Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Amos 1:8
And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
8. the inhabitant ] See on Amo 1:5.
from Ashdod ] Another of the five chief Philistine cities (Jos 13:3; 1Sa 6:17 f.) is here specified, Ashdod, about 21 miles N.N.E. of Gaza, and 3 miles from the sea-coast. It was a strong fortress, and served also as a half-way station on the great caravan-route between Gaza and Joppa. According to Herodotus (ii. 157), when attacked by Psammetichus king of Egypt ( c. 650 b.c.), it sustained a siege of 29 years, the longest on record: how severely it suffered on this occasion may be inferred from the expression ‘remnant of Ashdod’ used shortly afterwards by Jeremiah (Jer 25:20). But it recovered from this blow: it is alluded to as a place of some importance in the time of Nehemiah (Neh 4:7); and it is mentioned frequently afterwards.
and him that holdeth the sceptre ] as Amo 1:5. The independent kings of the different Philistine cities are often mentioned in the Assyrian Inscriptions (cf. below).
from Ashkelon ] a third chief Philistine city, situated actually on the coast, in a rocky amphitheatre, about half-way between Gaza and Ashdod. In the Middle Ages it became the most considerable of all the Philistine fortresses, its position on the sea constituting it then the key to S.W. Palestine. In ancient times little that is distinctive is recorded of it; though it may be reasonably inferred to have been already important for purposes of marine communication with the West.
turn mine hand against ] Isa 1:25; Zec 13:7; Psa 81:14.
Ekron ] a fourth chief city of the Philistines, situated inland, about 12 miles N.E. of Ashdod, and nearer the territory of Judah than any of the cities before mentioned. Ekron was the seat of a celebrated oracle, that of Baal-zebub (2Ki 1:2); but otherwise it does not appear in the Old Testament as a place of great importance. Gath, the fifth chief Philistine city, is not named: either, as some suppose (see on Amo 6:2) it was already destroyed, or it is included implicitly in the expression ‘remnant of the Philistines,’ immediately following.
and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish ] i.e. whatever among them escapes the destruction announced in the previous clauses shall perish by a subsequent one: ‘remnant’ ( she’rith), as Amo 5:15, Amo 9:12 &c. The rendering rest, i.e. those unmentioned in the previous enumeration (Jer 39:3; Neh 7:72), is less probable. The verse declares that the whole Philistine name will be blotted out.
saith the Lord God ] the Lord Jehovah ( ), Amos’ favourite title for God, occurring in his prophecy twenty times (Amo 1:8, Amo 3:7-8; Amo 3:11, Amo 4:2; Amo 4:5, Amo 5:3, Amo 6:8, Amo 7:1-2; Amo 7:4; Amo 7:4-6, Amo 8:1; Amo 8:3; Amo 8:9; Amo 8:11, Amo 9:8; and followed by God of hosts, Amo 3:13). It is likewise a standing title with Ezekiel, who uses it with great frequency. It is employed sometimes by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Deutero-Isaiah, as well as here and there by other prophets; and also occurs occasionally in the historical books (as Gen 15:2; Gen 15:8; Jos 7:7).
Successes, of at least a temporary character, gained against the Philistines by Uzziah and Hezekiah, are recorded in 2Ch 26:6 f. and 2Ki 18:8; but the foes from whom they suffered more severely were the Assyrians. Gaza was attacked by Tiglath-pileser (c. b.c. 734); its king Hanno was compelled to take refuge in Egypt; much spoil was taken, and a heavy tribute imposed ( K.A.T [116][117] p. 256). In 711, Azuri, king of Ashdod, refused his accustomed tribute: the result was the siege by the Assyrian ‘Tartan,’ or general-in-chief, alluded to in Isaiah 20, which ended in the reduction of the city and exile of its inhabitants. Ten years later, in 701, Ashkelon and Ekron joined the Phoenician cities and Judah, in revolting from Sennacherib, and were both punished by the Assyrian king [118] . It seems, however, that though the power of the Philistines must have been seriously crippled by these blows, it was by no means destroyed: the kings of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and Ashdod are all named as tributary to Esarhaddon and Asshurbanipal ( K.A.T [119][120] 356); oracles are uttered against the Philistines by several of the later prophets; their cities are mentioned as places of importance in the times of Nehemiah (Neh 4:7, Neh 13:23 f.) and the Maccabees. The passages in which other prophets foretell disaster for the Philistines chiefly at the hands of the Assyrians or the Chaldaeans should be compared: see Isa 11:14 (a picture of united Israel’s successes against them in the ideal future), Isa 14:29-32; Jer 25:20; Jeremiah 47; Zep 2:4-7; Eze 25:15-17; Zec 9:5-7.
