1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
2 And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
3 The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.
4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
6 The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.
7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.
14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
1 Thus hath the Lord H136 GOD H3069 shewed H7200 unto me; and, behold, he formed H3335 grasshoppers H1462 in the beginning H8462 of the shooting up H5927 of the latter growth; H3954 and, lo, it was the latter growth H3954 after H310 the king's H4428 mowings. H1488
2 And it came to pass, that when they had made an end H3615 of eating H398 the grass H6212 of the land, H776 then I said, H559 O Lord H136 GOD, H3069 forgive, H5545 I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob H3290 arise? H6965 for he is small. H6996
3 The LORD H3068 repented H5162 for this: It shall not be, saith H559 the LORD. H3068
4 Thus hath the Lord H136 GOD H3069 shewed H7200 unto me: and, behold, the Lord H136 GOD H3069 called H7121 to contend H7378 by fire, H784 and it devoured H398 the great H7227 deep, H8415 and did eat up H398 a part. H2506
5 Then said H559 I, O Lord H136 GOD, H3069 cease, H2308 I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob H3290 arise? H6965 for he is small. H6996
6 The LORD H3068 repented H5162 for this: This also shall not be, saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
7 Thus he shewed H7200 me: and, behold, the Lord H136 stood H5324 upon a wall H2346 made by a plumbline, H594 with a plumbline H594 in his hand. H3027
8 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Amos, H5986 what seest H7200 thou? And I said, H559 A plumbline. H594 Then said H559 the Lord, H136 Behold, I will set H7760 a plumbline H594 in the midst H7130 of my people H5971 Israel: H3478 I will not again H3254 pass by H5674 them any more:
9 And the high places H1116 of Isaac H3446 shall be desolate, H8074 and the sanctuaries H4720 of Israel H3478 shall be laid waste; H2717 and I will rise H6965 against the house H1004 of Jeroboam H3379 with the sword. H2719
10 Then Amaziah H558 the priest H3548 of Bethel H1008 sent H7971 to Jeroboam H3379 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 Amos H5986 hath conspired H7194 against thee in the midst H7130 of the house H1004 of Israel: H3478 the land H776 is not able H3201 to bear H3557 all his words. H1697
11 For thus Amos H5986 saith, H559 Jeroboam H3379 shall die H4191 by the sword, H2719 and Israel H3478 shall surely H1540 be led away captive H1540 out of their own land. H127
12 Also Amaziah H558 said H559 unto Amos, H5986 O thou seer, H2374 go, H3212 flee thee away H1272 into the land H776 of Judah, H3063 and there eat H398 bread, H3899 and prophesy H5012 there:
13 But prophesy H5012 not again H3254 any more at Bethel: H1008 for it is the king's H4428 chapel, H4720 and it is the king's H4467 court. H1004
14 Then answered H6030 Amos, H5986 and said H559 to Amaziah, H558 I was no prophet, H5030 neither was I a prophet's H5030 son; H1121 but I was an herdman, H951 and a gatherer H1103 of sycomore fruit: H8256
15 And the LORD H3068 took H3947 me as I followed H310 the flock, H6629 and the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Go, H3212 prophesy H5012 unto my people H5971 Israel. H3478
16 Now therefore hear H8085 thou the word H1697 of the LORD: H3068 Thou sayest, H559 Prophesy H5012 not against Israel, H3478 and drop H5197 not thy word against the house H1004 of Isaac. H3446
17 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Thy wife H802 shall be an harlot H2181 in the city, H5892 and thy sons H1121 and thy daughters H1323 shall fall H5307 by the sword, H2719 and thy land H127 shall be divided H2505 by line; H2256 and thou shalt die H4191 in H5921 a polluted H2931 land: H127 and Israel H3478 shall surely H1540 go into captivity H1540 forth of his land. H127
1 Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
2 And it came to pass that, when they made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord Jehovah, forgive, I beseech thee: how shall Jacob stand? for he is small.
3 Jehovah repented concerning this: It shall not be, saith Jehovah.
4 Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, the Lord Jehovah called to content by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land.
5 Then said I, O Lord Jehovah, cease, I beseech thee: how shall Jacob stand? for he is small.
6 Jehovah repented concerning this: this also shall not be, saith the Lord Jehovah.
7 Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand.
8 And Jehovah said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more;
9 and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.
