aggravation and intolerableness. I will send a fire upon the divans, and the couches of ivory shall be burned, and the nobles shall be disinfected with death. We need voices of this kind; they help to keep the average of human history well up to the mark. We could not live on lullabys, we do not want nursery rhymes; they may come in now and again. There may come times when we sing, “Far, far away, like bells at evening pealing,” that may be indeed a sweet nonsense or useful piety, as the case may be; but the ages have made it fire and brimstone, thunder and lightning, judgment, criticism sharp as the eyes of God. Those you find in the Bible. The Bible is not only the most mysterious and transcendental book in literature; it is the most moral book. There is most of honesty in it right, fair, square, downright dealing with wrong, whatever the guise in which it hides its ugliness; the Bible will tear the visor from the actor’s face, and show him in all his native and calculated odiousness.
What were the punishments for? Here again arises the moral standard. Will the Lord punish for the sake of punishing? Does he call for war simply that he may tear the prophets in twain, and wither the pride of Carmel, sweetest garden of the world, snowy with blossoms of purest white, green with emerald such as eyes had never seen or art invented? Is this arbitrary wrath? The answers are before us; we can judge the course of the divine policy and action. There is in every instance a cause. Take Damascus “because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron.” The Lord will not commend cruelty. If you oppress any man because he is weak the Lord’s fire will burn you, even though that man be only an apprentice in your establishment, or a doorkeeper in your house of commerce, or a pauper supposedly under your care. Who is there in the world that cannot contemn with living scorn a man who has no money? He seems to be born to be driven out of the way ordered to move on. How goes the judgment? Read in the case of Tyrus “because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant.” Passion cares nothing for treaties. We meet in solemn congress, and write covenants and clauses and stipulations, and we adorn our signatures with infinite sealing-wax, and we say, This is better than war. It may be, or it may not be; that depends upon the use we make of the document. A man adds to his infamy when he denies his own signature, especially when that signature pledges him to responsibilities of the gravest and costliest kind. When passion overcomes any man he is no longer himself; he cannot consult moral obligations, or review himself in the light of spiritual judgments; the very devil infests every corner of his being, and the covenant is disannulled.
How goes the judgment? Is it arbitrary? Read in the case of Edom “because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever.” The Lord will not have pitilessness. When Edom pursued he did not simply run a race, and when his breath failed return. The word “pursued” here means persisted. When we pursue a man in this sense we give him no rest, we hunt him night and day; if he have retired to slumber we awake him; if the man has concealed himself in the sanctuary of midnight, we uncover him, arrest him, and rejoice in his nakedness, and turn his shame into mockery. The Lord will not allow man to treat man thus. The Lord hath respect unto his own image and likeness. There may be lawful contentions, legitimate controversies; there may be competing claims which require a very nice judgment to adjust and settle; but man is not to pursue man as if one side of the party or controversy were immaculate and pure as the untrodden snow, and the other were all villainy, deceit, and wrong. Not thus will the Lord have the controversies of men adjusted. How goes the war? Hear the case of Ammon “they have ripped up the women with child, that they might enlarge their border.” God will not have ill-gotten gain. Enlargement of borders is nothing compared with righteousness. Yet to what will covetousness not drive a man? It will take away his sleep; it will make him jealous; it will fill him with rapacity. He must have something more, and yet another, and beyond; much will have more, and more most, and most all; and thus the infinite aggravation goes on. What if the Lord should stand up in the presence of his prophet, and say there can be no judgment upon this, short of the judgment of fire? Take the case of Moab the Lord “will send a fire upon Moab,” “because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.” Edom had his rights; though Edom has been pronounced upon thus severely, yet even Edom was not divested of rights; and because Moab desecrated the tombs, or sought to turn the bones of the king of Edom into an element of profit and personal pecuniary advantage, the Lord will burn him. For the scheme of time is not a scheme of chance. There is righteousness at the heart of things; there is a throne above the stars. Thus in judgment we get comfort; thus in the terribleness of the divine wrath we see the vindication of divine and human rights.
Hear the instance of Judah “because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments… therefore there shall be fire sent upon them.” Hear the case of Israel “because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes.” They turned the Lord’s people into profit, they made chattels of them. They did not see the image and likeness of God on the very poorest human face; and so for a pair of sandals they would sell the poor, for a handful of silver the righteous might go into captivity. Nay more, “they pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor.” Various interpretations of these mysterious words have been given. The one I adopt is that which fixes the meaning as: So covetous are they, that when the poor man has put ashes on the top of his head in sign of mourning, these people want to get those ashes into their own hands, that they may sell them for profit! This is the way of avarice. Is it right to punish such men? Do not fix your attention on the fire and the brimstone and the roaring out of the God of Zion, but fix your attention upon the object which the divine judgment has in view. What were the circumstances with which God had to deal? Look at the corruption, and then look at the judgment, and what if, after all, it be found that such judgment under such circumstances is but an act of mercy? These sins can never be got out of the world but by one process. Judgment can never destroy them. The Lord has shown that the sword has no power whatever in bringing things into moral relation, and setting up the sphere and kingdom of spiritual righteousness. Put up thy sword into its sheaf; that piece of iron can do nothing in the way of propagating truth and divine righteousness. Nay, the Lord has proved by his providence that judgment can do nothing towards the conversion of the world. Men may be desolated and sore afraid; they may be swallowed up with water; they may be burned with fire and brimstone as Sodom and Gomorrah, and yet their sin will assert itself, because selfishness is deeper at present than spirituality. All this must give place to a grand spiritual ministry. The conversion of the world is the work of God the Holy Ghost, and God the Holy Ghost does not take of his own, but of the things of Christ he takes Gethsemane with its sweat of blood; Calvary with its cry of agony; the resurrection with its signals of triumph and victory; the intercession of the risen Priest, as an assurance that the vilest sinner may return from the uttermost places of the earth. It is along this line that the world has to be bettered, reformed, regenerated, sanctified. For Christianity is not a reformation, it is a regeneration; it is not a new cloak, it is a new character. Therefore let us maintain the testimony of the Cross; let us be faithful to those profound evangelical truths and doctrines which take the largest, grandest view of history and of futurity. The work is holy, it is the Lord’s work, and the Lord will conduct it in his own way and in his own time; and let us say to him, Lord, the harvest is thine; find the labourers where thou wilt Lord, here am I, send me; or if some other man will serve thy purpose better, send him, and keep me at home. The Lord choose his own instruments, his own reapers, his own orators and ministers; only dwell in them, qualify them by continual fellowship with God, and make them mighty, not after the withering power of man, but after the power of an endless life; may there in the simplest of them be a mystery which means God’s autograph, God’s endorsement.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
V
THE BOOK OF AMOS PART I
Amo 1:1-2:16
Amos, the author of the book by his name, was a native of Tekoa, a herdsman and a dresser of sycomore trees. He was not educated for a prophet but was called by the Lord from his rural employment to bear his message to the Northern Kingdom (Amo 1:1 ; Amo 7:14 ).
Tekoa, the home of Amos, was a city about twelve miles south of Jerusalem, six miles south of Bethlehem, built for defense by Rehoboam (2Ch 11:5-6 ). It was situated on an eminence, beyond which (south) there was no village, not even crude cottages or huts. Such is the vast wilderness which stretches to the Red Sea and the borders of the Persians, Ethiopians, and Indians. The country is a dry, sandy soil and full of shepherds that make amends for the barrenness of the land by the multitude of their flocks. Its elevation gave it a wide prospect. On the west is seen the sweep of the range from Mizpah to Hebron; on the east, the wilderness of Judah; on the north, Bethlehem; to the right, in the bottom of a wild ravine, is the cave of Adullam. Farther down, on the shores of the Dead Sea, are “the cliffs of the wild goats,” from whose side springs the fountain of Engedi. Beyond the Dead Sea is the wall-like ridge of Moab, and to the south, the ruddy-tinted mountains of Edom. Now a mournful and solitary silence broods over that wonderful panorama. Tekoa now lies in ruins covering four or five acres, without building sufficient to shade a man from the scorching sun. Such was the surroundings of the boy, Amos, who used the geographical peculiarities of his native land with telling effect in his prophecies.
The date of his prophecy is given in Amos I: I: “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.” This was early in the eighth century B.C., or about 760 B.C., but the date cannot be fixed with exactness. The earthquake referred to is mentioned in only one other place (Zec 14:5 ), and from this the exact date cannot be ascertained.
The occasion of these prophecies is found in the history of the times in which he wrote. It was when Israel and Judah both enjoyed great prosperity and there was much indulgence in the luxuries of wealth by the upper classes while the poor were suffering from their extreme poverty. The moral condition of the people was terrible. Crime was perverted, and almost every form of iniquity abounded in the land. The nations round about were also corrupt and Judah had turned away from the law of Jehovah. There was enough in the vision of Amos from his lofty position at Tekoa to stir his righteous soul into an outburst of denunciation. Such was the occasion of his prophecy.
The canonicity of the book of Amos is abundantly supported by both Jewish and Christian writers.
The force, beauty, and freshness of the images freely employed by Amos are very evident. Oratorical in style, graphic in description, powerful in thought, observation, and expression he exhibits a wonderful natural ability. The very simplicity of his language makes it impressive. In simple, unadorned eloquence, in structural regularity, in natural vigor, and in loftiness of thought, Amos reaches a well-grounded eminence, and the author of such writings was in no wise behind the very chiefest of the prophets. His prophecy is after the model of a well-ordered discourse.
The second verse gives his text: “Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the pastures of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.” It is taken from Joe 3:16 and indicates the denunciatory nature of his message.
The outline is simple in its general features. There are three main divisions and a conclusion.
Introduction
1. Title, author, and date (Amo 1:1 )
2. The text and subject (Amo 1:2 )
I. Denunciations of the nations (Amo 1:3-2:16 )
1. Syria (Amo 1:3-5 )
2. Philistia (Amo 1:6-8 )
3. Phoenicia (Amo 1:9-10 )
4. Edom (Amo 1:11-12 )
5. Ammon (Amo 1:13-15 )
6. Moab (Amo 2:1-3 )
7. Judah (Amo 2:4-5 )
8. Israel (Amo 2:6-16 )
II. Proclamations to Israel ( Amos 3-6)
1. Jehovah’s verdict and sentence (Amo 3 )
2. Jehovah’s indictment and summons (Amo 4 )
3. Jehovah’s judgment and woe (Amos 5-6)
III. Revelations for all (Amo 7:1-9:10 )
1. The locusts judgment threatened and restrained (Amo 7:1-3 )
2. The fire judgment threatened and restrained (Amo 7:4-6 )
3. The plumb line judgment determined (Amo 7:7-9 )
4. Historical interlude conflict with Amaziah (Amo 7:10-17 )
5. The basket of fruit judgment imminent (Amo 8:1-14 )
6. Jehovah himself judgment executed (Amo 9:1-10 ) Conclusion restoration (Amo 9:11-15 )
The subject of the prophecy of Amos is judgment, or national accountability. This is indicated by his text: “Jehovah will roar from Zion,” which means that God would soon spread terror, like wild beasts when they roar, or that he would soon display his power in executing judgment. The next clause of the text is a parallel thought in which the figure is extended. At the sound of God’s voice all nature withers.
“For three transgressions . . . yea, for four,” introducing the denunciations of the nations, is a favorite phrase of the prophet used, not to express a definite number of transgressions, but means many, or multiplied transgressions, a definite number being put for an indefinite number. (See Job 5:19 for a parallel case.)
Fire is used in these several denunciations to symbolize all the severities of war (see Num 21:28 ), and as an emblem of God’s wrath (see Deu 32:22 ). However, in some instances here it has a literal fulfilment in the devouring flame itself.
The charge here brought against Syria is that they threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron, the account of which we find in 2Ki 10:32-33 ; 2Ki 13:3-7 . The judgment here denounced with the destruction of their city and the captivity of the people, which was fulfilled when Tiglath-pileser took Damascus, carried the people captive to Kir, and slew Rezen, the king (2Ki 16:9 ).
The charge preferred against Philistia was that she had carried captive the whole people, meaning that neither age nor sex was spared (2Ch 21:16 ; 2Ch 28:18 ), and delivered them over to Edom. The judgment denounced was the complete destruction of the Philistines, which was fulfilled at different times and by different parties. Gaza was taken by Sennacherib, by Pharaoh-Necho, and by Alexander the Great. Ashdod was taken by Uzziah, by Sargon’s chief, Tartan, and by Psammetichus, king of Egypt, and finally destroyed by the Maccabees (1 Maccabees 5:68; 1 Maccabees 10:77-84; 1 Maccabees 11:4). Ashkelon was taken by Sennacherib who also took Ekron. There seems to have been a more distinct fulfilment of the prophecies relating to these cities by Hezekiah (2Ki 18:8 ; Isa 14:29 ). The remnant of the Philistines perished at the hands of the Assyrians (Isa 20 ).
The charge against Phoenicia (Tyre) was that they had delivered up all their captives to Edom and had disregarded the brotherly covenant made by Hiram with David and Solomon. The judgment denounced was Tyre’s destruction, which was fulfilled in the thirteen years’ siege by Nebuchadnezzar and its final and complete destruction by Alexander the Great.
The charge preferred against Edom was that of his perpetual hatred against his brother, Jacob, and consequent pursuit of Israel without pity. The judgment denounced was a fire upon Teman and Bozrah, the two principal cities of Edom. This was fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar when he captured these cities and invaded Egypt.
The charge preferred against Ammon was her cruelty to the people of Gilead, which occurred, perhaps, in connection with the cruelties perpetrated by Hazael, king of Syria (2Ki 8:12 ; 2Ki 10:33 ; cf. 2Ki 15:16 and Hos 13:16 ). The punishment denounced upon Ammon was the destruction of Rabbah and the captivity of their king, perhaps meaning their god, Molech. This prophecy was fulfilled when the city was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, either at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, or in the course of his Egyptian invasion.
The charge preferred against Moab was that “he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime,” which was done, doubtless, in connection with Israel or Judah, and may have been when the Edomites joined Jehoram and Jehoshaphat in the league against Mesha, the king of Moab (2Ki 3:7 ; 2Ki 3:9 ). There is a Jewish tradition that after this war the Moabites, in revenge for assistance which the king of Edom had given to the Israelites, dug up and dishonored his bones. This sacrilegious act was meant to redound to the disgrace of Israel. Hence this prophecy against Moab. The judgment denounced was that Moab should be destroyed, which was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar conquered this country (Jer 27:3 ; Jer 27:6 ).
The charge preferred against Judah was that he had rejected the law of Jehovah, and had not kept his statutes; that their lies had caused them to err, after which their fathers had walked. The judgment denounced in this case was that Jerusalem should be destroyed, which was literally fulfilled by Nebuzaradan, the captain of Nebuchadnezzar’s guard (2Ki 25:8-12 ). Amo 2:4 shows that Judah was already in ‘possession of God’s law but had broken his statutes. This refutes the radical theory as to the date of the writing of the Pentateuch. The charge preferred against Israel was fourfold: (1) injustice; (2) hardness of heart toward the poor; (3) incest; (4) luxury combined with idolatry. The judgment denounced here against Israel was the severest oppression and the most degrading captivity, which found fulfilment in the captivity wrought by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria (2Ki 17:6 ).
The prophet in this connection cites several incidents in the history of Israel which should have taught them that God was their defender and preserver when they humbled themselves before him and kept his law. These examples are: (1) the destruction of the Amorites; (2) their deliverance from Egypt and forty years in the wilderness; (3) God gave them prophets and Nazarites of their own sons to instruct and lead them in the right ways. There is here an additional charge, twofold: (1) they had caused the Nazarites to drink wine and (2) they had refused to let the prophets prophesy.
The passage, Amo 2:11 , is important since it shows that there were prophets and Nazarites long known in Israel before Amos another refutation of radical criticism.
In general, there is a difference between the sins of Judah and Israel for which they were all punished. The heathen were punished for cruelty or inhumanity in some form; Judah, for forsaking the law of Jehovah; Israel, for covetousness, injustice, lasciviousness, sacrilege, and forgetting Jehovah’s kindness and rejecting his messengers. This is positive evidence that all nations as well as individuals are under the law of retribution.
QUESTIONS
1. Who was Amos?
2. What can you say of the city of Tekoa?
3. What was the date of his prophecy?
4. What was the occasion of the prophecies?
5. What of the canonicity of the book of Amos?
6. What was the character of this prophecy?
7. What was his text and where did he get it?
8. What was his outline?
9. What the subject of this discourse and what the meaning of “Jehovah will roar from Zion”?
10. What was the meaning of the phrase, “For three transgressions. . . . yea, for four,” introducing the denunciations of the nations?
11. What was the meaning of “I will send a fire, etc.” used so frequently in these denunciations?
12. What was the charge against Syria here denounced, what the judgment and when fulfilled?
13. What was the charge preferred against Philistia, what the judgment denounced and when fulfilled?
14. What was the charge against Phoenicia, what the judgment and when fulfilled?
15. What was the charge against Edom, what the judgment and when fulfilled?
16. What was the charge preferred against Ammon, what the judgment denounced and when fulfilled?
17. What was the charge preferred against Moab, what the judgment denounced and when was it fulfilled?
18. What was the charge preferred against Judah, what the judgment denounced and when was it fulfilled?
19. What the importance of Amo 2:4 ?
20. What was the charge preferred against Israel, what the judgment denounced against her and when was it fulfilled?
21. What were lessons of history here cited by the prophet and what additional charge brought against Israel?
22. What was the importance of Amo 2:11 ?
23. What, in general, the difference between the sins of the heathen nations and the sins of Judah and Israel for which they were all punished?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Amo 1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which 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.
Ver. 1. The words of Amos ] Not of that Amos who was father to Isaiah (as some ancients, for want of Hebrew, mistook it), but a man of meaner rank; “rude in speech, but not in knowledge,” 2Co 11:6 , tam sensuum nomine quam simplicitate verborum clarus, as Jerome saith of Didymus. The Jews surname him , the stammerer; as if he had been a man, not only of a low, but of a letsome language; one that had an impediment in his speech ( ), as Mar 7:32 , and this they gather from his name Amos, which signifieth a burden, as if this herdsman had had bovem in lingua, a clog upon his tongue; and could not utter himself freely (like Michael Balbus). But let this pass for a Jewish tradition. True it is, that Amos is by interpretation a burden; and no less true, that the words of Amos are onerosa prophetia, the burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by him, See Trapp on “ Mal 1:1 “ who is a vehement prophet, laden with reproofs and threatenings comminationibus ae reprehensionibus onustus (as Luther saith of him), such as the land was not able to bear, said that malcontent Amaziah, Amo 7:10 who had fel in aure, his gall in his ears, as they write of some creatures. But truth must be spoken, however it be taken: neither may God’s ministers meddle with toothless truths only (as Balak did, Neither curse nor bless at all), but bind heavy burdens, if need be, upon the shoulders of obstinate sinners, that may cripple their iron sinews, and make them buckle under the sense of God’s unsupportable displeasure.
