LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON. N. J. Presented by "TheWidoNA^ of &eoY-QeIluAd'cin, ?C Sectioii..\..\rT..jL I ^ 41 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/bookofamos144schm \ COMMENTARY xt^,,,,. ON THE HOLY SCRIPTURES: CRITICAL, DOCTRINAL, AND HOMILETICAL. WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MINISTERS AND STUDENTS JOHN PETER '^IaNGE, D. D., OKDINABT PaOFKBSOR OF THBOLOGT IN THE UNIVERSITT OP BONH, oi oovaBvnoK with a kumbeb or khikkst koropkait Dirona TRANSLATED, ENLARGED, AND EDITED PHILIP SCHAFF, D. D., PBOFBSSOR OF THBOLOGT IN THK UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. NEW TORS, IB OOKKKCriOM WITH AMERIOAX SCHOLARS OF VAR10P8 BVANGKLICAL OENOMUfATIOVS. 70>.n(ME XIV. OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: CONTAINING THE MINOR PROPIfKTB KEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SUNS, 189'J THK MINOR PEOPHETS KXEGETICALLY, THEOLOGICALLY. AND HOMILETICALLY EXPOUNDED PAUL KLEINERT, OTTO SCHMOLLER, GEORGE R. BLISS, TALBOT W. CHAMBERS, CHARLES ELLIOTT, JOHN FORSYTH, J. FREDERICK McCURDY, AND JOSEPH PACKARD. EDITED BY PHILIP SCHAFF, D. D. NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, 1699 Iktond mccording to Act of Congress, in the vear 1874, OV tiCRIBNER, AkMSTEONQ, A»D COMPANY, n tlie Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washinffto*. Trow's Printing and Bookbinding Company, 805-213 East -litk St., NKW YORK. PREFACE BY THE GENERAL EDITOR The volume on the Minor Prophets is partly in advance of the German original, which has not yet reached the three post-exilian Prophets. The commentaries on the nin« earlier Prophets by Professors Kleinert and Schmoller appeared in separate numberi some time ago ^ ; but for Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, Dr. Lange has not, to this date, been able to secure a suitable co-laborer.^ With his cordial approval I deem it better to complete the volume by original commentaries than indefinitely to postpone the publicatioa. They were prepared by sound and able scholars, in conformity with the plan of the whole work. The volume accordingly contains the following parts, each one being paged separately : — 1. A General Introduction to the Prophets, especially the Minor Prophets, by Rev. Charles Elliott, D. D., Professor of Biblical Exegesis in Chicago, Illinois. The general introductions of Kleinert and Schmoller are too brief and incomplete for our purpose, and therefore I requested Dr. Elliott to prepare an independent essay on the subject. 2. HosEA. By Rev. Dr. Otto Schmoller. Translated from the Grerman and en- larged by James Frederick McCurdy, M. A., of Princeton. N. J. 8. Joel. By Otto Schmoller. Translated and enlarged by Rev. John Forsyth, D. D., LL. D., Chaplain and Professor of Ethics and Law in the United States Military Academy, West Point, N. Y. 4. Amos. By Otto Schmoller. Translated and enlarged by Rev. Talbot W Chambers, D. D., Pastor of the Collegiate Reformed Dutch Church, New York. 5. Obadiah. By Rev. Paul Kleinert, Professor of Old Testament Theology in the University of Berlin. Translated and enlarged by Rev. George R. Bliss, D. D., Professor in the University of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. 6. Jonah. By Prof. Paul Kleinert, of the University of Berlin. Translated and en- larged by Rev. Charles Elliott, Professor of Biblical Exegesis in Chicago.' 7. Micah. By Prof. Paul Kleinert, of Berlin, and Prof. George R. Bliss, of Lewie- burg. 8. Nahum. By Prof. Paul Kleinert, of Berlin, and Prof. Charles Elliott, of Chicago. 9. Habakkuk. By Professors Kleinert and Elliott. 1 Obadjah, Jonah, Mieha, Nahum, Habakuk, Zephanjah. Wissenshqfllieh undfUr den Oebraueh der Kireht ausgeUgt VOM Paul Eixinkbt, Pfarrer zu St. Gertraud und a. Professor art der UniversitiU zu Berlin. Bielefeld a. Leipzig, 1868. — Di* Propheten Hoxea, Joel und Amos. TheologiseK-homiietisch bearbeitet von Ono SoHHOIUUt, Licent. der Theologie, Diaeonut m Urach. Bielef. und Leipzig, 1872. 2 Ttie commentary of Rev. W. Psbbsel on these three Prophets (Die naehtxHiseken Propheten, Gotha, 1870) waa originally prepared for Lange's Bible-work, bnt was rejected by Dr. Lange mainly on account of Pressel's views on tiia genuineness and integrity of Zechariah. It was, however, independently publisbed, and was made use of, like othv eommentaries, by the authors of the respective sections in this volume. S Dr. Elliott desires to render his acknowledgments to the Rev. Reuben Dederiok, of Chicago, and the Bar. Jaeok liOtke, of Faribault, Minnesota, for valoable assistance in translatinit some difficult paasages in Kleiiwrfl OommentailM ■o Jonah, Nabum, and Habakkuk. PREFACE BY THE GENERAL EDIT((R. 10. Zephaniah. By Professors Kleinert and Elliott. 11. Haggai. By James Frederick McCurdy, M. A., Princeton. N. J. 12. Zechariaf By Rev. Talbot W. Chambers, D. D., New York. (See special preface.) 13. Malachi. By Rev. Joseph Packard, D. D., Professor of Biblical Literature in the Theological Semiimry at Alexandria, Virginia. The contributors to this volume were directed carefully to consult the entire ancient and modern literature on the Minor Prophets and to enrich it with the latest results of Grerman and Anglo-American scholarship. The remaining parts of the Old Testament are all under way, and will be published ai fast as the nature of the work will permit. PHILIP SCHAFF. Djnos THsotaaroM Sbmwa'^'j, Nrw You. . ^n•Mlry, 1874. THu: BOOK OF AMOS EXPOUISTDED BT / OTTO SCHMOLLER, P.. D DBACH, WURTSHBIBa. TRANSLATED AND ENLARGMJ} TALBOT W. CHAMBERS, D. D., not PABTOKS OF THB COLLKGIATK BEFORMKD DUTCH OHTBCH, BBW TOXK NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, btered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874^ bf ScRiBMER, Armstrong, and Company, Im the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washingtoa. THE PROPHET AMOS. INTRODUCTION. § 1. The Personal Relations of Amos. Of these we know more than we do in the case of Hosea and of Joel, and that, not merely from the superscription, the originality of which needs yet to be established, but also from the prophet's own words (chap. vii. 10-15). First of all occurs the name, Ditt^. It may be mentioned in passing that the fathers, ignorant of Hebrew, confounded this name with \^i^M, that of the father of Isaiah, and supposed the two persons to be one and the same ; but Jerome denied the assertion. The meaningof^thejiajneisuncertain, perhaps = Bearer^or Heavy. His home was certainly, according to ch. vii. 10 il'., intHe kingdom of JffdaE^ He labored indeed in Ephraim, but this was considered strange by Araaziah, who reproved it as an insoleuL uudurtaking and bade him escape to Judah, so that manifestly, he did uoC reside in Bethel nor anywhere in Israel. The superscription puts his residence in Tekoa, a town in the tribe of Judah, often mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament (2 Sam. xiv. 2 ; 2 Chron. xi. 6, xx. 20 ; Jer. vi. 1 ; also 1 Mac. ix. 33), and said by Jerome to be some miles south of Bethlehem, where its ruins are still preserved in the modern name of Tekua. Here, according to ch. vii. 14, Amos was a "'f^'i^, which naturally, according to its deri- vation, means herdman. Bvt the 15th verse states that Jehovah took him from followini^ ^^5!Jn, and this word signihes sheep and goats in distinction from neat-cattle, so that the term herdman must be considered as used in a wide sense and including a shepherd's office. This is confirmed by the account of Tekoa given by Jerome, who knew the holy land from personal observation, and whose statements in his preface to our prophet, are therefore not to be regarded as mere inferences from this passage. He says that the country was sandy and barren, and therefore full of shepherds who made amends for its failure to yield crops by the number of their flocks. That there were many shepherds in tlie place is indicated by the title, in its saying that Amos was •' among the 2''"Tf7'i3 of Tekoa " (rip;^Jp meaning, per- haps, those who had gone oni from Tekoa to more distant pastures). The term ipiD occurs besiHps this place only in 2 Kings iii. 4. where it is applied to the Monhiti'^h kin^, Meshah, who in this capacity paid to the king of Israel a yearly tribute of 1 00,000 lambs, and as many rams. Accordingly it signifies a sheep-master. We may therefore regard Amos as aa owner of flocks, but by no means as a wealthy sheep-owner. This is determined by what he says of himself (ch. vii. 14, 16), according to which he was a shepherd, and took care of the sheep, even if they were his own. But this phrase " among the shepherds of Tekoah," may refer merely to his residence, and so indicate his employment while he was living nmong these persons. He further calls himself CT^PttJ obis. one who cultivated syca- mores for his support. This tree by its sweet fruit (Pliny, iV. H., xiii. 14, calls it prcedulcis) which it bears abundantly, afforded to a shepherd living in the open country a nutriment both ample ani easily provided. So that Amos had a competent support, although he waa not rich. Accordingly, in ch. vii. 12, etc., he rejects the summons to go to Judah and eat his bread there, on the ground that he did not prophesy for bread but had a competency of his own, implying also perhaps that as a shepherd he was satisfied with simple fare. Here now as he abode among his flocks the call of the Lord reached him to prophesy con- '^erning Israel. For he says expressly that he was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, i. e., a pupil of the prophets, which excludes any thought of a schoo^ in which he had pre- 4: AMOS. pared himself for the work, or even that he had assumed it as a calling. In obedience to the summons he repaired to Bethel, the chief seat of the idol worship, in order to announce to the careless people the divine judgment. There the priest Amaziah sought to drive hiui away, as a seditious person. But he boldly resisted, and made his threatening still morti severe. It is not stated whether he then went away or whether he continued his prophetic function. All that we further know of him is that his discourses were reduced to writing Later traditions of his martyrdom have no historical value. § 2. The Age of the Prophet. This in substance is well settled. For the book itself names Jeroboam (II.) as the king under whom Amos prophesied in Bethel. This king ascended the throne in the fifteenth of the twenty-nine years' reign of Amaziah, king of Judah ; and reigned forty-one years. He was therefore fourteen, years contemporary with Amaziah, and twenty-seven years with his suc- cessor Uzziah. yThe title puts Amos in the last two thirds of Jeroboam's reign, since it represents him as prophesying in the days of Jeroboam and Uzziah, i. e., while they were contemporary; and this is confirmed by the statement in ch. ix. 12 that "the remnant of Edom should be possessed," indicating that the Edomite capital, Selah, had already been con- quered, which took place under Uzziah's father Amaziah (2 Kings xiv. 7). \, The time of the prophet's activity cannot be more closely defined within these twenty-seven years ; only it is certain that it did not extend over the whole period, but was confined to a certain occasion. The title indicates this by the note — " two years before the earthquake." This would give us the precise date, if only we knew the time of the earthquake; but this not being the case, we gain nothing by the statement. It only confirms the view that Amos prophesied in the reign of Uzziah, for we have every reason to believe that this earthquake was the same with the one mentioned in Zechariah xiv. 5, which is there said to have occurred under UzziaKK (As to the object of this note, see below, ch. i. 1.) Amos was somewhat earlier than Hosea, but still the latter was his contemporary, and carried on his work (undoubtedly using his materials, see below) of announcing judgment upon Ephraim, in a still more threatening manner and with a clearer indication that As- syria was to be the instrument of this judgment. On the other hand, Amos was younger than Joel, whose writings were known to him when he composed his own, since he expressly refers to them, adopting Joel's words in his commencement (ch. i. 2), and leaning ujjon theia in the promise with which he concludes (ch. ix. 13). The period of Amos's ministry was one of great external prosperity for the kingdom of Israel. Under Jeroboam II. it stood at the zenith of its power. Compare the picture of the rich who seek only the increase of their wealth and luxury, and feel so entirely secure. Certainly, as this picture directly shows, there was under this outward pomp and prosperity a deep moral decay which stood in close connection with the apostasy from pure religion. In Judah the case was different, but even there matters had become worse since the time of Joel. For Amos openly complains of a contempt of God's law and an inclination to idolatry, of which we find no trace in Joel. Israel, however, Jiad sunk deepjn corruption, y^tjioj)nt, either perceived or was willing to leanToTanylTaiiger, all were in careless security. N o po - litical signs indicated any daimer from a foreign foe. The Assyrians, indeed, attracted atlen tion, but there was no probability that they would endanger the kingdom. It was too strong for that. And as to the danger resulting from inward moral decay, that was not appre- hended, because men either disbelieved in a retributive, sin-avenging righteousness, or else excluded the thought of it from their minds. At this time the simple shepherd of Tekoa was sent into the kingdom of Israel to announce to it, and especially to the house of Jeroboam, God's judgment and their own downfall, as he says, ch. vii. 15. Any one who had a living faith in God and therefore in a divine retribution, might well conclude from a glance at the ■lefection from a true faith and worship and the prevailing moral corruption, that such a people and kingdom were on the downward road and would fixre ill. But it was a long step from this to the public announcement of a certain overthrow by a foreign conqueror. Jus this is found in Amos ; he does not indeed name the foe, but no one can mistake who is meant. Thus he showed himself possessed of a special revelation from God, as he expressly said in ch. vii. 15. Although no one thought particularly of Assyria, for which reason ht does not name it, still he already saw in that kingdom the instrument of God\< ver^jeance wid so declared. INTRODUCTION. § 3. The Book of the Prophet. Under the name of this prophet we have a prophetic writing in nine chapters, contain- ing chiefly threatenings against the kingdom of Israel, to which, on account of its prevail- ing grievous sins, it announces a grievous infliction, even overthrow by a hostile nation. Still the book is not limited to threatenings against Israel, but at least begins with threats upon the surrounding heathen, and then, like a genuine prophetic book, concludes with the promise of a new deliverance for Israel and a splendid prosperity under the house of David. Entering more into detail, we are to consider — iN.Ihe first and second chapters as a sort of introduction to the particular subject. The second verse of chap. i. repeats a menace contained in Joel iv. 16, and then the na- tions around Israel are taken up in order, first the heathen, Damascus (i. 3-5), Philistia (6-8), Tyre (9-10), Edom (11, 12), Ammon (13-15), Moab (ii. 1-3), and then Judah (4-5), against each of which the divine wrath is announced in short, similar sentences, even "for three transgressions and for four," and is executed by " kindling a fire " in their capitals. Then the threatening turns to Israel, at first in the same phrase as before, but soon at greater length. There is a fuller detail of the prevailing sins, oppression of the poor, and lascivious luxury, together with a gross contempt for God's favors toward them as his people (6-12) ; and a fuller announcement of punishment, namely, complete subjugation under an invading foe (13-16). It is thus evident that the previous denunciations were intended only to pave the way for this one, and that Israel was especially aimed at, for which reason the prophet dwells on their case. Still the threatening is here only introduced, and the judgment is declared merely in general terms ; the form of its fulfillment can only be conjectured. , 2. The special charges and threats follow in chaps, iii.-vi. This division contains four discourses, — the first three of which begin with a " Hear this word " — in which the king- dom of Israel, especially tlie great men, on account of the prevailing sins, are threatened with a divine judgment in the shape of the destruction of palaces and sanctuaries, the over- throw of the kingdom, and the carrying away of the people, unless by seeking the Lord they seize the only hope of deliverance. (a.) In chap. iii. the chief thought is manifestly that there should be no doubt about the coming of the judgment, since the prophet who bore Jehovah's commission could not speak in vain, (b.) Chap. iv. bases the assurance of punishment on the fact that all previous visitations of God had been to no purpose-, since repentance had not ensued. The judgment therefore must come. (c.) In chap. v. we hear the outcry at approaching calamity, intermingled with calls to seek the Lord and love the good, as the only means of escape. It concludes with a woe pronounced upon those who desire the day of the Lord, which yet for them must be a day of terror, since all idolatiy is an abomination to hiai. Then is added in — (d.) Chap, vi., a woe upon those who on the contrary fancy the day of the Lord to be far oflf and therefore persevere in their frivolity until the judgment ovei-takes • them by means of a people whom the Lord will raise up. After these discourses about punishment comes a new division, — 3. Chaps, vii.-ix., in which the prophet recounts certain visions in which he has seen the fate of Israel, interspersed with historical details and threats of punishment, but at last passing into the promise of a new deliverance and prosperity for Israel. (a). Chap. vii. First, the prophet has two visions of punishment by Locusts and by Fire, which, however, are averted at his intercession. So much the more does the third vision, of the Plumb-line, show the downfall of the kingdom, and especially of the house of Jeroboam to be irreversible (1-9). The result of this announcement is that the priest Amaziah com- plains of Amos to the king and proposes his banishment. But Amos boldly meets him, affirms the divine call under which he was acting, and utters a still sharper threat, aimed especially at the priest. (b.) Chap. viii. A fourth vision represents the ripeness of the people for judgment ander the image of a basket of ripe fruit. Then the prophet commences with " Hear this ' (as in chaps, iii., iv., v.), a denunciation of the sins of the higher classes, who are threat" aned with the sore srief of a famine of hearintr the word of the Lord. i> AMOS. (c.) lu a fifth vision the prophet see? under the image of an overthrow of the temple (at Hethel) which buries all in its ruins, the utter ruin of the kingdom by a divine judgment which none can escape ; since God is almighty and Israel is not a whit better than the heathen (i. 7). Yet God will not destroy it entirely, but sift it by destroying all the sinners at ease, and then raise again David's fallen tent to a new glory. Thus the book concludes with the promise of a new deliverance under the house of David, when Israel will be richly blessed, and made as great and powerful as ever before, and never again be driven out of fhe land. That the book whose contents are thus outlined forms one complete whole, can scarcely be disputed. But to press the inquiry closer, it is at once evident that chaps, i. and ii. are intimately connected, and in like manner chaps, iii.-vi. belong together. But that the latter division concurs with the former to make one whole is equally clear. A menace of judg- ment upon Israel could not possibly be satisfied with what is said in ii. 13-16, for in that case there would be no definiteness and certainty as to what Israel was to expect. The further statements in the following discourses are a matter of necessity. Moreover, a com- parison of ii. 6-8 with iii. 9, 10, v. 7, 11, vi. 4, shows a striking similarity between the sins censured in both cases. The unity of the first six chapters is then established. As to chaps, vii.-ix., no argument is needed to show their mutual coherence. But the question arises, whether they did not originally form an independent whole which a subsequent editor ap- pended to the foregoing, or conversely made the foregoing a preface to it. There is much to favor its independent character. It difiers from what precedes, both in matter as con- taining visions, and in form, as the prophet speaks in the first person. Notwithstanding, its close connection — at least in the state in which we now have it — with chaps, i.-vi., is unquestionable. The chief evidence of this seems to me to lie in chap. viii. 4 seq.; which bears an unmistakable relation to what is already found in chaps, iii.-vi. The reproof is the same in both. Compare the introductory words " Hear ye ; " the censure of sins in viii. 4, etc., with ch. ii. 6, etc, and ch. v. 11, 12; and also, the announcement of judgment in viii. 10 with ch. v. 15. So close is the correspondence that one might be tempted to think that the latter passages were a subsequent insertion, which of course would destroy the ar- gument for the original coherence of the whole. But we can hardly assume this theory of insertion by an editor, simply because the words, viii. 4, etc., are somewhat abrupt and do not seem to be exactly in their place. If an alteration were made, we should suppose they would have been taken away from their present place and joined to the foregoing passages, to which they seem more suited. Here applies the critical canon that the more difficult reading is to be preferred. But then it is to be observed that the conclusion, (ix. 11, etc.,) undeniably reechoes the conclusion of Joel, and still more does ch. i. 2 connect itself with Joel. This fact shows beyond mistake that our book in its present state originated from one hand, and farther, since its beginning and its end are original, integral elements proceeding from the author himself, that we must consider the book as a complete whole, as certainly so^repared by its author. X if this be so, it follows that the prophet Amos, who in chap. vii. speaks of himself in the first person, Is necessarily the composer not merely of the account of these visions, but also of the whole book. If at first we understood from the superscription that the suhstnr.ce of these utterances proceeded from Amos, much more must we suppose that they were reduced to writing and united with the foregoing books by him ; and we must consider the super- scription as prefixed to this, as it undoubtedly will, and of right ought to be, considered. That he who In ch. vii. says " I " is no other than Amos, is jihvin from verse 10, etc., where he is so called, but that he is here spoken of in the third person is no evidence that he is not the author. Of the portions marked with the " I," both preceding and following, he is certainly such,-'^t we need not for that reason consider the intervening passage vii. 10-17 as inserted by another; for Hosea, in the beginning of his prophecy, in the poi'tion (chap, i. 2) whicli undoubtedly is his own, also speaks of himself in the third person. Besides, the transition to the third person here is altogether simple and natural, since he was repeat- ing what Amaziah charged against him. And having thus spoken, he continues in the same manner in the 12th and 13th vers(!s. Moreover, since the subject relates to the personal experiences of the prophet, there is the less reason for considering it another's inturpolatiou in a writing the rest of which was composed by Amos. No, it is Amos alone who relate* what befell him in his prophesying, and then speaks of his origin and his mission, and after iraxds utters a new menace ajjainst Amaziah. And this is not added as a mere matter of INTRODUCTION. tistory, but the account of the occurrence with Amaziah bears so directly upon this speech to him that it is perfectly plain that the author of the one is the author of the other, i. e^ that the prophet himself, and no one else, has produced the whole. In favor of Amos's au- thorship is the style, in which are manifold reminiscences of a pastoral life. (See below.) In the first instance, this proves only that the separate discourses came fi'om Amos, but not that he composed the whole. But since after what has been said the theory of its compila- tion by a third person is inadmissible, the argument for Amos as the author is greatly strengthened by these peculiarities of language. Besides, we could not properly speak of " Discourses of Amos " which another person has collected together, but the book in its present form is to be considered as an original composition of its author, based upon the " discourses " he had delivered orally. J This leads to the question concerning the precise origin of the book, — which is not an- .^Vwered by determining that it is a consistent whole and was the work of Amos. For here, \more than in the other prophets, do we need to understand the relation of the book to the /public, oral activity of the prophet. A public and therefore oral announcement of prophecies against Israel is expressly ascribed to Amos. Just for this purpose he who was originally a herdsman came forth as a prophet. The question is, What were those oral prophecies, and how were they related to our book ? Ewald and Baur assume that chaps, vii.