5 Saying, H559 When will the new moon H2320 be gone, H5674 that we may sell H7666 corn? H7668 and the sabbath, H7676 that we may set forth H6605 wheat, H1250 making the ephah H374 small, H6994 and the shekel H8255 great, H1431 and falsifying H5791 the balances H3976 by deceit? H4820
Are there H786 yet the treasures H214 of wickedness H7562 H376 in the house H1004 of the wicked, H7563 and the scant H7332 measure H374 that is abominable? H2194 Shall I count them pure H2135 with the wicked H7562 balances, H3976 and with the bag H3599 of deceitful H4820 weights? H68
Ye shall have just H6664 balances, H3976 and a just H6664 ephah, H374 and a just H6664 bath. H1324 The ephah H374 and the bath H1324 shall be of one H259 measure, H8506 that the bath H1324 may contain H5375 the tenth part H4643 of an homer, H2563 and the ephah H374 the tenth part H6224 of an homer: H2563 the measure H4971 thereof shall be after the homer. H2563 And the shekel H8255 shall be twenty H6242 gerahs: H1626 twenty H6242 shekels, H8255 five H2568 and twenty H6242 shekels, H8255 fifteen H2568 H6235 shekels, H8255 shall be your maneh. H4488
In those days H3117 saw H7200 I in Judah H3063 some treading H1869 wine presses H1660 on the sabbath, H7676 and bringing in H935 sheaves, H6194 and lading H6006 asses; H2543 as also wine, H3196 grapes, H6025 and figs, H8384 and all manner of burdens, H4853 which they brought H935 into Jerusalem H3389 on the sabbath H7676 day: H3117 and I testified H5749 against them in the day H3117 wherein they sold H4376 victuals. H6718 There dwelt H3427 men of Tyre H6876 also therein, which brought H935 fish, H1709 H1709 and all manner of ware, H4377 and sold H4376 on the sabbath H7676 unto the children H1121 of Judah, H3063 and in Jerusalem. H3389 Then I contended H7378 with the nobles H2715 of Judah, H3063 and said H559 unto them, What evil H7451 thing H1697 is this that ye do, H6213 and profane H2490 the sabbath H7676 day? H3117 Did H6213 not your fathers H1 thus, and did H935 not our God H430 bring H935 all this evil H7451 upon us, and upon this city? H5892 yet ye bring H935 more H3254 wrath H2740 upon Israel H3478 by profaning H2490 the sabbath. H7676 And it came to pass, that when the gates H8179 of Jerusalem H3389 began to be dark H6751 before H6440 the sabbath, H7676 I commanded H559 that the gates H1817 should be shut, H5462 and charged H559 that they should not be opened H6605 till after H310 the sabbath: H7676 and some of my servants H5288 set H5975 I at the gates, H8179 that there should no burden H4853 be brought in H935 on the sabbath H7676 day. H3117 So the merchants H7402 and sellers H4376 of all kind of ware H4465 lodged H3885 without H2351 Jerusalem H3389 once H6471 or twice. H8147 Then I testified H5749 against them, and said H559 unto them, Why lodge H3885 ye about H5048 the wall? H2346 if ye do so again, H8138 I will lay H7971 hands H3027 on you. From that time H6256 forth came H935 they no more on the sabbath. H7676
Thou shalt not have in thy bag H3599 divers weights, H68 H68 a great H1419 and a small. H6996 Thou shalt not have in thine house H1004 divers measures, H374 H374 a great H1419 and a small. H6996 But thou shalt have a perfect H8003 and just H6664 weight, H68 a perfect H8003 and just H6664 measure H374 shalt thou have: that thy days H3117 may be lengthened H748 in the land H127 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee. For all that do H6213 such things, H428 and all that do H6213 unrighteously, H5766 are an abomination H8441 unto the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
And in the beginnings H7218 of your months H2320 ye shall offer H7126 a burnt offering H5930 unto the LORD; H3068 two H8147 young H1241 bullocks, H6499 and one H259 ram, H352 seven H7651 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141 without spot; H8549 And three H7969 tenth deals H6241 of flour H5560 for a meat offering, H4503 mingled H1101 with oil, H8081 for one H259 bullock; H6499 and two H8147 tenth H6241 deals of flour H5560 for a meat offering, H4503 mingled H1101 with oil, H8081 for one H259 ram; H352 And a several tenth deal H6241 of flour H5560 mingled H1101 with oil H8081 for a meat offering H4503 unto one H259 lamb; H3532 for a burnt offering H5930 of a sweet H5207 savour, H7381 a sacrifice made by fire H801 unto the LORD. H3068 And their drink offerings H5262 shall be half H2677 an hin H1969 of wine H3196 unto a bullock, H6499 and the third H7992 part of an hin H1969 unto a ram, H352 and a fourth H7243 part of an hin H1969 unto a lamb: H3532 this is the burnt offering H5930 of every month H2320 throughout the months H2320 of the year. H8141 And one H259 kid H8163 of the goats H5795 for a sin offering H2403 unto the LORD H3068 shall be offered, H6213 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 and his drink offering. H5262
