ANNOTATIONS ON AMOS

THE ARGUMENT

The prophecies of Amos and Hosea have a great conformity, both in respect of the time when, and the persons, the ten tribes, to whom chiefly they were sent. Amos prophesied in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel; But how long he prophesied, is not specified. He threatens both Judah and Israel, for their sins, but Israel chiefly, and throughout his prophecy; that, for their ingratitude, idolatry, cruelty, inhumanity, pride, incorrigibleness, wantonness, and corruption in every kind, they should be punished: and further, that their sun should be darkened at noonday; that is, when Israel thought themselves at the height of state, they should be cast off, for obscuring the Sun of righteousness: yet God would build again the tabernacle of David, and return his captived people, both Judah and Israel, into their own land. Or thus; Two years before an earthquake. Amos foretells of strange shakings of six heathen neighboring nations; of God's judgments upon Judah also: But principally upon Israel: Jeroboam's house to be ruined, and Israel to be captived: yet Judah and Israel should at last be restored to Christ; with Edom, or all nations. See Acts 15. Or thus more particularly and orderly; Amos his prophecy tells of God's judgments; First, against the neighbor nations, enemies of the Church, Chap. 1, and 2. Secondly, against the sins of his people; specially Israel's. And that, first, in plain speech; secondly, under a double type. His plain speech, or sermons, are either general, of judgments against Israel's ingratitude, and idolatry, Chap. 3. Violence and incorrigibleness, Chap. 4. Injustice, and oppression of the poor, slighting God's threatenings, and hypocritical worship, Chap. 5. Putting off the evil day, and wanton voluptuousness, Chap. 6. Or special judgments concerning Amaziah, who accused Amos of conspiracy; and concerning his family, Chap. 7. The types signifying the approaching subversion, are, first, a basket of summer fruit, Chap. 8. Secondly, the door of the Temple struck and shaken, signifying God's abdicating his house, and people, Chap. 9. which is ended with evangelical promises concerning the reedifying and restoring the Church, and making it catholic, by and under Christ.

CHAPTER 1

{The words of Amos} That is, the sum, collection, and heads of all his Sermons; that so we may know what his Doctrine and Teaching was. And so it is with all the other Prophets; which is a thing diligently to be observed throughout them all.

{who was among the} Chap. 7.14.

{herdmen} Namely, one of those that make a trade in bringing up of cattle and living by the profits and fruit of them, or by trafficking therein. Chap. 7.14.

{of Tekoa} A city of Judah where that wise woman dwelt, 2 Sam. 14.2. Rebuilt or fortified by Rehoboam, 2 Chron. 11.5,6. mentioned, Jer. 6.1. But yet Amos prophesied in Israel. See Chap. 7.12.

{which he saw} By Gods revelation to him.

{concerning Israel} Though himself of Judah, yet ordained by God to be an extraordinary Prophet for Israel, or the ten Tribes chiefly. He speaks indeed sometimes of Judah; but that only, as by the way, and occasionally. Chap. 7.12,13. LXX here wrongly have Jerusalem for Israel.

{of Uzziah} Hos. 1.1.

{Jeroboam} In his days the kingdom of Israel did most flourish: as the kingdom of Judah did under Uzziah; yet then did this poor shepherd preach so terribly against their sins; and prophesy so fearfully of their destructions: which argues Gods power and authority in him; Gods mission, and commission to him. 1 Cor. 1.27. 2 Cor. 4.7.

{earthquake} which, as Josephus writes, was when Uzziah would have usurped the priests office, and therefore was smitten with the leprosy. Or, a little before the death of Jeroboam; which differs not much in time from the other. Of this there is no mention made any where in scripture, but Zach. 14.5. Thus the beginning of his prophecy is set down, but the end of it is left uncertain If he continued not after Jeroboams reign, then the time of his prophesying was but a short time.

V. 2. {The LORD} The same words, Joel 3.16. somewhat diversely here applied.

{roar from Zion} Jer. 25.30. According to the Predictions and threatenings pronounced in the midst of his Church by his prophets, who shall vent his wrath upon his enemies. Some understand these words as a prediction of the earthquake, vers. 1.

{from Zion} Speaking thus to the Israelites, he implies the true Jehovah, and his true worship to be there in Zion and Jerusalem; and not at Samaria, or Dan, or Bethel.

{the habitations} All strength, wealth, & worldly greatness set forth by these fat and fruitful places, shall through Gods wrath be brought to nothing; and a famine through drought shall come. See Chapter 4.

{mourn} Gods roaring voice shall not be in vain, Jer. 5.12,13. but carry its effect in its mouth.

{Carmel} The word signifies a fruitful field; whence it seems the place here meant took its name; being an high pleasant fruitful mountain, and pasture. See Chap. 9.3. Cant. 7.5. The excellency of it is mentioned, Esay 35.2. and it is named with those other famous mountains of Libanus, Sharon, and Bashan, Esay 33.9. yea, Jokneam a city it seems on it, or belonging to it, had the honor to have a King; Josh. 12.22. There Elias vanquished Baals prophets, 1 Kings 18. and Elizeus dwelt there, 2 Kings 4.25. There was a city called Carmel, belonging to Judah, Josh. 15.55. where Nabal had his possessions and sheep, 1 Sam. 25.

V. 3. {for three transgressions} If these judgments upon the neighboring nations had not been foretold by the prophets, when the Israelites should have seen the like befall to others, as did befall themselves: they would happily have ascribed all to fortune, and not to Gods hand: and so the prophets authority would have been weakened and slighted. He shows therefore, that God will ride Circuit, as it were, and judge and punish these Heathen Nations. And so indeed the Assyrian, the rod of Gods anger, Esay 10.5. and as it were the staff, the Axe, and the Saw in Gods hand, vers. 15. did scourge and cut down at the same time all these Nations, as well as Gods people; He came in as a deluge overflowing all, Esay 8.7. as other Prophets also did foretell, and the History of the event did attest. Yet some conceive thus; that he shows first, that all the people round about should be destroyed for their sins: because the Israelites should the more deeply consider Gods judgments towards them, and be awaked and warned by their example, to look unto themselves: seeing he spares not these uncircumcised Nations for their sins.

{of Damascus} This is mentioned in Abrahams time, Gen. 14. vers. 15. whose faithful steward and servant Eleazar was of Damascus, Gen. 15.2. This was the head city of Syria, Esay 7. vers. 8. This stood on the North-east side of Canaan, east from Mount Libanus, was conquered and garrisoned by David, 2 Sam. 8.6. Lost again in Solomons time, and possessed by Rezon, 1 King. 11.23,24. Recovered by Jeroboam the second, 2 King. 14. lost soon after. And in the days of Ahaz taken by the Assyrian Tiglath-Pileser, who slew Rezin the King thereof, 2 Kings 16. After the death of our Savior, Paul going thither, was miraculously converted near the city, and confirmed by Ananias in the city, and preached there; and was sought to be apprehended by the Governor of the city under Aretas the King, Acts 9. 2 Cor. 11.32. yet after that he returned to Damascus, Gal. 1.17. See more on ver. 4.

{and for four} or, yea for four, for their many and multiplied sins, which are meant by three and four which make up seven: their progress in sin without mean, or measure, hardened them to that obstinacy, as left no more place or hope for repentance. And all this while God patiently forbore them, till at last there was no remedy, as to 2 Chron. 36.16.

{turn away the punishment} Or, convert it, or let it be quiet, and so verse 6. Or I will not recall my threatening voice, ver. 2. Or that punishment, verse 4,5. I will not say some, turn myself to mercy.

{threshed Gilead} This is the chief of the seven or many sins. And God will not punish Damascus so much for many other sins as he will for the cruelty against Gods own people. And if the Syrians shall not be spared for committing this cruelty against one city, or country, it is not possible that Israel should escape punishment, which has committed so many and grievous sins against God and man.

{with threshing instruments of Iron} See of this kind of torment and punishment, 2 Sam. 12.31. All this may be referred to Hazaels cruelty, which he used against the country of Gilead especially, being that part of Israel that bordered next upon him, he lying north of it, see 2 Kings 8.12. and 10.32. and 12.18. and 13.3.

V. 4. {But I will send a fire} Jer. 49.27. Fire consumes all.

{Hazael} Hazael and Benhadad, names of kings of Syria. The catalogue of the Kings of Syria is gathered out of scripture thus; Hadadezer or Hadarezer in Davids time, 2 Sam. 8.5,6,13. and Chap. 10.6.8.16. Rezon in Solomons time, 1 King. 11.23,24. Benhadad the son of Tabrimmon, in the days of Asa, 1 Kings 15.18,19,20. Benhadad his son, in the days of Ahab, 1 Kings 20.34. 2 Kings 8.15. Naaman was captain of his host. Hazael, in the reigns of Joram, Jehu, and Jehoahaz, 2 Kings 8. and 10. and 12. and 13 Chapters. Benhadad the son of Hazael, in the days of Jehoash, 2 Kings 13.24,25. Rezin in the days of Pekah, and Ahaz, 2 King. 16.5. Isaiah 7.1,16. and 8.4.

{palaces of Benhadad} The antiquity of their building shall not avoid my judgments. See Jer. 49.27. And here for Benhadad the LXX have the son of Ader.

V. 5. {Bar of Damascus} All strength, opposition, and defense.

{the plain of Aven} Or, Bikath-aven; Bikath-aven, Beth-eden, places of Syria.

{him that holdeth the sceptre} The king and all the royal race.

{the house of Eden} Or beth-eden a city in Cœlo-Syria, which the Greeks called Paradise. See 2 Kings 19.12. Isaiah 37.12. Ezek. 27.23. LXX for Beth-eden have the men of Haran.

{Kir} Tiglath-Pileser led the Syrians captive to Cirene, which is called here Kir; called by Authors Cirtha, (a place of Media) 2 Kings 16.9. Isaiah 22.6. So Aram was captived to Kir, about fifty years after Amos had foretold it. There was another Kir in Moab; Isaiah 15.1.

V. 6. {for three transgressions} See verse 3.

{Gaza} Hebr. Hazza, a city of the Philistines; wherein the Anakims were. But in the division of the land by Joshuah allotted to the Tribe of Judah; as other cities of the Philistines were. Josh. 15.46,47. and by Judah conquered; Judg. 1.18. But soon lost afterwards; as appears in the story of Sampson, Judg. 16.21. and of Samuel: 1 Sam. 6.17. By this principal city of the Philistines are understood all the rest; and the places are put for the inhabitants. See on Zeph. 2.4.

{not turn away} See verse 3.

{Carried away captive the whole captivity} Or carried them away with an entire captivity. See vers. 9. The Philistines in the days of Jehoram King of Judah broke into it, and carried many away captive without any distinction of quality, sex, or age, &c. See 2 Chron. 21.16,17. Joel 3.4.6. This the chief of their many sins. See on verse 3.

{Edom} The sons of Esau were made subject to David; but in the days of Jehoram Edom rebelled and they joined with Judahs enemies: and then Esau broke Jacobs yoke, which was foretold, Gen. 27.40. and was still a bitter enemy to Judah. See on verse 9. and 2 Chron. 21.10.

V. 7. {send a fire} Destroy the country of the Philistines. See Isaiah 15. and 20. Chap.

V. 8. {Ashdod} See Chap. 3.9. and Zeph. 2.4. and the Annotations there. LXX for Ashdod have Assyria, very corruptly.

{Ashkelon} See on Zeph. 2.4.

{Ekron} 1 Sam. 5.10. See Josh. 13.3. and Chap. 15.45,46. Judg. 1.18. 1 Sam. 6.16. and 7.14. 2 Kings 1. verse 2,3. Jerem. 25.20. Zach. 9.5.

{and the remnant} That should remain after the judgments executed upon them by Ezechiah; and Senacherib Jerem. 25.20. and Chap. 47.4. But God still preserves a remnant of his people, in his greatest judgments.

V. 9. {of Tyrus} 1 Sam. 23.1. Jer. 47.4. Ezek. 26. & 27. & 28. chap. Joel 3.4,5. A strong city, upon, or within the sea; on the north-west border of Judea. Hiram or Huram was King of it in Davids, and Solomons time. See Josh. 19.29. 2 Sam. 24.7. 1 Chr. 14.1. 2 Chron. 2.3. A city of great traffic and Merchandise, conquered by Nebuchadnezzar: and after by Alexander the great, after a long siege. Our Savior went aside into those parts, Matt. 15.21. And thence they came to him, Mar. 3.8. Luke 6.17. They make peace with Herod, Acts 12.20. And Paul in his voyage to Jerusalem lands there, Acts 21.3. Tyre was given to Asher, as Zidon was; but never possessed by them.

{not turn away} See vers. 3.

{delivered up} When they served under, and assisted Hazael and Benhadad, in their bloody wars against the Jews.

{to Edom} Vers. 6. The Tyrians sent or sold the Jews that were fled to them, or captived by them, to Edom, and the Idumeans.

{the brotherly covenant} Heb. the covenant of brethren, which was between David, and Solomon, Kings of Judah, and Hiram King of Tyre, who called one another brothers, by a brotherly love, and covenant. See 2 Sam. 5.11. 1 King. 5.1. & 9.13. Others refer it to the brotherhood between Jacob, and Esau, and their posterities; and that the Tyrians had no regard of that brotherhood which ought to have been between the Israelites, and Idumeans, or Edomites, which came of Esau, or Edom, but the rather sold the Israelites captives to them, because they knew the Edomites, though brethren, yet most cruelly hated them.

V. 10. {on the wall of Tyrus} Most likely by the Assyrians, and Babylonians; but most surely long after by Alexander the great.

V. 11. {of Edom} Isai. 21.11. & 34.5. Jer. 49.7. Ezek. 25.12. Joel 3.9. Obad. 1.1. Mal. 1.3. Esau was called Edom; and of him the Edomites. Their country was mount Seir, where the Horims formerly dwelt. Their country is also called Edomea, and Idumea, and Dumah; by others Arabia Petrea. Bounds of it are Kadesh, and mount Hor, and Ezion-Gaber at the red sea, Numb. 20.16. & Chap. 33.37. 2 Chron. 8.17. Chief cities therein, Petra, or Jockteel, 2 King. 14.7. Bozra, Eloth, Teman, Dedon, Horma. And mount Sinai not far from it. It had seven or eight Kings before any was in Israel, 1 Chron. 1.43, &c. And 11 Dukes are after mentioned. They were ever bitter enemies to the Israelites. Came out against them, Num. 20.20,21. For which they were forbidden to enter into the congregation of the Lord till the third generation, Deut. 23.8. David, Joab, & Abishai destroyed and subdued them. Yet Hadad of the Kings seed in Edom was an adversary to Solomon. In Jehoshaphats time they had under him a Deputy for King, 1 King. 22.47. called King, 2 Kin. 3.8,9. whose son was burnt, v. 27. In Jehorams time they rebelled, 2 King. 8.20. And though Jehoram, and after Amaziah, sorely smote them; yet they became not subjects to them. They triumph at Jerusalems destruction, by Nebuchadnezzar, but were after by him vanquished and destroyed. Psal. 137. Jer. 25.21. & 27.3. See Gods judgments threatened against them, Isa. 21.11. & 34.5. Jer. 49.7. Ezek. 25.12. &c. & chap. 35. Joel 3.19. Obad. v. 1.11,12. Mal. 1.3.

{pursue his brother} Regarding no bond of consanguinity, they joined with the enemies against the Jews; and did torment and slay them. See ver. 6.9.

{with the sword} Namely, the Israelites, which were descended from Jacob, brother to Esau, father of the Edomites, Gen. 27.40. Deut. 23.7. them Edom pursued with the sword.

{did cast off} Heb. corrupted his compassions.

{all pity} All the duties, affections, and respects of blood and nature, by which he was bound, without all pity in himself, or compassion towards his brother, see their bitter enmity to Israel, ver. 6.9. Psal. 83.6. & 137. Jer. 49.12. Obad. ver. 11,12.