Who was among the herdmen of Tekoah
Which he saw concerning Israel
Concerning Israel
In the days of Uzziah, &c.
And in the days of Jeroboam
Two years before the earthquake
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Amo 1:1-2
1The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he envisioned in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
2He said,
The LORD roars from Zion
And from Jerusalem He utters His voice;
And the shepherds’ pasture grounds mourn,
And the summit of Carmel dries up.
Amo 1:1 Amos For the supposed meanings of this rare name see Introduction, I., B.
the shepherders This term occurs only one other time in the OT, sheepmaster, used of Mesha, King of Moab (cf. 2Ki 3:4). His occupation could also relate to cattle (BDB 133, cf. Amo 7:14). This is an unusual term (BDB 667, KB 719-720) and could refer to the ownership of a special kind of diminutive sheep (BDB 838, cf. Amo 7:15). Amos was (1) following Jewish tradition as a well-to-do businessman (sheep breeder, cf. The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1177) or (2) he was a poor herdsman and itinerant agricultural worker.
The Hebrew consonantal root mqd (KB 719-720) has many meanings.
1. to prick, to puncture
2. to clean, to shine (Arabic, to free or to save).
3. a poor type of sheep
4. money (Talmud, a small coin)
5. speckled (cf. Gen 30:32)
6. shepherd, herdsman, sheep breeder
7. title for high official (Ugaritic)
Context is crucial! Only context defines words. Cognates are only helpful when the word is rare. In Amos there are several words used to describe his occupation before his call by God.
1. shepherders Amo 1:1 — BDB 667
2. herdsman Amo 7:14 — BDB 133
3. from following the flock Amo 7:15 — BDB 29 and BDB 838
Tekoa The name (BDB 1075) means to pitch a tent (cf. Gen 31:25; Jer 6:3) or to blow a trumpet (cf. Eze 7:14). Tekoa is a city in the Judean desert, overlooking the Judean wilderness. It was about five miles south of Bethlehem. Isn’t it amazing how many of God’s leaders have come from the pastoral lifestyle?
which he envisioned in visions The term is literally saw (BDB 302, KB 301, Qal PERFECT). It is regularly used of an ecstatic vision (cf. Num 24:4; Num 24:16; Isa 1:1; Isa 2:1; Isa 2:13; Eze 12:27; Eze 13:16; Mic 1:1; Hab 1:1). It came to be one of three words used to designate a prophet (i.e., seer, e.g., Amo 7:12; 2Sa 24:11; 2Ki 17:13; 1Ch 21:9; 1Ch 29:29; 2Ch 9:29; 2Ch 12:15; 2Ch 19:2; 2Ch 29:25; 2Ch 29:29; 2Ch 33:19; 2Ch 35:15; Isa. 29:10, 25; Isa 30:10). See Special Topic: Prophet (the different Hebrew terms) .
The fact that Amo 1:1 mentions both words and visions may imply the two different kinds of genres that make up the prophecies of Amo 1:1-9. This is possible, but far from certain.
the days of Uzziah king of Judah He was a good king who reigned in Judah from 783-742 B.C. (for chart of possible dates see Appendix). The fact that the king of Judah was mentioned at all shows the prophet’s theological orientation toward Jerusalem. The prophets always condemn the splitting of the tribes in 922 B.C. (cf. 1Ki 12:16-20; 2 Chronicles 10). See Special Topic: Kings of the Divided Monarchy .
the days of Jeroboam. . .king of Israel This refers to Jeroboam II (BDB 914), who reigned over the Northern Ten Tribes from 786-746 B.C. (there are so many slightly differing dates, see Appendix). He was a very successful and efficient Monarch. Both Judah and Israel, at this period, were enjoying great prosperity because Assyria had defeated their traditional enemy to the north, Syria. Also, Assyria and Egypt were not expansionists during this period (see Introduction, VI).
two years before the earthquake This must have been a very strong earthquake because it is mentioned years later in Zec 14:5. It may be alluded to in Amo 8:8; Amo 9:1. Josephus (Antiq. 9.225) tells us that it is related to Uzziah’s sin of offering of a sacrifice (cf. 2Ch 26:16-21). This is either (1) a historical statement in an attempt to precisely set the date for Amos’ prophecy (Amo 1:1 is the most extensive dating attempt of any book of the OT) or (2) a way of reinforcing the judgment theme of Amos’ message from YHWH.
Amo 1:2 This begins the first poetic section in Amos. It is a summary of the entire book.
SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY
the LORD roars The term roars (BDB 980, KB 1367, Qal IMPERFECT) was also used of God’s voice as thunder, Job 37:3-5 and Jer 25:30. This seems to refer to God’s judgment (cf. Amo 3:8) based on Israel’s sins amidst their covenantal knowledge of YHWH (the nations mentioned were all part of David and Solomon’s kingdom and, therefore, had some knowledge of YHWH). This is similar to Joe 3:16.
The roar is the climactic moment of a lion’s kill, the moment of judgment. It can refer to deliverance, as in Joe 3:16; Hos 11:10, but in this context of God’s judgment. The Shepherd (Psalms 23) has become the aggressive attacker! What a role reversal sin causes!!
For LORD (YHWH) see the Special Topic following.
SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY
Zion. . .Jerusalem These two names are in a synonymous, parallel relationship (see Special Topic: HEBREW POETRY ). The Jews envisioned God as symbolically dwelling between the wings of the Cherubim over the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies of the temple on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem (cf. Exo 25:22).
Jerusalem was built on seven hills.
1. Mt. Zion was the hill on which the Jebusite citadel was located, which was not captured until David’s day (cf. Jos 15:63; 2Sa 5:6-10).
2. Mt. Moriah was the hill on which the temple was built (cf. Gen 22:2; 1Ch 21:1-22; 2Ch 3:1).
The mention of Jerusalem as the place from which God roars was a subtle way to reject the golden calves which Jeroboam I set up (at Bethel and Dan) in Israel. God dwelt in Judah’s temple (cf. Amo 9:11), not Israel’s shrines (cf. Amo 4:4; Amo 5:5; Amo 8:14)!
The original meaning of both Zion (BDB 851) and Jerusalem (BDB 436) is uncertain.
the shepherd’s pasture grounds mourn, and the summit of Carmel dries up God’s judgment on mankind’s sin affects nature (cf. Genesis 3; Deuteronomy 27-28; Rom 8:18-25; the seals and bowls judgments of Revelation). God uses nature to get mankind’s attention (e.g., Amo 1:1 c; Amo 4:6-13; Psa 19:1-6).
Carmel Carmel was a mountain range in northern Israel that runs into the Mediterranean. It’s name meant vineyard of God (BDB 501). It was proverbial for its lush vegetation (BDB 502).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
TITLE. The words of Amos. But the words of Jehovah by Amos. See Amo 1:3.
Amos = Burden.
herdmen = shepherds. Hebrew. nokdim; so called from a peculiar breed of stunted sheep (with fine wool). Mesha was called a noked, rendered “sheepmaster”(2Ki 3:4). See App-54. Occurs only in these two places. But Amos was also a herdman, as is clear from Amo 7:14; whereboker is from bakar, an ox, and hence is connected with ploughing (1Ki 19:19, 1Ki 19:21, &c.) See note on Amo 7:14.
Tekoa. Now Khan Telkua, five miles south of Bethlehem, and ten from Jerusalem. Compare 2Sa 14:2. 2Ch 20:20.
which = which [words].
saw = saw [in a vision]. Compare Num 24:4, Num 24:16. Isa 30:10. Eze 12:27.
Israel. This gives us the subject of the book. in the days. Compare Hos 1:1.
Jeroboam. See Amo 7:10.
two years before the earthquake: i.e. before the one well known and remembered. Compare Zec 14:5.
the earthquake. Figure of speech Hyster. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Let’s turn now to the book of Amos. In the first verse of Amos he introduces himself.
These are the words of Amos, who was among the herdmen [or a shepherd] at Tekoa ( Amo 1:1 ),
Now Tekoa is a little valley going down toward the Dead Sea from the area of Bethlehem. Actually, if you’re standing on Herodian, that fortress that Herod built sort of east off Bethlehem, looking south, you’re looking into the valley of Tekoa, the area from which Amos came. He was a herdsman, and then in chapter 7 he tells us that he was a fruit picker. He picked the sycamore fruit, which was the fig. So he was not a prophet; he was not the son of a prophet. He was not from a line of ministers. He was just a common ordinary person like all of us are. And yet, while he was there watching his sheep, God spoke to him to go up to the Northern Kingdom and prophesy against them.
So suddenly there appeared in Bethel this prophet of God, Amos, who before this was nothing more than just a shepherd, a fruit picker, and God spoke to him and he went out and began to prophesy to the house of Israel. “These are the words of Amos,”
which he saw concerning Israel ( Amo 1:1 )
Now so often we read at the beginning of a book, “The word of the Lord which came to the prophet saying…” But Amos doesn’t say, “This is the word of the Lord,” he says, “These are the words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw.” So it puts, of course, the divine attestation upon it here, “which he saw.” So Amos saw these visions from the Lord and he saw them concerning the Northern Kingdom of Israel. And these visions came to him,
during the time that Uzziah was the king in Judah ( Amo 1:1 ),
So it puts him really just a little before Isaiah. Isaiah began his prophecy at the death of Uzziah. Remember in the sixth chapter, “In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and lifted up, sitting upon the throne, His train did fill the temple.” Isaiah exercised his ministry mainly during the times of Hezekiah. So during the time of Uzziah, who was a prosperous king in Judah, reigned for fifty-two years,
and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash the king of Israel ( Amo 1:1 ),
And then he dates the prophecy even further.
two years before the earthquake ( Amo 1:1 ).
Now in these years, and somewhere between the year 810 and 792, there was a tremendous earthquake that devastated that whole area. An earthquake that was so severe that according to Zechariah the people fled from that area terrified. Isaiah makes mention of this great earthquake that shook that whole region also. And here again, a reference to the great earthquake. So these prophecies that he received were a couple of years before this great earthquake. So we can put his area of ministry somewhere around 800 B.C., give or take a few years on either side.
Jeroboam was one of the most successful of the kings in Israel as far as bringing the nation to its zenith of glory. During the time that Jeroboam was the king in Israel, Israel was very prosperous from a material standpoint. They were very rich in the material things, but they were very poor in spiritual things. And so Amos comes to awaken them spiritually unto God. He begins his prophecy by declaring, “The Lord.”
And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion ( Amo 1:2 ),
When Jesus Christ comes again, according to Joel, Hosea speaks about it, and now Amos also speaks about it, “He will roar from Zion.”
he will utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither. Thus saith the LORD ( Amo 1:2-3 );
And now God speaks of the judgment that is going to come against the surrounding nations of Israel. And in each of them He declares,
For three transgressions, and for four ( Amo 1:3 ),
Now He doesn’t name three indictments towards each. “For three transgressions, and for four” is a figure of speech that’s just declaring a cup of God’s indignation is full and is going to overflow now in judgment against Damascus. Damascus is the first, the capital of Syria.
I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron ( Amo 1:3 ):
They came with their iron chariots and they destroyed Gilead.
I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad ( Amo 1:4 ).
When Elijah the prophet had fled from Jezebel and had hid in the cave down in the Sinai, the word of the Lord came to Elijah the prophet saying, “Elijah, what are you doing here?” Now, in reality he was hiding from Jezebel. Really wasn’t doing much of anything. He said, “I’ve been jealous for God and they have killed all the prophets of God, and I only am left, and they are looking for me to take my life. God, You’re in trouble. You don’t have anybody left representing You except me, and they’re out to get me.” The word of the Lord came a second time to Elijah saying, “Elijah, what are you doing here?” Elijah didn’t understand the question the first time so the Lord repeated it. He still didn’t understand it and gave the Lord the same lame answer. The Lord said, “Elijah, get up to Syria and anoint Hazael to be the king over Syria in Benhadad’s place.” In other words, “You’re not doing anything down here. I’ve got a work for you to do. Get out of here and get back to work now.” God commissioned the prophet back to the ministry.
Now when he came to Hazael and went to anoint him and to prophesy over him, he began to weep. Just began to sob. Hazael said, “What’s going on? What’s the matter with you?” And he said, “I see the evil that you are going to do to the people of God. I see you ripping up the women who are pregnant. I see the horrible cruel things that you’re going to do to the servants of God.” Hazael said, “Am I a dog that I should do these things?” And he was quite upset. And yet, the scripture records that Hazael came against Israel and did do exactly these things. And because of that, now the time of judgment has come and, “For three transgressions, yea for four against Damascus,” their punishment will not really be passed by. God will surely punish them. God speaks of the punishment. “I will send a fire into the house of Hazael,” this king who was anointed by Elijah and was so cruel, “which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad,” who was his successor who he assassinated in order to take the throne.
I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holds the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD ( Amo 1:5 ).
Now Kir was in Assyria, and just as God predicted through Amos here, the Assyrians came, they captured and destroyed Syria, and they took those of Damascus captives to Kir back in Assyria, and thus the prophecy was literally fulfilled.
Now he prophesies against the Philistines and the country of the Philistines. Now, there were five major cities of the Philistines. I think four of them come into view in this prophecy. Gaza was one of the chief cities of the Philistines and then Ekron, and Ashdod, and Ashkelon, the major cities there in the Philistine territory.
Now thus saith the LORD, For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ( Amo 1:6 );
The indictment that God gives against them:
they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them to Edom ( Amo 1:6 ):
So in their conquering of the people of God, they turned the captives, or sold them to the Edomites their perennial enemies.
But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza [or of Gaza], which shall devour the palaces thereof: And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod [the coastal fortress], and him that holds the sceptre from Ashkelon [another coastal city], and I will turn my hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD ( Amo 1:7-8 ).
How many of you have met a Philistine lately? No, you see, God’s Word came to pass. The Philistines were wiped out. They don’t exist anymore.
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus ( Amo 1:9 ),
Now Tyrus was that coastal city which was the headquarters of the ancient Phoenicians. It was a very wealthy, prosperous, and powerful kingdom. Their merchant ships ruled the Mediterranean. They carried the goods from the east to the marketplaces of Europe. Tyrus had been consistently a friend of Israel. David and Hiram had made a covenant together which was carried on by Solomon, the son of David. Hiram the king of Tyre furnished the cedars for David’s palace and later for the great temple of Solomon. But in time, Tyrus also turned against Israel. Thus, the prophecy against Tyrus. “Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Tyrus,”
and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity up to Edom ( Amo 1:9 ),
The same punishment that was against the Philistines. However, he adds:
and they remembered not the brotherly covenant ( Amo 1:9 ):
That beautiful covenant that was made between David and Hiram, for Hiram was a great admirer of David. But they broke that covenant that had been made.
Now as we see the judgment of God coming against these various nations around Israel, Syria, the Philistines, Tyrus, next the Edomites, and then the Ammonites, and then the Moabites, in each case the judgment is coming because of their ill treatment of God’s people, the children of Israel.
Now God’s people were in the wrong, and God was judging His people because they were in the wrong. But God had said, “You’re not to touch My anointed, and do My prophets no harm” ( 1Ch 16:22 ). God had said to Abraham, “I will bless those that bless you, and I will curse those that curse you” ( Gen 12:3 ). I don’t care how wrong the children of God are, don’t you touch them. You know my kids may be brats, but don’t you touch them. I’ll do the correction of my children. If someone else should come in and touch my children, then I rise in defense for them. So would God in His children. Though they were wrong, though they deserved the punishment, that’s something that God reserved for Himself. “I’ll take care of them, don’t you touch them.”
So it is, I believe, even to the present day that God still blesses those that bless them, and curses those that curse them. And when the day of judgment will come and Christ comes again, Mat 25:1-46 , and He gathers the nations for judgment, the nations will be judged according to their treatment of the nation of Israel. No nation has remained prosperous who dared to put a hand against the people of God, the nation of Israel. I would be very, very careful about what I said or did that would be contrary to the nation of Israel. So in each of these cases it was because of their mistreatment of God’s people that God is judging them.
So I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyrus, that will devour the palaces thereof ( Amo 1:10 ).
And that, of course, took place under Nebuchadnezzar, a partial fulfillment; it was completed by Alexander the Great, and Tyrus was destroyed. Ezekiel gives a more complete prophecy against Tyrus describing in great detail the two sieges of Tyrus, first by Nebuchadnezzar and later by Alexander the Great.
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom ( Amo 1:11 ),
Now Edom was south and east of Israel. It is south and east of the area of the Dead Sea. An area that today is pretty much barren wilderness.
I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother ( Amo 1:11 )
Now the Edomites were descendants of Esau. Esau was the brother of Jacob, and thus God still looks at them as a brotherly relationship. The Edomites were really kin to, or brothers to, because Jacob and Esau were twin brothers. Yet the hatred that Esau had for Jacob never ceased in the descendants. The Edomites were the perennial enemies of Israel. Every opportunity they had, they attacked. Whenever Israel would be occupied with an enemy from the north, they’d always attack from the south. They sought to take advantage of every situation to destroy Israel. There was a hatred constantly simmering and kindling among the Edomites. The last recorded Edomite was, of course, the house of Herod, Herod the Great and his descendants. From then on the Edomites have been lost from history. Herod was an Idumean, an Edomite. So God promises the judgment.
because they did pursue their brothers with a sword, they had no pity, and in their anger they tore perpetually, and their wrath never ceased: So I will send a fire upon Teman [which was, of course, the capital of Edom], and it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah. Thus saith the LORD ( Amo 1:11-13 );
And now we turn to Ammonites. And the word Ammon is, change the pronunciation, the spelling is the same, and you have Ammon, the modern capital of Jordan. And you have also the area of Ammon, and the Ammonites, was directly east from Jerusalem, across the great African rift in the area that today is Ammon.
and for three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, three and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead ( Amo 1:13 ),
Gilead, of course, was soundly defeated by the Syrians, and they came into judgment for it, and now also the Ammonites.
that they might enlarge their border ( Amo 1:13 ):
I thought that was interesting. They came over into the west bank to enlarge their borders. Times really haven’t changed that much, have they? We’re still having problems because Jordan was driven from the west bank, and in the 1967 war, and there’s still that endeavor to again take control of the west bank.
But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: And their king shall go into captivity, and his princes together, saith the LORD ( Amo 1:14-15 ). “
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
Amo 1:1-5
PUNISHMENT PROMISED,
THE HEATHEN NATIONS-DAMASCUS
TEXT: Amo 1:1-5
The Lord roars His warnings like a lion from its lair. He begins with Damascus, or Syria. The heathen are responsible to God for their injustices and immoralities.
