Chapter 8

1 By a basket of summer fruit is shewed the propinquity of Israel’s end. 4 Oppression is reproved. 11 A famine of the word threatened.

1. Summer fruit. Heb. qayis, early maturing fruit, used especially of “figs.” The purpose of this vision was to show that the people were ripe for judgment, that God’s forbearance was at an end. The divine long-suffering had resulted only in the continuance of Israel’s sin. This figure fittingly represents Israel’s final doom. Instead of “a basket of summer fruit,” the LXX reads “a fowler’s basket.” This conveys the thought that Israel would be brought into captivity as a bird is caught in a birdcatcher’s cage or basket.

2. End. Heb. qes. The use of qes, in connection with qayis (see on v. 1) is a typical play on words in the Hebrew.

Pass by them. See on ch. 7:8. Nothing more can be done for a crop at the time of harvest. Then the crop will be dealt with according to the kind of fruit that has been produced.

3. Songs. Perhaps the religious songs connected with the idolatrous “temple” of Bethel. Or they may have been the songs of the revelers mentioned in ch. 6:5. In either case, these songs were to be changed into a lamentation for the dead (see ch. 8:10).

Silence. An indication of the apathy or speechlessness that accompanies severe, inescapable suffering, suffering too deep to be expressed in words.

The mournful conditions of the land pictured here in primary reference to the land of Israel after the Assyrian captivity was an exhibit on a small scale of the effects of the fourth of the seven last plagues (see GC 628).

4. That swallow up. Literally, “that pant after,” or “that snap at,” “that set traps for.” Those who oppress the poor are charged to realize that their sinful course has prepared the way for the divine judgment upon them. The prosperity of the upper classes will not be able to help these wicked oppressors in the day of Israel’s punishment.

5. New moon. The first day of the month (1 Sam. 20:5, 24, 27; see Vol. II, p. 102) was devoted to religious service, and apparently was a day on which all trade was suspended (see on Num. 28:11; 2 Kings 4:23). Here is a striking example of a formal observance of sacred institutions, with no true spirit of devotion. In their selfishness these apostates begrudged the time their religious formalism demanded of them. Such worship becomes a curse instead of a blessing.

Set forth. Literally, “open,” for the purpose of selling. The LXX reads “open the treasure,” that is, the granaries, or storehouses.

Ephah. See Vol. I, pp. 166, 167. By giving short weight the seller received more money than he should for the quantity of grain sold.

Shekel. See Vol. I, pp. 167–169.

6. Buy the poor. See on ch. 2:6.

The refuse. In times of scarcity this “refuse,” ordinarily fed to animals, could be sold for human consumption.

7. Excellency of Jacob. The LXX renders the first half of this verse, “The Lord swears against the pride of Jacob,” here the deeds of their pride rather than the objects of their pride (see on ch. 6:8).

8. It shall rise. That is, “the land” will “tremble” like the troubled sea. Because of the divine judgment upon it, the land shall heave and swell like the river Nile, “the flood of Egypt,” at the time of its annual rising.

9. Cause the sun. The day of the Lord is frequently presented as accompanied by upheavals in the natural world (see Isa. 13:10; Joel 3:15; etc.; cf. Amos 5:20).

10. Turn your feasts. See Lam. 5:15; Hosea 2:11; Amos 5:16, 17; 8:3.

Sackcloth. This was a sign of mourning (1 Kings 20:31; Isa. 15:3; Joel 1:8, 13), as was also this “baldness,” that is, the shaving of the head (Job 1:20; Isa. 3:24; 15:2).

Of an only son. That is, “for an only son,” which represents an especially severe sorrow (see Jer. 6:26; Zech. 12:10).

11. Send a famine. The prophet plainly points to a time when, because of continued disobedience, it would be too late for the Israelites to turn to God’s Word in an attempt to avoid the divine judgments. Deep sorrow sometimes stimulates men to heed the Holy Scriptures. Unfortunately, such sorrow often comes too late to produce any beneficial result. This is so, not because God’s love is withdrawn from the sinner, but because the sinner has become so hardened in his iniquities that he wishes only to escape the consequence of his transgressions, and not to forsake his evil ways. He has grieved the Holy Spirit beyond all hope of true repentance and reformation of character (see Gen. 6:3, 5, 6; see on 1 Sam. 28:6).

In the final “day of the Lord,” just before the second advent of Christ, this experience of ancient Israel will be repeated, when the impenitent of the whole earth, suffering under the seven last plagues, will seek relief from calamity by any means possible, even turning to the Word of God, which they had formerly neglected to study and obey (see GC 629).

12. Wander. Heb. nuaФ, “to quiver,” “to wobble,” or “to move unsteadily.”

Even to the east. Some Bible scholars believe that the “south” is omitted from the directions indicated here because to the south of the northern kingdom of Israel, in the city of Jerusalem, was the true worship of God, which the apostates had rejected (see 1 Kings 12:26–33).

Run to and fro. Heb. shut, “rove about” (see on Dan. 12:4).

13. Virgins and young men. The conditions mentioned in vs. 11, 12 are so severe that they will affect even those possessing the full bloom and energy of youth.

Faint. In the Hebrew this verb refers to a literal, physical fainting, not merely to “weakness” or “faintness.”

14. Sin. Heb. Хashmah, “offense,” or “guiltiness.” Probably a reference to the idol worship of the golden calf at Bethel (see on Hosea 8:5, 6). “Thy god, O Dan,” alludes to the other calf set up at Dan, in the extreme north of the kingdom (see 1 Kings 12:26–33). Some believe that here Хashmah should be taken as a proper name, Ashima being the deity of the Hamathites who introduced its worship into the land of Samaria when they were put there by Sargon to replace the captive Israelites (2 Kings 17:29, 30).

Manner. Literally, “way,” here meaning a mode of worship or a system of religion (see Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23).

Instead of “The manner of Beer-sheba liveth,” the LXX reads, “Thy god, O Beer-sheba, lives.”

Ellen G. White comments

3    GC 628

11   COL 228; EW 281; SR 405

11, 12  GC 629

12   SR 404