{his anger} He has vented against the people of Israel, without end or ceasing, upon all occasions, all implacable hatred.

{tear} As wild beasts do.

{kept his wrath} As Esau did against Jacob, Gen. 27.41. & 32.6. &c. So did Esau's posterity too like their father herein; & thereby were greater sinners, than the former uncircumcised nations were, whereas the Edomites retained circumcision. See Psal. 137.7.

V. 12. {Teman} I will punish the posterity of Esau, and spoil his cities: for Teman was the metropolis of Idumea; so called of Teman the son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, Gen. 36.11.15. And Bozrah a city in the borders between Moab & Idumea; sometime ascribed to one people, and sometime to the other, for their vicinity. If there were not two of that name; one a prime city in Edom, and another in Moab, Jer. 48.24. This judgment is at large described, Obad. v. 9,10. And of Teman, see Jer. 49.7,20. And of Bozrah, see Gen. 36.33. Esay 34.6. & 63.1. Jer. 49.13,22.

V. 13. {Ammon} The posterity of the younger son of Lot, nephew to Abraham, and of his family: yet they conspire with the Jews enemies against them. See Psal. 83.7.

{ripped up} God rips up their chief & bloody sin; and does instance, and insist only upon that. The like cruelty in the Medes against Babylon, Isai. 13.16,17,18. This here was acted by the Assyrian, though we have not the history of it. See Jer. 49.1–6.

{ripped up the women} Or, divided the mountains. He notes the great cruelty of the Ammonites, that spared not the women, but most tyrannously tormented them; And yet, as was said, the Ammonites came of Lot, who was of the household of Abraham. And indeed many, and at many times, were the cruelties of the Ammonites against the children of Israel, in the times of Ehud, Judg. 3.13. of Jephthah, Judg. 10. of Saul, 1 Sam. 11. & 12.12. And other kings of Judah had many battles with them. And they assisted the Assyrian, and the Babylonian against the Jews, in the days of Hezekiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah. And Baalis King of the Ammonites, sends Ishmael to slay Gedaliah, Jer. 40.14.

{of Gilead} See on Obadiah, v. 19.

{enlarged their border} By war, and by unjust invasion.

V. 14. {But} This judgment was executed upon them by the Assyrians, and after again by the Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar; see Jer. 25.21. & 27.3. & 49.1. Ezek. 21.19,20. & 25.2,3,8. Zeph. 2.9.

{Rabbah} The Metropolis of the Ammonites, seated upon the river Aroer, Josh. 13.25. See 2 Sam. 11.1. & 12.26,27,29. 1 Chron. 20.1. Ogs bed was there, Deut. 3.11.

{tempest} With a sudden and impetuous ruin: Gods wrath falling from on high upon Ammon, together with the enemies endeavors.

V. 15. {Their king} We read of their King in Jephtha's time, before there was any King in Israel, Judg. 11. vers. 12.13,14,28. of Nahash in Sauls time, 1 Sam. 11.1. & 12,12. of Hanun the son of Nahash, in Davids time, 2 Sam. 10.1,2. the huge weight of whose crown is set down, 2 Sam. 12.30. 1 Chron. 20.2. of Baalis in Zedekiahs time, Jer. 40.14. About which time their King went into captivity. See Jer. 49.3. Others understand this of their idol Malcom, or Milcom, which has affinity to the name of King; whereof 1 King. 11.33. 2 King. 23.13. supposed to be called Remphan, Acts 7.43. Other idols also the Ammonites had, Judg. 10.6. as Chemosh, Judg. 11.24. and Molech, or Moloch, haply the same with Milcom, 1 King. 11.7. Acts 7.43. If here be meant the idol Milcom, then here is relation had to the custom of conquerors, which was to carry away the gods of conquered nations, 1 Sam. 5.2. Esay 46.2. Jer. 43.12. and 48.7. Hosea 10.6.

CHAPTER 2

Vers. 1. {Of Moab} The posterity of Lots elder son, Gen. 19. Moab inhabited close upon the east side of Jordan, Deut. 1.5. Numb. 22.1. & 26.3. And all that was done in the land of Moab, which is recorded from Num. 22. till Josh. Chap. 3.

{and for four} Their manifold sins, and obstinacy, and impenitency in them; and Gods long patience all the while, till they came up to this heap and height. Many were their transgressions against Gods people: Balak King of Moab hired Balaam to curse them; and by Balaams counsel brought upon them that fearful plague, Numb. 25.4,5,9. Eglon smote and subdued them, Judg. 3. And many bloody wars were betwixt them, and Gods people, in the days of David, and of Jehoram the son of Ahab, of Jehoshaphat, and others; and they joined in arms with other enemies of the Jews, as the Assyrian, and Babylonian, to fight against them.

{not turn away} See Chap. 1.3.

{because he burnt} Here this one sin is singled out, as the signal sin of their cruelty; so odious a thing is inhumane cruelty in the sight of God; though upon an enemy.

{bones of the King} 2 King. 3.27. where the son of the King of Edom, was burnt by the King of Moab, so cruel was the hatred of Moab against Israel, that he dealt thus inhumanly against the King of Edom, because he joined in arms with Jehoshaphat, whose feodary king he was, to assist the king of Israel, as his auxiliary, against Moab. Others more at large take it for some terrible cruelty used upon the King of Edom, either alive, or dead; for which in particular, the Lord was angry with Moab.

V. 2. {of Kirioth} A city of Moab, Jer. 48.24,41.

{die with tumult} Shall be destroyed by the fury of war. Their enemies shall not receive them upon rendition, yielding upon articles and conditions; but by assaults and stormings, wherein commonly extremities of rigor and outrage are used.

V. 3. {judge} Namely, he that bore the title of King, though he was no lawful King, having rebelled against Israel, 2 Kings 1.1.

{slay all the Princes} And without Rulers, and Judges, what will the people be?

{thereof} To wit, of the Moabitish nation.

V. 4. {Judah} If the Prophet had not joined Gods people to the rest in these threatenings and predictions, they might happily have presumed to themselves freedom and exemption, though the heathens had been punished. The Prophet therefore joins them to the rest, that they should fare no better than those heathens, be deemed & dealt withal even as they; or rather, being like them in sin, be the more severely punished, see ch. 3.2. The judgments upon those Heathen Nations, were but as a prologue to the judgments upon Gods chosen people, Luk. 12.47. The prophet himself was born in Judah, Chap. 1.1. and though he were principally sent as a prophet to and against the ten tribes, and for that cause so joined amongst them, yet he spares not Judah; neither their sins, nor their punishments. There was then no cause to charge him with flattery, or partiality towards his own tribe.

{will not turn away the punishment thereof} See Chap. 1.3. seeing the Gentiles that had not so far knowledge were thus punished, Judah which was so fully instructed in the Lords will, might not think to escape, if they would not repent, when judgments were threatened and denounced against them.

{despised} As contemptuous and perfidious Apostates, though not so bad as the Israelites.

{the law of the LORD} The only rule of worship, and obedience, yet they followed new inventions of their own brain.

{and have not kept} Not failing therein, through negligence, and infirmity; but wittingly and willingly forsook them, upon the former pretenses; and that God calls a despising of the Law; so grievous a sin is it, to swerve from the rule of it, and to prefer before it the wisdom of our own inventions.

{and their lies} Their idols, false worship, and superstitions; And also, Their new inventions, and good intentions thereby to serve and please God, were but lies and impostures, whereby they deceived themselves. Gods Law, and Commandments ever are the only true and safe Rule, from which we must not decline either to the right hand, or the left.

{their fathers} The disease then was hereditary; and so aggravated by their continuance and obstinacy therein; and not excused or lessened by the example of their fore-fathers, Acts 7.51. Ezek. 20.18,30.

V. 5. {of Jerusalem} Most of all, and finally, accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar. Gods own Church and people may thus foully fall, and be thus fearfully punished. Let us look to ourselves.

V. 6. {of Israel} If he spare not Judah, unto whom his promises were made, much less will he spare this degenerate kingdom. And thus he comes to his proper charge. And here he insists, not only upon one sin, as formerly; but is large in the point; both of their sins; and of their punishments; they in both exceeding Judah. Yea, he prosecutes these two throughout his book.

{turn away} Chap. 1.3.

{sold} Chap. 8.6. they buy them. Thus as in a Market they did buy and sell them. He begins with this gross sin, and others the like, that could admit of no plea, or excuse. After their conviction in them, he comes then the more commodiously to their false worships, in superstitions, and idolatries, to declaim against them; for which he knew they would pretend their good intentions, and long customs.

{righteous for silver} His right in judgment. Against the Law, Exod. 23.6.10. This is the sin of their Judges, and Rulers, whose office and duty was, to defend the righteous and the poor.

{a pair of shoes} For a matter of nothing, for a very small price; as Amos 8.6. Thus by degrees the wicked grow to this shamelessness in sinning, though at first they would stick at it; as a woman more hardly brought at first to lose her chastity, yet after will prostitute herself for the basest hire.

V. 7. {pant after the dust of the earth} Who inflamed with covetousness, greedily spy out all occasions to entrap the lowly, and weak, the poor, and miserable; and to do them hurt: such is their covetousness and cruelty. A term taken from serpents; as Gen. 49.17.

{turn aside} By their windings, like to the serpents, they do overthrow good mens rights, titled in Scripture humble and meek men. Or, they hinder them in their business.

{go in unto} Incestuously; with prodigious impudency in their filthiness, against all light and Law of Nature. Thus where there is no fear of God, there is no manner of shame, no end or measure of sinning.

{Maid} Or, young woman.

{to profane} A thing oft forbidden; and oft complained of when committed. See it in Levit. 11.44. & 8.19,20. and 22. Chapters Eze. 36.20,24. Mal. 1.11,12. 2 Sam. 12.14. Jam. 2.6.

{my holy name} With which they are honored being called my people.

V. 8. {they lay themselves down} They do use those things which they have violently taken from the poor and innocent, in their feasts, and feastivals, which they celebrate in honor of their idols, and by that means do heap up the sin of idolatry, upon the sin of violence.

{laid to pledge} Contrary to the Law, Exod. 22.26,27. See Deut. 24.6.10,11,12,13. Job. 22.6. & 24.3.

{by every Altar} The Israelites had many Altars, in many places; which was their sin, Hos. 8.11. And their lying down upon those pledges there, aggravates their sin, in that they did and dared, so openly and with so high an hand practice it at their very altars, the places as they conceive where they worshipped God: But this is the manner of hypocrites and idolaters, to think any thing is lawful to them, and that God still is well pleased and pacified, if they be careful to perform the outward exercises of worship and service.

{the condemned} Or, such as have fined or mulcted wine bought with such money as they have unjustly amerced and condemned the innocent in. Of these spoils they make feasts to the honor of their gods: as if the true God, as they conceive, would be pleased with such feasts and sacrifices, see Esay 61.8. &c. ch. 1.14,15. & Deut. 23.18. And thus they would make the house of God, as they account it, a den of thieves. The constant course of hypocrites thus to dally with God, and to delude themselves in their sins, securely to think any thing is lawful to them, so they profess and practice some kind of Gods outward worship.

V. 9. {yet} Here God recounts his benefits to them, the more to aggravate their ingratitude, and vile sins against him, and his laws, and the more to justify the severity of his judgments upon them.

{Amorite before them} Num. 21.24. Deut. 2.31. Josh. 24.8.18. The destruction of their enemies, and his mercy toward them should have caused their hearts to melt for love toward him. And God to this very end, drove out the Amorite, to purge the land of his sin, being grown so full and ripe; and to bring in his people in their stead, purely to worship and serve him: And yet were they grown now as bad, if not worse than the Amorite, Ezekiel 16.3.45. 1 King. 21.26. Ezek. 5. vers. 6.

{whose height was like the height of the Cedars} Num. 13.28. and 32.33. And therefore they were not overcome by the strength of the Israelites, but by the arm of God, Deut. 7.1.16.25. Josh. 23.9. Psal. 44.3.

{fruit from above} A proverbial kind of speech to signify an utter desolation, as Job 18.16. Isa. 5.24. Mal. 4.1.

V. 10. {also} Gods other great wonderful benefit to them, Exod. 12.51. Often recounted in Scripture, and needful so to be; men are naturally so unmindful of Gods greatest benefits, and slighting them being once past.

{forty years} So wonderfully protecting of you, and providing for you; so patiently all that time bearing with you, and fitting you to enter that land, out of which you had barred yourselves by your infidelity, and manifold rebellions: All this should have made them more grateful and dutiful; And does render their sinfulness the more odious. See Deut. 32.6. Micah 6.3,7. These forty years are reckoned, not from the return of the spies to Kadesh-barnea, but from their coming out of Egypt.

V. 11. {for Prophets} See Exod. 20.19. Deut. 18.16. Gods further benefit; He sent many prophets, ordinary and extraordinary, as his Legates, Ambassadors, Angels, to his people.

{Nazarites} Yet a further benefit; these being persons sanctified after a special manner to purity of life, and consecrated to works of piety, Num. 6.2,22. small warrant for popish votaries out of this example.

V. 12. {gave the Nazarites} Violating my law in this part of my service, Numb. 6.3. neither obeying yourselves, nor suffering others to obey my laws.

{saying prophecy not} Isa. 3.10. Jer. 11.21. Micah 2.6. Amos 7.12,13. and though not absolutely forbidden, yet under some limitations and restraints: some for prophesying, rebuked, imprisoned, endangered for their lives, and some others slain. See Jer. 20.2,8,14. and Chap. 26.8,23. Mat. 23.37. Act. 7.52.

V. 13. {I am pressed under you} You have wearied me with your sins, Isa. 1.14. Or, I will press your place, as a cart full of sheaves presses: Or, I will press your place by the strict siege of enemies: I will press and thresh you, as a heavy cart presses out the corn.

V. 14. {Therefore the flight} Thus roughly he begins with the Israelites, his proper charge, knowing well their security and obstinacy in sin.

{from the swift} None shall be delivered by any means; by swiftness, or strength, or courage; that it shall be almost a miracle if any escape, either foot-men, or horse-men.

{himself} Heb. His soul or life.

V. 16. {courageous} Heb. Strong of his heart.

{naked in that day} Being stripped by his enemies; or having basely thrown away his arms, glad to escape with his life for a prey.

CHAPTER 3

Verse 1. {The LORD hath spoken} Though he an herd-man, yet herein he is the Lords instrument and Ambassador, brings his word, not his own; bears his authority, to whom all subjection and obedience is due.

{children of Israel} His proper charge.

{against the whole family} Both of Judah and Israel. Yet understand hereby the ten Tribes principally, if not only: so called, because they were the far greater number, and slighted small Judah, and counted themselves Gods chief people, to whom the Blessings, and Promises, and Privileges belonged; these he summons here to judgment.

V. 2. {You only} This recounting of his favors redounds to their greater reproach, sets out to the life the vileness of their ingrateful requitals: See Annot. on Chap. 2.9,10.

{have I known} Gods knowledge and providence is over all his creatures, Psal. 147.9. Mat. 10.29,30. yet you alone have I chosen of my free favor, and mere mercy, and no merit of yours, Deut. 7.7,8. 1 Cor. 4.7. and accepted to be my peculiar people, by a singular gracious covenant; wherefore your ingratitude and disloyalty is so much the more to be condemned, Deut. 2.6. & 10.15. and those sins of ignorance, when I pass over in others, are in you inexcusable, and proceeding from pure malice. See Ezek. 20.32. Exod. 19.3,4. Deut. 4.20. and 32.11.

{of all} Passing by all other nations of the earth; which were so many and mighty. And yet no injustice done them: But the more is my free mercy magnified towards you, Exod. 19.6.

{therefore I will punish} Heb. Visit upon: your sins being so much the greater, in not walking up answerable to my mercies; but contrariwise justifying the Heathen nations in their sins, and surpassing them: as Ezek. 16.47,48. Therefore your punishments ought and shall be accordingly; Ezek. 16.59. Luk. 12.47,48. The greatness of Gods mercies adds an aggravation to the greatness of their sins, and of their punishment.