12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thou away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
13 but prophesy not again any more at Beth-el; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house.
14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdsman, and a dresser of sycomore-trees:
15 and Jehovah took me from following the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
16 Now therefore hear thou the word of Jehovah: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not `thy word' against the house of Isaac;
17 therefore thus saith Jehovah: Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou thyself shalt die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.
1 Thus hath the Lord Jehovah shewed me, and lo, He is forming locusts at the beginning of the ascending of the latter growth, and lo, the latter growth `is' after the mowings of the king;
2 and it hath come to pass, when it hath finished to consume the herb of the land, that I say: `Lord Jehovah, forgive, I pray Thee, How doth Jacob arise -- for he `is' small?'
3 Jehovah hath repented of this, `It shall not be,' said Jehovah.
4 Thus hath the Lord Jehovah shewed me, and lo, the Lord Jehovah is calling to contend by fire, and it consumeth the great deep, yea, it hath consumed the portion, and I say:
5 `Lord Jehovah, cease, I pray Thee, How doth Jacob arise -- for he `is' small?'
6 Jehovah hath repented of this, `It also shall not be,' said the Lord Jehovah.
7 Thus hath He shewed me, and lo, the Lord is standing by a wall `made according to' a plumb-line, and in His hand a plumb-line;
8 and Jehovah saith unto me, `What art thou seeing, Amos?' And I say, `A plumb-line;' and the Lord saith: `Lo, I am setting a plumb-line in the midst of My people Israel, I do not add any more to pass over to it.
9 And desolated have been high places of Isaac, And sanctuaries of Israel are wasted, And I have risen against the house of Jeroboam with a sword.'
10 And Amaziah priest of Beth-El sendeth unto Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, `Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words,
11 for thus said Amos: By sword die doth Jeroboam, And Israel certainly removeth from off its land.'
12 And Amaziah saith unto Amos, `Seer, go flee for thee unto the land of Judah, and eat there bread, and there thou dost prophesy;
13 and `at' Beth-El do not add to prophesy any more, for it `is' the king's sanctuary, and it `is' the royal house.'
14 And Amos answereth and saith unto Amaziah, `I `am' no prophet, nor a prophet's son `am' I, but a herdsman I `am', and a cultivator of sycamores,
15 and Jehovah taketh me from after the flock, and Jehovah saith unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.
16 And now, hear a word of Jehovah: thou art saying, Do not prophesy against Israel, nor drop `any thing' against the house of Isaac,
17 therefore thus said Jehovah: Thy wife in the city doth go a-whoring, And thy sons and thy daughters by sword do fall, And thy land by line is apportioned, And thou on an unclean land diest, And Israel certainly removeth from off its land.'
1 Thus did the Lord Jehovah shew unto me; and behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
2 And it came to pass, when they had wholly eaten the grass of the land, that I said, O Lord Jehovah, forgive, I beseech thee! How shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
3 Jehovah repented for this: It shall not be, said Jehovah.
4 Thus did the Lord Jehovah shew unto me; and behold, the Lord Jehovah called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and ate up the inheritance.
5 Then said I, O Lord Jehovah, cease, I beseech thee! How shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
6 Jehovah repented for this: This also shall not be, said the Lord Jehovah.
7 Thus did he shew unto me; and behold, the Lord stood upon a wall [made] by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand.
8 And Jehovah said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line. And the Lord said, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more.
9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolated, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will arise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
11 For thus Amos saith: Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall certainly go into captivity out of his land.
12 And Amaziah said unto Amos, [Thou] seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there.
13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the house of the kingdom.
14 And Amos answered and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit.
15 And Jehovah took me as I followed the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
16 And now hear thou the word of Jehovah: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and utter not [words] against the house of Isaac.
17 Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided with the line; and thou shalt die in a land that is unclean; and Israel shall certainly go into captivity, out of his land.
1 Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me: and, behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, behold, it was the latter growth after the king's harvest.
2 It happened that, when they made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, "Lord Yahweh, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small."
3 Yahweh relented concerning this. "It shall not be," says Yahweh.
4 Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me and, behold, the Lord Yahweh called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.
5 Then I said, "Lord Yahweh, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small."
6 Yahweh relented concerning this. "This also shall not be," says the Lord Yahweh.
7 Thus he showed me and, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.
8 Yahweh said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.
9 The high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Beth El sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
11 For Amos says, 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'"
12 Amaziah also said to Amos, "You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
13 but don't prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house!"
