Amos 4

Notes

Ver. 1-3. Hear, ye wealthy and potent rulers of Israel dwelling in Samaria, the capital, who oppress the poor, and sell them for slaves, or determine the cause against them, that ye may feast on the price; therefore God hath irrevocably determined that the Assyrians shall murder and carry you into captivity, like so many small fish; and the walls of your city being broken down, part of you shall flee to the mountains, or shut up yourselves in the palace, but all to no purpose. The fugitives shall be pursued, and the high fortress laid low. 4, 5. And since you are so addicted to your idolatrous worship at Beth-el and Gilgal, pursue it in all its branches, devoting that to idols which is due to me, till ye have ripened yourselves for the most fearful and inevitable destruction. 12, 13. Some have been destroyed by fire from heaven or some terrible judgment; and you who remain were saved with great difficulty, and are still in danger.—Therefore, whether I bring on you some more terrible judgment, or introduce the promised Messiah, prepare for the event by faith and repentance.—In vain ye will dare to contemn or oppose me, who am the Almighty Creator, the omniscient beholder of hearts and every subtle contrivance; and able to turn the most flourishing prosperity into misery, and to tread down the proudest opposers.

Ver. 1. Kine of Bashan. Bashan was famous for its flocks and herds, De. 32. 14; and its oppressive rulers are called 'kine,' because irrational and cruel. See Ps. 22. 12. C.

Ver. 2. Fish-hooks—fishing instruments (Newcome). The allusion is most probably to inclosures of wicker-work, into which the fish are conducted by the stream, and then easily caught. C.

Ver. 3. Breaches—openings (Newcome): certain apertures in the wicker-work leading into traps.—Cow. The word to be supplied cannot be 'cow,' but rather 'fish;' as the reference is entirely to fishing.—Her, it (Newcome).

Ver. 4. This is neither a permission, a command (see ch. 5. 5), nor an irony, but a judgment; of which this is the meaning—'Seeing you do not like to retain God in your knowledge,' by worshipping him at Jerusalem, as he has commanded, therefore I adjudge you to be 'given over to your own reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient,' Ro. 1. 28. C.

Ver. 5. With leaven. The use of leaven in sacrifice of thanksgiving was not contrary to law, though in other cases it was forbidden; comp. Le. 2. 11 with 7. 13. The meaning of the whole passage seems to be this:—'However accurately and minutely you imitate the law in worship, yet, as you reject my authority as to the place, Jerusalem—the object, the true God; and the end, holiness—your service must be rejected.' C.

Ver. 10. Pestilence, after the manner of Egypt. Most probably either the plague or ophthalmia—the two diseases, the latter especially, that seem characteristic of Egypt, De. 7. 15. C.

Ver. 12. This will I do unto thee—that is, as he proceeds to describe in the succeeding chapter. C.

Reflections.—God always in the end appears the patron of the injured. Great men often take infernal pleasure to render their inferiors miserable. And what they get by extortion is ordinarily expended on intemperance and luxury. But what is obtained by wickedness strangely perishes, and God turns men out of those rich enjoyments which they abuse to his dishonour, or renders them their plague; and nothing is more awful than his giving them up to their own hearts' lusts. In diversified forms, increasingly dreadful, God can punish and destroy his obstinate adversaries; and he can wonderfully distinguish men in his mercies or judgments. Whether therefore he add to his justice, or power, meet me in mercy, let me prepare for his coming, all awed by his greatness and his glory!