Chapter 2

1 God’s wrath against Moab, 4 upon Judah, 6 and upon Israel. 9 God complaineth of their unthankfulness.

1. Thus saith the Lord. In vs. 1–3 the prophet pronounces the divine judgment upon Moab, the brother nation of Ammon (see Gen. 19:30–38), and similarly related to Israel through Lot (see on Amos 1:13).

Moab. The hostility of Moab toward the Israelites is revealed in their hiring of Balaam to curse the people of God (see Num. 22–24; see also 2 Chron. 20:22). In the inscription on the Moabite Stone, Mesha says: “I made this high place for Kemosh in Qorchah …, for he saved me from all kings and caused me to triumph over all my enemies. Omri, king of Israel, had oppressed Moab many days, for Kemosh was angry with his land” (see Additional Note on 2 Kings 3).

Burned the bones. This profanation of the body of the king of Edom (cf. 2 Kings 23:16; Jer. 8:1, 2), which was regarded by the Jews as a great disgrace, is not elsewhere recorded. Since Amos concentrates particularly on crimes committed against the people of God, this outrage may have had some connection with Israel or Judah. It may have happened during the time the Edomites allied themselves with Jehoram and Jehoshaphat in the league against Mesha, king of Moab (see 2 Kings 3:7, 9), the author of the celebrated Moabite Stone. Jerome quotes a Jewish tradition to the effect that after this war the Moabites, in revenge for the help Edom gave the Israelites, dug up the body of the Edomite king in order to dishonor his bones.

2. Kirioth. Heb. qeriyyoth, either “towns,” “places,” or the proper name of a city. Instead of “Kirioth,” the LXX reads “of the cities.” However, it is better to consider qeriyyoth as the name of one of the chief Moabite cities (see Jer. 48:24, 41). The city is mentioned in line 13 of the Moabite Stone (for a translation of the inscription see Additional Note on 2 Kings 3).

Die with tumult. As the “tumultuous ones” the Moabites lived, and so, by divine retribution, would they die (see Num. 24:17; Jer. 48:45).

Trumpet. Heb. shophar, “a ram’s horn” (see Vol. III, p. 39).

3. Judge. This is probably used here in the sense of “king” (see Micah 5:1) as the chief magistrate of the nation.

4. Thus saith the Lord. Having pronounced judgment upon alien nations, Amos now comes to the real theme of his prophecy, the sins of his own people and the chastisements to come upon them. Because the Israelites had rejected far greater spiritual light than had the heathen, they were under much greater condemnation (see John 9:40, 41). Amos deals first with the southern kingdom of Judah (vs. 4, 5), and then comes to his main objective, the northern kingdom of Israel (vs. 6–8).

Law. Heb. torah, the general name for the whole body of commandments and precepts, both moral and ceremonial (see on Deut. 31:9; Prov. 3:1). The previously mentioned foreign nations are condemned because of their offenses against God’s people and against the law of conscience. Judah is here condemned and punished for her offenses against the Lord Himself and the written law, revealed religion. Having a knowledge of the law of the Lord, Judah’s responsibility before God was incomparably greater than that of the other nations. In denouncing Judah, the people of his own country, Amos displays God’s impartiality (see Rom. 2:11–13).

Their lies. That is, their vain idols and their idol worship. It is not unusual for the Bible writers to refer to idols as “nothing,” nonentities (see Isa. 41:23, 24; Jer. 10:14, 15; 16:19, 20; 1 Cor. 8:4; 10:19).

Walked. A common OT expression to designate the pursuing of a certain course of moral and spiritual conduct (see 1 Kings 15:26; 2 Kings 8:18; Eze. 23:31). Israel’s wrong belief led to wrong action; and time, tragically enough, gave error a sort of authority and standing. The wrong course of one generation became the accepted standard of the next.

5. Send a fire. This prophecy was first fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar in 586 b.c. (see 2 Kings 25:8, 9; Jer. 17:27; Hosea 8:14). In a.d. 70 Jerusalem was again burned, when Roman soldiers led by Titus captured it.

6. Thus saith the Lord. As a climax to this series of messages the prophet now denounces Israel for injustice, cruelty, incest, luxury, and idolatry. The divine pronouncements upon the heathen nations round about, and upon Judah and Jerusalem, now descend with full force upon wicked Israel.

God has already indicted Judah (v. 4), anticipating an attempt on Israel’s part to justify her evil ways by pointing to Judah’s shortcomings. It is worthy of note that God censures Israel not so much for despising “the law of the Lord” (v. 4), of which they were by now largely ignorant, as for committing social injustices they knew to be wrong.

Pair of shoes. Sandals were generally cheap. This indicates that for the smallest considerations the people would deny justice to the poor (see Eze. 13:19). It is apparent that covetousness was Israel’s besetting sin.

