Amos 8:8-9

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Amos 8:8

"Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? yea, it shall rise up wholly like the River; and it shall be troubled and sink again, like the River of Egypt."It seems rather strange to compare the trembling of the earth with the rising and falling of the Nile River (as most interpret this), "because the rise and fall of the Nile River are quite gradual."[21] However, since the devastation caused by the Nile at flood (rising some 20 feet)[22] was tremendous, it... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Amos 8:9

"And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord Jehovah, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in a clear day."This is Amos' answer to the question propounded by the dishonest traders in Amos 8:5, "When will the new moon... and the sabbath ... be gone?" Very well, the answer was: "At that time when the sun goes down at noon, and the earth is darkened in a clear day," an undeniable reference to the crucifixion of the Son of God, that being the only... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Amos 8:8

Amos 8:8. And shall rise up, &c.— And destruction shall rise up like a flood; and it shall be dissolved and drowned as by the river of Egypt. The prophet here refers to the great earthquake, whereof he spoke at the beginning of this book. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Amos 8:9-10

Amos 8:9-10. And it shall come to pass, &c.— Times of calamity are frequently expressed by the failing of the light of the sun, and the day's being overspread with darkness. Archbishop Usher has observed, that about eleven years after the time when Amos prophesied, there were two great eclipses of the sun; one at the feast of tabernacles, the other some time before the passover; so that the text may probably be understood of that darkness, used here to typify the dreadful calamities of... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Amos 8:8

8. the land . . . rise up wholly as a flood—The land will, as it were, be wholly turned into a flooding river (a flood being the image of overwhelming calamity, :-). cast out and drowned, &c.—swept away and overwhelmed, as the land adjoining the Nile is by it, when flooding (Amos 9:5). The Nile rises generally twenty feet. The waters then "cast out" mire and dirt (Isaiah 57:20). read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Amos 8:9

9. "Darkness" made to rise "at noon" is the emblem of great calamities (Jeremiah 15:9; Ezekiel 32:7-10). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Amos 8:7-10

The wailing of the sufferers 8:7-10The following two passages (Amos 8:7-14) describe more fully the two results of God’s judgment mentioned earlier, namely, wailing and silence (cf. Amos 8:3). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Amos 8:8

Because of the sins just described the land would quake from the Lord’s approach and the large enemy army that He would lead against Israel. Perhaps a literal earthquake did occur, but probably trembling with fear is in view (cf. 2 Samuel 7:10). All the inhabitants would mourn over the coming destruction. The waves of terror and destruction would be like the rising and falling of the Nile River."Since the rise and fall of the Nile usually extended over a few months, some national upheaval... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Amos 8:9

On the day of judgment sovereign Yahweh would send darkness over the land. This may refer to an eclipse of the sun, or it may be a figurative description of the coming judgment as an unnaturally bad day. I prefer the metaphorical interpretation since this whole chapter contains many metaphors. The figure of the sun going down at noon was particularly appropriate since Jeroboam’s reign was the zenith of Israel’s prosperity, power, and glory. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:1-14

The Vision of the Ripe Fruit, followed by a Fifth Address1-3. The vision. 4-14. The address, denouncing dishonest traders (Amos 8:4-6), threatening earthquakes, eclipse, mourning, a painful sense of abandonment by God, an utter destruction of the superstitious (Amos 8:7-14).1-3. Notwithstanding the interference of Amaziah, the prophet finishes the recital of his visions.1, 2. Another play on words—qayits is the word for ripe fruit, and qçts for end. We might represent it by, ’A basket of ripe... read more

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