Amo 1:1. THE WORDS OF AMOS . . . OF TEKOA . . . CONCERNING ISRAEL . . . We do not know exactly why God chose a man of the southern kingdom, Judah, to send with His message to the northern kingdom, Israel. The fact that Gods presence remained in the Temple which was in Jerusalem, the southern kingdom, may have had something to do with it. However, Hosea, a younger contemporary of Amos, prophet to Israel, was from Israel. All we need to know is that God selected the right man at the right time to do the right job. We have already discussed the date of Amos prophecy and his place of birth in the Introduction of this book. It should be remembered that he preached his messages of denunciation and doom in an atmosphere of unprecedented material prosperity which was being accompanied by a widespread decay of moral values and a wicked oppression of the poor. Disaster seemed most unlikely. Amos and his message were extremely unpopular. Yet within a very few years four kings of Israel had been assassinated, then Hoshea was deposed and imprisoned and Israel ceased to be a nation in 722-721 B.C. at the Assyrian captivity. Though he was a shepherder, Amos is the author of the purest and most classical Hebrew in the entire Old Testament. His style is grave, measured, and rhetorical-Amos was an orator. He uses brief, uninvolved sentences. His vocabulary and style are conspicuously those of Semetic homeliness, especially of a man of the wilderness.
Amo 1:2 JEHOVAH WILL ROAR FROM ZION . . . PASTURES SHALL MOURN . . . AND THE TOP OF CARMEL . . . WITHER . . . How often Amos had probably heard the wild lion of the mountainous regions around Tekoa roar its warning from its lair. The Hebrew people were very familiar with lions and many books in the Bible mention them. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. A number of instances are mentioned where a man of Palestine killed a lion in a single-handed encounter (Jdg 14:5-8; 1Sa 17:36-37). See our comments on Joe 3:16 also. Zion is tsiyon in Hebrew and probably means citadel. It is the name of one of the hills or mountains on which Jerusalem stood. It is first mentioned in the O.T. as a Jebusite fortress (2Sa 5:6-9), but David captured it and called it the city of David. It is used figuratively for the covenant people of God both of O.T. times and N.T. times (cf. Isa 33:14; Isa 34:8; Isa 49:14, etc. for O.T. covenant people; of. Heb 12:22 for N.T. usage which also indicates some O.T. usage of Zion was prophetic of the N.T. church). In this case Zion means the city of God, Jerusalem (as evidenced by the parallelism here), where Gods presence dwells. It would be a subtle reminder to the northern kingdom that God was to be worshiped only at Jerusalem! (cf. Exo 25:21-22; Exo 29:42-43; Exo 40:33-38; Num 7:89; Lev 1:1; 1Ki 8:10-11).
Amos reveals that the Sovereign God will bring His judgment upon Israel first through a drought. God will wither the pasture land from the top of forest-crowned Mt. Carmel, the mountain at the mouth of the Kishon river, to the verdant plains of the lowlands. The shepherds heart of Amos could picture no greater display of Gods judgment than the burning and withering of the fresh green pasture lands so urgently necessary to the life of this farming, shepherding people. Carmel means garden. Mt. Carmel was an especially verdant place for grazing sheep. Its perennial springs outlasted even the three years and six months of drought in Elijahs days (cf. 1 Kings 17, 18). If this pasture-land should wither it would be manifestly at the command of God. Practically every prophet reveals Jehovah God as the Sovereign of nature-the Creator, Sustainer and User of Nature. He sustains nature under certain laws inviolable only until He deems it necessary to manipulate or contravene them to serve His omnipotent and omniscient purposes.
Amo 1:3 . . . FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS OF DAMASCUS . . . FOR FOUR . . . I WILL NOT TURN AWAY THE PUNISHMENT . . . THEY HAVE THRESHED GILEAD WITH THRESHING INSTRUMENTS OF IRON . . . K & D say, . . . the numbers merely serve to denote the multiplicity of the sins, the exact number of which has no bearing upon the matter. It is a Hebrew idiom expressing fulness. J. B. Phillips, in Four Prophets, translates it, Because of outrage after outrage committed by Damascus . . . The Syrians have filled their cup of wickedness full to overflowing. God will not relent! He is going to punish them. Their one greatest sin has been to cruelly crush the Gileadites (a territory east of the Jordan allocated to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh) with iron threshing carts. Hazael the Syrian king did this when he conquered that territory during the reign of Jehu (2Ki 10:32-33; 2Ki 13:7; cf. also 2Sa 12:31). The threshing cart was a sort of a cart with toothed iron wheels underneath, which was driven about to crush the straw in the threshing-floors after the grain had been beaten out. They have despoiled Gods possession-they have violated, and that in the cruelest fashion, the most basic law of God-the sanctity of human life. But even worse, they have done despite to the covenant people of God (cf. our comments on Obadiah). To attack Gods people is to attack God!
Amo 1:4-5 . . . I WILL SEND A FIRE INTO THE HOUSE OF HAZAEL . . . BREAK THE BAR OF DAMASCUS . . . AND THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA SHALL GO INTO CAPTIVITY INTO KIR . . . Hazael was the murderer of Benhadad I, to whom the prophet Elisha foretold that he would reign over Syria, and predicted the cruelties that he would practice towards Israel (2Ki 8:7 ff). An inscription of Shalmaneser III states that Benhadad perished and Hazael, a son of nobody, (meaning not of royal lineage), seized the throne. Shalmaneser III also records two attacks on Hazael in which he claims great victories for Assyria with severe damage to the Syrian countryside. Hazael reigned for at least 43 years and perhaps longer, and he oppressed Israel all the days of his reign. In 732 Tiglathpileser III subdued the city of Damascus and brought an end to the Aramaean state.
To break the bar of Damascus would mean to break the bolt of the gate. Literally, to destroy the citys defenses and overcome it. To cut off the inhabitant is to slaughter him. Those who were not slaughtered, God would cause to be taken into captivity to Kir. Kir (cf. Isa 22:6) the territory in ancient Elam east of the Persian Gulf, on the banks of the river Kur, from which, according to Amo 9:7, the Syrians originally emigrated. Many of the Syrians were taken captive in Tiglathpilesers conquest in 732 B.C.
Jehovah God, all-sovereign Creator of the universe, orders the migrations and national boundaries of the nations (Act 17:26), and cares for their welfare (Act 14:15-18). He brought up the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir (Amo 9:7). He has the right and the power to punish them for their sins. And what are the sins of which they are guilty? As we have mentioned before, they are guilty of desecrating Gods holy people. But in the main their sin is simply inhumanity. They have broken those most basic laws of God written on the heart and conscience of all mankind by which the relation of man to man and nation to nation ought to be governed. They are capable of exercising moral judgments. Therefore the violation of the natural laws of humanity written on their consciences demands punishment.
Questions
1. Why was Amos message so unpopular in his day?
2. What is the figure of God roaring referring to?
3. Why be so specific that Gods warning would come from Zion?
4. How does God use nature to serve His purposes?
5. How did the Syrians thresh the people of Gilead?
6. Who was Hazael and when did he live and what kind of a person was he?
7. What do we learn from Gods message to the heathen here?
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
The second verse of this first chapter gives the key to the book. Jehovah declared Himself in judgment. Beginning at the point farthest from Israel, the prophet delivered his messages to the nations as such. Each in turn passes before Jehovah, and receives sentence.
The sin of Syria was cruelty. At last, sentence was uttered; the flame would devour, all defense would be useless, and the people would be driven into captivity.
The sin of Philistia had been the slave trade. Here, as before, and as in each subsequent case, the form of the declaration reveals the exhausted patience of God. Philistia would be visited with the devouring flame, her inhabitants be cut off, and even the remnant would perish. Phoenicia’s special guilt had been that in spite of the covenant made, she had acted as a slave agent. Edom was doomed for determined and revengeful unforgiveness. The children of Ammon were specially denounced for cruelty based upon cupidity.
Moab’s chief wickedness had been her shocking and vindictive hatred.
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
Outside Nations Shall Suffer Judgment
Amo 1:1-10
Amos opens his prophecies with predictions against neighboring peoples, that Israel may be led to appreciate her guilt and to bear the approach of Gods righteous judgment, Luk 12:47. The formula of three transgressions and for four, Amo 1:3, etc., means several or many. Compare Job 5:19.
The order followed is Syria, Amo 1:3; Philistia, Amo 1:6; Tyre, Amo 1:9; Edom, Amo 1:11; Ammon, Amo 1:13; Moab, Amo 1:1. Each of these neighboring kingdoms was successively overwhelmed by the invasion of the great countries that lay in the valley of the Euphrates. Tiglath-pileser began and ultimately Nebuchadnezzar finished the work of desolation. But in turn the conquerors, becoming enervated by uninterrupted success and prosperity, were also swept away. We may be sure that there is One who judges in the earth and that, although might may assert its claims to be right, it is but for a moment. The constitution of the universe is in harmony with Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Calvary: and only a Christian civilization can be permanent.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Notes on the Prophecy of Amos
Introduction
Of Amos, we have much more information than is customary concerning the minor prophets. He gives us, by the inspiration of God, several autobiographical notices of deep interest, which it will be well to look at briefly ere entering upon the study of his messages to Israel and the surrounding nations.
His prophecies were given in the reigns of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam II king of Israel. He describes himself as a herdman of Tekoa, a town in the hill-country of Judea, about twelve miles from Jerusalem, of which mention is frequently made in Scripture. Thence came the wise woman sent by Joab to persuade David to permit his murderer son to return to his patrimony, in plain violation of all law, both human and divine (2Sa 14:2). There too, Ira the son of Ikkesh, one of Davids mighty men, was born (2Sa 23:26). It is noticed on numbers of other occasions, and even after the return from Babylon, the zeal of the men of Tekoa is spoken of, though their nobles are reproved in connection with the building of the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 3:5, 27). A desert town, surrounded by large solitudes, it was a suitable place for men of pastoral occupation; and there Amos pursued his humble calling till separated by the Lord to the prophetic office.
He tells us that he was neither born into the goodly company of the prophets, nor did he choose that calling for himself. But when he was a herdman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit (that is, the fruit of the wild fig), the Lord said unto him, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel (ch. 7:14, 15). This was enough for Amos. He was not disobedient to the voice from heaven, but, leaving behind the pastures of the wilderness, and turning his back on the place of his birth, we soon find him declaring the word of the Lord away up in the capital of the northern kingdom, greatly to the disgust and arousing the indignation of Jeroboam and his false priest Amaziah. When ordered to flee to his own land and do his prophesying there, he boldly gives his divine credentials, and delivers a message more searching than ever.
Of the duration of his ministry, or the time or circumstances of his death, we have no record. But what has been vouchsafed to us is fraught with most important lessons.
It is ever Gods way to prepare His servants in secret for the work they are afterwards to accomplish in public. Moses at the backside of the desert; Gideon on the threshing-floor; David with his few sheep out upon the hillside; Daniel refusing to be defiled with the kings meat; John the Baptist in the desert; Peter in his fishing-boat; Paul in Arabia; and Amos following the flock and herding the cattle in the wilderness of Tekoa-all alike attest this fact. It is important to observe that only he who has thus learned of God in the school of obscurity is likely to shine in the blaze of publicity.
Amos had no thought of becoming, or being recognized, as a prophet, as men today select the ministry as a profession. He would doubtless have been quite content to pursue his humble avocation as a small farmer, or possibly a mere farmers hand or assistant, to the end of his life, if such had been the mind of God for him. But as he followed the flock, his soul was communing with Jehovah. As he gathered the wild figs of the wilderness, his heart was meditating on the great issues of the souls relationship to God and the importance of walking in His ways. As he tended the herds he was learning wondrous lessons of a faithful Creators love and care. And so, when for him the fulness of time was come, the Lord, so to speak, kindled the already prepared fuel into a flame, and the humble herdman became a mighty, Spirit-energized prophet of God, not only to his own people, but to all Israel and the nations around.
We read of no unbelieving hesitation, no parleying with God, no bargaining or questioning as to temporal support; even as before there was no fleshly impatience or desire to be at the front attracting notice as a prophet or speaker. Throughout it is the record of a simple, humble man of God, who can wait or run as his Lord sees fit. In all this how much there is for our souls today! There are many self-made ministers whose inner lives are in sad contrast to their ministry. Many, too, insist on taking the place belonging to a servant of God who have never spent any time in His school, learning His ways, as did Amos. Thus their utterances are empty and disappointing in the extreme, as might be expected when coming from men who had not been sent by the Lord. It is blessedly otherwise with Amos. The more we learn of the messenger, the more we are prepared to listen to his message.
Those hidden years had not been wasted. Not only were they years in which he listened to the voice of God speaking to his own soul, but in them he was acquiring experience, and an insight into men and things which would be invaluable to him later on. Again and again in his public utterances he uses figures, or illustrations, which show how closely and thoughtfully he had observed the many things, animate and inanimate, surrounding him in his early life. This the following passages make abundantly plain: Chapters 2:13; 3:12; 4:9; 5:8; 6:12; 7:1, 2. Others too we shall notice as we proceed.
The theme of the book of Amos is emphatically one of judgment on Israel and Judah, and the nations about them.
In the first two chapters we have eight separate burdens, addressed respectively to Damascus, Gaza, Tyrus, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah, and Israel.
The second part of the prophecy includes chaps. 3 to 6, giving the word of the Lord to Israel, that is, the ten-tribed kingdom of the north.
The third and last division takes in chaps. 7 to 9, in which we have a series of five visions, with a considerable parenthesis (ch. 7:10-17) devoted to the personal history of the prophet, which we have already slightly noticed. The visions close with the declaration of millennial blessing and restoration, as seen in both the preceding books, Hosea and Joel, and generally throughout the Prophets.
For though judgment be the theme, yet judgment is but to prepare the way for glory. The Lord will not cease till He has established righteousness and blessing in all the earth.
Chapters 1 And 2
The Indictment Of The Nations
Amos does not conceal what men might be disposed to call his mean origin. He boldly begins with, The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which 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 (ver. 1). Here the prophets name, his humble calling, the place of his dwelling, and the date of his prophecy, are all plainly set forth.
The earthquake referred to would doubtless mark a time-epoch for more than one generation; but we have no record by which now to locate it. In Jewish traditionary lore it is said to have occurred when Uzziah impiously sought to take to himself the office of a priest of the Lord. Josephus thus connects the two incidents. But of this there is no proof.
Having already dwelt somewhat on the other points mentioned in this first verse, in the introduction, we may turn at once to the prophetic messages, of which, as before noted, there are eight in the first two chapters; five in chapter one, and three in the second.
From verse 2 we gather that the nations addressed are regarded in connection with Jerusalem and Mount Zion. There Jehovah had set His name. Thence He would roar in His indignation and utter His voice in judgment, so that the pastures of the shepherds should mourn and the top of Carmel wither.
Notice that each separate prediction begins with the same solemn formula, save for the change of the name: For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because–. This the Jewish expositors generally understand to have the force of, Three transgressions have I forgiven them, but the fourth I will visit in judgment. It at least implies that, in His long-suffering, God had waited again and again, looking for some evidence of repentance ere finally dealing in wrath; but there was none. In three transgressions they had filled up the cup of their wickedness. In the fourth it had overflowed, and declared that all further testing was useless. They were corrupt and abominable in His sight. Judgment therefore must take its course.
The crowning sin of each people is especially set forth in the terrible indictment and sentence combined which proceeded from the seers inspired lips.
Damascus had threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron. Ruthlessly persecuting the exposed borders of Israel across the Jordan, they showed no mercy to age or sex, but swept over the land, cutting down all alike, and treating them as grain under the flail. For this they should have judgment without mercy meted out by the Moral Governor of the Universe, whose eyes were upon all their ways (vers. 3-5).
Gaza, the ancient Philistine capital, had made His people their prey, taking them captive and selling or giving them to Edom (in type, how graphic a picture of false religion delivering man up to the power of the flesh 0, and thus aiding this cruel unbrotherly foe to destroy and enslave his near kinsman. But as they had sought the destruction of the erring people of the Lord, His fire and His hand would be against Philistia, even to its utter destruction (vers. 6-8).
Tyrus, the merchant city by the sea, once in brotherly covenant with Israel, in the days of Solomon and Hiram, had forgotten the pledges made, and likewise sided with Edom, delivering up to them the captives they had taken. Therefore the fire should devour the fancied impregnable wall of Tyre and blot out her palaces (vers. 9, 10).
Edom, ever the bitterest enemy of the seed of Jacob, had been unrelenting in his fury, pursuing his brother with the sword, and casting off all pity. So should the Lord forget to pity him in the day of His righteous wrath, recompensing to Edom the indignities heaped upon Israel. The prophecy of Obadiah connects intimately with this passage (vers. 11, 12).
Ammons fiendish display of hatred against Israel, seeking by cruelty of most heinous character to blot out the hope of the chosen nation, that he might enlarge his own border, had called down the divine retribution upon his own guilty head, and he should be exposed to all the fury of the tempest of Jehovah in the day of the whirlwind of His wrath (vers. 13-15).
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
Analysis and Annotations
I. JUDGMENT ANNOUNCED AGAINST THE NATIONS, JUDAH, AND ISRAEL
CHAPTER 1
1. The introduction (Amo 1:1-2)
2. Damascus (Amo 1:3-5)
3. Philistia (Amo 1:6-8)
4. Tyre (Amo 1:9-10)
5. Edom (Amo 1:11-12)
6. Ammon (Amo 1:13-15)
Amo 1:1-2. It has been pointed out that Amos does not say like so many of the other prophets, the Word of the Lord which came unto me, but he begins his prophecy with the statement the words of Amos. The fact of divine inspiration, however, is expressed in the next words which he saw. His messages, like the messages of all the prophets, were given to him in vision. As stated in the general introduction to this book, this first verse determines the exact time when the herdman of Tekoa appeared with his message. The earthquake mentioned must have been a disastrous one, for there was a great flight of people Zec 14:5.
Then follows his first utterance which Joel recorded in his prophecy, the LORD roars out of Zion. Inasmuch as Joel prophesied in Judah and Amos appeared from Judah in Bethel of the ten-tribe kingdom, this sentence Of coming judgment was probably unknown to his hearers. He sounded the alarm at once as to the coming judgment on account of which the shepherds would mourn and the beautiful, luxurious Carmel would wither, it would bring disaster upon all.
Amo 1:3-5. Six nations are mentioned against which judgment is announced, five in this chapter and Moab in the beginning of the second. Eight times we read saith the LORD. Then in each judgment prediction we find the phrase, for three transgressions or four … I will not reverse it. The meaning of it is that the measure is full and that the judgment cannot be averted. Fire is prominently mentioned as the mode of judgment. These nations were the enemies of Israel. The Syrians were the great enemies of Israel and treated them with awful cruelties. The threshing of Gilead with iron instruments took place when Hazael of Damascus conquered the land east of Jordan 2Ki 10:32-36; 2Ki 13:7. Hazael murdered Ben-hadad and Elisha predicted all the horrible things he would do to Israel. When the man of God wept and Hazael asked him the reason, Elisha answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel; their strongholds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child 2Ki 8:12. Damascus was broken and the predicted judgment came. It was executed through the King of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, who drove the Syrians back to Kir, from which they had come 2Ki 16:9.