— ix. 10, contain what was originally said at Bethel, and that the first part, chaps, i.-vi. and the Messianic conclusion, are only a written state- ment, devised by Amos after his return from Bethel to Judah, in order to make his utter- ances effective for a wider circle. This view is quite plausible : for thus is most easily ex- plained the difference in form between the first part and the second, and also, the singular interruption of the prophecies by a historical narration, ch. vii. 10, etc. One is inclined, besides, to think that the herdsman of Tekoah first received in the form of visions the divine revelation and the command, " Go, prophesy to my people Israel " (vii. 15) ; and that the longer discourses are an afterthought belonging to the written statement. But even if, as we shall see, there is some weight in the latter consideration, still we cannot accept the entire view as correct. The report of the three visions in chap, vii., of which two contained the prophet's intercession and a consequent respite of judgment, and only the third was a pure menace, could not possibly have provoked the interference of Amaziah against the prophet. He speaks of " all his words " which the land is not able to bear, and gives a summary of them in the 11th verse. But manifestly he here states only the point to which the words of Amos in verse 9 seemed to him to tend, and which iu his view proved that he was aiming at a conspiracy. But the language of the priest presupposes that the prophet had spoken much more than the single menace contained iu the third vision. Or may we assume that, even if these visions contain all that was then said in Bethel, he had yet for- merly declared there the other visions recorded in chaps, viii. and ix., betbre Amaziah came forward against him ? His coming forward would then be accounted for. But — as Baur himself rightly emphasizes, though to prove the opposite — it is not consistent to regard as supposititious the passage which now contains the historical narrative (verse 10 ff'.), because it is not conceivable that it should have been interpolated here, where at first it seems to make confusion, unless it had originally belonged just tp this place. This being so, " all the words which the land was not able to bear " must be found iu the preceding chapters. And there is the less objection to this, since among the discourses certainly made iu Bethel, there is one (ch. viii. 4 tt".) which, as was before said, is closely related to the discourses in the first part. As there ai-e no external grounds for limiting the discourses at Bethel to chap, vii., so there are no internal reasons. For there is here merely a threatening of punishment, but no mention of sin as the cause of the judgment, except ch. viii. 4-G, and still less any call to repentance, founded either upon God's mercies to Israel, especially the divine ca'l of the na- tion, or upon earlier warnings and visitations. Yet without this we cannc' jonceive of a prophetic menace of punishment. Even had the prophet begun with pure '"hreatening, yet this must afterwards at least have been accompanied with explanations and reasons ; but, as has been said, these are almost entirely wanting in ch. vii. ff". But they occur in the first part, and therefore the threatening visions in the second part certainly presuppose the exists ence of the former. Moreover, I think the traces of oral speech in the discourses of the first part can hardly be mistaken ; e. g., in ch. iv. the mention of former visitations and their in- efficacv — " vet have ye not returned unto me ; " or in ch. v., the warnings : " Seek tha 8 AMOS. Lord;" or the reproach of empty formal worship, ver. 21, etc. The references to Joel also, t. g.y ch. V. 18, may -well have belonged to the oral utterances. On the other hand, we nat- urally do not find in our oook, Amos's oral addresses either in substance or form as they were originally delivered. It was only the essential portion which he reduced to writing, and the form manifestly belongs to the prophecy only as written. It is vain therefore to attempt now to distinguish the particular portions that were spoken. They are merged in a new composition prepared in a free independent manner. But while they furnish the prin- cipal points treated, manifestly it is to the written statement that we owe the introduction in chaps, i. and ii., so far at least as foreign nations are concerned, therefore as far as ii. 5, and in like manner the concluding promise of a new deliverance in ix. 11. The threatenings in ch. i. against other nations pave the way to the chief theme, the an- nouncements of wrath against IsraelT And then again these announcements to Israel pave the^^way t(f the promise "of a new gracious visitation by which God will show that Israel is BtiHTjis people. This leads us to consider the aim and motive of the preparation of our book. Its funda- mental thought, the appearance of Amos at Bethel with his testimony against Israel, does not explain why it was written. It furnished indeed the chief materials, but had the writ- ing intended only to preserve these from being lost, it would have simply reproduced them in a somewhat free form ; but it had also another aim of its own, and to reach this availed itself of the oral utterances without confining itself to them. The appearance of Amos as a prophet of wrath to Israel is sufficiently explained by the commission, " Go, prophecy to my people, Israel," but not his appearance as the author of our book. To^inderstand this we must fix our eyes upon the portions not belonging to his personal ministry, — the in- troduction and conclusion, and especially the references to Joel's writings. Since Amos begins his book with the menace announced by Joel in iv. 16, and concludes it with a prom- ise like that of Joel in Iv. 18, his whole prophecy, as it were, falls between these two verses and is framed out of Joel's menace and Joel's promise. Joel, as we have before shown, knew only of a divine judgment upon the heathen in the Lord's day for the deliverance and exaltation of Judah, for when he afterwards saw the latter threatened with a judgment, he also saw it averted by repentance. This writing of Joel was widely diffused. But grad- ually its terms came to be perverted, and its promise of salvation was made a pretext for careless security (see ver. 18, where the day of the Lord is regarded as necessarily a day of salvation for Israel). Even among those who highly prized the prophets, the non-arrival of the threatened day of the Lord with its judgment upon the heathen, and consequently the non-arrival of the glorious salvation for Israel after that judgment, might awaken a mistrust of the prophetic declarations, and even indifference and unbelief (cf. Baur, pp. 61, 113). Therefore Amos now confirms Joel's prophecy and at the same time extends it in accordance with the altered circumstances. Both Joel's threatening and his promise remain true, but no longer so separated that the former applies only to the heathen, and the latter to Israel because of their repentance. The threatening remains true against Israel's foes, the heathen, nay, in chaps, i., ii. 5 is executed, cf. " I will not turn it away ; " but certainly this is no longer the prominent feature. Judah itself has become guilty, is filled with idol- atry, and is therefore threatened with a divine judgment. Especially in the kingdom of Israel, to which Joel does not allude, has sinful corruption reached so high a point that the herdsman of Tekoah is expressly commissioned to announce God's wrath to this large divis- ion of the covenant people. So Uttle justification had Israel for their carnal confidence in their divine vocation upon the ground of Joel's prediction of a judgment upon their foes, so far was his threatening of the Lord's day of judgment from passing away, that it would certainly come to pass, only in a broader range and still more incisively, since the Lord would enter into judgment with his degenerate people, — which even Joel had, according to chaps, i. and ii., considered not improbable, and even had feared for Judah, although the d» generacy there was not so great as in Israel, but now thought that it was averted by serioua repentance. But as Joel's threatening remains true, so also does his promise for Israel, especially for Judah, only it is brought about by a judgment upon Israel, so far as it had departed from God's ways, and therefore had become the sinful kingdom of Israel, — a judg *ient by which " a chastisement but at the same time a purification is introduced." The judgment is like a storm which overwhelms and desolates, but at the same time purifies, and therefore carries a blessing in its bosom by making room for the clearer light of the sun. Perhaps it is in reference to this that Amos begins with the words of Joel iv. 16, where the INTRODUCTION. Lord's coming forth to judge is represented under the figure of a tempest, a violent convul- Bion of nature. Here may be quoted the manner in which Schlier (^Minor Prophets, p. 70) strikingly pre- sents the contents of our book from this point of view : " This little book is wonderfully arranged. With a single word Joel rouses Amos ; it is as it were the text of his whole prophecy, the substance of all his utterances ; and what he declared was the thundering voice of God's judgment upon his people. A frightful storm comes down on Israel; we see the lightnings flashing hither and thither from one people to another till at last the gloomy storm-clouds stand over Israel and discharge themselves upon their guilty heads. But finally after fearful bursts, the tempest passes away, and the pure blue heaven comes out over the people of God. This is the sum of our prophecy. We see a storm issuing from the Lord with all his teiTors, but also with all his blessing, in which it at last terminates. What Amos as a herdsman had heard and seen in the open country with his herds, he as a prophet brings before our spiritual vision with marvelous fidelity." We have sought to deduce the aim of the prophecy from the express references to Joel. But perhaps we have an indication of its outward motive in the note of time with which the title concludes — " two years before the earthquake." If these words came fi-om Amos him- self (see on ch. i. 1), they inform us at once of the time of the composition, namely, aftei the earthquake, and also of the time of the pubUc delivery of the prophecies, namely, two years before that event ; thus showing that they were distinct from each other. But the presumption is natural that these words indicate not only the pei"iod but the motive of the composition, namely, the occurrence of the violent earthquake. That event announced a sore judgment from God. And just as the plague of the locusts induced Joel to sound his call to repentance, since he regarded it as the beginning of the day of the Lord, so this earthquake led Amos — not, indeed, to his predictions of wrath, for these had occurred be- fore — but to record them at length. For he had in his oral utterances announced a heaving of the earth as an expression of God's wrath ; and now the earth did heave. What then was more natural than that he should see in this a confirmation of his threat, a token of its fulfillment ; and regard the occasion as an appropriate one for addressing his contemporaries in writing, as he had before done orally, in a somewhat enlarged form, especially by the introduction and the conclusion, and with a reference to Joel for the reasons alreadv men • tioned? We may even find an external reason for the close connection with Joel iv. IG in this earthquake, since it would appear to Amos as an outward confirmation of Joel's proph- ecy, and he could have said to his contemporaries : You hear the fulfillment of Joel's words, how God who dwells in Zion "roars and utters his voice" — for the earthquake must have been accompanied with a tempest. God himself having thus spoken on behalf of his prophet, so much the more should a second prophet deem it his duty and his right, to confirm in the enlarged and completed form before mentioned, his predecessor's prophecies already diffused among his contemporaries, but partly misapplied and partly discredited ; and in order to this end, to record and publish his own discourses. From what has been said, the significance of our prophet plainly appears. Of fundamen- tal importance here is Joel's work, by its precise and sharj) apportionment of punishment and deliverance — the former to Israel's foes, the latter to Israel as God's chosen people. The final result is imperishable salvation and glory for God's people, and overthrow and destruction for his foes, the world. But while this ultimate issue is held fast, it is endeav- ored to show to God's people God's seriousness, and to set clearly in the light the distinction between the true and the degenerate members of the people, especially to give a death-blow to the false and wicked boasting in the prerogatives of a divine vocation, while there Avas a total failure of the character belonging to that vocation, in short, to an arbitrary appro- priation of the divine grace. This step in advance is taken by Amos when he turns the avenging sword of the Spirit against Israel itself, and declares that it, just so far as it resem- bles the Heathen in conduct, is in like manner exposed to the divine judgment. Still he holds high the banner of hope. The judgment is one of purification. As true as it is, on the one hand, that Israel will not be spared, so true is it, on the other, that Israel will not be destroyed — that Jehovah still has purposes of mercy for this nation, who are and will i'eniain his people. Thu s we find in Amos the prophetic theme made more profound and incisive. It cuts Israel tothe quick, and so strikes the note which succeeding prophets carry oc, first, h's •'."•ingxT couteiuj^^rary, II()oured forth by the divine mind both wisely and eloquently, wisdom not aiming at eloquence, but eloquence not departing from wisdom." And Lowth (Z)e Sac. Poesl lleb.) justly remarks upon the assertion that Amos is rude, ineloquent, and unadorned, " Far otherwise ! Let any fair judge read his writings, thinking not who wrote them, but what he wrote, and he will ileem our shepherd to be in nowise behind the very chie/est prophets ; in the loftiness of his thoughts and the magnificence of his spirit almost equal to the highest, and in splendor of diction and elegance of composition scarcely inferior to any." Yes, his style is^ such that although we emphasize the agency of the illuminating Spirit of God, still on the other hand we must allow to the prophet no small degree of natural culture, without, however, thinking of a learned education. It was rather a cultivation originated by conversance with the Law and with the holy books, and fostered by religious instruction and a religious mind, such as would befit a man of the people to whom by all means applies the saying, It is the heart that makes eloquent. We do not refer here to the sharp, piercing seriousness of Amos, for '.his belongs more to the substance than the form of a prophet. On the other hand, we nay point to the soaring elevation of the speech, e. g., in the delineations of God, ch. iv. 13, !. 8, ix. 5, 6 ; to the peculiarly bold and vivid diction, stroke upon stroke, in describing the iudgments, chaps, i. and ii., or in the complaints in ch. iv. on account of the failure to repent. But as Amos has an intuitive power of individualizing his conceptions which often imparts a poetical coloring to his speech, so his style hovers between prose and poetry, and forms a pecuhar kind of prophetic utterance. See ii. G-8, 13 ; iii. 3 ; v. 16, vi. 8, 4 ; ix. 2, 13. Herein the diction is little distinguished by depth of thought, but so much the more does it display a transparent clearness which in many cases is increased by the symmetry of the arrange- ment, as in the entire introduction, and again in the fourth chapter, and in the visions. Observe also the commencement of each of the three discourses, chaps, iii., iv., and v., with the phrase " Hear ye," and the twofold " Woe," in chaps, v. 18 and vi. 1, by which the larger livisions are denoted. When in conclusion we emphasize the imagery of the book, this leads to a more general observation. In the view of what has been said, one might doubt the composition of this work by a mere shepherd, but on the other hand it is very noticeable how reminiscences of a shepherd-life everywhere appear. Justly has Ewald remarked (Proph., i. 117) : "The simple circle of country life has entirely filled his imagination ; nowhere else among the prophets do we find rustic images given with such originality and vividness and inexhausti- ble abundance. Not merely do the numerous comparisons and particular images, but also the minutest lines of the conceptions and the expression exhibit the peculiar experience and intuition of this prophet." Of detailed instances Baur in his Commentary gives the fullest collection ; of these we cite only a portion. Amos refers almost all things to the sphere of a countryman. Chaps, iv. 6-9 ; v. 16 ; iii. 15 ; v. 11 (country-seats of the great) ; ii. 8 ; iv. 9 ; V. 11, 17; vi. 6, ix. 14 (vineyards). His images also are taken from the experiences of sountrjr life. Chaps. Is. 13 ; i. 2 ; iv. 13 ; v. 8, 18, viii. 9 (an eclipse of the sun is to a shep* INTRODUCTION. 1 J herd a natural image) ; ii. 9, 13 ; iii. 4, 5, 8 ; v. 19 ; viii. 13 ; iii. 12 ; ix. 5 ; vi. 12. As a plain shepherd, Amos particularly dislikes the dissoluteness of luxurious cities (chaps, ii. 6 ; iii. 10 ; iv. 1 ; v. 10 ; vi. 4), especially when it is based upon usurious dealings in grain tie oppress the poor (ch. viii. 8, comp. with vi. 7). Since the contemplation of the starry heav- ens belongs characteristically to a shepherd living In the open air, Amos prefers to represent God's majesty and power by his mighty workings in nature. Chaps, iv. 13 ; v. 8 ; viii. 9 ; ix. 5. A peculiar mode of writing many words may be attributed to the fact that the author •' came not from Jerusalem, the centre of the culture of the time" (Evvald), e.g., p"^3?D for ,*:•'?» (ii. 13), nSHT? for n^na (vi. 8), Dtt713 tor DdS:: or 2727in (v. 11), rpiDn for riniTQ (vi. 10), pnii?'^ for pn!i^ (vii. IG). [Pusey says, The like variations to these iuytanccs in Amos are also found in other vrords in the Bible. On the whole we may suspect the exist- ence of a softer pronunciation in the south of Judaea, where Amos lived ; but the only safe inference is, the extreme care with which the words have been handed down to us, just as the Prophet wrote and spoke them."] [The influence of the shepherd-life of Amos appears most in the sublimest part of his prophecy, his descriptions of the mighty workinGjs of God. With those awful and sudden changes in nature, by which what to the idolaters was an object of worship was suddenly overcast and the day made dark with night, his shepherd-life had luaile him familiar. The starry heavens had often witnessed the silent intercourse of his soul with God. In the calf, the idolaters of Ephraim worshipped " nature." Amos then delights in exhibiting to them his God, whom they too believed that they worshipped as the creator of " nature," wielding and changing it at his will. All nature too should be obedient to its maker in the punish- ment of the ungodly, nor should anything hide from Him (viii. 8, ix. 2, 3, 5). The shep- herd life would also make the prophet familiar with the perils from wild beasts which we know of as facts in David's youth. The images drawn from them were probably reminis- cences of what he had seen or met with The religious life of Amos amid the scenes of nature, accustomed him as well as David, to express his thoughts in wo>ds taken from the great_picture-book of nature, which as being also written by the hand of God, so wonderfully expresses the things" of God. When his prophet's life brought him among other scenes of cultivated nature, his soul so practiced in reading the relations of the physical to the moral world, took the language of his parables alike from what he saw or what he remembered. He was what we call " a child of nature," endued with power and wisdom by his God. It is a mistake to attribute to him any inferiority even of outward style, in consequence of his shepherd life. Even a heathen has said, " words readily follow thought ; " much more when thoughts and words are poured into the soul together by God the Holy Ghost. On the con- trary, scarcely any prophet is more glowing in his style, or combines more wonderfully the natural and moral world, the omnipotence and omniscience of God (iv. 13). What is more poetic than the summons to the heathen enemies of Israel to people the heights about Samaria and behold its sins (iii. 9) ? What more graphic than that picture of utter despair whicli dared not name the name of God (vi. 9, 10) ? What bolder than the summons to Israel to come, if they willed, at once to sin and to atone for their sin (iv. 4) ? What more striking in power than the sudden turn (iii. 2), "You only have I known; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities;" or the sudden summons (iv. 12), " Because I will do this unto thee (the silence as to what the this is, is more thrilling than words), prepare to meet thy God, O Israel ? " Or what more pathetic than the close of the picture of the luxurious rich, when having said how they heaped luxuries one upon another, he ends with what they did not do ; " they are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph ? " — Pusey.] § 5. Literature. Besides the works referring to the Prophets in general, chiefly the Minor Prophets, El. Schadsei, Comm. in Amos Prophetam. Argent., 1588. Joa. Gerhardi, Adn^t. in Proph. Amos et Jonam, etc., Jente, 1663 and 1676. Amos Propheta expositus, etc., cura Jo. Ch, Harenbergii. Ludg. Batav., 1763. Amos, translated and explained, by J. G. M. Dahl, Got- tingen, 1795. Amos, translated and explained, by K. M. JustI, Leipzig, 1799. Am(>s, tracts Mted and explained, by J. Sam. Vater, Halle, 1810. The Prophet Amos explained, by Fr G. Baur, Giessen, 184 7. [Horsley, Notes, in Bib. Crif., ii. 391.] 12 AMOS. For Practical Exposition. — Among eaxlier writers, The Severe Preacher of Repent- ance and Prophet Amos, in Sermons of P. Laurentius, Superint. in Dresden, Leipz., 1604, Among the later, J. Diedrich, TTie Prophets (Daniel, Hosea, Joel) Amos, briefly explained, etc., Leipzig, 1861. *^* The addiUons made by tho tmislator ue In some hutanees marked with the letter 0., bat fbr the moat put an Anplj iooloBed In sqoan braoketi. Joitlo* to Dr. BobmoUar raqolzea that this itatement should be made. — C. AMOS. CHAPTERS I., n. The Superscription (ch. i. 1). I The words of Amos (who was among the shepherds of Tekoa), wMch he saw concerniiig Israel, in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jero- boam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. And he said : — The Divine Judgment is announced first against the Countries lying around Is- rael, then against the Kingdom of Judah, hut at last remains standing over th* Kingdom of Israel (chaps, i. 2-u. 16). 2 Jehovah roars out of Zion, And out of Jerusalem he utters his voice Then the pastures of the shepherds wither And the head of Carmel is dried up. (a) Damascus (vers. 3-5). 3 Thus saith Jehovah, For three transgressions of Damascus And for four — I will not reverse it — Beca^^e they threshed GUead with iron rollers, 4 I will send fire into the house of Hazael, And it shall devonr the palaces of Ben-hadad. 5 And I will shatter the bolt of Damascus, And cut off the inhabitant from the vale of Aven, And the sceptre-holder out of Beth-Eden ; And the people of Syria shall go into captivity to Kir, saith Jehorahi (6) Gaza (vers. 6-8). 6 Thus saith Jehovah, For three transgressions of Gaza, And for four — I will not reverse it — Because they carried away captives ^ in full mber ' To deliver them up to Edom, 7 I will send fire into the wall of Gaza, And it shall devour their palaces. 14 AMOS. 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod And the sceptre-holder from Ashkelon ; And I will turn my hand against Ekron And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord, Jehovah. (c) Tyre (vers. 9, 10). 9 Thus saith Jehovah, For three transgressions of Tyre, And for four — I will not reverse it — Because they delivered prisoners in full number to Edoni) And remembered not the brotherly covenant, 10 I will send fire into the wall of Tyre And it shall devour their palaces. {d) Edom (vers. 11, 12). 11 Thus saith Jehovah, For three transgressions of Edom, And for four — I will not reverse it — Because he pursues his brother with the sword, And stifles his compassion,^ And his wrath continually tears in pieces, And his anger endures forever,* 12 I will send fire into Teman And it shall devour the palaces of Bozrah. (e) Ammon (vers. 13-15). 13 Thus saith Jehovah, For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon, And for four — I will not reverse it — Because they ripped up the pregnant women of Gilead^ To enlarge their border, 14 I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, And it shall devour their palaces, With a war-shout in the day of battle. With a storm in the day of the whirlwind. 15 And their king^ shall go into captivity, He and his princes together, saith Jehovah. Chapter II. (/) Moah (vers. 1-3). 1 Thus saith Jehovah, For three transgressions of Moab And for four — I will not reverse it — Because it burned the bones of the king of Edom into Ime, 2 I will send fire into Moao, And it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth, And Moab shall die in the tumult. With a war -shout, with a trumpet-blast ; CHAPTERS I. l-II. 16. 