V. 3. {two walk together} Even as two travelers whose end of their journey is not the same, cannot long travel the same way, so it is impossible that God should continue his grace towards you, walking among you in visible signs, works, and wonders, and yet connive at your iniquities: seeing his service is not the only aim of all your ways, & walkings: nay, he will surely punish you. Others, not so well, do apply it to God and the prophet, and their agreement; or to the prophet, and his fellow prophets; that they agree and walk together in the same way, in discharging their prophetical functions, in reproving, threatenings, &c. As if he should say, we do agree; and therefore you are the more to heed it.

V. 4. {a Lion roar in the forest} Will God threaten by his prophets, except there be some great occasion, and just cause for it? Or think you that God will not at last bring all these threatenings to pass: though he has had patience for a long time? See vers. 8. and Amos 1.2.

{cry out of his den} Heb. give forth his voice.

{if he have taken nothing} Have taken nothing. Or at least, if he have not a mind after his prey to take it. The lion itself will not do so, much less God by his prophets. Contrary to those profane speeches, Jer. 5.12,13. See Deut. 32.47.

V. 5. {a bird fall} can any thing come without Gods providence? Mat. 10.29. much less do his judgments come by chance. There is a gin laid by the fowler, though the birds see it not: so Gods hand and secret counsel is in all afflictions, in all things though men see it not; but would ascribe it to chance or fortune.

{shall one take up, &c.} Commonly he will not, till he have taken somewhat. Much more God will not take up himself, and his threatened judgments; till he have executed what he has determined and denounced. And therefore the Israelites should not so slight Gods threatenings thundered against them by his prophets, as if God did but dally with them. He will not take up his net, till he has taken his prey. His threatenings shall not be in vain.

{shall a trumpet be blown in the city} When the watchers give a sign, or sound an alarm, the people presently are terrified, and run together for help and succor. And what ought you to do at Gods threatenings, pronounced by his prophets, for your conversion towards him, from whom all these calamities proceed? See Ezek. 3.4. and 33.3,7. Thus he reproaches their stupidity and fascination, and dementation, being against common sense, without all fear and apprehension of danger; but resting still secure, even when God by his prophets blows his trumpet of war in the midst of them.

{not be afraid} Or, not run together, at the sound of alarm and warning.

{shall there be evil in a city} Esay 45.7. the evil of affliction and punishment.

{and the LORD hath not done it?} Or, and shall not the Lord do somewhat? it is not fortune that does toss and tumble things in the world up and down; and God sits idle in heaven: no, he sits at the stern, and steers the affairs of the world; the Empery is his. Esay 45.7. Psal. 94.7–12. And therefore they should be awakened at his judgments, repent of their sins, and turn to him, Micah 6.9. and not be as those Esay 9.13.

V. 7. {will do nothing} Not that hereby the prophet would put an necessity upon God; he is free to do otherwise: and does execute many judgments not revealed to men, or Angels: but he usually does thus by his Prophets with his own people. And therefore the more shame for them not to take warning thereby, to prevent the same by timely repentance: His Prophets are Heralds proclaiming war; yet with articles of peace and reconciliation open in their hands.

{revealeth his secret} He likens the Prophets to watchmen which discover afar off the coming of the enemies: for so God ordinarily reveals unto his Prophets the greatest judgments which he will cause to fall upon his people to bring them to repentance, Gen. 18.17. Jerem. 18.7. and 11.10. he deals not so usually with other nations.

V. 8. {The Lion hath roared} The fear of Gods majesty does enforce us to relate his threatenings faithfully unto you, though you hate and disdain us for it. 1 Cor. 9.16. we must then do our duty; fear God more than men; roar against your sins, though you roar against us for it. See Acts 4.19. and 5.29. Galat. 4.16. Jer. 1.17. Ezek. 2.6. and 3.8,9.

V. 9. {Publish} Seeing they would not hear, and bear, and abide Gods judgments by his prophets.

{Ashdod} Chap. 1.8. He calls strangers, as the Philistines, and Egyptians, even these Heathen nations, to be witnesses of their evil doings, and to judge of the justice of Gods judgments against them for their cruelty and oppression. This was a famous city of the Philistines, who lived on the west part of the land of Canaan, next the mediterranean sea: and it was one of their five Lordships, Josh. 13.3. 1 Sam. 6.17,18. This was assigned to the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15.47. yet in, and after Joshuahs time, the Anakims dwelt there; Josh. 11.22. The Ark of God was taken by the Philistines, and brought thither, and placed there in the house of Dagon. See 1 Sam. 5.1,2,3. and Chap. 6.17,18. After it was conquered by Uzziah, 2 Chron. 26.6. and by Ezekiah, 2 King. 18.8. and soon after taken by Sargon or Senacharib king of Assyria; Esay 20.1. and afterward by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; See Jer. 25.20. Zeph. 2.4. Zech. 9.6. After the return from the captivity of Babylon, they were wroth at Nehemiahs building the walls of Jerusalem, Nehem. 4.7. And some of the Jews took strange wives of Ashdod, as well as of other Heathen nations; and their Children spake half in the speech of Ashdod; But Ezra and Nehemiah caused them to put away both the wives and children; Ezra 10.3. Nehem. 13.23,24. And most think this city to be that called Azotus, where Philip was found: Acts 8.40. See more on Zeph. 2.4.

{upon the mountains of Samaria} As a Theater whereon to view, or Tribunal whereon to judge between God and his people, their sins and his Judgments. This might provoke to their greater shame the Israelites that were so proud of their prerogatives, and so scorned these nations.

{tumults} That is, oppressions, tumultuously, impetuously, disorderedly, outrageously acted upon the poor and miserable.

{oppressed} Or oppression.

V. 10. {Know not} Will not know; but willfully blind themselves, that they may not discern betwixt right and wrong; they reject and extinguish all understanding and reason, that they may freely without any shame, take to themselves a liberty for their sinning.

{store up violence} He instances in this palpable sin wherein those Heathen could not be so blind, but rightly judge and condemn them.

{robbery in their palaces} Or, spoil. The fruit and effect of their cruelty and theft appears by their great riches, which by those means they heaped up, and stored in their houses.

V. 11. {Therefore} Now from their sin he comes to their punishment.

{an adversary} Meaning the King of Assyria, Shalmaneser, as appears by the next verse. For he took Samaria by force and led away the people captive, 2 King. 17.6. See also Chapters 15 & 16.

{round about} That there shall be no place left to escape; it were but in vain to think it.

{thy strength} Your riches, arms, forts, &c.

{thy palaces shall be spoiled} wherein you did store up your preys and spoils, vers. 10.

V. 12. {taketh} Heb. delivers. A country comparison; such as Amos being a shepherd commonly uses, Chap. 1.1. Chap. 7.14.

{or a piece of an ear} This does not mitigate the rigor of the former sentence; but shows rather the extremity of their devouring destruction; They shall be but as a lamb to a wolf, nay, more to a lion: The shepherd shall not dare to approach him, till he be fully fed and gone, and leave the offal. And all this to take up their presumptuous confidence and security.

{so shall the children of Israel be} In the sacking of the city a small number of the poorest sort of people shall escape.

{in the corner of a bed} He has relation to the hiding corners, that are sought for when a city is taken, that they hope will be least searched or suspected. See 1 Kings 22.25. Scarce shall one of 1000 there escape: though they think Samaria, and Damascus their safest strengths or hiding places. Chaldee paraphrase has it, in robore principatus.

{and in Damascus in a couch} Or on, or in the beds feet.

V. 13. {Hear ye} This preface and preamble is somewhat more than usual; requiring from God such attention and attestation. And this the rather because the matter following is a thing which they could so hardly be convinced of. He directs his words to the Prophets, and all true believers.

V. 14. {visit} Or punish Israel for.

{the transgressions} Of covetousness, pride, cruelties, oppressions, and other flagitious offenses.

{I will also visit} I will destroy all places and instruments of Idolatry; to show the falsehood of it, and make it known that it is the chief cause of the peoples ruin.

{the altars of Bethel} See annotations on Hos. 10.15. They thought that by their services of God, and sacrifices there, that they pleased him, and appeased his anger, expiating their sins by those outward services: they trusted in this, and counted it their shadow and shield; Bethel was their confidence, Jer. 48.13. But the Lord shows, that their worship there was so expressly contrary to his word, and so odious to him, that it should be so far from pleasing and appeasing him, that it provoked his wrath the more, and that in the day of his visitation he would surely visit those idolatrous altars.

{horns of the Altar} which were made upon the idols Altars like unto them which were upon the Altar of the true God, upon the four corners of it, Exod. 27.2.

V. 15. {winter house with the Summer house} He has relation to the customs of great men, who are wont to have several rooms and houses for winter, and for summer, Judg. 3.20. Jer. 36.22. The meaning is, all manner of stateliness, greatness, and commodiousness, shall be taken away; These their rich, strong, and stately houses, shall not help them, nor hinder Gods vengeance from seizing on them.

{Ivory} Covered over with Ivory. 1 King. 2.39. and 22.29.

CHAPTER 4

Vers. 1. {Kine} Thus he calls the princes, and governors, which being overwhelmed with great abundance of Gods benefits, forget God; and therefore he calls them by the name of beasts, and not of men; cows and not men, and continues on his speech to them in the feminine gender, not vouchsafing them once the name of men; deals with them as if he were an herd-man among his kine and cattle. Thus he slights their sinful greatness, and emboldens himself upon his authority and calling; being faithful in the discharge of it. Call and count me an herd-man, yet thus from God I call and count you. See Psal. 22.12. Ezek. 39.20. Hos. 4.16.

{of Bashan} Bashan was the Kingdom of Og, the giant lay on the East side of Jordan, contained in it chiefly half Gilead, and the whole region of Argob; given to the half Tribe of Manasseh; wherein Machir, and Jair, the sons of Manasseh, had very many cities. See Numb. 21.33. Deut. 3. v. 4.13,14. Ashteroth, Edrei, and Golan were chief cities therein: whereof Ashteroth and Golan were given to the Gershonites; and Golan to be a city of refuge, Deut. 4.43. Josh. 21.27. 1 Chron. 6.71. This was a special place for the breed of cattle, Numb. 32.4. Deut. 32.14. we read of the Bulls of Bashan, Psal. 22.12. And mention is oft made of the Oaks of Bashan. Hazael King of Syria smote them, 2 King. 10.33. And Pul and Tiglath-Pilneser Kings of Assyria, afflicted and captived them, 1 Chron. 5.26.

{that are in the mountain of Samaria} See the Annotations on Hos. 6.5. He likens the Rulers in Samaria to the Kine of Bashan, loaded with fatness, secure, and drunken with worldly wealth and pleasures.

{which oppress the poor} This sin only he names, as being most commonly practiced by rich and great oppressors, against such as are not able to relieve themselves against them; which makes God the more forbid it, and to pity them that lie under it.

{which say to their Masters} They encourage such as have authority over the people, to poll them, so that they may have profit by it. Others thus, not so well, which do persuade your Kings and Princes to all manner of excess and dissoluteness; and are teachers and advisers of the disorders of the Court; as Hos. 7.5. Or thus, to the Masters of the poor; to such as have the mastery of them, by engagements, pretended debts, circumventions, or otherwise have them in their lurch, these rulers, or judges call for bribes and rewards, and they will assist them, and sentence for them against the poor.

{drink} Keep feasts upon the prey and spoil of the poor. See Gen. 43.34. Cant. 5.1. Joh. 2.10. for drinking at feasts.

V. 2. {The Lord} The punishment follows upon the sin.

{hath sworn} The more to awaken these secure and sleepy sinners.

{by his holiness} Heb. 6.13,16.

{upon you} Great ones. He thunders first against them; having formerly charged their sin upon them.

{with fishhooks} Like fishes, as Jer. 16.16. Hab. 1.14,15. diligently industriously caught, easily pulled up, and carried away, as fishes are with a fish-hook, and you shall be no more like fat kine that abide in their pastures.

V. 3. {at the breaches} Of your fenced Cities, and strong holds, no walls or ramparts shall defend you, your walls shall be as the walls of Jericho, Josh. 6.20. Being thus led into captivity after your Cities are forced and defaced. See Ezek. 12.5.12. As beasts at a gap.

{every cow} Thus still is pursued that similitude, vers. 1. to the shame of such beastly men.

{before her} Any way; there being neither gates, nor walls whole.

{ye shall cast them into the palace} Or you shall cast away the things of the palace, that is, your jewels and treasures kept there. Or thus, you shall be glad, to forsake your palaces and pleasures, and run away, as cows stark mad, seeking only to escape with your lives. Some translate thus; projiciemini Hermonem. Theodotion, in montem Monam erroneously.

V. 4. {Come} Go, Ironical terms, and full of indignation, that is, I do abandon you to continue in your idolatries, that you may heap up the measure of your sins. See Mat. 23.32. Esay 1.11. Jer. 6.20. & 7.21. Ezek. 20.39.

{Bethel} Bethel, and Gilgal, were chief seats of the public idolatry of the ten Tribes, 1 King. 12.29. Hos. 4.15. See the Annotations there. They thought in those places, by those religious services, and sacrifices, they did highly please God; and could not be beaten from this tenet, and principle. But the Lord tells them, The more they do so, the more they offend and provoke him; as being sacrilegious, idolatrous worships, and abominations to him; so contrary to the prescript rule of his Law.

{transgress} Seeing by no means you will be recalled, but desperately rage, and are mad upon it. God does not egg men on to sin; see Chap. 5.5. But hereby he shows his extreme dislike and detestation of it.

{multiply} Heap sin upon sin. Thus sinners go on.

{every morning} In imitation of the daily sacrifice, Num. 28.3,4. Be diligent, omit nothing.

{three years} Heb. three years of days. In imitation say some of the three solemn feasts appointed to be every year by the Law, Exod. 23.14. at which certain kinds of tythes were spent in the sacred feasts. Or rather, alluding to that Law, Deut. 14.22.28,29. and Chap. 26.12. Wherein those two kinds of Tythes are mentioned; Deut. 12.5,6,7.11,12.17,18.26. Set apart, as it seems for their journeys, sacrifices, and feastings at Jerusalem thrice a year; and therefore forbidden to be eaten elsewhere: were converted every third year solely and wholly to the use of the poor, the fatherless, widows, &c. And therefore might then be eaten any where in all their gates. Or else, every third year a third kind of tythes was set aside for the poor aforesaid: and thereupon this third year might be called the year of tything; see those places aforesaid, Deut. 14.22.28,29. & Chap. 26.12. And this Law of third-year tythes, which the Israelites in their idolatrous worship did imitate.

V. 5. {offer a sacrifice} Heb. offer by burning.

{with leaven} In imitation of Gods Law, in sacrifices of thanksgiving, Lev. 7.13. In other sacrifices leaven was forbidden, Lev. 2.11. Thus in formalities the Israelites were curiously precise; They strained at a gnat, but swallowed a Camel, in erecting another Temple, Altar, and Priesthood; which was the source and wellspring of all their abominations.

{proclaim and publish} Making it known by public authority, that whosoever will offer any free-will offerings, besides those which God had expressly commanded, shall come and offer them, but yet in such unlawful places, and manner.

{the free offerings} Lev. 22.18,21.29. & 7.16. & 23.38. Num. 15.3. Deut. 12.17. those also prescribed in Gods Law, did the Israelites imitate and practice upon their false altars, by their unlawful priests, in their idolatrous temples, and high places. And these they did publish & proclaim with great pomp and solemnity. Careful, yea, curious, and vain-glorious in all things, save in the main. This is the manner of such sinners.