[116] .A.T. Eb. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A. T., ed. 2, 1883 (translated under the title The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the O. T. 1885, 1888). The references are to the pagination of the German, which is given on the margin of the English translation.
[117] Eb. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A. T., ed. 2, 1883 (translated under the title The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the O. T. 1885, 1888). The references are to the pagination of the German, which is given on the margin of the English translation.
[118] See K.A. T. 2 pp. 397 ff., 291 ff.; or the writer’s Isaiah, pp. 45, 67 f., 73.
[119] .A.T. Eb. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A. T., ed. 2, 1883 (translated under the title The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the O. T. 1885, 1888). The references are to the pagination of the German, which is given on the margin of the English translation.
[120] Eb. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A. T., ed. 2, 1883 (translated under the title The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the O. T. 1885, 1888). The references are to the pagination of the German, which is given on the margin of the English translation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod – Ashdod, as well as Ekron, have their names from their strength; Ashdod, the mighty, like Valentia; Ekron, the firm-rooted. The title of Ashdod implied that it was powerful to inflict as to resist. It may have meant, the waster. It too was eminent in its idolatry. The ark, when taken, was first placed in its Dagon-temple 1Sa 5:1-7; and, perhaps, in consequence, its lord is placed first of the five, in recounting the trespass-offerings which they sent to the Lord 1Sa 6:17. Ashdod (Azotus in the New Testament now a village, Esdud or Shdood ), lay 34 or 36 miles from Gaza , on the great route from Egypt northward, on that which now too is most used even to Jerusalem. Ashkelon lay to the left of the road, near the sea, rather more than halfway.
Ekron (Akir, now a village of 50 mud-houses ), lay a little to the right of the road northward from Gaza to Lydda (in the same latitude as Jamnia, Jabneel) on the road from Ramleh to Belt Jibrin (Eleutheropolis). Ekron, the furthest from the sea, lay only 15 miles from it. They were then a succession of fortresses, strong from their situation, which could molest any army, which should come along their coast. Transversely, in regard to Judah, they enclosed a space parallel to most of Judah and Benjamin. Ekron, which by Gods gift was the northern line of Judah Jos 15:11, is about the same latitude as Ramah in Benjamin; Gaza, the same as Carmel (Kurmul). From Gaza lay a straight road to Jerusalem; but Ashkelon too, Ashdod, and Ekron lay near the heads of valleys, which ran up to the hill-country near Jerusalem .
This system of rich valleys, in which, either by artificial irrigation or natural absorption, the streams which ran from the mountains of Judah westward fertilized the grainfields of Philistia, aforded equally a ready approach to Philistine marauders into the very heart of Judah. The Crusaders had to crown with castles the heights in a distant circle around Ashkelon , in order to restrain the incursions of the Muslims. (In such occasions doubtless, the same man-stealing was often practiced on lesser scales, which here, on a larger scale, draws down the sentence of God. Gath, much further inland, probably formed a center to which these maritime towns converged, and united their system of inroads on Judah.
These five cities of Philistia had each its own petty king (Seren, our axle). But all formed one whole; all debated and acted together on any great occasion; as in the plot against Samson Jdg 16:5, Jdg 16:8, Jdg 16:18, the sacrifice to Dagon in triumph over him, where they perished Jdg 16:23, Jdg 16:27, Jdg 16:30; the inflictions on account of the ark 1Sa 5:8, 1Sa 5:11; 1Sa 6:4, 1Sa 6:12, 1Sa 6:16, 1Sa 6:18; the great attack on Israel 1Sa 7:7, which God defeated the Mizpeh; the battle when Saul fell, and the dismissal of David 1Sa 31:2, 1Sa 31:6-7; 1Ch 12:19. The cities divided their idolatry also, in a manner, between them, Ashdod being the chief seat of the worship of Dagon , Ashkelon, of the corresponding worship of Derceto , the fish-goddess, the symbol of the passive principle in re-production. Ekron was the seat of the worship of Baalzebub and his oracle, from where he is called the god of Ekron 2Ki 1:2-3, 2Ki 1:16.