Amo 1:6-8. Philistia is represented by Gaza. They also mistreated Israel and sold them into the hands of Edom. 2Ch 21:16. The cities of Philistia; Gaza and its palaces would be consumed by fire. There would be an end to the Philistines, the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the LORD.
Amo 1:9-10. Tyrus, the capital of Phoenicia, had also sinned against Israel by delivering them into the hands of their great enemy Edom. Their sin was especially heinous because David and Solomon had made a covenant with the King of Tyre, hence no King of Judah or Israel had ever warred against Tyre 2Sa 5:11; 1Ki 5:1-18) .
Amo 1:11-12. Edom was closely related to Israel, yet they hated more than the heathen nations hated Israel. At every opportunity Edom expressed this hatred by deeds of cruelty. What an awful record! He did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever. In Obadiah we find more concerning Edom.
Amo 1:13-15. Wicked Ammon had tried to exterminate the people for selfish reasons to enlarge their border. What horrible deeds to rip open women with child! Nor is this confined to the barbarous warfare of 3,000 years ago; the same was done in other wars down to our own days. Judgment would overtake them also.
In meditating on these terse judgment messages we must remember while these nations of the past have ceased existing as nations, and the predicted judgment came long ago, that these nations are typical of the other nations, who also sin against Israel and whose judgment will come in that day.
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
The words: Jer 1:1, Jer 7:27
who: Amo 7:14, Exo 3:1, 1Ki 19:19, Psa 78:70-72, Mat 4:18, 1Co 1:27
Tekoa: 2Sa 14:2, 2Ch 11:6, 2Ch 20:20, Jer 6:1
he saw: Isa 1:1, Mic 1:1
in the: 2Ki 14:21, 2Ki 15:1, 2Ki 15:2, Azariah, 2Ch 26:1-23, Hos 1:1, Mat 1:8, Mat 1:9
and in: Amo 7:9-11, 2Ki 14:23-29
the earthquake: Zec 14:5
Reciprocal: 1Sa 16:19 – with the sheep 2Ki 14:16 – Jeroboam 1Ch 2:24 – Tekoa 2Ch 26:3 – Uzziah Neh 3:5 – the Tekoites Isa 2:1 – saw Isa 34:2 – the indignation Jer 2:31 – see ye Jer 9:26 – Egypt Lam 1:21 – thou wilt Eze 36:7 – the heathen Rev 6:12 – there
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE MESSAGE OF AMOS
The words of Amos.
Amo 1:1
To estimate the prophets message we must consider something of the times in which they lived and the circumstances under which they spoke. Let us do so in the case of the prophet Amos, from whose writings our lessons for to-day are taken. You will notice as you study the prophetical Books of the Old Testament that in almost every case the writing opens with a short description of the writer and precise mention of the time during which his witness was given.
I. The prophet Amos.The Book of Amos opens with these words: The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which 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. We learn here one or two interesting particulars. In the first place, Amos was of humble origin. He had not been brought up in the stir and bustle of town life, but away on the open downs and pastures which stretch to the south of Jerusalem, where he had tended his flocks and pruned his sycamore trees, far from the haunts of men, his experience of towns confined probably to the yearly journey to one of the markets of the land to sell his wool and dispose of his fruit; and so there he appeared, a mere yokel, in the midst of the festival of Bethel, and was roughly bidden by Amaziah to go about his business. God has His own way of preparing His servants for their work, and Amos is not the only prophet who was in the deserts until the day of his showing unto Israel. There, in the unmitigated wilderness, as a graphic writer calls it, where life is reduced to poverty and danger, where Nature starves the imagination but excites the faculties of perception and curiosity, with the mountain tops, the sunrise, in his face, but, above all, with Jerusalem so near, Amos heard the Voice calling him to be a prophet, and gathered those symbols and figures in which his prophets message reaches us with so fresh and so austere an air. The time of his message was the latter part, probably, of the reign of the namesake of the founder of the kingdom, Jeroboam, the second of whom it is said that he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. In Amos, therefore, as most critics agree, we have the earliest recorded voice of prophecy.
II. To whom he spoke.Now let us try for a moment to estimate the state of society in Israel in the reign of Jeroboam II. The record of his time is in the fourteenth chapter of the second Book of Kings. It was a time of singular prosperity. But prosperity and security brought, as is too often the case, grave evils in their train, and the pages of the prophet disclose a state of society very different from the old. The primitive simplicity had disappeared, and luxury, oppression, and vice were abounding. Partly for defence and partly for pleasure, society was congregating in the towns. Agriculture was being displaced by commerce, and rural simplicity was giving way to the dangers and conventionalities of city life. The rich were conspicuous for their luxury. Public and private virtues alike had decayed, and, engrossed with their own pleasures, the individuals showed a callous indifference to the moral ruin of their country. They are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, says the prophet. If the outward ordinances of religion were scrupulously observed, there was no heart worship. They sought evil and not good. Now into such a state of society Amos comes, an unwelcome intruder doubtless, even a despised personality, whose countrified aspect would provoke a smile, but burdened with a message from Jehovah, which he is bold to deliver. In the first place, he rudely dispels the fond idea which Israel hugged in its national pride that to the favoured nation of Jehovah no harm could happen. You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities. Such is his startling and almost paradoxical message, and then, in a series of simple figures, drawn from his desert life and shepherd experience, he strives to gain the ear of the people for himself. Having rebuked their self-delusion, he goes on to predict the coming judgment, and in clear terms he lays down what God requires of them.
III. The message and our own times.The writings of the prophets have a function to discharge and a moral to convey to the twentieth century. Recognise, it has been said, that the fundamental meaning of the prophecies must be that which they bore to the living generation to whom they were first addressed, and you are at once inspired by their message to the men of your own time. Yes, and how history repeats itself in the circumstances of our time! The dangers and temptations of city life, as agriculture gives place to commerce, the snare of luxury, the deadening influence of a mere pleasure-seeking existence, the falling away from the simple life, the pride of national prosperity, the bitter cry of the poor, the delusion of a worship which is merely ceremonial, are not all these things with us to-day, and do they not form a menace not only to national righteousness and justice and purity, but also to that real personal religion, to that seeking the Lord through Him Who is the Light and to Whom the Old Testament witnesses, and Whom the New Testament reveals? Are there none here who feel anxious, sometimes, as to the future of their country, none who have ever grieved over the sins of our age in the great cities of the world, the insensate luxury, the commercial immorality, the unchastity, the callousness; dark stains on her nominal Christianity? Are there none who fear lest God might say, Shall I not visit for these things, shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this? We need a prophets voice, backed by a prophets power. Seek the Lord and ye shall live. Seek good and not evil. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. We need the power which came in another, a much later prophets vision, when upon the dry bones lying white and bare in the valley the quickening breath of God came, vivifying them into life and activity.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF AMOS
Introduction
The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, two years before the earthquake(Amo 1:1). These words introduce the author and set the date for the giving of the prophecy. Amos means burden-bearer. He was a herdsmen. It is not the usual word shepherd, but one that marks a peculiar breed of sheep…that he tended (F.C. Cook). The sheep were small and unsightly, but prized for the high quality of their wool. They were called noked. He likely tells us about his occupation to neutralize the criticism that he had become a prophet simplyfor the sake of bread (7:12). He already had an honorable occupation. He did not have to preach to make bread money.
Amos was from Tekoa, a small village in the rugged mountains 12 miles south of Jerusalem, and some 22 miles from Bethel. His home overlooked the wilderness of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. The ruins of ancient Tekoa yet bear that ancient name.
Amos saw his message before he proclaimed it. His words, came not from himself but were revealed to him by Jehovah. (Compare Isa 30:10). The subject of his prophecy is Israel, i.e., the Northern Kingdom ruled over by king Jeroboam.
He dates his prophecy by these chronological markers;
The days Uzziah king of Judah, i.e., 783-742 B.C. (Eerdmans Bible Dictionary).
In the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, i.e., 786-746 B.C.
Two years before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah. No precise date can be set for the quake at this point. Zechariah was still talking about it in 520 B.C. (Zec 14:5).
To appreciate the following record of Amos preaching experience at Bethel we must try to visualize the luxury and corruption of the royal city with its degrading system of Baal worship and the sensual crowd that had gathered there for their pagan festival. Into the city walks Amos, the shepherd. He was a rugged mountain man, dressed in a shepherds garb, likely with the smell of the sheepcote upon him. He is revolted at the sight he sees and the people probably despise the stranger. He stations himself at a busy place and begins to proclaim his message of judgment. To get a favorable hearing he lashes out against all of Israels hostile neighbors. The crowd nods and speaks its approval. He then blasts Judah their alienated kinsmen. That they really enjoy. Finally, when he has them eating out of his hand, he delivers the principal message he was sent to declare. Israel has grievously sinned and must now pay the cost. The people are stunned. For a moment they are speechless. They bum with shame. They grow angry. But Gods man had done his job. The word has been delivered. He emphasizes that Gods true message will be heard from Zion, i.e., Jerusalem, where his temple is situated and where Davids dynasty ruled rather than at Samaria or Bethel where idols were worshiped and where Jeroboam prevailed.
Most scholars, based on internal considerations, base the date of Amos between 765 and 750 B.C.
Declaration of Judgment Against the Nations for Their Crimes
(1:2-2:16).
And he said, Jehovah will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the pastures of the shepherds shall mourn and the top of Carmel shall wither (Amo 1:2). He said refers to the prophet Amos. He opens his proclamation with a bold metaphor calculated to grab the attention of the crowd. Jehovah will roar from Zion suggests that as the lion roars, striking terror into every living creature about, so will God roar. The lion roars when he leaps upon his victim. That God is going to roar implies that deadly judgments will immediately follow. Joel used similar imagery (Joe 3:16) so also Jeremiah (Jer 25:30). Amos refers back to this phrase and explains that Gods roar is heard through the preaching of his faithful prophets. Normally, when a lion roars, an animal or a man perishes. When God roars, the pastures and the tree-covered mountains will wither as in a drought. The pastures likely refers to Amos home land near Tekoa. Carmel is a notable mountain on the Mediterranean coast in northern Israel. The following judgments spoken against six heathen neighbors, Judah and Israel are the message of Gods roar.
Judgment Against Syria
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Damascus yea for four, I will not turn away the punishment there of; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron. But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. And I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven and him that holdeth the scepter from the house of Eden; and the people of Syria shall go into captivity (1:3-5). Amos uses a common formula to introduce each of the eight oracles of judgment, Thus saith Jehovah gives authority to his message by pointing to its source which is Jehovah, the great Ruler and Judge of all men and nations. He alone has the power to bring such dire threats to pass (Psa 7:11-13). For three transgressions…yea for four should not be taken literally since he in seven cases mentions only one sin as typical of the wickedness of the nation and in the eighth case he lists six sins worthy of punishment. The meaning is that three such sins would render the subject worthy of punishment. Now they have committed four thus they are more than due their judgment (See Gen 15:16 and Lev 18:25). The same figure of speech is used for blessings in (Job 5:19).
The nation under consideration is Syria, Israels neighbor to the northeast (see Amo 1:3-4). He identifies her in several ways. He speaks of Damascus, the capital of Syria; the house of Hazael, the ruling dynasty of kings in Syria; the palaces of Ben-Hadad who was the son of Hazael (2Ki 13:3); the inhabitants from the valley of Aven and him that holdeth the scepter from the house of Eden the precise location of these two places is unknown. Aven means vanity and is used by Hosea to shame those who had turned Bethel (house of God) into Bethaven (a house of vanity) because it had been made a center for idolatry (Hos 4:15). The mention of him who holdeth the scepter from Eden suggests that it was one of the royal cities of the Syrian kingdom.
The sin of Syria which he singles out for condemnation is that they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron. This threshing instrument evidently consisted of a wheel or drum, in which were embedded iron spikes, which was driven over the sheaves of grain to crush them. The words are open to two possible interpretations;
1.The Syrians actually subjected some of their Jewish captives to a torturous death beneath such threshing machines. Such cruelties were not unknown in the ancient world;
2.He may be using a metaphorical expression that says the Syrians so desecrated Gilead it was crushed like threshed grain. This is implied in 2Ki 13:7, for the king of Syria destroyed them and made them like the dust in threshing.
God would send conquering armies into Syria who would break the bars of their city gates, bum their palaces, cut off their people and take them into captivity into Kir. Amos sees the Syrians driven from their pleasant land and carried to Kir as prisoners of war. The site of Kir is uncertain. Isaiah mentions a Kir in Moab, a desolate desert region. The Moabites trafficked in prisoners of war sold into slavery. This may be the point Amos is making.
Some fifty years later, Syria received the threatened judgment at the hands of the Assyrians(2Ki 16:9).
Judgments Against the Philistines
For three transgressions of Gaza… because, they carried away captive the whole people, to deliver them up to Edom. But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. And I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashkelon; and I will turn my hand against Ekron; and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord Jehovah (Amo 1:6-8). Gaza, Ashdod, Askelon, and Ekron were city states of the Philistine League. Gath is not here mentioned. It had likely already been destroyed (See Amo 6:2). The Philistines were renowned for their military power and the strength of their fortress cities, yet God promises to destroy them by fire, i.e., by war in which they would be burned. The crime of the Philistines was enslaving, i.e., selling the whole people to Edom. Two such raids by the Philistines are recorded (2Ch 21:16-17; 2Ch 28:16-18). They were indiscriminate in dealing with civilians taken in war. None were spared, young and old were led away. They were not taken as prisoners, but sold to the Edomites, inveterate enemies of the Hebrews, who would deal with them without mercy. For their cruelty even the remnant of the Philistines shall perish i.e. they would be totally annihilated as a nation. Both Assyria and Egypt inflicted severe penalties upon the Philistines but the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar pretty well destroyed them by defeat and mass deportation. Other prophets also predicted the fall of the Philistines (Is. 14:28-31; Jer 25:20; Jer 47:1-7; Eze 25:15-17 : Zep 2:4-7; Zec 9:5-8).
Judgments against Tyre
For three transgressions of Tyre…. I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole people to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant. But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour the palaces thereof (Amo 1:9-10). Tyre was the principle city of Phoenicia. It was the head of a vast maritime fleet and a network of seaport colonies scattered around the Mediterranean. Her sin was the same as that of the Philistines, selling Hebrew slaves to Edom; It was exacerbated by the fact they had violated the brotherly covenant which had been established by David and king Hiram of Tyre (1Ki 5:1-12). That covenant evidently created a compact of mutual respect and assistance that would have especially forbidden slave raiding and trafficking. As God promised, Tyre repeatedly fell victim to her enemies. She was taken and burned by the Assyrians under Sargon (721-705 B.C.). Nebuchadnezzar besieged mainland Tyre for thirteen years (585-572 B.C.) and destroyed it. Alexander the Great took the island city after a seven month siege and utterly destroyed it (332 B.C.). God is not mocked. Other prophets predicted Tyres fall (See Isa 23:1-18; Jer 27:1-11; Eze 26:2-21; Joe 3:4-6).
Judgments against Edom
For three transgressions of Edom…I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever. But I will send a fire upon Teman, and it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah (Amo 1:11-12). Edomites were descended from Esau the brother of Jacob. God forbade the Hebrews to take their land or harm them for they were brethren (Deu 23:7). Their land was originally called Seir and was situated south of the Dead Sea. They did not view Israel as brethren but as despised foes and considered themselves in a state of perpetual war with them. No specific crime is mentioned, only the characteristics of their heart towards Israel. At every opportunity they pursued Hebrews with the sword. They cast off all pity, i.e., suppressed and stifled all sympathy or compassion. Their anger tore perpetually like a beast of prey tearing at its victim until it is totally devoured. Nothing is so cruel and vicious as a blood feud. Pusey notes the following worldly observations; Fierce are the wars of brethren. Again he says no love, well-nigh, is more faithful than that of brothers, so no hatred, when it hath once begun, is more unjust or fiercer. Christ demands that we not let the sun go down on our wrath (Eph 4:26).
Teman was the southern district of Edom and Bozrah, a major city. They seem to stand by metonymy for the whole of the nation. Edom was driven out of her homeland by the Nabatean Arabs. In the fourth century B.C.. Judas Maccabeus defeated them, slaughtering some 20,000. John Hyrcanus, subjected them and forced them to be assimilated into Judaism. In the Jewish rebellion, the Roman finished exterminating their remnant. Other prophets condemned Edom and predicted her doom. (See Isa 34:5-9; Jer 49:7-22; Eze 25:12-14; Mal 1:3-4).
Judgments against Ammon
For three transgression, of the children of Ammon….I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they may enlarge their border. But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof; with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind; and their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith Jehovah (Amo 1:13-15). The Ammonites were descended from Ben-Ammi, the son of Lot. Ammonites committed atrocities against defeated enemies such as disemboweling expecting mothers. Such terrorism was not limited to Ammon. Elisha predicted that Hazael, king of Syria would resort to this evil practice (2Ki 8:12) and Menahem so punished the mothers of Tiphsah (2Ki 15:16). The Ammonites used such terror to enlarge their borders; that is, to take the land of the Hebrews, subduing them by terror. The specific occasion of this event is not given. Perhaps they joined with Hazael of Syria in attacking Gilead (Compare 2Ki 8:12; 2Ki 10:32). Rabbah was the capital of Ammon. It would be stormed, taken and burned by invading troops. Her king and princes would go into captivity. Nebuchadnezzars Babylonian troops reduced Ammon and sent her residue into captivity (Eze 21:18-21).
Amos Chapter One
Verse 1
This chapter actually combines with Amos 2 to form the first division of the prophecy of Amos, in which the prophet thunders the warning of the impending judgment of God upon no less than eight nations, beginning with Israel’s surrounding pagan neighbors, then resting for a moment upon Judah, and by way of climax describing the utter ruin and devastation of Israel itself, the northern kingdom. The awful judgments, “rolling like a storm, in strophe after strophe, over all the surrounding kingdoms,”[1] touched upon three pagan nations that were not related to Israel, and upon three which were related, did not neglect Judah, considered by Amos as one with the northern kingdom, and then rested the fullness of its fury upon the nation of Israel itself.
