5<\/strong>. But seek me not, as I am sought by the worshippers at Beth-el and your other sanctuaries: their<\/em> end will be only destruction.<\/p>\n seek not Beth-el<\/em> ] Here ‘seek’ is used in the first of the two senses indicated on Amo 5:4<\/em><\/span>: comp. (in connexion with a place) Deu 12:5<\/span>. On ‘Beth-el’ and ‘Gilgal,’ see on Amo 3:14<\/span> and Amo 4:4<\/span>.<\/p>\n and<\/em> cross<\/strong> not<\/em> over<\/strong> to Beer-sheba<\/em> ] i.e. pass not over the frontiers to it. Beer-sheba was situated in the extreme south of Judah (comp. the expression “from Dan even to Beersheba”), some 50 miles S.S.W. of Jerusalem, and 30 miles S.W. of Hebron; hence it lay far beyond the territory of Israel, and a visit to it must have been the occasion of a special pilgrimage. Beer-sheba was an ancient sanctuary, hallowed by associations of the patriarchs (Gen 21:31-33<\/span>; Gen 22:19<\/span>; Gen 26:23-25<\/span>; Gen 26:31-33<\/span>; Gen 28:10<\/span>; Gen 46:1<\/span>): it is mentioned as an important place in 1Sa 8:2<\/span>; and in Amos’ time it was a popular resort for pilgrims from N. Israel. No doubt Beer-sheba, situated as it was on the edge of the desert, owed its importance to its wells, two of which, yielding a copious supply of pure and clear water, still remain.<\/p>\n for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity<\/em> ] into<\/em> exile<\/strong> (on Amo 1:5<\/span>). In the Hebrew there is a play on the name Gilgal ( glh yigleh<\/em>): it suggested to the ear (though not, of course, etymologically) the word glh<\/em>, to ‘go into exile,’ and the prophet declares, so to say, that its fate will fulfil the omen of its name, its end will be exile. There is another play of the same kind in Hos 12:11<\/span> Gil<\/em> ead and Gil<\/em> gal will become gallim<\/em>, ruined heaps, on the furrows of the field: see also, with other place-names, Isa 10:30<\/span>; Isa 15:9<\/span>; Jer 6:1<\/span>; Mic 1:10-11<\/span>; Mic 1:13-14<\/span>; Zep 2:4<\/span>.<\/p>\n and Beth-el shall come to nought<\/em> ] shall come to<\/em> trouble.<\/strong> Here also there is a play on the name, though one of a different kind. “Beth- el<\/em>,” ‘House of God<\/em>,’ as a seat of unspiritual worship, was called in mockery (see Hos 4:15<\/span>; Hos 5:8<\/span>; Hos 10:5<\/span>; cf. Hos 10:8<\/span>) “Beth- aven<\/em>,” ‘House of trouble<\/em> (or idols<\/em> ’); and Amos, playing on the double application of the word, says that it shall become a trouble<\/em>, no source of strength or support to its frequenters, but a cause of trouble; it will be ruined itself, and will bring them to ruin likewise. The play may have been suggested by the fact that there was actually, a little E. of Bethel, a place called Beth-aven<\/em> (Jos 7:2<\/span>; Jos 18:12<\/span>; 1Sa 13:5<\/span>; 1Sa 14:23<\/span>). (The rend. ‘come to nought<\/em> ’ is too strong, though ‘come to vanity<\/em> ’ would be permissible (see Isa 41:29<\/span>, Zec 10:2<\/span>): ven<\/em> seems to have included the ideas of what is wearisome, troubling, disappointing, valueless<\/em>; and hence it may denote, according to the context, trouble, worthless conduct (iniquity), a worthless state (vanity, ruin)<\/em>, and also worthless things<\/em>, i.e. idols<\/em>, 1Sa 15:23<\/span>, Isa 66:3<\/span>; cf. the passages of Hosea just quoted; also Amo 1:5<\/span> with the note.)<\/p>\n But (and) seek not Bethel – <\/B>Israel pretended to seek God in Bethel. Amos sets the two seeking, as incompatible. The god, worshiped at Bethel, was not the One God. To seek God there was to lose Him. Seek not God, he would say, and a phantom, which will lead from God.<\/P> And pass not to Beersheba – <\/B>Jeroboam I pretended that it was too much for Israel to go up to Jerusalem. And Yet Israel thought it not too much to go to the extremest point of Judah toward Idumaea , perhaps, four times as far south of Jerusalem, as Jerusalem lay from Bethel. For Beersheba is thought to have lain some thirty miles south of Hebron , which is twenty-two miles south of Jerusalem ; while Bethel is but twelve to the north. So much pains will people take in self-willed service, and yet not see that it takes away the excuse for neglecting the true. At Beersheba, Abraham called upon the name of the Lord, the everlasting God Gen 21:33<\/span>. There God revealed Himself to Isaac and Jacob Gen 26:23-24<\/span>; Gen 46:1<\/span>. There, because He had so revealed Himself, Judah made a place of idolatry, which Israel, seeking nought besides from Judah, sought. Beersheba was still a town or large village in the time of Jerome. Now all is swept away, except some foundations of ruins, spread over 34 of a mile, with scarcely one stone upon another . The wells alone remain , with the ancient names.