16 3 And I will cut off the judge^ from the midst thereof And will slay all his princes with him, saith Jehovah. {g) Judah (vers. 4, 5). 4 Thus saith Jehovah, For three transgressions of Judah, And for four — I will not reverse it — Because they despised the law ^ of Jehovah, And kept not his commandments/ And their lies misled them, After which their fathers walked ; 5 I will send fii'e into Judah, And it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. (h) Israel (vers. 6-16) € Thus saith Jehovah, For three transgressions of Israel And for four — I wiU not reverse it — Because they sell the righteous for money, And the needy for ^ a pair of shoes ; 7 They who pant after the dust of the earth upon the afflicted, And pervert the way of the sufferers ; And a man and his father go in to the same girl In order ^ to profane my holy name : 8 And they stretch themselves upon pawned clothes by every altar, And they drink the wine of the punished ^^ in the house of their God.^' 9 And yet^ I destroyed the Amorite before them, Him who was as high as the cedars And as strong as the oaks ; And I destroyed his fruit from above And his roots from beneath. 10 And yet I brought you up from the land of Egypt, And led you in the wilderness forty years. To inherit the land of the Amorite ; 11 And I raised up of your sons prophets. And of your young men dedicated ones. Is it not so, ye sons of Israel ? saith Jehovah. 12 But ye made the dedicated ones drink wine. And commanded the prophets, saying, " Prophesy not." 13 Behold, I will press you down^^ As the full ^* cart presses the sheaves. 14 Then shall flight be lost^-' to the swift. And the strong shall not confirm his strength, And the hero shall not save his life. 15 He that henreth the bow shall not stand, And the swift-footed shall not save, — And the rider of the horse shall not save his life,^ 16 AMOS. 16 And the courageous one among the heroes, — Naked shall he flee away in that day, saith the Lord. TEXT DAL AND GRAMMATICAL I Ch»p. 1. Ter. 6. — Hw?, lit-, txUe ; but usually concrete, exilts. a Ter. 6. — D^tt?, complete, therefore io full number = alt the prisoners. 8 Vex. 11. nntZJI depends upon v37, which continues in force as a conjunction. — nHtt? destrot/a =• iti/lM Us compassion = acts mercilessly. 4 Ver. 11. '"1327T may be rendered, and his wrath lies in wait forever, namely, to perpetrate cruelties. [So Ewald ; but Keil justly objects that the verb, applied to wrath in Jer. iii. 5, means to keep, preserve, and that lying in wait it Inapplicable to an emotion.] rTH^tt? for rT^QlZ?, the accent being drawn back because of the tone-syllable in the foUowino' word H^S. [Ewald and Oreen make '^'D.V a nominative absolute, and suppose an omitted mappik in the last letter of the verb, so as to translate, "and it keeps its wrath forever."] rs Ver. 15. !Z3^D. Some of the Greek versions, followed by the Syriac and Jerome, give the form MoAxoft, Me^ ehom, as a proper name, but the common text is sustained by the LXX. and Chaldee, and required by the connection.] 6 Chap. ii. ver. 3. — tDSitt? analogous to tDIl?^ "iTP"^^> *° ^- ^' ^' ^^ "™Ply * rhetorical variation for TJ^p. FT Ver. 4. n"li/^ = God's law, his preceptive will in general. D'^pH = the separate precepte, whether ceremonial or moral] 8 Ver. 6. — "l^^"*?!!! is not synonymous with 3, pretii, but means on account of. FUrst, Keil, etc. [Pusey and Wordsworth adopt the former view.] 9 Ver. V. — 1!iD^ not " .so that," but, " in order that," indicating that the sin was practiced not from weaknesB or Ignorance, but a studious contempt of the Holy God. 10 Ver. 8. — L^'^ti^^D^ : punished in money, i. e., fined, as in the margin of the Auth. Version. II Ver. 8. SrT^nbS, not their gods, i. «., idols [as Henderson], but their God. [12 Ver. 9. The repetition of the personal pronoun ''^DS, here and in ver. 10, is very emphatic, equivalent to oar English phrase, "It was 1 who," etc.] 13 Ver. 13— p'^^yn, to enclose, compress, crush, CD'^rinFi, Keil renders "down upon you " = crush you. [So Winer, Gesenius Ewald!] Fiirst takes the word here and'elsewhere as a substantive, meaning place, position, and render*, " I will compress your standing-place." The pressure is compared to that of a cart. According to the usual explanation, the cart is further defined as full of sheaves. But in that case it is strange that the pressure of a full cart should be used to represent the destructive crushing here intended. A more appropriate comparison is found in the pressure by which a threshing cart threshes the sheaves. It is better therefore to take T^^^ a» the object, and to refer nS V^H n^ to nbiV = the full threshing cart, since such a cart is always conceived of as heavily laden. The explanation of rurst is forced. He supplies ]"1D ^V, to which he refers the adjective, so as to render " upon the floor full of sheaves." 14 Ver 13 — nb nSbxsn, m., " which is full in itself, has quite filled itself." T T •• -' [16 Ver. 14. — Di3tt ^^S, The same combination is fbund in Ps. cxlii. 4.] 1« Ver. 15. — iti?D3 belongs to both members of the verse. 17 Ver. 16. — isb t^ISS = " the strong in his heart," i. e., " the courageous." EXEQETICAL AND CRITICAL. Ver. 1. Tlie Superscription. The words of Amos. The expression is somewhat unusual. It is customary to state the contents of a prophecy &3 " the word of- Jehovah " which came to this one or that one, as in the first verse of Hosea, Joel, Micah, etc. Jeremiah uses the same phrase as AmDs, but adds expressly, "to whom the word of Jehovah came." Here also the divine inspiration of " the words of Amos " is put beyond doubt by the addition, which he saw, for '•^Yr ^^ ^^^ tech- nical formula to denote the prophet's immediate intuition of divine truth. His " words " therefore oriirinated in such an intuition, and were not the outflow and expression of his own thoughts. He " saw " first what he afterwards recorded, and this seeiti}; rested upon a divine revelation. Upon the addition to the Tfopliet's name, who was among, stc.see tlic Introdiu'tion, § 1 came into view only in so far as it was a kingdom of Israel, and contained a part — in extent a greater part — of the people of Israel. Besides, the threat- enings extend to the kingdom of Judah, therefore to all Israel. Moreover, it must be considered that these threatenings terminate in the promise after their execution of a new glorious Israel, in which no account is taken of the existing division of the kingdom. As to the note of time in the days of Uzziah, etc., see the Introduction, § 2, where it is shown to be correct according to the contents of the book. Two years before the earthquake. See also the Introduction. This date is not so much chron- ological as argumentative. It is inserted in refer- ence to chap. viii. 8 (alsoix. 5), since this earthquake occurring two years after the prophesying, was a declaration in act that God would make good the words of his servant. As to the genuinenessof the entire superscription, no argument against it is to be found in the statement " who was amotig the Upon Israel. TIk; ))ecu"]iar aim of the prophet's I herdnuMi," etc.. and especially the expression" who atti-ranoes ■« tli<> kin^rdoni of Ephraim ; but this ! u'o.i ; " ur if indfcd this stattau-nt is not original, CHAPTERS I. l-II. 16. it mij^ht yet have been inserted in a superscription Dtherwise genuine. In favor of this view is the above-mentioned unusual character of the phrase "words of Amos which he saw." It is scarce conceivable that a later editor would use this ex- pression rather than the customary one, " The word of the Lord which came," etc. If then the words " t^vo years before the earthquake" are cited, as by Baur, as a proof of spuriousness, be- cause if genuine the prophecy must have been written two years after Amos's appearance in Beth- el, while its whole character shows that it was writ- ten soon after that event, we answer that this latter assertion is wholly unfounded. Nothing forbids the opinion that two years, which is no great space of time, elapsed before the record was made, and besides we have before shown that the book is by no means a mere record of the oral discourse. On the other hand, even Baur himself must admit that the precise date and the peculiar form of the superscription presuppose in any event its compo- sition not long after the prophecies were delivered. Surely he who prefixed these words did it in refer- ence, as above stated, to its bearing upon the sub- ject of the prophecies following. And as there is nothing against the authorship of Amos, it is most natural to think that he who suggested the refer- ence recorded it. Besides, we have already seen (Introduction, §3) that there is reason to believe that the earthquake induced Amos to write his proph- ecies ; indeed, he perhaps refers to it in vei-se 2. Cer- tainly then nothing is more natural than to assume that he himself contributed this note of time, and thus indicated the inducement which led him to write. Chap. i. ver. 2. Jehovah roars out of Zion, etc. Comp. Joel It. 16. Amos connects himself directly with Joel in describing the judgments upon the heathen as enemies of God's people. For even from ver. 3, he announces the divine wrath upon all the surrounding nations. But suddenly the denunciation turns to Judah, and then to Is- rael, where it remains standing, so that it is plain that he aimed especially at Israel, and that the threats against the heathen which seemed to be most important, served only for an introduction to what follows. This appears even in the verse before us, since he applies the phrase borrowed from Joel differently from that prophet, namely, against Israel, for since the drying up of Carmel is stated to be the result of God's wrath, " the pas- tures of the shepherds," which are said to wither, are to be referred to Israel. " Woods and pastures are mentioned by Amos in accordance with his pe- culiar mode of characterizing the country." Or, we are to assign the " meads of the shepherds " to the pasture grounds of the wilderness of Judah, which was the prophet's home in the south, and to this Carmel stands opposed on the north, so that Amos sees the whole land from south to north withered. The " withering " means generally de- struction, not to be limited to mere drought as a natural occurrence, although this is not excluded, but extending to the devastation of a foreign foe, as the later statements require. From ver. 3 begin the threatenings against the heathen — in the way of a preface. The storm of divine wrath rolls around the outlying kingdoms, until it comes to a stand on Israel. The heathen kingdoms mentioned in their order are six : Syria (Damascus), Gaza, or rather all Philistia (ver. 8), Tyre, Edom, Amnion, Moab. These manifestly constitute two groups, three in each. For the three first are more distant from Israel, the latter nearer, AS allied in origin. The ground of their punishment is stated to be their transgressions, especially against Israel ; they come into view, therefore, as enemies of God's people, and as such are threatened with wrath. In the succession of the groups we see a climax of guilt, since naturally the ill-doing of a kindred people is worse than that of a foreign race Upon this ground the question, why just these were se- lected, answers itself. It was these from whom Is- rael had severely suffered, and their guilt lay in the foreground. They are then representatives of a class ; a threatening upon such grounds pro- claims the guilt of a similar course of action gen- erally — wherever it may be found. See further, in respect to the bearing of menaces against the heathen upon menaces against Israel, in the Doctrinal and Practical Remarks. 2. Damascus — Syria, vers. 3-5. Thus saith Jehovah ; for three transgressions, etc. It is peculiar that the threatenings throughout both chapters are always introduced in the same man- ner. The phrase " for three — and for fuur," in well explained by Hitzig, who says : " The num- ber four is added to the number three, to charac- terize the latter as simply set down at pleasure, to say that it is not exactly three but much more." Three would be enough, but it is not limited to three. The plurality is not rigidly defined, on purpose to indicate the ever increasing number of sins. These nations therefore have incurred not a liglit but a heavy degree of guilt. — The y^ with which the threatening begins is in each case re- peated before the special transgression mentioned, and this latter, being a single case, seems to con- flict with the preceding plurals. But in truth the commencement, having firmly asserted the plural- ity of the sins, may well allow the subsequent ad- dress, as it hastens from one people to another, to be content with naming a single wrong act as a flagrant example which necessarily presupposes the existence of many others. The phrase inter- posed in each case — I will not reverse it, i, e., the punishment decided upon — cuts off every thought of repeal, and declares the execution to be inevitable. In every case the judgment is described as a sending of fire to consume the palaces, which can mean only the fire of war, conquest, and de- struction. Because they threshed, refers to the cruelty with which they crushed the captured Gil- eadites ander iron threshing-machines. This oc- curred when Palestine east of the Jordan was stib- jugated by Hazael under the reign of Jehu (2 Kings x. 32, 33, cf xiii. 7. — Benhadad ; was it the first of that name, or the second 1 Probably both. Shatter the bolt, i. e., of the gate ^ the conquest of Damascus. The inhabitants of the valley of Aven and the scepti-e-holder, i. e., prince or ruler, of Beth Eden, are extirpated. — n?i7^ ]l^j /it; valley of nothingness, is probably the mod- ern Bekaa, the valley between Lebanon and Antilib- anus, of which Heliopolis (Baalkek) was the most distinguished city. ]T[S, then perhaps = ]1S, the name of the Egyptian Heliopolis, whence the LXX. render veSiov 'fli' ; but designedly written in the former method to play upon tlio idol worship performed there (cf. p.^TI^'n for bs-n\3). ^rj^''"!^?! either the modern Bet-el-Ganna, not far from Damascus, or, better, the TlapaSeiffos, in the district of Laodicea (Ptol. v., 5, 20). The rest are to be carried away to Kir, an Assyrian provin''«, on the banks of the River Kir, KCpoy, the mod* n 18 AMOS. Georgia. This was fulfilled by Tiglath-Pileser (2 Kings xvi. 9). 3. Gaza — Philistia. Vers. 6-8. Gaza stands as a representative of the other Philistine states which are similarly threatened, and is named first, perhaps because it was most actively engaged in the sale of the captives (Keil). There is perhaps an allusion to the same case which Joel mentions (iii. 6). Although Joel speaks of a sale to the Grecians, and Amos of a sale to Edora, there is no discrep- ancy, tor both occurred. Joel mentions the GreeUs, because he sought to set forth the wide dispersion of the Jews and their futui« recall fiom all lands; but Amos wishes to emphasize the hatred of the Philistines, and therefore speaks of the sale made to Israel's chief foe, Edora. Why Gath is not named, docs not appear. Doubtless it was comprehended imder the phrase " remnant of the Philistines." 4. Tyre — Phoenicia. Vers. 9, 10. The crime here is the same as in the preceding, namely, the sale of prisoners to Edom. But it does not include carrying them away, therefore they must have bought them from others and then sold them. Hence Joel says that the Philistines sold the pris- oners whom they captured to the Greeks. But the Phoenicians as a trading people may just as well have bought from others, such as the Syrians, and sold the captives thus acquired to Edom. Their sin here was the greater, because David and Sol- omon had made a "brotherly covenant " with the king of Tyre. The threatening in ver. 10 is lim- ited to the commencement of what is denounced upon Damascus and Gaza. The same is true of Edom and of Judah. 5. Edom. Vers. 11, 12. No particular crimes are here charged, but an implacable hatred against Israel, which broke out in acts of cruelty. Teman is either an appellative, the South, or the name of a province in Edom' (cf. Jer. xlix. 20 ; Hab. iii. 3 ; Job ii. 11 ; Ezek. xxv. 13). Eusebius and Jerome speak also of a city named Teman, six hours fi-om Petra. Bozra, probably the capital of Idumaea, south of the Dead Sea, still preserved in the vil- lage of el-Buseireh in Jebal. 6. Amman. Vers. 13-15. The fact stated here is not mentioned in the historical books of the Old Testament. Babbah, in its full form, Rabbah of the Sons of Ammon, the capital of the Ammo- nites, is preserved in the ruins of Amman. The de- struction here threatened is more closely defined. It will take place through a foreign conquest which is compared to a storm, indicating either its speed or its violence. 7. Moab. Chap. ii. vers. 1-3. The burning of the body into lime, i. e., to powder, indicates the .slaking of vengeance even upon the dead. Noth- ing is said of this in the historical books, but it was perhaps connected with the war waged by Jo- ram of Israel and Jehoshaphat of Judah, together with the king of Edom, against the Moabites. In that case the king of Edom was a vassal on the side of Israel, and the insult to him would be, at least indirectly, a crime against Israel. Kerioth is the proper name of a chief city of Moab, still preserved in the place called Kereyat. H^ is ap- plied to Moab, considered as a person. Here also the occurrence of a battle is mentioned. Judge, used only to vary the expression, is equivalent to hing, or sceptre-holder in i. 5. From the midst re- fers to Moab as a country. 8. Julah. Vers. 4, 5. The sin of Judah con- iist« in apostasy from God. Their lies means their Hols, as nonentities, destitute of reality. 9. Israel — the Ten Tribes. Vers. 6-16. Now in a surprising manner Israel is brought forward; and by a similar introduction placed on the same line with the others ; only in place of a short state- ment, there is a lengthened and detailed represen- tation of its sin, guilt, and punishment. (a.) Israel's Sins. Vers. 6-8. Unrighteousness in judgment is charged, ver. 6. The righteous = one who is such in the judicial sense, i. e., innocent. Money, which they had received or expected. SeU, declare guilty and punish. The sentence is called a sale because the judge was bribed. The phrase, for a pair of shoes, does not state the price with which the judge was bribed [the poorest slave was certainly worth much more than this — Keil], but the occa- sion of the proceeding, namely, a pair of shoes, i. «., a mere trifle, for which the poor man was in debt and for which the judge gave him up to the cred- itor as a slave (Leviticus xxv. 39). Ver. 7. They who, etc. Plainly, not a new fault, but a description of the sin out of which the former sprang. Pant after the dust, etc., i. e., endeavor to bring these into such misery that they will strew dust on their heads, or that they will sink into the dust, i. e., perish. Pervert the way, etc., prepare for them embarrassments and distress. Son and father go in to the («. e., one and the same) girl. In order to profane my holy name. The conjunction indicates that the profanation was delib- erate and therefore willful. It is so called because it was an audacious violation of God's command ments. Prostitution in or near the temple itself is not to be thought of here. Ver. 8. Every altar and the house of their God, certainly refer to the sacred places at Beer- sheba and Dan, but it mu.st be kept in mind that in these Jehovah was worshipped. There is no ref- erence to the worship of heathen deities, which in- deed did not exist under Jeroboam II., for the con- duct here condemned is condemned just because it took place in the sanctuary, and thus was a daring contempt of God. Pawned clothes, i. e., upper gar- ments consisting of a large square piece of cloth, used also as a bed-covering by the poor. These were pawned, given in pledge to a creditor, by the poor. Such the law required to be returned before nightfall (Exod. xxii. 25; Deut. xxiv. 12). But instead of this, they were retained, and used as cloths on which the creditors stretched out, i. «., their limbs ; and on what occasion ? According to what follows, at banquets or sacrificial meals, as the connection shows. Wine of the punished, means wine bought with the proceeds of fines. Man- ifestly the oppression of the poor is censured also in ver. 8. It only connects with this sin that of frivolous luxury. (b). The sin is the more heinous because Israel is the chosen people of God. 10. Vers. 9-12. These verses recall to mind the manifestations of God's grace. He had put Israel in possession of Canaan. Here Amos meu« tions first the direct means by which this was done, namely, the destruction of the Canaanites. then, what preceded, namely, the deliverance fron. Egypt and the guidance through the wilderness. And I — emphatic, the very being whom you now treat with contempt. The Amorites are named as the strongest race of the Canaanites (cf. Gen. xv 16; Josh. xxiv. 1.5) ; they are likened to a mighty tree, and tlieir destruction to its complete over- throw. A similar reference to these gracious dis pensations is found in Deut. viii. 2, ix. 1-6, xxix 1-8. Further, the gift of prophecy and the instr CHAPTERS I. l-II. 16. 1« tution of the Nazarites are mentioned as special Sivors which God had given to Israel but which they despised. (c). The Punishment. This is to be a crushing so severe that no one can escape. The figure of the cart is explained in Textual and Grammatical. Ver. 14. Flight is lost to the swift ::= he will not have time to escape. Ver. 16. Will flee naked = will not defend himself, but leave behind the garment by which the enemy seizes him (cf Mark xiv. 52). The pun- ishment threatened in ver. 13 ff. is manifestly the invasion of a superior foe. The powerlessness be- fore him and the consequent fright are depicted in the liveliest manner. DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL. 1 . In Joel, prophecy quickly drops the form of a threatening against God's people which however it certainly has, and then assumes so much the more fully the character of a promise. It is alto- gether different with the next prophet of whom we have any written memorial, as indeed would be expected from the ftict that his mission was to the ten tribes. On one side he stands connected with Joel, but on the other goes far beyond him ; his message is not only the earnest calling of a de- generate people to repentance, but the annuncia- tion of God's destructive judgments upon them. But the transition from Joel's point of view to that of Araos is worthy of consideration. The former announced a judgment upon the heathen, but in general terms. This the latter takes up with a slight allusion to Israel, but he does not expand it farther until he has paved the way by a succession of threatenings upon foreign nations. He nnvolls before the eyes of Israel a picture of the Divine .Justice in its sure and awful march through the kingdoms. But if the people at first regard this with satisfaction because it concerns their foes upon whom they will thus be revenged, they are frightfully awakened from their security by a sudden turn in the direction of the menace. Israel itself is counted among these Gentile king- doms, and treated in the same way. This shows that the address to Israel's foes is only an intro- duction ; and therefore it passes rapidly from one to another, not entering into details, but content with indicating the multitude of their transgres- sions, and ciliiig one only as an example of the rest. The prophet thus prepares to make the stroke which at last falls upon Israel heavier and more lasting. Were those nations punished "? Not less will this one be. Did they suffer who had not received the law nor enjoyed special tokens of God's favor ; far heavier will be the punishment of this people who, although chosen of God, had yet in the grossest manner despised Him and his well-known commands. The storm of divine wrath, which they had gazed at as it fell upon others, would discharge itself upon them in all its fury. Thus does God piick the conscience of his own people by the judgments threatened upon others. They hear his voice saying, " If I thus punish others, what must I do to you ? " The more gen- erally and widely his punishment is inflicted, the •ess can Israel complain when it comes to them ; aQuch rather must they acknowledge it as just. To Israel in the stricter sense an especial warn- ing is gi'en in the fact that the divine judgment in ta circulai' sweep does not spare Judah, and even Dames this before Israel. " It should sink deep into the heart of the ten tribes that not even the posses- sion of siich exalted prerogatives as the temple and the throne of David, could avert the merited pun- ishment. If such be the energy of God's right- eousness, what had they to expect ? { Hengstenberg.) That is, the ten tribes might at first hear gladly, and even feel flattered by a threatening against Ju- dah, but so much the more surprising must it be when the same thing comes in turn to themselves. Then the matter assumes a different appearance, and they could infer from Judah 's not being spared, how little they could count upon any exemption. 