7. That pant. Covetousness led to the oppression of the poor. This expression seems to represent the desire of these oppressors to see the poor crushed to the earth, or to have them put in such a miserable condition that the needy would scatter dust on their heads (see Joshua 7:5, 6; Job 2:12). The LXX connects this first clause of v. 7 directly with the closing words of v. 6, and so reads, “And the poor for sandals, the things that tread on the dust of the earth, and they have smitten on the heads of the poor.” The Vulgate gives it, “Who bruise the heads of the poor on the dust of the earth.”

The meek. These are the lowly, peaceable, unassuming, and generally pious folk, in contrast to those who are proud, self-confident, and feel no need of God in their lives (see Isa. 11:4; Zeph. 2:3; Matt. 5:5).

To profane. Literally, “in order to profane,” or “for the purpose of profaning.” These offenses against the Lord were not committed through ignorance, but deliberately, intentionally, in a defiant, rebellious spirit.

My holy name. Since these crimes were committed by those who called themselves the people of the Lord, they brought dishonor to Him among the heathen (see Lev. 20:1–3; Eze. 36:16–23; Rom. 2:24; see also pp. 32, 33).

8. Clothes laid to pledge. These clothes were the large outer garments the poor wore during the day and with which they covered themselves at night. If they were given to another as a pledge, they had to be returned by nightfall (see Ex. 22:26, 27; Deut. 24:10–13). The prophet here denounces those hardhearted, grasping men who kept these garments as their own in violation of the law.

Wine of the condemned. Literally, “the wine of them that have been fined.” The wine was obtained by fines imposed upon the oppressed. The LXX renders this passage, “And they have drunk wine gained by extortion.”

House of their god. This may refer to the house of the Lord, whom Israel professed to worship under the symbol of the calf, a worship instituted when the northern kingdom of Israel separated from Judah, under the leadership of Jeroboam I (see 1 Kings 12:25–33).

9. Yet destroyed I. The Lord here chides Israel for lack of gratitude for the favor and goodness He had shown them. The Hebrew gives emphasis to the personal pronoun, as if to say, “Yet I, even I, destroyed.” It was for the very crimes now committed in Israel that God had dispossessed the Amorites and other Canaanite nations. Could Israel expect to avoid their fate?

Amorite. A general name for the inhabitants of Canaan who were driven out when the Israelites took possession of the land (see on Gen. 15:16; Joshua 3:10; Judges 1:34; cf. Ex. 33:2; 34:11; Deut. 1:20, 27).

Cedars. The cedar was renowned in the ancient East for its height (see Isa. 2:13; Eze. 17:22; 31:3).

Oaks. Heb.Хallonim, a word that describes, not any particular species of trees, but large trees in general.

10. Also I. Again the personal pronoun is emphatic in the Hebrew (see on v. 9). The warning of v. 9 is reinforced by reference to positive evidence in Israel’s history of the power of God.

From the land of Egypt. The deliverance from Egypt and the guidance through the desert are cited as outstanding examples of God’s favor and protection toward His people. These passages contain many references to the Pentateuch, which show that Amos and his hearers were quite familiar with it (see Ex. 20:2; Deut. 29:5).

11. Prophets. Through them God revealed His will (see Num. 12:16), and through them He communicated that will to the people (see Heb. 1:1).

For Nazarites. The Nazirites vowed to abstain from strong drink, from the use of the razor, and from all ritual defilement (see on Num. 6:2–7).

12. Wine to drink. Instead of profiting by the holy lives of these men, apostate Israel endeavored to make the Nazarites break their vows.

Prophesy not. Rather than accept the testimony of the prophets, Israel rejected these divinely inspired messages, and often ill-treated those who were sent to deliver God’s word to the people (see Jer. 20:9; 1 Cor. 9:16). Ungrateful and disobedient, the people of Israel could not tolerate those who were a living reproof to their own evil ways (see 1 Kings 13:4; 19:1, 2; 2 Kings 6:31; Isa. 30:9, 10; Matt. 23:37). Those who will not endure faithful preaching will have much to answer for, and those who suppress it, much more. When men shut their ears to hearing the word of God, they well-nigh close the avenue by which His Spirit has access to the soul.

13. Behold. The prophet gives warning of the chastisement to come because of the sins of the people and shows the utter futility of relying upon their human resources.

Pressed. Heb. Фuq, which, according to some authorities, means “to totter.” According to others Фuq is equivalent to suq, “to press.” The form of the verb suggests either of the following translations: “I cause [you] to totter,” or “I press [or “will press”].” The phrase “under you” may be rendered “in your place” (see KJV margin; cf. RSV). The translation, “I cause [you] to totter,” suggests the interpretation that the Lord will cause Israel to totter under her burden of punishment, like a wagon shaking under its heavy load and apparently ready to collapse.

14. The flight. Literally, “the refuge.” Those who are swift will find no place of safety to which they may flee for protection (see Ps. 142:5).

Not strengthen. There are no weapons that can be successfully employed against God; there is no strength that can compare with His strength (see Job. 40:9; Isa. 45:9).

16. Naked. The warriors will cast away any encumbrance that might hinder their flight (see on 1 Sam. 19:24; see also John 21:7).

Ellen G. White comments

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