Commentaires bibliques

Am 9:1-15.

FIFTH AND LAST VISION.

None can escape the coming judgment in any hiding-place: for God is omnipresent and irresistible

(Am 9:1-6).

As a kingdom, Israel shall perish as if it never was in covenant with Him: but as individuals the house of Jacob shall not utterly perish, nay, not one of the least of the righteous shall fall, but only all the sinners

(Am 9:7-10).

Restoration of the Jews finally to their own land after the re-establishment of the fallen tabernacle of David; consequent conversion of all the heathen

(Am 9:11-15).

1. Lord . . . upon the altar--namely, in the idolatrous temple at Beth-el; the calves which were spoken of in

Am 8:14.

Hither they would flee for protection from the Assyrians, and would perish in the ruins, with the vain object of their trust [HENDERSON]. Jehovah stands here to direct the destruction of it, them, and the idolatrous nation. He demands many victims on the altar, but they are to be human victims. CALVIN and FAIRBAIRN, and others, make it in the temple at Jerusalem. Judgment was to descend both on Israel and Judah. As the services of both alike ought to have been offered on the Jerusalem temple-altar, it is there that Jehovah ideally stands, as if the whole people were assembled there, their abominations lying unpardoned there, and crying for vengeance, though in fact committed elsewhere (compare

Eze 8:1-18).

This view harmonizes with the similarity of the vision in Amos to that in

Isa 6:1-13,

at Jerusalem. Also with the end of this chapter

(Am 9:11-15),

which applies both to Judah and Israel: "the tabernacle of David," namely, at Jerusalem. His attitude, "standing," implies fixity of purpose.

lintel--rather, the sphere-like capital of the column [MAURER].

posts--rather, "thresholds," as in

Isa 6:4,

Margin. The temple is to be smitten below as well as above, to ensure utter destruction.

cut them in the head--namely, with the broken fragments of the capitals and columns (compare

Ps 68:21; Hab 3:13).

slay the last of them--their posterity [HENDERSON]. The survivors [MAURER]. Jehovah's directions are addressed to His angels, ministers of judgment (compare

Eze 9:1-11).

he that fleeth . . . shall not flee away--He who fancies himself safe and out of reach of the enemy shall be taken

(Am 2:14).

2. Though they dig into hell--though they hide ever so deeply in the earth

(Ps 139:8).

though they climb up to heaven--though they ascend the greatest heights

(Job 20:6, 7; Jer 51:53; Ob 4).

3. Carmel--where the forests, and, on the west side, the caves, furnished hiding-places

(Am 1:2; Jud 6:2; 1Sa 13:6).

the sea--the Mediterranean, which flows at the foot of Mount Carmel; forming a strong antithesis to it.

command the serpent--the sea-serpent, a term used for any great water monster

(Isa 27:1).

The symbol of cruel and oppressive kings

(Ps 74:13, 14).

4. though they go into captivity--hoping to save their lives by voluntarily surrendering to the foe.

5. As Amos had threatened that nowhere should the Israelites be safe from the divine judgments, he here shows God's omnipotent ability to execute His threats. So in the case of the threat in

Am 8:8,

God is here stated to be the first cause of the mourning of "all that dwell" in the land, and of its rising "like a flood, and of its being "drowned, as by the flood of Egypt."

6. stories--literally, "ascents," that is, upper chambers, to which the ascent is by steps [MAURER]; evidently referring to the words in

Ps 104:3, 13.

GROTIUS explains it, God's royal throne, expressed in language drawn from Solomon's throne, to which the ascent was by steps (compare

1Ki 10:18, 19).

founded his troop--namely, all animate creatures, which are God's troop, or host

(Ge 2:1),

doing His will

(Ps 103:20, 21; Joe 2:11).

MAURER translates, "His vault," that is, the vaulted sky, which seems to rest on the earth supported by the horizon.

7. unto me--however great ye seem to yourselves. Do not rely on past privileges, and on My having delivered you from Egypt, as if therefore I never would remove you from Canaan. I make no more account of you than of "the Ethiopian" (compare

Jer 13:23).

"Have not I (who) brought you out of Egypt," done as much for other peoples? For instance, did I not bring "the Philistines (see on

Isa 14:29,

&c.) from Caphtor (compare

De 2:23;

see on

Jer 47:4),

where they had been bond-servants, and the Syrians from Kir?" It is appropriate, that as the Syrians migrated into Syria from Kir (compare Note, see on

Isa 22:6),

so they should be carried back captive into the same land (see on

Am 1:15;

2Ki 16:9),

just as elsewhere Israel is threatened with a return to Egypt whence they had been delivered. The "Ethiopians," Hebrew, "Cushites," were originally akin to the race that founded Babylon: the cuneiform inscriptions in this confirming independently the Scripture statement

(Ge 10:6, 8, 10).

8. eyes . . . upon the sinful kingdom--that is, I am watching all its sinful course in order to punish it (compare

Am 9:4; Ps 34:15, 16).

not utterly destroy the house of Jacob--Though as a "kingdom" the nation is now utterly to perish, a remnant is to be spared for "Jacob," their forefather's sake (compare

Jer 30:11);

to fulfil the covenant whereby "the seed of Israel" is hereafter to be "a nation for ever"

(Jer 31:36).