Gaza, even after it had become an abode of Greek idolatry and had seven temples of Greek gods, still retained its worship of its god Marna (our Lord) as the chief . It too was probably nature and to its worship they were devoted. All these cities were as one; all formed one state; 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 custom of prophetic diction, what is said of each is said of all. King and people were to be cut off from all; all were to be consumed with fire in war; on all God would, as it were, turn (literally, bring back) His Hand, visiting them anew, and bringing again the same punishment upon them. In truth these destructions came upon them, again and again, through Sargon, Hezekiah, Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander, the Maccabees.
Ashdod – Uzziah about this time brake down its walls and built cities about 2Ch 26:6 it, to protect his people from its inroads. It recovered, and was subsequently besieged and taken by Tartan, the Assyrian General under Sargon Isa 20:1 (about 716 b.c.). Somewhat later, it sustained the longest siege in mans knowlege, for 29 years, from Psammetichus king of Egypt (about 635 b.c.). Whence, probably Jeremiah, while he speaks of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, mentions the remnant of Ashdod Jer 25:20 only. Yet, after the captivity, it seems to have been the first Philistine city, so that the Philistines were called Ashdodites Neh 4:7, and their dialect Ashdodite Neh 13:24. They were still hostile to the Jews Neh 4:7. The war, in which Judas Maccabaeus spoiled Ashdod and other Philistine cities (1 Macc. 5:68), was a defensive war against a war of extermination. The nations round about (1 Macc. 5:1, 2), it is said at the beginning of the account of that years campaign, thought to destroy the generation of Jacob that was among them, and thereupon they began to slay and destroy the people. Jonathan, the brother of Judas, set fire to Azotus and the cities round about it (1 Macc. 10:82, 84), after a battle under its walls, to which his enemies had challenged him. The temple of Dagon in it was a sort of citadel (1 Macc. 10:83).
Ashkelon is mentioned as a place of strength, taken by the great conqueror, Raamses II. Its resolute defense and capture are represented, with its name as a city of Canaanites, on a monument of Karnac . Its name most naturally signifies hanging. This suits very well with the site of its present ruins, which hang on the side of the theater or arc of hills, whose base is the sea. This, however, probably was not its ancient site (see the note at Zep 2:4). Its name occurs in the wars of the Maccabees, but rather as submitting readily (1 Macc. 10:86; 11:60). Perhaps the inhabitants had been changed in the intervening period. Antipater, the Edomite father of Herod, courted, we are told , the Arabs and the Ascalonites and the Gazites. Toward the Jews their neighbors, the inhabitants of the Holy land, Philo says to the Roman emperor, the Ascalonites have an irreconcilable aversion, which will come to no terms. This abiding hatred burst out at the beginning of the war with the Romans, in which Jerusalem perished. The Ascalonites massacred 2500 Jews dwelling among them . The Jews fired Ascalon and utterly destroyed Gaza .
Ekron was apparently not important enough in itself to have any separate history. We hear of it only as given by Alexander Bales with the borders thereof in possession (1 Macc. 10:89) to Jonathan the Maccabee. The valley of Surar gave the Ekronites a readier entrance into the center of Judaea, than Ascalon or Ashdod had. In Jeromes time, it had sunk to a very large village.
The residue of the Philistines shall perish – This has been thought to mean the rest (as in Jer 39:3; Neh 7:72) that is, Gath, (not mentioned by name anymore as having ceased to be of any account (see the note at Amo 6:3)) and the towns, dependent on those chief cities . The common (and, with a proper name, universal ) meaning of the idiom is, the remnant, those who remain over after a first destruction. The words then, like those just before, I will bring again my hand against Ekron, foretell a renewal of those first judgments. The political strength which should survive one desolation should be destroyed in those which should succeed it. In tacit contrast with the promises of mercy to the remnant of Judah (see above the note at Joe 2:32), Amos foretells that judgment after judgment should fall upon Philistia, until the Philistines ceased to be anymore a people; as they did.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The inhabitant: see Amo 1:5.
