Amos 5:8-9

Two verses, intended (like Amos 4:13) to remind the disobedient Israelites of the power and majesty of Him, whose will they defy, and whose judgements they provoke, the Creator and Ruler of the world. The verses are introduced abruptly, and interrupt somewhat violently the connexion between Amos 5:7 and Amos 5:10: if the text be sound, we must suppose the participle with which they open to be in apposition with -Jehovah," implicit in the prophet's thought (cf. Isaiah 40:22). According to some (see p. 117) the two verses did not form part of the original text of Amos: according to Ewald they should precede Amos 5:7, which, especially if it be assumed to have once begun with הוי Ah!(as Amos 5:18; Amos 6:1), would then open very suitably a new paragraph. (The Hebrew of Amos 5:7; Amos 5:10will admit equally of the renderings -(Ye) who turn …, who hate …, and abhor," and "[Ah!] they that turn …, that hate …," &c.).

the seven stars an old English name of the Pleiades: see e.g. Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV. i. 2, 6 "We that take purses go by the moon and the seven stars" (W. A. Wright, Bible Word-Book, 1884, p. 533). In Job 9:9; Job 38:31 the same Hebrew word is rendered the Pleiades.

Orion also named Job 9:9; Job 38:31, and in the plural (constellations), Isaiah 13:10. The Heb. is kěsîl, which also signifies -fool." It is not improbable that the name preserves an allusion to some ancient mythological idea, according to which the brilliant and conspicuous constellation was originally some fool-hardy, heaven-daring rebel, who was chained to the sky for his impiety. In Job 9:9; Job 38:31 f. the Pleiades and Orion (with the Bear) are referred to, as here, as evidence of the creative might of God. They attracted notice at an early period among the Greeks also, partly perhaps, on account of their brilliancy, and partly because their risings and settings with the Sun marked the seasons. Comp. Hom. Il. xviii. 486 9: Πληϊάδας θʼ Ὑάδας τε τό τε σθένος Ὠρίωνος, Ἄρκτον θʼ ἢν καὶ ἄμαξαν ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν, Ἥ τʼ αὐτοῦ στρέφεται καί τʼ Ὠρίωνα δοκεύει, Οἴη δʼ ἄμμορός ἐστι λοετρῶν Ὠκεανοῖο (see also xxii. 26 31; Od.v. 272 275).

turneth blackest darkness into morning i.e. causes morning to follow night.

shadow of death (i.e. of the abode of death, Sheol; cf. Job 10:21-22; Job 38:17) is the traditional rendering (found already in LXX.), but it is rejected by most modern scholars (e.g. Kirkpatrick on Psalms 23:4) on the ground (chiefly) that -shadow" is not in the O.T. a figure for gloom, though it has the weighty support of Nöldeke (Z.A.T.W[158] 1897, p. 183 ff.), who points out that the rival explanation darkness(from the Arabic) is also not free from objection. Whatever, however, be the etymology of the term, there is no dispute that deepest, thickest darknessis what it denotes.

[158] .A.T.W.… Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft.

maketh the day darkwith night darkeneth the day into night, brings the day to an end in night. The two clauses describe Jehovah as author of the regular alternation of day and night.

that calleth for the waters of the sea, &c. repeated Amos 9:6. Cf. Job 12:15 b.The reference is either to the extraordinary inundation of low-lying districts, caused, for instance, by high winds (perhaps with an allusion to the Deluge of Noah), or to violent and long-continued rains if (" poureththem out"), which another poet also seems to speak of as drawn up originally from the sea (Job 36:27-28; Job 36:30, R.V. marg.).

calleth a fine figure; the waters hear His voice, and immediately obey it: cf. Isaiah 48:13; Job 38:34.

Jehovah is his name So Amos 9:6; Jeremiah 33:2. Cf. the similar close to the enumeration of Jehovah's powers in Amos 4:13.