{this liketh you} Heb. So you love. You only delight in those outward ceremonies, and have none other respect, this likes you, but not me, you thus audaciously frame new ways of worshipping me out of your own brain; your will is your rule and law herein: and so you sacrifice and do service to your own will, not to me: I neither prescribed it, nor will accept it; I love obedience better than sacrifice: you should have consulted my mouth, and simply obeyed what I commanded. And thus God shows the sense of his former concession, v. 4. LXX corrupts this verse, and the meaning of it, far other-ways.

V. 6. {And I also} God showed what liked them, now he shows what liked himself; even for their sins to punish them.

{cleanness of teeth} That is, famine and dearth. See the famine, 1 King. 17,18. Chap. & 2 King. 4.38.

{yet have ye not} So hardened were your hearts, and so obdurate in sin, that I have prevailed nothing by my chastisements: but you still remain uncurable, irrecoverable.

V. 7. {And also I} Here is one cause of their famine, set out by itself; that they might more duly have pondered the beginning and progress of the signs of Gods wrath, and in time better bethink themselves of their duty: when they saw, not one sign of his anger for one day; but many signs appearing still, one after another. This heightens their sin and senseless stupidity; nothing regarding Gods hand herein.

{three months} One month then without rain in that hot country should have affrighted them: two months should have astonished them: three months should have been as a prodigy unto them; yet all this while they take it not to heart to bethink themselves, and be bettered by it. I stayed the rain till the fruits of the earth were destroyed with drought, and yet you would not consider it to return to me by repentance. See 1 Kings 17.

{upon one city} Thus varying his hand so visibly, that they might the better take notice of it, and not once entertain a thought of chance or fortune herein; unless they would willfully blind themselves, and renounce all reason.

V. 8. {so two} So that rain waters, or springs known, or new digged, sufficed not the Inhabitants; but forced them abroad, as beasts to seek waters. See that 1 King. 18.5,6.

{not satisfied} They could not find water enough where they had heard say it had rained.

{yet have ye not} See vers. 6. but continue still in your old superstitions and idolatries, and in the wickedness of your sinful lives, mated nothing, nor abating any thing for my corrections; you reject the remedy of your recovery.

V. 9. {I have smitten you} Yet more means God used: and still all would not serve; they shut their eyes, and would discern nothing. God orders all these things in the whole course of nature: the seasons, weather, insects, and all by his special providence, that we may daily see in them the signs of his love to comfort us: or of his wrath, to humble us. All his creatures are his hosts, obeying and executing his will, Deut. 28.21,23,24. Hos. 2.21,22. Psal. 147.8,9.16,17,18. Joel 2.11.25.

{when your gardens, and your vineyards, &c.} Or, the multitude of your gardens, &c. did the Palmerworm, &c.

V. 10. {The pestilence} He further shows, how yet by other punishments he sought still to tame their untowardness, and provoke and work them to repentance. And so he comes from famine, to the pestilence, and sword. See Ezek. 14.19.

{after the manner of Egypt} Or, in the way. As I plagued the Egyptians. Exod. 9.10. chap. Or, when you went into Egypt, to seek aid from thence, Hos. 7.11,12. See Esay 10.24. where also the same phrase is used. And a like phrase is used, Isai. 10.26. in these words, according to the slaughter of Midian, at the rock Oreb. God showed his power for their fathers against the Egyptians plaguing them. Now they being turned as Egyptians to him, he turned that his power against them; used the same weapons of his wrath; and plagued them, as he did the Egyptians, those Heathenish uncircumcised people of old. See Deut. 28.60.

{sword} See Ezek. 12,17.21. Jer. 15.2. and 47.6,7. God still multiplies, and increases his judgments. See Levit. 26.18,21,24,28.

{and have taken away your horses} Heb. with the captivity of your horses.

{stink of your camps} By dead carcasses; and filth to infect, choke, and stifle you.

{yet} By all these divers kinds of judgments God prevailed nothing; spent his rods in vain, he lost his labor, and should do so still, if he added more to the former. All these were so many arguments of their incorrigible contumacy.

V. 11. {as Sodom} These are set forth for examples of wickedness; and Gods chosen people are charged to equalize and exceed them, Esay 1.10. Jer. 23.14. Ezek. 16.47,48. They are also set forth for examples of punishments, to terrify others, 2 Pet. 2.6. Jude 7. Thus are Babylon, Edom, Moab, and Ammon threatened, Esay 13.19. Jer. 49.18. & 50.40. Zeph. 2.9. And so also Israel, Deut. 29.23. and the execution of the threatening bemoaned to exceed it, Lam. 4.6. of Sodom and Gomorrah. See Gen. 19.24,25. Isai. 13.19. Jer. 49.18. See 2 King. 13.3, &c. & Chap. 14.26.

{firebrand plucked} So Esay 1.9. See Zech. 3.2. This is some exception from the former example, and a mitigation of it. In Jeroboam the seconds time, there was some relaxation, and respiration from so direful a destruction; but woeful and wonderful was their affliction before, 2 King. 14.25,26,27. yet God still preserved a Remnant in remembrance of his covenant; which he ever would constantly maintain, Esay 4.8. & 6.13. & 10.20. & 11.11.16. and 28.5. Joel 2.32. Zeph. 2.9.

{yet} What now then remains but your utter destruction?

V. 12. {Thus will I do unto thee} Namely, as your sins deserve, or as I have foretold you, vers. 2,3. as formerly: yea, and more than so will I do; for remedies are no more to be used, where the disease is desperate.

{prepare} This might seem to be spoken Ironically, considering what went before: thus; Now go too, do what you can, try all your strength to meet with, and withstand my decreed destruction, and determined sentence against you. But seeing in the next chapter, God again exhorts them to repentance, that they might live, this may rather be taken literally, that Israel by repentance should seek to prevent their utter final overthrow, as Luk. 14.31,32. The sum is, since I denounce war against you, as against my rebels and enemies, prepare yourself to do the best you can to beat me off, and keep me back, or to prevent and pacify me by true repentance. See Ezek. 13.5. and 22.30. Luke 14.31,32. Though you are in a desperate case, and I may seem to have shut the gate of grace against you, yet turn, and try; as Joel 2.14. Jonah 3.9.

{to meet} By humiliation, faith, and repentance, 1 Cor. 11.31. LXX have it, to invoke and pray.

{thy God} By profession, though your practice be so contrary; yours, by his covenant, though for your part you have so much broken it.

V. 13. {For lo he} He multiplies so many titles of God, and so many ways extols him, and his dreadful power, to gain thereby the more reverence and fear of God, specially at the hands of such refractory and obdurate sinners.

{wind} Or, spirit. And indeed he creates both.

{declareth unto man} That knows, and judges the most secret thoughts of man: overtakes the wise in their cunning: accuses the consciences, and summons them to appear before him. Or, according to others, that reveals his secret judgments to men; to call them to repentance, Chap. 3.7. Heb. 4.12. 1 Chron. 28.9. Job 42.2. Psal. 7.9. & 139.2. Jer. 17.10.

{his thought} His Christ, say the LXX.

{maketh the morning darkness} Amos 5.8. Joel 2.2.

{treadeth upon the high places} That is, exalted above all human power. See Mic. 1.3. Deut. 32.13. & chap. 33.29. Psal. 15.8. Esay 58.14.

CHAPTER 5

Vers. 1. {Hear ye} Their supine security wherein they pleased themselves, and their stupid contempt of God, and his threatenings by his Prophet, stopping their ears against them, makes him thus to call upon them for audience to hear their doom which they had deserved, and yet would not believe should fall upon them.

{a lamentation} That I take up; and a lamentable word for you, as you shall find the woeful burden of it upon you. See Ezek. 2.10. Jer. 9.1. & 4.19. Esay 22.1,4. They laugh at it now, but shall lament under it hereafter.

V. 2. {The virgin of Israel} So are called in Scripture those states which subsist and flourish in their first liberty and splendor; or delicately please themselves in their prosperities and pleasures, See Esay 13.12. So is Babylon called, Esay 47.1. and Egypt, Jer. 46.11.

{she shall no more rise} The whole body of the kingdom and people never more rose to be a kingdom after their destruction by Shalmaneser, 2 Kin. 17. though God had his remnant among them. Or, we may understand it with this reserved condition, except they timely repent.

{forsaken upon her land} Destitute of men in her land; as is showed in the next verse.

V. 3. {shall leave ten} The body of the wicked destroyed, to their terror; yet a small remnant escape, to the comfort of the godly, that they might not despair. Here is a decimation. That chap. 6.9. is in another sense.

V. 4. {seek ye me} Here must be understood, which you have refused to do. Thus whiles they remained yet undestroyed, he calls them all in general to Repentance, to the good of some; and to render the rest the more inexcusable. Whiles a people remain under the name and notion of a Church, the doctrine of faith and repentance is to be vouchsafed unto them.

{and ye shall live} See Gen. 20.7. without promise of grace, and hope of mercy, no man would seek God, but flee from him, as much as ever he could. Therefore this is necessarily added to the former. God then does thus graciously invite, as Ezek. 18.3.32. Jer. 13.27. And though he effectually draw to him only his elect; yet the destruction of the rest is only from themselves, they find sufficiently the cause of obstinacy and refusal in themselves, Hos. 13.9.

V. 5. {But seek not Bethel} Chap. 4.4. Namely, the idols which were in these cities: seek not by-ways in coming to God; much less abominable ways, as those at Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba; for those are odious to God, and damnable. If you will seek God, you must forsake them, to which you have been so much, and so long accustomed and addicted. True Religion and Idolatry cannot consist together. Conversion to God other-ways is but vain and counterfeit. See Gen. 35.1,2. Josh. 24.22,23. Jude 10.16. 1 Sam. 7.3. such mixtures mar Religion, and Gods pure worship. Of Bethel, see the Annotations on Hos. 10.15.

{Gilgal} See Annotations on Hos. 4.15.

{Beersheba} This was a City on the south border of Jury, Judg. 21. There Hagar wandered, going towards Egypt, and thither Elias came in his flight from Jezebel, towards mount Sinai, 1 King. 19.3. There Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sometimes dwelt: and there Abraham first, and Isaac after, made a Covenant with Abimilch, and Phicol. It after fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah: and out of it was imparted to the tribe of Simeon, Josh. 19.2,9. 1 Chron. 4.28. Public Idolatry was at last set up here, as appears in this Text, and Chap. 8.14. Judah then is here also touched for idolatry.

{Gilgal shall} Namely, the inhabitants thereof. In the Hebrew there is an allusion between the word Gilgal and the verb adjoined. Gilgal signifies rolling, Josh. 5.9. Here thus, Gilgal, i.e. Rolling, shall be rolled away into captivity.

{Bethel shall come to nought} Bethel signifies the house of God; but by reason of the idolatry that was used therein, it is called Bethaven, that is to say, the house of an idol, Hos. 4.15. & 10.8. And because Aven signifies an idol, or nought, and vanity; therefore her last ruin is also set forth by this name.

V. 6. {seek} He again does repeat, and press that, vers. 4. assuring them thereby, that whiles they retain their old superstition and idolatries, they do not seek the Lord, nor can do, whatsoever they pretend.

{and ye shall live} If you seek him truly, he will certainly bless you; if you want his blessing, it is through your want of seeking him truly, which thing you can never do, till you abandon your false worships, and be regulated by his word and Law only.

{lest he break} Like a devouring fire, break in pieces, and consume all.

{the house of Joseph} Of the ten Tribes whereof the chief, was that of Ephraim, that came of Joseph.

{Bethel} None of your idols which you serve in Bethel, and wherein you so much trust for help, shall shelter and succor you.

V. 7. {Ye who} He comes now to the second Table, and charges them with gross sins against it; so leaving them no ways unconvicted. He chiefly charges the great ones, and rulers, who should have kept the rest within the bounds of obedience. But they being evil, corrupted the rest, as bad humors flow from the head to the body.

{turn judgment to wormwood} Chap. 6.12. you corrupt justice: and whereas of itself it is a most profitable and pleasant thing, you make it most bitter to those who are oppressed; and most abominable to God.

{and leave off} Let it lie in the dust: yea, tread it under foot.

V. 8. {that maketh} A magnificent description of God and his power. He is not like an idol of their imagination, to be pleased, and pacified with toys and trifles, as children are. Hypocrites that think so of him, and deal so with him, shall find him another manner of God. Therefore seek him otherwise then so. Thus the Prophet rises, as it were, into some heat against these that entertained such childish thoughts of God.

{the seven stars} Called Pleiades, and Virgiliæ; which rise with the Spring, and continue till Autumn.

{Orion} Which in the month of December is to be seen in our Hemisphere, all the nights through, some translate this, Arcturus. The Hebrew words are Cimah and Chesil. And indeed neither Jew, nor we, are certain of their exact signification, as neither of the names of many herbs; and of the womens wardrobe, Esay 3.18–24. And Amos likely was but such an Astronomer, as herd-men use to be. He speaks of the stars, as the vulgar sort then used to do; and names two, then most noted. See Cha. 9.6. Job 9.9. & 26.13. & 38.31. LXX thus; ὁ ποιῶν πάντα καὶ μετασκευάζων.

{and turneth} This may be properly understood of the great and prodigious changes in the air: and figuratively of the alteration of States, and changes of the world.

{and maketh the day dark} Chap. 4.13.

{calleth for the waters of the sea} Chap. 9.6. by vapors and clouds.

{poureth them out} By showers and rain, yet some hereby conceive more likely to be meant, the deluges and inundations of the sea, than the vapors of it dissolved into rain.

{the LORD is his name} Such is he; and not such an idol as you fancy to yourselves, to be dallied withal, and deluded by your childish impostures.

V. 9. {That strengtheneth the spoiled} Heb. spoil, strengthens them that were weak, and spoiled, and enables them against the strong; applying it to Israel, that though they counted themselves never so strong, in their fortresses, and otherwise; yet God would enable and strengthen a spoiler, a conquering destroyer against them, and their fortifications.

{so that the spoiled shall, &c.} The weak strengthened by God shall do it.

V. 10. {rebuketh} They hate the Prophets, which reprove them in the open assemblies. Particularly the Judges and Magistrates do, (who kept their Courts in or near to the gates of the Cities) who cannot endure the censure of Gods servants, see Esay 29.21. But they would be counted sacred, not to be touched, no ways to be rebuked, though they were never so worthy of it. Or, as some, the People hate the Magistrate, that judges, and reproves them justly in the place of judgment, see verse 12,15. & Gen. 34.20.

V. 11. {your treading is upon the poor} Growing rich by oppressing them, as Chap. 4.1. and laying burdens and impositions upon them.

{and ye take from him burdens of wheat} That little he has to relieve himself, even his food and livelihood; and force him many times to bear and bring it to you; and so suck out his veins his life-blood.

{ye have built} Thinking to flourish and frolic thereby.

{but ye shall} You corrupt Judges and Rulers, you great and greedy oppressors, you shall be disappointed of your hopes, and miss of your ends, Esay 33.1. Jer. 25.12,14. Heb. 2.8. Deut. 28.30,39. Esay 17.11. Zeph. 1.13. when you have sold your souls for gain; and bestowed much labor and cost on your desires; you shall be deprived of them.

V. 12. {For I know} Though you think to color your sins; or care not for men; yet I know, and will judge you; you cannot shake off my power and sovereign dominion.

{mighty sins} Huge and heinous, and monstrous.

{they afflict} He does instance in palpable and heinous crimes, open and flagitious offenses.

{they turn aside} Turn him off for want of bribes; and spoil him of his right; even there where he should have been maintained in it.

V. 13. {Therefore the prudent} For fear of their tyranny, who would endure no rebukes, vers. 10. Or, because it were in vain to speak to so forlorn a people, as Hos. 4.17. or chiefly because the wise and true believers, which judge truly of the calamities, and of their causes, shall in silence, and with patience, worship God, and adore his justice, without any murmuring or offense. See chap. 6.10. Jer. 8.14.

V. 14. {seek good} Seriously and studiously.

{and not evil} As you greedily do, and will so hardly be taken off from it.

