Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Amos 4:5
And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim [and] publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
5. offer ] make into sweet smoke (the Homeric , Il. I. 319), a term used technically of the consumption of sacrifices upon the altar (Lev 1:9, &c.). The idea is that of a repast: comp. Gen 8:19. The root atara in Arabic signifies to exhale an odour in roasting.
a sacrifice of thanksgiving ] The tdh, or thanksgiving-offering, of Jer 17:26; Jer 33:11; Lev 7:12-13; Lev 7:15; Lev 22:29 ; 2Ch 29:31; 2Ch 33:16; Psa 56:12, c. title, Psa 107:22, Psa 116:17.
with leaven ] of that which is leavened (R.V.). “Leaven,” a term including, as Lev 2:11 shews, not only yeast, but also dibs or grape-honey, was forbidden as an ingredient in sacrifices (Exo 23:18; Lev 2:11; Lev 6:17) on account of its liability to putrefy. In Lev 7:14 cakes of leavened bread are, it is true, to be offered with the thanksgiving offering: they are not, however, to be consumed upon the altar, but to be eaten by the offerer, with the flesh of the offering, at a sacrificial feast: the leaven was thus not a part of the sacrifice itself. The custom of not offering leaven prevailed, it may be inferred, at Beth-el: the Israelites of Amos’s day, however, with mistaken zeal, thought to make their thanksgiving-offerings more acceptable by using yeast or grape-honey in their preparation. It is not improbable that luscious sacrifices of this kind were a feature in the Canaanite worship of Baal, and were for this reason viewed with particular disfavour by the prophet (cf. Hos 3:1; W. R. Smith, O.T.J.C. 1 , p. 434; Rel. Sem. 2 p. 220 f.).
proclaim free-will offerings and publish them ] i.e. announce them ostentatiously (cf. Mat 6:2; Mat 23:5), and invite all the world to the sacrificial feast accompanying them. The free-will offerings are such as were prompted by the spontaneous devotion of the worshipper: they are mentioned in Deu 12:6; Deu 12:17 as a common form of sacrifice.
this liketh you ] lit. so ye love (Jer 5:31): this is what pleases you; act accordingly: it is not Jehovah’s choice, and will not deliver you from the impending doom. To like in Old English = to please: so Deu 23:16, Est 8:8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven – But amid this boastful service, all was self-will. In little or great, the calf-worship at Bethel, or the use of leaven in the sacrifice, they did as they willed. The prophet seems to have joined purposely the fundamental change, by which Jeroboam substituted the worship of nature for its God, and a minute alteration of the ritual, to show that one and the same temper, self-will, reigned in all, dictated all they did. The use of leaven in the things sacrificed was forbidden, out of a symbolic reason, that is, not in itself, but as representing something else. The Eastern leaven, like that used in France, consisting of what is sour, had the idea of decay and corruption connected with it. Hence, it was unfit to be offered to God. For whatever was the object of any sacrifice, whether of atonement or thanksgiving, perfection in its kind was essential to the idea of offering. Hence, it was expressly forbidden. No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord, shall be made with leaven, for ye shall burn no leaven in an offering of the Lord made by fire (Lev 2:11; add. Lev 6:17). At other times it is expressly commanded, that unleavened bread should be used. In two cases only, in which the offering was not to be burned, were offerings to be made of leavened bread:
(1) the two loaves of first-fruits at Pentecost Lev 23:17, and
(2) an offering with which the thank offering was accompanied, and which was to be the priests Lev 7:13-14.
The special meat offering of the thank offering was to be without leaven Lev 7:12. To offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven was a direct infringement of Gods appointment. It proceeded from the same frame of mind, as the breach of the greatest. Self-will was their only rule. What they willed, they kept; and what they willed, they brake. Amos bids them then go on, as they did in their willfulness, breaking Gods commands of set purpose, and keeping them by accident.
Rup.: This is a most grave mode of speaking, whereby He now saith, Come and do so and so, and He Himself who saith this, hateth those same deeds of theirs. He so speaketh, not as willing, but as abandoning not as inviting, but as expelling; not in exhortation but in indignation. He subjoins then, (as the case required,) for so ye loved. As if He said, I therefore say, come to Bethel where is your god, your calf, because so ye loved, and hitherto ye have come. I therefore say, transgress, because ye do transgress, and ye will to transgress. I say, come to Gilgal, where were idols (Jdg 3:19, English margin) long before Jeroboams calves, because ye come and ye will to come. I say, multiply transgressions, because ye do multiply it, and yet will to multiply it. I say, bring your sacrifices, because ye offer them and ye will to offer them, to whom ye ought not. I say, offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, because ye so do, and ye will do it, leavened as ye are with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, against the whole authority of the holy and spiritual law, which forbiddeth to offer in sacrifice anything leavened.