2. Returning to the judgments upon the heathen, the question arises, Why were they punished 1 One might answer without ceremony. Because of their offenses against Israel, the people of God. Un- doubtedly these nations are considered as Israel's foes, and their crimes so far as specified are crimes against Israel ; in part they are the same as those charged by Joel, who spoaks so plainly of the hos- tility of the heathen toward Israel. Only in the case of Moab (ii. 1), is the fact otherwise, for here the offense stated is one only indirectly against Israel. But this shows that the relation to Is- rael is not the only point of view, and that the threatenings against these nations are not to be at- tributed solely to this cause ; a view which is con- firmed by a closer inspection of the sins men- tioned ; crushing with a threshing sledge, giving prisoners to embittered foes (Edom), forgetting the brotherly covenant, slaying a brother, stifling compassion, ripping the pregnant, displacing the landmarks, burning the bones of a corpse. These are plainly moral offenses, trangressions of the simplest laws of morals. They are therefore sins against a natural divine ordinance, not positively revealed, but manifesting itself in every one's con science ; and as such they incur a heavy guilt. The crimes of these nations then are against God and not merely against his people. So much the more necessary is it for God to punish them. — And He can do this because He is a God who con- trols all nations, and to whom all are subject even if they do not serve Him. Observe how self-evi- dent this truth is to the prophet. Does not thia assumed universality of the power of Israel's God imply indirectly, or at least negatively, that faith in Israel's God is destined for all? Under one God, who has power over all, all shall yet bow themselves. 3. Hence it is the more conceivable that Judah and Israel are joined so directly to the threatened heathen nations. Judah, it is concisely said, has not kept the law, in which God positively declared to them his will. To Israel, on the contrary, noth- ing is said here of the sin of idolatry (which in- deed is presupposed), but individual oflTenses of a gross kind (partly of course allied with idolatry), are specified ; base oppression of the poor through avarice, shameless sensuality, spending in drunk- enness money wrested from the poor, and this most offensively blended with idol-worship. How this is regarded is strikingly shown by an expres- sion at the end of verse 7 which .applies to the whole series. It is, says God, a profaning of my holy name. In the view of Scripture there is a holy divine ordinance which is violated by such moral offenses. They are therefore offenses against God, "profanations of his holy name," who insti- tuted this ordinance. Therefore the punishmen is absolutely necessary. Eor God cannot suffer hii holy name to be profaned with impunity. Upon the'sins ag.ainst the poor, see also Doctrinal and Ethical, 2, upon chap. iii. liO AMOS. 4. It is remarkable that the very same threat is m&de against the heathen and against Judah. This is certainly not without design. Even if it were owing in the first instance to the fact that the prophet had in view one and the same means of punishment for all, namely, subjugation by a foreign foe, still the intentional uniformity sug- gests equally the unvarying and impartial charac- ter of God's punitive righteousness. There is no respect of persons with Him. Wherever there are sins, there inflexibly the divine wrath makes its appearance ; and even if the sins are different in kind, yet where God's law whether natural or re- vealed, is transgressed, there a corresponding reac- tion of his holiness is provoked. 5. Surely the greatness of what God has done for his people weighs heavily in the scale and greatly aggravates their guilt. The fact of these benefits is the solid ground of the proceeding against Israel's sins. Those benefits are so many loud accusations, from which there is no escape. For all Israel's sins are not merely violations of a divine order, but a shameless contempt of his good- ness and the blackest ingratitude ; and the punish- ments therefore are only a righteous reversal of abused mercies. Hosea goes farther and repre- sents the ingratitude as conjugal infidelity, since he conceives God's tender relation to Israel as a mar- riage bond. The infliction of punishment upon apostate Israel is thus more clearly shown to be a divine right. An approach to this view, an indica- tion of God's loving fellowship with Israel is found in chap. ii. 2 : " You only have I known," etc. 6 Along with the great blessings which founded the nation — the deliverance from Egypt, and the guidance through the wilderness, and on the other side, the giving of the law, — the institution of prophecy, and the law of the Nazarites are men- tioned. " These are gifts of grace in which Israel had the advantage of other nations, and was dis- tinguished as the people of God and the medium of salvation for the heathen. Amos reminds the people only of these, and not of earthly blessings which the heathen also enjoyed, because these alone were real pledges of God's gracious cove- nant with Israel, and because in the contempt and abuse of these gifts the ingratitude of the people was most glaringly displayed. The Nazarites are placed by the side of the prophets who declared the mind and will of God, because the condition of a Nazarite, although it was in form merely a consequence of his own free will in execution of a particular vow, was nevertheless so far a gift of grace in that the resolution to make such a vow came from the inward impulse of the divine Spirit, and the performance of it was rendered possible only through the power of the same Spirit. The raising up of the Nazarites was intended not only to set before the eyes of the people the object of their divine calling, or their appointment to be a h.>ly people of God, but also to show them how the Lord bestowed the power to carry out his ob- ject " (Keil) ; cf. also the remarks on Hosea xii. 10, which rests on this passage in Amos. 7. Whether these threatenings against diff'erent heathen nations were fulfilled, is a question we must ask still more in the case of Amos than of Joel. For Amos not merely sees and describes in a general ideal sketch the downfall of the heathen power which then stood opposed to Israel's exalta- tion, but he speaks as if predicting a precise his- torical occurrence. Yet it is to be considered, that, as was hinted before, the threatening runs essen- tially in the same terms, is in fact one, and, al- though subjoining special features in some casei (especially i. 5, 15), yet at bottom is very genera^ and sets forth simply conquest and loss of indc pendence, but by whom, is not said. Just this fate befell these kingdoms, although at difi'erent times and in dilferent ways, Syria experienced it from the Assyrians when Tiglath-Pileser, in the time of Ahaz, conquered Damascus and put an end to the kingdom. Later, the Chaldigan invasion overthrew the other nations, although the information on the point is scanty. Accordingly we are always justi- fied in saying that these predictions were fulfilled, without necessarily aflSrming that it was in the sense intended by the prophet. [But this latter is a point of no moment, if the fulfillment was in the sense which the Holy Spirit intended. — C] We must further consider that such threatenings are not absolute. They are given at a particular time, and the issue depends upon the behavior of those whom they concern. For God's purposes, and therefore his punishments are directed according to our conduct. Hence He delays his visitations, or lessens or increases them ; so that what takes place at last little coincides with what the prophet had to announce in his name. Nor should the idea be wholly rejected, that these predictions came to the foreign nations themselves, seeing that they were neighbors, and were l.iid to heart by them just as the heathen oracles were, so that thus the state of afiairs might be changed. For these an- nouncements of punishment are to be viewed as warnings as well to the heathen as to Israel — warnings intended to be heard and regarded. That the threatening against Judah, which is of the same tenor as the others, was fulfilled by Nebuchadnez- zar is well known. But even this fulfillment does not answer exactly to what the Prophet had in view, which manifestly was a judgment closer at hand, perhaps by means of the Assyrians. Hence it is clear that Judah obtained a respite, because its condition had meanwhile improved. [8. It is remarkable that none of these burdens of Amos are addressed to the greatest powers of the heathen world, opposed to Israel and Judah, — Assyria and Babylon. The Holy Spirit who spake by him, reserved the declaration of the des- tinies of these two great kingdoms for two othei of the twelve minor prophets. Assyria was re- served for Nahum, Babylon for Habakkuk. There seems, therefore, to have been divine forethought in the omission The prophecies of Amus are expanded by succeeding prophets. Amos him- self takes up the prophecy of Joel whom he suc- ceeds. Joel, by a magnificent generalization, had displayed all God's judgments in nature and his- tory as concentrated in one great Day of the Lord Amos disintegrates this great whole, and particu- larizes those judgments. Joel declares that God will judge all collectively ; Amos proclaims that He will judge each singly. (Wordsworth.) [9. Pusey (p. 161 ), with great propriety, calls at- tention to the fact that the complete captivity of a population, the baring a land of its inhabitants, was a thing unknown in the time of Amos. It is true, Sesostris brought together " many men," " a crowd," from the nations he had subdued, and em- ployed them on his buildings and canals (Herod- otus, ii. 107-8). But in this and other like cases, the persons so employed were simply prisoner.H made in a campaign, and the sole object of the re- moval was to obtain slaves so as to spare the labor of the native subjects in constructing the publit works. This is shown by the earlier Assyrian in- scrintions. all of which speak only of carrying off CHAPTERS I. l-II. 16. 2) soldiers as prisoners or women as captives, of re- ceiving slaves, or cattle or goods as tribute, or of putting to death in various ways rulers and men at arms. The forced deportation of a whole peo- ple, and the substitution of others in their place, is a different thing altogether. The design of this was to destroy effectuiilly the independence of the subject races and put it out of their power to re- Vel. The first trace of it we find in the policy of Tiglath Pileser toward Damascus and East and North Palestine, and afterwards it came into gen- eral use. But Amos foretold this wholesale trans- portation long before it occurred, and at a time when there was no human likelihood that it would occur. It must have been a divine inspiration which enabled him so clearly to predict such an unprecedented captivity. — C] HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. v'er. 2. The head of Carmel is dried up. Its glory has passed away, as in the twinkling of an eye. God hath sjwken the word and it is gone. "All," says Van de Velde, " lies waste; all is a wil- derness. The utmost fertility is here lost for man, useless to man. The vineyards of Carmel, where are they now ? Behold the long rows of stones on the ground, the remains of the walls ; they will toll you that here where now with difficulty you force your way through the thick entangled copse, lay in days of old those incomparable vineyards to which Carmel owes its name." (Pusey.) — Ver. 3 ff. Every infliction on those like ourselves finds an echo in our own consciences. Israel heard and readily believed God's judgments upon others. It was not tempted to set itself against believing them. How then could it refuse to believe of it- self what it believed of others like itself If they who sinned without law ])erished without law, how much more should they who have sinned in the law, be judged by the law. (Ibid.) — For three transgressions, etc. God is long-suffering and ready to forgive ; but when the sinner finally becomes a vessel of wrath. He punishes all the former sins which for the time He had passed by. Sin adds to sin out of which it grows; it does not over- shadow or obliterate the earlier sins, but increases the mass of guilt which God punishes. When the Jews slew the Son, there came on them all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from right- eous Abel to Zacharias the son of Barachias. So each individual sinner who dies impenitent, will be punished for all which in his whole life he did or became contrary to the law of God. Deeper sins bring deeper damnation at last. As good men by the grace of God, do through each act done by aid of that grace gain an addition to their everlasting reward, so the wicked by each added sin, add to their damnation. (Ibid.) — I will not reverse it. Sin and punishment are by a great law of God bound together. God's mercy holds back the punishment long, allowing only some slight tokens of his displeasure to show themselves that the sinful soul or people may not be unwarned. When He no longer withholds it, the law of his moral government holds its course. {Ibid.) — Ver. 4. Devour Benhadad's palaces. What avail the pleasure-houses and palaces of the rich of this world 1 How soon do they turn to dust and ashes when the fire of God's wrath kindles on them ? — Ver. 6. Carry away prisoners to deliver them, etc. Who so further afifliicts the afflicted, shall in return be afflicted by God. Fugitives who flee to us for refuge should never be trea ed with hostility nol robbed of their liberty. — Vers. 7, 8. The five cities of Philistia had each its own petty king. But aU fbrmed one whole ; all were one in their sin ; all were to be one in their punishment. So then for greater vividness, one part of the common inflic- tion is related of each, while in fact, according to the wont of prophetic diction, what is said of each is said of all. — Ver. 9. Remember not, etc. It is a great aggravation of enmity and malice, when it is the violation of friendship and a brotherly cov- enant. (M. Henry.) — Ver. 10. Fii-a into the wall of Tyre. Not fine buildings nor strong walls, but righteousness and honesty are a city's best defense. 2 Kings ii. 12; xiii. 14. — Ver. 11. Pursues his brother with the sword. Eleven hundred years had passed since the birth of their forefiithers, Jacob and Esau. But with God eleven hundred years had not worn out kindred It was an abid- ing law that Israel was not to take Edom's land, nor to refuse to admit him into the congregation of the Lord. Edom too remembered the relation, but to hate him. " Fierce are the wars of breth- ren." (Pusey.) — Stifles his compassions. Edom " steeled himself against his better feelings," as we say, " deadened them." But so they do not live again. Man is not master of the life and death of his feelings, any more than of his natural existence. He can destroy ; he cannot recreate. And he does so far do to death his own fbelings whenever in any signal instance he acts against them. (Ibid.) — Ver. 1.3. To widen their border. The war of ex- termination was carried on not incidentally nor in sudden stress of passion, but in cold blood. A mas- sacre here and there would not have enlarged their border. They wished to make place for them- selves by annihilating Israel that there might be none to rise up, and thrust them from their con- quests and claim their old inheritance. Such waa the fruit of habitually indulged covetousness. Yet who beforehand would have thought it possible? {Ibid.) — Ver. 15. He and his princrs. Evil kings have evermore evil counsellors. It is ever the curse of such kings to have their own evil reflected, anticipated, fomented, enacted by bad advisers around them. They link together, but to drag one another into a common destruction. {Ibid.) — Chap. ii. 1. Even the iniquity done to the godless, God will not leave unpunished. To rage against the bodies of the dead is sinful and horrible. Pusey justly remarks, " The soul being beyond man s reach, the hatred vented upon one's remains is a sort of impotent grasping after eternal vengeance. It wreaks upon what it knows to be insensible the hatred with which it would pursue, if it could, the living being who is beyond it. Hatred which death cannot extinguish is the beginning of the eternal hate in hell." — Chap. i. 3-ii. 3. Who shall not tremble at the judgments o.*" God 1 But who shall not gain confidence against all the insolence of men, from the thought how God has judged the world ■? Who shall not shun aU rage, cruelty, and violence, since he knows that God avenge= all such sins 1 — Ver. 4. Because they despised the law, etc. Many other sins prevailed among the Jewish peo- ple, but by mentioning only these two, — contempt for the law and false worship, — the Lord shows that they are the most grievous, since they violate the first and great commandment, and make up the three and four, /. e., seven, the complete number of sins, the fullness of the measure of iniquity. For it is one of God's greatest benefits that He gives ua his Word containing the revelation of his will and thus points the way not only to our temporal wel 22 AMOS. fare but to eternal blessedness. To throw to the winds such a gift is the grossest ingratitude. From this contempt of the Word, there follows necessa- rily the other sin of idolatry. For a man cannot exist without a God and worship ; his nature for- bids it. If any one turns aways from the Word in which God reveals his nature and will, he must needs devise to himself a deity and a worship which is nothing but a pernicious lie. — Despised. The prophet uses a bold word in speaking of man's dealings with God. Man cames on the serpent's first fraud, Hath God indeed said? He would not ^villingiy own that he is directly at variance with the mind of God. It were too silly as well as too terrible. So he smoothes it over to himself, lyin;^ to himself: " God's Word must not be taken so j)recisely." " God cannot have meant." " The author of nature would not have created us so if He had meant." Such are the excuses by which man evades owning to himself that he is tramp- ling under foot the mind of God. Scripture draws utV the veil. Judah had the law of God and did not keep it; then he despised it. This ignoring of God's known will and law and revelation is to despise them as effectually as to curse God to his face. (Pusey.) — After which their fathers walked. The children canonize the errors of their fathers. Human opinion is as dogmatic as revelation. The fcccond generation of error demands as implicit submission as God's truth- The transmission of error against himself, God says, aggravates the evil, does not excuse it. (Ibid.) — ■ ver. 5. Will •iend Jire into Jiidah. So we know that a fiery stream will come forth and destroy all who, whether or no they are in the body of the Church, are not of the heavenly Jerusalem ; dead members in the body which belongs to the living Head. And it will not the less come, because it is not regarded. Rather, the very condition of all God's judgments is to be disregarded and to come, and then most to come when they are most disregarded. (Ibid.) — Ver. 6. For three transgressions of Israel, etc. We see here that the idolatry of Israel was a fountain of all sorts of misdeeds, even of such as would bhock a reii;unabl(j man, as the list shows; per- version of justice, oppression of the poor, unnat- ural uncleanness and shameless luxury. — Ver. 7. Pant ajitr the dust. Covetousness, when it has nothing to feed on, craves for the absurd or impos- sible. What was Naboth's vineyard to a king of Israel with his ivory palace ? What was Morde- cai's refusal to bow to one in honor like Haman 1 Covetousness is the sin, mostly not of those who have not, but of those who have. It grows with Its gains, and is the less satisfied the more it has to satisfy it. (Pusey.) — To profane my holy name. The sins of Grod's people are a repioach upon him self. They bring Him, so to say, in contact with sin, and defeat the object of his creation and reve- lation. " He lives like a Christian," is a proverb of the Polish Jews, drawn from the debased state of morals in Socinian Poland. The religion of Christ has no such enemies as Christians. (Ibid.) — Ver. 8. They stretch themselves, etc. They con- densed sin. By a sort of economy in the toil they blended many sins into one : idolatry, sensuality, cruelty, and, in all, the express breach of God's commandments. This dreadful assemblage was doubtless smoothed over to the conscience of the ten tribes, by that most hideous ingredient of all, that the " house of their God " was the place of their revelry. What hard-heartedness to the willfully- forgotten poor is compensated by a little church- going ! (Ibid.) — Vers. 9, 10. And I destroyed, etc. We need often to be reminded of the mercies we have received, which are the heaviest aggrava- tions of the sins we have committed. God gives liberally and upbraids us not with our meanness and unworthiness, and the disproportion between his gifts and our merit; but He justly upbraids us with our ingratitude and ill-requital of his favors, and tells us what He has done for us, to shame ns for not rendering again according to the benefit (intie to us. (M. Henry.} — Ver. 11. I raised I'p . . . dedicated ones. The life of the Nazarite was a continual protest against the self-indulgence and worldliness of the people. It was a life above na- ture. They had no special ofiice except to live that life. Their life taught. Nay, it taught in one way the more, because they had no special gifts of wisdom or knowledge, nothing to distin- guish them from ordinary men except extraordi- nary grace. They were an evidence what all might be and do, if they used the grace of God. (Pusey.) — Ver. 1 2. Made them drink wine. What men de- spise they do not oppose. " They kill us, they do not despise us," were the true words of a priest in the French Revolution. Had the men in power not respected the Nazarites, or felt that the people respected them, they would not have attempted to corrupt or to force them to break their vow. (Ibid). — 1 command the prophpf'^. Prophecy not. Those have a great deal to answer for who cannot bear faithful preaching, and those much more who suppress it. (M. Henry.) — Vers. 13-16. When God's judgments go forth, no power, wisdom, wealth, arms, swiftness or experience, is of any avail. Because men so readily fall into contempt of God's judgments as something easy to lo avoided. He at times expresses them in such tei nil as to show that no escape is possible. (Riegei > CHAPTER m. 2ii CHAPTERS ni.-VI. II. To the Kingdom of Israel, especially to its Great Men, the Divine Judgment it announced upon the Prevailing Sins, unless Men seek the Lord. Chapter III. 1. As surely as the Prophet bears the Divine Commission, will God punish IsraeL 1 Hear this word, Which Jehovah speaks concerniDg you, ye sons of Israel, Concerning the whole family Which I brought up fi'om the land of Egypt, saying, 2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth ; Therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities. 3 Do two walk together Unless they have agreed ? ^ 4 Does the lion roar in the forest When he has no prey ? Does the young lion utter his cry out of his den Unless he has taken somethinor ? o 6 Does a bird fall into a trap ^ on the ground When there is no snare for him ? Does the trap rise up from the earth Without catching anything at all ? 6 Or is a trumpet blown in a city. And the people are not alarmed ? Or does misfortune occur in a city, And Jehovah has not caused it ? 7 [No ;] for ' the Lord Jehovah does nothing Without having revealed his secret to his servants, the prophete 8 The lion roars, Who does not fear ? The Lord Jehovah speaks, Who must not prophesy ? J) Make it heard over the palaces in Ashdod, And over the palaces in the land of Egypt, And say, assemble upon the mountains of Samaria, And see the great confusions in the midst thereof,* And the oppressed in the heart thereof. 10 And they know not to do right, saith Jehovah, They who store up violence and devastation in their palaces 11 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, An enemy, and that round about the land ! ^ And he shall bring down thy strength ® from thee, And thy palaces shall be plundered. 'Z^ AMOS. 12 Thus saith Jehovah, As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion Two legs or an ear-lappet, So shall tlie sons of Israel deliver themselves ; They who sit in Samaria On the corner of the couch and on the damask of the bed>' 13 Hear ye and testify to the house of Jacob, Saith the Lord Jehovah, the God of Hosts : 14 That in the day when I visit Israel's transgressions upon him, I will visit the altars of Bethel, And the horns of the altar® shall be cut off and fall to the ground. 15 And I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house, And the houses of ivory shall perish,^ And many ^^ houses shall disappear. TEXTUAL AND GUAMMATICAIi. 1 V«r. 3. — ^^^"^3. To meet together at an appointed time and place. 2 Ver. 6. — nS is the fowler's net, I27pij3, the springe or snare which holds the bird &«t. H V belongs to *TlQ^ [Id order to catch a bird in the net, a springe must be laid for it.] 5 Ver. 7. — "^S. Not "surely," as in E. T., a signification which it nerer has, but, " for," in connection with a neg- •tive implied in its relation to what precedes. Cf. Micah vi. 4, Job xxxi. 18.J 4 Ver. 9. — niD^n^, 7ioise, disorder, denotes a state of confusion, resulting from a complete OTertuming of rights •uch as is expressed by D"^p-127 ^'', probably to be taken as an abstract, " the oppression " (of the poor) or possibly con- crete, " the oppressed." 6 Ver. 11. — "«Tt^37, tfi'J slrfngth, i. e., Samaria's. 6 Ver. 11 — D'^Dp^ is explanatory, "and that round about the land," t. «., will come and attack it on all sides. 