Altogether. Septuagint, "its total ruin shall rise as a river." --- Egypt. The whole land shall be visited with misery, as Egypt is by the Nile. (Haydock) --- The enemy shall retire with the booty. The Nile overflows in summer, and covers Egypt for six weeks, carrying much earth with its impetuous waves, Isaias xviii. 2. read more
Light. Usher (the year of the world 3213.) explains this of an eclipse, at Pentecost. The Fathers generally understand that which accompanied the death of Christ; but it only implies great desolation and terror, Jeremias xv. 9., and Joel iii. 11. (St. Jerome, &c.) (Calmet) --- In their greatest prosperity, calamities shall unexpectedly fall upon them. (Worthington) read more
4-10 The rich and powerful of the land were the most guilty of oppression, as well as the foremost in idolatry. They were weary of the restraints of the sabbaths and the new moons, and wished them over, because no common work might be done therein. This is the character of many who are called Christians. The sabbath day and sabbath work are a burden to carnal hearts. It will either be profaned or be accounted a dull day. But can we spend our time better than in communion with God? When employed... read more
A Last Admonition of the Lord v. 4. Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, panting after the poor in their anxiety to destroy them and to grasp their property, even to make the poor of the land to fail, in order to take their property by a show of right, v. 5. saying, When will the new moon, the day which they considered a time of enforced idleness, be gone that we may sell corn? speculating at the expense of the poorer in the land, and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, opening... read more
Amos 8:0Fourth Vision: Israel ripe for Destruction. Days of Mourning threatened against the Ungodly. Afterwards a Famine of the Word.1 Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me,And behold, a basket with ripe fruit.12 And he said, What seest thou, Amos?And I said, A basket with ripe fruit.Then said Jehovah to me,“The end2 is come to my people, Israel;I will not pass by them any more.3 And the songs of the palace3 shall howlIn that day, saith the Lord Jehovah;Corpses in multitude; everywhere has he4 cast... read more
Amos RIPE FOR GATHERING Amo_8:1 - Amo_8:14 . There are three visions in the former chapter, each beginning as Amo_8:1 . This one is therefore intended to be taken as the continuation of these, and it is in substance a repetition of the third, only with more detail and emphasis. An insolent attempt, by the priest of Beth-el, to silence the Prophet, and the fiery answer which he got for his pains, come between. The stream of Amos’s prophecy flows on, uninterrupted by the boulder which had... read more
the Worst Famine of All Amos 8:1-14 What is more fragile than summer fruit! So beautiful, so refreshing, yet so readily corrupted and diseased. To Amos it was an emblem of the rapidity with which dissolution would overtake his rebellious nation. The end had arrived. The Great Husbandman could do no more. When the harvest has come, separation between good and bad is inevitable. See Isaiah 5:4 ; Matthew 13:30 . The crimes of the ruling class were enormous. Eager to increase their stores, they... read more
The next vision, that of the basket of summer fruit, indicated the im minence of the judgment. Jehovah declared that the end was come, that He would not pass by them any more. This announcement was followed by the prophet's impassioned address to the moneymakers, in which he first declared the effect of their lust for gain. They swallowed the needy, and caused the poor to fail. He described the intensity of that lust; the new moon and sabbath were irksome. Then followed a figurative... read more
The Four Visions (Amos 7:1 to Amos 8:14 ). In a similar way to the seven judgments in Amos 1:2 to Amos 2:5, followed by the expanded judgment on Israel, which all initially followed a similar pattern, so here Amos now recounts three visions threatening judgment on Israel, followed by a fourth which again expands into a judgment on Israel, and all four initially follow a similar pattern. All commence with ‘thus YHWH (He) showed me, and behold --’ (Amos 7:1; Amos 7:4, Amos 7:0: Amos 8:1), but... read more
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Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Amos 8:3-10
When devotion itself is out of tune by the heart being under no influences of grace; alas! what a sacrifice of fools is then offered! Sabbaths are burdens, ordinances tiresome, prayer a drudgery, in seasons like these. Oh! for grace to be always under the blessed teachings of God the Holy Ghost! read more