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英文原文
The scope of this chapter is to prosecute the exhortation given to Israel in the close of the foregoing chapter to prepare to meet their God; the prophet here tells them, I. What preparation they must make; they must "seek the Lord," and not seek any more to idols (Am 5:4-8); they must seek good, and love it, Am 5:14,15. II. Why they must make this preparation to meet their God, 1. Because of the present deplorable condition they were in, Am 5:1-3. 2. Because it was by sin that they were brought into such a condition, Am 5:7,10-12. 3. Because it would be their happiness to seek God, and he was ready to be found of them, Am 5:8,9,14. 4. Because he would proceed, in his wrath, to their utter ruin, if they did not seek him, Am 5:5,6,13,16,17. 5. Because all their confidences would fail them if they did not seek unto God, and make him their friend. (1.) Their profane contempt of God's judgments, and setting them at defiance, would not secure them, Am 5:18-20. (2.) Their external services in religion, and the shows of devotion, would not avail to turn away the wrath of God, Am 5:21-24. (3.) Their having been long in possession of church-privileges, and in a course of holy duties, would not be their protection, while all along they had kept up their idolatrous customs, Am 5:25-27. They have therefore no way left them to save themselves, but by repentance and reformation.
1-3
Invitations and Warnings (790 BC)
呼吁与警告（公元前790年）
¹ 以色列家啊，要听我为你们所唱的哀歌，就是这首挽歌。
² 以色列民处女跌倒，不得再起；躺在地上，无人扶持。
³ 因为主耶和华如此说：那出来有一千的以色列家，必只剩一百；那出来有一百的，必只剩十个。
本章的开头，与前面两章的开头一样，是：要听这话。 神既开了口说话，我们就必须有耳可听；这是我们的本分，也是我们的益处，然而众人竟如此愚顽，以致需要再三被唤来听耶和华的话，来倾听、来留心。要听这话。 这能使人知罪、使人苏醒的话，正如安慰平安的话一样，必须被人听闻、被人留意；那反对我们的话，正如那有利于我们的话一样，都必须听；因为无论我们听或不听，神的话必发生效力，一点一画也不落空。这是我所提起的话——不仅指先知，也指差他的神。这是主所说的话，摩3:1。所当听的话是一首挽歌，是对以色列国目前悲惨光景的可哀的记述，也是对其彻底毁灭的可哀的预言。他们的光景是可悲的：以色列民处女跌倒了（摩5:2），她已从原本的尊位上坠落；那身分虽不像处女那样纯洁贞净，却也有她的美丽华采与动人之处；她自己高傲，也有许多人如追求处女一般追求她；但她已跌倒，落入轻慢与穷困，普受藐视。不但如此，他们的光景是无可救药的：她不得再起，再也不能恢复从前的尊严。神近来已开始割除以色列（王下10:32），因他们不悔改，不久祂就将以色列砍倒了。1. 那本该扶持他们起来的君王已经无能：她躺在地上。 不但与她结盟的外邦辜负了她，连她本土的友人也离弃了她；她若不是先在自己本土被抛弃、在那里被摔在地上、她一切真正的利益被那些本该关心的人所撇弃，她就不会被掳到异国他乡。无人扶持——无能扶持的，也没有肯向她伸出援手的。2. 那本该扶持他们起来的百姓已经减少，摩5:3。“那曾有一千民兵、在战争之初曾提供一千名健壮精良、装备齐全的兵丁的城，在战后续点军队时，必发现只剩一百人；照样，那曾出一百的城，必只有十人回来；杀戮必如此之大，以致为着公众的服事与安全，留给以色列家的人必如此之少。”在那本该扶助这卑贱、这颓丧之国的手中，十人中难得有一人逃脱。请注意：神属灵的以色列在人数上因死亡或背道而减少，正是当哀叹的事；因为雅各既被缩减至此，还能由谁兴起呢？由谁补还敬虔的衰败呢？
英文原文
Invitations and Warnings (790 BC)
¹ Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.
² The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.
³ For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave a hundred, and that which went forth by a hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.