The following nations were blasted with these eloquent and fierce denunciations: Damascus (Amo 1:3-5); Philistia (Amo 1:6-8); Tyre (Amo 1:9-10); Edom (Amo 1:11-12); Ammon (Amo 1:13-15); Moab (Amo 2:1-3); Judah (Amo 2:4-5); and Israel (Amo 2:6-16). The skill and power of Amos as a speaker and orator appear in this arrangement of his material:
“The interest and sympathy of the hearers are secured by the fixing of the attention upon the enormities of guilt in their neighbors, and curiosity is kept awake by the uncertainty as to where the next stroke of the prophetic whip will fall.”[2]
In this comprehensive pronouncement of God against sin in all these nations, there looms the tremendous fact that God is a God of all nations, and not merely of Israel, and that he will judge and punish sin wherever it exists. Moreover, the sins denounced are not merely those of violence, cruelty, oppression, injustice and social wrongs. Violators of solemn covenants, innovators, and corrupters of the true worship are likewise guilty and will suffer the judgment of God.
Amo 1:1
“The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, which 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.
“The words of Amos …” Both Ecclesiastes and Jeremiah have similar beginnings; and therefore it is not necessary to attribute these words to “some later editor.” Amos was his own editor; and as Coleman observed, “The nature of the text indicates an early recording of the prophet’s message.”[3] The name of Amos is not to be confused with Amoz the father of Isaiah (2Ki 19:2; 2Ki 19:20). Many of the Biblical books begin with, “Thus saith the Lord,” the very expression which Amos used frequently in this prophecy; and this first clause of Amo 1:1 must not be made the basis of receiving Amos’ words here as in any degree other than the very message of God Himself, a fact which is categorically affirmed a moment later in the words “which he saw.” That this is true “is affirmed by the succeeding clause, `which he saw.'”[4] Schultz and many others have also discerned this: “The divine origin of the words of the prophet is emphasized by … `which he saw.'”[5] In the words of the prophecy of Amos:
“We are in the presence of the miracle of inspiration (Eze 2:8 to Eze 3:4), that man, without losing individuality or sacrificing personality, should yet speak words which originated not with himself but with his God.”[6]
“Among the herdsmen of Tekoa …” See introduction for discussion of Amos’ occupation and economic status. We reject the notion that he was a wealthy owner of flocks and orchards for he later described himself as “a dresser of sycamore trees” (Amo 7:14), in language which, according to Keil indicates that he lived upon this fruit, an article of diet widely associated with the very poorest people. See under 7:14.
“Tekoa …” was a village some six miles south of Bethlehem and about twelve miles southeast of Jerusalem on a 3,000 foot plateau which affords a beautiful view of the whole Dead Sea area, and which immediately drops off eastward and south from Tekoah toward that great desolation.
“Uzziah … Jeroboam …” See the introduction for a discussion of the dates of these monarchs. The words “son of Joash” given in the identification of Jeroboam distinguish him as Jeroboam II.
“Two years before the earthquake …” By Amos’ mention of this earthquake’s occurrence two years after his prophecy shows that he was not executed in Israel, as some suppose, but that he lived to return to Tekoah, and to see the divine confirmation of the truth of his prophecy in the devastation of the great earthquake. Deane was correct, it appears, in his opinion that Amos here alluded to it, “as a token of the judgment which he foretold, such catastrophes being regarded as signs … of God and his vengence upon sinners.”[7]
Some scholars believe that this earthquake was the one mentioned by Josephus who gave the account of a very great earthquake in the reign of Uzziah, an earthquake so great that it was remembered generations afterward when Zechariah referred to it (Zec 14:5). That earthquake, according to Josephus, made a breach in the temple, ruined the gardens and palace of the king, and occurred simultaneously with the smiting of Uzziah with leprosy.[8] It cannot be dated exactly.
Verse 2
“And he said, Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the pastures of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
“And Jehovah shall roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem …” These exact words are inJoel 3:16; and if they should be considered as the theme of the Book of Amos, then it may be said that Amos took his text from Joel. Shultz did not hesitate to write, “This verse is the text of the book.[9] It must also be accounted as fact that, “Amos here connects his prophecy with that of his predecessor,”[10] and, hence, with all the Scriptures as part of the authentic revelation from the heavenly Father.
This expression is usually cited as proof that Amos was an outdoors man, well acquainted with the roar of the lion attempting to feed upon his flock. This viewpoint seems to be compromised by the existence of the same passage in Joel; and the more pertinent observation would appear to be that Amos knew the Scriptures. Still, we cannot deny that the figure, even if he got it out of Joel, would have appealed to one who had heard a lion roar. Adam Clarke has this: “The roaring of the lion in the forest is one of the most terrific sounds in nature; when near, it strikes terror into the heart, both of man and of beast.”[11]
“Zion … Jerusalem …” Amos’ message to the northern kingdom thus begins with a stern reminder, “that God was to be worshipped only at Jerusalem.”[12] The apostate worship had been installed at Bethel and Samaria. “Zion” is the poetic name for “Jerusalem,” and in its extended meaning has an application to the church of Jesus our Lord.
In Joe 3:16, Jehovah is represented as roaring on behalf of Israel, but in the stern denunciations of Amos, he is represented as roaring against Israel. It was calculated to strike terror into the hearts of the wicked and lead them to repentance.
“Pastures of the shepherds shall mourn …” All of God’s prophets depict him as the God of nature and as one who continually bends the forces of nature in harmony with his larger purpose with reference to humanity. This appears quite early in the Bible, where it is related that God “cursed the ground for Adam’s sake” (Gen 3:17), a curse which has never been repealed and is still in effect. God providentially bends nature itself to provoke man to repentance, and thus the purpose of the primeval curse must be seen as beneficient.
“And the top of Carmel shall wither …” Carmel was noted for remaining productive even in times of drought, the name itself meaning “the orchard, or fertile land.”[13] Even the great drouth in the days of Elijah did not wither Carmel; and, thus the meaning of the whole passage here is that utter desolation shall overcome the land, even places like Carmel. Mount Carmel was the scene of Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal and consists of a bold mountain forming the terminus of the Samaritan range and dropping off abruptly into the sea. Whatever the ancient excellence of the place, it has long ago disappeared. “It is steep and lofty where it overhangs the Mediterranean above Haifa.”[14]
Verse 3
“For three transgressions … yea, for four …” This is a stylized expression, or idiom, having the meaning of, “for many, or for more than enough.”[15] As used here, it denotes, “not a small, but a large number of crimes, or ungodliness in its worst form.”[16] Of course, “Some critics have taken the terms literally, and have tried to identify that particular number of transgressions in each case; but this is trifling.”[17]
“Damascus …” This city stands here as a representative of all of Syria, a point to be remembered. It was an outstanding city of the nation of Syria, one of Israel’s principal adversaries, “throughout the incessant border wars which ran from the ninth century to the beginning of the eighth.”[18]
“They have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron …” This happened in the Syrian war against Israel’s land east of the Jordan during the reign of Jehu (2Ki 10:32-33; 2Ki 13:7). “They even crushed the prisoners to pieces with iron threshing machines, according to a barbarous war custom that is met with elsewhere (2Sa 12:31).”[19]
The grievousness of this sin is seen, not only in the fact of its violation of one of God’s most sacred laws, the sanctity of human life, but also that they “had done despite to the covenant people of God: `To attack God’s people is to attack God.'”[20]
Verse 4
“But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad.
Hazael was the founder of the dynasty that included two or three kings named Ben-Hadad; so this is the equivalent of saying that the royal family would be destroyed. “Ben-Hadad was the title of the dynasty.”[21]
These, and the other judgments to follow are truly terrible; and there are always people who cannot understand why God should deal out such awful judgments; but Morgan has a word of explanation, thus:
“No new philosophy will excuse nations that trifle with divine requirements; the walls of doom close slowly, surely, around all those who forget God. These movements of terror are necessary to, and will issue in, the victory of God… Out of ruin and wreckage, God will bring again his divine order.”[22]
Verse 5
“And I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the valley of Aven, and him that holdeth the scepter from the house of Eden; and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith Jehovah.
“I will break the bar of Damascus …” Ancient cities used a bar to lock their gates; and the breaking of the bar was the same as leaving a city defenseless. Keil summarized the meaning of this verse thus:
“The breaking of the bar (the bolt of the gate) denotes the conquest of the capital; cutting off the inhabitants of Aven indicates their slaughter ([~hikhrith] means to exterminate) and not their deportation; so that captivity in the last clause refers to the remnant of the population not slain in war.”[23]
“Captivity unto Kir …” The Kir has been identified with a river (now the Kar), tributary of the Araxes which flows into the Caspian sea on the southwest.[24] The Syrians were thought to have originally emigrated from that same area.
“Saith Jehovah …” This is the prophet’s solemn affirmation that he is delivering the words of Jehovah and not his own words. This attestation occurs throughout Amos in several variations:
Thus saith Jehovah
Saith Jehovah
Jehovah hath spoken
The Lord Jehovah hath spoken
The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by his holiness
Saith the Lord Jehovah
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah
The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by himself saith Jehovah the God of hosts
Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me
And Jehovah saith unto me
Then said the Lord
No less than fifty times within the brief compass of this little book, its author solemnly declared his message to be the true word of Almighty God, the very last word in the prophecy being, “saith Jehovah thy God.”
Verse 6
“Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole people, to deliver them up to Edom.
Note that the whole of a nation was represented by one of its principal cities, Syria by Damascus, (Amo 1:3), and here, Philistia by Gaza. “It is evident that Gaza is simply regarded as a representative of Philistia,”[25] as proved by the fact that in the announcement of the punishment, some of the other great cities of Philistia are also included, all of them, in fact, standing for the entire nation.
“Carried away the whole people … to deliver them to Edom …” The capture and sale of people as slaves was bad enough, but the deliverance of such captives to their worst enemies was an added touch of cruelty.
Amos has in mind such carrying away of captives as occurred in the events recorded in 2Ch 21:16.
“These Philistines captured whole cities and areas of Hebrew people and sold them to Edomites and Phoenicians. The Phoenicians probably sold them, in turn, to the Greeks, as indicated by Joe 3:6.”[26]
Verse 7
“But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
Although specific punishments are connected here with certain cities, in all probability, “The calamity of each is common to all.”[27]
Verse 8
“And I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod; and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon; and I will turn my hand against Ekron; and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord Jehovah.
The cities mentioned in this verse were some of the principal cities of Philistia, Gath being the only one omitted of the five provincial capitals; and O.T. critics, of course, have attempted to make some big thing out of that omission, affirming that, “Gath, destroyed by Sargon of Syria in 711 B.C. (and omitted here) may suggest a date for the oracle subsequent to the time of Amos.”[28] Such “suggestions,” however, are by no means inherent in this passage. It was not Amos’ purpose to list all the cities of Philistia; and it is clear enough that the fate of each city mentioned is actually the fate of all of them. Again, we refer to Amo 1:3, where Damascus alone stands for all of Syria. The notion that this mention of four of the great capitals of Philistia should not include cities not mentioned is ridiculous. The same kind of reasoning imposed upon the prophecy of the fall of Syria would mean that the whole nation had already perished with the sole exception of its capital city!
“And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish …” Here too, some scholars allege that all of Philistia had already perished, with the exception of a small remnant. This too is a gross error. “The expression `the remnant of the Philistines’ indicates that a portion of them had already been destroyed.”[29] Such comment only exposes the unwillingness of unbelieving scholars to accept any such thing as predictive prophecy; and that is a theological position which we are absolutely unwilling to share. The arguments in support of it, such as those grounded in these verses, are weak, unreasonable, and trifling. The awful prophecies of the destruction of Syria and Philistia, uttered in the solemn name of God himself, as repeatedly affirmed by Amos, appeared to the people who received them, not as belated predictions of events which had already occurred, but as events impossible of ever happening at all!
FULFILLMENT OF THESE PROPHECIES
Regarding Damascus. Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria fulfilled this prophecy when Ahaz applied to him for help. The Assyrian monarch destroyed the royal family, captured Damascus and carried its people captive into Kir.[30] This fulfillment occurred fifty years after the prophecy of Amos and is recorded in 2Ki 16:9.[31]
Regarding Philistia. Sennacherib fulfilled Amos’ prophecy regarding Philistia; and his exploits against the very cities mentioned in these verses is recorded in cuneiform inscriptions of how he humbled the kings of Ashkelon, Ekron, etc.[32] And, significantly, Sennacherib did not ascend the throne until 702 B.C.[33] The destruction of Philistia thus occurred in the seventh century B.C., whereas, Amos prophesied their doom in the eighth century B.C.
In fact, it was the dramatic, startling, and complete fulfillment of these tremendous prophecies that led to the retention of this book among the sacred writings of the Jews, who placed it in their canon of scripture, despite the terrible warnings and predictions it contained with reference to the Jews themselves.
“The remnant of the Philistines,” as used by Amos here cannot possibly mean that “all of his prophecy (!) had already occurred, and that all of these grim warnings pertained only to a small remnant yet in the land. No! “Remnant,” as used here, means, “the rest of Philistia not already specifically mentioned in the prophecy.”
Verse 9
“Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Tyre, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole country to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant.
The great sin of Tyre mentioned here is their delivery of Hebrew slaves to their bitterest enemies, the Edomites, and that this was done despite the long record of friendship between Israel and Tyre, dating back to the days of Solomon, and the brotherly covenant of mutual respect and honor which existed between the two peoples. “No king of Israel or Judah had ever made war on Phoenicia.”[34] The indifference and cruelty of Phoenicia, the great slave traders of the day, in their dealings with the covenant people of God, ultimately issued in God’s destructive judgment against them. The friendliness between Tyre and Israel is mentioned in the O.T. (2Sa 5:11; 1Ki 5:1; 1Ki 9:11; 1Ki 9:14, etc.); and, although there is no mention of any formal treaty existing between them, the relationship, “doubtless had occasionally been cemented by formal treaty.”[35] At any rate, there was a “covenant,” as indicated by this verse. The Tyrians had considered themselves bound by no consideration of human rights and free to violate any honor for the sake of their profitable slave trade.
Verse 10
“But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
Note the similarity with Amo 1:7, both predictions being somewhat stylized prophecies of the destruction of the places indicated. This prophecy was fulfilled, as were all the others.
FULFILLMENT REGARDING TYRE
Within the space of little more than half a century, Tyre was made a vassal city of Assyria, was besieged and captured by “Nebuchadnezzar after a thirteen years siege (585-573 B.C.),[36] and was ultimately wiped off the face of the earth by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. “The ancient city of Tyreon the mainland has never been rebuilt.”[37] Following the destruction of Tyre by Alexander the Great, “Thirty thousand of its people were sold into slavery”;[38] and thus, the old slave traders finally received “the just recompense of their deeds.”
Verse 11
“Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Edom, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever.
Having dealt with three pagan neighbors of Israel, Amos here moved to address his prophecy of punishment to three pagan relatives of Israel, namely, Edom, Moab, and Ammon. The Edomites were descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob, and were thus blood relatives of the chosen people, being “the seed of Abraham” in a fleshly sense, no less than Israel itself. The great sin of this people was their “perpetual” hatred of Israel, going back to the time when Jacob had cheated their ancestor out of the birthright. Their hatred, anger, and wrath have continued throughout history; and the prophet’s charge that “they kept their wrath forever” has literally come to pass. Note that God disapproved of this vindictive hatred. True, they had grounds for anger at Jacob and his posterity; but God had ratified the covenant in the seed of Jacob, passing Esau for moral and religious reasons, and not because of Jacob’s shameful act in cheating his brother. This judgment of God the Edomites never accepted. Perhaps Schultz is right in seeing this verse, not as recounting specific sins of Edom, but as a reference to, “the traditional attitude of Edom toward Israel.”[39]
Verse 12
“But I will send a fire upon Tenan, and it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
“Tenan, according to Jerome, was the capital of Idumaea, and Bozrah was also an important city, likewise supposed by some to have been the capital (Gen 36:33).”[40] Bozrah was south of the Dead Sea. As in all these denunciations, the land, or nation, then the capital and/or principal city or cities were mentioned as representatives of the entire country, or nation, denounced.
Verse 13
“Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they may enlarge their border.
The stark effectiveness of the prophet’s language here is attested by the fact that “rip off” has passed into a proverb for wicked and wholesale exploitation, an expression that appears to be derivative from Amos’ words here. “The occasion when the Ammonites were guilty of such cruelty toward the Israelites as is here condemned is not recorded in the historical books of the O.T.[41]
The Ammonites were descended from the incestuous union of Lot with one of his daughters; and it would appear that the character of the people thus originated partook in every way of the shameful and unlawful deeds of their ancestors. “What a marvel that Ammon and Moab retained the stamp of their origin, in a sensual and passionate nature? Their choice of idols grew out of this original character and aggravated it.”[42] The chief god of this savage people was Milcom (or Malcam), worshipped as the principle of destruction, and appeased, “with sacrifices of living children, given to the fire to devour (1Ki 11:7).”[43] They, like the Edomites and the Moabites, despite their being physically related to Israel, exploited every opportunity within their reach for encroaching upon Israel or aiding aggressions against them. “Their nation lay just east of Moab, and northward to the Jabbok river, and southward to the hills of Edom.”[44] This area was altogether insufficient to their ambitions, and they were constantly attempting to “enlarge their border” by inroads against Israel.
Verse 14
“But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind; and their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith Jehovah.
Note that the announcement of God’s judgment is uttered in each instance by formal, stylized pronouncements which are quite effective. “The shouting mentioned here is that of the assailants.”[45] The figure of a tempest, or storm, is used to convey the fury and suddenness of their destruction.
“Their king …” Some have noted that in some versions, a proper name is used here, signifying “Malcam, or Milcom, the god of the Ammonites.”[46] If so, the dramatic meaning is that the worshippers of the god of destruction, along with their god, shall be destroyed.
Who can deny that it happened exactly as Amos had foretold? The cuneiform inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser, the great Assyrian king, relate how Ahaz of Judah, “Sanipu king of Ammon” both appear in a list of kings who paid tribute to him.[47] Also, some forty years later, “Buduilu of Ammon (along with others) paid Sennacherib tribute and kissed his feet.”[48] Both of these destructions of Ammon occurred at substantial time periods subsequent to Amos’ prophecy. “Their last stand seems to have been against Judas Maccabeus (1Ma 5:6).”[49]
“The wall of Rabbah …” Dean has a very interesting account of the strength of the remarkable wall of Rabbah:
“The massive walls, some of which remain in ruins, rise from the precipitous sides of the cliff … I bent over them and looked sheer down about three hundred feet into one wady, and four hundred feet into the other. I did not wonder at its having occurred to King David that the leader of a charge against these ramparts would have met with certain death, consequently assigning the position to Uriah!”[50]
This indicates how unbelievable the prophecy of Amos must have seemed to his first hearers. Nevertheless, the word of the Lord came to pass exactly as the great prophet had declared.
Regarding the repeated formula, “For three transgressions of … yea, for four,” see the note at end of Amos 2.