Ye said H559 also, Behold, what a weariness H4972 is it! and ye have snuffed H5301 at it, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 and ye brought H935 that which was torn, H1497 and the lame, H6455 and the sick; H2470 thus ye brought H935 an offering: H4503 should I accept H7521 this of your hand? H3027 saith H559 the LORD. H3068
For G1063 to be G5427 carnally G4561 minded G5427 is death; G2288 but G1161 to be G5427 spiritually G4151 minded G5427 is life G2222 and G2532 peace. G1515 Because G1360 the carnal G4561 mind G5427 is enmity G2189 against G1519 God: G2316 for G1063 it is G5293 not G3756 subject G5293 to the law G3551 of God, G2316 neither G3761 indeed G1063 can be. G1410
Remember H2142 the sabbath H7676 day, H3117 to keep it holy. H6942 Six H8337 days H3117 shalt thou labour, H5647 and do H6213 all thy work: H4399 But the seventh H7637 day H3117 is the sabbath H7676 of the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 in it thou shalt not do H6213 any work, H4399 thou, nor thy son, H1121 nor thy daughter, H1323 thy manservant, H5650 nor thy maidservant, H519 nor thy cattle, H929 nor thy stranger H1616 that is within thy gates: H8179
If thou turn away H7725 thy foot H7272 from the sabbath, H7676 from doing H6213 thy pleasure H2656 on my holy H6944 day; H3117 and call H7121 the sabbath H7676 a delight, H6027 the holy H6918 of the LORD, H3068 honourable; H3513 and shalt honour H3513 him, not doing H6213 thine own ways, H1870 nor finding H4672 thine own pleasure, H2656 nor speaking H1696 thine own words: H1697
Bring H935 no more H3254 vain H7723 oblations; H4503 incense H7004 is an abomination H8441 unto me; the new moons H2320 and sabbaths, H7676 the calling H7121 of assemblies, H4744 I cannot away with; H3201 it is iniquity, H205 even the solemn meeting. H6116
A false H4820 balance H3976 is abomination H8441 to the LORD: H3068 but a just H8003 weight H68 is his delight. H7522
Blow up H8628 the trumpet H7782 in the new moon, H2320 in the time appointed, H3677 on our solemn feast H2282 day. H3117 For this was a statute H2706 for Israel, H3478 and a law H4941 of the God H430 of Jacob. H3290
Also in the day H3117 of your gladness, H8057 and in your solemn days, H4150 and in the beginnings H7218 of your months, H2320 ye shall blow H8628 with the trumpets H2689 over your burnt offerings, H5930 and over the sacrifices H2077 of your peace offerings; H8002 that they may be to you for a memorial H2146 before H6440 your God: H430 I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Amos 8
Commentary on Amos 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
Am 8:1-14. Vision of a Basket of Summer Fruit Symbolical, of Israel's End. Resuming the Series of Symbols Interrupted by Amaziah, Amos Adds a Fourth. The Avarice of the Oppressors of the Poor: The Overthrow of the Nation: The Wish for the Means of Religious Counsel, when There Shall Be a Famine of the Word.
1. summer fruit—Hebrew, kitz. In Am 8:2 "end" is in Hebrew, keetz. The similarity of sounds implies that, as the summer is the end of the year and the time of the ripeness of fruits, so Israel is ripe for her last punishment, ending her national existence. As the fruit is plucked when ripe from the tree, so Israel from her land.
2. end—(Eze 7:2, 6).
3. songs of … temple—(Am 5:23). The joyous hymns in the temple of Judah (or rather, in the Beth-el "royal temple," Am 7:13; for the allusion is to Israel, not Judah, throughout this chapter) shall be changed into "howlings." Grotius translates, "palace"; compare Am 6:5, as to the songs there. But Am 5:23, and Am 7:13, favor English Version.
they shall cast them forth with silence—not as the Margin, "be silent." It is an adverb, "silently." There shall be such great slaughter as even to prevent the bodies being buried [Calvin]. There shall be none of the usual professional mourners (Am 5:16), but the bodies will be cast out in silence. Perhaps also is meant that terror, both of God (compare Am 6:10) and of the foe, shall close their lips.
