7 And also I have withholden H4513 the rain H1653 from you, when there were yet three H7969 months H2320 to the harvest: H7105 and I caused it to rain H4305 upon one H259 city, H5892 and caused it not to rain H4305 upon another H259 city: H5892 one H259 piece H2513 was rained H4305 upon, and the piece H2513 whereupon it rained H4305 not withered. H3001
Therefore the showers H7241 have been withholden, H4513 and there hath been no latter rain; H4456 and thou hadst a whore's H2181 H802 forehead, H4696 thou refusedst H3985 to be ashamed. H3637
They saw H7200 not one H376 another, H251 neither rose H6965 any H376 from his place for three H7969 days: H3117 but all the children H1121 of Israel H3478 had light H216 in their dwellings. H4186
And the LORD H3068 shall sever H6395 between the cattle H4735 of Israel H3478 and the cattle H4735 of Egypt: H4714 and there shall nothing H1697 die H4191 of all that is the children's H1121 of Israel. H3478
These G3778 have G2192 power G1849 to shut G2808 heaven, G3772 that G3363 it rain G1026 G5205 not G3363 in G1722 the days G2250 of their G846 prophecy: G4394 and G2532 have G2192 power G1849 over G1909 waters G5204 to turn G4762 them G846 to G1519 blood, G129 and G2532 to smite G3960 the earth G1093 with all G3956 plagues, G4127 as often G3740 as G1437 they will. G2309
Elias G2243 was G2258 a man G444 subject to like passions as G3663 we are, G2254 and G2532 he prayed G4336 earnestly G4335 that it might G1026 not G3361 rain: G1026 and G2532 it rained G1026 not G3756 on G1909 the earth G1093 by the space of three G5140 years G1763 and G2532 six G1803 months. G3376
Say G3004 not G3756 ye, G5210 There G3754 are G2076 yet G2089 four months, G5072 and G2532 then cometh G2064 harvest? G2326 behold, G2400 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Lift up G1869 your G5216 eyes, G3788 and G2532 look on G2300 the fields; G5561 for G3754 they are G1526 white G3022 already G2235 to G4314 harvest. G2326
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up H5927 of all the families H4940 of the earth H776 unto Jerusalem H3389 to worship H7812 the King, H4428 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 even upon them shall be no rain. H1653
Therefore the heaven H8064 over you is stayed H3607 from dew, H2919 and the earth H776 is stayed H3607 from her fruit. H2981 And I called H7121 for a drought H2721 upon the land, H776 and upon the mountains, H2022 and upon the corn, H1715 and upon the new wine, H8492 and upon the oil, H3323 and upon that which the ground H127 bringeth forth, H3318 and upon men, H120 and upon cattle, H929 and upon all the labour H3018 of the hands. H3709
Be glad H1523 then, ye children H1121 of Zion, H6726 and rejoice H8055 in the LORD H3068 your God: H430 for he hath given H5414 you the former rain H4175 moderately, H6666 and he will cause to come down H3381 for you the rain, H1653 the former rain, H4175 and the latter rain H4456 in the first H7223 month.
The field H7704 is wasted, H7703 the land H127 mourneth; H56 for the corn H1715 is wasted: H7703 the new wine H8492 is dried up, H3001 the oil H3323 languisheth. H535 Be ye ashamed, H3001 O ye husbandmen; H406 howl, H3213 O ye vinedressers, H3755 for the wheat H2406 and for the barley; H8184 because the harvest H7105 of the field H7704 is perished. H6 The vine H1612 is dried up, H3001 and the fig tree H8384 languisheth; H535 the pomegranate H7416 tree, the palm tree H8558 also, and the apple tree, H8598 even all the trees H6086 of the field, H7704 are withered: H3001 because joy H8342 is withered away H3001 from the sons H1121 of men. H120 Gird H2296 yourselves, and lament, H5594 ye priests: H3548 howl, H3213 ye ministers H8334 of the altar: H4196 come, H935 lie all night H3885 in sackcloth, H8242 ye ministers H8334 of my God: H430 for the meat offering H4503 and the drink offering H5262 is withholden H4513 from the house H1004 of your God. H430 Sanctify H6942 ye a fast, H6685 call H7121 a solemn assembly, H6116 gather H622 the elders H2205 and all the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 into the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 and cry H2199 unto the LORD, H3068 Alas H162 for the day! H3117 for the day H3117 of the LORD H3068 is at hand, H7138 and as a destruction H7701 from the Almighty H7706 shall it come. H935 Is not the meat H400 cut off H3772 before our eyes, H5869 yea, joy H8057 and gladness H1524 from the house H1004 of our God? H430 The seed H6507 is rotten H5685 under their clods, H4053 the garners H214 are laid desolate, H8074 the barns H4460 are broken down; H2040 for the corn H1715 is withered. H3001 How do the beasts H929 groan! H584 the herds H5739 of cattle H1241 are perplexed, H943 because they have no pasture; H4829 yea, the flocks H5739 of sheep H6629 are made desolate. H816
Because the ground H127 is chapt, H2865 for there was no rain H1653 in the earth, H776 the plowmen H406 were ashamed, H954 they covered H2645 their heads. H7218
Neither say H559 they in their heart, H3824 Let us now fear H3372 the LORD H3068 our God, H430 that giveth H5414 rain, H1653 both the former H3138 and the latter, H4456 in his season: H6256 he reserveth H8104 unto us the appointed H2708 weeks H7620 of the harvest. H7105 Your iniquities H5771 have turned away H5186 these things, and your sins H2403 have withholden H4513 good H2896 things from you.