This chapter begins, as those two next foregoing began, with, Hear this word. Where God has a mouth to speak we must have an ear to hear; it is our duty, it is our interest, yet so stupid are most men that they need to be again and again called upon to hear the word of the Lord, to give audience, to give attention. Hear this word. this convincing awakening word must be heard and heeded, as well as words of comfort and peace; the word that is taken up against us, as well as that which makes for us; for, whether we hear or forbear, the word of God shall take effect, and not a tittle of it shall fall to the ground. It is the word which I take up—not the prophet only, but the God that sent him. It is the word that the Lord has spoken, Am 3:1. The word to be heard is a lamentation, a lamentable account of the present calamitous state of the kingdom of Israel, and a lamentable prediction of its utter destruction. Their condition is sad: The virgin of Israel has fallen (Am 5:2), has come down from what she was; that state, though not pure and chaste as a virgin, yet was beautiful and gay, and had its charms; she looked high herself, and was courted by many as a virgin; but she has fallen into contempt and poverty, and is universally slighted. Nay, and their condition is helpless: She shall no more rise, shall never recover her former dignity again. God had lately begun to cut Israel short (2Ki 10:32), and, because they repented not, it was not long before he cut Israel down. 1. Their princes, that should have helped them up, were disabled: She is forsaken upon her land. Not only those she was in alliance with abroad failed her, but her friends at home deserted her; she would not have been carried captive into a strange land if she had not first been forsaken upon her own land and thrown to the ground there, and all her true interests abandoned by those that should have had them at heart. There is none to raise her up, none that can do it, not that cares to lend her a hand. 2. Their people, that should have helped them up, were diminished, Am 5:3. "The city that had a militia, 1000 strong, and, in the beginning of the war, had furnished out 1000 effective men, able-bodied and well-armed, when they come to review their troops after the battle, shall find but 100 left; and, in proportion, the city that sent out 100 shall have but ten come back, so great a slaughter shall be made, and so few left to the