{that ye may live} The fault then is not in God, but in yourselves, if you do not live happily. He is ready to bless you, if you hinder him not. And yet hypocrites are ready to clear themselves, and lay all the blame on God, for their miseries.

{And so} And not otherwise, no otherwise; dream not of it.

{with you} And for you; dwell in the midst of you; and bless you, Lev. 11.44. & 26.12. 1 King. 6.13.

{as ye have spoken} As you have made your boasts that he is, you being his people. Or, as you desire, and continually pray that he may be, you much boast of Gods promises this way; and promise much to yourselves in his kind, what? is not the ark of his presence with us? has he not chosen us to be his peculiar people? can he deny himself, and his covenant? Presuming thus that God is still tied to you, though you be never so wicked, and break the covenant on your part. But they are vain words, your words and sayings shall then prove true, and then only, when you seek good, and not evil; when you seriously repent and return.

V. 15. {Hate the evil} The Prophet is again upon it, because he had to deal with a people so blinded, and so hardened, by long custom in sin. And in this order here set down, must Repentance be begun, and carried on; as to the effects and fruits of it. See Ps. 34.14. & 97.10. & 37.27. Isai. 1.10,17. Rom. 12.9.

{and establish} Mend that fault, vers. 12.

{it may be that the LORD God of hosts} Joel 2.14. See Josh. 14.12. The Prophet gives some comfort to some godly among them; that though they had been carried away with the common current, yet letting others run on to their ruin, they should not despair, but take care of their own safety, and seek to escape, as it were, out of the fire and flame, with an hope and expectation of Gods mercy. The Prophet here does not cast into their minds perplexities, and nourish up distrust in God; but this he does to increase their greater industry.

{remnant} Chap. 4.11. The most number then must not be looked after, nor followed.

V. 16. {Therefore} Because you reject all my exhortations, and admonitions; and continue obstinate, and soothe up yourselves in your sinful shifts and trusts.

{the Lord} So many titles are again given to God, to make them sensible and apprehensive of him with whom they had to deal; and that it was in vain to cavil or dally with him, to whom the supreme power and judgment did belong.

{wailing} He now meddles little more with their sins; as having already sufficiently convicted them: nor much insists upon exhortations, and promises; having prevailed nothing thereby: But he falls mainly upon judgments, and the execution of Gods vengeance, in the residue of his Prophecy; only concludes all with Evangelical promises of re-edifying and restoring the Church, and making it Catholic by, and under Christ, in the end of the last chapter.

{Alas, alas} Wo, wo; now they talk merrily, and sport, and frolic it; as Chap. 6.4,5,6. Isai. 22.12,13. But then they shall be wholly taken up in mourning.

{husbandman} As to a public and general, and most grievous mourning. See v. 17.

{such as are skilful} Those teachers, and hired practicers of funeral mournings, whereof see Jer. 9.17. 2 Chron. 35.25. Job 3.8. Eccles. 12.15. A custom in the East countries of old; and in some parts of Europe, and at this day in Ireland. Of the lawfulness of it the Prophet speaks not.

V. 17. {in all vineyards shall be wailing} Instead of the joyful songs in time of vintage, Esay 16.10. There shall nothing be heard, but weeping and howling; because of the spoil of the country.

{I will pass through thee} As it were to do a general execution of justice, Exod. 11.4. & 12.12. not dwell in the midst of you; in love and favor.

V. 18. {Woe unto you} Jer. 30.7. Joel 2.2. Zeph. 1.15. Malac. 3.2. and 4.1.

{that desire the day of the LORD} By a profane boldness; as provoking him to bring that once to pass, which he has so long threatened: or by an impudent boasting of your own innocency, as if God coming to judgment should find you guiltless, or at least less guilty than the Prophets report you to be. And presuming on it still, as hypocrites use to do, that they were Gods people and heritage, and God was tied to them, and could not falsify his word, and deny himself, and abandon them. See Esay 5.19. Jer. 17.15. & 5.12,13. Ezek. 12.22. 2 Pet. 3.3.

{is darkness} In the day of his appearing he will show himself an enemy, armed against you, with the weapons of his wrath, to execute sad, black, and dismal miseries upon you, without any light of comfort at all. See Isai. 5.30. and 8.22. and 59.9. Jer. 30.7. No light shall appear in this dark night of black calamities, unless it be as that of the lightning, which is accompanied with thunder: and leaves darkness after it.

V. 19. {As if a man flee from a Lion} These Judgments of God shall be utterly unavoidable, and he that shall escape one evil, shall fall into a worse, Job 20.24. Isai. 24.18. Jer. 48.43,44. When one judgment is over, another, and a worse shall come: no change shall minister ease, or relief. God has more scourges than one, ways enough to set upon you, to multiply, and aggravate his plagues, and punishments, by foreign enemies, civil wars, famine, pestilence, &c. There is no way to shun him, and run from him, but penitently to run unto him.

{or went into the house} For fear of the Lion, or Bear.

V. 20. {no brightness in it?} Or any comfort, ease, direction, or good counsel, vers. 18.

V. 21. {I hate} So far off from being pleased with them, and pacified by them, as you imagine. Thus it is said of the Jews feasts and sacrifices, Isai. 1.11. Jer. 6.20. because their persons were notoriously sinful: and so their services, which should have been exercises of their piety, faith, and repentance, being devoid of them, and nothing but bare externals, bodily performances, were odious to God, Isai 66.3. But the Israelites feasts and sacrifices had this evil more, that they were directly contrary to Gods express Law, and his worship, tied to Jerusalem, and his Temple there. These then in themselves were profane feasts and sacrifices.

{will not smell in your solemn assemblies} Or, smell your holy-days. I will not accept of your sacrifices, which you shall offer me, at those times. See Lev. 26.31. 1 Sam. 15.22. Nor be pleased with them. See Gen. 8.21. Exod. 29.18. Levit. 1.9.13.17. Ezek. 20.40,41. If offered according to the Law, then God would count them of a sweet smelling savor to him.

V. 22. {burnt offerings} Of these kinds of offerings, commanded by God, see Lev. 1.2,3. chap.

{peace offerings} Or thank-offerings.

{of your fat beasts} Be they never so fat. The reasons of refusal were noted before. They were curious and punctual in the outward rites, but rested therein only. See Mal. 1.7,8.

V. 23. {songs} There were sacred songs, parts of Gods true service among the Jews: whereof see 1 Chr. 25. 2 Chr. 23.18. But these were in imitation of the Jews, taken up by the ten Tribes, in their false worships. And herein they abounded, which proves as defiled with impiety and hypocrisy.

{Vials} As formerly of songs. Many instruments of music were used in the Levitical service.

V. 24. {let judgment} Some refer this to the celebration of the abundant grace of Christ, which was to be manifested in the Gospel. Others thus; Trifle you with me in frivolous ceremonies; but I will cause my righteous judgments as torrents to run down and overwhelm you, for your hypocritical worships, and flagitious lives. Others rather thus; do righteousness, and judgment, and justice in a firm, full, and invariable way. And then your righteousness shall shine as the morning; as it is Isai. 58.8. And this seems best to agree with the context.

{run down} Heb. roll. Targum, and Vulgar Latin thus, shall be revealed.

V. 25. {Have ye offered, &c.} Acts 7.24. your forefathers, even in the wilderness, were idolaters; neglecting that part of the worship which I had appointed them: and you imitate them, and heap up the measure.

{unto me} And not rather to idols and devils, Deut. 32.17. This the next verse shows. And thus they leavened Gods pure worship from the beginning, with their own idolatrous devices. They intended it to, and for God: And so much God here testifies of his people, ver. 22,23. And this will-worship so blinds their eyes, that they cannot or will not think otherwise. But God judges of them otherwise, and takes them, as not done to him; but against him; not to his honor, but dishonor. And so generally idolaters think, and mind to show their love to God, worshipping him by, and before images; but God says they hate him in so doing, Exod. 20.5. as the like is, John 16.2.

{in the wilderness forty years?} A prodigious thing it is, that even then they should so fall from God, and his worship, to so foul idolatry, when he had so newly and miraculously brought them out of Egypt, given them his Law, and did feed, and foster them in the wilderness; yet such is the monstrousness of mans natural corruption.

V. 26. {But ye have born} Ministered unto, and served.

{the Tabernacle} The word is Siccuth. Theodotion renders it ὁράσεις, visions. Aquila συσκίασμα. Saint Stephen, Act. 7.43. follows the Greek version of the LXX, which takes Siccuth for Succoth, and so translate it Tabernacle. But Siccuth seems to some the name of an idol. The meaning is not much differing; thus, your forefathers, making show of serving me, carry my Tabernacle, and all things belonging to it, in the wilderness, had notwithstanding their hearts set upon their idols, and haply carried about with them some chapel or image of them.

{your} Moloch. And so your god; which you have made to be yours, by your impious idolatry.

{Moloch} And so Saint Stephen has it, Acts 7.43. Aquila has it Malchom, which is the same with Moloch, an idol of the Ammonites, 1 King. 11.5,7. And some think that Gods own Tabernacle is here so called, by way of contempt, through their idolatrous abusing of themselves, and it. In such manner as Abraham and Sarah are called an Amorite, and an Hittite, Ezek. 16.3. The word signifies King. And some gather from it the high esteem that idolaters have of their idols, calling them their King.

{and Chiun} Or of Chiun, another imaginary god, or idol. After thought by some to be (by corruption of the word in process of time) called Remphan, Acts 7.43. or Raphon, 1 Mac. 5.37. some think Chiun to be Saturn, or Mars, and Siccuth, Venus; those two Planets, which Stars, and heavenly bodies they held for gods, and honored with images. The Egyptians at this day call Saturn by the name of Rephan.

{your images} Positively. He derides their madness in thinking any Piety to be included in these images. The word images here signifies idols, contrary to the assertion of Papists. Tremellius translates thus; basin imaginum vestrarum.

{the star of your god} It is thought of some that the idols in Scripture, and their images, do somewhat represent the planets, or stars. See 1 Kin. 11.5. and were images of the Celestial bodies. Some idolatrous Jews thought the stars to be gods. See Deut. 4.19. & 17.3. 2 King. 23.5,11. Jer. 8.2. Ezek. 8.16.

{your god} A bitter taunt, Remphan is added, Acts 7.43. whereof before.

{ye made to yourselves} You had made the images of them, and had attributed Divinity to them, and had consecrated and set them up, for the object of your worship. This is will-worship to make any thing answer for Gods worship, to ourselves, of ourselves, without the warrant of God, and his word, we must be passive, not active here.

V. 27. {Therefore will I cause you to go, &c.} Because that after so many sins of your forefathers, punished by me, from time to time, you have persevered in them, yea, and have gone beyond them; I will execute the final judgments upon you, in a total desolation, and dispersion in strange Countries. He will suffer them no longer to be in his land to pollute it.

{beyond Damascus} Beyond them of Damascus, further than they. The Syrians of Damascus were carried Captives into the place called Syromedia, next to Susiana, 2 King. 16.9. But the Israelites were carried Captives far further, into Persia, and Caspia, or Casiphia, Ezra 8.17. Others thus; That the grievousness of their captivity should be greater, and beyond that which they endured in Syria, and was caused by Hazael, who reigned in Damascus. See 2 King. 13.3. Others rather thus; That whereas they counted Damascus, the chief City of Syria, as an impregnable fortress, and frontier defense for all their country, that they might rest secure under the safeguard of it, yet that should not hinder, but God would cause them to go into captivity, even beyond it into Assyria, Acts 7.43. It is, beyond Babylon, wherein St. Luke ties not himself to the words, but expounds the meaning; for as much as Assyria was further than Babylon. Of Damascus, see on Chap. 1.3.

{saith the LORD} To assure them of the truth of his threatened vengeance, however they might slight it.

{whose name} See on Chap. 4.13.

CHAPTER 6

Vers. 1. {Woe to them} Luk. 6.24. The Prophet threatens the wealthy, which regarded not Gods plagues nor menaces by his Prophets.

{are at ease} Or, are secure, and proudly confident. The wealthy and great ones, that give themselves up to their pleasures, and are drowned in them, remain secure, and are not startled at Gods severe judgments upon others, upon the vulgar sort, and common people; whereas they should be humbled at the signs of Gods wrath. See Esay 22.12,13.

{in Zion} Here by the way he couches Judah.

{and trust in the mountain of Samaria} The Citizens of these two head Cities, yet more proud, voluptuous, and secure, in the midst of Gods judgments, than other parts of the Kingdoms and countries were. Therefore the Prophet thunders wo against these confident contemners of him, and his anger.

{Chief} Exodus 19.5. Or, first-fruits.

{of the Nations} Namely Zion, or, Jerusalem, of Judah: and Samaria of the ten tribes. Or the chief of all nations: more specially of the nations of Canaan. Thus he taxes their ingratitude to God.

{came} To wit thither, into the possession of them; not by their own arm and strength, but because God did drive away the former inhabitants from before their face, Psal. 78.55. and 44.3. And thither after came to these cities, upon all businesses and occasions, as to the Princes courts, or courts of justice; and thither, as to the places of worship.

V. 2. {Pass ye unto} Do but consider these cities, which formerly were mightier and in greater prosperity than any of yours, and yet are decayed and ruined; to take example thereby, not to grow proud in carnal security, Nehem 3.8. Jer. 12. and 26.6. Psal. 78.60. Or, thus, you have received many and ample blessings, and such as no neighbor-city or nation, though never so great, do enjoy; how vile is it then for you to abuse such blessings to insolent pride and security. Do not therefore sleep in your sins, be not drunken and intoxicated with your present prosperous condition; take lessons for your own good out of the loss and damage of others. Look into the glass of Gods judgments upon Heathen nations. Their great power, prosperity and confidence availed not them.

{Calneh} A most ancient city in the Babylonian country, Genesis 10.10.

{Hamath} A mighty city, whence the country adjacent took also the name. The Hamathite descended of Canaan, the son of Cham, Gen. 10.18. famous in Scripture, seated at the foot of Libanus, nigh the tribe of Asher, the north border of Judea, 1 Chron. 13.5. 2 Chr. 7.8. Lying northeast of Libanus, and bounding north upon Damascus, Josh. 13.5. Num. 34.8. Ezek. 47.15,16. and 48.1. 1 Kings 8.65. Sometimes a kingdom of itself, 2 Sam. 8.9. Toi king of it, 2 Kings 19.13. Esay 37.13. Sometimes in the possession of the kings of Judah, 2 Chron. 8.3,4. sometimes of the kings of Syria, 2 Kings 17.24. Esay 10.9. Their God was Ashima, 2 Kings 17.30. In the territories of this city, or country, was Ribla, where the king of Egypt bound Jehoahaz, 2 Kings 23.33. And the king of Babylon did execution upon so many of Judah, 2 Kings 25.21. Jer. 39.5. These famous places flourished sometimes, but were destroyed by the Assyrian, 2 Kings 19.11. Esay 10.9. Hamath in Naphtali is another city, Josh. 19.35.

{Gath} One of the five Lordships of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 6.17. Recovered in the days of Samuel, 1 Sam. 7.14. Lost in the days of Saul: in whose time David twice fled thither to Achish the king of Gath: and upon his danger there the first time, made those Psalms, 34 and 56. He had slain Goliath the giant of Gath, 1 Sam. 17. And after, three other giants brethren to Goliath, and born of their father-giant at Gath, fell by the hands of Davids servants. In Solomons time Shimei his servants fled thither, and he after them: for which he suffered death. Afterwards in the days of Joash of Judah, Hazael king of Syria took it, 2 Kings 12.17. And king Uzziah after that broke down the walls of it, 2 Chron. 26.6. This was an example nigh at hand to Gods people.

{be they better?} Are they, or have they been better, or greater, in a more firm and flourishing state and condition?

{then these kingdoms} Of Judah and Israel. Some understand this of Calne, Hamath, and Gath. Is their condition better? Some thus, Was it ever better than yours? Or be it so, yet now see their change and fall.