7 Ver. 12. — ni3X2 ilSS, the comer of the diran. th<» most convenient for repose. ptt7p"T, damask, covered with • costly stufT. [Pusey and Wordsworth revert to the old view (Sept., Vulgate, Syriac, Targum),'which is followed In tha Authorized Version, and interpret, "and recline on Damascus aa a couch," but their reasons do not seem to hare maoh weight.] 8 Ver. 14. — nilT^'^ '^ ^^^ singular of species, and is equivalent to a plural. 9 Ver. 15. — Ivory* houses are such as have their apartments adorned with inlaid ivoiy (cf. 1 Kings xxii. 39). 10 Ver. 15. — D'^S'I^, not « large " as E T., but " many." BXEQETICAIi AND CRITICAL. 1. Vers. 1-2. Hear this word which Jehovah, etc. " Hear this word." This phrase is repeated at the beginning of chaps, v. and vi. It therefore shows this chapter to contain one address complete in it- self. See the Introduction. Upon the whole family. Although afterwards destruction is threat- ened only against the ten tribes, yet here the entire race is included. The people as a whole were known and chosen of God, and therefore the pun- ishment of sin is set forth in universal terms. Just po far as sin extends, punishment will and must come. Certainly this occurred first in the case of the ten tribes, but how little Judah could count upon being spared, has already been seen in ch. li. 4, etc. Ver. 2. Only you have I known. This is equivalent to " I have chosen," since the knowing expresses a r^lntion of sympathy and love, as " the motive and the result of the election." 2. Vers. 3-8. Do two walk together, etc. The reneral announcement of a ])unitive judgment is fol- lowed — without any apparent connection with the foregoing — by a series of propositions illustrated by examples from daily life. Plainly, these perhaps proverbial phrases arc here introduced only l)y way of comparison. They illustrate the principle that every effect has its cause. Ver. 4. When he has no prey, refers, as Keil justly states, not to the actual seizing of the prey by the lion, but to his having it before him so that it cannot escape. In like manner, the phrase in the second clause, " unless he has taken some- thing," is to be explained. The lion makes hia capture not merely wlien he has seized and is rend- ing the prey, but when it is so near that escape ia impossible. [The lion, as a rule, roars most terri- bly when it has the prey in sight, upon which it immediately springs. Bochart.j Ver. 5. Does the trap rise up P because lifted up by the bird flying away. Without catching, i. e. the bird. Ver. 6. In the first member the usual order of these propositions is reversed, and the cause is mentioned first, — the blowing of the trumpet, — and the result follows. In the second, the other order is restored. In this last, similes are aban- doned, and the discourse states directly what had been implied in numerous comparisons. As lit- tle as two can walk together without, etc., etc. ; so little can misfortune occur in a city without the Lord's hand ; or rather, as in all these cases, ona thing is the result of the other as its cause, so ia ! it here. " Misfortune " in the city is the result, the CHAPTER m. 25 " Lord " is the cause. Even this is to be considered as a kind of proverbial speech, but it explains the subject treated of in this passage. The prophet has threatened the whole people in ver. 2, with a visitation from God. Against this the conscious- ness of Israel revolts, especially because the visita- tion is to come from God, their own God, Jehovah. Therefore the prophet proves the correctness of his declaration by these examples, in which he traces with the certainty of the strictest logic every effect to a cause, and so every misfortune in the city to Jehovah as its author (and to his punitive right- eousness as the cause). If this be so, every objec- tion is obviated. Whatever misfortune exists must be traced back to Jehovah. This however is not proved, but only illustrated, by the examples cited, which show simply that as every event has its cause, so also must misfortune; so that the ques- tion remains, Is this result to be attributed to Jeho- vah's activity 1 The answer to this is found in vers. 7, 8, which must be taken together, since it is only thus that they furnish the desired proof. Ver. 7. For presupposes the answer No, to the foregoing questions, especially the last. No, mis- fortune does not occur without Jehoyah's hand, for, etc. The proof in the first instance is this : Jehovah does nothing without having disclosed his " secret," i. e. his secret counsel, to his servants, the prophets. The latter is certainly not the cause, but it is the indispensable condition of Jehovah's activity, so that between the two there is a neces- fary connection. But this very revelation to the prophets has as an inevitable result (ver. 8), their prophesying, which again is illustrated by an ex- ample drawn from experience, the lion roars, etc. so that this prophesying is not an accidental or capricious thing, but proceeds from a causa siijffi- ciens, which lies in Jehovah himself. Therefore the meaning is : when the prophet speaks or pre- dicts, Jehovah has revealed it to him, and the for- mer is the result of the latter. But if Jehovah has made a revelation to him, then what he predicts, namely, misfortune, is really impending from Jeho- vah. The Lord will let it come. He will not indeed in the absence of such a revelation ; but wherever this occurs, it is a token that He will bring it to pass. Therefore a prophecy, a foretelling of calam- ity by a prophet, is a voucher — *'^ — that the calamity is from the Lord, that a causal connec- tion exists between the two as certain as that between the things mentioned in vers. 3-6. Other- wise, the prophet could not announce such a ca- lamity, since he announces only what Jehovah re- veals to him, but must announce that. The divine origin of his prophecy is to the prophet, therefore, the basis on which he proceeds as on a certain real- ity, and from this he argues and proves the divine authorship of the fact which he predicts, namely, a punitive judgment. Thus is sustained the truth of the saying, that Jehovah would visit Israel. — Only in this way do we understand the *'^ in verse 7. It is therefore a reversal of the order of thought when most interpreters say that from ver. 3 the prophet is proving the divine origin of his prophecy against the objection that he spoke only from sub- jective influences, i.e., "as little can a prophet «peak ^vithout a divine impulse as any other effect can be produced without a cause " (B. Baur). No, the prophet does not justify himself or his calling, he IS sure of that ; he only seeks to convince his hearers or readers that they are really to expect the judgment which he announces, and to this end ic uses the fact that prophecy comes from God. — Concerning the examples in ver. 3 IF. Baur cor- rectly remarks, " There is no occasion to regard them as anything more than mere analogies repre- senting the general relation of cause and effect, or to assign to each case a special reference to the proph- et's thought, e.gr., the two as a figure of God and the people, the lion as representing Jehovah, and the prey and the bird, the wicked, etc." Such a method leads to constrained refinements, as may be seen in Keil, in lac The illustration of one princi- ple by so many examples may seem somewhat tedious, but to understand it, one must consider the partiality of the Orientals for figurative and pro- verbial speeches, which leads them to express in these concrete forms even such an abstract truth as the relation of cause and effect. There is noth- ing strange, therefore, in finding such a representa- tion coming from the herdman of Tekoa. 3. Vers. 9-15. Here the Lord's purpose respect'' ing the sinful people is openly declared. (a.) Vers. 9, 10. The sins. Make it heard, etc. Not only are the sins to be punished set forth, but the heathen are summoned as witnesses. Thia turn in the address indicates that the sinfulness ia very great, enough even to surprise the heathen, and thus puts Israel to shame. Ver. 9. Publish ye. Jehovah is the speaker, and we must regard the command as addressed to the people in these heathen lands. The palaces, /. e., those who dwell there, are to be informed, be- cause the question concerns what is done in the palaces of Samaria. Ashdod, as part for the whole, is put for the Philistines, who were regarded by Israel as godless heathen. Egypt, " whose un- righteousness and ungodliness Israel had once abundantly experienced " (Keil). — On the moun- tains of Samaria, i. e. around Samaria, whence they could look into the city. Ver. 10. They know not to do right. They do not understand it, so accustomed are they to unrighteousness. They who store up violence, etc. ; evil treasures which, so far from helping, de- stroy them. (b.) Vers. 11-15. Therefore thus saith, etc., ^V may be abstract or concrete. The latter is more probable, especially as in that case it is naturally connected with the verb T'^l'T'j which otherwise would require Jehovah to be understood as its subject. The clause is an emphatic assertion in the form of an exclamation. Ver. 12. In this plundering of Samaria, the great men will be able to save their lives only to ti.e smallest extent and with the greatest difficulty. Both points are suggested in the comparison. (" A pair of shin-bones and a piece, i. e. a lappet, of tha ear." Keil.) Ver. 13. Renews the threatening and raises it still higher. There will be an utter destruction Hear ye, etc., is addressed to the Israelites, as in ver. 1, since among even these God has those who will testify what He is going to do. They shall, when summoned as witnesses of wrong doing, an nounce also the punishment of Israel. House of Jacob means all Israel, i. e., the twelve tribes ; even Judah should hear it so as to learn a lesson. Tha Divine names are accumulated for emphasis ; the threat of such a God ought to make a deep impres sion. The visitation of Israel will begin with tha destruction of the altars in Bethel, i. e., of idola try, the religious source of the moral cornption This is more closely defined by the cutting off of the horns, which destroys the significance of the altar. 26 AMOS. Ver. 1 5 . "Winter houses and siimmer houses are primarily those of the royal family, but per- haps also those of the noblemen. — The threatened judgment, therefore, is the overthrow of Samaiia, especially its palaces, with the complete extermina- tion of the inhabitants (ver. 12). DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL. 1 . " Israel stands to iis as a constant example both of the unsearchable riches of grace which God bestows and of the inconceivable judgments He sends upon those who receive his grace in vain." (Rieger.) Here again the bringing out of Egypt appears as the fundamental act of God's grace. It is mentioned alone, because by it as the condition of its outer and inner existence was Israel con- stituted the people of God. This bringing out, however, includes the guidance through the wilder- ness and the giving of the law. This people alone did God " know ; " to them alone He stood in a relation of nearness and confidence ; all others were aliens. Therefore so much the greater their guilt, and the more certain their punishment. 2. The sin of Israel, esjiecially of the ten tribes, is apostasy, at least in the calf-worship (conip. ver. 14, chaps' iv. 4, v. .5). But that which particu- larly provokes rebuke and menace is, as appears by chap. ii. and the following chapters, the extreme moral corruption, which naturally is regarded as the violation of the divine commands, covet- ousness and luxury, and in connection therewith, the shameless disregard of the elementary duties due to our neighbors, violent oppression of the poor. This last is continually the subject of sharp censure (cf. ii. 6, 7, and subsequently iv. 1, v. 6, 11, 12, vi. 12, viii. .5, 6). The poor always stand under the especial protection of the divine law, a peculiar feature of which is its compassion for the lowly, as the Mosaic institute shows in many of its provisions. How fully the prophet was in sym- pathy with this trait, is shown by the fact that upon no point is he so zealous as upon the oppression of the poor. This was doubtless because such in- stances frequently occurred ; still it is significant that instead of merely touching them and then )nissing on, he brings them forward and brands them with an especial stigma. " To pervert the way of the poor," as it was before expressed in chap. i. ver. 7, is, as it were, the unpardonable sin. For this reason the prophet's rebuke is addressed mainly to the great, the higher classes ; but cer- tainly not because these alone were corrupt while the lower classes needed no particular censure, al- though at bottom this was the fact. Are we then to recognize a democratic feature in the circum- stance, and observe how a man of the people, a herdraan, feels himself called chiefly to scourge the sins of the nobles and especially those by which the humble suffered ? If it is correct to assert that iJod called and employed him to chastise such sins, we may admit this. Only let us not ascribe to Amos that modern democratic view which re- viks the higher classes because it condemns all distinctions of ranks, llather the reverse is true of Amos. He inveighs against the sins of the ^M'cat, just because their position is so important, oecause he knows that upon their conduct depends the weal or the, woe of the community, for if cor- ruption prevails in their circles, the foundations of the national prosperity are undermined and shaken. With equal or even greater propriety may one as- cribe an aristocraiic leaning to our projihct, but after a proper manner, i. e., he considers the post tion of the higher classes very important, but foi that very reason very responsible, and holds that their rights and privileges impose corresponding duties. They have much ability, but much is also expected from them, "to whom much is given," etc. And if they mistake and abuse their position, so much the heavier is their guilt and the grcatei the harm they work. Their degeneracy at lasi brings destruction upon the whole. If then a prophet were silent, or censured only the lowly and not the high, he would be justly chargeable with servility and fear of men, which would ill agree with his call to be a witness of divine truth (cf. chap, iv.. Doctrinal and Ethical, 2). 3. Misfortune as a punishment comes only from Jehovah. It comes not of itself nor is casual, but has a definite cause and author, who is Jehovah He who chose and blessed his people, the same punishes them. Men may struggle against this truth, but still it remains incontestable. And when a doubt of the divine authorship intrudes, there comes a voucher in the words of the prophets. Be- fore God executes anything. He reveals it to his servants, and these cannot but declare what is thus revealed. A calamity announced by them is a pun- ishment proceeding from God. 4. The lofty significance of prophecy is strongly expressed in vers. 7, 8. The prophets are not only " God's servants " in general, but are also entrusted with "his secret," his " cotmsel," i. e., what He proposes respecting his people. Yes, he does noth- ing until He has revealed it to the prophets. Thus He, as it were, binds himself to them. Is it asked, Why 1 The answer is. The aim of the revelation is to secure its announcement, as it is expressly said (ver. 8), the speaking of God to his servants necessarily leads them to prophesy. The object ol their utterances is simple and single, to set plainly before men the severity of God against sin, the truth of his punitive righteousness. If this is done, so to speak, in the interest of God, naturally it is still more in the interest of men. These are to learn how the matter stands with them and what threatens them, so as to take warning while there is time. And if men do take warning — for this is the implied thought, — then " God does noth- ing," i. e., does not carry out his secret counsel. Therefore He, as it were, puts prophecy between his " secret " and its execution, and so prophecy is justly reckoned among Israel's peculiar privi- leges (comp. ii. 11 and the remarks there). Well remarks Rieger in reference to the present times : "Those to whom God has intrusted the duty of bearing witness to his truth in the world now, cannot put themselves on a level with his ancient prophets, nor should they indulge any natural pas- sion herein. Yet it is very significant that the Lord Jesus addressed to the overseers of the churches of Asia the precious testimony of his rev- elation, and therein the secret counsel by which God's wrath is fulfilled, and thus indicated for all time the participation of the teacher's office in the judgments of God, partly in foreseeing them, part- ly in foretelling them, and partly, moreover, in in fluencing them for good by prayer ir.l watchful- HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Ver. 1. Hear (he word which Jehovah speatt to you. Here we learn that God's Word should be preached in such way that its hearers shcjld CHAPTER III. 27 recognize that it is intended for and applies to ..hem. For when it is dechired only in general terms, especially as respects God's wrath against sin, the people commonly sit and think it does not concern them out only folks in far-off lands. It should be said, Hear what the Lord says to you who sit here under the pulpit. Ver. 2. You only, etc. — therefore I will, etc. This is a wonderful inference. We should rather expect ; therefore will I spare you. But we see that the Lord is accustomed to punish those who have received much at his hands more severely than others not so favored. For his kindness is not intended to encourage us in sin, but to render us through gratitude more devoted to Him. He has chosen us in Christ that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love (Ephes. i.), butwhere this result does not follow, God's goodness ceases, and his punishments fall the heavier. — (W. S.) Vers. 3 ff. The comparisons here may be prac- tically explained as (1) teaching ns what just grounds God has for his punishments. If two walk together, they inust agree, but you, He says, do not agree with me, but are my foes, by your evil works, and therefore I cannot walk with you in complacency. (2 J As a lion does not roar unless the prey is just before him, so my threatenings are not uttered unless 1 see men just ready to fall, as it were, a prey to my wrath. Of this, however, they think lightly, and deem any calamity that befalls them an accident. But (3) just as little as a bird falls into the net without a fowler, or a fowler lifts the snare without having caught some- thing, so little does misfortune occur without God's mind and will, who does not give up his purpose but carries it out unless withheld by a true repent- ance. As every one fears when the trumpet an- nounces the enemy near at hand, so should my people when my prophets announce to them judg- ment for their sins. These similes remind us of the divine providence in punishments. They do not fall promiscuously, but in the righteous retri- bution of God, who determines beforehand who uhall suffer and who escape. [Ver. 6, Docs misfortune occur, etc. Evil which is sin, the Lord hath not done; evil which is punishment for sin, the Lord bringeth. (Augus- tine.) Ver. 7. The Lord Jehovah does nothing, etc. God has ever warned the world of coming judg- ments in order that it may not incur them. As Chrysostom says. He has revealed to us hell in order that we may escape hell. He warned Noah of the coming deluge. He told Abram and Lot of the future judgment of the cities of the plain. He ri^-vealed to Josepli the seven years of famine, and to Moses the ten plagues, and to Jonah the de- struction of Nineveh ; and by Christ He foretold the fall of Jerusalem ; and Christ has warned all of his own future coming to judge the world. God 'loes this that men may repent ; and that if thev obstinately continue in sin. He may be justified iii executing punishment upon them. (Wordsworth.) Ver. 8. Who dors not fair? There is cause for you to fear when God roars from Zion, but if ye fear not, the prophets dare not bnt fear. So Paul say.-, "Woe is unto nic if I preach not the Go3 pel." So Peter and John, " We cannot but speak the things we have seen and beard." Moses was not excu&ed, though slow of speech ; nor Isaiah, though of jiolluted lips; nor Jeremiah, because he was a child. And Ezekiel was bidden. Be not re- bellious like that rebellious house. (Pusey.) Ver. 9. Publish in the palaces, etc. " Since ye disbelieve, I will manifest to Ashdodites and Egyptians the transgressions of which ye are guilty." (Theodoret.) Shame towards man sur- vives shame towards God. Wliat men are not ashamed to do, they are ashamed to confess that they have done. Nay, to avoid a little passing shame, they rush upon everlasting shame. So God employs all inferior motives, shame, fear, hope of things present, if by any means He can win men not to offend Him. " (Ibid.) Ver. 10. They hnow not, etc. It is a part of the niiseralile blindness of sin, that while the soul acquires a quick insight into evil, it becomes at last not only paralyzed to do good, but unable to perceive it. Store up violence. They stored up, as they deemed, the gains and fruits ; but it was in truth the sins themselves, as a treasure of wratl- against the day of wrath. (Ibid.) Ver. 11. Therefore thus saith, etc. There was no human redress. The oppressor was mighty ,_ but mightier the avenger of the poor. Man would not help, therefore God would. Thy palaces shall, he spoiled. Those palaces in which they had heaped up the spoils of the oppressed. Men's sins. are in God's providence the means of their punish- ment. Their spoiling should invite the spoiler, their oppressions should attract the oppressor. Ver. 12. As the shepherd rescues, etc. Amos as well as Joel (ii. 32) preaches the same solemn sentence, so repeated through the prophets, " a rem- nant only shall be saved." So it was in the captiv- ity of the ten tribes. So it was in Jnd^ih. In the Gospel, not many wise men alter tJie liesh, not many mighty, not many noble were called, but God chose the poor of this world, and the Good Shep- herd rescued from the month of the lion those whom man despised. (Ibid.) Ver. 13. Hear ye and testifi/. It is of little avail to testify, unless we first hear ; nu. can man bear witness to what he doth not know ; nor will words make an impression, /. e., be stamped on men's souls, unless the soul which utters them have first hearkened unto them. (Ibid.) Ver. 14. In the day ichcn I visit, etc. Scripture speaks of " visiting offenses upon," because in God's providence, the sin returns upon a man's own head. It is not only the canse of his punish ment but a part of it. The memory of a man'ji sins will be a part of his eternal suffering. (Ibid.) Ver. 14. The altars, etc. The vengeance of a just and holy God will one day certainly root ont false worship. Ver. 15. The winter-house and. etc. What are the palaces and pleasure-housos of tW vvki^cu lu the time of judgment, lut a Icand which kindle* the wrath of the Lord. 28 AMOS. Chapter IV. S. Punishment must come, since despite all Chastisements the People mil not amentL' 1 Hear^ this word, ye kine of Bashan, Who are upon the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, Who crush the needy, Who say to their lords, Bring hither that we may drink. 2 The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by his holiness, Behold days are coming upon you. When men will drag^ you away with hooks And the remnant^ of you with iLsh-hooks. 3 And through breaches* in the wall ye shall go out, every one before her»^ And be cast fortli** to Harmon '^ saith Jehovah. 4 Go to Bethel and sin, — To Gilgal,^ and sin still more ! Bring every morning your sacrifices, Every three days your tithes. 6 Offer^ a praise-offering of what is leavened, Call out for voluntary offerings, proclaim them ! For this liketh you,''' O sons of Israel, Saith the Lord, Jehovah. 6 And I, even I," have given you cleanness of teeth in all your dtiei^ And want of bread in all your places ; And ye have not returned unto me, saith Jehovah. 7 And I, even I, have withheld the rain from you, When there were yet three months to the harvest, And have caused it to rain upon one city, And cause it not to rain'^ upon another. One field is rained upon. And the field upon which it does not rain, withers. 8 And two, three cities stagger to one city To drink water, and are not satisfied ; And ye have not returned unto me, saith Jehovah. 9 I have smitten you with blight and with mildew ; And the multitude '' of your gardens and your vineyards, And of your fig trees and olive trees, the locust devoured; And ye have not returned to me, saith Jehovah. 10 I have sent pestilence among you in the manner of Egypt,^* I have slain your young men with the sword. Together with the booty ''' of your horses, And caused the stench^'' of your camps to ascend even into your noseiy And ye have not returned unto me, saith Jehovah. 11 I have overthrown among you, As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. CHAPTER IV. 29 And ye were like a brand plucked out of the burning ; And still ye have not returned unto me. 12 Therefore thus will I do to thee, O Israel. Because I will do this to thee, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. 13 For, behold, He that formetli the mountains and createth the windy And declareth to man what is his thought, Who maketh dawn darkneip. And goeth over the high places of the earth, Jehovah, God of hosts, is his name. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. 