house of Israel for the public service and safety." Scarcely one in ten shall escape of the hands that should relieve this abject, this dejected, nation. Note, The lessening of the numbers of God's spiritual Israel, by death or desertion, is just a matter for lamentation; for by whom shall Jacob arise, by whom shall the decays of piety be repaired, when he is thus made small?
4-15
God's Message to Israel; The Aggravated Sins of Israel; Warnings and Exhortations; Exhortations and Encouragements (790 BC)
神给以色列的信息；以色列加重之罪；警告与劝勉；劝勉与勉励（主前790年）\n\n> ⁴ 耶和华向以色列家如此说：你们要寻求我，就必存活。\n> ⁵ 不要往伯特利寻求，不要进入吉甲，不要过去到别是巴；因为吉甲必被掳掠，伯特利也必归于无有。\n> ⁶ 要寻求耶和华，就必存活；免得他在约瑟家中像火发出，在伯特利焚烧，无人扑灭。\n> ⁷ 你们这使公平变为茵陈，将公义丢弃于地的，\n> ⁸ 要寻求那造昴星和参星，使死荫变为晨光，使白日变为黑夜，命海水来浇在地上的——耶和华是他的名。\n> ⁹ 他使力强的忽遭毁灭，以致保障遭遇毁灭。\n> ¹⁰ 你们怨恨那在城门口责备人的，憎恶那说正直话的人。\n> ¹¹ 你们践踏贫寒人，向他们勒索麦子；你们用凿过的石头建造房屋，却不得住在其内；栽种美好的葡萄园，却不得喝所出的酒。\n> ¹² 我知道你们的罪过何等多，你们的罪恶何等大；你们苦待义人，收受贿赂，在城门口屈枉穷乏人。\n> ¹³ 所以通达人在这时必静默不言，因为这是恶劣的时代。\n> ¹⁴ 你们要求善，不要求恶，就必存活。这样，耶和华万军之神必照你们所说的与你们同在。\n> ¹⁵ 要恶恶好善，在城门口秉公行义；或者耶和华万军之神向约瑟所余剩的施恩。\n\n这是神给以色列家的信息，其中——\n\nI. 他们被告知自己的过犯，使他们看见自己有何等悔改归正的理由，并被召归回之时不必再问：我们当如何归回呢？\n\n1. 神笼统地告诉他们（摩5:12）：我知道你们的罪过何等多，你们的罪恶何等大；你们也必被叫醒得知。 我们悔改时反省己罪，必须如神在审判中所察看的，又如他在大日所要行的那样，记念：(1.) 罪极为繁多；那是我们的 许多过犯——种类各异、屡次重复的罪。噢，在我们里面寄居着何等多的虚妄恶念！我们口里出过何等多的闲话、愚昧、邪恶之言！我们在多少事上放纵并满足我们败坏的食欲与情欲！而在本分之内和本分之上，我们又何等地多有疏忽！谁能明白自己的错失呢？谁能知道自己犯罪多少次呢？神知道我们的过犯有多少——确切知道有多少；没有一件能逃过他的眼目；我们知道它们对我们而言是不可胜数的——比我们头上的头发还多；我们理当看见自己已陷入何等的危险，因我们 许多的过犯——因我们每日所犯无数之罪——已为悔改留下了何等多的工作。(2.) 其中有些罪极其重大；那是我们的 大罪——其本性更加邪恶，又是任性妄为、悍然行之的罪，是违背自然之光的罪，是昭彰的恶行，足以胜过你们的良心、招来审判。\n\n2. 他特别指明了这些大罪中的几样。(1.) 他们败坏了神的敬拜，转向了偶像；这在摩5:5中有所暗示。他们 寻求伯特利——其中一只金牛犊所在之地；他们常到吉甲去——他们选在那里设立偶像，因那地曾因约书亚年间神向他百姓奇妙的显现而著名。别是巴——曾因先祖之日而著名之地，如今也成了偶像的另一处聚会之地；如我们在摩8:14所见。他们 过去 到那里去——尽管那地远在犹大境内。他们既如此可耻地从神那里行了淫乱，无疑理当感到自己当归于他。(2.) 他们在自己中间颠倒了公义（摩5:7）：你们使公平变为茵陈——意即你们施行公义使之苦涩可憎，在神、在人面前都极不悦纳。那本为佳果的，如今成了 杂草——园中的杂草；因为按公义审断，没有比这更可敬、更可贵的；故意借行善之名行恶，也没有比这更有害、更可憎的。最优之物一旦败坏，便成最劣。 你们将公义丢弃于地——仿佛行恶的人只需向天上的神负责，而不必向地上的 君王和审判官 交账。这样便如洪水以前——地上满了强暴。 (3.) 他们极苦待穷人，使他们更穷；他们践踏穷人（摩5:11），把他们践踏脚下，凌驾于其上，以他们为脚凳，对那些最恭顺、最屈己的人最为专横残暴；他们不顾惜将何等的羞辱与奴役加给那些贫寒人——他们从这些人身上无所可得。审判官所图的，无非是中饱私囊；所以他们 向穷人勒索 所 托运的麦子——以勒索的方式取得，或为贿赂，或为重利。穷人除了把养活自己和家人的粮食成驮地献给那些践踏他们、要把他们踏成尘土的人之外，再无别法可救自己脱离他们，他们就这样强迫穷人如此行。有人译作：他们 向穷人索讨麦子之债。 那或是租银，或是所借的粮，按律法本为正当的；但他们却从那些因神护理而无力偿还的人身上严严追讨（尼5:2、5）。索讨以至于收回一项正当的债时，我们也当谨慎，免得我们的行事既不公义、又无怜悯。这欺压之罪再次被控告（摩5:12）：他们苦待义人——将律法和公义之剑的锋刃转向那些无辜而 在国中安静的人；他们因人比自己公义便恨恶他们，那 离恶的人 反因而 作了他们的掠物。 他们从富人那里收受贿赂，以庇护并保护富人欺压穷人；于是手中握银的人，他的案情虽坏至极，也必得审判偏袒。