14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore trees;
15 and Yahweh took me from following the flock, and Yahweh said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
16 Now therefore listen to the word of Yahweh: 'You say, Don't prophesy against Israel, and don't preach against the house of Isaac.'
17 Therefore thus says Yahweh: 'Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by line; and you yourself shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'"
1 This is what the Lord God let me see: and I saw that, when the growth of the late grass was starting, he made locusts; it was the late growth after the king's cutting was done.
2 And it came about that after they had taken all the grass of the land, I said, O Lord God, have mercy: how will Jacob be able to keep his place? for he is small.
3 The Lord, changing his purpose about this, said, It will not be.
4 This is what the Lord let me see: and I saw that the Lord God sent for a great fire to be the instrument of his punishment; and, after burning up the great deep, it was about to put an end to the Lord's heritage.
5 Then said I, O Lord God, let there be an end: how will Jacob be able to keep his place? for he is small.
6 The Lord, changing his purpose about this, said, And this will not be.
7 This is what he let me see: and I saw the Lord stationed by a wall made straight by a weighted line, and he had a weighted line in his hand.
8 And the Lord said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A weighted line. Then the Lord said, See, I will let down a weighted line among my people Israel; never again will my eyes be shut to their sin:
9 And the high places of Isaac will be unpeopled, and the holy places of Israel will be made waste; and I will come up against the family of Jeroboam with the sword.
10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Beth-el, sent to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, Amos has made designs against you among the people of Israel: the land is troubled by his words.
11 For Amos has said, Jeroboam will be put to the sword, and Israel will certainly be taken away as a prisoner out of his land.
12 And Amaziah said to Amos, O seer, go in flight into the land of Judah, and there get your living by working as a prophet:
13 But be a prophet no longer at Beth-el: for it is the holy place of the king, and the king's house.
14 Then Amos in answer said to Amaziah, I am no prophet, or one of the sons of the prophets; I am a herdman and one who takes care of sycamore-trees:
15 And the Lord took me from the flock, and the Lord said to me, Go, be a prophet to my people Israel.
16 Now then, give ear to the word of the Lord: You say, Be no prophet to Israel, and say not a word against the people of Isaac.
17 So this is what the Lord has said: Your wife will be a loose woman in the town, and your sons and your daughters will be put to the sword, and your land will be cut up into parts by a line; and you yourself will come to your end in an unclean land, and Israel will certainly be taken away a prisoner out of his land.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Amos 7
Commentary on Amos 7 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
III. Sights or Visions
The last part of the writings of Amos contains five visions, which confirm the contents of the prophetic addresses in the preceding part. The first four visions, however (ch. 7 and Amos 8:1-14), are distinguished from the fifth and last (Amos 9:1-15) by the fact, that whereas the former all commence with the same formula, “Thus hath the Lord showed me,” the latter commences with the words, “I saw the Lord,” etc. They also differ in their contents, inasmuch as the former symbolize the judgments which have already fallen in part upon Israel, and in part have still to fall; whilst the latter, on the contrary, proclaims the overthrow of the old theocracy, and after this the restoration of the fallen kingdom of God, and its ultimate glory. And again, of these four, the first and second (Amos 7:1-6) are distinguished from the third and fourth (Amos 7:7-9, and Amos 8:1-3) by the fact, that whereas the former contain a promise in reply to the prophet's intercession, that Jacob shall be spared, in the latter any further sparing is expressly refused; so that they are thus formed into two pairs, which differ from one another both in their contents and purpose. This difference is of importance, in relation both to the meaning and also to the historical bearing of the visions. It points to the conclusion, that the first two visions indicate universal judgments, whilst the third and fourth simply threaten the overthrow of the kingdom of Israel in the immediate future, the commencement of which is represented in the fifth and last vision, and which is then still further depicted in its results in connection with the realization of the divine plan of salvation.