God Rules (Amo 1:1-15)
The time frame of this prophecy is approximately 762 BC. This is forty years before the northern nation called Israel is going to be overthrow and wiped out by the Assyrian Empire. This is a time of prosperity and wealth for the northern nation. Under the reign of Jeroboam II, the nation has established its borders and regained power that it had not seen since the reign of Solomon. The reign of Jeroboam II was a reign of peace and prosperity for the northern kingdom. Nations that usually were a threat, such as Egypt, Babylon, Syria, and Assyria, were in a period of relative weakness, which offered security to Israel. This security enabled them to enjoy a period of great prosperity.
The first verse of the book tells us that Amos is the prophet, but he is not an ordinary prophet. Rather, he is a livestock breeder who lives in the town of Tekoa, which is ten miles south of Jerusalem. This offers Amos a unique perspective. First, he is not from Israel, but from the southern nation called Judah. Second, Amos will speak forcefully against the wealth and prosperity of the nation because he has not participated in this prosperity. Proper credentials for Gods spokespersons is not formal training, formal ordination, or an official title. These things do not qualify a person to speak for God. Biblically speaking, only one who has the revelation from God has the proper credentials to speak for God.
The Lord Roars From Zion (Amo 1:2)
The prophecy begins with a statement of power and fear. The Lord roars from Zion. The imagery is of a lion roaring because God is about to attack. The prey is in its grasp and therefore the lion roars. The imagery goes beyond the lion metaphor. The Lords voice roars depicts amazing power being brought against the people.
The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. (Joe 3:16 ESV)
Notice the same effect occurs in Amo 1:2. The pastures of the shepherds mourn and the top of Mount Carmel withers. Gods wrath is seen as a withering drought against the green hills and pastures of the land. The roar is intended to send a shockwave through the nation. Where God roars from is also important. He roars from Zion. God speaks from his temple in Jerusalem, not from the Israelite temples in Dan and Bethel.
Judgment On The Surrounding Nations (Amo 1:3 to Amo 2:3)
The form of Amos prophecy is interesting. The declaration does not begin with Israel. Rather, the prophecies of judgment center on the surrounding nations initially. The oracle concerning the nations would cause the audience to think that Amos is delivering a message of salvation to Israel from the nations. One can see that these judgments would curry favor for Amos as an outsider.
There are seven nations that are brought under Gods judgment before God turns his message of judgment upon Israel. Six of these oracles are against the heathen nations, those who were not under the law of Moses and were not in a covenant relationship with the Lord. For each of the nations Gods judgment came based upon how they treated others. Cruelty toward others is the cause for God to act against them. There is a formula that Amos uses. He identifies the sin and the punishment that will come because of the sin. You will also notice the repeated refrain for each oracle against each nation: For three transgressions and for four. Their sinfulness is a pattern and they continue to go over the limit. They are compounding sin upon sin and judgment is therefore deserved.
Before we read the specific sins we need to consider what God is teaching. God is patient in the midst of our sins. It is not for one sin that God reigning down his wrath on any of these nations. God is giving time to repent. God is being merciful and allowing the sins to continue with the desire for them to turn back to God. However, time did not change the hearts of the people. Rather than turning to the Lord, the people have compounded their sins. Though God is patient in our sins, there will be a time of judgment. The Lord must roar and wrath must come now. But Gods patience prevailed until they had filled up their sins to the uttermost (cf. 1Th 2:16).
Notice the sins that the nations committed that God declared worthy of their judgment.
Syria (Damascus was the capital) was condemned for their harsh cruelty toward the people they conquered. Amos says that they rode over the defeated Israelites with threshing boards. Threshing boards had iron teeth which was used to separate the grain from the stalk. But the Syrians used these boards on the people they conquered. Clearly God does not subscribe to the idea that all is fair in war. Syria had gone too far.
Philistia (Gaza) was condemned for kidnapping peaceful people for the purpose of turning a profit. They were willing to injure others and sacrifice morality and humanity for the sake of making money.
Phoenicia (Tyre) followed the same error as Gaza. They apparently cooperated in selling slaves to other nations. There was a callous disregard for humanity, sacrificing human rights for business profits.
Edom was condemned because of its treatment of the people of Israel. There was to be a brotherhood between the Hebrews and the Edomites because Jacob and Esau were brothers.
Ammon was brought under judgment for massacring innocent and defenseless pregnant women. This is also extremely egregious. To kill the innocent so that they could expand their border is the reason for Ammon receiving Gods wrath.
Moab was condemned for their total disrespect for the dead.
These condemnations teach us that God holds all nations accountable for their acts of inhumanity against individuals. Every nation that does not respect human life will come under Gods judgment and they will be held accountable for their atrocities.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Amo 1:1. The words of Amos This inscription, and some similar ones prefixed to some of the books of the prophets, seem to have been formed by those who collected their writings together. Which he saw Received by revelation; concerning Israel Namely, the kingdom of the ten tribes, to which this prophecy chiefly refers; although the prophet briefly denounces Gods judgments against Judah, and also against the Syrians, Philistines, and other neighbouring countries. In the days of Uzziah king of Judah Called Azariah in the second book of Kings, chap. 15. And in the days of Jeroboam The great-grandson of Jehu. Two years, before the earthquake Of which only this text, and Zec 14:5, make particular mention; but it is thought to be referred to, Isa 5:25. And Josephus, who attributes it to Uzziahs invasion of the priests office, recorded 2Ch 26:16, gives us some account of its effects.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Amo 1:1. The words of Amos, written with his own hand. He does not name his parents, because they were plain country people. He was himself among the herdmen of Tekoa, a small city twelve miles south of Jerusalem, 2Ch 11:5-6; 2Ch 20:20, and was called of God, like David from the flocks, and Elisha from the plow, to be a prophet of the Lord. This is Jehovahs right, a right he never surrendered, either to the synagogue or the vatican at Rome.
Two years before the earthquake. This refers to the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, mentioned in Zec 14:5, when the people fled from the falling houses to the fields, where they were not exposed to double danger. We smile at Josephus for reporting the rabbinical figment, that this convulsion of nature was caused by Uzziahs burning incense! The leprosy which followed was the punishment named in the scriptures;why then add more? Pliny names an earthquake which destroyed twelve cities of Asia.
The new science of Geology has laid open a large field of knowledge with regard to the subterranean world. The mountain ranges are cavernous, and abound with streams, rivers and lakes. In other places, where lime, iron and sulphur predominate, they become volcanic, and the earth is ventilated by craters and rivers, which open in the bottom of the sea; for those rivers are always accompanied with currents of air.
When inundations of water break out on the lava, the conflict is tremendous, and the crater becomes active. When the water is abundant, the expansion of the vapour is so powerful as either to burst the superior strata of the incumbent earth, or cause the lava to leap out of its bed, overflow the mouth of the crater, or as in Etna, to burst out of the side of the mountain in a continuous river of fire. The whole phenomena is natural, but heaven can employ it at pleasure to punish the inhabitants of the earth.The more tremendous strokes of earthquakes are so terrific as to form the ras of history. A well-written account of earthquakes may be seen in the British Encyclopdia.
Amo 1:3. For three transgressions I will not turn away. The style of this inspired shepherd is highly classical, though plain. Homer, in his Odyssea, pronounces the Greeks thrice, yea four times blessed. And Virgil, imitating him in his neid, uses the number three and four in the . same form as Homer. O terque quaterque beati. Oh thrice, yea four times blessed. This mode of speaking denotes the deepest stain of crimes; just as holy, holy, holy, called by grammarians the super-superlative, marks the sublimest holiness. For these sins God would neither revoke nor mitigate the sentence. Some put the number three and four together, which make seven, a number of perfection, often used in the sacred writings.
Amo 1:4. Ben-hadad succeeded his father Hazael on the throne of Syria. 2Ki 13:3; 2Ki 13:24.
Amo 1:5. Kir is said to be the same with Cyrene; but others say it is a part of Albania. This scourge was inflicted on Syria by Salmanezer, as may be gathered from Isa 16:4. Pharaoh-necho, and after him Nebuchadnezzar, overran this country.
Amo 1:9. Tyre, with its long siege and fall, is described in Isaiah 23. Ezekiel 26. This city was taken by Alexander, who was so provoked by its resistance that he slew all who did not take refuge in the temples, and then commanded his soldiers to throw fire into the roof of the temples.
Amo 1:14. I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, as described in Jer 49:2. Amos prophesied in the reign of two kings of Judah, whom he acknowledges as his lawful sovereigns. During this time, (for as in Isaiah, the first chapter does not contain his first sermon) he raised his cry against the bloody cruelties of the seven nations named in this place; and he is followed by succeeding seers. The joy of those nations on the fall of Jerusalem was unbounded; but their joy was short. About four years after Jerusalem had fallen, the Assyrians made a grand campaign against Egypt, and dashed to pieces all the weak powers of Syria that refused to open their gates. See Josephuss Wars of the Jews.
Amo 1:15. Their king. Melchom signifies an idol as well as a king. The versions render the word both ways. Jer 49:3; Jer 49:5. This disaster was effectuated by the Chaldeans; because God promises the jews a return of the remnant.
REFLECTIONS.
The commencement of these prophecies displays the sovereignty of grace in the election of instruments for the divine work. The mission of Amos was neither of his parents, nor of himself, nor of his religious friends, but solely of God. He was poor, the humblest of the shepherds, for he gathered sycamore fruit; yet God called and qualified him for the work, and raised him to a rank not much behind the first of his great prophets. The Lord has often done this in the christian ministry, that we should be the more grateful to him who has called us, and faithful in his work. Parents also should never force the ministry on a son, after a work of conversion; the idea should come into his heart by the Spirit of God. No man either will or can do Gods work faithfully, unless he have entered upon it from a conviction of a divine call. At the same time, ministers who have learning should not be arrogant and contemptuous towards those whom they call illiterate. A pious young man of genius will gradually acquire that degree of knowledge which will enable him to be more useful to the people than those who may despise him.
We may remark, in the rebukes here extended to seven nations, a moral uniformity in the spirit which inspires the prophets. Amos was here led to speak the same awful things against the Syrians, the Philistines, and the Edomites, as against the Israelites; and the events proved, that God inflicted the scourge with the same severity. And this same supreme Judge ever lives, brandishing his sword against all the despisers of his grace.
In all nations, not to say in all wicked men, there are three or four predominant vices peculiarly provoking to God. Pride, idleness, and fulness of bread were the leading sins of Sodoms ruin; then a fourth crime followed for which they were burned. Here carnage after battle, selling the vanquished for slaves, keeping alive perpetual animosities, and most wantonly, during the storming of the city, treating the women, are crimes which heaven records, and requites on the guilty. To kill an enemy after he has cast away his arms, and implored mercy, is murder. I might here ask, oh how many are the sins of my country. How many are the sins of Zion. Ah, I would count them in silence. I would bewail them with tears; and urging reformation, I would implore a pardon of the Lord. Had it not been for those sins, and the breaking of the brotherly league, those nations, and especially Tyre, might have enjoyed a fine season under the Babylonian wings. Thus, the spirit of infatuation presedes destruction; and sinners will not enter into the spirit of their danger till the abyss opens beneath their feet. Then they cry with a loud cry; but mercy has shut her ears, and abandoned them to the sword of justice.
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Amo 1:1 f. Superscription and Motto.In the present form of the book we find prefixed to the oracles, probably by a post-exilic editor, some brief particulars as to the person of the prophet, the date of his ministry, and the key-note of his message. The prophet belonged to the Southern Kingdom. He was one of the shepherds of Tekoa (mod. Teka), a high-lying town, 6 miles S. of Bethlehem (p. 31)certain shepherds (nkdm) who bred or tended a peculiar kind of sheep having short legs and ugly faces but valued highly for their choice wool (cf. for their stunted growth the Arabian proverb viler than a nakad, and see Chenery, Assemblies of Al Harri, i. 452f.). Mesha, king of Moab, is described as a breeder of this kind of sheep (2Ki 3:4).
The prophet received his Divine messages, or rather beheld them (1) in prophetic vision (cf. Num 24:4; Num 24:16), in the reigns of Jeroboam II (782743 B.C.) and Uzziah (c. 782737 B.C). More precisely the period is said to have been two years before the earthquake. But neither here nor in Zec 14:5 (cf. Josephus, Ant. IX. x. 4) do the references to this earthquake help us to determine the precise date of the prophets activity. Though he belonged to Judah, he was chiefly, if not entirely (so apparently Amo 1:1), concerned about the Northern Kingdom (concerning Israel).
What in a few words is the key-note of the prophets utterances, the motto of his book? This is given in 2, words adopted and adapted by the post-exilic editor from Joe 3:16. When a lion roars, the sound portends a rush upon its prey; when the thunder peals, the crash heralds the havoc of a storm. So, when Yahweh, from His earthly abodes, roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem, the smiling pastures (cf. Joe 2:22, Psa 65:12) of the shepherds will darken and fade (mourn) and the beautiful hills of Carmel (cf. Isa 35:2, Jer 50:19, Ca. Amo 7:5) parch with fear.
Amo 1:1. Translate who was one of the shepherds of Tekoa.
Amo 1:2 a is subordinate to Amo 1:2 b. Translate, whenever Yahweh roars . . . the pastures of the shepherds will mourn, etc.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of {a} Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of {b} Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the {c} earthquake.
(a) Which was a town five miles from Jerusalem in Judea, but he prophesied in Israel.
(b) In his days the kingdom of Israel flourished the most.
(c) Which as Josephus writes, was when Uzziah would have usurped the priest’s office, and therefore was smitten with leprosy.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
I. PROLOGUE 1:1-2
The first two verses of the book constitute a prologue. They contain an explanation of what follows, an identification of the writer, the time of his writing, and his theme.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
A. Introduction 1:1
What follows are the words (i.e., collected messages, cf. Pro 30:1; Pro 31:1; Ecc 1:1; Jer 1:1) of Amos (lit. burden-bearer), who was one of the sheepherders who lived in the Judean town of Tekoa, 10 miles south of Jerusalem. This town stood on a comparatively high elevation from which its residents could see the Mount of Olives to the north as well as the surrounding countryside in every direction. Amos’ words expressed what he saw in visions that came to him from the Lord. These visions concerned Israel, the Northern Kingdom at the time when he wrote, namely, during the reigns of King Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam II (the son of Joash), king of Israel. Here "Israel" must mean the Northern Kingdom rather than the combined people of Israel and Judah, as it often means in the prophets, because of the many references to people and places in the Northern Kingdom that follow. Specifically, Amos wrote two years before "the earthquake," perhaps about 762 B.C. [Note: See my comments above under "writer" and "date" in the Introduction section of these notes.]
"In this [ancient Near Eastern] culture an earthquake would not have been viewed as a mere natural occurrence, but as an omen of judgment. Amos had warned that the Lord would shake the earth (see Amo 8:8; Amo 9:1; Amo 9:5, as well as Amo 4:12-13). When the earthquake occurred just two years after he delivered his message, it signaled that the Lord was ready to make the words of Amos a reality." [Note: Robert B. Chisholm Jr., Handbook on the Prophets, p. 378.]
This introductory verse has been called "the most complete superscription to be found in all of prophetic literature." [Note: Shalom M. Paul, Amos, p. 33.]
"The opening words make it clear that what follows is a covenant lawsuit commanded by Israel’s suzerain, the Lord himself." [Note: Niehaus, p. 336.]
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
, Amo 3:3-8, Amo 7:14-15
THE MAN AND THE PROPHET
THE Book of Amos opens one of the greatest stages in the religious development of mankind. Its originality is due to a few simple ideas, which it propels into religion with an almost unrelieved abruptness. But, like all ideas which ever broke upon the world, these also have flesh and blood behind them. Like every other Reformation this one in Israel began with the conscience and the protest of an individual. Our review of the book has made this plain. We have found in it, not only a personal adventure of a heroic kind, but a progressive series of visions, with some other proofs of a development both of facts and ideas. In short, behind the book there beats a life, and our first duty is to attempt to trace its spiritual history. The attempt is worth the greatest care. “Amos,” says a very critical writer, “is one of the most wonderful appearances in the history of the human spirit.”
1. THE MAN AND HIS DISCIPLINE
Amo 1:1, Amo 3:3-8, Amo 7:14-15
When charged at the crisis of his career with being but a hireling-prophet, Amos disclaimed the official name and took his stand upon his work as a man: “No prophet I, nor prophets son; but a herdsman and a dresser of sycamores. Jehovah took me from behind the flock.” We shall enhance our appreciation of this manhood, and of the new order of prophecy which it asserted, if we look for a little at the soil on which it was so bravely nourished.
Six miles south from Bethlehem, as Bethlehem is six from Jerusalem, there rises on the edge of the Judaean plateau, towards the desert, a commanding hill, the ruins on which are still known by the name of Tekoa.
In the time of Amos Tekoa was a place without sanctity and almost without tradition. The name suggests that the site may at first have been that of a camp. Its fortification by Rehoboam, and the mission of its wise woman to David, are its only previous appearances in history. Nor had nature been less grudging to it than fame. The men of Tekoa looked out upon a desolate and haggard world. South, west, and north the view is barred by a range of limestone hills, on one of which directly north the grey towers of Jerusalem are hardly to be discerned from the grey mountain lines. Eastward the prospect is still more desolate, but it-is open; the land slopes away for nearly eighteen miles to a depth of four thousand feet. Of this long descent the first step, lying immediately below the hill of Tekoa, is a shelf of stony moorland with the ruins of vineyards. It is the lowest ledge of the settled life of Judaea. The eastern edge drops suddenly by broken rocks to-slopes spotted with bushes of “retem,” the broom of the desert, and with patches of poor wheat. From the foot of the slopes the land rolls away in a maze of low hills and shallow dales that flush green in spring, but for the rest of the year are brown with withered grass and, scrub. This is the “Wilderness” or “Pasture-land of Tekoa,” {2Ch 20:20} across which by night the wild beasts howl, and by day the blackened sites of deserted camps, with the loose cairns that mark the nomads graves, reveal a human life almost as vagabond and nameless as that of the beasts. Beyond the rolling land is Jeshimon, or Devastation-a chaos of hills, none of whose ragged crests are tossed as high as the shelf of Tekoa, while their flanks shudder down some further thousands of feet, by crumbling precipices and corries choked with debris, to the coast of the Dead Sea. The northern half of this is visible, bright blue against the red wall of Moab, and. the level top of the wall, broken only by the valley of the Arnon, constitutes the horizon. Except for the blue water-which shines in its gap between the torn hills like a bit of sky through rifted clouds-it is a very dreary world. Yet the sun breaks over it, perhaps all the more gloriously; mists, rising from the sea simmering in its great vat, drape the nakedness of the desert noon; and through the dry desert night the planets ride with a majesty they cannot assume in our more troubled atmospheres. It is also a very empty and a very silent world, yet every stir of life upon it excites, therefore, the greater vigilance, and mans faculties, relieved from the rush and confusion of events, form the instinct of marking, and reflecting upon, every single phenomenon. And it is a very savage world. Across it all the towers of Jerusalem give the only signal of the spirit, the one token that man has a history.