这样他们便 在城门口——在法庭之中——屈枉穷乏人，使他们偏离自己的权利。 穷人若为自己的权利起诉，他们不能贿赂，或为人诚实不肯贿赂——虽然那权利明明在眼前，且 近在咫尺——却被不义的判语拒之门外，无法得着。所以通达人必静默不言（摩5:13）。人受了屈害，便以缄默为智，不向官长申诉，因为申诉也无用；他们必不得公义。(4.) 他们是恶意的逼迫者，逼迫神忠心的传道人和百姓（摩5:10）。他们的心作恶已经定型，不能忍受责备——[1.] 不能借传道之事的责备——借律法的诵读与讲解，并先知奉主名向他们所传的信息。他们怨恨那在城门口责备人的——在耶和华殿的门口，或在他们的法庭，或在人群聚集之处，在那里智慧 扬起声来（箴1:21）。城门口责备人的，乃是以职分责备的；他们恨恶这些人，因这些人 将真理告诉他们 而视他们为仇敌，正如亚哈恨恶米该雅。他们不但藐视他们，更对他们怀有敌意，并图谋加害。那恨恶责备的，便是喜爱败亡。[2.] 不能借敬虔邻舍之品行的责备。虽然局面普遍败坏，他们中间仍有一些 说正直话的人——他们对自己所说的话有良心，这既是他们的荣耀，也是说谎之人的羞辱，并定了他们的罪——正如挪亚的信心定了古世人之不信的罪——为此 他们憎恶他们；他们对那称为诚实的事恨之入骨，甚至不能容忍看见一个诚实人。凡对人类共同福祉尚有知觉的人，都必喜爱敬重那些说正直话的人，因为诚实是人类社会相系的纽带；那么那些既已把一切公义之念逐出己心，又要把它们从世上也驱逐净尽的人，他们的愚妄与狂妄已到了何等地步！他们如此行便是把人类置于战争状态之中——因他们 憎恶那说正直话的人！ 因此 通达人必在那时代静默不言（摩5:13）。先知不能、也不敢缄默；他们所受的默感不容他们凭审慎之虑行事；他们必须 大声呼喊，不可止息。 但其余的智慧人和好人必静默，并视此为其审慎之举，因为那是恶劣的时代。第一， 他们以为申诉是危险的，因此静默；这是他们苦待义人的一种方式——借虚构的指控和牵强的影射，使人 因一句话而获罪（赛29:21）；因此那些 通达 的人——他们 灵巧像蛇——既不知他们的话会被怎样曲解、被怎样误传，便谨慎到一言不发，免得自己陷入法网之中，因为那是恶劣的时代。当知，因时代的邪恶，正如好人被隐藏，好人也缄默，这便是他们的智慧；少言便易弥补。 但他们的安慰是：他们虽不知还可向谁坦然倾诉，仍可自由地向神倾诉。第二， 他们以为责备是徒然的。他们看见所犯的恶事，心中激愤，如保罗在雅典那样；但他们以为审慎起见不当公开作证抵挡，因为无济于事。他们 已与偶像联合，任凭他们吧。不要让人再相争或责备；因为那不过是 把珍珠丢在猪前。 谨慎的人会对放胆责备的人说，正如伊拉斯谟对路德所言：退回你的密室，呼喊：主啊，怜悯我！ 当把严肃的教训与劝戒留给更好的人和更好的时代。静默有时，言语也有时（传3:7）。恶劣的时代 不能容忍直言——即 恶人 不能容忍；先知在此所论的人，理当自视为十足恶人，因为智慧良善的人以为向他们说话是徒然，并怕与他们有任何牵连。\n\nII. 他们被告知自己的危险，并因他们的罪所招致的审判。(1.) 他们拜偶像之地首当其冲面临毁灭（摩5:5）。吉甲——偶像的总指挥部——必被掳掠，不但其居民，连其偶像也必如此；伯特利 及其中的金牛犊 必归于无有。 得胜的仇敌要轻易地把它化为乌有——它的被劫是何等容易；又有效地把它化为乌有——它的被劫是何等彻底。偶像向来是虚空，是 虚无之物；当神显现以废除它们之时，它们就必如此显明。(2.) 国之整体也面临与他们一同灭亡的危险（摩5:6）。危险在于：你们若不趁早寻求他，他便要 在约瑟家中像火发出，把它焚烧；因为我们的神乃公义的审判者，是 烈火；而以色列人如罪犯，在他面前不过是禾秸；那些使自己成为神怒之燃料的人有祸了。下文说，在伯特利无人扑灭。 他们的偶像在那里，他们拜偶像的祭司也在那里；他们把祭物带到那里，在那里献上祷告。但神告诉他们：当他的审判之火点燃在他们身上之时，他们在伯特利所事奉的一切神祇，都无力扑灭这火，不能使那审判转消，也不能在他们受审之时为他们提供丝毫救助。这样，那些以世界为偶像的人，当神追讨他们属灵的拜偶像之罪之时，必发觉世界不足以保护他们。(3.) 他们借欺压和勒索所得的，必被夺去（摩5:11）：你们用凿过的石头建造房屋，你们以为必能长存；但你们不得住在其内，因为你们的仇敌要烧毁它们，或据为己有，或把你们掳去。你们栽种美好的葡萄园，想尽法子使它们处处悦目，并自许在其中有无数惬意之游；但你们必被迫离开，永不 喝所出的酒。 律法曾仁慈地规定：若有人 建造了房屋，或 栽种了葡萄园，他可以自由免战归回（申20:5-6）。但如今情势紧迫，必不容如此；人人都当上阵，许多近来建造和栽种的人必阵亡，永不能享受他们劳碌所得。不义所得之物，难以久享。\n\nIII. 他们被告知自己的本分，并得着极大的鼓励去认真地付诸实行，且理由充分。在此所规定的本分乃是敬虔与诚实——在向神的祈求上认真，在与人的交往上公义；这两样本分都配以恰当的理由加以劝勉。\n\n1. 他们在此被劝勉当以真诚与敬虔寻求神（摩5:4）。神对 以色列家 说：你们要寻求我——理由十分充分，因为 这民岂不当寻求自己的神吗？（赛8:19）。除了他们的保护者，他们还可往哪里去呢？以色列乃是 与神较力的王子；愿他的后裔也如他一般 寻求耶和华，他们也必如此。如今他们要如此行，必须弃绝他们的偶像。寻求神若非独一地寻求他，便不是真正地寻求他，因为他不容分争的对手：你们要寻求耶和华，不要寻求伯特利（摩5:5）——不要咨询你们的偶像神谕，也不要向伯特利的祭司求问；不要向那里的金牛犊寻求庇护，也不要再把你们的祷告和祭物带到那里，或带到吉甲，因为你们若追随那些 虚谎的虚无，便是 离弃了自己的怜悯。 