The seventh, eighth, and ninth chapters contain VISIONS, WITH THEIR EXPLANATIONS. The seventh chapter consists of two parts. First (@Am 7:1-9): PROPHECIES ILLUSTRATED BY THREE SYMBOLS: (1) A vision of grasshoppers or young locusts, which devour the grass, but are removed at Amos' entreaty; (2) Fire drying up even the deep, and withering part of the land, but removed at Amos' entreaty; (3) A plumb-line to mark the buildings for destruction. Secondly (@Am 7:10-17): NARRATIVE OF AMAZIAH'S INTERRUPTION OF AMOS IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE FOREGOING PROPHECIES, AND PREDICTION OF HIS DOOM.
1. showed . . . me; and, behold--The same formula prefaces the three
visions in this chapter, and the fourth in @Am 8:1.
grasshoppers--rather, "locusts" in the caterpillar state, from a
Hebrew root, "to creep forth." In the autumn the eggs are deposited
in the earth; in the spring the young come forth
[MAURER].
the latter growth--namely, of grass, which comes up after the mowing.
They do not in the East mow their grass and make hay of it, but cut it
off the ground as they require it.
the king's mowings--the first-fruits of the mown grass, tyrannically
exacted by the king from the people. The literal locusts, as in Joel,
are probably symbols of human foes: thus the "growth" of grass "after
the king's mowings" will mean the political revival of Israel under
Jeroboam II (@2Ki 14:25), after it had been mown down, as it were,
by Hazael and Ben-hadad of Syria (@2Ki 13:3),
[GROTIUS].
2. by whom shall Jacob arise?--If Thou, O God, dost not spare, how can
Jacob maintain his ground, reduced as he is by repeated attacks of
the Assyrians, and erelong about to be invaded by the Assyrian Pul
(@2Ki 15:19,20)? Compare @Isa 51:19. The mention of "Jacob" is
a plea that God should "remember for them His covenant" with their
forefather, the patriarch (@Ps 106:45).
he is small--reduced in numbers and in strength.
3. repented for this--that is, of this. The change was not in the mind
of God (@Nu 2:19 Jas 1:17), but in the effect outwardly. God
unchangeably does what is just; it is just that He should hear
intercessory prayer (@Jas 5:16-18), as it would have been just for
Him to have let judgment take its course at once on the guilty nation,
but for the prayer of one or two righteous men in it (compare
@Ge 18:23-33 1Sa 15:11 Jer 42:10). The repentance of the sinner, and
God's regard to His own attributes of mercy and covenanted love, also
cause God outwardly to deal with him as if he repented (@Jon 3:10),
whereas the change in outward dealing is in strictest harmony with God's
own unchangeableness.
It shall not be--Israel's utter overthrow now. Pul was influenced by
God to accept money and withdraw from Israel.
4. called to contend--that is with Israel judicially
(@Job 9:3 Isa 66:16 Eze 38:22). He ordered to come at His call the
infliction of punishment by "fire" on Israel, that is, drought (compare
@Am 4:6-11), [MAURER].
Rather, war (@Nu 21:28), namely,
Tiglath-pileser [GROTIUS].
devoured the . . . deep--that is a great part of Israel, whom he
carried away. Waters are the symbol for many people (@Re 17:15).
did eat up a part--namely, all the land (compare @Am 4:7) of
Israel east of Jordan (@1Ch 5:26 Isa 9:1). This was a worse judgment
than the previous one: the locusts ate up the grass: the fire not only
affects the surface of the ground, but burns up the very roots and
reaches even to the deep.
7. wall made by a plumb-line--namely, perpendicular.
8. plumb-line in . . . midst of . . . Israel--No longer are the
symbols, as in the former two, stated generally; this one is expressly
applied to Israel. God's long-suffering is worn out by Israel's
perversity: so Amos ceases to intercede (compare @Ge 18:33). The
plummet line was used not only in building, but in destroying houses
(@2Ki 21:13 Isa 28:17 34:11 La 2:8). It denotes that God's judgments
are measured out by the most exact rules of justice. Here it is placed
"in the midst" of Israel, that is, the judgment is not to be confined to
an outer part of Israel, as by Tiglath-pileser; it is to reach the very
center. This was fulfilled when Shalmaneser, after a three years' siege
of Samaria, took it and carried away Israel captive finally to Assyria
(@2Ki 17:3,5,6,23).
not . . . pass by . . . any more--not forgive them any more
(@Am 8:2 Pr 19:11 Mic 7:18).
9. high places--dedicated to idols.
of Isaac--They boasted of their following the example of their
forefather Isaac, in erecting high places at Beer-sheba (@Am 5:5;
compare @Ge 26:23,24 46:1); but he and Abraham erected them before
the temple was appointed at Jerusalem--and to God; whereas they did so,
after the temple had been fixed as the only place for sacrifices--and to
idols. In the Hebrew here "Isaac" is written with s, instead of
the usual ts; both forms mean "laughter"; the change of spelling
perhaps expresses that their "high places of Isaac" may be well so
called, but not as they meant by the name; for they are only fit to be
laughed at in scorn. Probably, however, the mention of "Isaac" and
"Israel" simply expresses that these names, which their degenerate
posterity boasted in as if ensuring their safety, will not save them and
their idolatrous "sanctuaries" on which they depended from ruin (compare
@Am 8:14).
house of Jeroboam with . . . sword--fulfilled in the extinction of
Zachariah, son of Jeroboam II, the last of the descendants of Jeroboam
I, who had originated the idolatry of the calves (@2Ki 15:8-10).
@Am 7:10-17. AMAZIAH'S CHARGE AGAINST AMOS: HIS DOOM FORETOLD.
