Amos 2

The earthquake which the Prophet takes for his era is referred to (Zechariah 14:5)., (and probably in Isaiah v. 25.) Josephus ascribes it to Uzziah’s invasion of the priestly office. (See (2 Chronicles 26:16).); Cuae. Il. Ver. 1—16. God’s judgments against Moab, Judah, and Israel.—It is observable, that though sin is not screened in any nation or individual, it is never so severely censured as when found among the professors of true religion. The knowledge of God, and the blessings he bestows on those who know him, are great aggravations of their guilt; but we have here some circumstances peculiarly aggravating. The wicked Jews, after taking pledges from their brethren of the garments or coverlets in which they slept, instead of returning them at night, as they ought to have done, ((Exodus 22:26-27).) took them with them to their idol temples to lounge or sleep on, where they ought never to have entered. The tempting their Nazarites with wine, which they knew to be forbidden, is a circumstance to which Henry compares the conduct of those who attempt to draw young professors into parties of mirth and pleasure. ‘‘Multitudes of young men (says he) that

Notes on the verses

Ver. 5. Break the bar.—The LXX., Syriac, Newcome, &c. read “bars;” i. e. force the gates. Compare (Jeremiah 51:30). (Lamentations 2:9). Nahum iii. 13.—Plain ‘Aven.—(Probably Heliopolis, now Baalbek, situated between Libanus and Anti-Libanus, 56 miles north-west of Damascus, according to Antoninus, and celebrated for its temple of the Sun.—The house of Eden.—Probably the village of Eden in Mount Lebanon, marks the site of this place. It is delightfully situated by the side of a most rich and cultivated valley, contains about 400 or 500 families, and is, according to modern authorities, about 20 miles south-east of Tripoli, and 5 miles from the cedars.]—Bagster. Ver. 6. The whole captivity.—The Philistines seized the Israelites, and sold them for slaves to the Edomites.

Boothroyd. See (2 Chronicles 21:16). Ver. 11. For three transgressions.—This form of speech was neither unfrequent nor inelegant, denoting abundance, or excess—very, very, exceedingly; similar to the “O thrice and four times happy!” of the Greeks and Romans, which was employed by the most correct writers of antiquity. See Homer, Odyssey. Virgil, En. Pausanias, and Seneca.—Bagster.—Did cast off all pity.—See margin. “The Edomites ever continued the most bitter enemies of Israel.” Boothroyd. See (2 Chronicles 28:17). Ver. 13. Ripped up the women.—See margin. Of this fact we have no particular statement; but the act was not uncommon in the barbarous wars of those times. See (2 Kings 15:16).

Ver. 1. Burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.—The Chaldee says, “To plaster the walls of his house (the king of Edom’s) with it.” Sir Paul Rycaut says, that the wall of Philadelphia, (in Natolia) was made of the bones of the besieged by the prince who took it by storm. Orient. Cust. No. 345. Ver. 2. With the sound of the trumpet—That is, in war. Ver. 3. I will cut off the judge—That is, the chief magistrate. Newcome. Ver. 4. Their lies.—Either their false gods, as Newcome, or perhaps their false prophets. Ver. 6. Transgressions of Israel.—{[Amos, says Archbishop Newcome, first prophesies against the Syrians, Philistines, Tyrians, Edomites, Ammonites, and Moabites, who dwelt in the neighbourhood of the twelve tribes, and had occasionally become their enemies and persecutors.

Having thus not only taught his countrymen, that the providence of God extended to other nations, but conciliated attention to himself by such interesting predictions, he briefly mentions the idolatrous practices, and consequent destruction of Judah, and then passes on to his proper subject, which was to exhort and reprove the kingdom of Israel, and to denounce against it the Divine judgments.]—B.—A pair of shoes.—Newcome, “sandals.” Ver. 7. That pant after, &c.—Newcome, “They bruise the head of the poor in the dust,” &c. So Boothroyd.—Same maid.—Newcome, “damsel.”—My holy name.—Heb. “The name of my holiness.” Ver. 8. And they lay themselves down, &c.—Newcome, “And they stretch themselves on garments, or bed clothes, taken to pledge, near every altar.”