但要 寻求耶和华（摩5:6、8）——寻求他，向他求问；要寻求认识他的心意作为你们的准则，要寻求得着他的恩惠作为你们的福乐。为加强这一劝勉，我们被告知当记念：(1.) 我们寻求神所得的是什么——是 我们的生命；我们必寻见他，并在他里面得着福乐。所以他亲自告诉他们（摩5:4）：你们要寻求我，就必存活。 那寻求将亡之神的人，必与之一同灭亡（摩5:5）；但那寻求永生之神的人，必与他一同活着：你们必脱离所威吓你们的灭命审判；你们的国家必存活，必从现今的衰颓中复原；你们的灵魂必存活；你们必被分别为圣、得着安慰，并永远有福。你们必存活。 (2.) 我们当寻求的那位神是何等的一位神（摩5:8-9）。[1.] 他自己乃是全能之神。偶像乃是无能之物，既不能降福也不能降祸，所以无论敬畏它们还是信靠它们都是愚妄；但以色列的神行作万事，凡事都能，所以我们理当寻求他；大权在握的他理当得着我们的敬奉，而求他站在我们一边，乃是我们切身之利。本处给出了神作为创造者在自然界之国中的权能的多重凭据与实例，他既是那国的根基，也是那国的治理者。可参摩4:13。第一， 众星乃他手所作；异教徒所敬拜的那些星（摩5:26）——你们神的星——那些星乃是神所造、所用的仆役。他 造昴星和参星——两个极为显著的星座；阿摩司本是牧人，夜间看守牛群之时，曾特别留心观察这两个星座的运行。他起初造了它们，至今仍使它们对这地成为现今之所是，并或 系住 或 松开 此处所提及的两个星座——昴星和参星——的 甘美影响。 参伯38:31、伯9:9——阿摩司在此似乎引用了这两处经文，叫他们想起在被称为 以色列的神 之前，那关于神荣耀的古老启示。第二， 昼夜不断的更替乃在他的调度之下，并借他的权能与护理得以维持。是他将黑夜（暗如 死荫）借日出 变为晨光，又借日落 使白日变为黑夜；同一大能也能为谦卑悔改之人轻易地将患难与忧愁变为昌盛与喜乐，却也能同样轻易地将任性犯罪之人的昌盛变为黑暗——变为全然的黑暗。第三， 雨水的升与降全凭他的命定。他 命海水来——海水借日热升为云气，云气又 倾倒在地的面上，润泽大地使之结果。这正是近来所 收回不赐给他们 的怜悯（摩4:7）；所以他们除了向那有能力赐予的主求助之外，还能向谁求呢？因为 异族的虚无 不能 赐雨，连 诸天 本身也 不能降下甘霖（耶14:22）。造这一切的乃是神；耶和华是他的名——自然之神、全地之神借这名向他的百姓以色列显明自己，并与他们立约。[2.] 他既是全能之神，也就 将力量权能赐给他的百姓——赐给寻求他的人；并 重新赐力 给那些已失力的人，只要他们 仰望他；因为（摩5:9）他 使被抢夺的力强，以致保障遭遇毁灭——强到一个地步，被抢夺的人前来 攻击保障，向那些曾抢夺他们的人发起大胆而英勇的攻击。这便是鼓励百姓 寻求耶和华——他们若如此行，便必在上面寻见他，得以挽回他们的处境，纵然他们的景况已被带到最低谷；他们虽是被抢夺的，他们的仇敌虽是强盛的，只要他们能借此使神站在他们一边，他们必很快重振旗鼓，下一次不但成为攻击者，更成为得胜者；他们 前来攻击保障，索取补偿，并成为其主人。\n\n2. 他们在此被劝勉当在与人的交往上诚实公义（摩5:14-15），请留意：(1.) 所要求的本分：要求善，不要求恶。要恶恶好善，在城门口秉公行义——在那里重新设立公义，公义曾被从那里驱逐（摩5:7）。当知，事情并未坏到无可挽回的地步——只要采取正当途径，便可加以纠正；我们不可绝望，以为弊端无法纠正、滥权无法匡正；公义仍可在不义横行之处得胜。为此，必须爱慕善、寻求善，必须恨恶恶、不再寻求恶。我们必须爱慕善的原则并持守之，乐善不倦并多多行善，爱慕善人、善交、善功；我们所行的无论何善，都当出于爱心的原则，甘心乐意而行。那些如此 爱善 的人必 寻求善——必设法尽力行一切善，必寻找行善的机会，并竭力行善到极处。他们也必 恨恶恶——厌恶行不义之事的念头，并远避一切恶之嫌疑。我们若不在全部生活中寻求善，便徒然在自己的敬虔中假装寻求神。(2.) 所附的理由。[1.] 这是使自己得福、并得着神持续同在的稳妥之道：要求善，不要求恶，使你们可以存活——可以脱离你们所寻求所爱之恶的刑罚（公义救人脱离死亡），可以得着神的恩宠——那便是你们的生命，比生命本身更好；可以在自己心中得着安慰，可以活得有意义。你们必存活，因为耶和华万军之神必与你们同在，作你们的生命。 当知，那些行在本分之道上的人，有神的同在——是 万军之神、全能之神与他们同在。他必照你们所说的与你们同在——即照你们所 夸口的；你们在行不义之路上时，只是似乎拥有、并自夸如同已有，如今你们必真真实实地拥有。那些真心悔改归正的人，便进入了那种安慰的实际享受——那原是他们从前仅在想象中自欺的。或作：正如你们寻求耶和华时所祷告的——你们当照着自己的祷告而活，便必得着所求的。[2.] 这是使国家得福的最可能之道：你们若寻求并爱慕善，便可有助于拯救这地免于灭亡。或者耶和华万军之神向约瑟所余剩的施恩——虽然所剩的不过余民，但神若向那余民施恩，他们必再兴起成为大国；他们中间若有人转离罪恶，尤其是若 在城门口秉公行义 得以建立——我们虽不能确定，却大有指望，国家的事务必转入新的、可喜的方向；只要人改正自己的生活，一切都会好转。暂时的应许是以 或者 提出的；我们的祷告也当照此而行。\n
英文原文
God's Message to Israel; The Aggravated Sins of Israel; Warnings and Exhortations; Exhortations and Encouragements (790 BC)
⁴ For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:
⁵ But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.
