Amos 7
Irwin1 grasshoppers. Rather, “locusts.”
the king’s mowings. “The king’s mowings,” or croppings, may refer to the exaction by the monarch of the first growth of the grass for his own cattle (see 1 Sam. viii. 14). If locusts destroyed the aftercrop, there was no hope of any grass till the summer was passed.
4 a part. Rather, “the part”; i.e., the other part; the dry land as well as the deep. The “fire” denotes a heavier judgement than the “locusts.”
8. I will set a plumbline, etc. The application of the line and plummet to a completed building implies that its correctness and stability are being tested, and that, if found faulty or dangerous, it will be taken down. This symbol therefore represents God’s trial of a people, which often results in their condemnation: cp. Isa. xxviii. 17; 2 Kings xxi. 13.
10. Amaziah. Probably the high priest of the idolatrous sanctuary. The charge of treason was connected with the fact that Amos belonged to the southern kingdom. In the northern, therefore, he was regarded as an interloper and a spy; perhaps as an emissary from the rival monarch.
12 there eat bread, and prophesy there. Gain thy living by prophesying there. The idolatrous priest apparently regards Amos as merely a hireling, like himself, doing his work for the maintenance which the king of Judah gave him.
13 the king’s chapel. Rather, “the king’s sanctuary” (R.V.).
14 neither was I a prophet’s son. i.e., I was not a disciple of the prophets. See note on 1 Sam. x. 12.
a gatherer. Perhaps, “scraper”: alluding to the practice of scraping or making incisions in the sycomore fruit, to promote its maturity.
sycomore fruit. Luther translates, “mulberries.” The French version has “wild figs.” Professor Canney (Peake’s Com.) translates, “fig-mulberries.”
17 divided by line. Divided among the victorious enemies.
a polluted (unclean) land. A foreign heathen land, polluted by idol worship. We have no historical record of the fulfilment of these predictions regarding Amaziah.