{border greater} Their bounds had been great, and dominion large: but now cut off so short, that the cities themselves were become tributary to another. And why then are you so sottish and confident? and fear not the like vengeance now threatened by me, and hanging over your heads? Nothing can withstand Gods hand.

V. 3. {that put far away the evil day} Chap. 5.18. and Chap. 9. ver. 10. the Chieftains put away far from you all thought and fear of Gods judgments threatened by his Prophets, slighting and scorning them, Ezek. 12.22,27. Esay 22.13. and in the mean time draw near to public tyranny, as if sins and their punishments could go the one without the other. See 2 Pet. 3.4.

{and cause the seat of violence} Psalm 94.20. Or, habitation.

{to come near} You hasten it, and speedily hasten yourselves to it, rush into all manner of mischief and inhumanity, as the horse rushes into the battle. Thus they put off the evil day, and yet by their sins pull it upon them. As drunkards would put off a fever, and yet, by inflaming themselves with wine, pull it upon them.

V. 4. {that lie} That drown themselves in pleasures, even in the midst of Gods severe judgments: and heed them not, though they encompass them about: whereas rather they should then have lain upon the ground, and have humbled themselves in dust and ashes. The things here mentioned, are not simply in themselves unlawful, but unlawful at such a season, in those miserable times, when the fire of Gods wrath was kindled against them, and should have struck an horror into them.

{stretch themselves upon their couches} Or, abound with superfluities in their feastings. This also as the former is chiefly spoken against the great ones and rulers. And so is that which follows.

V. 5. {That chant} Or quaver, Esay 5.12. As men use to do at marriage feasts, at the solemnization of their birth-days, and other like occasions; not duly weighing that of the Wise man, Eccles. 3. v. 4.

{David} Who was a great inventor, and master of music, and musical instruments, 1 Chron. 25.5. which he employed in praising of God: whereas these did use them for a Provocation of carnal pleasure, and that at so unseasonable a time, as if they would outface God and his Judgments, and so they abuse the example of David, as hypocrites commonly do abuse the examples of Gods Saints in many things. LXX in their translation of this verse, do much vary and change the sense.

V. 6. {That drink} Their abuse of these things does not condemn the use of them.

{wine in bowls} Or, in bowls of wine. By measure without measure.

{they are not grieved} For their public calamities not affected, or afflicted therewith, on their own, or their brethrens behalf. This is it that makes out their sin, and is to be applied to the several branches of this, and the two verses afore, Jer. 30.7. This is contrary to that Psalm 35.13,14,15. and 137.1–7. Lament. throughout. Jer. 9.1.

{affliction} Heb. Breach.

V. 7. {they go Captive} They that are at ease in Zion, and live and lie in pleasures.

{with the first} They shall be the first, and most noted in the punishment; as they have been in degrees of honor, and in sins. See 2 King. 17.

{and the banquet} The feastings of those that so deliciously stretched themselves, verse 4,5. shall be removed, and mourning, which they put far away from them, shall come unto them, shall approach, and seize upon them.

V. 8. {The Lord GOD hath sworn} Chap. 8.7. Jer. 51.14.

{by himself} Heb. By his soul, confer, Heb. 6.16,17.

{I abhor the excellency of Jacob} That is, their riches and pomp. The blessings, benefits, privileges and excellencies wherewith formerly he had adorned them, should not hinder him now from abhorring them. For they had forfeited them all, and were become so much the more hateful and abominable.

{all that is therein} Heb. the fullness thereof, though it be never so much replenished with men, and all manner of store.

V. 9. {if there remain} After a former plague and Judgment; wherein the greatest number have already perished.

{ten men} Suppose that some number do escape the enemies hands, yet they shall fall by the pestilence; and if there be not men enough for to bury them, their bodies shall be burnt, which was not used among the people, but only in cases of extreme necessity. Great burnings were of odors, and sweet spices, at the funerals of their Kings. See 2 Chron. 16.14. and 21.19. See also that 1 Sam. 31.12. The meaning is here, not one of them shall escape. This is more than the pestilence uses to do: This is an act of Gods horrible vengeance; to cut off, as it were desperately, so desperate, forlorn, invincible, incorrigible a people, all such sinners should fear and tremble.

V. 10. {a man's uncle shall take him up} The nearest of kin, who for the duty of consanguinity, or to cleanse the house which is fallen to him by inheritance, shall take care of these dead bodies; the ordinary, and mercenary officers, deputed to this service and employment, in this so general a mortality, likely being wanting. See Ezech. 39.14.

{that burneth him} Vulgar Latin, to burn him: because the solemnity of exportation, and funeral in a time of such calamity, as was formerly said, could not be had; which otherwise is usual. See Eccles. 12.5. 2 Sam. 3.31.

{the bones} More easily might they be carried out, the carcass being burned. To cause the house to be more easily and privately freed from this legal uncleanness. Numb. 19.14.

{No} No more: there is an end, all are dead, as verse 9.

{shall say unto him} He seems to mean the uncle, or him that had been employed in burning these dead bodies, if any other were so employed, that he should say to him that is remaining sick in the sides of the house; one of ten, as chap. 5.3. or, to some other not of that house and family, yet crept in thither.

{Hold thy tongue} Chap. 5.13. Tell nobody what has happened unto us, for fear we be sequestered as unclean by the law, or rest silent as astonished at Gods judgment.

{we may not} Or, they will not, or have not. This extreme desolation does dispense with us touching the laws of God concerning these pollutions, and the purifying of them, which were not observed even by the most scrupulous consciences in the greatest extremities. See Lam. 4.14,15. Others, upon the other translation, thus; they were forlorn and desperate sinners that regarded not the Lord at all, nor once mentioned his name, when they were at their last gaspings, yea, rather shunned it as an ominous name, that boded them no good luck, but all evil. Or rather thus, we formerly gloried so much in the name of the Lord, and made that a shield and buckler for our sins. But now we must cast away that false boasting; we see God is become our fierce enemy; now the very name of God is dreadful and terrible to us, we could wish to hear no more of him, and it. Luke 23.30. Apoc. 6.16.

V. 11. {For behold} This confirms the former sentence. All these things shall happen by reason of the utter extermination of great and small, high and low which God has appointed, yea commanded the Assyrians, and Babylonians to execute, yet his command and word alone, of itself were sufficient to do it, if he so pleased.

{the great house} And the little: none should escape from the greatest to the least; they were all such desperate sinners.

{breaches} Or, droppings.

V. 12. {shall horses} Great variety there is in the understanding and application of these general words. Some thus; Shall we Prophets continually cast away our labors upon you, who are so desperately corrupted, and turn all the good which is presented unto you and bestowed upon you, into evil, as if a man plowed or digged a hard rock? or, it is as impossible for such sinners as you are to stand out Gods judgments, and go free, as it is impossible for horses and oxen to plow upon a rock: Or thus; It is as impossible for them to do well, as it is for horses to run, or oxen to plow on rocks. Or thus; you have so overturned all law and right, as if one overturned the very order and law of nature; such monsters are you. Or thus; That the Prophet should no more prevail with them, than if one did sing a song to a deaf man, or should go to run horses, or plow with oxen upon a rock. Others rather thus; Can God be so unmindful of his covenant with you for your good, as you do so much boast and trust, when you so break it on your parts, so highly and heinously? He can no more run on in the way of blessing you, and doing good unto you, nor manage and manure you with his gifts and graces, while you are such, such rocks; even no more than horses can run on a rock, or one can plow with oxen there.

{for ye have turned} He therefore must deal accordingly with you Psalm. 18.26.

{into gall} See Deut. 29.18. and 32.32. and therefore he gives them the water of gall to drink, Jer. 8.14. and 9.15. & 23.15.

{hemlock} Or wormwood. Chap. 5.7.

V. 13. {ye which rejoice} That triumph and glory in your strength, as if you could therewith overcome your enemies. See 1 Sam. 2.1. which indeed is a thing of nought. As also all your other lying pretensions whatsoever, wherewith you delude yourselves, and which swell you up to a wretched contempt of me, and my judgments.

{which say} At leastwise in their thoughts and hearts. The Prophet by Gods Spirit and Gods Word pierces so deep. 1 Cor. 2.10. Jer. 17.10. Heb. 4.12.

{have we not} And thus, for this point, they did foolishly rejoice in a thing of nought.

V. 14. {But behold} He gives a reason why he has called all their hopes and means, things of nought: by repeating the judgment formerly denounced: and by more particularly naming the kind and manner of it; by a nation of the Assyrians no doubt, as the sacred history shows, 2 Kings 17.

{afflict you} And drive you to such straits and distresses in all your land, that there shall be no means, no hope, no hole left to escape him.

{from the entering in of Hamath} These were the two uttermost bounds of the land of Canaan in length. See Annot. on ver. 2.

{the river of the wilderness} Or the valley of the wilderness, called elsewhere the river of Egypt. Numbers 34.5,8. Josh. 15.47. and Chapter 13.3.

CHAPTER 7

Vers. 1. {Thus hath the Lord} The Prophet in this Chapter shows how God did often take off his judgments begun to be inflicted upon them; and so punish them only by degrees; to see if they would take off themselves from their sins; and make use of this his lenity and forbearance to repent. But all this prevailed not with them; but they rather grew the more obstinate thereby, and obdurate in their sins, and against Gods judgments, even to slight and contemn them.

{shewed unto me.} This was then in a vision showed by the Lord to Amos. The judgment itself was visible upon the people; but they had not eyes to see it to be Gods hand striking them, and to make use of it; Esay 9.13. Jer. 5.3.

{he formed grasshoppers} Or, green worms according to the letter. Here was shown in this vision some great spoil done by these insects. See Amos 4.9. Nahum 3.15. Esay 33.4.

{latter growth after the Kings mowings} It is thought that the Kings did take the first crop of hay to keep their war-horses, and for other services, leaving the latter hay for other cattle. A like notation of time is that 2 Samuel 11.1. LXX here translate very strangely.

V. 2. {made an end} This seems to relate to some Judgment begun before the time of Jeroboam, the second, and not to that inflicted after by the Assyrian. See that Joel 1.

{forgive} Go not on to consume your people by this means; spare, withdraw your hand. He pleads no other argument, but only Gods mercy. Thus the Prophet commiserates them, pities them, intercedes for them, So Jer. 9.1. and 18.20. and 7.16. Thus must Gods Ministers tenderly compassionate their people, and pray for them: And yet be faithful to God, and their calling, in dealing roundly, and roughly with them for their sins, thundering Gods judgments against them; as this Prophet did. They must mingle these two affections; and not let the one hinder the other. And the people might hereby well perceive that Amos for all his sharpness against them, was no enemy to them, but in all things sought their good, reformation and salvation. Gal. 4.16. Jer. 17.15,16.

{by whom shall Jacob arise} Or, who of (or for) Jacob shall stand? How shall your people ever recover themselves, if you do overthrow them with this plague, after so many more that have already made them so weak? and he names Jacob, so as it were putting God in mind of his covenant with Jacob, and that these now were his people and heritage; not Egyptians or Assyrians, with whom he was thus dealing. See Psalm. 105.6. and 135.4. Jer. 2.14.

{for he is small} In number and strength, 2 Kings 14.26. brought low and little. He pleads here not the peoples merit, but their misery. See that plea, Psal. 25.11.

V. 3. {The LORD repented for this} That is, stayed his plague at my prayer. See upon Gen. 6.6. Jer. 26.19. changed not his Eternal purpose; but did herein, in suspending a while the further and full execution of his wrath, according to his own eternal decree, But in the phrase there is an application and condescension, to our capacity; it is spoken after the manner of men. See 1 Sam. 15.29.

V. 4. {called to contend by fire} Contending is the more used when we otherwise cannot get right. And this was Gods present case and condition with his people; he was at this pass with them. This a more grievous judgment than the former. The fire of Gods anger was now more kindled. Upon further impenitency God further augments his punishments. Levit. 26.18. as Nebuchadnezzar did heat his oven, Dan. 3.19. By fire, Meaning, That Gods indignation was inflamed against the stubbornness of his people. Or, it may be understood either of that extreme drought which has been spoken of: Amos 4.7,8. or figuratively, by extermination, by the fire of war, which had already consumed the Country. 2 Kings 14.26. And thus by fire is war signified, Chap. 1 & 2.

{the great deep} It seemed to be so, by reason that the springs and streams, which rise from underground, where the deep is, Gen. 7.11. Deut. 33.13. were dried up.

{Cease} See Annot. on verse 2.

{The Lord} See verse 3.

{did eat up a part} To wit of the Land, for one part of the Land was watered with rain, Amos 4.7. Some rather understand this of Tiglath-Pilesers war against Syria, 2 Kings 16.9: And afterwards against that part of Israel beyond Jordan, 1 Chronicles 5.26. Isaiah 9.1.

V. 5. {Cease} See on verse 2.

V. 6. {so the Lord} See on verse 3.

{This also} Thus God more than once spared his people, to see if yet at length possibly they would repent; but still their incorrigibleness rendered them the more inexcusable. And Gods Prophets are not to be accounted liars, though God for a time suspend and take off his judgments threatened by them.

V. 7. {the LORD stood upon a wall} A figure of Gods justice, who is the supreme Master and chief builder, who examines all the actions of men; which are like a wall, that is to be built up by Masons; and if the work be right, God approves of it, and preserves it; if not, he reproves it, and overthrows it.

{by a plumbline} A perpendicular wall.

{in his hand} Not then cast away out of his hand, as some would have it; unless they mean that after this time he cast it away, and meddled no more with it.

V. 8. {what seest thou?} To stir up the mind of Amos, and consequently of the people to the more attention.

{A plumbline} But he did not so easily know what God meant by this, as by the two former visions of the grasshoppers, and the fire. And this made him the more desirous to know, and the more attentive.

{I will set} I will now exactly execute my justice, which I have hitherto suspended, passing over the misdeeds of my people; And as exactly now destroy them, as formerly I did exactly build them up. This is my last measuring and scantling that I will take of them. See that Dan. 5.25.

{I will not} I will no more call back my judgments, pass by my people Israel, and spare them; but I will constantly persevere in the rigor of my justice, without any indulgence henceforth to mercy, which they have hitherto so lewdly abused. Chap. 8.2. This at last they get by their contumacious obstinacy: though they foolishly promised otherwise to themselves, out of his former indulgency.

V. 9. {high places} All places dedicated by them to idolatry, under pretense of imitating Isaac, and their other forefathers, who formerly had sacrificed and served God in those places. In these they foolishly trusted, and gloried; which indeed did the more provoke Gods wrath against them.

{of Isaac} This Patriarch mentioned, because they falsely pretended, and gloried in his name and example, as well as in Abrahams, and Jacobs, these fathers were always in their mouths; Joh. 4.20. The Fathers had Altars in those places and worshipped there; This was their armor of proof, and buckler of defense; they sheltered themselves under these honorable names, and specious pretenses.

{shall be desolate} As was effected, 2 King. 16 & 17. Chapters.

{and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword} 2 Kings 15.10. Zachary the son of Jeroboam and his whole family being destroyed speedily. Though God spared his person, and all things prospered and flourished in the time of his reign. This prophecy therefore was uttered in the time of this Jeroboam as appears also in the verses following.

V. 10. {Then Amaziah} Here the Prophet is endangered for the faithful discharge of his office and function. And so Jeremiah afterwards: Jerem. 11.19,21. and 12.6. and 15.15. and 18.18. and 26.8.

Thus Pashur dealt evilly against Jeremiah. Jer. 20.2. And Shemajah did likewise Chap. 29.26,27. Acts 7.52.

{the Priest of Bethel} Priests persecutors of Prophets: Priests for fear of losing their places of honor and wealth, which they unlawfully possessed.

{Bethel} See Annotations on Hos. 10.15. See 1 King. 12.29,32.

{sent to Jeroboam} Amaziah seeks to oppress the Prophet by Regal power. 2 Kings 14.23.