⁶ Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.
⁷ Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,
⁸ Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:
⁹ That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.
¹⁰ They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
¹¹ Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.
¹² For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
¹³ Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.
¹⁴ Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.
¹⁵ Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
This is a message from God to the house of Israel, in which,
I. They are told of their faults, that they might see what occasion there was for them to repent and reform, and that, when they were called to return, they might not need to ask, Wherein shall we return?
1. God tells them, in general (Am 5:12), "I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins; and you shall be made to know them too." In our penitent reflections upon our sins we must consider, as God does in his judicial remarks upon them, and will do in the great day, (1.) That they are very numerous; they are our manifold transgressions, sins of various kinds and often repeated. Oh what a multitude of vain and vile thoughts lodge within us! What a multitude of idle, foolish, wicked words have been spoken by us! In what a multitude of instances have we gratified and indulged our corrupt appetites and passions! And how many our own omissions of duty and in duty! Who can understand his errors? Who can tell how often he offends? God knows how many, just how many, our transgressions are; none of them pass him unobserved; we know that they are to us innumerable; more than the hairs of our head; and we have reason to see what danger we have brought ourselves into, and what abundance of work we have made for repentance, by our manifold transgressions, by the numberless number of our sins of daily incursion. (2.) That some of them are very heinous; they are our mighty sins; sins that are more exceedingly sinful in their own nature and by being committed presumptuously and with a high hand, sins against the light of nature, flagrant crimes, that are mighty to overpower your convictions and to pull down judgments upon you.
2. He specifies some of these mighty sins. (1.) They corrupted the worship of God, and turned to idols; this is implied Am 5:5. They had sought to Bethel, where one of the golden calves was; they had frequented Gilgal, a place which they chose to set up idols in, because it had been made famous in the days of Joshua by God's wonderful appearances to and for his people. Beer-sheba likewise, a place that had been famous in the days of the patriarchs, was now another rendezvous of idols; as we find also, Am 8:14. And thither they passed, though it lay at a distance, in the land of Judah. Now, having thus shamefully gone a whoring from God, no doubt they should have felt themselves concerned to return to him. (2.) They perverted justice among themselves (Am 5:7): "You turn judgment to wormwood, that is, you make your administrations of justice bitter and nauseous, and highly displeasing both to God and man." That fruit has become a weed, a weed in the garden; as nothing is more venerable, nothing more valuable, than justice duly administered, so nothing is more hurtful, nothing more abominable, than designedly doing wrong under colour and pretence of doing right. Corruptio optimi est pessima—The best, when corrupted, becomes the worst. "You leave off righteousness in the earth, as if those that do wrong were accountable to the God of heaven only, and not to the princes and judges of the earth." Thus it was as before the flood, when the earth was filled with violence. (3.) They were very oppressive to the poor, and made them poorer; they trod upon the poor (Am 5:11), trampled upon them, hectored over them, made them their footstool, and were most imperious and barbarous to those that were most obsequious and submissive; they care not what shame and slavery they put those to who were poor and such as they could get nothing by. The judges aimed at nothing but to enrich themselves; and therefore they took from the poor burdens of wheat, took it by extortion, either by way of bribe or by usury. The poor had no other way to save themselves from being trodden upon, and trodden to dirt, by them, than by presenting to them horse-loads of that corn which they and their families should have had to subsist upon, and they forced them to do it. They took from the poor debts of wheat, so some read it. It was legally due either for rent or for corn lent, but they exacted it with rigour from those who were disabled by the providence of God to pay it, as Ne 5:2,5. In demanding and recovering even a just debt we must take heed lest we act either unjustly or uncharitably. This sin of oppression by are again charged with (Am 5:12): They afflict the just, by turning the edge of the law and of the sword of justice against those that are the innocent and quiet in the land; they hated men because they were more righteous than themselves, and he that departed from evil thereby made himself a prey to them. They take a bribe from the rich to patronize and protect them in oppressing the poor, so that he who has money in his hand is sure to have the judgment on his side, be his cause ever so bad. Thus they turn aside the poor in the gate, in the courts of justice, from their right. If the poor sue for their right, who cannot bribe them, or are so honest that they will not, though they have it ever so clear in view and ever so near, yet they are turned away from it by their unrighteous sentence and cannot come at it. And therefore the prudent will keep silence, Am 5:13. Men will reckon it their prudence, when they are wronged and injured, to be silent, and make no complaints to the magistrates, for it will be to no purpose; they shall not have justice done them. (4.) They were malicious persecutors of God's faithful ministers and people, Am 5:10. Their hearts were so fully set in them