Visions of the Locusts, the Fire, and the Plumb-Line. The Prophet's Experience at Bethel - Amos 7
The first two visions. - Amos 7:1-3. The Locusts. - Amos 7:1. “Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me; and, behold, He formed locusts in the beginning of the springing up of the second crop; and, behold, it was a second crop after the king's mowing. Amos 7:2. And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the vegetable of the land, I said, Lord Jehovah, forgive, I pray: how can Jacob stand? for he is small. Amos 7:3. Jehovah repented of this: It shall not take place, saith Jehovah.” The formula, “Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me,” is common to this and the three following visions (Amos 7:4, Amos 7:7, and Amos 8:1), with this trifling difference, that in the third (Amos 7:7) the subject (the Lord Jehovah) is omitted, and 'Adōnâi (the Lord) is inserted instead, after v e hinnēh (and behold). הראני denotes seeing with the eyes of the mind - a visionary seeing. These visions are not merely pictures of a judgment which was ever threatening, and drawing nearer and nearer (Baur); still less are they merely poetical fictions, or forms of drapery selected arbitrarily, for the purpose of clothing the prophet's thoughts; but they are inward intuitions, produced by the Spirit of God, which set forth the punitive judgments of God. Kōh ( ita , thus) points to what follows, and v e hinnēh (and behold) introduces the thing seen. Amos sees the Lord form locusts. Baur proposes to alter יוצר (forming) into יצר (forms), but without any reason, and without observing that in all three visions of this chapter hinnēh is followed by a participle ( קרא in Amos 7:4, and נצּב in Amos 7:7), and that the 'Adōnâi which stands before נצּב in Amos 7:7 shows very clearly that this noun is simply omitted in Amos 7:1, because 'AdōnâI Y e hōvâh has immediately preceded it. גּבי (a poetical form for גּבה , analogous to שׂדי for שׂדה , and contracted into גּוב in Nahum 3:17) signifies locusts, the only question being, whether this meaning is derived from גּוּב = Arab. jâb , to cut, or from גּבה = Arab. jb‛a , to creep forth (out of the earth). The fixing of the time has an important bearing upon the meaning of the vision: viz., “at the beginning of the springing up of the second crop (of grass);” especially when taken in connection with the explanation, “after the mowings of the king.” These definitions cannot be merely intended as outward chronological data. For, in the first place, nothing is known of the existence of any right or prerogative on the part of the kings of Israel, to have the early crop in the meadow land throughout the country mown for the support of their horses and mules (1 Kings 18:5), so that their subjects could only get the second crop for their own cattle. Moreover, if the second crop, “after the king's mowings,” were to be interpreted literally in this manner, it would decidedly weaken the significance of the vision. For if the locusts did not appear till after the king had got in the hay for the supply of his own mews, and so only devoured the second crop of grass as it grew, this plague would fall upon the people alone, and not at all upon the king. But such an exemption of the king from the judgment is evidently at variance with the meaning of this and the following visions. Consequently the definition of the time must be interpreted spiritually, in accordance with the idea of the vision. The king, who has had the early grass mown, is Jehovah; and the mowing of the grass denotes the judgments which Jehovah has already executed upon Israel. The growing of the second crop is a figurative representation of the prosperity which flourished again after those judgments; in actual fact, therefore, it denotes the time when the dawn had risen again for Israel (Amos 4:13). Then the locusts came and devoured all the vegetables of the earth. עשׂב הארץ is not the second crop; for עשׂב does not mean grass, but vegetables, the plants of the field (see at Genesis 1:11). Amos 7:2 and Amos 7:3 require that this meaning should be retained. When the locusts had already eaten the vegetables of the earth, the prophet interceded, and the Lord interposed with deliverance. This intercession would have been too late after the consumption of the second crop. On the other hand, when the vegetables had been consumed, there was still reason to fear that the consumption of the second crop of grass would follow; and this is averted at the prophet's intercession. והיה for ויהי , as in 1 Samuel 17:48; Jeremiah 37:11, etc. סלח־נא , pray forgive, sc. the guilt of the people (cf. Numbers 14:19). מי יקוּם , how ( מי qualis ) can Jacob (the nation of Israel) stand (not arise), since it is small? קטן , small, i.e., so poor in sources and means of help, that it cannot endure this stroke; not “so crushed already, that a very light calamity would destroy it” (Rosenmüller). for נחם על , see Exodus 32:14. זאת (this) refers to the destruction of the people indicated in מי יקוּם ; and זאת is also to be supplied as the subject to לא תהיה .
