Amos 4

HEar Attentively, and consider the consequences of it; weigh both what and whose it is that is spoken. this word Prophesie, or sermon of reproof and threatning, Vid. chap. 3. ver. 1. let. a, b, c, d. So Amos bred among Cattel, compares the mighty, proud, wanton, and oppressive Rulers of Israel to those full fed, strong, and wanton Beasts which in the herds did push at, hurt, and disturb the weaker Cattle. Some will by this understand the Court Ladies of Israel in those times; but this perhaps is too nice, though as in Ahab's time Iezabel was at Court, and a promoter of oppression and violence, so there might be in after times some like her, and perhaps these may be intended secondarily, yet surely Amos intends the great Men and Governours whom he calls kine of Bashan, a fruitful Country, of which see Ezek. 39.18. and Nah. 1.4. ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria In a decorum to his first allusion he calls their places of Power, Authority, and Office in the Kingdom of Israel, Mountains, for as those beasts grazing on Mountains grew fat, so these men by their fees, perquisites and bribes grew insolent and mischievous, Vid. ca. 3. ver. 9. let. m., which oppress the poor The meaner sort of the people, the commonalty under their jurisdiction by colour of Law., which crush the needy By force and open violence break in pieces the afflicted, who have neither power nor friend to relieve them., which say to their masters Husbands say some, so the Hebr. will bear, or it may refer to some of the greatest Officers in Israel, who had inferiour Officers under them, or the Masters of the poor., bring Get us Commission, or bring them into our Court and Office. and let us drink We will get by them to feast on, and revel in drink.. This verse is an Introduction to all that follows in this chapter.

The Lord GOD has sworn by his holiness I have often told you that God had spoken, now I assure you that the Mighty and Eternal God has sworn the thing, and you must therefore needs conclude it sure and certain. He has sworn by his Holiness, by himself, as he is the Holy God, and cannot lye, see Psal. 89.35., that lo the days Of darkness, slaughter, famine, desolation and captivity threatned against you. shall come upon you Oppressours that crush the poor., that he God by the Assyrian Army under Salmaneser, nay, before that time you shall be taken, as fish are taken with the hook, during the intestine wars that are coming upon you. will take you Who now live, and hear the word of Amos and Hosea, but notwithstanding do continue to act the same violence still. away with hooks Or Thorns, as the Hebr. with which they did pierce the greater fish, before they had the skill of making Iron darts, as some observe., and your posterity The children of these oppressours, with fish-hooks Shall be taken as silly fish, and as easily carried away; The enemy shall with delight ensnare and destroy them..

And ye Kine of Bashan, oppressours distressed by the just hand of God, and by the violent hand of your enemy, shall go out endeavour to make your escape by flight. at the breaches Which the besieging enemy made in your Walls, when Samaria is besieged., every cow at that which is before her It shall be an universal flight, and with great consternation, they not able to forecast where the safest, but taking which way is readyest., and ye shall cast them into the palace Either cast away all the riches and ornaments of your Palaces, or the prey and bribes you had laid up there, or ye shall abandon the Palaces ye dwelt in., says the Lord GOD.

¶ Come to Beth-el The known place of the Moscholatria, Calf-Worship. See chap. 3. verse 14. let. y. and transgress This clears it to be an Irony, either throwing them up to their obstinate way of sinning, giving them over as hopeless and incorrigible sinners, or deriding their trust and dependence on Idols, to which they sacrificed at Beth-el, see what will be the issue hereof, how you shall succeed herein., at Gilgal multiply transgression Gilgal was a place also where much Idolatry was acted, vid. Hos. 4.15. and 9.15. and 12.11. Since you will not be warn'd, go on, try whether God likes your Sacrifices there as well as you like them, and whether they will be a means to preserve from judgments, or sins hastening judgments on you.; and bring your sacrifices every morning In the same Irony God does by Amos express his own displeasure, reprove their sin, and threaten it, though they imitate the Instituted Worship at Ierusalem, Exod. 29.38, 39. Numb. 28.3, 4., and your tithes after three years God had Deut. 14.28. commanded every third year that all the tithe of that year should be brought, and laid up in a publick Storehouse to this Law, with the same Irony does the Prophet allude here..