4. Hear—The nobles needed to be urged thus, as hating to hear reproof.
swallow up the needy—or, "gape after," that is, pant for their goods; so the word is used, Job 7:2, Margin.
to make the poor … to fail—"that they (themselves) may be placed alone in the midst of the earth" (Isa 5:8).
5. So greedy are they of unjust gain that they cannot spare a single day, however sacred, from pursuing it. They are strangers to God and enemies to themselves, who love market days better than sabbath days; and they who have lost piety will not long keep honesty. The new moons (Nu 10:10) and sabbaths were to be kept without working or trading (Ne 10:31).
set forth wheat—literally, "open out" stores of wheat for sale.
ephah—containing three seahs, or above three pecks.
making … small—making it below the just weight to purchasers.
shekel great—taking from purchasers a greater weight of money than was due. Shekels used to be weighed out in payments (Ge 23:16). Thus they committed a double fraud against the law (De 25:13, 14).
6. buy … poor for silver … pair of shoes—that is, that we may compel the needy for money, or any other thing of however little worth, to sell themselves to us as bondmen, in defiance of Le 25:39; the very thing which brings down God's judgment (Am 2:6).
sell the refuse of … wheat—which contains no nutriment, but which the poor eat at a low price, being unable to pay for flour.
7. Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob—that is, by Himself, in whom Jacob's seed glory [Maurer]. Rather, by the spiritual privileges of Israel, the adoption as His peculiar people [Calvin], the temple, and its Shekinah symbol of His presence. Compare Am 6:8, where it means Jehovah's temple (compare Am 4:2).
never forget—not pass by without punishing (Am 8:2; Ho 8:13; 9:9).
8. the land … rise up wholly as a flood—The land will, as it were, be wholly turned into a flooding river (a flood being the image of overwhelming calamity, Da 9:26).
cast out and drowned, &c.—swept away and overwhelmed, as the land adjoining the Nile is by it, when flooding (Am 9:5). The Nile rises generally twenty feet. The waters then "cast out" mire and dirt (Isa 57:20).
9. "Darkness" made to rise "at noon" is the emblem of great calamities (Jer 15:9; Eze 32:7-10).
10. baldness—a sign of mourning (Isa 15:2; Jer 48:37; Eze 7:18).
I will make it as … mourning of an only son—"it," that is, "the earth" (Am 8:9). I will reduce the land to such a state that there shall be the same occasion for mourning as when parents mourn for an only son (Jer 6:26; Zec 12:10).
11. famine of … hearing the words of the Lord—a just retribution on those who now will not hear the Lord's prophets, nay even try to drive them away, as Amaziah did (Am 7:12); they shall look in vain, in their distress, for divine counsel, such as the prophets now offer (Eze 7:26; Mic 3:7). Compare as to the Jews' rejection of Messiah, and their consequent rejection by Him (Mt 21:43); and their desire for Messiah too late (Lu 17:22; Joh 7:34; 8:21). So, the prodigal when he had sojourned awhile in the "far-off country, began to be in want" in the "mighty famine" which arose (Lu 15:14; compare 1Sa 3:1; 7:2). It is remarkable that the Jews' religion is almost the only one that could be abolished against the will of the people themselves, on account of its being dependent on a particular place, namely, the temple. When that was destroyed, the Mosaic ritual, which could not exist without it, necessarily ceased. Providence designed it, that, as the law gave way to the Gospel, so all men should perceive it was so, in spite of the Jews' obstinate rejection of the Gospel.
12. they shall wander from sea to sea—that is, from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean, from east to west.
from … north … to … east—where we might expect "from north to south." But so alienated was Israel from Judah, that no Israelite even then would think of repairing southward, that is, to Jerusalem for religious information. The circuit is traced as in Nu 34:3, &c., except that the south is omitted. Their "seeking the word of the Lord" would not be from a sincere desire to obey God, but under the pressure of punishment.
13. faint for thirst—namely, thirst for hearing the words of the Lord, being destitute of all other comfort. If even the young and strong faint, how much more the infirm (Isa 40:30, 31)!
14. swear by the sin of Samaria—namely, the calves (De 9:21; Ho 4:15). "Swear by" means to worship (Ps 63:11).
The manner—that is, as "the way" is used (Ps 139:24; Ac 9:2), the mode of worship.
Thy god, O Dan—the other golden calf at Dan (1Ki 22:26-30).
liveth … liveth—rather, "May thy god … live … may the manner … live." Or, "As (surely as) thy god, O Dan, liveth." This is their formula when they swear; not "May Jehovah live!" or, "As Jehovah liveth!"