1 V«r. 1. — H3?ltitt7 Ibr n337X3tt7. because the verb stands first. Of. Is. xxmI. 11. • T - ; ' a Yer. 2. — SQ73 is Piel, as in 1 Kings Lz. 11. Qreen's Grammar, § 164, 2. ^p pleonastic, like the Gieek in, U tiieet address. [8 Ver. 2. — n^^nS is not posterity (Furst, Henderson), but remnant^ " all even to the very last" Cf. Hengstaa berg, Oiriitol., i. 367.] 4 Ver. 8. — D'^l'IQ is accusative of place. • T : 6 Ver. 8. — n"'T?3, »• «•, without turning to the right or the left." Cf Josh. vi. 6-20. « Ver. 3. — nSnS - 27n, n — is simply the full form of the pronoun, added here to obtain a similarity of sonnd with the preceding verb. 'The Iliphil form is found in all the MSS. save one, and is defended by Hitzig, Ewald, etc., bat m tt ifl Tery harsh, it is better, with the LXX., Syr., Sym., Vulgate, and Arabic, to take it as Hophal (Jerome, Fiirst, Keil, etc.) 7 Ver. 8. — lD~inrT, This hapax legom. is not yet satisfactorily explained, although almost every possible interpre tation has been given. The final letter appears to be 71 local, and in that case the word indicates the place into which the fugitives are cast. But where that place is none can say ; we have only conjectures, for which see Keil and Hender- •on in loc. 8 Ver. 4. — " Gilgal " is in the accusative after " go " understood from the preceding clause. " Every three days," i* the literal rendering adopted by Ibn Esra, Rosenmliller, Maurer, Keil, etc. Kimchi gives it as E. V., and is followed by Henderson. The LXX., Vulgate, and Luther agree with Ibn £sra. 9 Ver. 5. — "^tDf?, infin. absol. used for the imper. [10 Ver. 5. — " For this liketh you." This fine archaism seems preferable to the marginal equivalent of the E. V , " So ye love."] [11 Ver. 6. — The first personal pronoun, when separately expressed in Hebrew, is always emphatic ; hence the lep* tttion in the version, "I, even I."] U Ver. 7. — T'^ISS, The imperfects from here on are used as the historical present to give life to the description 18 Ver. 9. — nilinn, infin. const, used as a substantive = multitude. 14 Ver. 10. — " In the manner of Egypt," because pestilence is epidemic in Egypt (Is. x. 24-26). 16 Ver. 10. — ''Sip 73 y is usually explained : " together with the carrying away of your horses," so that even youi hones were carried away. But Keil readers it concrete = the booty, so that even the horses that were captured, perished. 19 Ver. 10. — D52MZ2'1 — even into your nostrils, "like as a memorial of their sins" (Hitzig). 17 Ver. 13. — 712737, may be, who turns the dawn into darkness, or, by asyndeton, who makes dawn, darkness, t. «., both. [The latter is preferred by Calvin, is expressed in the LXX., and is said by Henderson to be the reading of more than twenty of Kenuicott's MSS.] view ; for cows have tlieir " lords," and the term EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. 1. Vers. 1-3. Hear this, etc. Plundering and destruction had been threatened ; here carrying away is added. They who are threatened are the same as in chap. iii. The comparison to kine of Bashan, i. e., strong, well-fed, well agrees with the description of their extortions and their lux- urious life in that chapter. They are compared to cows rather than bulls, manifestly because the lat- ter figure would be too dignified for such persons as are intended. Perhaps their efleminacy is also hinted. But it is certainly wrong to understand the expression as meaning specifically the women Df Samaria. For nothing characteristic of women is said of the cows, but only what had previously been said of the great in general. Nor is the phrase who say to their lords, any objection to this here means the king and the princes under whom the other great men are ranked. So the Targum, Jerome, Calvin, Maurer, and others. Ver. 2. The threat is introduced by an oath. Jehovah swears by his holiness, for this perfection must desire the punishment of such an unholy life. Your remnant, what has not been dragged away with hooks. To understand this as meaning " pos- terity," would require us to consider two genera- tions as included in the punishment threatened, which is a thought foreign to the context. The breaches in the walls, are those made at tht captui-e of the city. [There will be no need to re- sort to the gates, for egress will be possible in every direction. — C] As to the much disputed Har- mon, all the ancients and most of the raoterm take it as a proper name, — Armenia, Rimmon, Hcrnion, etc. Kiuichi, followed by Geienius, Winer 30 AMOS. Henderson, resolves the word by a change of its first letter into the term meanine' palace or citaiel, and renders " will be cast down as to the palace," I. c, from it. Dr. Van Dyck in the New Arabic Bible, also takes it as aijpellative, and renders " to the citadel." 2. Vers. 4, 5. Go to Bethfel, etc. You will aot arrest this juUsrmeuc by your idolatrous wor- ehip, eagerly as you may pursue that worship. Such eagerness is only an enlargement ul' your bins. This thought is expressed in a manner bit- terly ironical by a summons to greater zeal. Gil- cral was, like Bethel, a seat of idol worship (cf. on Hos. iv. 15). The whole passage is hyperbolical. " Even if you otfered slain offerings every morning and tithe every three days, it would only increase your guilt." To the same effect in ver. .5 they are told, instead of being content with unleavened cakes, to offer also upon the altai- even the leavened loaves which were uot required by law to be consumed (Lev. -v-ii. 13,14). And so with the free-will offerings. In- stead of leaving these to spontaneous impulses, they in their exaggerated zeal called out for thera, puliiishuil tb.iin. The words, for this liketh you, make a mock of this zeal. But the mock is sub- sequently turned into earnest. For men surely should not persist in such love and zeal for idol- worship, after God had so often punished them for it. 3. Vers. 6-11. All punishment hitherto had been in vain. This is sliown in five instances, each concluding with the sorrowful refrain, and yet ye have not returned unto me, which strikingly di.splay the love of Jehovah, who visits and pun- ishes his people only tu ])revent the necessity of severer punishment. (a.) Ver. 6. And I also, etc. To what they did, the prophet sets in opposition what Jehovah did. Cleanness of teeth, because they had noth- ing to eat. (b.) Vers. 7, 8. Withheld the rain when, etc. The latter rain is meant. As this fell in Feb- ruary and March, Vihile the. harvest oeeurred in May and June, the interval was reckoned in round numbers at three months. [" This is utterly ruin- ous to the hojies of the farmer. A little earlier or a little later would not be so fatal, but drouth ^/(ree ■months before harvest is entirely destructive." The Land and the Book, ii. 66.] The withholding of rain is stated as partial, in order to show uu)re dis- tinctly that it was a divine ordering. (c.) \'er. 9. 'i'he third ehastisement was a bad harvest, arising from a lilight upon the cereal grains and the destruction of fruits by locusts. (d.) Ver. 10. The fourth chastisement was pes- tilence and war. For the grievous sufferings of Israel in the latter, see 2 Kings viii. 12, xiii. 3, 7. (e.) Ver. 11. I overthrew, etc. This mani- festly docs not indicate a new chastisement in ad- dition to the foregoing, but sums them all up in a t-ingle utterance. " The comparison of the doom of Ephraim to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, is a general indication of the greatness of their ])unish- ment (cf. Is. i. 9). The way in which the destmc- tion of the cities of the plain is spoken of, plainly refers to Gen. xix. 29, where occurs the word ' over- throw,' which became the standing ])hrase to de- scribe this fearful fate (Dent. xxix. 22; Is. i. 7, xiii. 19 ; Jer. xlix. 18, 1.40)." (Baur.) As a brand. The emphasis does not lie on the actual escape, but m the fact that it was so narrow. The phrase tividly depicts the severity of their chastisements aitherto ; so much the more inexcusable are they for not having returned to the Lord. 4. Vers. 12, 13. Therefore thus will T, etc. Thus, but hotv is not said. " Thus," is thcrefors to be regarded as a general threat, which is so much the more severe, because it is not stated what shall come, su that there is everything to fear. The punishment is indeed generally indicated iu this chapter, as also in chapter iii. But the cliief poiut of the chapter is to recall the past hard-heartedness of Israel, not to describe their punishment, since there are only brief references to the judgment already mentioned, the full descrijj- tion of which is resumed in chap. v. As yet it is only a threat : hence the summons, Prepare, etc., i. e., not to meet your doom, but to avert it by true repentance (cf. chap. v. 4, 6). " To give the greater emphasis to this command, ver. 13 depicts God as the Almighty and Omniscient who creates prosper- ity and adversity." (Keil.) "His thought" does not mean man's thought, but God's own, which He makes known by the prophets, i. e., his purpose to punish. [It seems more natural, as it is more in aecoi'dance with the uniform usage of the word n'^W to refer it toman. As Puseysays, "Toman, a sinner, far more imjtrcssive than all majesty of creative power is the thought that God knows' his inmost soul. He declareth unto man his medita- tion, before he puts it into ">vords."] Treads upon the high places = rules over all, even the highest of earth. Finally the whole is confirmed by the lofty title of God as God of Hosts. DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL. 1. " This discourse (vers. 1-3) strikes at those who are in authority nnd practice violence at court and elsewhere. In them, unrighteousness in act concurs with great looseness in speech. The more violently men deal in matters of office and govern- ment, the more viciously do they p^roceed among their fellows, tryiiit;- to stifle all humane feeling for others' need and all complaints at the wrong that is done. But the more frivolous their talk, the more earnest is God in his counsel and oath against them ; and as they have done much for the sake of advancing and enriching their posterity, so the judgment of God strikes them with their poster- ity." (Rieger.) 2. " Since the prophet here attacks so severelv the heads of the state, we are to consider that if 3. modern preacher were to do the same, it would be regarded as an insult and a calumny. But if a preacher out of a proper zeal should at times han- dle somewhat harshly acknowledged public offend- ers who can be reached in no other way, this is by no means to be deemed an unbecoming insult, for the same reproach would apply to the prophets, to our Lord Himself, and to his Ajjostles, all of whom often uttered se\ ere language. When in any such case the rebuke aims only at the benefit of the persons concerned, it is not an impropriety or an outrage, but a work of love demanded by the preacher's office, which is to censure the impenitent. This must be done not only upon the lowly but upon the lofty, and indeed the more upon the lat- ter because they do so much more harm when they act amiss." ( Wurt. Bi.) It is a natural inference that such a thing should be done not in passion nor personal provocation, but really from a holy zeal against sin. But clear as the matter is so far, the more difficult is it in practice. One can only say, Let each man approve himself to God as to his inward feeling. The fear of man should not close the mouth to an open testimony against the high. But it does uot follow that an open mouth CHAPTER IV. 31 !s always a token of zeal for God's honor. Least of .all is such a thino: found in a mere copying of others, even though they he prophets. Nor should the difference between prophets and the preachers of our day be obliterated. With the courage to bear testimony must be united the com age to suffer on account of such testimony (cf at chap. iii. Doct. and Eth. 2). 3. They who shamelessly transgress the simplest n:oral duties, develop along with this course a powerful religious zeal and cannot do enough in worship. An apparent contradiction, yet one con- firmed a hundred times by experience ; moral cor- ruption and religious bigotry amalgamated ! Yet is it altogether natural ; the religious form covers over the moral nakedness and quiets the con- science ; but this is certainly a horrible delusion. That it was a false worship in which the Israelites were so zealous, enhances their guilt, for it was an apostasy from Jehovah. But even a religiosity which is formally correct, may be used as a cover for wickedness, and be blended with moral corrup- tion. Thus it is well to remember that religious zeal in itself is no proof that all is well. 4. God tries all means before proceeding to ex- tremities. If benefits are not recognized, He sends chastisements. These in the first instance aim not at destruction, but at opening the eyes through the perception of the divine wrath so that men may re- pent and seek God. They are therefore as much tokens of grace as proofs of wrath. But if this aim is not reached, the forbearance of God ceases, and a decisive judgment steps forth. But this last is something extorted from God, it is against his real disposition ; only with reluctance does He re- solve upon it. He waits long in the hope that there will be a change and so the last step be un- necessary. Most clearly docs the sorrowful love of God shine out from the vivid delineation of the prophet. National calamities, according to our chapter, are tc b-o viewed as chastisements from God. This view does not conflict with the exist- ence of natural causes, but recognizes God as the being in whose seiTice these act. It sees in the course of the world, not the blind mechanism of a clock, but the work of a personal intelligent will, and considers the laws of that course as the thoughts of this will, which rules and governs the whole, the domain of the physical as well as that of the moral and spiritual, and naturally docs not leave these to run on merely sice by side, but puts them in con- stant and intimate relation and alternation with each other, so that physical life finds its highest aim in the loftier domain of moral and spiritual life. National calamities are only a lower degree of the revelation of God's wrath. Heavy as they may bo, they endanger only the material conditions of a nation's life, and that in a superficial way from which there may be a recovery, but they do not imperil its essential being, which consists in its political " independence and freedom." That a nation is determined to maintain and guard this, that it considers the loss of it the last punishment 'rem God's baud, comes forth very clearly as the prophet's view. A nation therefore should defend this against the attack of a foreign foe. But it is equally clear that where the inner conditions, piety and righteousness, no longer exist, there all pains to preserve independence are vain. God gives the power and victory to the foes. What enemies do, that God himself does through them (cf chap. ii. 13, iii. 15). Her3 also there is no denial of the nearer causality, that of the human will. But while man is doing only his own will, he at the «ame :iroe does the will of God, acts as his instru- ment, and serves his aims, which are the highest, the only absolute ones. 5. With a short but lofty delineation of God's transcendent greatness and almighty power, the prophet concludes the chapter, showing that Jeho- vah is one who speaks with emphasis and can ex ecute his threatenings. It is as beautiful poetically as it is profound theologically. It exhibits an ele- vation and depth in the conception of God, which permits a very definite conviction as to the strength and clearness of the divine manifestation made to Israel. As thus controlling all things, God is called the God of Hosts. Observe how fond Amos is of this phrase in the vehement outpouring of indignation in the chaps, iii.-vi., cf. iii. 13, iv. 13, V. 16, 27, vi. 8, 14. Here Jehovah appears as One who towers above all creaturely existences, who rules the highest spheres of might, against whom therefore nothing can avail, around whom every- thing stands ready to execute his will. He is not the national God of Israel alone, but the God of the world. Hence He is not merely a natura. force which biulds and again destroys, but a per- sonal God who acts according to his own " thought," which He makes known to men. And as such a personal, self-conscious, self-active being, He stands in constant relations with his personal creatures. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. [Ver. I. Who oppress the poor. He upbraids them not for fierceness, but for a more delicate and wanton unfecliugness, the fruit of luxury, fullness of head, a life of sense, which destroy all tender- ness, dull the mind, deaden the spiritual sense. They did not directly oppress, perhaps did not know that it was done ; they sought only that their own thirst for luxury and self-indulgence should be gratified, and knew not, as those at ease often know not now, that their luxuries are continually watered by the tears of the poor, tears shed almost unknown except by the Maker of both. But He counts willful ignorance no excuse. (Pusey.) Ver. 2. Behold, days are coming. God's day and eternity arc ever coming. They are holding on their steady course. Men put out of their minds what will come. Therefore God so often in his notices of woe brings to mind that those days are ever coniing ; they are not a thing which shall be only ; in God's purpose they already are, and with one uniform, steady noiseless tread are coming up- on the sinner. (Ibid.) Ver. 4. Go to Bethel and sin, etc. Words uttered in bitter irony and indignation, as Ezekiel says (xx. 39), "Go ye, serve every one his idols," and our Lord, " Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers" (Matt, xxiii. 32). It is a characteristic of idolatry and schism, to profess extraordinary zeal for God's worship and go beyond the^ letter and spirit of Iris law by arbitrary will-worship and self-idolizing fanaticism. (Wordsworth.) Ver. 5. Call out for voluntary offerings, etc. The profuseness of idolaters in the ser\nce of their false gods may shame our strait-handedness in the service of the true and living God. (M. Henry.)] Ver. 6 tf. Have given you cleanness of teeth, etc. Before, we had a thoughtful appeal to God'i mercies ; now his chastisements are er umerated These are the two chief evidences of God's ap- proach to a people, a community, a family, or even an individual, in love or in sorrow, and what fruits one or the other has borne (Rieger). [And ye have not returned unto me. By repeating this 'orrowfiJ ejaculation four times 'vers 6, 9, 10, 11) God em AMOS. pliatioally declares the loving design of his chas- lisement of Israel. (Wordswortli.) Vers. 7, 8. The preaching of the Gospel is as rain ; God sometimes blesses one place with it mure tnan anotner ; some countries, some cities are like Gideon's fleece, wet with this dew while the ground around is dry ; all withers where this rain is wanting. But it were well if people were but as wise for their souls as they are for their bodies, and, when they have not this rain near them, would go and seek it where it is to be had. If they seek aright, they shall not seek in vain. (M. Henry.)] Ver. 9. Of what avail are judgments? Men now are as little influenced by them as Israel of old. They do not believe they are punishments, much less that they are sent for the causes assigned. They deem tliem accidental, or else invent other causes, and even ascribe droughts, floods, hail, cat- erpillars, etc., to witchcraft and sorcer}-, in the face of the Scriptni-e which expressly attributes such plagues to God. (Wurt. Bible.) [Ordinarily, God makes his sun to arise upon the evil and on the eood, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust, But He does not enslave himself to his own laws. There are variations, and in his Word He reveals to ns the meaning of his daily variations in the work- ings of nature. (Pusey.) Ver. 10. After the manner of Egypt. Israel, hav- ing sinned like Egypt, was to be punished like Egypt. One of the threatenings in Deuteron- Binyin case of disobedience was (xxviii. 27), The Lord shall smite thee with the botch of Egypt {Ibid.) ^^ Ver. 11. T have overthroim, etc. The earthquake is reserved to the last as the most special visitation. It is at all times the more tenible, because un- seen, unannounced, instantaneous, complete. The ground under a man's feet seems no longer secure, his shelter is his destruction; aien's houses become their graves. War, pestilence, and famine seldom break in at once. The earthquake at once buries it may be, thousands, each stiffened (if it were so), in that his last deed of evil ; each household with its own form of misery ; each in its separate vault, — dead, dying, crushed, imprisoned. (Ibid.) Ver. 1 2. Thus irill I do unto thee. God having said this is silent as to what He will do ; that so Is- rael hanging in susi>enseas having before him e.ich sort of punishment — which are the more terrible because he imagines them one by one, — may in- deed repent, that God inflict not what He threatens. (Jerome.)] Ver. 13. Ilethatformeth the mountains, etc. This noble description of God on one hand arouses the conscience to appreciate his threatenings and re- nounce all vain confidence, and on the other en- courages the heart to come again into communion with such a God by sincere conversion. (Rieger. ) (If He be such a God as He is here described to be, it is folly to contend with Him, and our duty and interest to make our peace with Him ; it is good having Him our friend, and bad having Him our enemy. (M. Henry.)] Chapter V. t Lament for Israel, The only Safety is in seeking the Lord. Woe to the Fools who desire the Day ef the Lord. 1 Hear this word, Which I raise over you as a lamentation, ^ O house of Israel 2 Fallen is the virgin - Israel, she does not rise again, She is stretched out upon her soil, no one raises her up. 3 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, The city which goes out by a thousand * Shall retain a hundred. And that which goes out by a hundred Shall retain ten, for the house ol' Israel. 4 For thus saith Jehovah to the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live.* 5 And seek not Bethel, And go not to Gilgal, And pass not over to Beersheba. For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity,' And Bethel shall come to naught. 6 Seek ye Jehovah, and ye shall live. Lest he break forth like fire upon the house of Joseph, And it devour,® and there be none to quench it for Bethel 7 They who turn justice into wormwood, And cast righteousness down to the earth ! 8 He who makes the Seven Stars '' and Orion, And turns the shadow of death into morning, And darkens day into night ; CHAPTER V. 3^ Who calls to the waters of the sea, And pours them over the face of the earth, Jehovah is his name ! 9 Who makes desolation to flash ^ upon the strong, And desolation comes upon the fortress. 10 They hate the reprover ^ in the gate, And him that speaketh uprightly they abhor. 11 Therefore, because ye trample ^° upon the poor, And take from him a gift of wheat ; Houses of hewn stone ye have built But ye shall not dwell in them, Pleasant vineyards ye have planted, But ye shall not drink their wine. 12 For I know that many are your transgressions, And your sins are great, Ye who oppress " the righteous, Who take a bribe, And they push aside the poor in the gate from their right. 13 Therefore, the prudent at this time is silent, For it is an evil time. 14 Seek good and not evil that ye may live, And that so Jehovah, God of hosts, may be with you, as ye say. 15 Hate evil and love good. And set up justice in the gate ; Perhaps Jehovah, God of hosts, will favor the remnant of Josepk 16 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, God of hosts, the Lord, In all streets wailing ! And in all the highways shall men say, Alas, alas, And they call ^^ the husbandman to mourning, And lamentation to those skilled in lamenting. 17 And in all vineyards shall be lamentation, For I will pass through the midst of thee, saith Jehovah 18 Woe to those who desire the day of Jehovah ! What good is it to you ? The day of Jehovah ! it is darkness and not light. 19 As if a man fleeth before the hon, And the bear meets him ; Or he goes into the house And rests his hand upon the wall, And the snake bites him, 20 Is not the day of Jehovah darkness and not light, And gloom without any brightness ? 21 I hate, I despise your feasts,^^ And take no delight in your assemblies. 22 For if ye offer me burnt-olFerings, Your food-offerings I will not accept, And the thank-offering of your failings I will not regard. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs, And the playing of your harps I will not hear. 24 And let judgment roll on like water. And righteousness like an inexhaustible stream.^* 25 Did ye offer me sacrifices and food-offerings In the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel ? (No) but ye bore the tent of your king ^® And the pedestal of your images, 34 AMOS. The star of your God, Which ye made for yourselves. 27 Therefore will I carry you away captive beyond Damascus,^* Saith Jehovah, whose name is God of hosts. TEXTUAL ANB GRAAIMATICAL. p Ter. 1. — n3^p is the word used to denote Darid's dirge over Saul and Jonathan, 2 Sam. i. 17. It is here In »pp* ■lico with 12"T.] TT 2 Ver. 2. — niyt23, E. V. forsaken is quite inadequate. Targum and Vulgate hare cast down, but better is the lifr •ral meaning given above — stretched out, and therefore prostrate and helpless. 8 Ver. 3. — The numerals define more closely the manner of the going forth, i. e. to war. 4 Ver. 4. — The two imperatives by a usage common in all languages, express command and result ; e. g., Latin, divuU It impera. 