If H2005 I shut up H6113 heaven H8064 that there be no rain, H4306 or if I command H6680 the locusts H2284 to devour H398 the land, H776 or if I send H7971 pestilence H1698 among my people; H5971 If my people, H5971 which are called H7121 by my name, H8034 shall humble H3665 themselves, and pray, H6419 and seek H1245 my face, H6440 and turn H7725 from their wicked H7451 ways; H1870 then will I hear H8085 from heaven, H8064 and will forgive H5545 their sin, H2403 and will heal H7495 their land. H776
When heaven H8064 is shut up, H6113 and there is no rain, H4306 because they have sinned H2398 against thee; if they pray H6419 toward this place, H4725 and confess H3034 thy name, H8034 and turn H7725 from their sin, H2403 when thou afflictest H6031 them: Then hear H8085 thou in heaven, H8064 and forgive H5545 the sin H2403 of thy servants, H5650 and of thy people H5971 Israel, H3478 that thou teach H3384 them the good H2896 way H1870 wherein they should walk, H3212 and give H5414 rain H4306 upon thy land, H776 which thou hast given H5414 to thy people H5971 for an inheritance. H5159
Behold, I will put H3322 a fleece H1492 of wool H6785 in the floor; H1637 and if the dew H2919 be on the fleece H1492 only, and it be dry H2721 upon all the earth H776 beside, then shall I know H3045 that thou wilt save H3467 Israel H3478 by mine hand, H3027 as thou hast said. H1696 And it was so: for he rose up early H7925 on the morrow, H4283 and thrust H2115 the fleece H1492 together, H2115 and wringed H4680 the dew H2919 out of the fleece, H1492 a bowl H5602 full H4393 of water. H4325 And Gideon H1439 said H559 unto God, H430 Let not thine anger H639 be hot H2734 against me, and I will speak H1696 but this once: H6471 let me prove, H5254 I pray thee, but this once H6471 with the fleece; H1492 let it now be dry H2721 only upon the fleece, H1492 and upon all the ground H776 let there be dew. H2919 And God H430 did H6213 so that night: H3915 for it was dry H2721 upon the fleece H1492 only, and there was dew H2919 on all the ground. H776
And thy heaven H8064 that is over thy head H7218 shall be brass, H5178 and the earth H776 that is under thee shall be iron. H1270 The LORD H3068 shall make H5414 the rain H4306 of thy land H776 powder H80 and dust: H6083 from heaven H8064 shall it come down H3381 upon thee, until thou be destroyed. H8045
And then the LORD'S H3068 wrath H639 be kindled H2734 against you, and he shut up H6113 the heaven, H8064 that there be no rain, H4306 and that the land H127 yield H5414 not her fruit; H2981 and lest ye perish H6 quickly H4120 from off the good H2896 land H776 which the LORD H3068 giveth H5414 you.
