Amos 7

By three several vision the first of the grasshopper verse1&c. the second of a consuming fire 4 in regard of both which God accepts of the prophets intercession and the third of a plummet or square 7. there is represented here that after much patience God will spare Israel no longer neither the king s posterity 8. the priest Amazia complains of Amos to the King and chargeth him with conspiracy and sedition 10 enjoyns him to pack from Babel to Juda 12. but Amos defends himself with Gods call and denounceth the judgment of God upon Amazia and his 14.

1. The Lord caused me to see thus [that is revealed this ensuing vision unto me see Jeremiah 24 on verse 1] and behold he [viz the Lord]formed grass hoppers in the beginning of the coming forth of the after-grass [signifying a great famine approaching the destruction of the fruits of the land by vermin as joel 1.4 &c. or as some the invasion of the Assyrians ready to destroy and wast all like vermin if God prevented it not and behold it was the after grass after the king mowing [that is after the kings grass was cut down first Heb shearing but the Hebrew word is used thus also of mowed grass Psalms 72:6.]

2. And it came to pass when they [Heb he viz the grass hopper that is aforesaid swarm of grass hoppers] should have wholly eaten up the Herbs of the Land [Heb should have ended or finished to cat up &c other when they had eaten it up]that I said Lord LORD pardon I pray who should be left standing of Jacob ? [that is o the Israelites the posterity of Jacob there would be none remain or be left or be left alive if the land should be utterly bereaved thus of all its fruits others how that is what condition would Jacob stand thus? How should he subfist?how would he look ? or how should he get up or rise again ? and on verse 5] for he is small [or mean that is there is are but a very few left .]

3. Then the same repented the Lord [see Genesis 6:6] it shall not come to pass [viz that they shall eat up all]said the Lord.

4. Moreover the Lord caused me to see thus and behold the Lord proclaimed that he would contend [or plead implead and consequently punish see Hosea 4:1 with the annotate]with fire [viz that of war and are like destruction as above chapter 1.4 ,7 ,10 some do understand it according to the letter of a fire from heaven such as fell upon Sodom and Gomorra or of other common conflagrations or great drought see Joel 1:19 with the annotate] and it devoured a great abyss [or depth of waters whereby some understand the kingdom of Assyria laid wast by Tiglath-Pileser 2Kings 16.9]also it consumeth a piece of land [by this they understand a portion of Israel in Gilead beyond the Jordan see 2Kings 15.29 2 Chronicles 5.26,49]

5. Then said I the Lord cease I pray who should there remain standing of Jacob ? for he is small

6. Then the same repented the Lord this also shall not come to pass [viz that the whole land shall be consumed by fire at this time]saith the Lord.

7. (Yet) he made see thus; and behold the LORD stood upon a wall, which was made after the plummet: [Heb. a wall of plummet i.e. such a one as was squared by the plummet; whereby, with some, we may understand, the Common wealth of Israel, which God; by his holy Lawes, and gracious blessing, had well and groriously founded and builded up; and by the plummet, that God had taken in hand now his severe and righteous judgement, which after so much long suffering and forbearance, (formerly spoken of ) he stood ready to execute upon Israel; because they had perverted and abused all things, as above chapter 6. 12. & c. com bel. Cha.8. 2.] and there was a plummet [the Hebrew word is no where extant, but in these two verses.] in his hand.

8. And the LORD said unto me, what scest thou Amos: and said a plummet: Then the LORD said; Behold I will set the plummet [viz. of my righteous judgement] in the midst of my people of Israel; I will no more pass by it [viz. my people] hence forth. [Heb. I will not go on, or, continue to pass it by, or over i.e. I will not let them go unpunished, nor wink at or spare their trespasses, as hitherto I have done: Compare the phrase with Proverbs 19:11. Mich. 7. 18. and see annot. There. So bellow chapter 8. 2.]