to do evil that they could not bear to be reproved, [1.] By the ministry of the word, by the reading and expounding of the law, and the messages which prophets delivered to them in the name of the Lord. They hate him that rebukes in the gate, in the gate of the Lord's house, or in their courts of justice, or in the places of concourse, where Wisdom is lifting up her voice, Pr 1:21. Reprovers in the gate are reprovers by office; these they hated, counting them their enemies because they told them the truth, as Ahab hated Micaiah. They not only despised them, but had an enmity to them, and sought to do them mischief. Those that hate reproof love ruin. [2.] By the conversation of their honest neighbours. Though things were generally very bad, yet there were some among them that spoke uprightly that made conscience of what they said, and, as it was their praise, so it was the shame of those that spoke deceitfully, and condemned them, as Noah's faith condemned the unbelief of the old world, and for that reason they abhorred them; they were such inveterate enemies to the thing called honesty that they could not endure the sight of an honest man. All that have any sense of the common interest of mankind will love and value such as speak uprightly, for veracity is the bond of human society; to what a pitch of folly and madness then have those arrived who, having banished all notions of justice out of their own hearts, would have them banished out of the world too, and so put mankind into a state of war, for they abhor him that speaks uprightly! And for this reason the prudent shall keep silence in that time, Am 5:13. Prophets cannot, dare not, keep silence; the impulse they are under will not allow them to act on prudential considerations; they must cry aloud, and not spare. But as for other wise and good men they shall keep silence, and shall reckon it is their prudence to do so, because it is an evil time. First, They shall think it dangerous to complain, and therefore shall keep silence; this was one way in which they afflicted the just, that by false suggestions and strained innuendos they made men offenders for a word (Isa 19:21); and therefore the prudent, who were wise as serpents, because they knew not how what they said might be misinterpreted and misrepresented, were so cautious as to say nothing, lest they should run themselves into a premunire, because it was an evil time. Note, Through the iniquity of the times, as good men are hidden, so good men are silent, and it is their wisdom to be so; little said soon amended. But it is their comfort that they may speak freely to God when they know not to whom else they can speak freely. Secondly, They shall think if fruitless to reprove. They see what wickedness is committed, and their spirits are stirred up, as Paul's at Athens; but they shall think it prudent not to bear an open testimony against it, because it is to no purpose. They are joined to their idols; let them alone. Let no man strive or rebuke another; for it is but casting pearls before swine. The cautious men will say to a bold reprover, as Erasmus to Luther, "Abi in cellam, et dic, Miserere mei, Domine—Away to thy cell, and cry, Have mercy on me, O Lord!" Let grave lessons and counsels be kept for better men and better times. And there is a time to keep silence as well as a time to speak, Ec 3:7. Evil times will not bear plain dealing, that is evil men will not; and the men the prophet here speaks of had reason to think themselves evil men indeed, when wise and good men thought it in vain to speak to them and were afraid of having any thing to do with them.
II. They are told of their danger and what judgments they lay exposed to for their sins. 1. The places of their idolatry are in danger of being ruined in the first place, Am 5:5. Gilgal, the head-quarters of idolatry, shall go into captivity, not only its inhabitants, but its images, and Bethel, with its golden calf shall come to nought. The victorious enemy shall make nothing of it, so easily shall it be spoiled, and shall bring it to nothing, so effectually shall it be spoiled. Idols were always vanity, and things of nought, and so they shall prove when God appears to abolish them. 2. The body of the kingdom is in danger of being ruined with them, Am 5:6. There is danger lest, if you seek him not in time, he break out like a fire in the house of Joseph and devour it; for our God is a righteous Judge, is a consuming fire, and the men of Israel, as criminals, are stubble before him; woe to those that make themselves fuel to the fire of God's wrath. It follows, And there shall be none to quench it in Bethel. There their idols were, and their idolatrous priests; thither they brought their sacrifices, and there they offered up their prayers. But God tells them that when the fire of his judgments should kindle upon them all the gods they served at Bethel should not be able to quench it, should not turn away the judgment, nor be any relief to them under it. Thus those that make an idol of the world will find it insufficient to protect them when God comes to reckon with them for their spiritual idolatry. 3. What they have got by oppression and extortion shall be taken from them (Am 5:11): "You have built houses of hewn stone, which you thought would be lasting; but you shall not dwell in them, for your enemies shall burn them down, or possess them for themselves, or take you into captivity. You have planted pleasant vineyards, have contrived how to make them every way agreeable, and have promised yourselves many a pleasant walk in them; but you shall be forced to walk off, and shall never drink wine of them." The law had tenderly provided that if a man had built a house, or planted a vineyard, he should be at his liberty to return from the wars, De 20:5,6. But now the necessity would be so urgent that it would not be allowed; all must go to the battle, and many of those who had lately been building and planting should fall in battle, and never enjoy what they had been labouring for. What is not honestly got is not likely to be long enjoyed.