And if ye will not be reformed H3256 by me by these things, but will walk H1980 contrary H7147 unto me; Then will I also walk H1980 contrary H7147 unto you, and will punish H5221 you yet H1571 seven times H7651 for your sins. H2403
And if ye will not yet H5704 for all this hearken H8085 unto me, then I will punish H3256 you seven times H7651 more H3254 for your sins. H2403 And I will break H7665 the pride H1347 of your power; H5797 and I will make H5414 your heaven H8064 as iron, H1270 and your earth H776 as brass: H5154 And your strength H3581 shall be spent H8552 in vain: H7385 for your land H776 shall not yield H5414 her increase, H2981 neither shall the trees H6086 of the land H776 yield H5414 their fruits. H6529 And if ye walk H3212 contrary H7147 unto me, and will H14 not hearken H8085 unto me; I will bring H3254 seven times H7651 more H3254 plagues H4347 upon you according to your sins. H2403
For G1063 who G5101 maketh G1252 thee G4571 to differ G1252 from another? and G1161 what G5101 hast thou G2192 that G3739 thou didst G2983 not G3756 receive? G2983 G1161 now if G1499 thou didst receive G2983 it, why G5101 dost thou glory, G2744 as G5613 if thou hadst G2983 not G3361 received G2983 it?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Amos 4
Commentary on Amos 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Am 4:1-13. Denunciation of Israel's Nobles for Oppression; and of the Whole Nation for Idolatry; and for Their Being Unreformed Even by God's Judgments: Therefore They Must Prepare for the Last and Worst Judgment of All.
1. kine of Bashan—fat and wanton cattle such as the rich pasture of Bashan (east of Jordan, between Hermon and Gilead) was famed for (De 32:14; Ps 22:12; Eze 39:18). Figurative for those luxurious nobles mentioned, Am 3:9, 10, 12, 15. The feminine, kine, or cows, not bulls, expresses their effeminacy. This accounts for masculine forms in the Hebrew being intermixed with feminine; the latter being figurative, the former the real persons meant.
say to their masters—that is, to their king, with whom the princes indulged in potations (Ho 7:5), and whom here they importune for more wine. "Bring" is singular, in the Hebrew implying that one "master" alone is meant.
2. The Lord—the same Hebrew as "masters" (Am 4:1). Israel's nobles say to their master or lord, Bring us drink: but "the Lord" of him and them "hath sworn," &c.
by his holiness—which binds Him to punish the guilty (Ps 89:35).
he will take yon away—that is God by the instrumentality of the enemy.
with hooks—literally, "thorns" (compare 2Ch 33:11). As fish are taken out of the water by hooks, so the Israelites are to be taken out of their cities by the enemy (Eze 29:4; compare Job 41:1, 2; Jer 16:16; Hab 1:15). The image is the more appropriate, as anciently captives were led by their conquerors by a hook made to pass through the nose (2Ki 19:28), as is to be seen in the Assyrian remains.
3. go out at the breaches—namely, of the city walls broken by the enemy.
every cow at that which is before her—figurative for the once luxurious nobles (compare "kine of Bashan," Am 4:1) shall go out each one right before her; not through the gates, but each at the breach before him, not turning to the right or left, apart from one another.
ye shall cast them into the palace—"them," that is, "your posterity," from Am 4:2. You yourselves shall escape through the breaches, after having cast your little children into the palace, so as not to see their destruction, and to escape the more quickly. Rather, "ye shall cast yourselves into the palace," so as to escape from it out of the city [Calvin]. The palace, the scene of the princes' riots (Am 3:10, 15; 4:1), is to be the scene of their ignominious flight. Compare in the similar case of Jerusalem's capture, the king's escape by way of the palace, through a breach in the wall (Eze 12:5, 12). Gesenius translates, "Ye shall be cast (as captives) into the (enemy's) stronghold"; in this view, the enemy's stronghold is called "palace," in retributive contrast to the "palaces" of Israel's nobles, the store houses of their robberies (Am 3:10).
4. God gives them up to their self-willed idolatry, that they may see how unable their idols are to save them from their coming calamities. So Eze 20:39.
Beth-el—(Am 3:14).
Gilgal—(Ho 4:15; 9:15; 12:11).
sacrifices every morning—as commanded in the law (Nu 28:3, 4). They imitated the letter, while violating by calf-worship the spirit, of the Jerusalem temple-worship.
after three years—every third year; literally, "after three (years of) days" (that is, the fullest complement of days, or a year); "after three full years." Compare Le 25:20; Jud 17:10, and "the days" for the years, Joe 1:2. So a month of days is used for a full month, wanting no day to complete it (Ge 29:14, Margin; Nu 11:20, 21). The Israelites here also kept to the letter of the law in bringing in the tithes of their increase every third year (De 14:28; 26:12).
5. offer—literally, "burn incense"; that is, "offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with burnt incense and with leavened bread." The frankincense was laid on the meat offering, and taken by the priest from it to burn on the altar (Le 2:1, 2, 8-11). Though unleavened cakes were to accompany the peace offering sacrifice of animals, leavened bread was also commanded (Le 7:12, 13), but not as a "meat offering" (Le 2:11).
this liketh you—that is, this is what ye like.