They drink the wine of the condemned.—See margin. Newcome thinks this refers to wine procured by unjust mulcts, or fines. The LXX. says, they “drink wine earned by their slanders.” Chaldee, “Wine of rapine.” Such was the wine of Nabaoth’s vineyard. (1 Kings 21:15). Ver. 13. Behold, I am pressed.—See margin. The Chaldee and Syriac versions, also Castell, Houbigant, Newcome, &c. give this verb a passive signification. See (Isaiah 28:27-28). Ver. 16. He that is courageous.—See margin. Archbishop Newcome supposes that the last four verses of this chapter refer to the earthquake mentioned in the close of ver. 1. Chap. III. Ver. 4. Will a lion roar, &c.—Naturalists assert, that when the lion sees his prey, and also when he seizes on it, he roars.

Newcome. Ver. 6. The people not be afraid?—See margin; i. e. through fear, as is common on alarm being given.—And the Lord hath not done it?—i. e. Shall there be any evil, or calamity, (not moral evil,) inflicted on a wicked city, which does not proceed from me, as the effect of my wrath? These animated interrogatives were intended to convince the people that they had cause for alarm, as their monstrous iniquities called down the vengeance of God to punish them with these calamities.]—Bagster. Ver. 7. Surely the Lord will do nothing, but, &c.—Grammarians call this the Heb. future frequentative, ‘is wont to do,” implying, that the Lord usually gave warning of his judgments by the prophets.

Ver. 8. Who can but prophesy.—Compare (Psalms 68:2). Ver. 10. Who store up violence, &c.—Newcome, “Who treasure up rapine and spoil,” &c. Ver. 12. As the shepherd taketh.—See margin; also (1 Samuel 17:34-35).—Ear of an ear.—Dr. Russell, (at Aleppo,) mentions a species of goats, with ears a foot long. Harmer.—In the corner of a bed—Or divan. Harmer argues that this was considered as the most honourable place.—In Damascus.—This prophecy may have been delivered when Jeroboam II. was in possession of Damascus, (2 Kings 14:28).—In a couch.—See margin. Newcome, “On the side of a couch;” Boothroyd, “On a damascene,” an elegant cover. 15. Houses of ivory—That is, elegantly inlaid; some think an of farusaire, or a certain fen Damascus.

Michaelis. ‘Overlaid with ivory. See (Psalms 14:2), and note. Chap. II. Ver. 2. The belly of hell—Or the grave,” as in the margin, and as sheol is often rendered. Ver. 4. Yet will I look again.—Heb. “Add to look;” i. e. again cast my eyes toward,” &c. See ver. 7. Ver. 5, 6. Weeds (i. e. sea-weeds) were wrapped.—I went down to the bottom.—Heb. “Cuttings off,” or fragments. The sea, where fathomable, is generally covered with vegetation, springing up amidst the fragments of rocks, which form the bottom. Ver. 8. Lying vanities—That is, idols. (Deuteronomy 32:21). (Psalms 31:7). Ver. 10. He—That is, issued his command. (Psalms 33:9).—Upon the dry land—That is, at Joppa, from which he set out; and there are traditional reports, that the bones of a vast fish were there found, which some attribute to the monster that threatened Andromeda, and others, to the whale that swallowed Hercules; a story which doubtless originated in this narrative of Jonah.

See Orient. Lit. No. 1081. Chap. III. Ver. 2. Preach unto it the preaching.—Heb. “Cry (or proclaim) unto it the proclamation.” The primitive idea of preaching is taken from the office of a public crier. (Isaiah 40:2, 6). Jonah was not sent to deliver orations, but a proclamation, as in ver. 4. Ver. 3. An exceeding great city.—Heb. “A city great toward (or before) God.” Compare (Genesis 13:12).—[Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was situated on the eastern bank of the river Tigris, opposite the present Mosul, about 280 miles north of Babylon, and 400 N. E. of Damascus, in lat. 36° 20’ N, lon. 43° 10’ E. It was not only a very ancient, ((Genesis 10:11).) but also a very great city. Strabo says, that it was much larger than Babylon, the circuit of which he estimates at 385 furlongs; and, according to Diodorus Siculus, it was an oblong parallelogram, extending 150 furlongs in length, 90 in breadth, and 480 in circumference, i.

e. about 20 miles long, 12 broad, and 60 in compass. This agrees with the account given here of its being “an exceeding great city of three days’ journey,” i. e. in circuit; for 20 miles a day was the common computation for a pedestrian. (See Herodotus.) It was surrounded by large walls 100 feet high, so broad that three chariots could drive abreast on them, and defended by 1500 towers 200 feet in height. (See notes on Nahum.)]—B. Ver. 4. A day’s journey.—Jonah had not proceeded more than one day’s journey, before the people and government began to repent; and a public fast was enjoined, the strictest of which we ever read. Ver. 6. Sat in ashes,—See (Job 2:12).