Amos 6:6

That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Ver. 6. That drink wine in bowls] Non in scyphis, cyathis, aut calicibus, not in cups, pots, or chalices, but in vessels of price, and of largest receipt, that they may be counted and called (as young Cicero was) Tricongii, such as can drink whole ones, and no small ones either. (The Seventy and the Chaldee render it, In phials; others, in goblets.) Diotimus, of Athens, for his excessive drinking, was termed χωνη, Tun-dish. Alexander the Great gloried that he could drink down any man; and one time, inviting many to supper, he provided a crown of one hundred and eighty pounds to be given to those that drank most; and forty-one of the company killed themselves with drinking to get that crown. Darius, King of Persia, caused this to be engraven upon his tomb; I was able to drink much wine, and to bear it bravely. Was not this to glory in his shame? had he no way else to show his valour? Did he never take notice of that Persian law, that it should not be lawful for their king to be drunk but only once a year, when they sacrificed to the sun, whom they took to be the greatest of the gods? How much better Bathsheba, in her Lemuel's lesson, "It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes strong drink: lest they drink and forget the law," Proverbs 31:4,5. And if not for kings, much less is it for others to be "drunk with wine, wherein is excess," Ephesians 5:18, lest with Nabal, and the rich glutton, they drink deep of the wine of God's wrath, and have the full vials of his vengeance poured upon them for ever.

And anoint themselves with the chief ointments] After the manner of the Jewish nation, whereof see 2Sa 12:20 Ecc 9:8 Luke 7:38; Luke 7:46 Psalms 23:5; Psa 104:15 Matthew 6:17. They spare for no cost or pains to please all their senses. And such a prodigal pleasure monger was that rich citizen's son, mentioned in the second part of the Theatre of God's Judgments; who, to please all his five senses at once, allowed to the delight of every sense a several hundred pounds. For which end, 1. He bespake a curious fair room richly hanged, and furnished with the most exquisite pictures, to please the eye. 2. He had all the choicest music that could be heard of, to give content to the ear. 3. He had all the aromatics and odoriferous perfumes, to delight his scent in smelling. 4. All the candies, preserves, junkets, even to the stretching of the apothecary's or confectionery's art, to please his taste. 5. And, lastly, a beautiful and fair strumpet lodged with him in a soft bed, and the daintiest linen that could be compassed to accommodate his touch: and all these this epicure (more than ever Sardanapalus did) enjoyed at one instant. He spent 30,000 pounds in three years, and swore after all, that if he had ten times more than ever he had, he would spend it all to live one week like a god, though he were sure to be damned in hell the next day after.

They are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph] i.e. Of the Israelites, Psalms 80:2; Psalms 77:16 Amos 5:6. Joseph is mentioned and put for all the rest, because he was famous among his brethren, vel ob mala quae pendit, vel ob bona quae rependit, both for the evils that he suffered and for the good turns that he returned (Aug. de Doct. Christian. lib. 4, cap. 6). When poor Joseph was badly handled by his merciless brethren; he could not be heard, though he used many entreaties, Genesis 37:23; Genesis 42:21. They, when they had cast him into the pit, there to pine and perish with hunger, sat down to eat, and so to ease themselves of any remorse of conscience that might be wrought in them. They should have been sick at heart (as the word here signifieth) for the affliction, the confraction, the breaking to shivers, of Joseph (שׁכרים): poor Reuben was so as far as he dared to show it; and Joseph did not forget his kindness when he came to his greatness. God, who is all heart, will never forget those that forget not his afflicted, but commiserate and relieve them as they have opportunity and ability.