This pleaseth your gods, that ye be leavened, and without the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth 1Co 5:8. To them then sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, because to Me ye, being sinners, cannot offer a seemly sacrifice of praise. And so doing, proclaim and publish the free offerings, for so ye do, and so ye will to do, honoring the sacrifices which ye offer to your calves with the same names, whereby the authority of the law nameth those which are offered unto Me; burnt offerings, and peace offerings; and proclaim them with the sound of trumpet and harp, with timbrel and dancing, with strings and organ, upon the well turned cymbals and the loud cymbals Psa 150:1-6, that so ye may be thought to have sung louder and stronger than the tribe of Judah or the house of David in the temple of the Lord, because ye are more. All these things are said, not with the intention of one willing, but with the indignation of one forsaking, as in many other instances. As that which the same Lord said to His betrayer; what thou doest, do quickly Joh 13:27. And in the Revelations we read, He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still Rev 22:11. These things, and the rest of the like sort, are not the words of one commanding, or, of His own Will, conceding, but permitting and forsaking. For He was not ignorant, (Wisdom saith) (Wisdom Rev 12:10) that they were a naughty generation, and their malice was inbred, and that their cogitation never would be changed.
Proclaim and publish the free offerings – o: Account much of what ye offer to God, and think that ye do great things, as though ye honored God condignly, and were under no obligation to offer such gifts. The whole is said in irony. For some there are, who appreciate magnificently the gifts and services which they offer to God, and think they have attained to great perfection, as though they made an adequate return to the divine benefits, not weighing the infinite dignity of the Divine Majesty, the incomparable greatness of the divine benefits, the frailty of their own condition and the imperfection of their service. Against whom is that which the Saviour saith, When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do Luk 17:10. Hence, David saith all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee. 1Ch 19:14.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Over a sacrifice of thanksgiving] To the senseless metal, and the unfeeling stock and stone images, from which ye never did, and never could receive any help. Proceed yet farther, and bring free-will offerings; testify superabundant gratitude to your wooden and metallic gods, to whom ye are under such immense imaginary obligations! Proclaim and publish these offerings, and set forth the perfections of the objects of your worship; and see what they can do for you, when I, Jehovah, shall send drought, and blasting, and famine, and pestilence, and the sword among you.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven; as all the rest of your will-worship, so this also is against the express law, Lev 2:11, but yet you will persist in it; and do so at your peril, try whether it end in good to you.
Proclaim and publish the free-offerings; publicly, frequently, and earnestly persuade your people to voluntary sacrifices, in which you think to please me; but you offer them all to idols; this your religion is impiety.
This liketh you; as you invented it, so it pleaseth you, and you will not be reclaimed.
Ye children of Israel; ye idolatrous, apostate Israelites.
Saith the Lord God; for these you shall be punished by the Lord your God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. offerliterally, “burnincense”; that is, “offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving withburnt incense and with leavened bread.” The frankincensewas laid on the meat offering, and taken by the priest from it toburn on the altar (Lev 2:1;Lev 2:2; Lev 2:8-11).Though unleavened cakes were to accompany the peace offeringsacrifice of animals, leavened bread was also commanded(Lev 7:12; Lev 7:13),but not as a “meat offering” (Le2:11).
this liketh youthatis, this is what ye like.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven,…. Which some observe was contrary to the law, which forbids all leaven in a meat offering; or “burning” it in any offering, Le 2:11; which the word t here used suggests was done by these idolaters, as well as eaten by them, their priests not liking to eat unleavened bread; but; though it was forbidden in the meat offering, was allowed, yea, ordered, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, Le 7:13. So Abarbinel understands it here, as what was according, to law, but ironically commanded to be offered to idols:
and proclaim [and] publish the free offerings; let all know of them when you make your freewill offerings, and invite them to partake of them:
for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God; or ye love to offer such sacrifices to your idols, rather than to the Lord God; preferring these to him, and delighting more in the worship of them than of him.
t “incendendo”, Munster, Tigurine version; “incendito incensum”, Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And burn incense with the leaven of thank offering He speaks of peace-offerings; sacrifices of thanksgiving were wont to be offered with leaven; but with other sacrifices they presented cakes and unleavened bread. It was lawful in peace-offerings to offer leaven. However sedulous, then, the Israelites were in performing these rites, the Prophet intimates that they were in no way approved by God inasmuch as they had departed from the pure command of the law. Some take leaven in a bad sense, as meaning a vicious and impure sacrifice, which the law required to be free from leaven; but this view seems not suitable here; for nothing is here condemned in the Israelites, but that they had departed from what the law prescribed, that they had presumptuously changed the place of the temple, and also raised up a new priesthood. They were in other things careful and diligent enough; but this defection was the chief abomination. It could not then be, that God would approve of deprivations; for obedience, as it is said elsewhere, is of more account before him than all sacrifices, (1Sa 15:22) Proclaim, he says, נדבות, nudabut, voluntary oblations. What he means is, “Though ye not only offer sacrifices morning and evenings as it has been commanded you, though ye not only present other sacrifices on festivals, but also add voluntary oblations to any extent, yet nothing pleases me.”
Bring forth then, and proclaim voluntary offerings; that is, “Appoint solemn assemblies with great pomp; yet this would be nothing else than to add sin to sin: ye are acting wickedly for this reason, — because the very beginning is impious.”