{Amos hath conspired} Pretends the Kings cause only, makes it his case, and to concern him. And the crime alleged is capital; conspiracy, sedition, and treason. And all to exasperate the King against the Prophet. See Acts 24.5. A bloody accusation if true.

{in the midst} Not in a corner, but publicly before all Israel; even in Bethel, verse 13.

{the Land is not able to bear all his words} That is, he will raise some great tumults, and seditions, and factions; or, the people will rise against him by their own private authority, if you do not provide to the contrary, by your royal power. See John 11.48.

V. 11. {Jeroboam shall die by the sword} This wicked priest Amaziah for hatred he bare to the Prophet, thought this accusation sufficient to condemn him; whereas none other could take place; but it was falsely alleged, to incense the King against Amos, who had only spoken of Jeroboams posterity, and not of Jeroboam himself, vers. 9. No doubt but he watched still what Amos daily preached; and having got at length matter enough, as he conceived against him, he pours out his long-bred poison in this double accusation against him.

V. 12. {said unto Amos} When, it seems, his bloody message prevailed not with the King; whose answer is not here set down; nor does he then any thing against the Prophet, either out of fear, or some other politic respect: Now Amaziah turns from the Lion to the Fox: when this instrument of Satan, was not able to compass his purpose by the King, he assayed by another practice: that was: to fear the Prophet, that he might depart: and not reprove their idolatry there openly, and so hinder him in his place and profit.

{thou Seer} That is, the Prophet. See 1 Samuel 9.9. He gives him an honorable Title, to insinuate with him. So Matth. 22.16.

{go} You freely may: none yet stops you.

{flee} Whiles you may: and part speedily, if you will save your life, you cannot be here safe long: if you stay, you are but a lost man; a necessity then for your preservation lies upon you.

{into the Land of Judah} Your own Country: See Chap. 1.1 and the Annotations there. There such Prophets are better welcome, and better regarded both by the People, and their King Uzziah. Here you are both a stranger, and odious amongst us.

{and there eat bread} You may live there more safely, and plentifully: whereas staying here you will starve, if worse does not befall you; being hated of all men.

{and prophecy there} That is more proper for you, to exercise your function among your kindred, and in your own country; and not here. There is your own religion. Preach it there as much as you will. This is more than some persecutors will do, or suffer to be done.

V. 13. {But} Chap. 2.12. See the Annotations there.

{again any more} I pass over what is past; I question it not, though you have been so faulty; but see you do it not again any more. See Acts 4.17,18. and 5.40.

{chapel} Or, sanctuary. A place consecrated to the worship of the calves, 1 Kings 12.29. to which the King bears a singular devotion, and where he often makes his residence: wherefore it is not safe, nor fitting for you to prophesy against him here. It is odious and dangerous to preach against the Kings religion here in his own Chapel, and Court. He has right and zeal to his own religion; he may dispose of it as he list, and he has power over you; Here you must not cry out against this kingdom, and priesthood; this Court, and Temple. Amaziah has an aim at his own Priesthood in Bethel, his power and possessions there, which Amos must not disturb, nor shake him in the peaceable and quiet enjoyment of them.

{Kings court} Heb. house of the kingdom: where civil affairs, and matters of state are handled.

V. 14. {Then answered} He fears not to answer his imperious injunctions, and lordly prohibition. Dan. 3.16,17,18. Acts 4.19. and 5.29.

{I was no Prophet} Born, or bred. Thus he shows by his extraordinary vocation, that God had given him a charge which he must needs execute.

{a Prophets son} 2 Kings 2.3.

{an herdman} Not brought up as Paul, Acts 22.3. or those at Bethel, 2 Kings 2.3. or Jericho, verse 5. or Gilgal, 2 Kings 4.38. But he was an herdman, Chap. 1.1. brought up, not in the schools, the seminaries of learning, but in this country trade, an illiterate man.

{sycomore fruit} A kind of wild figs called Egyptian figs. And so hardship he had learned to endure, and turned not prophet for foods sake.

V. 15. {And the LORD took me} He had a calling then; Heb. 5.4. And that extraordinary, and miraculous; God calling him, and furnishing him with gifts thereto; as Christ did his Apostles, from being fishermen, and the like, to be his ambassadors, and fishers of men. This adds the more weight of authority to the Prophets calling.

{as I followed the flock} Heb. From behind, following that other calling, and not once dreaming of this. See Psal. 78.70,71. 2 Sam. 7.8.

{Go Prophecy} He could not then cast off the yoke, God had laid on his neck; and obey the words of Amaziah. He did not go, and run unsent, of his own head; or by any human ordinance take upon him this function. But as he sought not the office and employment, So neither must he forsake it. Thus he opposes Gods command to Amaziahs inhibition.

V. 16. {Now therefore hear} You have had your turn and your word: Now the Lord will have his.

{the word of the LORD} Not a vain word and ineffectual, as yours was; but clothed with power, and efficacy, working dreadfully and direfully upon you, and yours. See 2 Cor. 10.6.

{thou sayest} You would oppose yourself to God, take from him this right and sovereignty, curb his spirit, that he should not freely by me reprove the sins of the people: This is a sacrilegious audaciousness; and hereby you do double the vengeance for such a rash and raging attempt. See Acts 13.10,11. and Jer. 29.21,22.

{and drop not} Ezek. 20.46. and 21.2. Micah 2.6.

{Isaac} The word likely that Amaziah used, implying therein his own and the Israelites glorying in the Fathers, and sheltering themselves under their wings. See Annotations on verse 9.

V. 17. {thy wife} Thus God used to approve the authority of his Prophets by his plagues and judgments against them, which were malicious enemies. Jer. 28.12,17. and 29.21,25,32. as this day he does many times against them which persecute the Ministers of his Gospel.

{shall be an harlot} Being by me disbandoned to luxury, Hos. 4.13. or being forced thereunto by the enemies; as is too usual when cities are taken by storming.

{in the city} And sight of all, publicly. This aggravates the anguish.

{and thy sons} Thus punished in his wife and children. See Jer. 29.32.

{Thy land} Your own Land, and that wherein you lived, shall be alienated quite, and by line and measure divided out and shared to the possessions of strangers.

{Thou shalt die} Namely, in Assyria, a land of infidels, far from the land of Canaan, which was the pledge of the Saints communion in life and in death.

{and Israel shall surely go} That part of Amaziahs charge against Amos, was a truth. Amos so preached and prophesied; and it should assuredly be accordingly performed. And see this done by the Assyrians, 2 Kings 15.29. and 17.6.18.23,24. and 18.11.

CHAPTER 8

Verse 1. In this Chapter the Prophets goes on further to declare the final ruin of the people of Israel who by all the former judgments and chastisements could not be amended; but still resisted the remedies that God used; and so had proved themselves by many experiments to be irrecoverable and incorrigible.

{the Lord GOD} He brings nothing of his own.

{shewed unto me} In a vision; the more to assert the truth, and affect the people's mind with it.

{of summer fruit} Not as the hasty fruit before the summer, Esay 28.4. nor as that corn, 2 King. 19.26. Esay 37.27. But fully ripe. See Apoc. 14.18.

V. 2. {What seest thou?} Chap. 7. v. 8. Jer. 1.11,13. To stir up the minds of his people, to attend and expect some memorable and remarkable thing, upon such a conference and colloquy between God and his prophet.

{of summer fruit} In the Hebrew there is a kind of affinity between the word summer and the word end which follows, which is the ground of this design, and for to keep some mark thereof, the word [end] is joined and used in the verse. See Jer. 1.11. And this signifies the ripeness of their sin, and readiness of God's judgments. See the other type. Chap. 7.7.

{The end is come} The exposition of the vision. Seeing no former and lesser punishments would serve the turn, but still they abused God's lenity; and hardened themselves in sin; God would no longer deal as a father or physician; in vain should they hope for that hereafter. But he will now execute his last revenge upon them. Their sins were full and ripe; the precise time and term of final overthrow was now come. See Ezek. 7.2,3.6,7,10,12. Lam. 4.18. Jer. 2.11,12.

{I will not} See Chap. 7. v. 8.

V. 3. {the songs} Namely the sweet melody of great ones. See Amos 6.5. Or rather, the melodious songs of the temple, in their festivals, and at other times of divine service, as the next word shows.

{of the temple} The idolatrous temples of the ten tribes. And this may be extended to the temple of Jerusalem, the Lord's holy temple. They pleased themselves in their prosperity, that they thought they were highly in God's favor, and therefore sounded out his praises in their temples, whereas the prophet meanwhile thundered out his wrath and judgments against them.

{shall be howlings} Heb. shall howl, that is, be turned into howlings. See verse 10. and Chap. 5.23. Vulgar Latin thus; Stridebunt cardines templi.

{Dead bodies in every place} The dead bodies shall not be buried honorably and with funeral pomp; but shall be thrown into pits and common graves, without any mourning. Psal. 78.64. and 79.2,3. or shall want the right and rite of any sepulture. Though barbarous enemies, even in the heat of war, and bloody fight, use not to deny this one to another; but make cessations and truces to bury their dead.

{they shall cast them} Chap. 6.10.

{with silence} Heb. Be silent. See Chap. 5.13. and 6.10.

V. 4. {Hear} Though formerly he had convicted them, over and over again, of the justness of this severity of God against them: that he is not cruel in so doing, yet because nothing would serve their turn and satisfy them, he is at them, and at this point again; raking up their sin, the cause of it, and rating them for it. And he calls on them to listen and hearken; they were so deaf to hear the mention of their sins.

{O ye} Great ones chiefly: and others also in their inferior degree.

{that swallow up} He instances in this one gross and palpable, crying sin.

{the needy} By staying of the sale of food and necessary things, which you have gotten into your own hands: and so cause the poor to spend quickly that little which they have, and at length for necessity to become your slaves; or by any other means whatsoever. See Chap. 2.6,7.

V. 5. {Saying} This was the saying and doing of the rich, and wealthy. And these presumed they could best escape God's judgments in the common calamities; therefore the prophet chiefly addresses himself against them, and meets with them, to stop their mouths, and tame their insolency and security. The vulgar sort of people had their other sins, sufficiently meriting their final ruin.

{New moon} Or month, when the dearth was once come, they were so greedy of gain, that they thought the holy day to be an hindrance unto them; for on such days it was not lawful to buy or sell. Nehe. 13.15,16. They thought such days to be years, so long and tedious in passing; they thought every hour lost, every minute wherein they were not negotiating, satisfying, and sacrificing to their covetous, greedy desires; the fire of this furnace was still flaming and never gave them any rest. Hab. 2.13. Or they thought and hoped, that upon some occasion the next month things would grow dearer than yet they were; some refer it to the month of intercalation, added to the 12 months of their year. Yet the word also is sometimes used to signify the new moons. Of the new moons, See Numb. 10.10 and Chap. 28.11. Psal. 81.3. 2 King. 4.23. 1 Sam. 20.5. Esay 66.23.

{sell corn} Then they will bring forth and make the advantage of their hoarded store.

{and the Sabbath} They had a sabbatical year; wherein things were usually dearer than in other years, because there was no ploughing and sowing then. See Deut. 15. But this seems rather to relate to the Sabbath day.

{set forth wheat} Heb. Open wheat.

{making the Ephah small} That is, against the law, Levit. 19.35,36. Likely giving small measure in selling, and using great weights to weigh the money which they receive for payment. Ezech. 45.10,11. See the Annot. there.

{shekel} Ezech. 45.12. See the Annotations there.

{falsifying the balances by deceit} Heb. perverting the balances of deceit. Prov. 11.1. and chap. 16.11.

V. 6. {buy the poor} Ensnaring the poor into fraudulent debts; to make them your bondmen, abusing the permission, Levit. 25.39. which aimed only at a remedy for casual poverty. See Exod. 21.2,7. Deut. 15.12. Jer. 34.14,15. Nehem. 5.

{for silver} Chap. 2.6. at any base rate and price.

{pair of shoes} Chap. 2.6.

V. 7. {The LORD hath sworn} Against these men; the more to affright and startle them, who usually so please and applaud themselves in their ways that they neither fear, nor care for God or man.

{by the excellency of Jacob} By himself; Chap. 6.8. who is the glorious God of his people, Psal. 106.20. By whom Jacob, that is, Israel does excel. See Deut. 4.7,8. And it may be this form of oath grates upon their ingratitude; avowing by all the excellencies, dignities, prerogatives, and privileges which he had formerly bestowed upon them, that he would never forget to punish such crying crimes.

{any of their works} None should be forgotten. Psalm 50.21.

V. 8. {shall not the land tremble for this?} He appeals the consciences of all men: can it otherwise be? It is impossible that such sinners should not be so punished? Are not these wickednesses sufficient to cause the land to be destroyed and laid waste; as Egypt is overflown by the river Nilus? They confound heaven and earth, right and wrong, tumultuously disorder all; and shall not the land be troubled at, tremble at, and under such inhabitants?

{Every one mourn} None excepted, nor one of these great and wealthy covetous oppressors, see James 5.1. Jerem. 4.28. Ezech. 7.27. Hosea 4.3.

{as a flood} Chap. 9.5. As an inundation and deluge; leaving no place of habitation for men.

{and it shall be cast out} Chap. 9.5.

{drowned} The land as it were swallowed up in a gulf; to drown the inhabitants, no surface of it being to be seen and uncovered.

{as by the flood of Egypt} As Nilus makes Egypt like a sea. Here the reading of the Hebrew כאר sicut lux, and כואר sicut fluvius, both according to the Keri, and the Cetib, amount to the same sense. Chap. 9.5. כואר only is used. Targum thus; The king [of Assyria] shall come against it, with his army which is great, as a river, and shall cover thee wholly.

V. 9. {cause the sun to go down at noon} I will encumber the land with horrible and mournful calamities, when it shall be least thought of, and when a man shall think himself happy and peaceable; yea, with such calamities as shall not leave the least glimmering of light or hope of deliverance; I will turn your light into darkness, your midday of prosperity into the midnight of adversity. Here is no intendment of any eclipse of the sun, but of a total eclipsing and darkening the clear and bright day and sunshine of all their external happiness and felicity; wherein they so much confided and triumphed. This God could and would alter and change, for their so extreme abusing of it, into the contrary extremity of calamity. Such metaphorical and figurative speeches and expressions as this, are usual in all languages.

V. 10. {Your feasts} Of jollities, yea, your holy feasts, wherein you so much please yourselves, and think you please God too, by your sacrifices, and sacred ceremonies. Nay, these provoke me to further wrath.

{all your songs} Both profane, and sacred. See verse 3. These shall not be coolers to assuage; but bellows to kindle more and more the fire of my wrath.

{bring up sackcloth} I will force them to put off their gorgeous attire, and costly raiments; and betake themselves to mourning weeds, to sackcloth; a ceremony usual in Jury, and those eastern countries, Joel 1. & 3. Chapters Esay 15.2. Jer. 48.37. Ezech. 7.18.

{and baldness} They shall pull off their hair in sign of sorrow. Ezra 9.3. See Esay 15.2. and 22.12. Jerem. 16.6. and 48.37. Micah 1.16.

{as the mourning of an only son} Jerem. 6.26. Zach. 12.10.

{a bitter day} Job 3.5. Ezech. 27.30,31. Zeph. 1.14. Jerem. 31.15.

V. 11. {Behold} A most dreadful spiritual judgment.

{the days come} Very speedily.

{a famine in the Land} This famine they had too much before; the sound doctrine of piety being so much poisoned with false superstitions and idolatries reigning amongst the ten tribes. Yet God in much mercy a long time strove, as it were, to master their impieties, & with strong hand held them back from running runagates and revolters from him. But now seeing nothing availed anything at all, he will now let his hand go; he denounces his sorest vengeance; he will utterly deprive them of the saving food of his word, and send a famine of it.

{not a famine of bread} This were a far lesser matter, and not to be named with the other. And yet the direfulness of this is fearfully set out in Scripture: See only Lam. 1.11.19. and 2.12,20. and 4.4,9,10. and 5.10.