6 Ver. 6. — There is in H vH"* 71/3 '373, a play upon words which cannot be expressed in English. A eimilaz paronomasia is suggested in the last clause, cf. Hos. iv. 16. [Pusey offers, as illustrative parallels, " Paris p6rira," or " London is undone."]. 6 Ver. 6. — n^!3ST cannot be rendered as in E. V. " and devour," as if Jehovah were the subject. T : IT 7 Ver. 8. — n^'^S, the crowd, is the Seven Stars or Pleiades. 7^D3, the fool, but according to the old interpreters, [whom Furst follows] the giant, is Orion. Both constellations are mentioned together in Job ix. 9 ; xxxviii. 31. The con- nection between vers. 7 and 8 is. They are acting in this atrocious way, whereas Jehovah is the Almighty and can bring (udden destruction upon them. 8 Ver. 9. — 3"^ V^tt, causes to break in. [Following an Arabic analogy, Keil and Wordsworth suppose an allusion to the swiftness of lightning, expressed in the version by flask. Pusey follows Aquila and Jerome, and renders mcUeeth, to itnile. The E. V. followed a conjecture of Kimchi, and is clearly wrong, besides quite needlessly turning ^ti7 in both members from an abstract into a concrete noun.] 9 Ver. 10. — n''D'^X3. Not merely a judge acting officially, but " any one who befbre a tribunal lifts up his voice •gainst acts of iigustice." Cf. Is. xxix. 21. 10 Vet. 11. — Dtt^iZ, an-. Xey.,a variant orthography fbr DD"i3. Fiirst derives it from t£?iZ, '• ?• ti"S3, to b« loathsome, h. bad. Hiph., to bring evil upon. 11 Ver. 12. — "'T^i^. This and the following participle belong to the suffixes in the nouns preceding. 12 Ver. 16. — To proclaim mourning to the husbandman = to call him to mourning. 18 Ver. 21. — D^Sn are the great yearly festivals. nlT*^ is of uncertain meaning, commonly explained, /Mftt'« •ssemblies. Cf. Joel i. 14. [All agree that it denotes convocations in connection with religious observances, whether peni- tential or otherwise.] JT^'^S lit. to smell, is an expression of satisfaction, in allusion to " the odour of delight " which Mcended to God from the burning sacrifice. Cf. Lev. xxvi. 31 ; Gen. viii. 21 ; Ephes. v. 2. l* Ver. 24. — p'T'S. The later critics give the primary meaning as constant, (Aiding, and hence when applied t« ■treams, inexhaustible. 16 Ver. 26. — The words here are difficult, since i^^2D and ]^*D are air. Key. Perhaps they are proper names of idols, so that the adjoining words are in apposition, and we should render — Sikkuth, your king, and Chinn, your image. So Luther, and of later critics, Fiirst. The name Sikkuth (in Syriac with another pointing^ 7^**3» Chevan) has been explained to mean Saturn, who indeed in Arabic is called Kaiman, but it is not certain that this did not originate from the passage before us, and therefore " it has no more worth than that of an exegetical conjecture " (Keil. ) The LXX., chang- ing the word, make out of "}^"^3 an idol 'Pai(|)af (Acts vii. 43, Pe|u. but is certainly unnatural in this place in view of the literal refer- ences before and after.] — Who calls to the waters, etc., can refer only to fearful inundations by waves of the sea. [The allusion to the judg- ment of the Flood can hardly Le overlooked. Keil.] Ver. 9. Whether the evil mentioned here is to be riewed as caused like the foregoing by manifesta- tions of God's power in the natural world, is doubt- ful, but not improbable. The reference might bt to an earthquake or a storm. (c.) Vers. 10-13. They hate the reprover etc. The prophet returns to the conduct of Israel, whicb must be punished. Ver. 10. " In the gate," shows that the reference is to judicial proceedings. " The reprover," there- fore, and " the one speaking uprightly " cannot be understood of the prophet.-^, howover natural .such reference would be on other grounds. Ver. 11. Take a gift = do him justice only when they are paid for it. Houses of4iewn stone are costly dwellings, Is. is.. 10. The threat is bor- rowed from Deut. xxviii. 30. Ver. 12. Who take a bribe, may either indi- cate a fresh sin, i. e., taking atonement money in satisfaction for a murder, against the law in Num. xxxv. 31 , or may belong to the foregoing, thus, ye who oppress (imprison) the righteous and then take a ransom, i. e., will release him only for a ran- som. The former is more consistent with the pre- vailing use of the Hebrew term. [So Pusey and Keil ; but certainly the word in one instance at least, 1 Sam. xii. 3, is used to denote any sort of bribe.] Ver. 13. Manifestly belongs to what precedes, since it further describes the period of corruption. He who has prudence = whose counsel is whole- some, will be compelled to silence (cf. ver. 10, the upright speaker is abhorred) ; instead of attentive hearing he has only violence to expect. (d.) V^ers. 14-17. Once more the way of deliv- erance is pointed out, at least fur a remnant. But for the nuiss, nothing is to be expected but deep sorrow on all sides. Ver. 14. And that so . . . with you as ye say. That is. Then will that be really the case which ye now vainly imagine, — that God is with you. Ver. 15. Set up justice, etc. = maintain a righteous administration of justice. Then possibly there may be favor for a remnant. This does not refer to the existing condition of the ten tribes as reduced by Syrian conquests, for the kingdom un- der Jeroboam II. had recovered its former terri- torial limits. The remnant I'efers to that which would be left in future after the great chastisement impending. See a similar allusion in reference to .Judah in Joel iii. 5, and Is. vi. 13, x. 21, 23. Ver. 16. Therefore, introducing the threat, presupposes a denunciation of sins. The entire chapter is full of this, and therefore naturally, vers. 16, 17 do not refer simply to vers. 14, 15. Yet these latter do, indirectly at least, contain a reproof. The warning implies that the warned are not seek- ing good, etc. But only Mich s-'ckiug can save, and it is only too certain that these are not doing it ; thei-efore, etc., — general mouruing. The sense is, on every hand there will be dead to weep for. There wiil be repeated what happened in Egypt at the smiting of the first-born ; as the words I will pass through the midst of thee, allude to Ivxod. xii. 12. As in the cities, so in the land, there will be such a death-wail. And they call is to be supplied bef ire the last clause. The skilled in la- menting, are the professional wailing women who were employed at funerals. Ver. 17. Even in the vineyards, usually the f laces of liveliest joy, wailing should resound. ■' A vintage not of wine but of woe." — Pusey.] 3. Vers."l8-27. Woe to the confident who de ceive themselves with false hopes. (a.) Vers. 18-20. Woe to those, etc. It would be foolish to expect help from the day of the Lord. Ver. IS. Who desire the day of the Lord- Since they fancied that the carnal Israel and the 36 AMOS. true people of God were identical, this day must of course bring to them deliverance from all dis- tress, ai d also power and glory. But it is made clear that tliis day to them can only bring harm, can only be a day of destruction (Joel ii. 2). Therefore, should they escape one danger (from a foe), they would only the more certainly fall into another. This in ver. 19 is set forth by a figure taken from common life, the meaning of which is clear. Ver. 20. Once more is the threatening charac- ter of the day of the Lord aflBrmed and repeated. (b.) Veis. 21-27. Even with festivals and sac- rifices the people do not avert the judgment. For worship, rendered as a mere opus operatum, as it is by Israel, is worthless before God, and even offen- sive to Him. Since the question concerns the ten tribes, we may assume from the following repre- sentation that the worship they rendered was as to ritual substantially conformed to that at Jeru- salem. Ver. 22. For. God's displeasure at the feasts, etc., arise from his dislike of the sacrifices. The construction is interrupted, the first clause having no apodosis ; but this is easily supplied from the second; and the sense is, I will accept neither your burnt oflTerings nor your meat offerings. "Ver, 23. The singing is c/intemptuously called a noise of songs. Ver. 24. Such worship, instead of averting the judgment, rather provokes its full execution. It should pour over the land, like a flowing stream. It is wrong to interpret the verse [with Pusey, et al.] as an exhortation to the people to practice judgment and righteousness. The image of a flood of waters is much too strong for such a thought ; it points rather to an act of God. [Yet, one may ask, is the expression any stronger here than in the cognate passage in Isaiah xlviii. 18, '' then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea 1 " But the connection manifestly favors the author's view.] (c.) Vers. 25-27. Did ye offer, etc. No won- der that such a judgment impends over Israel. From of old they had been recreant to their God. Their present offensive worship was in reality only a continuation of the idolatry practiced in the wilderness. Ver. 2.5. Did ye offer to me sacrifices and food-offerings (=bloody and unbloody oblations)? The question implies a negative answer. The people therefore are described as having omitted the sacrifices to Jehovah for forty years, which cer- tainly could be affirme wards a Famine of the Word. 1 Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me, And behold, a basket with ripe fruit.^ 2 And he said, What seest thou, Amos ? And I said, A basket with ripe fruit. Then said Jehovah to me, " The end ^ is come to my people, Israel ; I will not pass by them any more. 3 And the songs of the palace ' shall howl In that day, saith the Lord Jehovah ; Corpses in multitude ; everywhere has he* cast them fortii; Hush!*** 4 Hear this, ye who pant ® for the poor, ^ And to destroy the meek '' of the earth, 5 Saying, when will the new moon be over, That we may sell grain, And the Sabbath, that we may open wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel great. And falsifying the scales of deceit ; 6 Buying the poor for silver. CHAPTER Vm. 51 And the needy for a pair of shoes, And the refuse of the wheat will we sell. 7 Jehovah hath sworn by the pride of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. 8 Shall not the earth tremble for this. And every dweller therein mourn ? And it shall rise up, all of it, like the Nile,' And shall heave and sink ^ like the Nile of Egypt 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord Jehoyali» That I will cause the sun to go down at noon, And make it dark to the earth in clear day ; 10 And will turn your festivals into mourning. And all your songs into lamentation ; And will bring sackcloth upon all loins. And baldness upon every head ; And will make it ^^ like the mourning for an only son, And the end of it like " a bitter day. 11 Behold, days are coming, saith the Lord Jehovah, When I wUl send a hunger into the land. Not a hunger for bread nor a thirst for water, But to hear the words of Jehovah. 12 And they shall stagger from sea to sea. And rove about from the north even to the east,. To seek the Word of Jehovah, and shall not find it. 13 In that day the fair virgins shall faint. And the young men, for thirst. 14 They who swear by the sin of Samaria, And say, By the life of thy God, O Dan I And, By the life of the way of Beersheba ! They shall fall and rise no more. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. , Y,f 2. VP harvest, summer, here = summer-fruit, or gathered fruit, i. «., fiilly ripe, as 2 Sam. xrl. 1 ; tM. 1. [2 Ver. 2. — The paronomasia in ^''|7 and ^[7_ is marked and forcible. Cf. Ezek. Tii. 6.] 8 Ver. 3. — bS'^n here manifestly is palace, not temple T : •■ 4 Ver. 3. — Tl^btpn has Jehovah for its subject (Keil). Others take it impersonally (Henderson), but Wordaworth (applies " every one '' as the subject. 5 Ver. 3. — ~n is by some, as E. V., rendered as an a.dyeTb = quietly ; but always elsewhere it is an inteijection, and should be so considered here. 6 Ver. 4. — D'^SStl? = pant after [Uke a dog or wild beast yelping and panting after its prey. Wordsworth]. Thli tense is clearly required by the second member, where D"^SStC is to be supplied before H'^liltt??!/. 7 Ver. 4. ^'T 327. There seems no reason for departing from the textual reading here. 8 Ver. 8. — ~l'S3 is a defective form for ~lS"'D (cf. ch. ix. 5), a reading which is found in many of the MSS. T " ^ » Ver. 8. — nptt'3 is a softened form for n2?i7C??, which is given in the Keri, and also in =iany MSS. Ofc nVptp, ch. ix. 5. 10 Ver. 10. — The suffix in H^nTitt? refers to the following ^DK [but Keil makes it refer to all that has preriousl; T • : - V V been mentioned as done upon that day. So Pusey. Henderson refers it to \^7:^> understood. 11 Ver. 10. — The 3 in Di^3, is Caph. veriteUis, 1-2 Ver. 12. — !)2?3T This word is used of the reeling of drunkards, of the swaying to and fro of trees in the wind ,f the quivering of lips, and then of the unsteady seeking of persons bewildered, looking for what they know not when )p find. Fnsey.] 13 Ver. 14. — TIT^. Meier's correction of thia into tJ'I'^, = tiiy beloved, is conject aaI and needless. 52 AMOS. EXEUETICAL AND CRIIICAL. 1. Vers. 1-3. Fourth Vision. The basket with ripe finiit. No more forbearance. Ver. 1. This basket is an image of a people ripe for judgment. The play upon words between the original for ' ripe fruit " and that for " end," indicates more, dearly the necessary result of the ripeness, namely, the downfall of the people. Ver. 3. Songs become howlings — wherefore"? The answer follows : because of the multitude of the dead. The exclamation Hush ! is an admoni- tion to bow beneath the tremendous severity of the divine judgment. Vers. 4-14. What has been briefly expressed in vers. 1-3 is here expanded into a longer discourse, the sinful conduct of the great which makes them ripe for judgment, and the heavy penalty which they must suffer. (a.) Vers. 4-6. Hear this, ye who, etc. A description of their wanton course. They pant after the poor and destroy the meek by grasping all property for themselves. Cf. Job xxii. 8 ; Is. v. 8. This is further defined in the two following verses, in which the prophet makes the men describe their own feelings and conduct. Ver. 5. They cannot even wait for the end of the festival in order to resume their traffic. The new moon was a holiday, like the Sabbath, on which trade and business ceased. To open wheat = to open the granaries ; cf. Gen. xli. 56. What Joseph did for the benefit of the poor, these did for their own advantage, making usurious gains from others' poverty. With this they united fraud ; by diminishing the measure and increasing the shekel = by demanding one of greater weight than the right standard ; and by falsifying the scales = using scales arranged so us to cheat. Ver. 6. Thus the poor man was made so poor that he was compelled to sell himself either fur a piece of silver which he owed, or for a pair of shoes which he had gotten and was unable to pay for. Thus he could not meet the smallest expendi- ture. To complete the case, only the refuse grain was sold to them, for which yet they had to pay the same as for good grain. (b.) Vers. 7-14. Punishment of such wickedness. (1.) Vers. 7-10. Hath sworn by the pride of Jacob, i. e., by himself who was the pride and glory of Israel. " ^y leaving such sins unpun- ished He would deny his glory in Israel." (Keil.) Ver. 8. Therefore or for this, namely, for these deeds. These are Jehovah's words, and carry Dut the thought of " not forgetting the deeds," by a delineation of the impending judgment. The question, Shall not, etc., is intended to forestall the idea that such things could be left unpunished. It is incorrect to refer the " for this," to the pun- ishment as if it were intended to emphasize that. The form of the speech, i. e., the question, does not suit this view ; and besides, in that case the punishment itself would be really indicated only in ver. 7, so that this unusual prominence of its impressiveness would be witiiout a motive. The Baiiie words recur in ch. ix. 5, but there as a de- fccription of God's omnipotence, manifesting itself, however, in judgments. The earth heaves, be- tause the Lord touches it (ch. ix. 5). The trem- bling of the earth as a heaving and sinking is ex- plained by comparison with the rise and fall of the Nile. Ver. 9. In that day, i. e., the day of the judg- aaent, in which what has just been mentioned is to take place. In close connection with the trembling of the earth is its becoming dark : the one is not conceivable without the other. At bottom ver. ^ describes a return of the earth to its original cond» tion of chaos — the sun go down at midday ; not a mere eclipse, but a catastrophe which sul> verts the order of nature. [An eclipse is not tha " going down " of the sun. The minute calcula- tions of Hitzig and Michaelis, repeated and ex- tended byPnsey, are therefore quite aside from tha purpose. — C] Ver. 10 describes more minutely the general mourning already touched upon in ver. 8. Cf. v. 3 ; ch. v. 16 ; Hosea ii. 13. Baldness upon e-very head. The shaving of a bald place was a sign uf mourning. Cf. Is. iii. 124. (2.) Vers. 11-14. A new and peculiar trait lu the delineation of the judgment, the bitter day. The Word of God, which men now despise, they will then long fur, but in vain. Too late I This threat bears obliquely upon the insatiable avarice of those who live in luxury through their oppres- sion of the poor. At the same time they are the persons who now will not listen to the Word of God. Ver. 12. They stagger, because plagued by hunger and thirst. From sea to sea, indefinitely, the sea being conceived of as the end of the earth (Ps. Ixxii. 8). From the north to the east — from north to south, and from east to west, i. e., to every quarter of the globe. Ver. 13. So great is the torment of this unsat- isfied hunger and thirst that the strongest suc- cumb to it; these are individualized as the young men and the maidens ; if they fail, much more the weak. Ver. 14. The sin of Samaria = that by which Samaria sins, the golden calf at Bethel. This is the most ])robal)le explanation, because of the cor- responding expression in the next clause, the god of Dan = the golden calf there. By the life of the way; by the life of, is a customary formula of swearing, here improperly used lU reference to a thing. The way of Beersheba= the way by which men go to Beersheba, to the worship there. The swearing by these objects shows that the young men and maidens are worshippers of these idols and make pilgrimages to Beersheba. DOCTRINAL AND JIOHAL 1. According to our chapter the ripeness of the people for judgment is due to the violence and in- justice practiced by the rich and noble upon the poor. These are peculiarly flagitious sins which call down the judgments of God. As such a statement reveals to us a degree of moral corrup- tion which is frightful, so we learn from the sever- ity with which the sins are rebuked and con- demned, not only the spirit of justice but also the compassion which belongs to the religion of the Old Testament. It desires that every one, even the poorest, should have his i-ights, and even comes forward to protect the poor as such against the violence of the rich. They have a counsellor in God, who, as He piotects them by the law, con- tinues to do so by the penalties imposed upon the transgressors of the law. He does indeed bear long with those tran.sgressors who oppress the poor, so that it may appear as if He had forgotten them ; but as He owes, so to speak, the duty of sympathy with the poor and their necessities, bo does He also that of forbearance with their oppre* CHAPTER VIII. 53 Bors, because He desires not the death of the sin- ner but rather that he would turn and live. 2. The frightful severity of God's judgments, so far from being opposed to the compassion which cares for the poor and feeble, is rather in full har- mony with it. The modern polemical spirit against the Old Testament descriptions of this Severity, betrays its origin too plainly ; it knows nothing in truth of sin, and therefore nothing of the divine judgment upon sin. It foils to see that llic love which it claims for its God, really be- comes the greatest harshness, since it denies the ])ossibility of the jumishment of sinners and there- fore any efBcacious opposition to the unrighteous- ness wrought by them. Only a God who is truly terror malorum can truly be amor bonorum. More- over we do as a matter of fact continually meet with occurrences, in detail and in gross, which un- deniably are judgments upon the sins of men, and that in these there is an execution of a law of moral government, can just as little be denied. So much the more foolish then is the opposition to the so-called ferocious God of the Jews, to the re- tiiiiatory spirit of tlie Old Testament. Now he- cause men do not believe that there is and must be iu God, along with, or rather lor the sake of, the love which He is, strictness in judgment, He is ob- liged to show to a race which has lost its taith in the God of the Scriptures, by actual facts, as vio- lent as those of tlie year 1870, that the storms of divine wrath are not merely outgrowths of a crude, undisciplined view of life, and tokens of a low state of culture, but a reality, planted in the midst of a century claiming to itself the highest culture. When the measure is full, these storms break forth, and a luindrcd times over put to flight " culture," " love," and all similar watchwords of the modern spirit. Then there often comes sud- denly a "shaking "of the earth, or gloom falls upon an entire nation so that it becomes dark in bright daylight, or the festivals are turned into mourning and songs into lamentations, or all loins are clothed in sackcloth, — just when men in their blind security held such things to be impossible. Yes, times of war furnish only too striking illus- trations of those words of Scripture which a race, strong in the conviction of its own leadership, coolly dismisses as a coarse and antiquated rhet- oric, while it passes to the order of the day. Such fearful periods compel even an unbelieving race to forebode that the final judgment may prove a reality compared with which all preceding judg- ments are trifles. But faith sees in these latter a divine finger-mark pointing to the former, for which reason men of God, like the prophets, con- tinually unite with their descriptions of interme- diate judgments a reference to the last great judg- ment ; and this the more when they describe judgments which are at least relatively decisive, inasmuch as they make an end of an entire king- dom. 3. When divine judgments come and give flam- ing proof of God's existence to a race which has forsaken and forgotten Him, the once despised and hated word of the Lord is appreciated again. Men " hunger and thirst " for it, but often at first not in the right way. They desire as speedily as pos- sible to hear of promises and consolations, and to these every ear is open. But it is in vain. We now aeed expect no new revelation from God. We have '' his Word " in the Scripture. But when this is a long time despised, it follows at last that there is no one to preach it, and without a living preacher, it is finally lost. Or if it is preached, it has no power to console, and men fiiil to find what thej seek. Thus there ensues a longing which is not sat> isfied. The result is otherwise only when men hovt themselves in penitence under the divine threaten- ings as deserved, and under the divine Spirit in- wardly blame themselves for their previous apos- tasy. But who knows whether man will find room for repentance 1 Before he reaches that point, while he is in the midst of his vain longing for comfort, he may be snatched away. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. [Ver. 1. Thus the Lord — shewed me. The sen- tence of Amaziah being pronounced, Amos re- sumes just where he had left off before. Araa- ziah's vehement interruption is like a stone cast into deep waters. They close over it, and it leaves no trace. The last vision declared that the end was certain ; this, that it was at hand. (Pusey.) Ver. 2. A basket with ripe fruit. At harvest time there is no more to be done for the crop. Good or bad, it has i-eached its end and is cut down. So the harvest of Israel was come. . . Heavenly influ- enees cair but injure the ripened sinner, as dew, rain, sun, but injure the ripened fruit. Israel was ripe, but for destruction. (Ibid.) Rev. xvi. 18, Gatlier the clusters of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. (Ibid.) Ver. 3. The songs shall howl. When sounds of joy are turned into wailing, there must be complete sorrow. They are not merely hushed but turned into their opposite. Just the I'cverse is promised to the godlv: Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shairiaugh (Luke vi. 21 ). [Ibid.) Ver. .5. Wlien will the new moon be over? The Psalmist said. When shall I come and appear be- fore God i These said, When will this service be over that we may be our own masters again ? Sin in wrong measures once begun is unbroken. All sin perpetuates itself; it is done again because it has been done before. But sins of a man's daily occupation are continued of necessity, beyond the simple force of habit and the ever increasing dropsy of covctousness. To interrupt them is to risk de- tection. How countless then their number! When human law was enforced in a city after a time of neg- lii:ence, scarcely a weight was found to be honest. Prayer went up to God on the Sabbath, and fraud on the poor went up to God in every transaction on the other six days. (Pusey.) Ver. 7. Jehovah hath sworn, etc. God must cease to be God, if He did not do what He sware to do — punish the oppressors of the poor. (76.) Wo, and a thousand woes, to that man that is cut off by an oath of God from all benefit by pardoning me. cy. (M. Henry.) — C] The evil deeds of the wick-ed are inscribed in a perpetual memorial before God ; but the sins of believers are cast by Him into the depths of the sea so that they never again coma into mind. Micah vii. 19. (Pf. B. W.) [Ver. 8. Shall not the earth tremble for this? Those who will not tremble and mourn as they ought for national sins shall be made to tremble and mourn for national judgments. (M. Henry.) Ver. 9. The sun goes down at noon. Sorrow is saddest when it comes upon fearless joy. God commonly in his mercy sends heralds of coming sorrow; very few burst suddenly upon man. Now in the meridian brightness of the day of Israel, the blackness of night should fiiU uj)on him. (Pusey.) Ver. 10. Turn your feasts into mourning. As to the upright there ariseth light in the darkness 5i AMOS. which gives thein the oil of joy for mourning, so on the wicked there falls darkness in the midst of light which turns their joy into heaviness. I'he end of it as a bitter day. There is no hope that when things are at the worst, they will mend. No, the state of impenitent sinners grows worse and worse ; and the last of all will be the worst of all. (M. Henry.) Ver. 11. Not a hunger for bread. In death and dreariness, in exile from the land of their fathers, crushed by oppressors, hearing only of gods more cruel than those who make them, how will they hunger and thirst for any tidings of one who cares for the weary and heavy-laden, one who would have man-servant and maid, the cattle and the stranger within the gates to rest as well as the prince ; of one who had fixed the year of jubilee that the debtor might be released and the captive go free O, what a longing in a land of bondage to heal of such a Being ; to believe that all that had been told of Him in former days was not a dream, to have a right to tell their children that it was trm for them ! (Maurice.) Ver. 12. From sea to sea, etc. Even the profane, when they see no help, will have recourse to God. Saul in his extremity inquired of the Lord, and He answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. (Pusey.) Such is the pres- ent condition of the Jews. They roam in restless vagrancy about the world and seek the word of God ; but they find it not, because they have killed the incarnate Word revealed in the written word (Jerome.) — C] Vijih Vision. Chapter IX. The Dovmfall. Not even a little Grain peiishes. After the Overthrow of all careUia Sintun God will raise the fallen Tent of David to new Glory. I saw the Lord standing at ^ the altar, And He said, Smite the top ^ tliat the thresholds may tremble, And dash them^ upon the head of all, And their remnant I will kill with the sword ; He that fleeth of them shall not flee away, And he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered. 2 If they break through '' into hell, From thence will my hand take them ; And if they climb up to hea\'en. Thence will I bring them down. 3 And if they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, From thence will I search and take them out. And if they conceal themselves from my sight in the bottom of the sea^ From thence will I command the serpent ^ and he bites them. 4 And if they go into captivity before their enemies, From thence will I command the sword, and it slays them, And I set mine eye upon them for evil and not for good. 5 And the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, Who toucheth the earth and it melteth,® And all that dwell therein mourn ; And the whole of it riseth up like the Nile, And sinketh down like the Nile of Egypt, 6 Who buildeth his upper chambers '' in the heaven, And his vault,* — over the earth He founded it, WTjo calleth to the waters of the sea, And poureth them out upon the face of the earth ; Jehovah is his Name. Are y3 not as the sons of the Cushites unto me, Ye sons of Israel ? saith Jehovah. Have not I brouglit up Israel from the land of Egypt, And the Philistines from Caphtor, And the Syrians from Kir ? liehold, the eyes of the Lord, Jehovah, are upon the sinf d kingdom,* And I will destro3' it CHAPTER IX 56 From off the face of the earth, Saving that ^° I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord. 9 For behold, I, I will command And will shake the house of Israel among all nations, As one shaketh in a sieve, And not even a little grain " shall fall to the ground. 10 By the sword shall all the sinners of my people die, Who say. The evil will not overtake nor reach ^^ us. 11 In that day will I raise up The fallen hut '» of David, And wall ^* up its breaches, And raise up its ruins,^* And build it '* as in the days of old ; 12 That they may possess ^'^ the remnant of Edom and all the nations Upon whom my name is called, Saith Jehovah who doeth this. 13 Behold, the days are coming, saith Jehovah, When the ploughman reaches to the reaper, And the treader of grapes to the sower of seed ; And the mountains drop new wine. And all the hills melt : 14 And I bring back the captives '* of my people, Israel, And they build the waste cities, and inhabit them, And plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 And I plant them upon their land. And they shall no more be torn up out of their land which I gave to them, Saith Jehovah, thy God. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL. [1 Ver. 1. — V^, used with ^!J3 = at or by. Cf. Gen. xTiii. 2; 1 Sam. iy. 20.] a Ver. 1 — "linD5 = '^°ob, h. pillar-top or capital, P]Z) = threshold, usually that over which one enters a build- tog, but also = the foundation-beams in which the posts are inserted. So here. 5 Ver. 1. — E^-^Zl for D37^I1 (Green, Heb. Gr., 125, 1). The suffix D — has no exact antecedent. It cannot be referred naturally to CDD, nor in order to admit of such reference should the latter word be altered to mean " pro- jecting roof of the temple supported by pillars." It belongs to '^ij^D^j ^""^ either denotes that the capital on various pillars was struck, or the thought is that one capital was dashed into many pieces. [KeU and Hengstenberg refer it to both the capitals and the thresholds or the entire building, which is greatly preferable.] 4 Ver. 2. — "Ijjin with 3 = to break through into. 6 Ver. 3. — ffiTlS = water-serpent, not to be more closely defined — elsewhere called ^n"*") V or "J''3P|. Is xxvii. 1. « Vep 5. — 3^^, lit. to melt ; here denotes the dissolution of the earth. Others [Fiirst] = to fail through fiear, to quake. The latter half of the verse is repeated with insignificant alterations from chap. viii. ver. 8. 7 Ver. 6. — i~n727Q = jTT'^y, Ps. cir. 3, lit., places to which one has to ascend, upper chambers, lofts 8 Ver. 6. — n"^:iS, vault = 27 V"l. 9 Ver. 8. — D1S2, '''■) they rest upon the sinful kingdom, in order to destroy it. [Verbs and noiuis expressive M »nger are connected by 3 with the object on which the anger rests. Cf. Ps. xxxiv. 17 [Hengst.j. 10 Ver. 8 — "'^ D2S introduces a limitation. 11 Ver. 9. — Tl"1^, 'I'^.a thing tightly bound together; hence anything solid, as a pebble or litt'.e stone (2 S&m. rrd. 13) ; here, a kernel or grain of com, as oppo.sed to the loose, dusty chaff. 12 Ver 10. — "T^2 D'^^pFI, lit., to come between = so as to block up the way of escape. [Usage requires us t« nnd«r, " to come to meet one round about," i. e., from every side.] 18 Ver. 11.— nSp, tit., a booth, here a hut. 14 Ver. 11. — "*J*\I~?"32, the " dose " of E. V., is better replaced by " wall " from the margin. The plural suffix in "1?} probably refers to " walls " understood. [Keil and Hengstenberg say that it indicates that both kingdoms are intend»d 16 Ver 11. — The suffix in D"in refers to Israel understood [but others refer it to David}. 66 AMOS. x9 Ver. jil. — The sa&x. in ^312 all agree, refers to the fullen hut. 17 Ver 12. — ^m '1'^^, take possession of, in reference to Num. xxiv. 18. M Ver. 14. — n^Utt? I!l'"lCi7. Keil vainly contenda against explaining this formula as meaning " to restore the aapi ilTM," and insists that it= to turn a state of misery into one of prosperity. [Uengstenberg strongly maintains the 1st- tar view, which indeed in such eases as Job xlii. 10 must be admitted.] EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. A Fifth Vision. In the four previous visions, the I/ord showed the prophet only what He was about to do ; in this one the prophet sees the Lord actu- ally engaged in executing his judgment. 1. Vers. 1-4, describe an annihilating judgment which none can escape. Ver. 1. The altar here cannot possibly denote the one at Jerusalem, in spite of all that Keil urges to the contrary. In that case the object of the vision would be one es- sentially different from that which is mentioned in the threatening, namely, all Israel, and would be Judah in particular, and this, without any indica- tion of th« change. There is the less reason for assuming such a change, since the chapter does not give any statement of sins as the ground of the judgment the execution of which it records. The reason of the omission is that the necessity for this judgment has been already shown in the setting forth of the sins of the ten tribes. Hence our chap- ter treats of a judgment upon this kingdom. That judgment has already been threatened and the grounds of it assigned, whereas one of another kind would require the reasons for it to be stated. But there is an entire lack of such reasons ; for the prophet, in spite of what he says in chap. ii. ver. 4, does not consider Judah as deserving such a com- plete destruction of its political existence as this chapter describes. Such a judgment corresponds to the condition of things in Israel, but not at all to that in Judah so far as known to the prophet. And it by no means follows that because an anni- hilating stroke afterwards fell upon this kingdom, the prophet announced it here. That would be to take a very nnhistorical view of prophecy. We should rather say that if he announced such a fate, he would also have described Judah as meriting it. But he does no such thing. Therefore he knows of no such corruption in Judah, regards its measure of iniquity as not yet full, and hence knows noth- ing of the judgment which was one day to destroy it. But in fact, had Judah's sin become so gross, and had the prophet known of it, still it would not have been noticed in this connection, because Amos is not a prophet for Judah, but only touches that kingdom lightly, for the most part passing it over •wholly. And it cannot be assumed that he threat- ens such a destructive visitation upon Judah equally with Israel, whose desert of punishment he has set forth not only immediately before, but in a contin- uous series of chapters. A fundamental law of prophecy is to balance, so to speak, the sinfulness and the judgment against each other. But no such statement concerning Judah is found in our chapter. In fine, it is only by violence that the phrase, the sinful kingdom, can be understood to mean " Israel and Judah embraced in one." No, if the kingdom of Israel is so expressly and amply described as sinful and then expressly named " the einful kingdom," then, according to all the rules of a sound hermeneutics, certainly this kingdom of Israel must be intended in the first place, and not •it the same time another kingdom the sinfulness •f •which was not specially noticed. Smite, according to the simplest view, is ad dressed to the prophet. For of angels (Keil) there is no mention here. The prophet is not to be merely a spectator, but takes part in the action. That he was not in a situation to do what is here enjoined is no objection, for the whole transaction takes place in vision. A blow which strikes the pil- lar-capitals so that the foundation-beaniF shake, is manifestly = a crash that brings the whole building to the ground. We are then to think of a temple. The shaking to the ground is only the first step ; the stroke aims farther, namely, to break to pieces. Upon the head of all ; the whole people is con- sidered as assembled around the national sanc- tuary. What is meant, then, is a destruction, and that total. That no one can escape is expressly said afterwards, but with a change from the lan- guage of vision to that of reality. Their remnant refers to the all, and shows that it is to be under- stood in its full force, — should any succeed in es- caping the crash of the building, even these God would slay with the sword. The universality of the destruction is also negatively set forth in the remaining clauses of ver 1, and is still farther ex- panded with poetical minuteness in the three fol- lowing verses. Cf. Ps. cxxxix. 7, 8. Ver. .3. On the top of Carmel. Named partly as a mountain which is of considerable height as compared with the sea over which it rises, and partly as a point on the extreme western boundary of the kingdom. " Whoever hides himself there, must know of no other secure refuge in all the land beside. And if there be no security there, nothing is left but the sea." Ver. 4. Even going into captivity shall not save them. 2. Vers. 5, 6. To confirm the threatening, God is described as almighty, such illustrations being cited as show his omnipotence in destroying = He who thus speaks is the Lord, who touches the earth, etc. The first two members of ver. 5 stand in close relation to what follows, and are its foun- dation. Inasmuch as the Lord is enthroned in heaven, he is in a condition to call in the waters of the sea, etc. (and while such devastations are wrought in the earth. He himself is untouched by them). We are not, with Keil, to think here of " a mountain of clouds," or of rain, for the inunda- tion is plainly stated to proceed ft-om the sea, not from rain. Nor is it natural to admit a reference to the phj'sical fact that the waters of the sea ascend on high in vapor in order to come dowa again as rain. Ver. 6, therefore is not to be re- garded as an allusion to the Deluge, but rather as a marine inundation, such as often occurs in con- sequence of an earthquake ; e. iritual power and greatness, the spiritual freedom which the j)eo[)le of God now en- joy, will obtain a corres])0iiding outward sensible manifestation. Inward prosperity will not lack thaf ivliich is outward, yet in a higher sense than the Old Covenant understood it, since the distinc- tion between the outward and the inward will in the main be. done away. The hope of this final glory of the people of God has a right to nourish Itself constantly from the prophecies which give Buch bright pictures of the future glory of Isratl. So far these prophecies preserve constantly their Bignilicmce for ihe religious life. By their confi- dent and assured tone they greatly oppose and un- dermine the, doubts awakened by the day of small thing;; in v-hich we live. 6. The opinion that our promise is fulfilled it Christ is confirmed in the New Testament (Acta xii. 15) by the Apostle James. He sees a fulfill- ment of the words of Amos (ver. 12) concerning the relation of the nations = the heathen, to the restored Israel, in Peter's statement of the efFecti of faith in Christ among the heathen, sin<"e these without being circumcised had received the Holy Spirit. He thus probably understands the phrase, " upon whom my name is called," in a pregnant sense = upon whom God has testified Himself as God, therefore as a promise of an inward relation of God to the heathen, but at bottom a promise of the bestowment of the Holy Ghost upon them. Therefore he regards the advices of Peter as a ful- fillment of the prophetic utterance. This explana- tion does not conform to the original seii'^e of the prophet's words (see above in Critical and Exeget- ical), just as the words immediutely preceding are given by James in a form quite ditt'erent from the Hebrew. For us the only important point is that James considers the fulfillment of this |iromise as beginning with Christ. But we may draw a far- ther conclusion. If James sees this staicuicnt of Amos concerning the heathen and their relation to Israel fulfilled in the appearance of Christ, in so far as that caused the reception of the S|)irit by believers in Him, then certainly he regards the promise of the restoration of David's fallen hut as fulfilled in Christ. Although the promise, literally understood, treats of an outward restoration, a re- turn of outward greatness to Israel as a kingdom, yet the tenor of the discourse is wholly different ; James therefore, since he saw its fulfillment then occurring, could not possibly have cherished any dreams of an outward glorification of the kingdom of Israel to be expected in the future on the ground of the prophetic utterances. The only correct view is, that to him the people of (loii appeared in the closest union with the national Israel, and ho saw Christ and his salvation as obtained in the first instance tor the latter. The national Israel to him always stood in the foreground. But he saw the promises to the nation fulfilled in the spiritual blessings which proceeded from Christ. But it was inconsistent to take the prophet's prom- ises literally in respect to " Israel," i. e., to claim them for the national Israel, and yet not to take them literally in respect to their meaning, not to understand them as holding out an earthly great- ness, a national blessing ; and hence both Peter and Paul went fsir beyond this view. But it is re- markable that James, who was so pronounced a representative of the Judaistic tendency, should regard such a promise as we have in Amos, as ful- filleil, so far as regards its meaning, in the appear- ance of Christ and the spiritual blessings thence resulting, without even once referring it to the sec- ond coming of the Saviour. Even he therefore is a patron of the so-called .'•piritual interpretation of the prophecies ; and if the theological explana- tion here rinds itself in agreement with a disciple of the Lord, and him a man of strong Jewish-Chris- tian feeling, that is a proof tiiat it is on the right track, and has so much the more reason for dis- owning the doctrine of a future glorification of the national Israel as guaranteed by the prophets. 7. In relation to the promises ol piophecy, wa may make the same remark as before in relation to prophetical threatcnings in chap, vii., sec. 6, of Doctrinal and Moral. As the jiropliet is not the mere instrument of revelation without will of hit own, we must, while fully ackno'ivle\ regard them as evidences of the prophet's own strength of faith. While he at first on account of the prevailing sinfulness sees only punishment and downfall, a speedy outbreak of divine wrath, yet at the same time he holds firm as a rock the hope that the grace of God will return and a new salvation begin for the people of God. The divine promises made to Israel as the people of God are an anchor of his faith and a light to illumine the gloomy fu- ture before him, so that the final aim of the pro- cedure remains to him immovably noble. If it is the old promises upon which his faith rests, these are reanimated and freshly confirmed by the new revelations he receives. But this occurs only when they are firmly believed, and therefore the utter- ance of them is an evidence of strength of faith. HOMTLETICAL AND PRACTICAL. Ver. 1. Smite the top, etc. The judgments of 1"rod when they begin are like mighty blows, which make everything tremble, if they do not altogether dash to pieces. Apostasy from God (idolatry) is that which decides the case, and at last makes the divine judgments break forth. Vers. 2, 3. That which is our greatest confi- dence when God is on our side, namely, that He is everj'where present, is our terror when He is agaiust ns. [The prophet has not employed a superfluous heap of words. Every syllable is important, even though at first it may seem otherwise. The Holy Spirit designs to shake off our self-flatteries and rouse our innate torpor, that we may not think of God as of ourselves, but know that his power ex- tends to all hiding-places. — Calvin. Ver. 4. And I set mine eye, etc. The eye of God upon us is our whole hope and stay and life. It is ou the confessor in prison, the martyr on the rack, the poor in their suflferings, the raounier in the chamber of death, for good. What if that eye, the source of all good, rests on his creature only for evil ■? — Pusey.] Vers. 5, 6. God's omniscience and omnipres- ence gain their whole significance from his omnip- otence. But He is as certainly almighty as He is allwise and everywhere present. He commands the earth when and as He mil, and it must obey Him. If He only touch it, it trembles. But no wonder that the earth obeys Him, for it is He who rules also the heaven. [This is the hope of ais servants, the hopelessness of his enemies. — Pu- sey.] Ver. 7. Are ye not as the sons of the Cushites, etc. Woe to him who considers what God through grace has made of him, as his own merit, and therefore boasts ! God will be ashamed of him, and humble him under those over whom he exalts bira?elf Ver. 8. The eyes of the Lord, etc. Nothing es- capes the eyes of God ; even though the contrary may often seem to be the case, yet in the end it is proven that He has seen all, and in his own time administers chastisement. Whole kingdoms as well as individuals are objects of God's attention for joy or for sorrow. Why does m.any a kingdom meet a frightful end ? The eyes of the Lord were upon it and upon its sins, and though men were not conscious of it. finally the fact became mani- fest. Vers. 8, 9. I ivill not utterly destroy, etc. That we do not utterly peiish is due only to the good- ness of God, which has no end Who has reason Ic fea*" the d-vine judgments ? Xot those who are like wheat, but those who resemble chaflF. Hence the grave question to each one ; whom do you resemble? Although it often seems as if even the wheat fell to the ground, yet in the end it is shown to be otherwise. Much seems to be wheat, and \i not. In the sifting power of God's judgments lieaf their chief significance. Ver. 10. Who say, The evil shall not, etc [In both destructions of Jei'usalem, the people perished! the more miserably being buoyed up by the falsa confidence that they should not perish. So too now, none are so likely to perish forever as they who say The evil shall not overtake us. " I will repeni hereafter." " There is time enough yet." " God will forgive the errors of youth, the heat of pas- sion." " God is merciful." Thus Satan deludes thousands upon thousands to their destruction. — Pusey. Ver. 11. As the prophet here declares that a re- deemer would come and renew the whole state of the kingdom, wc see that the faith of the I'aiherii was ever fixed on Christ ; for in the whole world it is He alone who has reconciled us to God. Nor could the fallen Church have been restored other- wise than under one head. If then at this day wa lesire to raise up our minds to God, Christ must immedi.ately become a mediator between ns; for when He is taken away, despair will overwhelm us. Our confidence will come to nothing unless it be founded on Christ alone. — Calvin. The fallen hut. Strange comment on human greatness, that the royal line was not to be employed in the salva- tion of the world until it was fallen ! The royal palace had to become the hut of Nazareth, ere tho Redeemer of the world could be born, whose glory and kingdom were not of this world, who came to take from us nothing but our nature that He might sanctify it, our misery that He might bear it for us. Yet flesh and blood could not foresee it ere it came, as flesh and blood could not believe it when He came. — Pusey. Ver. 12. That they may possess, etc. No gifts of God end in the immediate object of his bounty and love. Israel was rcftored in order that they, the first objects of God's mercies, might win others to God, not Edom only, but all nations upon ■whom his name is called. — Pusey. Ver. 13. The mountains and hills of Judsea, with their terraced sides clad with the vine, were a natural symbol of fruitfulness to the Jews; hw* they themselves could not think that natural fruit fulness was meant under this imagery. It would have been a hyperbole as to things of nature, but what in natural things is a hyperbole, is but a faint shadow of the joys and delights and glad fruitful- ness of grace. — Id. Ver. 14. And they build cities, etc. This needs no exposition, since throughout the world, amid the desert of Heathendom, which was before de- serted by God, churches of Christ have arisen which for firmness of faith may be called cities, and for gladness of hope, vineyards, and for sweetness of charity, gardens ; wherein they dwell who have builded them through the Word, whence they drink the wine of gladness who formed them by precepts, whence they eat fruits who advanced tliein by counsels. — Rupertus- Ver." 1 5. It is a promise of perpetuity like th:H of our Lord, Lo, I am with you alway, etc. As Jerome says, the Church may be shaken by perse- cutions, she cannot be uprooted ; she may bo tempted, she cannot be overcome. For the Lord God Almighty hath promised that He will do it, whose promise is the law to nature. — Pnse3'.J C2 AMOS Often in our time the Church of Christ seems like to David's fallen hut, but only when we look at its outward condition and the many who shun it; so far as regards the power which goes out from Christ and the blessing which He procures, it is not a fallen but a restored hut. For his blessings •re not small. Happy are all who believe in Him. But a day is coming when the Church shall triumph in the face of the world, and stand forth great and noble outwardly as well as inwardly. «t Amen, Iiord, all thy Word ia tme ! Amen, Lord, come, complete it aH! " Date Due : V V *