But the last part of the verse must be noticed, For so it has pleased you, O children of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah. By saying that the Israelites loved to do these things, he reprobates their presumption in devising at their own will new modes of worship; as though he said, “I require no sacrifices from you except those offered at Jerusalem; but ye offer them to me in a profane place. Regard then your sacrifices as offered to yourselves, and not to me.” We indeed know how hypocrites ever make God a debtor to themselves; when they undertake any labor in their frivolous ceremonies, they think that God is bound to them. But God denies that this work was done for him, for he had not enjoined it in his law. “It has thus pleased you,” he says, “ Vous faites cela pour votre plaisir et bien mettez le sur vos comptes “. We then see what Amos meant here by saying, ‘It has so pleased you, O children of Israel:’ it is, as if he had said, “Ye ought to have consulted me, and simply to have obeyed my word, to have regarded what pleased me, what I have commanded; but ye have despised my word, neglected my law, and followed what pleased yourselves, and proceeded from your own fancies. Since, then, your own will is your law, seek a recompense from yourselves, for I allow none of these things. What I require is implicit submission, I look for nothing else but obedience to my law; as ye render not this but according to your own will, it is no worship of my name.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) The margin is more correct, and gives the key to the passage. Render, and offer by burning your thank-offering of leaven. Leaven was not allowed in any sacrifice offered by fire. Amos ironically calls upon them to break the Levitical law (Lev. 7:13; Lev. 23:17), as he knew they were in the habit of doing.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Amo 4:5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim [and] publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
Ver. 5. And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven ] Which I have flatly forbidden to be done, Lev 2:11 . Neither leaven nor honey (which hath a leavening property in it) might be burnt in any offering made by fire; to show how God hateth hypocrisy; which, as leaven, soureth, swelleth, impureth, both us and our services. Out with it, therefore, 1Co 5:7 . God indeed permitted his people to offer leavened bread with the peace offerings, Lev 7:13 , ut ostenderetur, Deum ferre nostram infirmitatem, saith Alsted, to show that God beareth with our infirmities. But those leavened loaves were not to be burnt upon the altar; they were only for food to be eaten.
And proclaim and publish the free offerings
For this liketh you
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
offer a sacrifices = offer as incense. Hebrew katar. App-43. Ref to Pentateuch (Lev 7:13; Lev 23:17). App-92. Compare Psa 56:12. Jer 17:26; Jer 33:1. Heb 13:15.
with leaven. Leavened bread might be eaten by the offerer, but not consumed on the altar (Lev 2:11, Lev 2:12). Leaven is mentioned five times in Exodus; four in Leviticus; one in Deuteronomy; and not elsewhere. The Mosaic law was well known. App-92. There was no “historic growth” of the Pentateuch.
free offerings. Reference to Pentateuch (Lev 22:18, Lev 22:21. Deu 12:6). App-92.
this liketh you = so ye have loved [to have it).
children = sons.
saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah’s oracle.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thanksgiving
(See Scofield “Lev 7:13”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
offer a sacrifice: Heb. offer by burning, Lev 7:12, Lev 7:13, Lev 23:17
proclaim: Lev 22:18-21, Deu 12:6, Deu 12:7, Mat 6:2
for: Psa 81:12, Mat 15:9, Mat 15:13, Mat 15:14, Mat 23:23, Rom 1:28, 2Th 2:10-12
this liketh you: Heb. so ye love, Hos 9:1, Hos 9:10
Reciprocal: Exo 12:8 – unleavened Lev 22:29 – General 1Ki 18:27 – Elijah 2Ch 18:14 – Go ye up Isa 29:1 – add Isa 50:11 – walk Eze 20:39 – Go ye Hos 9:2 – floor Hos 9:4 – neither Amo 5:22 – peace offerings
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Amo 4:5. The last part of the preceding verse and beginning of this describes some of the rites authorized by the law of Moses. The prophet is condemning these people indirectly, which raises the question of why it is so if the law provided for such ser-vices. The explanation is in the first part of the preceding verse, where the practice of idolatry is included with the things set out, by the law. Such a mixture was always displeasing to God and he rejected their entire religious life because of such an impure combination. The reader should see the long note offered with the comments on Isa 1:10 in volume 3 of this Com- metctabt. For this liketh you is an accusation that the people not only practiced the things named, hut they did It because they liked to do so; their heart was in it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
4:5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving {f} with leaven, and proclaim [and] publish the free offerings: for this {g} liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
(f) As Lev 7:13 .
(g) You only delight in these outward ceremonies and care for nothing else.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Thank offerings expressed gratitude for blessings and answers to prayer (Lev 7:11-15). The Israelites made freewill offerings spontaneously out of gratitude to God (Lev 7:16; Lev 22:17-19). God permitted the people to present leavened bread in these offerings. The people loved to practice these acts of worship, but they did not love to obey sovereign Yahweh or care for their poor, oppressed neighbors. The Lord wanted their loving obedience, not their acts of worship. Loving religious activity is not the same as loving God.