<\/P> Gilgal shall surely go into captivity – <\/B>The verbal allusions in the prophets are sometimes artificial; sometimes, they develop the meaning of the word itself, as when Zephaniah says, Ekron (probably the firm-rooting) shall be uprooted Zep 2:4<\/span>; sometimes, as here, the words are connected, although not the same. In all cases, the likeness of sound was calculated to fix them in mens memories. It would be so, if one with authority could say, Paris perira , Paris shall perish or London is undone. Still more would the words, Hag-gilgal galo yigleh, because the name Gilgal still retained its first meaning, the great rolling , and the word joined with it had a kindred meaning. Originally it probably means, swept clear away. God first rolled away the reproaeh of Egypt Jos 5:9<\/span> from His people there. Then, when it made itself like the pagan, it should itself be rolled clear away Jer 51:25<\/span>. Gilgal was originally in Benjamin, but Israel had probably annexed it to itself, as it had Bethel and Jericho 1Ki 16:34<\/span>, both of which had been assigned by Joshua to Benjamin Jos 18:21-22<\/span>.<\/P> And Bethel shall come to nought – <\/B>Hosea had called Bethel, Gods house, by the name of Bethaven Hos 4:15<\/span>; Hos 10:5<\/span>, Vanity-house. Amos, in allusion to this probably, drops the first half of the name, and says that it shall not merely be house of vanity, but Aven, vanity itself. By sin the soul, which was the house or temple of God, becomes the temple of vanity and of devils.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 5<\/span>. But seek not Beth-el<\/B><\/I>] There was one of Jeroboam’s golden calves<\/I>, and at Gilgal<\/I> were carved images<\/I>; both were places in which idolatry was triumphant. The prophet shows them that all hope from those quarters is utterly vain; for Gilgal shall go into captivity, and Beth-el be brought to naught. There is a play or paronomasia on the letters<\/I> and words<\/I> in this clause: haggilgal galoh yigleh, ubeith<\/I> el yiheyeh leaven<\/I>. “This Gilgal shall go captive into captivity; and Beth-el (the house of God) shall be for Beth-aven,” (the house of iniquity.)<\/P> <\/p>\n But seek not Beth-el; <\/B>consult not, worship not, depend not on the idol calf at Beth-el; or seek not God at Beth-el, but at Jerusalem, where he will be found; cast off idolatry, return to the true God and to his instituted worship, so shall ye live. <\/P> Nor enter into Gilgal; <\/B>a city of great idolatry, a place where God will not be sought nor found by you: see Hos 4:15<\/span>; 9:15<\/span>; 12:11<\/span>, where it is more fully explained. <\/P> Pass not to Beer-sheba; <\/B>though God of old did appear there to Isaac, Gen 26:24<\/span>, though Abraham dwelt there, Gen 21:31-33<\/span>, and Jacob sacrificed there with acceptance, Gen 46:1-3<\/span>, yet now God appointeth Jerusalem and the temple the only places of his solemn worship, and of your seeking him. <\/P> Gilgal; <\/B>the inhabitants of Gilgal, for the place could not go into captivity; it is a metonymy, the place put for the people. <\/P> Shall surely go into captivity; <\/B>Shalmaneser and his Assyrians shall certainly carry them away captives. <\/P> Beth-el, <\/B>both city and people, <\/P> shall come to nought; <\/B>shall be vanity and disappointment to all that trust to the idols of it. <\/P> <\/p>\n 5. seek not Beth-el<\/B>that is,the calves at Beth-el. <\/P> Gilgal<\/B>(See on Am4:4<\/span>). <\/P> Beer-sheba<\/B>in Judah onthe southern frontier towards Edom. Once “the well of the oath”by Jehovah, ratifying Abraham’s covenant with Abimelech, and thescene of his calling on “the Lord, the everlasting God”(Gen 21:31<\/span>; Gen 21:33<\/span>),now a stronghold of idolatry (Am8:14<\/span>). <\/P> Gilgal shall surely go intocaptivity<\/B>a play on similar sounds in the Hebrew, Gilgal,galoh, yigleh:<\/I> “Gilgal (the place of rolling<\/I>) shallrolling be rolled away.” <\/P> Beth-el shall come tonaught<\/B>Beth-el (that is, the “house of God”), calledbecause of its vain idols Beth-aven (that is, “the house ofvanity,” or “naught,” Hos 4:15<\/span>;Hos 10:5<\/span>; Hos 10:8<\/span>),shall indeed “come to naught.”