The Devouring Fire. - Amos 7:4. “Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, the Lord Jehovah called to punish with fire; and it devoured the great flood, and devoured the portion. Amos 7:5. And I said, Lord Jehovah, leave off, I pray: how can Jacob stand? for it is small. Amos 7:6. Jehovah repented of this; this also shall not take place, said the Lord Jehovah.” That the all-devouring fire represents a much severer judgment than that depicted under the figure of the locusts, is generally acknowledged, and needs no proof. But the more precise meaning of this judgment is open to dispute, and depends upon the explanation of the fourth verse. The object to קרא is לריב בּאשׁ , and ריב is to be taken as an infinitive, as in Isaiah 3:13 : He called to strive (i.e., to judge or punish) with fire. There is no necessity to supply ministros suos here. The expression is a concise one, for “He called to the fire to punish with fire” (for the expression and the fact, compare Isaiah 66:16). This fire devoured the great flood. T e hōm rabbâh is used in Genesis 7:11 and Isaiah 51:10, etc., to denote the unfathomable ocean; and in Genesis 1:2 t e hōm is the term applied to the immense flood which surrounded and covered the globe at the beginning of the creation. ואכלה , as distinguished from ותּאכל , signifies an action in progress, or still incomplete (Hitzig). The meaning therefore is, “it also devoured (began to devour) 'eth - hachēleq ;” i.e., not the field, for a field does not form at all a fitting antithesis to the ocean; and still less “the land,” for chēleq never bears this meaning; but the inheritance or portion, namely, that of Jehovah (Deuteronomy 32:9), i.e., Israel. Consequently t e hōm rabbâh cannot, of course, signify the ocean as such. For the idea of the fire falling upon the ocean, and consuming it, and then beginning to consume the land of Israel, by which the ocean was bounded (Hitzig), would be too monstrous; nor is it justified by the simple remark, that “it was as if the last great conflagration (2 Peter 3:10) had begun” (Schmieder). As the fire is to earthly fire, but the fire of the wrath of God, and therefore a figurative representation of the judgment of destruction; and as hachēleq (the portion) is not the land of Israel, but according to Deuteronomy ( l.c. ) Israel, or the people of Jehovah; so t e hōm rabbâh is not the ocean, but the heathen world, the great sea of nations, in their rebellion against the kingdom of God. The world of nature in a state of agitation is a frequent symbol in the Scriptures for the agitated heathen world (e.g., Psalms 46:3; Psalms 93:3-4). On the latter passage, Delitzsch has the following apt remark: “The stormy sea is a figurative representation of the whole heathen world, in its estrangement from God, and enmity against Him, or the human race outside the true church of God; and the rivers are figurative representations of the kingdoms of the world, e.g., the Nile of the Egyptian (Jeremiah 46:7-8), the Euphrates of the Assyrian (Isaiah 8:7-8), or more precisely still, the arrow-swift Tigris of the Assyrian, and the winding Euphrates of the Babylonian (Isaiah 27:1).” This symbolism lies at the foundation of the vision seen by the prophet. The world of nations, in its rebellion against Jehovah, the Lord and King of the world, appears as a great flood, like the chaos at the beginning of the creation, or the flood which poured out its waves upon the globe in the time of Noah. Upon this flood of nations does fire from the Lord fall down and consume them; and after consuming them, it begins to devour the inheritance of Jehovah, the nation of Israel also. The prophet then prays to the Lord to spare it, because Jacob would inevitably perish in this conflagration; and the Lord gives the promise that “this shall not take place,” so that Israel is plucked like a firebrand out of the fire (Amos 4:11).
If we inquire now into the historical bearing of these two visions, so much is à priori clear, - namely, that both of them not only indicate judgments already past, but also refer to the future, since no fire had hitherto burned upon the surface of the globe, which had consumed the world of nations and threatened to annihilate Israel. If therefore there is an element of truth in the explanation given by Grotius to the first vision, “After the fields had been shorn by Benhadad (2 Kings 13:3), and after the damage which was then sustained, the condition of Israel began to flourish once more during the reign of Jeroboam the son of Joash, as we see from 2 Kings 14:15,” according to which the locusts would refer to the invasion on the part of the Assyrians in the time of Pul; this application is much too limited, neither exhausting the contents of the first vision, nor suiting in the smallest degree the figure of the fire. The “mowing of the king” (Amos 7:1) denotes rather all the judgments which the Lord had hitherto poured out upon Israel, embracing everything that the prophet mentions in Amos 4:6-10. The locusts are a figurative representation of the judgments that still await the covenant nation, and will destroy it even to a small remnant, which will be saved through the prayers of the righteous. The vision of the fire has a similar scope, embracing all the past and all the future; but this also indicates the judgments that fall upon the heathen world, and will only receive its ultimate fulfilment in the destruction of everything that is ungodly upon the face of the earth, when the Lord comes in fire to strive with all flesh (Isaiah 66:15-16), and to burn up the earth and all that is therein, on the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men (2 Peter 3:7, 2 Peter 3:10-13). The removal of the two judgments, however, by Jehovah in consequence of the intercession of the prophet, shows that these judgments are not intended to effect the utter annihilation of the nation of God, but simply its refinement and the rooting out of the sinners from the midst of it, and that, in consequence of the sparing mercy of God, a holy remnant of the nation of God will be left. The next two visions refer simply to the judgment which awaits the kingdom of the ten tribes in the immediate future.