And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven As all the rest of your will-worship, so this also against the express Law, Lev. 2.11. but yet you will persist in it, and do so at your peril, try whether it end in good to you., and proclaim and publish the free-offerings Publickly, frequently and earnestly persuade your people to voluntary Sacrifices, in which you think to please me, but you offer them all to Idols, this your Religion is impiety.; for this liketh you As you invented it, so it pleaseth you, and you will not be reclaimed;, O ye children of Israel Ye Idolatrous Apostate Israelites,, says the Lord GOD for these you shall be punisht by the Lord your God..

¶ And I The Lord who gave many Blessings to win you to Repentance, has also tryed what might be done by Judgments. also have given you cleanness of teeth This is a description of Famine by one effect of it, where meat fails the teeth are not fouled, as where it is eaten. in all your cities It was a general famine, and probably 'twas that 2 Kings 8.1. long Famine., and want of bread in all your places If there were some bread, yet 'twas very scarce every where, this passage explains the former.: yet have ye not returned unto me Yet this starving people repented not of their Idolatries, nor cast off their Idols; left not their sins of oppression and cruelty, &c. Vid. Ioel 2.12, 13. what you did like returning was partial and hypocritical, and not lasting., says the LORD.

And I also have withholden the rain from you Your vanities could not, and because ye did so greatly sin against me I would not give you rain, I forbad the Clouds from above, and they thus prohibited did withhold their rain as I threatned, Deut. 28.23, 24,, when there were yet three months A a season when your Countrey most usually had, and as then it ever did most need, rain, vid. Ioel 2.23. Three months drought then as 'twas unusual in the course of nature, so 'twas an extraordinary curse and punishment on them. to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one city That you might see my hand in it and be instructed, I gave rain to one City., and caused it not to rain upon another city And withheld rain from the next Neighbor City,: one piece Nay one part of a Field the same field was rained upon watered and flourisht., and the piece whereupon it rained not Another part dry and withered. withered All this to con ince and turn you..

So two or three A certain for an uncertain number. cities The places for the inhabitants by an usual Metonymie. wandred It seems to imply that they travelled at some uncertainty, as they do who wander and rove about. to one city It is not unlikely but that in the Prophets times the story might be well known and fresh in memory, though here no mention is made of these Cities. to drink water; but they were not satisfied Either that City they went to had not enough for them, or durst not part with it, or though they quencht their thirst, yet because they must return back to their own dry and waterless Cities, or because God withdrew his blessing they were never the better or else not much or long the better.: yet have ye not returned unto me, says the LORD Vid. ver. 6. let. p..

I have smitten To other judgments inflicted on you I have added this also, my hand has been heavy upon you, I have smitten. you with blasting The excessive heat and drought have turned your Corn into black and parched smoot or ashes. and mildew A bane to Corn through too much wet, the Seaso were extreamly unkind, and all spoiled with it., when your gardens About your houses for convenience and pleasure., and your vineyards Planted for your support and to enrich you, to chear your heart., and your fig-trees Which were excellent, of very great use, and profit in those Countries., and your olive-trees A principal commodity arose from their Olive-yards, all that was for delight, profit and necessary use. increased When they were seemingly most fruitful. the palmer-worm Vid. Ioel 1.3.10, 11, 12. devoured Eat up all as is the manner of that Worm. them: yet have ye not returned unto me, says the LORD Vid. ver. 6. let. p..

