INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 7 In this and the two following Chapter s are the visions of Amos, in number five; three of which are contained in this chapter, and with which it begins. The first is of the grasshoppers or locusts eating up the later grass of the land, which are stopped at the intercession of... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS HATH THE LORD SHOWED UNTO ME,.... What follows in this and the two Chapter s, before the prophet delivered what he heard from the Lord; now what he saw, the same thing, the ruin of the ten tribes, is here expressed as before, but in a different form; before in prophecy, here in vision, the more... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, [THAT] WHEN THEY HAD MADE AN END OF EATING THE GRASS OF THE LAND,.... That is, the grasshoppers or locusts; when in the vision it seemed to the prophet that almost all the grass of the land was eaten up, and they were going to seize upon the corn, and other fruits of the earth:... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD REPENTED FOR THIS,.... He heard the prayer of the prophet, and at his intercession averted, the threatened judgment; thus the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much, James 5:16; this is spoken after the manner of men; as men, when they repent of a thing, desist from it, so... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS HATH THE LORD SHOWED UNTO ME,.... Another vision after this manner: AND, BEHOLD, THE LORD GOD CALLED TO CONTEND BY FIRE; gave out that he would have a controversy with his people Israel, and proclaimed the time when he would try the cause with them, and that by fire: or he called his family, a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID I, O LORD GOD, CEASE, I BESEECH THEE,.... From destroying the land; suffer not this calamity to proceed any further; using the same argument as before: BY WHOM SHALL JACOB ARISE? FOR HE [IS] SMALL; Amos 7:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD REPENTED FOR THIS,.... He heard the prophet's prayer, and desisted from going on with the threatened destruction: THIS ALSO SHALL NOT BE, SAITH THE LORD GOD; the whole land shall not be destroyed, only a part of it carried captive.... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS HE SHOWED ME,.... A third vision, which was in the following manner: AND, BEHOLD, THE LORD STOOD UPON A WALL [MADE] BY A PLUMBLINE, WITH A PLUMBLINE IN HIS HAND: this "wall" was the people of Israel, who were built up as a wall, firm and strong; and so stood against their enemies, while suppor... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ME, AMOS, WHAT SEEST THOU?.... This question was put to him, the rather, since he was silent, and did not upon this vision, as the former, make any supplication to the Lord; as also, because this vision portended something of moment and importance, which he would have the prop... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE HIGH PLACES OF ISAAC SHALL BE DESOLATE,.... Such as the ten tribes of Israel, who descended from Isaac, built at Beersheba, in imitation of Isaac, and pleading his example; who worshipped there, though not idols, as they, but the true God; and in commemoration of his being bound upon an alta... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN AMAZIAH THE PRIEST OF BETHEL,.... The Targum calls him the prince or president of Bethel; and the word used signifies both a prince and a priest; and very probably this man had the care of the civil as well as religious matters in Bethel. Aben Ezra styles him the priest of Baal; he was one that... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS AMOS SAITH, JEROBOAM SHALL DIE BY THE SWORD,.... Which was not saying truth; for Amos said not that Jeroboam should die by the sword, but that God would raise up the sword against his house or family; nor did Jeroboam die by the sword, but his son Zachariah did: AND ISRAEL SHALL SURELY BE... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO AMAZIAH SAID UNTO AMOS,.... Either at the same time; or, it may be, after he had waited for the king's answer, and received none; or what did not come up to his expectations and wishes. We have no account of any answer the king returned; who either gave no heed to the representations of the pri... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT PROPHESY NOT AGAIN ANY MORE AT BETHEL,.... He might prophesy any where, if he did not there, for what the priest cared, that so his honour and interest were not hurt. The reasons he gave were, FOR IT [IS] THE KING'S CHAPEL; or "sanctuary" i; where a temple was built for the idol calf, and where... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ANSWERED AMOS, AND SAID TO AMAZIAH,.... With much freedom, boldness, and intrepidity, and yet with modesty and humility; not at all moved by his frowns or his flattery: I [WAS] NO PROPHET, NEITHER [WAS] I A PROPHET'S SON: he was not a prophet originally, or from his youth, as Kimchi; he was no... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD TOOK ME AS I FOLLOWED THE FLOCK,.... Or "from behind" it u; a description of a shepherd, such an one Amos was, and in this employ when the Lord called him, and took him to be a prophet; he did not seek after it, nor did he take this honour to himself; by which it appears that his missio... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE HEAR THOU THE WORD OF THE LORD,.... Which I have from him concerning thee, and which he has pronounced upon thee and thy family: THOU SAYEST, PROPHESY NOT AGAINST ISRAEL; when God has bid me prophesy: AND DROP NOT [THY WORD] AGAINST THE HOUSE OF ISAAC; say nothing against it, though... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD,.... For withstanding the prophet of the Lord, and forbidding him to speak in his name against the idolatry of Israel, as well as for his own idolatry: THY WIFE SHALL BE AN HARLOT IN THE CITY: either of Bethel or Samaria; either through force, being ravished by the sol... [ Continue Reading ]