{but of hearing} This is famine indeed. God's word is the spiritual food of our spiritual life. The granting of it is a blessing indeed, Esay 30.20,21. John 6.27. and 4.10,14. And the withholding of it is a judgment indeed, Prov. 29.18. Hos. 4.6. 1 Sam. 3.1. Psal. 74.9.

V. 12. {And they shall wander} The meaning is, They shall then too late know what it is to want it, they shall bite upon the bit, trouble and torment themselves without any profit, as Esau did when he saw he had lost his birthright, as those, Hosea 7.14. Not out of any right and pious affection to it, or to convert and return unto the Lord by it. Theirs was but a blind, wandering, erroneous, distracting desire.

{seek the word of the LORD} Whereby he shows, that they shall not only perish in body, but also in soul: for lack of God's word, which is the food thereof.

V. 13. {In that day} Corporal judgments shall second spiritual judgments. And those shall seize even upon the fairest, and strongest, so that none shall escape.

{faint for thirst} Namely, by the effects of my burning wrath, without any refreshment of comfort, Hos. 2.3.

V. 14. {They that swear} The cause of the punishment is adjoined; their impious and idolatrous superstitions. See on Zeph. 1.5. Swear by the calves and other idols, which are the objects and instruments of their sin; as Deut. 9.21. for the idolaters did use to swear by their idols, as the Papists yet do by theirs: the prophet by way of detestation calls that their sin, which they called and accounted their God.

{Samaria} See Annotations on chap. 8.5.

{Thy God} The manner and form of their swearing. Like to that, Gen. 42.15. Judg. 8.19. Ruth. 3.13. Jer. 4.2. and chap. 5.7. & 12.16.

{Dan} Abraham pursued the four kings to Dan, Gen. 14.14. Yet likely not that Dan, formerly called Laish, or Leshem, which is the Dan here meant, and is mentioned, Judg. 18.29. This belonged to the tribe of Dan, situated on the north border of Judea, Judg. 20.1. Ezech. 48.1. famous for that Jeroboam placed one of his golden calves here, 1 Kings 12.29,28. yet was it smitten by Benhadad king of Syria, at the request, and upon the present, of Asa king of Judah: and this in Jeroboam's days. A gate for Dan was on the east side of that Jerusalem in Ezechiel's vision, Ezech. 48.32.

{the manner} Heb. The way. Namely, the religion, or worship, and manner of it, as Act. 9.2. and 18.25. and 24.14. of man's devising; but then in common usage.

{of Beersheba} See upon Amos 5.5. In the south of Jury.

{and never rise up again} This was such a deadly blow, and mortal wound, as should never be recovered. And the event was answerable: for after the three tribes were carried captives by Tiglath-Pileser, 2 Kings 15.29. And all the rest by Shalmaneser: 2 Kin. 17. they never rose up again.

CHAPTER 9

Verse 1. In this last chapter Amos sets down his last vision and prophecy of the ruin of Israel. And concludes all with an evangelical promise of their happy restoration and return under Christ.

{I saw the Lord} In a prophetic vision. The more to confirm and seal the truth and authority of what he was to speak.

{standing} As ready to depart; yet standing, and staying to pronounce his final sentence against them.

{upon the Altar} Some understand this of some prime altar in Israel, in Samaria, Bethel, or Dan. But likely God would not so countenance those places, as to show any vision, or utter any oracle there. Rather then is meant here the brazen altar of God's temple in Jerusalem, which being without the temple in the inmost court, it may intimate God's beginning to leave and forsake his temple, and people; as Ezech. 9 and 10 chapters. And also that there was no more hope of pardon left, seeing that the place of propitiation was by God converted as it were into a seat of rigorous and implacable justice.

{and he said} To some angel that was executioner of his judgments. See Ezek. 9.4,5.

{the lintel} Or, Chapiter. Namely, of the door of the temple. Heb. the knob: for they were wont to set great knobs or balls in frontispieces or upper lintels of the doors.

{that the Posts} The two check posts that supported the upper lintel; and so the whole great gate of the temple. Of these see 1 Kings 6.33,34,35. 2 Chron. 3.7.

{may shake} In this manner is represented the decree of the people's desolation amongst whom God had chosen his abode, and of the destruction of the material temple, and the annihilation of the outward service.

{and cut them} Or, wound them. From top to bottom, from head to tail, from first to last, both princes, and people. Let this act be a sign to them all, of what I intend to do to their persons. And if God begin thus with his temple, and people, what shall become of apostates from him and his worship, and of all profane persons and people? And what shall befall the idolatrous temples of the ten tribes?

{with the sword} Of the Assyrians, and Babylonians. See Ezech. 21.9.

{he that fleeth} Chap. 2.14. Though he think, and hope, and attempt to escape, yet no ways shall any deliverance be possible for him, for any of them. They being incorrigible, God's revenge and vengeance must at last fall upon them, without any hope of escaping it.

V. 2. {into hell} The center of the earth, to hide themselves. There shall be no hiding hole for them in hell, or heaven; in height, or depth; on land, or sea: all the elements shall not afford them one such place; strong lines, and expressions, to drive them from that presumptuous confidence which they had in being the only people which God had chosen to himself out of all the world; upon which they grow so bold in their sinning, and so secure against God's judgments for their sins. See Psalm 139.8. &c.

{Climb up} Job 20.6. Jer. 51.53. Obad. 4. See Gen. 11.4. Deut. 1.28.

V. 3. {top of Carmel} See on chap. 1. verse 2.

{serpent} Likely some sea serpent, as the crocodile, or other like sea creature. He shows that God will declare himself enemy unto them in all places; and that his elements, and all creatures, shall be enemies to destroy them; notwithstanding all their utmost endeavors to escape his judgments.

V. 4. {Command the sword} Jer. 47.6. God is armed in all places, with all his creatures, to avenge himself upon his enemies, such vile sinners. And no syllable of all that which went before is superfluous, or too much; but rather too little, thoroughly to waken and startle sottish, senseless, sinners. See Jer. 42.16,17,18,22. and chap. 44.27.

{mine eyes} As formerly for good: 1 Kings 9.3. Psalm 33.18. and 34.15. Jer. 24.6. So now for evil, Levit. 17.10. & chap. 20.3. Deut. 28.63. Jeremiah 44.11,27.

V. 5. {and it shall} That evil mentioned, verse 4.

{like a flood} See chap. 8.8.

V. 6. {It is he that buildeth} See chap. 5.8. The prophet magnificently sets forth God's glorious power, that they might the better bethink themselves with whom they had to deal, and learn to tremble at his majesty, and at these his threatened judgments. He that thus wonderfully works in the frame and course of nature; what will he do when he bares his arm to execute his last vengeance decreed against the wicked?

{stories in the heaven} Or, spheres. Heb. ascensions, Psalm 104.3. He declares by the wonderful power of God, by the making of the heavens and the elements, one above another, that it is not possible for man to escape his judgments, when he punishes. See chap. 5.8.

{troop} Or, bundle. All the universe, which is like the fabric of a building, of which the earth being the lower part, and only immovable, has some resemblance of a foundation.

{he that calleth} By his word and command; and they obey his beck and call. So in other cases, Psalm 105.16. Esay 13.3. & 40.26. and 41.2,4. and 45.3,4. and 46.11. and 48.13. Jer. 25.29. Ezech. 36.29. Agg. 1.11.

{for the waters of the sea} Chap. 5.8. Gen. 7.

V. 9. {Are ye not} See Ezech. 16.3,4,5. They without end or measure boasted that God had chosen them only, and tied himself to them by covenant; that they were the holy nation; and all the rest of the world as profane, refuse, and castaways. And therefore God could not cast them off. God here meets with them, and this foolish fancy.

{as the children of the Ethiopians} Being degenerate, and having gone astray as you have done, I do hold you as Ethiopians, a base and accursed nation, as coming from Cham: and your deliverance out of Egypt shall be no more a pledge to you of my favor, than the deliverances which I have granted to these other profane nations, mentioned in the words following.

{unto me} No difference betwixt you and the Ethiopians, in yourselves; and as to me, Deuter. 7.6,7. The difference that is, I freely put upon you. Take that which is merely mine from you, and are you not as other nations to me? my free favor to you binds you the more to me; not me to you.

{brought up Israel out of Egypt} Where they were so base and basely used, as in a prison and iron furnace. A miserable being and beginning they had there; they were then of no account or reckoning.

{and the Philistines?} If you brag of my bringing of you out of Egypt, as well you may in an holy manner, to be the more humble and obedient to me therefore; yet a deliverance not altogether unlike, I vouchsafed the Philistines from Caphtor; or, I do no more, nor otherwise esteem of it now, nor better bestowed, than I do that which I vouchsafed to the Philistines, and Syrians.

{from Caphtor} There is mention made of this in Deut. 2.23. and Jer. 47.4. It seems these came of the same race with the Philistines, and dwelt near them, and had now overcome them.

{Syrians} Heb. Aram. See Gen. 10.22.

{from Kir} See on chap. 1.5. It is to be understood most likely of that captivity of the Syrians, spoken of 2 Kings 16.9. Amos 1.5. which happened about Amos his time, whose deliverance, which it seems was yet to come, is here set down, as if it were come already.

Verse 8. {Behold the eyes} See verse 4. God therefore will punish them, like other heathen nations: they being double guilty by their impious ingratitude, making God's benefits to them to be the shield to shelter them in their sins, from the stroke of God's wrath.

{the sinful kingdom} Continuing in its sin; whatsoever kingdom it be, yet some restrain the meaning of this to the kingdom of Israel.

{saving that I will not} God judges and punishes all kingdoms and nations alike, which are addicted to grievous sins; there is only this difference, that he will never utterly destroy his people, without leaving some remnant of them, Jer. 30.11. and 31.36,37. and 10.24. and 46.28. and 25.29. Obad. 16,17. yet some render this sense, I will not spare other kingdoms, which are less guilty in their kind; and should I not then utterly destroy thee? or should I not dare to destroy thee? They take the words as they lie in the text to be spoken ironically. See Ezech. 16.52.

Verse 9. {sift} Heb. I will cause to move, by the Assyrians and Babylonians.

{in a sieve} Whereby the chaff falls through, and the good corn remains, some understand a screen through which the good corn runs to the ground. The sifting and agitation is the things here aimed at.

{yet shall not} Yet governing their dispersions by my providence, in such sort, that none of mine elect shall perish in eternal perdition, nor the remainders of my faithful be extinguished or overthrown. Some understand hereby; that one good grain should be found among them, but all should be found to be chaff, and light chaff; meaning this of the main body of the people: excepting yet that small remnant, that for all their sifting should not fall and perish; though it be as the good corn, which together with the chaff is beaten with the flail on the threshing floor. Such grains were Jeremie, Ezekiel, Daniel, and his companions, Ezra, Nehemiah, Mordecai, and other. The fairest meaning may be; That all Israel shall be so sifted; that for all this sifting, yet not the least grain of them should fall upon the earth, so to be free from this sifting.

{grave} Heb. stone.

Verse 10. {All the sinners} All my sinful and flagitious people; as in the bulk they all are; though some not so, some few excepted.

{which say} Chap. 6.3. Which principally have this brand upon them, and are known by it, that they neither fear nor care for God's judgments; but believe them not or contemn them.

{nor prevent us} See Matth. 24.50. not prevent our expectation, though we shall expect it not; it shall not come; or if it come; yet not upon us, we shall do well enough, Esay 28.15.

Verse 11. {In that day} The former judgments threatened might have driven them to despair, if this consolation now had not been added. And this consolation is some promise of the Messias, and a blessed restauration by him. And this course of proceeding is usual with the prophets; After judgment denounced to join the comfortable promise of the Messias, in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. And so here; showing that there being no hope of amendment left in the people, the only hope of redress remaining, was in the Messias, and his coming and appearing; God being mindful of his covenant would in and by him show abundant mercy to his people. After I have thus punished my church, I will restore the kingdom of David by the Messias, changing it into a spiritual and everlasting kingdom.

{I will raise up the tabernacle of David} Acts 15. verse 16. Though David's house be now in the mean time but as a tabernacle, mean and weak; yet then I will raise it up to royal estate. And David is here by name mentioned, because his name was of great renown in this promise. See 2 Sam. 7.16. Psalm 89.19. 132.10,11. Esay 55.3. Acts 13.34. Jer. 3.9. Ezech. 34.23,24. and 37.24,25. &c. and Hosea 3.5. whence is all that in the Gospel, Matth. 1.20. and 9.27. and 12.23. and 21.9. and 22.42. Apoc. 22.16.

{that is fallen} There was sad ruins in that family, by the falling away of the ten tribes; by the overthrow of the kingdom of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar; and the breaches and ruins wherein it lay still after that, till Christ's time: but Christ the Son of David, repaired and raised up all, to the fulfilling of the prophecies, being that everlasting King, of whose kingdom there should be no end, Dan. 2.44. and 7.14. Luke 1.33.

{close} Heb. hedge or wall.

{as in the days of old} In its most flourishing estate, in the beginning; and more then also appears in the next verse. Hence is that, Acts 1.6.

Verse 12. {That they may possess} David's spiritual kingdom shall be now much enlarged, Esay 49.20,21. & 54.1,3. & 60.4,5. Obad. 19.

{the remnant} That shall remain after God's sore judgments upon Edom; especially by Nebuchadnezzar.

{Edom} Chap. 1.6,9,11. meaning, that the very enemies, as were the Edomites and others, should be joined with the Jews in one society and body, whereof Christ should be the head, Acts 15.17. or, that the true Israel according to the Spirit, joined with Christ their head, may participate of the universal kingdom, which he has gotten over his enemies, such as the Idumeans were to the Israelites. See Numb. 24.18. Esay 63.1. Of Edom, see on Chap. 1.11.

{and of all the Heathen} Besides Edom. See Psa. 2.8. and 72.8.

{which are called by my name} Heb. upon whom my name is called. Some refer these words to the Jews, called by God's name: yet they seem rather to relate to the heathen, that the church and kingdom of Christ should possess them, because they should call upon Christ, and be called and named Christians after his name.

Verse 13. {that the plowman shall overtake} The blessed and prosperous estate of the people under the kingdom of Christ is set out under these figures, alluding to Levit. 26.5. and applied thus to the weak and rude capacities of the Jewish people, being as children, Gal. 4.3. Figurative promises of God's spiritual graces and blessings to his church. So Joel 3.18. See Levit. 26.5.

{soweth seed} Heb. draweth forth.

{and the mountains shall drop} An hyperbolical kind of speech usual in all languages. The meaning is, that such abundance of plenty shall be, as shall exceed the course of nature, and be beyond all belief. And these are to be understood according to the nature of the kingdom of Christ; chiefly for the abundance of spiritual blessings.

{sweet wine} Or, new wine, Joel 3.18.

{all the hills shall melt} Into precious liquors, of honey, milk, oil, and must, or sweet wine.

Verse 14. {I will bring again} Their captivity at hand: and all their other breaches, oppressions, distractions, desolations shall not hinder, but God will bring to pass what he has promised; and they shall return, inhabit, build, plant, prosper and flourish. These promises then must preserve, sustain, and hold up their hope in the midst of all those desperate calamities. A new face of all things shall then appear, when God shall begin to show his cheerful face upon his people. The full accomplishment hereof is under Christ, when they are planted in his church, out of the which they can never be pulled, after they are once grafted therein, Esay 65.22.

Verse 15. {And I will plant} They shall have a settled, sure, and secure habitation; and not be disturbed, distracted, dispersed, exiled any more. See Exod. 15.17.

{they} This is spiritually verified in every true Christian, according to that 1 Pet. 1.5. In the church of Christ militant here, Matth. 16.18. and most of all in the church triumphant.

{which I have given them} My free gift shall prevail more with me for them, than their demerits and misdeeds shall sway me against them.

{saith the LORD thy God} This is the assurance and the ground of all.