6-11. Jehovah details His several chastisements inflicted with a view to reclaiming them: but adds to each the same sad result, "yet have ye not returned unto Me" (Isa 9:13; Jer 5:3; Ho 7:10); the monotonous repetition of the same burden marking their pitiable obstinacy.
cleanness of teeth—explained by the parallel, "want of bread." The famine alluded to is that mentioned in 2Ki 8:1 [Grotius]. Where there is no food to masticate, the teeth are free from uncleanness, but it is the cleanness of want. Compare Pr 14:4, "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean." So spiritually, where all is outwardly smooth and clean, it is often because there is no solid religion. Better fighting and fears with real piety, than peace and respectable decorum without spiritual life.
7. withholden … rain … three months to … harvest—the time when rain was most needed, and when usually "the latter rain" fell, namely, in spring, the latter half of February, and the whole of March and April (Ho 6:3; Joe 2:23). The drought meant is that mentioned in 1Ki 17:1 [Grotius].
rain upon one city … not … upon another—Any rain that fell was only partial.
8. three cities wandered—that is, the inhabitants of three cities (compare Jer 14:1-6). Grotius explains this verse and Am 4:7, "The rain fell on neighboring countries, but not on Israel, which marked the drought to be, not accidental, but the special judgment of God." The Israelites were obliged to leave their cities and homes to seek water at a distance [Calvin].
9. blasting—the blighting influence of the east wind on the corn (Ge 41:6).
when … gardens … increased—In vain ye multiplied your gardens, &c., for I destroyed their produce. Bochart supports Margin, "the multitude of your gardens."
palmer worm—A species of locust is here meant, hurtful to fruits of trees, not to herbage or corn. The same east wind which brought the drought, blasting, and mildew, brought also the locusts into Judea [Bochart], (Ex 10:13).
10. pestilence after the manner of Egypt—such as I formerly sent on the Egyptians (Ex 9:3, 8, &c.; Ex 12:29; De 28:27, 60). Compare the same phrase, Isa 10:24.
have taken away your horses—literally, "accompanied with the captivity of your horses"; I have given up your young men to be slain, and their horses to be taken by the foe (compare 2Ki 13:7).
stink of your camps—that is, of your slain men (compare Isa 34:3; Joe 2:20).
to come up unto your nostrils—The Hebrew is more emphatic, "to come up, and that unto your nostrils."
11. some of you—some parts of your territory.
as God overthrew Sodom—(De 29:23; Isa 13:19; Jer 49:18; 50:40; 2Pe 2:6; Jude 7). "God" is often repeated in Hebrew instead of "I." The earthquake here apparently alluded to is not that in the reign of Uzziah, which occurred "two years" later (Am 1:1). Traces of earthquakes and volcanic agency abound in Palestine. The allusion here is to some of the effects of these in previous times. Compare the prophecy, De 28:15-68, with Am 4:6-11 here.
as a firebrand plucked out of … burning—(Compare Isa 7:4; Zec 3:2). The phrase is proverbial for a narrow escape from utter extinction. Though Israel revived as a nation under Jeroboam II, it was but for a time, and that after an almost utter destruction previously (2Ki 14:26).
12. Therefore—as all chastisements have failed to make thee "return unto Me."
thus will I do unto thee—as I have threatened (Am 4:2, 3).
prepare to meet thy God—God is about to inflict the last and worst judgment on thee, the extinction of thy nationality; consider then what preparation thou canst make for encountering Him as thy foe (Jer 46:14; Lu 14:31, 32). But as that would be madness to think of (Isa 27:4; Eze 22:14; Heb 10:31), see what can be done towards mitigating the severity of the coming judgment, by penitence (Isa 27:5; 1Co 11:31). This latter exhortation is followed up in Am 5:4, 6, 8, 14, 15.
13. The God whom Israel is to "prepare to meet" (Am 4:12) is here described in sublime terms.
wind—not as the Margin, "spirit." The God with whom thou hast to do is the Omnipotent Maker of things seen, such as the stupendous mountains, and of things too subtle to be seen, though of powerful agency, as the "wind."
declareth unto man … his thought—(Ps 139:2). Ye think that your secret thoughts escape My cognizance, but I am the searcher of hearts.
maketh … morning darkness—(Am 5:8; 8:9). Both literally turning the sunshine into darkness, and figuratively turning the prosperity of the ungodly into sudden adversity (Ps 73:12, 18, 19; compare Jer 13:16).
treadeth upon … high places—God treadeth down the proud of the earth. He subjects to Him all things however high they be (Mic 1:3). Compare De 32:13; 33:29, where the same phrase is used of God's people, elevated by God above every other human height.