Ashdod: see Zep 2:4; Zec 9:6. This was one of the five cities of the Philistines, and had its roitelet. it was afterwards called
Azotus, Act 8:40. In this city was Dagons temple and statue, 1Sa 5:1-3. The like threat against Ashdod did Jeremiah denounce, Jer 25:16, with Jer 25:20.
Him that holdeth the sceptre: see Amo 1:5. Ashkelon; another city of the Palestine pentarchy, and a very strong one, of which see Zep 2:7; Zec 9:5,6, which shall perish with the king and inhabitants thereof; which (besides what Shalmaneser, Sennacherib, or Sargon, kings of Assyria, did, and besides what Hezekiah did against Ashkelon) had some accomplishment in Nabopolassars and Nebuchadnezzars time, and in Alexander the Great, to whom this city, as well as Gaza and Ashdod, became subject.
I will turn mine hand against Ekron; having destroyed these, saith the Lord, I will proceed on to Ekron, another of the five cities of the Philistines, strong, but, as the rest, cruel to Israel, and very sinfully idolatrous, worshipping Baal-zebub, for which this shall be destroyed also: see Zep 2:4; Zec 9:5.
The remnant of the Philistines; what remaineth either of cities, towns, or people, not already expressly mentioned and threatened.
Shall perish; be cut off, and wasted utterly.
Saith the Lord God; when all this shall be done, though perhaps ye may not know, yet know ye this, that assuredly it shall be done in its time, for the Lord hath said it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. Ashdod, c.Gath alone isnot mentioned of the five chief Philistine cities. It had alreadybeen subdued by David and it, as well as Ashdod, was taken by Uzziah(2Ch 26:6). Gath perhaps hadlost its position as one of the five primary cities before Amosuttered this prophecy, whence arose his omission of it. So Zep 2:4;Zep 2:5. Compare Jer 47:4;Eze 25:16. Subsequently to thesubjugation of the Philistines by Uzziah, and then by Hezekiah, theywere reduced by Psammetichus of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar, the Persians,Alexander, and lastly the Asmoneans.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod,…. The same with Azotus, Ac 8:40; another principal city of the Philistines: this perhaps was fulfilled when Tartan was sent against it by Sargon king of Assyria, and took it, Isa 20:1; or however in the times of the Maccabees, when Jonathan took it, and burnt it, and the cities round about it; and took their spoils, and burnt the temple of Dagon, and those that fled to it; and what with those that were burnt, and those that fell by the sword, there perished about eight thousand,
“84 But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire. 85 Thus there were burned and slain with the sword well nigh eight thousand men.” (1 Maccabees 10)
this was so strong a place, that, according to Herodotus t, it held out a siege of twenty nine years, under Psammitichus king of Egypt. It was, according to Diodorus Siculus u, thirty four miles, from Gaza before mentioned; and it was about eight or nine from Ashkelon, and fourteen or fifteen from Ekron after mentioned:
and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon; another of the five lordships of the Philistines, whose king or governor should be cut off, with the inhabitants of it; this was done by Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 47:5. This place was about fifteen miles from Gaza, Mr. Sandys w says ten, but it was eight or nine miles from Ashdod; and, as Josephus x says, was sixty five miles from Jerusalem. It was the birth place of Herod the great, who from thence is called an Ashkelonite; but the king or governor of it was cut off before his time. It was governed by kings formerly. Justin y makes mention of a king of Ashkelon; according to the Samaritan interpreter, Ge 20:1; it is the same with Gerar, which had a king in the times of Abraham; hence a sceptre is here ascribed to it:
and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: to destroy that; another of the chief cities of the Philistines. It was about ten miles from Gath; four of the five lordships are here mentioned, but not Gath, which was the fifth; see 1Sa 6:17; because, as Kimchi says, it was in the hands of Judah. All these places were inhabited by Heathens, and guilty of gross idolatry, which must be one of the transgressions for which they were punished. Gaza was a place much given to idolatry, as it was even in later times; when other neighbouring cities embraced the Christian religion, the inhabitants of it were violent persecutors; hence that saying of Gregory Nazianzen z,
“who knows not the madness of the inhabitants of Gaza?”