9. But the high places of Isaac [Where they committed their idolatry, garnishing the same with the name and example of their forefathers Isaac and Jacob, who in their times had set up several Altars, and offered sacrifices in these places, for worship of God. See Genesis 26:25. and 35. 7.] and the sanctuaries [understand idolatrous Temples] of Israel [the Israelites] shall be destroyed: and I will rise up against the house of Jerobeam, [the son of Joas above chapter 1. 1] with the sword. [the son of this Jerobeam zacharia (who reigned but six months) was publicly slain by Sallum in the presence of the people. 2 kin. 15. 10. and it is remarkable, that the Prophet makes no further reply against this judgement pronounced by God; as he had made his intercession in the two former visions, and was heard]

10. Then [When the prophet had made these visions known unto the people] Amazia the Priest as Bethel, sent to Jerobeam, the King of Israel, saying; Amos hath made a consederacy against thee in the midst of the house of Israel; [and therefore (would he inferre) should the punishment of a traitor and a raiser of sedition be inflicted upon him, prophecying thus against the King in public] the land shall not be able to endure all his words. [implying, the people would be stirred up to rebellion by him; so that the state of the land and kings authority had need to look to it, and prevent the mischief that might ensue. Heb. not able to hold, or, apprehend.]

11. For thus saith Amos; Jerobeam shall die by the sword : [Amos had spoken of the house of Jerobeam, above verse 9.] and Israel shall assuredly be carried away captive, and being carried &c.]

12. After that, Amazia said to Amos; thou seer, [See 1, Sam. 9. on verse. 9.] begon, flee into the land of Juda; [where Thekoa lay, the prophets own country above chapter 1. 1. Heb. flee thee, or for thee. The word thee or, for thee, is held redundant, only to make the phrase sound better; otherwise it might be taken here, for thee, that is for thy own good and safety. Compare Genesis 12:1. Jeremiah 5:5. Mich. 1. 11, etc. with the annotate.] and eat bread there, [i.e. get thy lively-hood and maintenance there. See Gen. 3. on verse 19.] and Prophecy there.

13. But at Beth-El, thou shalt prophesy no more hence-forth [compare above chapter 2. 12. Heb. Shalt not add or continue to prophecie] for that is, the kings sanctuary, [i.e. the place, which the King accounteth his sanctuary, where he doth celebrate his solemn worship and divine service, against which no prophecying is to be suffered. Some do understand here by the King, Melech, or Molech, the great idol of the King of Israel. See above c. 5. 26] and that is the house of the kingdom [this may be understood of a royal court, which undoubtedly the King had to Bethel also, when he came thither for to solemnize his idolatrous worship; or, of a sovereign court of Judacature, and for the councel of the kingdom; or it may be understood, that all Israel was wanted to assemble here in the idolatrous temple, ( house for temple) in which regard it would, according to Amazias meaning, not only be very safe for Amos there, but the place itself could not at all tolerate any such Prophet]

14. Then Amos answered and said to Amazia; I was no prophet, nor was I any prophets son, but I was an heard-man; [the Hebrew word comes from an other that signifies, oxen, kine or, great cartel. Compare above chapter 1. 11. Oth. Read, but I sought and gathered etc. the Hebr. Word signifying properly to seek, and it being plain by the next verse, that he went after small cattle or sheep] and gathered [Hebr. Word is found no where else but here] wild-figs. [or Sycomore-fruit; of such trees there was great abundance in the land Canaan. See 1 kings 10. 17. Isa. 9 10. and that the fruit he might gather either for himself or for his cattel to feed on.]

15. But the LORD took me from after the Flock; [The Hebrew word doth properly signify small cattel, but is taken here more generally] and the LORD said to me,[i.e. he whom I must obey more than men. Compare Acts 4:19. Hence some conjecture that Amos fled not; the Jewes are of opinion that king Jerobeam gave no heed to Amazias information , but left the prophet unmolested] go thy way, prophesy to my people Israel.

16. Now then hear the word of the LORD: thou saiest; thou shalt not prophecie against Israel, nor drop [See Deut. chapter 32. vers. 2. Ezekiel 21:2. with the annot.] against the house of Israel.

17. Therefore thus saith the LORD, thy wife shall play the whore in the city, [i.e. the shall either prostitute herself, or be abused by the enemy as an harlot] and thy sons and thy daughters, shall fall by the sword; and thy land shall be divided by the line, [viz. for others. See deut. 3. on vers. 4. and Psal 16. on verse 5.] and thou shalt die in an unclean land, [viz. in idolatrous Assyria] and Israel shall assuredly be carried away captive out of his land.