The Third Vision. - Amos 7:7. “Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made with a plumb-line, and a plumb-line in His hand. Amos 7:8. And Jehovah said to me, What seest thou, Amos? And I said, A plumb-line. And the Lord said, Behold, I put a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel: I shall pass by it no more. Amos 7:9. And the sacrificial heights of Isaac are laid waste, and the holy things of Israel destroyed; and I rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” The word אנך , which only occurs here, denotes, according to the dialects and the Rabbins, tin or lead, here a plumb-line. Chōmath 'ănâkh is a wall built with a plumb-line, i.e., a perpendicular wall, a wall built with mechanical correctness and solidity. Upon this wall Amos sees the Lord standing. The wall built with a plumb-line is a figurative representation of the kingdom of God in Israel, as a firm and well-constructed building. He holds in His hand a plumb-line. The question addressed to the prophet, “What does he see?” is asked for the simple purpose of following up his answer with an explanation of the symbol, as in Jeremiah 1:11, Jeremiah 1:13, since the plumb-line was used for different purposes, - namely, not only for building, but partly also for pulling buildings down (compare 2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 34:11). Jehovah will lay it b e qerebh ‛ammı̄ , to the midst of His people, and not merely to an outward portion of it, in order to destroy this building. He will no longer spare as He has done hitherto. עבר ל , to pass by any one without taking any notice of him, without looking upon his guilt or punishing him; hence, to spare, - the opposite of עבר בּקרב in Amos 5:17. The destruction will fall upon the idolatrous sanctuaries of the land, the bâmōth (see at 1 Kings 3:2), i.e., the altars of the high places, and the temples at Bethel, at Daniel (see at 1 Kings 12:29), and at Gilgal (see Amos 4:4). Isaac ( ישׂחק , a softened form for יצחק , used here and at v. 16, as in Jeremiah 33:26) is mentioned here instead of Jacob , and the name is used as a synonym for Israel of the ten tribes. Even the house of Jeroboam, the reigning royal family, is to perish with the sword ( קם על as in Isaiah 31:2). Jeroboam is mentioned as the existing representative of the monarchy, and the words are not to be restricted to the overthrow of his dynasty, but announce the destruction of the Israelitish monarchy, which actually was annihilated when this dynasty was overthrown. The destruction of the sacred places and the overthrow of the monarchy involve the dissolution of the kingdom. Thus does Amos himself interpret his own words in Amos 7:11 and Amos 7:17.
Opposition to the Prophet at Bethel. - The daring announcement of the overthrow of the royal family excites the wrath of the high priest at Bethel, so that he relates the affair to the king, to induce him to proceed against the troublesome prophet (Amos 7:10 and Amos 7:11), and then calls upon Amos himself to leave Bethel (Amos 7:12 and Amos 7:13). That this attempt to drive Amos out of Bethel was occasioned by his prophecy in Amos 7:7-11, is evident from what Amaziah says to the king concerning the words of Amos. “The priest of Bethel” ( Kōhēn Bēth - ēl ) is the high priest at the sanctuary of the golden calf at Bethel. He accused the prophet to the king of having made a conspiracy ( qâshar ; cf. 1 Kings 15:27, etc.) against the king, and that “in the midst of the house of Israel,” i.e., in the centre of the kingdom of Israel - namely at Bethel, the religious centre of the kingdom - through all his sayings, which the land could not bear. To establish this charge, he states (in Amos 7:11) that Amos has foretold the death of Jeroboam by the sword, and the carrying away of the people out of the land. Amos had really said this. The fact that in Amos 7:9 Jeroboam is named, and not the house of Jeroboam, makes no difference; for the head of the house if naturally included in the house itself. And the carrying away of the people out of the land was not only implied in the announcement of the devastation of the sanctuaries of the kingdom (Amos 7:9), which presupposes the conquest of the land by foes; but Amos had actually predicted it in so many words (Amos 5:27). And Amaziah naturally gave the substance of all the prophet's addresses, instead of simply confining himself to the last. There is no reason, therefore, to think of intentional slander.