<\/P><\/p>\n But seek not Bethel<\/strong>,…. Do not go to Bethel, the place where one of Jeroboam’s calves was set up and worshipped, to consult the oracle, idols, and priests there; or to perform religious worship, which will be your ruin, if not prevented by another course of living:<\/p>\n nor enter into Gilgal<\/strong>; another place of idolatry, where idols were set up and worshipped [See comments on Am 4:4]<\/span>;<\/p>\n and pass not to Beersheba<\/strong>; a place in the further part of the land of Israel; it formerly belonged to Judah, but was now in the hands of the ten tribes, and where idolatrous worship was practised; see Am 8:14<\/span>; it having been a place where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had dwelt, and worshipped the true God:<\/p>\n for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity<\/strong>; that is, the inhabitants of it; they will not be able with their idols and idol worship to save themselves, and therefore go not thither. There is an elegant play on words here b, as there is also in the next words:<\/p>\n and Bethel shall come to nought<\/strong>; which also was called Bethaven, the house of vanity, or of an idol which is nothing in the world; and therefore, because of the idolatry in it, should come to nothing, be utterly destroyed, and the inhabitants of it. So the Targum,<\/p>\n “they, that are in Gilgal, and worship calves in Bethel.”<\/p>\n b .<\/p>\n But Amos afterwards defines the character of true repentance, when he says, Seek not Bethel, go not to Gilgal, pass not over to Beersheba Some think that the Prophet here repudiates all the disguises, which are usually pretended by hypocrites. We indeed know that when God calls such men to himself, that they seek indirect and tortuous courses; for none of them return sincerely and willingly to God. Men indeed see that they are justly reproved for having departed from God: but when they are called back to him they take a circuitous course, as I have said, and not the straight road. Thus, though they pretend to seek God, they seek subterfuges that they may not present themselves to him. All this is no doubt true; but the Prophet advances farther; for he shows here, that the Israelites by going to Bethel not only lost all their labor, but also grievously offended God; for superstition was in itself condemnable. If Amos had preached at Jerusalem, he might have said, “Go not into the temple, for in vain ye offer sacrifices;” as indeed he does say hereafter, “Come not with your flock.” For he there shows, that God is not to be pacified by ceremonies; nay, in that very chapter, he rejects feast-days and sacrifices; but in this place he ascends higher, and says that these two things are wholly contrary — to seek God, and to seek Bethel; as though he said, “If ye from the heart return to me, renounce all the superstitions to which you have been hitherto attached.” <\/p>\n It is indeed a proof of true conversion, when the sinner is displeased with himself on account of his sins and hates the things which before pleased him and with a changed mind devotes himself wholly to God. It is of this that the Prophet now treats; as though he said, “If there is in you a purpose to return to God, cast away all your superstitions; for these two things — true religion and idolatry, cannot be joined together. As long then as ye remain fixed in that false worship, to which you have accustomed yourselves, ye continue alienated from God. Then reconciliation with him demands that you bid adieu to all your corrupt forms of worship.” The import of the whole then is this, — that the Israelites could not be reconciled to God, except they departed from their superstitions. Let them turn away, he says, from Bethel, and Gilgal, and Beersheba <\/p>\n We indeed know that the calves were made at Bethel; and Gilgal, no doubt, became celebrated for the passing of the people over Jordan, and also, as it is well known, for the circumcising of the children of Abraham; and as to Beersheba, we know that Abraham dwelt there for a long time, and