Amos 6

A reproof of those who indulge their ease and pleasures without having any sense of God’s afflicting hand, which threatens* ruin and desolation to the whole kingdom of Israel for their pride and incorrigibleness. sorac king of Assyria, not long bcforo the uttering of this prophecy. Thence go ye to Hemath the great.) St. Jerome supposes this to bo the same city which was afterward called Antioch: this was taken too by Sennacherib, or some of his predecessors. (Sec 2 Kings xviii. 34.) It is called here Hemath the great, to distinguish it from another Hemath, mentioned vcr. 14. which is the boundary of Palestine, and therefore called the entering in of Hemath in that verse, and 1 Kings viii. 65. 2 Kings xiv. 25. That town is since called Epiphania. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.’] Taken by Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxvi. 6. Be they better than these kingdoms, &c] Are they in a better condition than you are, both in Israel and Judah? Or have they a larger and more plentiful country to live in? If they have not, why are you so ungrateful to God, as not to be sensible of those his mercies? The word border is equivalent to country. (See the note upon Mai. i. 4.) the other. The entering in of Hemath was the northern boundary of their country, (see the note upon ver. 2.) and the river of the wilderness is the same with the river of Egypt, Gen. xv. 18. Josh. xv. 47. 1 Kings viii. 65. Isa. xxvii. 12. which arises out of Mount Paran, and is the southermost bound of Judea. It is called the sea of the plain, as our interpretation renders it, Deut. iii. 17. or the sea of the.wilderness, as it is translated here; the original word Arabah being the same in both places.

Amos 6:1

rrOE to them thai are at ease in Zion. Or, Are secure, as the margin reads: who live fearless of God’s judgments, and resolved to indulge themselves in their voluptuousness, notwithstanding the evident tokens of God’s displeasure against the whole nation, both Israel, and Judah. For these and the following words contain a threatening against both kingdoms, both Israel and Judah, (see veT. 2.) though the chief design of this prophecy is against the’ten tribes, or kingdom of Israel. But the LXX. translate the’ words thus, Woe unto them that despise Zion. [But the learned Dr. Grabe conjectures, that instead of’EZovQzvovm; despise, it should be read EvSvfxovm, are prosperous: for so the LXX. render the word shaanannim, Psal. exxiii. 4. Sec the Prolegom. to his edition of the Prophets.] The word shaanannim, which our translation renders are at ease, signifying also to be insolent; in which sense the words may fitly belong to the ten tribes, who despised Zion and the temple, which God chose out of all the tribes of Israel, to place his name there. And trust in the mountain of Samaria.] In the strength of their capital city, built upon the hill of Samaria. (See iv. 1.) Wliicli are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came.] Zion, or Jerusalem, and Samaria, are the chief seats of the two kingdoms, whither is the greatest Tesort of the whole nation. The word gojim, nations, usually signifies the heathen nations, but sometimes denotes the Jews, and is equivalent to amniim. (See Zeph. ii. 9.) The Chaldee interprets it, Who give names to their children,’ according to the names of the chief of the heathen, to whom the house of Israel apply themselves for protection. Thus, in the later times, some of the Jews took the names of Alexander,’ Antipater, Agrippa, and the like, to compliment some great men among the Greeks or Romans of those names. The Jews making alliances with the heathens, is often reproved by the prophets. (See 2 Chron. xvi. 7. Isa. xxx. 1, 2. Hos. v. 13. vii. 11. xii!l.)

Amos 6:2

Pass ye to Calneh, and see. Calneh, called* Calno, Isa. x. 9. was a city in the land of Shinar, or the territory of Babylon, Gen. x. 10. St. Jerome supposes it the same with Ctesiphon. This was taken probably by

Amos 6:3

Ye that put atvay the evil day far from you. Who persuade yourselves that God’s judgments will not overtake you so soon as the predictions of the prophets import. (See v. 18. ix. 20.) And cause the seat of violence to draw near.] Ye take hold of every opportunity of perverting justice, by pronouncing unrighteous decrees, and turning the seat of justice into the seat of oppression. (See ver. 12. and compare Psal. xciv. 20.)