10. priest of Beth-el--chief priest of the royal sanctuary to the
calves at Beth-el. These being a device of state policy to keep Israel
separate from Judah. Amaziah construes Amos words against them as
treason. So in the case of Elijah and Jeremiah
(@1Ki 18:17 Jer 37:13,14). So the antitype Jesus was charged
(@Joh 19:12); political expediency being made in all ages the
pretext for dishonoring God and persecuting His servants
(@Joh 11:48-50). So in the case of Paul (@Ac 17:6,7 24:5).
in the midst of . . . Israel--probably alluding to Amos' own words,
"in the midst of . . . Israel" (@Am 7:8), foretelling the state's
overthrow to the very center. Not secretly, or in a corner, but
openly, in the very center of the state, so as to upset the whole
utterly.
land is not able to bear all his words--They are so many and so
intolerable. A sedition will be the result. The mention of his being
"priest of Beth-el" implies that it was for his own priestly gain, not
for the king or state, he was so keen.
11. Jeroboam shall die, &c.--Amos had not said this: but that "the house of Jeroboam" should fall "with the sword" (@Am 7:9). But Amaziah exaggerates the charge, to excite Jeroboam against him. The king, however, did not give ear to Amaziah, probably from religious awe of the prophet of Jehovah.
12. Also--Besides informing the king against Amos, lest that course
should fail, as it did, Amaziah urges the troublesome prophet himself to
go back to his own land Judah, pretending to advise him in friendliness.
seer--said contemptuously in reference to Amos visions which
precede.
there eat bread--You can earn a livelihood there, whereas remaining
here you will be ruined. He judges of Amos by his own selfishness, as if
regard to one's own safety and livelihood are the paramount
considerations. So the false prophets (@Eze 13:19) were ready to say
whatever pleased their hearers, however false, for "handfuls of barley
and pieces of bread."
13. prophesy not again--(@Am 2:12).
at Beth-el--Amaziah wants to be let alone at least in his own
residence.
the king's chapel--Beth-el was preferred by the king to Dan, the other
seat of the calf-worship, as being nearer Samaria, the capital, and as
hallowed by Jacob of old (@Ge 28:16,19 35:6,7). He argues by
implication against Amos' presumption, as a private man, in speaking
against the worship sanctioned by the king, and that in the very place
consecrated to it for the king's own devotions.
king's court--that is, residence: the seat of empire, where the king
holds his court, and which thou oughtest to have reverenced. Samaria was
the usual king's residence: but for the convenience of attending the
calf-worship, a royal palace was at Beth-el also.
14. I was no prophet--in answer to Amaziah's insinuation
(@Am 7:12), that he discharged the prophetical office to earn his
"bread" (like Israel's mercenary prophets). So far from being rewarded,
Jehovah's prophets had to expect imprisonment and even death as the
result of their prophesying in Samaria or Israel: whereas the prophets
of Baal were maintained at the king's expense (compare @1Ki 18:19).
I was not, says Amos, of the order of prophets, or educated in their
schools, and deriving a livelihood from exercising the public functions
of a prophet. I am a shepherd (compare @Am 7:15, "flock"; the
Hebrew for "herdsman" includes the meaning, shepherd, compare
@Am 1:1) in humble position, who did not even think of prophesying
among you, until a divine call impelled me to it.
prophet's son--that is, disciple. Schools of prophets are mentioned
first in First Samuel; in these youths were educated to serve the
theocracy as public instructors. Only in the kingdom of the ten tribes
is the continuance of the schools of the prophets mentioned. They were
missionary stations near the chief seats of superstition in Israel, and
associations endowed with the Spirit of God; none were admitted but
those to whom the Spirit had been previously imparted. Their spiritual
fathers travelled about to visit the training schools, and cared for the
members and even their widows (@2Ki 4:1,2). The pupils had their
common board in them, and after leaving them still continued members.
The offerings which in Judah were given by the pious to the Levites, in
Israel went to the schools of the prophets (@2Ki 4:42). Prophecy
(for example, Elijah and Elisha) in Israel was more connected with
extraordinary events than in Judah, inasmuch as, in the absence of the
legal hierarchy of the latter, it needed to have more palpable divine
sanction.
sycamore--abounding in Palestine. The fruit was like the fig, but
inferior; according to PLINY,
a sort of compound, as the name expresses,
of the fig and the mulberry. It was only eaten by the poorest (compare
@1Ki 10:27).
gatherer--one occupied with their cultivation
[MAURER]. To cultivate
it, an incision was made in the fruit when of a certain size, and on the
fourth day afterwards it ripened
[PLINY, Natural History, 13.7,14].
GROTIUS from
JEROME says, if it be not plucked off and "gathered" (which
favors English Version), it is spoiled by gnats.
15. took me as I followed the flock--So David was taken
(@2Sa 7:8 Ps 78:70,71). Messiah is the antitypical Shepherd (@Ps 23:1-6 Joh 10:1-18).
unto my people--"against"
[MAURER]; so @Am 7:16. Jehovah claims
them still as His by right, though slighting His authority. God
would recover them to His service by the prophet's ministry.
16. drop--distil as the refreshing drops of rain (@De 32:2 Eze 21:2; compare @Mic 2:6,11).
17. Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city--that is, shall be forced
by the enemy, while thou art looking on, unable to prevent her dishonor
(@Isa 13:16 La 5:11). The words, "saith the Lord," are in striking
opposition to "Thou sayest (@Am 7:16).
divided by line--among the foe.
a polluted land--Israel regarded every foreign land as that which
really her own land was now, "polluted" (@Isa 24:5 Jer 2:7).