Upon this unmitigated wilderness, where life is reduced to poverty and danger; where nature starves the imagination, but excites the faculties. of perception and curiosity; with the mountain tops and the sunrise in his face, but above all with Jerusalem so near, -Amos did the work which made him a man, heard the voice of God calling him to be a prophet, and gathered those symbols and figures in which his prophets message still reaches us with so fresh and so austere an air.
Amos was “among the shepherds of Tekoa.” The word for “shepherd” is unusual, and means the herdsman of a peculiar breed of desert sheep, still under the same name prized in Arabia for the excellence of their wool. And he was “a dresser of sycamores.” The tree, which is not our sycamore, is very easily grown in sandy soil with a little water. It reaches a great height and mass of foliage. The fruit is like a small fig, with a sweet but watery taste, and is eaten only by the poor. Born not of the fresh twigs, but of the trunk and older branches, the sluggish lumps are provoked to ripen by pinching or bruising, which seems to be the literal meaning of the term that Amos uses of himself-“a pincher of sycamores.” The sycamore does not grow at so high a level as Tekoa; and this fact, taken along with the limitation of the ministry of Amos to the Northern Kingdom, has been held to prove that he was originally an Ephraimite, a sycamore-dresser, who had migrated and settled down, as the peculiar phrase of the title says, “among the shepherds of Tekoa.” We shall presently see, however, that his familiarity with life in Northern Israel may easily have been won in other ways than through citizenship in that kingdom; while the very general nature of the definition, “among the shepherds of Tekoa,” does not oblige us to place either him or his sycamores so high as the village itself. The most easterly township of Judea, Tekoa commanded the w, hole of the wilderness beyond, to which indeed it gave its name, “the wilderness of Tekoa.” The shepherds of Tekoa were therefore, in all probability, scattered across the whole region down to the oases on the coast of the Dead Sea, which have generally been owned by one or other of the settled communities in the hill-country above, and may at that time have belonged to Tekoa, just as in Crusading times they belonged to the monks of Hebron, or are today cultivated by the Rushaideh Arabs, who pitch their camps not far from Tekoa itself. As you will still find everywhere on the borders of the Syrian desert shepherds nourishing a few fruit-trees round the chief well of their pasture, in order to vary their milk diet, so in some low oasis in the wilderness of Judea Amos cultivated the poorest, but the most easily grown of fruits, the sycamore. All this pushes Amos and his dwarf sheep deeper into the desert, and emphasizes what has been said above, and still remains to be illustrated, of the deserts influence on his discipline as a men and on his speech as a prophet. We ought to remember that in the same desert another prophet was bred, who was also the pioneer of a new dispensation, and whose ministry, both in its strength and its limitations, is much recalled by the ministry of Amos. John the son of Zacharias “grew and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.” {Luk 1:80} Here, too, our Lord was “with the wild beasts.” {Mar 1:18} How much Amos had been with them may be seen from many of his metaphors. “The lion roareth, who shall not fear? As when the shepherd rescueth from the mouth of the lion two shinbones or a bit of an ear It shall be as when one is fleeing from a lion and a bear cometh upon him; and he entereth a house, and leaneth his hand on the wall, and a serpent biteth him.”
As a wool-grower, however, Amos must have had his yearly journeys among the markets of the land; and to such were probably due his opportunities of familiarity with Northern Israel, the originals of his vivid pictures of her town-life, her commerce, and the worship at her great sanctuaries. One hour westward from Tekoa would bring him to the highroad between Hebron and the North, with its troops of pilgrims passing to Beersheba. {Amo 5:5; Amo 8:14} It was but half-an-hour more to the watershed and an open view of the Philistine plain. Bethlehem was only six, Jerusalem twelve, miles from Tekoa. Ten miles farther, across the border of Israel, lay Bethel with its temple, seven miles farther Gilgal, and twenty miles farther still Samaria the capital, in all but two days journey from Tekoa. These had markets as well as shrines; their annual festivals would be also great fairs. It is certain that Amos visited them; it is even possible that he went to Damascus, in which the Israelites had at the time their own quarters for trading. By road and market he would meet with men of other lands. Phoenician peddlers, or Canaanites as they were called, came up to buy the homespun for which the housewives of Israel were famed {Pro 31:24}-hard-faced men who were also willing to purchase slaves, and haunted even the battle-fields of their neighbors for this sinister purpose. Men of Moab, at the time subject to Israel; Aramean hostages; Philistines who held the export trade to Egypt, -these Amos must have met and may have talked with; their dialects scarcely differed from his own. It is no distant, desert echo of life which we hear in his pages, but the thick and noisy rumor of caravan and market-place: how the plague was marching up from Egypt; {Amo 6:10} ugly stories of the Phoenician slave-trade; {Amo 1:9} rumors of the advance of the awful Power, which men were hardly yet accustomed to name, but which had already twice broken from the North upon Damascus. Or it was the progress of some national mourning-how lamentation sprang up in the capital, rolled along the highways, and was re-echoed from the husbandmen and vinedressers on the hillsides. {Amo 5:16} Or, at closer quarters, we see and hear the bustle of the great festivals and fairs-the “solemn assemblies,” the reeking holocausts, the “noise of songs and viols”: {Amo 5:21 ff.} the brutish religious zeal kindling into drunkenness and lust on the very steps of the altar, {Amo 2:7-8} “the embezzlement of pledges by the priests, the covetous restlessness of the traders, their false measures, their entanglement of the poor in debt {Amo 8:4 ff.} the careless luxury of the rich, their “banquets, buckets of wine, ivory couches,” pretentious, preposterous music. {Amo 6:1; Amo 6:4-7} These things are described as by an eyewitness. Amos was not a citizen of the Northern Kingdom, to which he almost exclusively refers; but it was because he went up and down in it, using those eyes which the desert air had sharpened, that he so thoroughly learned the wickedness of its people, the corruption of Israels life in every rank and class of society. But the convictions which he applied to this life Amos learned at home. They came to him over the desert, and without further material signal than was flashed to Tekoa from the towers of Jerusalem. This is placed beyond doubt by the figures in which he describes his call from Jehovah. Contrast his story, so far as he reveals it, with that of another. Some twenty years later, Isaiah of Jerusalem saw the Lord in the Temple, high and lifted up, and all the inaugural vision of this greatest of the prophets was conceived in the figures of the Temple-the altar, the smoke, the burning coals. But to his predecessor “among the shepherds of Tekoa,” although revelation also starts from Jerusalem, it reaches him, not in the sacraments of her sanctuary, but across the bare pastures, and as it were in the roar of a lion. “Jehovah from Zion roareth, and uttereth His voice from Jerusalem.” {Amo 1:2} We read of no formal process of consecration for this first of the prophets. Through his clear desert air the word of God breaks upon him without medium or sacrament. And the native vigilance of the man is startled, is convinced by it, beyond all argument or question. “The lion hath roared, who shall not fear? Jehovah hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” These words are taken from a passage in which Amos illustrates prophecy from other instances of his shepherd life. We have seen what a school of vigilance the desert is. Upon the bare surface all that stirs is ominous. Every shadow, every noise-the shepherd must know what is behind and be warned. Such a vigilance Amos would have Israel apply to his own message, and to the events of their history. Both of these he compares to certain facts of desert life, behind which his shepherdly instincts have taught him to feel an ominous cause. “Do two men walk together except they have trysted?”-except they have made an appointment. Hardly in the desert; for there men meet and take the same road by chance as seldom as ships at sea. “Doth a lion roar in the jungle and have no prey, or a young lion let out his voice in his den except he be taking something?” The hunting lion is silent till his quarry be in sight; when the lonely shepherd hears the roar across the desert he knows the lion leaps upon his prey, and he shudders as Israel ought to do when they hear Gods voice by the prophet, for this also is never loosened but for some grim fact, some leap of doom. Or “doth a little bird fall on the snare earthwards and there be no noose upon her?” The reading may be doubtful, but the meaning is obvious: no one ever saw a bird pulled roughly down to earth when it tried to fly away without knowing there was the loop of a snare about her. Or “does the snare itself rise up from the ground, except indeed it be capturing something?”-except there be in the trap or net something to flutter, struggle, and so lift it up. Traps do not move without life in them. Or “is the alarm trumpet “blown in a city”-for instance, in high Tekoa up there, when some Arab raid sweeps from the desert on to the fields-“and do the people not tremble?” Or “shall calamity happen in a city and Jehovah not have done it? Yea, the Lord Jehovah doeth nothing but He has revealed His purpose to His servants the prophets.” My voice of warning and these events of evil in your midst have the same cause-Jehovah-behind them. “The lion hath roared, who shall not fear? Jehovah hath spoken, who can but prophesy?”
We cannot miss the personal note which rings through this triumph in the reality of things unseen. Not only does it proclaim a man of sincerity and conviction: it is resonant with the discipline by which that conviction was won-were won, too, the freedom from illusion and the power of looking at facts in the face, which Amos alone of his contemporaries possessed.
St. Bernard has described the first stage of the Vision of God as the Vision Distributive, in which the eager mind distributes her attention upon common things and common duties in themselves. It was in this elementary school that the earliest of the new prophets passed his apprenticeship and received his gifts. Others excel Amos in the powers of the imagination and the intellect. But by the incorrupt habits of his shepherds life, by daily wakefulness to its alarms and daily faithfulness to its opportunities, he was trained in that simple power of appreciating facts and causes, which, applied to the great phenomena of the spirit and of history, forms his distinction among his peers. In this we find perhaps the reason why he records of himself no solemn hour of cleansing and initiation. “Jehovah took me from following the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.” Amos was of them of whom it is written, “Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching.” Through all his hard life this shepherd had kept his mind open and his conscience quick, so that when the word of God came to him he knew it, as fast as he knew the roar of the lion across the moor. Certainly there is no habit which, so much as this of watching facts with a single eye and a responsible mind, is indispensable alike in the humblest duties and in the highest speculations of life. When Amos gives those naive illustrations of how real the voice of God is to him, we receive them as the tokens of a man, honest and awake. Little wonder that he refuges to be reckoned among the professional prophets of his day who found their inspiration in excitement and trance. Upon him the impulses of the Deity come in no artificial and morbid ecstasy, removed as far as possible from real life. They come upon him, as it were, in the open air. They appeal to the senses of his healthy and expert manhood. They convince him of their reality with the same force as do the most startling events of his lonely shepherd watches. “The lion hath roared, who shall not fear? Jehovah hath spoken, who can but prophesy?”
The influence of the same discipline is still visible when Amos passes from the facts of his own consciousness to the facts of his peoples life. His day in Israel sweltered with optimism. The glare of wealth, the fulsome love of country, the rank incense of a religion that was without morality-these thickened all the air, and neither the people nor their rulers had any vision. But Amos carried with him his clear desert atmosphere and his desert eyes. He saw the raw facts: the poverty, the cruel negligence of the rich, the injustice of the rulers, the immorality of the priests. The meaning of these things he questioned with as much persistence as he questioned every suspicious sound or sight upon those pastures of Tekoa. He had no illusions: he knew a mirage when he saw one. Neither the military pride of the people, fostered by recent successes over Syria, nor the dogmas of their religion, which asserted Jehovahs swift triumph upon the heathen, could prevent him from knowing that the immorality of Israel meant Israels political downfall. He was one of those recruits from common life, by whom religion and the state have at all times been reformed. Springing from the laity and very often from among the working classes, their freedom from dogmas and routine, as well as from the compromising interests of wealth, rank, and party, renders them experts in life to a degree that almost no professional priest, statesman, or journalist, however honest or sympathetic, can hope to rival. Into politics they bring facts, but into religion they bring vision.
It is of the utmost significance that this reformer, this founder of the highest order of prophecy in Israel, should not only thus begin with facts, but to the very end be occupied with almost nothing else than the vision and record of them. In Amos there is but one prospect of the Ideal. It does not break till the close of his book, and then in such contrast to the plain and final indictments, which constitute nearly all the rest of his prophesying, that many have not unnaturally denied to him the verses which contain it. Throughout the other chapters we have but the exposure of present facts, material and moral, nor the sight of any future more distant than tomorrow and the immediate consequences of todays deeds. Let us mark this. The new prophecy which Amos started in Israel reached Divine heights of hope, unfolded infinite powers of moral and political regeneration-dared to blot out all the past, dared to believe all things possible in the future. But it started from the truth about the moral situation of the present. Its first prophet not only denied every popular dogma and ideal, but-appears not to have substituted for them any others. He spent his gifts of vision on the discovery and appreciation of facts. Now this is necessary, not only in great reformations of religion, but at almost every stage in her development. We are constantly disposed to abuse even the most just and necessary of religious ideals as substitutes for experience or as escapes from duty, and to boast about the future before we have understood or mastered the present. Hence the need of realists like Amos. Though they are destitute of dogma, of comfort, of hope, of the ideal, let us not doubt that they also stand in the succession of the prophets of the Lord.
Nay, this is a stage of prophecy on which may be fulfilled the prayer of Moses: “Would to God that all the Lords people were prophets!” To see the truth and tell it, to be accurate and brave about the moral facts of our day-to this extent the Vision and the Voice are possible for every one of us. Never for us may the doors of heaven open, as they did for him who stood on the threshold of the earthly temple, and he saw the Lord enthroned, while the Seraphim of the Presence sang the glory. Never for us may the skies fill with that tempest of life which Ezekiel beheld from Shinar, and above it the sapphire throne, and on the throne the likeness of a man, the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Yet let us remember that to see facts as they are and to tell the truth about them-this also is prophecy. We may inhabit a sphere which does not prompt the imagination, but is as destitute of the historic and traditional as was the wilderness of Tekoa. All the more may our unglamoured eyes be true to the facts about us. Every common day leads forth her duties as shining as every night leads forth her stars. The deeds and the fortunes of men are in our sight, and spell, to all who will honestly read the very Word of the Lord. If only we be loyal, then by him who made the rude sounds and sights of the desert his sacraments, and whose vigilance of things seen and temporal became the vision of things unseen and eternal, we also shall see God, and be sure of His ways with men.
Before we pass from the desert discipline of the prophet we must notice one of its effects, which, while it greatly enhanced the clearness of his vision, undoubtedly disabled Amos for the highest prophetic rank. He who lives in the desert lives without patriotism-detached and aloof. He may see the throng of men more clearly than those who move among it. He cannot possibly so much feel for them. Unlike Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Amos was not a citizen of the kingdom against which he prophesied, and indeed no proper citizen of any kingdom, but a nomad herdsman, hovering on the desert borders of Judaea. He saw Israel from the outside. His message to her is achieved with scarcely one sob in his voice. For the sake of the poor and the oppressed among the people he is indignant. But with the erring, staggering nation as a whole he has no real sympathy. His pity for her is exhausted in one elegy and two brief intercessions; hardly more than once does he even call her to repentance.
His sense of justice, in fact, had almost never to contend with his love. This made Amos the better witness, but the worse prophet. He did not rise so high as his great successors, because he did not so feel himself one with the people whom he was forced to condemn, because he did not bear their fate as his own nor travail for their new birth. “Ihm fehlt die Liebe.” Love is the element lacking in his prophecy; and therefore the words are true of him which were uttered of his great follower across this same wilderness of Judea, that mighty as were his voice and his message to prepare the way of the Lord, yet “the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.”
2. THE WORD AND ITS ORIGINS
Amo 1:2, Amo 3:3-8 and PASSIM
We have seen the preparation of the Man for the Word. We are now to ask, Whence came the Word to the Man?-the Word that made him a prophet. What were its sources and sanctions outside himself? These involve other questions. How much of his message did Amos inherit from the previous religion of his people? And how much did he teach for the first time in Israel? And again, how much of this new element did he owe to the great events of his day? And how much demands some other source of inspiration?
To all these inquiries, outlines of the answers ought by this time to have become visible. We have seen that the contents of the Book of Amos consist almost entirely of two kinds: facts, actual or imminent, in the history of his people; and certain moral principles of the most elementary order. Amos appeals to no dogma nor form of law, nor to any religious or national institution. Still more remarkably, he does not rely upon miracle nor any so-called “supernatural sign.” To employ the terms of Mazzinis famous formula, Amos draws his materials solely from “conscience and history.” Within himself he hears certain moral principles speak in the voice of God, and certain events of his day he recognizes as the judicial acts of God. The principles condemn the living generation of Israel as morally corrupt; the events threaten the people with political extinction. From this agreement between inward conviction and outward event Amos draws his full confidence as a prophet, and enforces on the people his message of doom as Gods own word.
The passage in which Amos most explicitly illustrates this harmony between event and conviction is one whose metaphors we have already quoted in proof of the deserts influence upon the prophets life. When Amos asks, “Can two walk together except they have made an appointment?” his figure is drawn, as we have seen, from the wilderness in which two men will hardly meet except they have arranged to do so; but the truth he would illustrate by the figure is that two sets of phenomena which coincide must have sprung from a common purpose. Their conjunction forbids mere chance. What kind of phenomena he means, he lets us see in his next instance: “Doth a lion roar in the jungle and have no prey? Doth a young lion let forth his voice from his den except he be catching something?” That is, those ominous sounds never happen without some fell and terrible deed happening along with them. Amos thus plainly hints that the two phenomena on whose coincidence he insists are an utterance on one side, and on the other side a deed fraught with destruction. The reading of the next metaphor about the bird and the snare is uncertain; at most what it means is that you never see signs of distress or a vain struggle to escape without there being, though out of sight, some real cause for them. But from so general a principle he returns in his fourth metaphor to the special coincidence between utterance and deed. “Is the alarum-trumpet blown in a city and do the people not tremble?” Of course they do; they know such sound is never made without the approach of calamity. But who is the author of every calamity? God Himself: “Shall there be evil in a city and Jehovah not have done it?” Very well then; we have seen that common life has many instances in which, when an ominous sound is heard, it is because it is closely linked with a fatal deed. These happen together, not by mere chance, but because the one is the expression, the warning, or the explanation of the other. And we also know that fatal deeds which happen to any community in Israel are from Jehovah. He is behind them. But they, too, are accompanied by a warning voice from the same source as themselves. This is the voice which the prophet hears in his heart-the moral conviction which he feels as the Word of God. “The Lord Jehovah doeth nothing but He hath revealed His counsel to His servants the prophets.” Mark the grammar: the revelation comes first to the prophets heart; then he sees and recognizes the event, and is confident to give his message about it. So Amos, repeating his metaphor, sums up his argument. “The Lion hath roared, who shall not fear?”-certain that there is more than sound to happen. “The Lord Jehovah hath spoken, who can but prophesy?”-certain that what Jehovah has spoken to him inwardly is likewise no mere sound, but that deeds of judgment are about to happen, as the ominous voice requires they should.
