Amos 6

Chap. VI. Ver. 1—14. The luxury, gayety, vice, and incorpaviencies, of the people of Israel.—The Jews were undoubted musical people, and mingled their favourite art equally At their devotions and their amusements. Instead of seeking their pleasure in what pleased God, they seem to have supposed that God must needs be pleased with what pleased them —their noisy choruses of praise, and the melody of their viols, (or stringed instruments,) which probably performed the interludes between them. But music formed also a principal part of their amusements. Like too many Christians, they praised ‘with equal ardour mirth, [which] have always been the favourite idols of men, who, while they indulge themselves in all the luxuries and gayeties of this life, ‘are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph.’ Those however, who are thus equally insensible to their duty to God and their fellow-creatures, are announced to be among the first that shall be carried away into captivity in a foreign land.

The latter part of the chapter, ver. 10, &c., is supposed to “describe the effects of famine and pestilences during the siege of Samaria;” when, contrary to the general custom of the Jews, the dead bodies were taken away to be burnt, to prevent the spreading of infection, and that without any funeral rites, or the usual lamentations. All was death and silence. ((Amos 7:3).) See Abp. Newcome; but, perhaps, the best comment on this melancholy scene may be found in the history of the plague in London, A. D. 1665. (See an interesting and in- structive account of this plague, written by De Foe, edited by (Revelation 5)H. Stebbins.);

Notes on the verses

Chap. VI. Ver. 1. Named chief of the nations.—Newcome, “‘ Named (after) the chief of the nations.’’ See note on (Isaiah 44:5). Probably they assumed the names of popular gods, or distinguished heroes. Ver. 2. Calneh—A city in Babylonia. —Humath—A Syrian city on the Orontes.——Gath—A city of the Philistines. These cities were probably famous for idolatry; but what were they the better for that? Ver. 3. The seat of violence.—The seat of perverted judgment, is the seat of violence. ‘ Ver 4. Beds of ivory.—[Either sofas to recline on at table, or beds to sleep on; which, among the ancients, were ornamented with ivory inlaid, called lectos eburatos by Plautus, and lectos eburnos, by Horace.]—Bagster.

Ver. 5. Invent to themselves instruments of music, like David.—What instruments David invented is not known, nor does the expression appear to us intended as a censure on the royal prophet; it might, however, be very culpable in these Jewish rulers to emulate his magnificence, in these times of danger and adversity: besides, David dedicated all his instruments to the service of God; ((1 Chronicles 18)) these men, to their convivial pleasures. Ver. 6. Wine in bowls.—[This probably refers to the costliness and magnificence of the drinking vessels, as well as to the quantity drank.]—Bagster. —With the chief ointments—Or rather, ‘‘ with the choicest perfumes.”? See note on (Ecclesiastes 7:1). Sol. Song, i.

3. Ver. 10. A man’s uncle.—Newcome, “Relation.”——By the sides.—Boothroyd, ‘‘In a side room,” &c.—Hold thy tongue.—Gesenius, ‘Husht"— [Archbishop Newcome says, that this obscure verse seems to describe the effects of the famine and pestilence during the siege of Samaria.]—Bagster. Ver. 12. Shall horses run upon the rocks, &c.—This seems to have been See Lowth in Isa. impracticable before the invention of shoes for horses. ver. 28 Ver. 13. In a thing of nought.—Their idols. See 1 Cor, viii. 4. —Horns —That is, power, of which horns were the established emblem. Ver. 14. A nation—That is, the Assyrians. Hamath was on the north, and the river of the desert, or of Egypt, on the south of Judea. _