Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Amos 4

Introduction

1  He reproves Israel for oppression,
4  for idolatry,
6  and for their incorrigibleness.

Verse 1

Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.
ye kine
By the "kine of Bashan," some understand the proud, luxurious matrons of Israel; but it is probable the prophet speaks catachrestically, and means the wealthy, effeminate, and profligate rulers and nobles of Samaria.
Deuteronomy 32:14,15, Psalms 22:12, Jeremiah 50:11,27, Ezekiel 39:18
the mountains
6:1, 1 Kings 16:24
which oppress
2:6,7, 3:9,10, 5:11, 8:4-6, Exodus 22:21-25, Deuteronomy 15:9-11, Psalms 12:5, 140:12, Proverbs 22:22,23, 23:10,11, Ecclesiastes 4:1, 5:8, Isaiah 1:17-24, 5:8, 58:6, Jeremiah 5:26-29, 6:6, 7:6, Ezekiel 22:7,12,27,29, Micah 2:1-3, 3:1-3, Zechariah 7:10,11, Malachi 3:5, James 5:1-6
crush
Deuteronomy 28:33, Job 20:19; *marg:; Jeremiah 51:34
Bring
2:8, Joel 3:3

Verse 2

The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.
hath sworn
6:8, Psalms 89:35
he will
Isaiah 37:29, Jeremiah 16:16, Ezekiel 39:4,5, Habakkuk 1:15,16

Verse 3

And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.
ye shall go
2 Kings 25:4, Ezekiel 12:5,12
them into the palace
or, away the things of the palace.
2 Kings 7:7,8,15, Isaiah 2:20, 31:7, Zephaniah 1:18, Matthew 16:26

Verse 4

Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:
Come
A bitter irony and sarcasm, addressed to the idolatrous Israelites.
3:14, Ecclesiastes 11:9, Ezekiel 20:39, Joel 3:9-12, Matthew 23:32, 26:45, Mark 14:41, 5:5, Hosea 4:15, 9:15, 12:11
and bring
Numbers 28:3,4
and your
Deuteronomy 14:28,29, 26:12
three years
Heb. three years of days.

Verse 5

And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
offer a sacrifice
Heb. offer by burning.
Leviticus 7:12,13, 23:17
proclaim
Leviticus 22:18-21, Deuteronomy 12:6,7, Matthew 6:2
for
Psalms 81:12, Matthew 15:9,13,14, 23:23, Romans 1:28, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
this liketh you
Heb. so ye love.
Hosea 9:1,10

Verse 6

And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
cleanness
From want of food, occasioned by severe famine.
and want
Leviticus 26:26, Deuteronomy 28:38, 1 Kings 17:1, 18:2, 2 Kings 4:38, 6:25-29, 8:1, Ezekiel 16:27
yet
8,9, 2 Chronicles 28:22, Isaiah 9:13, 26:11, Jeremiah 5:3, 8:5-7, Hosea 5:15, 6:1, Hosea 7:14-16, Joel 2:12-14, Haggai 2:17, Zechariah 1:3-6, Revelation 2:21, 9:20,21, Revelation 16:10,11

Verse 7

And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.
I have
Leviticus 26:18-21,23,24,27,28, Deuteronomy 28:23,24, 1 Kings 8:35,36, 2 Chronicles 7:13,14, Isaiah 5:6, Jeremiah 3:3, 5:24,25, 14:4,22, Haggai 1:10,11, Zechariah 14:17, James 5:17, Revelation 11:6
when
Joel 2:23, John 4:35
and I
Exodus 8:22, 9:4,26, 10:23, Judges 6:37-40, 1 Corinthians 4:7
and the
Joel 1:10-18

Verse 8

So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
two
1 Kings 18:5, Isaiah 41:17,18, Jeremiah 14:3
but
Ezekiel 4:16, Micah 6:14, Haggai 1:6
yet
6,9-11, Jeremiah 23:14, Hosea 7:10

Verse 9

I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
with
Deuteronomy 28:22, 1 Kings 8:37, 2 Chronicles 6:28, Haggai 2:17
when, etc
or, the multitude of your gardens, etc., did the palmer worm, etc. the palmer-worm.
7:1,2, Deuteronomy 28:42, Joel 1:4, 2:25
yet
6,8, Job 36:8-13, Isaiah 1:5, 42:24,25, Jeremiah 5:3

Verse 10

I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
pestilence
Exodus 9:3-6, 12:29,30, 15:26, Leviticus 26:16,25, Deuteronomy 7:15, 28:22,27,60, Psalms 78:49,50
after the manner
or, in the way. your young.
Leviticus 26:25, 2 Kings 8:12, 10:32, Jeremiah 6:11, 11:22, 18:21, 48:15
and have taken away your horses
Heb. with the captivity of your horses.
2 Kings 13:3,7
the stink
8:3, Deuteronomy 28:26, Jeremiah 8:1,2, 9:22, 15:3, 16:4, Joel 2:20
yet
6, Exodus 8:19, 9:12,17,34,35, 10:3,27, 14:4

Verse 11

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
as God
Genesis 19:24,25, Isaiah 13:19, Jeremiah 49:18, Hosea 11:8, 2 Peter 2:6, Jude 1:7
as a
Zechariah 3:2, 1 Corinthians 3:15, Jude 1:23
yet
6, Jeremiah 6:28-30, Ezekiel 22:17-22, 24:13, Revelation 9:20

Verse 12

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
thus
2,3, 2:14, 9:1-4
prepare
5:4-15, Isaiah 47:3, Ezekiel 13:5, 22:30, Hosea 13:8, Matthew 5:25, 24:44-51, Matthew 25:1-13, Mark 13:32-37, Luke 14:31,32, 21:3-36, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, James 4:1-10, Revelation 3:3

Verse 13

For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.
he that
This is a most powerful description of the majesty of Jehovah, the God of hosts.
Job 38:4-11, Psalms 65:6, Isaiah 40:12, Zechariah 12:1
and createth
Psalms 135:7, 147:18, Jeremiah 10:13, 51:16
wind
or, spirit.
John 3:8
and declareth
Psalms 139:2, Daniel 2:28, Matthew 9:4, Luke 7:39,40, John 2:25
that maketh
5:8, 8:9, Exodus 10:22, 14:20, Isaiah 5:30, Jeremiah 13:16
and treadeth
Deuteronomy 32:13, 33:29, Micah 1:3, Habakkuk 3:19
The Lord
3:13, 5:8, 6:8, 9:6, Isaiah 47:4, 48:2, Jeremiah 10:16, 51:19

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