I have sent You have died of Plague, but I commissioned the Disease, I ent it, and it swept you away in such manner, that any observant eye might have seen the hand of God against you in it, and might have read the Commission. among you the pestilence Arrow of God, that walketh in the dark, that wasteth at noon day., after the manner of Egypt In which there was somewhat extraordinary, it swept away both Men and Beasts, say some, probably 'twas this Disease which by the stroke of the Angel seised the First-born in Egypt. Others interpret this with particular respect to the Death of them in going down to seek aid of Egypt, or in their return from Egypt, as if the Prophet minded them of many that died on the way to or from Egypt, but the phrase in the way is better rendred by our Translators after the manner.: your young men have I slain God was their Enemy and slew their young men the choice of their strength and hope. with the sword In War and by their neighbouring Enemies in Iehoa az his time, and Syrians since that too, 2 Kings 13.3. and 15.16. and 19. compared., and have taken away your horses Not by Murrain but by what was worse to you by the hand of those who did ride them, and these being slain the Horses were taken by the Enemy, and added to their strength, and your danger., and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils So great slaughter has been made in your Camp that there were not sufficient to bury the slain before they stunk and offended you.: yet have you not returned unto me, says the LORD Vid. verse 6. let. p..

I have overthrown Utterly consumed and destroyed your Houses and Goods. some of you Though it was a total consumption to those it fell on, yet 'twas but on some who might be warnings to others, and by which others might see how easie 'twas for God to destroy them all. as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha We no where else read such Fire from Heaven, yet 'tis possible some such judgement might fall on some of their Cities, and not be recorded; but I do rather understand it proverbially spoken, denoting most grievous and desolating Fires, or judgments., and ye were as a fire brand pluckt out of the burning Such of you as escaped were yet in very great danger and as Fire-brands in midst of the Fire, where you were with others burning till infinite mercy saved a remnant, and pluckt you out., yet have ye not returned unto me, says the LORD. Vid. chap. 4. ver. 6. let. p.

Therefore Because none of my former methods have succeeded as in reason might have been expected thus will I do unto thee in some more terrible manner will I now proceed against thee., O Israel h: and because I will do this unto thee l, prepare If you humble your selves and so return 'twill be mercy to you, but if you proudly and sinfully refuse to return, know ye that you must perish, for you can never make good your cause against God, and yet you must meet him, for he will ere he has done with you end the controversie. to meet thy Who once was thy God, and whom thou still ownest for thy God, and who would yet be thine if thou repent. God, O Israel. You of the ten Tribes. And therefore my last advice to you is to consider it well, if you think well of it possibly you may see and prevent the threatned evil.

For To move them to act for their safety, the Prophet tells them how great and dreadful God is, the most dreadfull and terrible Enemy, but the most desireable Friend. lo, he that formeth the mountains When there was not a Mountain or Hill, or the least dust of either, thy God O Israel formed them, and it is wisdom to return to him for he can remove difficulties and pressures were they as heavy as Mountains, and so he can mend all with you quickly, and if your confidences in sinful wayes were as strong as Mountains he can overthrow them, return therefore and repent., and createth Giveth being by an Almighty will. the wind Which for its instability seems of contrary nature to Mountains, which does shake them and overturn foundations, that wind which we feel, and hear though we see it not, that makes hideous noises, and works dreadful effects. The Storms you are threatned with O Israel, are like the Wind, dreadful irre table, but as the Wind raised and ruled by God, who can soon with one word lay them all asleep, return therefore to him., and declareth unto man, what is his thought Think not by any counsels to prevent what God determines against an impenitent and sinful nation, as his power is infinite in creating, his wisdom is infinite too and unsearchable and he can and will take sinners in their incorrigible wickednesses and punish them, be wise therefore and return to him by Repentance., that maketh the morning darkness Can as easily turn outward prosperity into extream adversity as he can turn a glorious morning into a dark dismall and overclouded day, so will do against you if you repent not, and can turn a cloudy morning into brightness, and misery into happiness if you Repent., and treadeth upon Can tread under foot the Idols that are worshipt on high places of the Earth, and trample on high and mighty Potentates, exalted above ordinary men as highestHills are above lowest valleys. the high places In this lower World. of the earth, the LORD, Who alone am the Lord the Eternal and mighty God. the God of hosts is his name Whose soveraign power and command all Creatures obey, and act for or against us as he willeth..