Amos 2:1 . MOAB. The Moabites inhabited the elevated and fertile
table-land (Heb. _Mîshôr_, "level plain," Deuteronomy 3:10 &c.), on
the east of the Dead Sea. By the Israelites, the deep chasm formed by
the torrent Arnon was regarded as the northern boundary of Moab: for
shortly before Israel's arri... [ Continue Reading ]
_because he burnt the bones of the king of Edom into lime_ A mark of
unrelenting hate and vindictiveness: the Moabites pursued their fallen
adversary even into the rest of the grave; they not only violated the
sanctity of his tomb, but even removed his bones, and treated them
with an unwonted and sh... [ Continue Reading ]
_the palaces of Kerioth_ more exactly ḲERIYYOTH: named here and
Jeremiah 48:41 (cf. Jeremiah 48:24) as a representative city of Moab,
and hence evidently a considerable place, if not the capital of Moab.
Mesha, also, in a passage of his Inscription (lines 10 13),
sufficiently interesting to extract... [ Continue Reading ]
_the judge_ Why is the _judge_mentioned rather than, as would
naturally be expected, the king? One answer is that Moab was at this
time subject to Jeroboam II., and hence there was no -king" of Moab,
but only an Israelitish deputy or governor. The terms of 2 Kings 14:25
(which describes how Jeroboam... [ Continue Reading ]
_despised_ R.V. REJECTED, as 1 Samuel 15:23; 1 Samuel 15:26; Isaiah
7:15-16 shew, the better rendering of the Hebrew word used (_mâ"as_):
comp. Isaiah 5:24; Jeremiah 6:19.
_the law of the Lord_ the DIRECTION _of_ JEHOVAH. See further, on this
expression, the Additional Note, p. 230. The reference,... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAH. The prophet now comes nearer home; and passes sentence on the
Southern kingdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
_But I will send a fire upon Judah_, &c. hence, with verbal
variations, Jeremiah 17:27 _b._In the case of Judah, Amos's threat did
not take effect for more than a century and a half: the -fire" did not
-devour the palaces of Jerusalem" until it was taken by the Chaldaeans
in b.c. 586 (2 Kings 25:9).... [ Continue Reading ]
_sold the righteous for sliver_ The venal Israelitish judges, for a
bribe, pronounced the innocent guilty, i.e. -sold" them for a
consideration to any one whose advantage it might be to have them
condemned: in a civil case, by giving judgement in favour of the party
really in the wrong, in a crimina... [ Continue Reading ]
Amos 2:6. The sin of Israel, and its punishment
6 16. At last Amos comes to Israel. The Israelites might listen with
equanimity, or even with satisfaction, whilst their neighbours" faults
were being exposed: but they now find that precisely the same standard
is to be applied to themselves. The stere... [ Continue Reading ]
_That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor_ The
expression is a singular one; but, if the text be sound, the meaning
is probably (Hitzig, Pusey, Duhm), "who are so avaricious that they
are eager even to secure the dust strewn upon their heads by the poor,
in token of their distre... [ Continue Reading ]
The self-indulgence, practised by the worldly-minded Israelites in the
name of religion, and at the expense of the poor.
_upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar_ R.V. BESIDE _every altar
upon clothes_ TAKEN IN PLEDGE. To be understood in connexion with the
last clause: the carnally-minded Israel... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet destroyed I_ The pron. is emphatic: -Yet _I_(whom you thus
requite) destroyed the Amorites, that mighty and seemingly invincible
nation, from before you, and settled you in their land." _Destroyed
before_(lit. _from before_) you: the same expression in Joshua 24:8 a
passage belonging to the Hex... [ Continue Reading ]
The ingratitude shewn by Israel, in thus dishonouring its Lord and
Benefactor.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also I brought you up_, &c. as before, "And _I_(emph.)" &c. The
providential guidance in the wilderness is instanced as a further
motive to obedience, the appeal to it being made the more forcible and
direct, by the change from the 1st to the 2nd person. Comp. the same
motive, Deuteronomy 6:12; Hos... [ Continue Reading ]
_raised up_ Cf. Deuteronomy 18:15; Jeremiah 6:17: similarly of judges,
Judges 2:16; Judges 2:18; deliverers (_ib_. Judges 3:9; Judges 3:15);
a priest, 1 Samuel 2:35; kings or other rulers, 2 Samuel 7:8; Jeremiah
23:4-5 [ Continue Reading ]
Further marks of God's favour. He had not only bestowed on them
material blessings; He had provided also for their moral and spiritual
needs: He had raised up among them prophets to declare His will, and
Nazirites to be examples of abstemious and godly living. But they had
refused to listen to eithe... [ Continue Reading ]
But the Israelites had refused to respect either. They had tempted the
Nazirites to break their vow; and had striven to silence the prophets.
YE SHALL NOT PROPHESY] Cf. 1 Kings 22:13-28 (Micaiah); Amos 7:13; Amos
7:16; Hosea 9:8; Isaiah 30:10-11; Micah 2:6; Jeremiah 11:21; Jeremiah
20:7-10. [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed_&c. The
intransitive sense of the _Hifil_conjugation העיק (properly, to
_shew pressure_, or _constraint_), though just possible, cannot be
said to be probable; and _Behold_(with the ptcp.) strongly supports
the view that the verse introduces the... [ Continue Reading ]
The retribution.... [ Continue Reading ]
A disaster, in which neither the swiftest nor the best equipped
warrior will be able to escape, brings the kingdom of Israel to its
end.
_Therefore_ simply AND (as R.V.).
_the flight shall perish from the swift_ rather PLACE OF FLIGHT,
REFUGE; for _perish from_we should say _fail_(R.V. _marg_.). T... [ Continue Reading ]
_stand_ i.e. _keep his place_, or _halt in the flight:_so Nahum 2:8;
Jeremiah 46:21.
_swift of foot_ For this virtue of a warrior cf. 2 Samuel 1:23; 2
Samuel 2:18 (the same expression as here), 1 Chronicles 12:8.
_deliver_himself] As the text stands, _himself_must be understood from
the next claus... [ Continue Reading ]
_courageous_ lit. _strong_(cognate with _strengthen, Amos 2:14) of his
heart:_cf. Psalms 27:14; Psalms 31:24 ("Be firm; and let thy (your)
heart shew strength," i.e. let it take courage). _Mighty_, as Amos
2:14.
_naked_ having thrown off everything, whether weapon, or armour, or
article of dress, w... [ Continue Reading ]