frequently offered sacrifices to God. Now, this vicious zeal ( κακοζηλία — evil zeal or affectation) ever prevails in the world; without reason or judgment it lays hold on something special, when it undertakes to set up the worship of God, as we see to be the case under the Papacy. But God has prescribed to us a certain rule according to which he is to be worshipped; it is not then his will that there should be a mixture of our inventions. When therefore the posterity of Abraham presumptuously availed themselves of his example, and when they extolled the memorable event of the circumcision, God repudiated all contrivances of this kind; for as it was well known, it was expressly his will to be worshipped at Jerusalem; and by appointing one tabernacle and one altar, he designed to cherish unity and concord among the people. We now then understand that it was the intention of Amos to show, that the conversion of the people would be fictitious, until they turned away from all the superstitions and vicious modes of worship, in which they had habituated themselves: hence, Seek not Bethel, come not is Gilgal, pass not over to Beersheba. <\/p>\n The same thing may be said at this day to those who wish to blend the dregs of the Papacy with the pure and holy worship of God; for there are at this day many go-betweens, ( mediatores ) who, while they see that our doctrine cannot be disapproved of, yet wish to contrive some middle course; that is, they wish to reconcile Popery with the doctrine of the Gospel. But the Prophet shows that such a mixture cannot be endured by God. How so? Because light cannot agree with darkness. Hence, corruptions, except they be abolished, will always subvert the true worship of God. We now see, that the lesson conveyed by this doctrine is, that the pure worship of God cannot be restored while the corruptions of the world, which are contrary to his word, prevail. <\/p>\n Come not then to Gilgal, for by migrating it shall migrate There is an alliteration in the words of the Prophet, “Gilgal by rolling shall be rolled;” for Gilgal means rolling. Were such a phraseology allowable, it would be this, “Gilgal by gilling shall be gilled;” that is, it shall be rolled with quick rolling. God intimates that this place, under the protection of which the Israelites thought themselves safe, would be destroyed, as it had been already destined for destruction. Gilgal then be migrating shall migrate; not that the place could remove, but that it would be wholly demolished, so that nothing should remain there but dreadful tokens of God’s vengeance. <\/p>\n (5) Seek.<\/strong>The same word is used for the searching, or inquiring at idol shrines, which is here fervently condemned. Respecting Beersheba, see Note on Amo. 8:14<\/span>. On Grilgal there is a play of words in the original, which it is impossible to express accurately in translation.<\/p>\n Bethel shall come to nought.<\/strong>Render (with Luther) Bethel <\/em>(house of God<\/em>) shall become Bethaven<\/em> (house of vanity<\/em>). The form Bethaven<\/em> here is supported by the LXX., and appears to confirm the Masoretic reading of Hos. 4:15<\/span>; Hos. 10:5<\/span>; and Amo. 1:5<\/span>, where other reasons incline critics to read On<\/em> for Aven (see the passages).<\/p>\n Amo 5:5<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>And pass not to Beer-sheba<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> Beer-sheba was not in the kingdom of Israel; and therefore we may hence collect that it was usual for the Israelites to pass into the kingdom of Judah, to Beer-sheba, and there to use some vain and idolatrous services. This place was remarkable for being the dwelling of Abraham, who planted a grove there for the worship of God; which probably continued, and was abused to the purposes of idolatry. It is immediately after said, that Gilgal and Beth-el shall perish; but not Beer-sheba; because Amos prophesies against the kingdom of Israel, not of Judah, as is plain from the following verse, where he calls them the house of Joseph, <\/em>or the kingdom of the ten tribes, whereof Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, were the principal. <\/p>\n Amo 5:5 But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.<\/p>\n Ver. 5. But seek not Bethel, &c.