The prophet then is made sure of his message by the agreement between the inward convictions of his soul and the outward events of the day. When these walk together, it proves that they have come of a common purpose. He who causes the events-it is Jehovah Himself, “for shall there be evil in a city and Jehovah not have done it?”-must be author also of the inner voice or conviction which agrees with them. “Who” then “can but prophesy?” Observe again that no support is here derived from miracle; nor is any claim made for the prophet on the ground of his ability to foretell the event. It is the agreement of the idea with the fact, their evident common origin in the purpose of Jehovah, which makes a man sure that he has in him the Word of God. Both are necessary, and together are enough. Are we then to leave the origin of the Word in this coincidence of fact and thought-as it were an electric flash produced by the contact of conviction with event?
Hardly; there are questions behind this coincidence. For instance, as to how the two react on each other-the event provoking the conviction, the conviction interpreting the event? The argument of Amos seems to imply that the ethical principles are experienced by the prophet prior to the events which justify them. Is this so, or was the shock of the events required to awaken the principles? And if the principles were prior, whence did Amos derive them? These are some questions that will lead us to the very origins of revelation.
The greatest of the events with which Amos and his contemporaries dealt was the Assyrian invasion. In a previous chapter we have tried to estimate the intellectual effects of Assyria on prophecy. Assyria widened the horizon of Israel, put the world to Hebrew eyes into a new perspective, vastly increased the possibilities of history, and set to religion a novel order of problems. We can trace the effects upon Israels conceptions of God, of man, and even of nature. Now it might be plausibly argued that the new prophecy in Israel was first stirred and quickened by all this mental shock and strain, and that even the loftier ethics of the prophets were thus due to the advance of Assyria. For, as the most vigilant watchmen of their day, the prophets observed the rise of that empire, and felt its fatality for Israel. Turning then to inquire the Divine reasons for such a destruction, they found these in Israels sinfulness, to the full extent of which their hearts were at last awakened. According to such a theory the prophets were politicians first and moralists afterwards: alarmists to begin with, and preachers of repentance only second. Or-to recur to the language employed above-the prophets experience of the historical event preceded their conviction of the moral principle which agreed with it.
In support of such a theory it is pointed out that after all the most original element in the prophecy of the eighth century was the announcement of Israels fall and exile. The Righteousness of Jehovah had often previously been enforced in Israel, but never had any voice drawn from it this awful conclusion that the nation must perish. The first in Israel to dare this was Amos, and surely what enabled him to do so was the imminence of Assyria upon his people. Again, such a theory might plausibly point to the opening verse of the Book of Amos, with its unprefaced, unexplained pronouncement of doom upon Israel:-
“The Lord roareth from Zion, And giveth voice from Jerusalem; And the pastures of the shepherds mourn, And the summit of Carmel is withered!”
Here, it might be averred, is the earliest prophets earliest utterance. Is it not audibly the voice of a man in a panic-such a panic as, ever on the eve of historic convulsions, seizes the more sensitive minds of a doomed people? The distant Assyrian thunder has reached Amos, on his pastures, unprepared-unable to articulate its exact meaning, and with only faith enough to hear in it the voice of his God. He needs reflection to unfold its contents; and the process of this reflection we find through the rest of his book. There he details for us, with increasing clear-mess, both the ethical reasons and the political results of that Assyrian terror, by which he was at first so wildly shocked into prophecy.
But the panic-born are always the stillborn; and it is simply impossible that prophecy, in all her ethical and religious vigor, can have been the daughter of so fatal a birth. If we look again at the evidence which is quoted from Amos in favor of such a theory, we shall see how fully it is contradicted by other features of his book.
To begin with, we are not certain that the terror of the opening verse of Amos is the Assyrian terror. Even if it were, the opening of a book does not necessarily represent the writers earliest feelings. The rest of the chapters contain visions and oracles which obviously date from a time when Amos was not yet startled by Assyria, but believed that the punishment which Israel required might be accomplished through a series of physical calamities-locusts, drought, and pestilence. Nay, it was not even these earlier judgments, preceding the Assyrian, which stirred the word of God in the prophet. He introduces them with a “now” and a “therefore.” That is to say, he treats them only as the consequence of certain facts, the conclusion of certain premises. These facts and premises are moral-they are exclusively moral. They are the sins of Israels life, regarded without illusion and without pity. They are certain simple convictions, which fill the prophets heart, about the impossibility of the survival of any state which is so perverse and so corrupt.
This origin of prophecy in moral facts and moral intuitions, which are in their beginning independent of political events, may be illustrated by several other points. For instance, the sins which Amos marked in Israel were such as required no “red dawn of judgment” to expose their flagrance and fatality. The abuse of justice, the cruelty of the rich, the shameless immorality of the priests, are not sins which we feel only in the cool of the day, when God Himself draws near to judgment. They are such things as make men shiver in the sunshine. And so the Book of Amos, and not less that of Hosea, tremble with the feeling that Israels social corruption is great enough of itself, without the aid of natural convulsions, to shake the very basis of national life. “Shall not the land tremble for this,” Amos says after reciting some sins, “and every one that dwelleth therein?” {Amo 8:8} Not drought nor pestilence nor invasion is needed for Israels doom, but the elemental force of ruin which lies in the peoples own wickedness. This is enough to create gloom long before the political skies be overcast-or, as Amos himself puts it, this is enough
“To cause the sun to go down at noon, And to darken the earth in the clear day.” {Amo 8:9}
And once more-in spite of Assyria the ruin may be averted, if only the people will repent: “Seek good and not evil, and, Jehovah of hosts will be with you, as you say.” {Amo 5:14} Assyria, however threatening, becomes irrelevant to Israels future from the moment that Israel repents.
Such beliefs, then, are obviously not the results of experience, nor of a keen observation of history. They are the primal convictions of the heart, which are deeper than all experience, and themselves contain the sources of historical foresight. With Amos it was not the outward event which inspired the inward conviction, but the conviction which anticipated and interpreted the event, though when the event came there can be no doubt that it confirmed, deepened, and articulated the conviction.
But when we have thus tracked the stream of prophecy as far back as these elementary convictions we have not reached the fountain-head. Whence did Amos derive his simple and absolute ethics? Were they original to him? Were they new in Israel? Such questions start an argument which touches the very origins of revelation.
It is obvious that Amos not only takes for granted the laws of righteousness which he enforces: he takes for granted also the peoples conscience of them. New, indeed, is the doom which sinful Israel deserves, and original to himself is the proclamation of it; but Amos appeals to the moral principles which justify the doom, as if they were not new, and as if Israel ought always to have known them. This attitude of the prophet to his principles has, in our time, suffered a curious judgment. It has been called an anachronism. So absolute a morality, some say, had never before been taught in Israel; nor had righteousness been so exclusively emphasized as the purpose of Jehovah. Amos and the other prophets of his century were the virtual “creators of ethical monotheism”: it could only be by a prophetic license or prophetic fiction that he appealed to his peoples conscience of the standards he promulgated, or condemned his generation to death for not having lived up to them.
Let us see how far this criticism is supported by the facts.
To no sane observer can the religious history of Israel appear as anything but a course of gradual development. Even in the moral standards, in respect to which it is confessedly often most difficult to prove growth, the signs of the nations progress are very manifest. Practices come to be forbidden in Israel and tempers to be mitigated, which in earlier ages were sanctioned to their extreme by the explicit decrees of religion. In the nations attitude to the outer world sympathies arise, along with ideals of spiritual service, where previously only war and extermination had been enforced in the name of the Deity. Now in such an evolution it is equally indubitable that the longest and most rapid stage was the prophecy of the eighth century. The prophets of that time condemn acts which had been inspired by their immediate predecessors; they abjure, as impeding morality, a ceremonial which the spiritual leaders of earlier generations had felt to be indispensable to religion; and they unfold ideals of the nations moral destiny, of which older writings give us only the faintest hints. Yet, while the fact of a religious evolution in Israel is thus certain, we must not fall into the vulgar error which interprets evolution as if it were mere addition, nor forget that even in the most creative periods of religion nothing is brought forth which has not already been promised, and, at some earlier stage, placed, so to speak, within reach of the human mind. After all it is the mind which grows; the moral ideals which become visible to its more matured vision are so Divine that, when they present themselves, the mind cannot but think they were always real and always imperative. If we remember these commonplaces we shall do justice both to Amos and to his critics.
In the first place it is clear that most of the morality which Amos enforced is of that fundamental order which can never have been recognized as the discovery or invention of any prophet. Whatever be their origin, the conscience of justice, the duty of kindness to the poor, the horror of wanton cruelty towards ones enemies, which form the chief principles of Amos, are discernible in man as far back as history allows us to search for them. Should a generation have lost them, they can be brought back to it, never with the thrill of a new lesson; but only with the shame of an old and an abused memory. To neither man nor people can the righteousness which Amos preached appear as a discovery, but always as a recollection and a remorse. And this is most emphatically true of the people of Moses and of Samuel, of Nathan, of Elijah, and of the Book of the Covenant. Ethical elements had been characteristic of Israels religion from the very first. They were not due to a body of written law, but rather to the character of Israels God, appreciated by the nation in all the great crises of their history. Jehovah had won for Israel freedom and unity. He had been a spirit of justice to their lawgivers and magistrates. {Isa 28:1-29} He had raised up a succession of consecrated personalities, {Amo 2:1-16} who by life and word had purified the ideals of the whole people. The results had appeared in the creation of a strong national conscience, which avenged with horror, as “folly in Israel,” the wanton crimes of any person or section of the commonwealth; in the gradual formation of a legal code, founded indeed in the common custom of the Semites, but greatly more moral than that; and even in the attainment of certain profoundly ethical beliefs about God and His relations, beyond Israel, to all mankind. Now, let us understand once for all, that in the ethics of Amos there is nothing which is not rooted in one or other of these achievements of the previous religion of his people. To this religion Amos felt himself attached in the closest possible way. The word of God comes to him across the desert, as we have seen, yet not out of the air. From the first he hears it rise from that one monument of his peoples past which we have found visible on his physical horizon-“from Zion, from Jerusalem,” {Amo 1:2} from the city of David, from the Ark, whose ministers were Moses and Samuel, from the repository of the main tradition of Israels religion. Amos felt himself in the sacred succession; and his feeling is confirmed by the contents of his book. The details of that civic justice which he demands from his generation are found in the Book of the Covenant-the only one of Israels great codes which appears by this time to have been in existence; or in those popular proverbs which almost as certainly were found in early Israel.
Nor does Amos go elsewhere for the religious sanctions of his ethics. It is by the ancient mercies of God towards Israel that he shames and convicts his generation-by the deeds of grace which made them a nation, by the organs of doctrine and reproof which have inspired them, unfailing from age to age. “I destroyed the Amorite before them Yea, I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and I led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorites. And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Was it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith Jehovah.” We cannot even say that the belief which Amos expresses in Jehovah as the supreme Providence of the world was a new thing in Israel, for a belief as universal inspires those portions of the Book of Genesis which, like the Book of the Covenant, were already extant.
We see, therefore, what right Amos had to present his ethical truths to Israel, as if they were not new, but had been within reach of his people from of old.
We could not, however, commit a greater mistake than to confine the inspiration of our prophet to the past, and interpret his doctrines as mere inferences from the earlier religious ideas of Israel-inferences forced by his own passionate logic, or more naturally ripened for him by the progress of events. A recent writer has thus summarized the work of the prophets of the eighth century: “In fact they laid hold upon that bias towards the ethical which dwelt in Jahwism from Moses onwards, and they allowed it alone to have value as corresponding to the true religion of Jehovah.” But this is too abstract to be an adequate statement of the prophets own consciousness. What overcame Amos was a Personal Influence-the Impression of a Character; and it was this not only as it was revealed in the past of his people. The God who stands behind Amos is indeed the ancient Deity of Israel, and the facts which prove Him God are those which made the nation-the Exodus, the guidance through the wilderness, the overthrow of the Amorites, the gift of the land. “Was it not even thus, O ye children of Israel?” But what beats and burns through the pages of Amos is not the memory of those wonderful works, so much as a fresh vision and understanding of the Living God who worked them. Amos has himself met with Jehovah on the conditions of his own time-on the moral situation provided by the living generation of Israel. By an intercourse conducted, not through the distant signals of the past, but here and now, through the events of the prophets own day, Amos has received an original and overpowering conviction of his peoples God as absolute righteousness. What prophecy had hitherto felt in part, and applied to one or other of the departments of Israels life, Amos is the first to feel in its fullness, and to every extreme of its consequences upon the worship, the conduct, and the fortunes of the nation. To him Jehovah not only commands this and that righteous law but Jehovah and righteousness are absolutely identical. “Seek Jehovah and ye shall live seek good and ye shall live.” {Amo 5:6; Amo 5:14} The absoluteness with which Amos conceived this principle, the courage with which he applied it, carry him along those two great lines upon which we most clearly trace his originality as a prophet. In the strength of this principle he does what is really new in Israel: he discards the two elements which had hitherto existed alongside the ethical, and had fettered and warped it.
Up till now the ethical spirit of the religion of Jehovah had to struggle with two beliefs which we can trace back to the Semitic origins of the religion-the belief, namely, that, as the national God, Jehovah would always defend their political interests, irrespective of morality; and the belief that a ceremonial of rites and sacrifices was indispensable to religion. These principles were mutual: as the deity was bound to succor the people, so were the people bound to supply the deity with gifts, and the more of these they brought the more they made sure of his favors. Such views were not absolutely devoid of moral benefit. In the formative period of the nation they had contributed both discipline and hope. But of late they had between them engrossed mens hearts, and crushed out of religion both conscience and common-sense. By the first of them, the belief in Jehovahs predestined protection of Israel, the peoples eyes were so holden they could not see how threatening were the times; by the other, the confidence in ceremonial, conscience was dulled, and that immorality permitted which they mingled so shamelessly with their religious zeal. Now the conscience of Amos did not merely protest against the predominance of the two, but was so exclusive, so spiritual, that it boldly banished both from religion. Amos denied that Jehovah was bound to save His people; he affirmed that ritual and sacrifice were no part of the service He demands from men. This is the measure of originality in our prophet. The two religious principles which were inherent in the very fiber of Semitic religion, and which till now had gone unchallenged in Israel, Amos cast forth from religion in the name of a pure and absolute righteousness. On the one hand, Jehovahs peculiar connection with Israel meant no more than jealousy for their holiness: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities.” {Amo 3:2} And, on the other hand, all their ceremonial was abhorrent to Him: “I hate, I despise your festivals. Though ye offer Me burnt offerings and your meal offerings, I will not accept them Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; I will not hear the music of thy viols. But let justice run down as waters, and righteousness as a perennial stream.” {Amo 5:21 ff.}
It has just been said that emphasis upon morality as the sum of religion, to the exclusion of sacrifice, is the most original element in the prophecies of Amos He himself, however, does not regard this as proclaimed for the first time in Israel, and the precedent he quotes is so illustrative of the sources of his inspiration that we do well to look at it for a little. In the verse next to the one last quoted he reports these words of God: “Did ye offer unto Me sacrifices and gifts in the wilderness, for forty years, O house of Israel?” An extraordinary challenge! From the present blind routine of sacrifice Jehovah appeals to the beginning of His relations with the nation: did they then perform such services to Him? Of course, a negative answer is expected. No other agrees with the main contention of the passage. In the wilderness Israel had not offered sacrifices and gifts to Jehovah. Jeremiah quotes a still more explicit word of Jehovah: “I spake not unto your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices: but this thing I commanded them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people.” {Jer 7:22 f.}
To these Divine statements we shall not be able to do justice if we hold by the traditional view that the Levitical legislation was proclaimed in the wilderness. Discount that legislation, and the statements become clear. It is true, of course, that Israel must have had a ritual of some kind from the first; and that both in the wilderness and in Canaan their spiritual leaders must have performed sacrifices as if these were acceptable to Jehovah. But even so the Divine words which Amos and Jeremiah quote are historically correct; for while the ethical contents of the religion of Jehovah were its original and essential contents-“I commanded them, saying, Obey My voice”-the ritual was but a modification of the ritual common to all Semites; and ever since the occupation of the land, it had, through the infection of the Canaanite rites on the high places, grown more and more Pagan, both in its functions and in the ideas which these were supposed to express. Amos was right. Sacrifice had never been the Divine, the revealed element in the religion of Jehovah. Nevertheless, before Amos no prophet in Israel appears to have said so. And what enabled this man in the eighth century to offer testimony, so novel but so true, about the far-away beginnings of his peoples religion in the fourteenth, was plainly neither tradition nor historical research, but an overwhelming conviction of the spiritual and moral character of God-of Him who had been Israels God both then and now, and whose righteousness had been, just as much then as now, exalted above all purely national interests and all susceptibility to ritual. When we thus see the prophets knowledge of the Living God enabling him, not only to proclaim an ideal of religion more spiritual than Israel had yet dreamed, but to perceive that such an ideal had been the essence of the religion of Jehovah from the first, we understand how thoroughly Amos was mastered by that knowledge. If we need any further proof of his “possession” by the character of God, we find it in those phrases in which his own consciousness disappears, and we have no longer the heralds report of the Lords words, but the very accents of the Lord Himself, fraught with personal feeling of the most intense quality. “I” Jehovah “hate, I despise your feast days Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; I will not hear the music of thy viols {Amo 5:21-23} I abhor the arrogance of Jacob, and hate his palaces {Amo 6:8} The eyes of the Lord Jehovah are upon the sinful kingdom {Amo 9:8} Jehovah sweareth, I will never forget any of their works.” {Amo 8:7} Such sentences reveal a Deity who is not only manifest Character, but is urgent and importunate Feeling. We have traced the prophets word to its ultimate source. It springs from the righteousness, the vigilance, the urgency of the Eternal. The intellect, imagination, and heart of Amos-the convictions he has inherited from his peoples past, his conscience of their evil life today, his impressions of current and coming history-are all enforced and illuminated, all made impetuous and radiant, by the Spirit, that is to say the Purpose and the Energy, of the Living God. Therefore, as he says in the title of his book, or as someone says for him, Amos saw his words. They stood out objective to himself. And they were not mere sound. They glowed and burned with God.
When we realize this, we feel how inadequate it is to express prophecy in the terms of evolution. No doubt, as we have seen, the ethics and religion of Amos represent a large and measurable advance upon those of earlier Israel. And yet with Amos we do not seem so much to have arrived at a new stage in a Process, as to have penetrated to the Idea which has been behind the Process from the beginning. The change and growth of Israels religion are realities-their fruits can be seen, defined, catalogued-but a greater reality is the unseen purpose which impels them. They have been expressed only now. He has been unchanging from old and forever-from the first absolute righteousness in Himself, and absolute righteousness in His demands from men.