Amos 3:9-11

Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, &c. God here orders the prophet to invite the Philistines and Egyptians, the inveterate enemies of God's Israel, to come and behold what great wickedness was among them, and what cause he had to execute what he had threatened, and to mark the calamities coming upon them, as the punishment of that wickedness, that these heathen might hereby take warning. Say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria That is, in the kingdom of the ten tribes, whose capital city was Samaria, built upon a hill of the same name. Or, the mountains of Samaria may be equivalent to the mountains of Israel, mentioned Ezekiel 36:8; Ezekiel 37:22; Samaria being often taken for the whole kingdom of Israel. Behold the great tumults in the midst thereof The seditious councils and rebellious conspiracies among them. And the oppressed in the midst thereof The multitude of oppressed ones throughout the whole kingdom; for the usurpers took it to be their interest to crush all they feared or suspected. For they know not to do right That is, they will not know nor learn to do their duty. Who store up violence, &c. Who store up in their houses riches gotten by violence and injustice. Therefore, An adversary shall be even round about the land Shalmaneser the king of Assyria shall invade the land on every side, shall dismantle its fortresses, and plunder its wealthy palaces.