<\/strong> ] Make not lies your refuge, idols your oracles; “they that observe lying vanities do” (by their own election) “forsake their own mercies.” Jon 2:8 But I (saith the prophet, who had now paid for his learning, and was yet under the lash) will sacrifice to thee alone, will seek thy face and favour, not at Bethel, or Gilgal, but in the place where thine honour dwelleth; not at Hull, Sichem, or Loretto, but in the true reformed Churches, in the beauties of holiness, in the midst of those seven golden candlesticks, in the hearts and houses of his faithful people, concerning whom he hath said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them,” 2Co 6:16<\/span> , and when they walk within their houses with a perfect heart, I will come unto them, Psa 101:2<\/span> . I will there command my blessing, “even life for evermore,” Psa 133:3<\/span> : see Amo 4:4 Hos 4:15<\/span> . See Trapp on “<\/em> Amo 4:4 “<\/em> See Trapp on “<\/em> Hos 4:15 “<\/em> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity<\/strong> ] An elegant alliteration in the original, such as the prophets are full of, and this plain prophet among the rest ( ): see Amo 8:2<\/span> . Ministers may sometimes rhetoricate; and it had need to be an elaborate speech that shall work upon the conscience. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And Bethel shall come to nought<\/strong> ] Heb. shall be Aven, as elsewhere it is called Betharch, Hos 4:11<\/span> ; Hos 10:5<\/span> . Against Beersheba he saith nothing; because that name afforded him not the like elegance, as Mercer thinketh; or because that city belonged to Judah, and so was not destroyed with the ten tribes, as Jerome holdeth, 1Ki 19:3<\/span> . Seek not these places, saith the prophet, for help and succour in distress; but say, as Jer 3:23<\/span> , “Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from these hills: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.”<\/p>\n Bethel. Gilgal. Beer-sheba. Compare Hos 4:15; Hos 10:8. These were the seats of Israel’s idolatrous worship. <\/p>\n pass not = pass not through; which was necessary in order to get from the north to Beer-sheba in the south. Compare Amo 4:4; Amo 8:14. <\/p>\n Gilgal shall surely go into captivity. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia (App-6), for emphasis. Hebrew. Gilgal galoh yigleh = The Roller, rolling, shall roll away: i.e. be utterly removed. This is emphasized by the Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6). <\/p>\n seek: Amo 4:4, Hos 4:15, Hos 9:15, Hos 10:14, Hos 10:15, Hos 12:11 <\/p>\n Beersheba: Amo 8:14, Gen 21:33 <\/p>\n Gilgal: There is a paronomasia here, both on the letters and words: hag gilgal galoh yigleh oovaith el yiheyeh leawen “Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el (the house of God) shall come to nought,” or Aven, i.e., Beth-aven, the house of iniquity. <\/p>\n and Bethel: Amo 7:17, Lev 26:30-32, Deu 28:41, Hos 4:15, Hos 10:8, Hos 10:15 <\/p>\n come: Job 8:22, Psa 33:10, Isa 8:10, Isa 29:20, 1Co 1:28, 1Co 2:6, Rev 18:17 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Jos 4:19 – Gilgal 2Ki 2:23 – Bethel Jer 48:13 – as the Amo 6:7 – shall they Amo 7:9 – the high<\/p>\n Amo 5:5. The significance of Bethel is in the fact that It was one of the places where the first king of the 10- tribe kingdom of Israel erected an idol calf, and the nation had practiced idolatry ever since. Gilgal is the place where the first king of Judah committed his first great sin after entering upon the throne (1Sa 10:8; 1 Samuel 13 : S-14). Beer-sheba was once a stronghold of idolatry and hence not a proper place to receive a favorable impression on the subject of service to God.<\/p>\n 5:5 But seek not Bethel, nor enter into {c} Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.<\/p>\n (c) In those places they worshipped new idols, which before served for the true honour of God: therefore he says that these will not save them.<\/p>\n But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to naught. 5. But seek me not, as I am sought by the worshippers at Beth-el and your other sanctuaries: their end will be only destruction. seek not Beth-el ] Here … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Amos 5:5”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22439"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22439\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"