here stood the temple of the god Marnas a, which with the Syrians signified the lord of men: at Ashdod or Azotus stood the temple of Dagon, where he was worshipped, 1Sa 5:2;
“But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.” (1 Maccabees 10:84)
Near Ashkelon, as Diodorus Siculus b relates, was a large and deep lake, full of fishes; and by it was a temple of a famous goddess, called by the Syrians Derceto, who had a woman’s face, but the rest of her body in the form of a fish; being, as the fable goes, changed into one upon her casting herself into the above lake on a certain occasion; hence the Syrians abstained from fishes, and worshipped them as gods. Herodotus c calls this city a city of Syria, and speaks of a temple dedicated to Urania Venus; and in the Talmud d mention is made of the temple of Zeripha, or of a molten image at Ashkelon; and, besides idolatry, this place seems to have been famous for witchcraft; for it is said e that Simeon ben Shetach hung on one day at Ashkelon fourscore women for being witches; and, at Ekron, Baalzebub or the god of the fly was worshipped:
and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God; all the other towns and cities belonging to them, besides those mentioned; which very likely had its accomplishment in the times of the Maccabees, when they fell into the hands of the Jews.
t Euterpe, sive l. 2. c. 157. u Bibliothec. l. 19. p. 723. w Travels, p. 151. x De Bello Jud. l. 3. c. 2. sect. 1. y E Trogo, l. 19. c. 3. z Orat. 3. adv. Julian. p. 87. a Hieronymul in lsa. xvii. fol. 39. K. b Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 92. c Clio, sive l. 1. c. 105. d T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 11. 2. e T. Hieros. Sanhedrin, fol. 23. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He therefore adds, that Jehovah Lord had spoken, saith the Lord Jehovah This was added for confirmation; for the Philistine were then in possession of many and strong defenses, so that they boldly laughed to scorn the threatening of the Prophet. He therefore brings forward here the name of God. Now follows the prediction respecting Tyrus: —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Amo 1:8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
Ver. 8. And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod ] These other four Satrapies of the Philistines (Gath is not mentioned, because happily time had now triumphed over it, so that it lived by fame only) were the worse likely, and fared the worse for Gaza’s ill neighbourhood; like as Hamath did for Damascus, Zec 9:2 .
And I will turn mine hand
And the remnant of the Philistines
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Ashdod. Afterward called by the Greeks, “Azotus”. Now Esclud, in the plain of Philistia, thirty-five miles north of Gaza.
Ashkelon. Now ‘Askalan, on the coast of Philistia.
Ekron. Afterward, Greek, “Accaron” (1 Macc. 10.89), Now ‘Akir, six miles west of Gezer. For “Gezer “see note on 1Ki 9:15-17.
saith = hath said.
the Lord GOD. Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. App-4. This Divine title occurs twenty-one times (7 x 3. See App-10) in this book (Amo 1:8, Amo 1:3, Amo 1:7, Amo 1:8, Amo 1:11, Amo 1:13; Amo 4:2, Amo 4:5; Amo 5:3; Amo 6:8; Amo 7:1-6; Amo 8:1, Amo 8:3, Amo 8:9, Amo 8:11; Amo 9:5, Amo 9:8). For “thus hath said Adonai Jehovah” See Amo 3:11.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I will cut: Isa 20:1, Jer 47:5, Eze 25:16
turn: Psa 81:14, Isa 1:25, Zec 13:7
and the: Isa 14:29-31, Jer 47:4, Jer 47:5, Eze 25:16, Zep 2:4-7
Reciprocal: Jos 15:45 – Ekron Jos 15:46 – near Jos 19:43 – Ekron 1Sa 5:10 – God to Ekron 1Sa 6:17 – Gaza Neh 4:7 – Ashdodites Jer 25:20 – remnant Eze 38:12 – turn Amo 3:9 – Ashdod Oba 1:19 – the plain Zec 9:6 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Amo 1:8. All of the towns named were in the land of the Philistines, and were to share in the chastisement that God threatened to bring against that land.