Amos 8

By the vision of a basket with summer fruits, is showed, that Israel end was drawing on, vers. 1, & c. because of their oppressing the poor, wretched greediness deceitful dealing, uncleanness, and idolatrous swearing 4, & c. ( and 14) God swears to bring the utmost general ruin and sorrow upon Israel, 7. together with a disconsolate condition, for the want of his word, 15.

1. The lord LORD caused me to see thus: [As above chapter 7. 1, 4, 7.] and behold a basket with summer fruits. [Some do understand by the Hebrew word rendered basket, an book wherewith one gets down the fruits past reach otherwise, from the tops of the trees. Jeremiah 5:27. the word is taken to signify a fig-basket, or birds cage]

2. And he said: what seest thou Amos; and I said; a basket of summer fruits: then the LORD said unto me, the end [In the Hebrew text the word used for end and that for summer-fruits, sound much alike, so that the one may easily put us in the mind of the other. Compare Jeremiah 1:11.] is come upon my people of Israel, I will not pass them by any more henceforth. [as above chapter 7. on verse 8.]

3. But the songs of the temple [i.e. the songs or music, which they made use of in the idolatrous temples at Bethel and elsewhere, (above chapter 5. 23.)] Shall howl on that day, [i.e. be changed into howling then. See below. Verse 10.] saith the LORD: there shall be many dead bodies, in all places. [Heb. place] they shall throw them away with silence [or (one shall hear) cast away, be silent, or, in all places (he that) cast them away (shall say) be silent. The sence is, there shall be such a number of dead bodies, that there shall be made but little noise and less adoe about their burials, but they shall stealingly, as it were, be snatcht and cast away, or into ground without any circumstances or bemoaning.]

4. Hear this, yet that swallow up [Or, swill down or, gape after] the needy : and that for to consume [heb. make to cease and consequently, dispatch, consume, destroy, as the Hebr. Word is likewise used] the afflicted [or, meek, lowly ones] of the land.

5. Saying: when shall the new moon Passover, [i.e. the time for public worship. See num. 10. 10 and 28. 11, etc. this seemed irksome and tedious to these greedy wolves, that they must rest so long from pursuing their gain or prey. Oth. This mouth, that an other may come, wherein all things may be at a higher rate for our advantage: but that which follows of the Sabbath, doth better agree with the New-moon] that we may sell victual? And the Sabbath that we may open or, (utter) corn? [i.e. open our granaries or storehouses for the sale of corn] lessening the Epha, and greatening the Shekel, [i.e. using deceitful weights and measures in uttering and selling your wares, and on the contrary raising and enhancing your price, and using heavyweights for receiving the monies, against the express law, Deuteronomy 25:13. Of the Epha See Lev. 5. on verse 11. ezek 45. 10. 11. of the Shekel, Genesis 23:15. and chap.24. 22. with annot. Again Ezekiel 45:12. the Shekel is taken here for the weight of the Shekel] and dealing perver fly with deceitful balances: [i.e. so that by falsifying of them we may the better defraud others. Or thus, perverting (the sale) with deceitful (or false) balances. Heb. perverting the balances of deceit.]

6. That we may buy the poor for money, and the needy for a pair of shoes: [i.e. not only bereave them all they have left, but also engage and enslave their persons, against the law of God, Leviticus 25:39, 40. Compare above chapter 2. 6.] then shall we [or, yea, that we may &c.] sell the chaff [Heb. the falling of i.e. the chaff or other refuse which falls off from the corn] of [Oth (for)] the corn.

7. The LORD hath sworn by the glory of Israel, [Or by the excellency, highness, eminency. i.e. by himself, he being the honour and glory of Israel, and they bound to esteem him accordingly. See Psal. 106. verse 20. with the annot. Compare above chapter 4. on verse 2. and 6. on verse 8.] if [see of this abrupt phrase usual in making of Oathes, ezek. 34. on verse. 8. & c.] I shall forget all their [or, any of (these) their works in eternity.

8. Shall not the land be troubled hereat ? and all that dwell in it, mourn? Yea it [viz the land] Shall wholly rise up [Oth. Should it (not) wholly etc. and so in the sequel by way of question] like a river, [that riseth and twelleth up till overflowers all the banks. Or , the river, viz. of Nile, as followeth] and it shall be driven to and fro [like the waves of a deep sea. Oth. Snatched, hurried away] and drowned as (by) the River of Egypt: [See Ezek. chapter 29. vers. 3. The meaning of the whole verse is, should not all these sins be enough to bring a total destruction upon the whole land, and to overflow and overthrow it utterly, as the river of the Nile doth the land of Egypt, and all it meets with, yearly? Yea verily, doth God imply here. Compare below chapter 9. 5. understand by the land the inhabitants, as followes.]

9. And it shall come to pass on that day, saith the Lord LORD, that I shall cause the sun to go down [Heb. go in. To wit into his bed chamber, that is to say, go down. See Psal. 19.6.] at noon; [i.e. when they shall think themselves most secure and flourishing, then shall he surprise them with all extremities, intimated by the darkening in the next words: see Gen. 15. on verse. 12. and Compare Isa. chapter 59. 9, 10. Jeremiah 15:9. Joel 2:2. 30, 31. with the annot.] and the land be darkened at, bright day. [Heb. day of light,]

10. And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation, and bring forth a sack [See gen. 37. on verse 34. and compare Isaiah 15:3. Jeremiah 48:37. Ezekiel 7:18, etc.] upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; [see Jer. 16. on verse 6.] and I will put the (land) into mourning such as there is over an only (son) [i.e. I shall cause the inhabitants of the land to mourn so bitterly under the plagues that shall be upon them, as parents do for the death of an only dear son. See Jeremiah 5:26. Zach. 12. 10.] and the end thereof [viz of the land, heb. hindmost, uttermost, last. See Psal. 37. on vers. 37. understand that shall I make (or put) etc.] as a bitter day. [Oth read thus the end thereof (shall be) as a bitter day.]

11. Behold the days come, saith the LORD, that I shall send a famine into the land: [Or, on the earth] not a famine for bread, nor thirst for waters, but for to hear the words of the LORD. [thereby to get some case and comfort, and to learn from the mouth of some Prophet, when all those Miseries shall be at an end once. Compare Psalms 74:9. with the annotate.]

12. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North to the East; [Heb. rising viz. of the sun, i.e. the East] they shall run about, for to seek the word of the LORD, but shall not find it.

13. On that day shall the beautiful virgins, and the young men faint for thirst:[Or, fail, swoon. Compare Hosea 2:2.]

14. They that swear by the guilt of Samaria, [i.e. by the idols, (by whom the Israelites made themselves guilty before God) at Samaria, Dan, etc. where those idols were set up. Compare Deuteronomy 9:21. Isaiah 29:9. hos. 10. 8. with the annotate.] and say;( as truly as ) thy God, of Dan liveth [or thy God O Dan] the way of Ber-Seba as God, according to the way and the manner there in use. See ab. chapter 5. 5. with the annotate. Way, for, divine worship Religion, manner of serving God, here in a bad sence, elsewhere in a good. See Jer. 32. on ver. 39.] and they shall fall and not rise again. [as above chapter 5. 2.]