The king appears to have commenced no proceedings against the prophet in consequence of this denunciation, probably because he did not regard the affair as one of so much danger. Amaziah therefore endeavours to persuade the prophet to leave the country. “Seer, go, and flee into the land of Judah.” בּרח־לך , i.e., withdraw thyself by flight from the punishment which threatens thee. “There eat thy bread, and there mayst thou prophesy:” i.e., in Judah thou mayst earn thy bread by prophesying without any interruption. It is evident from the answer given by Amos in Amos 7:14, that this is the meaning of the words: “But in Bethel thou shalt no longer prophesy, for it is a king's sanctuary (i.e., a sanctuary founded by the king; 1 Kings 12:28), and bēth mamlâkhâh ,” house of the kingdom, i.e., a royal capital (cf. 1 Samuel 27:5), - namely, as being the principal seat of the worship which the king has established for his kingdom. There no one could be allowed to prophesy against the king.
Amos first of all repudiates the insinuation that he practises prophesying as a calling or profession, by which he gets his living. “I am no prophet,” sc. by profession, “and no prophet's son,” i.e., not a pupil or member of the prophets' schools, one who has been trained to prophesy (on these schools, see the comm. on 1 Samuel 19:24); but (according to my proper calling) a bōqēr , lit., a herdsman of oxen (from bâqâr ); then in a broader sense, a herdsman who tends the sheep ( צאן ), a shepherd; and a bōlēs shiqmı̄m , i.e., one who plucks sycamores or mulberry-figs, and lives upon them. The ἁπ. λεγ. bōlēs is a denom. from the Arabic name for the mulberry-fig, and signifies to gather mulberry-figs and live upon them; like συκάζειν and ἀποσυκάζειν , i.e., according to Hesych. τὰ σῦκα τρώγειν , to eat figs. The rendering of the lxx κνίζων , Vulg. vellicans , points to the fact that it was a common custom to nip or scratch the mulberry-figs, in order to make them ripen (see Theophr. Hist. plant. iv. 2; Plin. Hist. nat. 13, 14; and Bochart, Hieroz. i. 384, or p. 406 ed. Ros.); but this cannot be shown to be the true meaning of bōlēs . And even if the idea of nipping were implied in the word bōlēs , it would by no means follow that the possession of a mulberry plantation was what was intended, as many commentators have inferred; for “the words contain an allusion to the 'eating of bread' referred to in Amos 7:12, and the fruit is mentioned here as the ordinary food of the shepherds, who lived at the pasture grounds, and to whom bread may have been a rarity” (Hitzig). From this calling, which afforded him a livelihood, the Lord had called him away to prophesy to His people Israel; so that whoever forbade him to do so, set himself in opposition to the Lord God.
In return for this rebellion against Jehovah, Amos foretels to the priest the punishment which will fall upon him when the judgment shall come upon Israel, meeting his words, “Thou sayst, Thou shalt not prophesy,” with the keen retort, “Thus saith Jehovah.” הטּיף , to drip, applied to prophesying here and at Micah 2:6, Micah 2:11, and Ezekiel 21:2, Ezekiel 21:7, is taken from Deuteronomy 32:2, “My teaching shall drip as the rain,” etc. Isaac ( yishâq ) for Israel, as in Amos 7:9. The punishment is thus described in Amos 7:17 : “Thy wife will be a harlot in the city,” i.e., at the taking of the city she will become a harlot through violation. His children would also be slain by the foe, and his landed possession assigned to others, namely, to the fresh settlers in the land. He himself, viz., the priest, would die in an unclean land, that is to say, in the land of the Gentiles, - in other words, would be carried away captive, and that with the whole nation, the carrying away of which is repeated by Amos in the words which the priest had reported to the king (Amos 7:11), as a sign that what he has prophesied will assuredly stand.