Amos 6:4

That lie upon beds of ivory, &c. This and the two following verses are an elegant description of the ill uses men too often make of a plentiful fortune: that it shuts put all serious considerations, makes them void of compassion towards those that are in misery, and to regard nothing but the present gratification of their senses. Lying upon beds of ivory, and stretching themselves upon their couches, express the posture they used at their meals. (See ver. 7. and ii. 8.) Eat the lambs out of the flock, &c] The choicest and best of them. Vcr. 5. Invent to themselves instruments of music, like David.] Such variety of music as he appropriated to the service of God, (see 1 Chron. xxiii. 5.) that they contrive for their own diversion.

Amos 6:6

And are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph. They do not humble themselves under God’s afflictinghand, nor lay to heart the miseries the Divine judgments have brought upon the kingdom of Israel, called by the name Joseph, and the house of Joseph, v. 6.15. The words allude to the afflicted state of Joseph, when he was sold by his’ brethren into Egypt.

Amos 6:7

And the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. Their luxurious w T ay of living shall be at an end. (See ver. 4.)

Amos 6:8

I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces. Whatever the kingdoms of Israel and Judah value themselves for is hateful to me, as having been abused by them, and made instrumental iu dishonouring me. If we understand this’of Israel, the ten tribes valued themselves as being the most potent kingdom. (See 2 Kings xiv. 9.) If we suppose the words comprehend Judah, (see ver. 1.) they valued themselves for having Jerusalem and the temple situate in their territories, where God had placed his name; and is peculiarly called the honour, or excellency of Jacob, Psal. xlvii. 4. Ezck. xxiv. 21. Therefore tvill I deliver up the city, &c] I will deliver up Samaria first, and then Jerusalem, into the hands of their enemies. Ver. i). Jf there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.] Those that escape the hands of the enemy shall die by the pestilence. (Compare Ezek. v. 12.)

Amos 6:10

And a man’s uncle [or near kinsman. shall take him up.] His nearest kinsman must be forced to perform the last office for him, and carry him to his burial. And [or] he that burns him to bring out the bones out of the house.] And is equivalent to or here. (Sec Noldius, p. 271.) The undertakers of the funeral first burnt the body, in order to carry out the remaining bones to be buried. It was usual to burn the bodies of kings and great persons with odours and spices: (see Jer. xxxiv. 5. 2 Chron. xvi. 14.) and it may be, they might use the same custom in this case for fear of infection. And shall say to him that is by the sides of the house [in or near the house], Is there any more ivith thee?] Alive or dead. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue; for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord.] Silence best becomes such astonishing calamities: or, It is to no purpose to call upon God, or to implore his help in our afflictions. An expression betokening despair, joined with impenitency: like that of Joram, 2 Kings vi. 33. What should I wait for the *Lord any longer? The verb zacar, to remember, or make mention, when it is spoken of God, signifies his worship, as Dr. Spencer observes, de Leg. Heb. lib. ii. cap. 5.

Amos 6:11

He will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts. People of all ranks, high and low, shall be sufferers in the common calamities. (See iii. 15.)

Amos 6:12

Shall horses run upon the rock? ivill one plough there xvith oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock. Your perverting of judgment, and thereby making oppression the seeming fruit or effect of righteousness, is as much the inverting the nature and order of things, as it would be to undertake to run a race upon a rock, or to cultivate it by ploughing or sowing there. The word rosh, translated here and in other places gall, signifies a weed growing among corn, as bitter as wormwood: and laannath, rendered hemlock, is translated wormwood, v. 7. and in other places. Vcr. 13. Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought.] Ye pride yourselves in your own strength, which will stand you in no stead, without God’s blessing and assistance. And say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?] A horn is often used in Scripture for power, strength, or authority; the metaphor being taken from the horns of an ox or bullock, w T herein his strength lies. The boast of the Israelites seems chiefly grounded upon the success their king Jeroboam the Second had in restoring the ancient dominion of Israel, and recovering it from the Syrians, who had brought them very low. (See 2Kingsxiii. 3. 7. xiv. 25.)

Amos 6:14

But, behold, I tvill raise up a nation against you — and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath, to the river of the icilderuess. The prophet means the Assyrians,, who should afflict them from one end of the land f uuto