III. They are told their duty, and have great encouragement to set about it in good earnest, and good reason. The duties here prescribed to them are godliness and honesty, seriousness in their applications to God and justice in their dealings with men; and each of these is here pressed upon them with proper arguments to enforce the exhortation.
1. They are here exhorted to be sincere and devout in their addresses to God, Am 5:4. God says to the house of Israel, Seek you me, and with good reason, for should not a people seek unto their God? Isa 8:19. Whither else should they go but to their protector? Israel was a prince with God; let his descendants seek the Lord, as he did, and they shall be so too. Now, in order to their doing this, they must abandon their idolatries. God is not sought truly if he be not sought exclusively, for he will endure no rivals: "Seek you the Lord, and seek not Bethel (Am 5:5), consult not your idol-oracles, nor ask at the mouth of the priests of Bethel; seek not to the golden calf there for protection, nor bring your prayers and sacrifices any longer thither, or to Gilgal, for you forsake your own mercies if you observe those lying vanities. But seek the Lord (Am 5:6,8); enquire after him; enquire of him; seek to know his mind as your rule, to secure his favour as your felicity." To press this exhortation we are told to consider, (1.) What we shall get by seeking God; it will be our life; we shall find him, and shall be happy in him. So he tells them himself (Am 5:4): Seek you me, and you shall live. Those that seek perishing gods shall perish with them (Am 5:5), but those that seek the living God shall live with him: "You shall be delivered from the killing judgments which you are threatened with; your nation shall live, shall recover from its present languishings; your souls shall live; you shall be sanctified and comforted, and made for ever blessed. You shall live." (2.) What a God he is whom we are to seek, Am 5:8,9. [1.] He is a God of almighty power himself. The idols were impotent things, could do neither good nor evil, and therefore it was folly either to fear or trust them; but the God of Israel does every thing, and can do any thing, and therefore we ought to seek him; he challenges our homage who has all power in his hand, and it is our interest to have him on our side. Divers proofs and instances are here given of God's power, as Creator, in the kingdom of nature, as both founding and governing that kingdom. Compare Am 4:13. First, The stars are the work of his hands; those stars which the heathens worshipped (Am 5:26), the stars of your god, those stars are God's creatures and servants. He makes the seven stars and Orion, two very remarkable constellations, which Amos, a herdsman, while he kept his cattle by night, had particularly observed the motions of. He made them at the first, he still makes them to be what they are to this earth and either binds or looses the sweet influences of Peliades and Orion, the two constellations here mentioned. See Job 38:31, Job 9:9, to which passages Amos seems here to refer, putting them in mind of those ancient discoveries of the glory of God before he was called the God of Israel. Secondly, The constant succession of day and night is under his direction, and is kept up by his power and providence. It is he that turns the night (which is dark as the shadow of death) into the morning by the rising of the sun, and by the setting of the sun makes the day dark with night; and the same power can, for humble penitents, easily turn affliction and sorrow into prosperity and joy, but can as easily turn the prosperity of presumptuous sinners into darkness, into utter darkness. Thirdly, The rain rises and falls as he appoints. He calls for the waters of the sea; out of them vapours are drawn up by the heat of the sun, which gather into clouds, and are poured out upon the face of the earth, to water it and make it fruitful. This was the mercy that had been withholden from them of late (Am 4:7); and therefore to whom should they apply but to him who had power to give it? For all the vanities of the heathen could not give rain, nor could the heavens themselves give showers Jer 14:22. It is God that has made these things; Jehovah is his name, the name by which the God of nature, the God of the whole earth, has made himself known to his people Israel and covenanted with them. [2.] As he is God of almighty power himself, so he gives strength and power unto his people that seek him, and renews strength to those that had lost it, if they wait upon him for it; for (Am 5:9) he strengthens the spoiled against the strong to such a degree that the spoiled come against the fortress and make bold and brave attacks upon those that had spoiled them. This is an encouragement to the people to seek the Lord, that, if they do so, they shall find him above to retrieve their affairs, when they are brought to the lowest ebb; though they are the spoiled, and their enemies are the strong, if they can but engage God for them, they shall soon recruit so as the next time to be not only the aggressors, but the conquerors; they come against the fortress, to make reprisals and become masters of it.
2. They are here exhorted to be honest and just in their dealings with men, Am 5:14,15, where observe, (1.) The duty required: Seek good, and not evil. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate; re-establish it there, whence it has been banished, Am 5:7. Note, Things are not so bad but that they may be amended if the right course be taken; we must not despair but that grievances may be redressed and abuses rectified; justice may yet triumph where injustice tyrannizes. In order to this, good must be loved and sought, evil must be hated and no longer sought. We must love good principles and adhere to them, love to do good and abound in doing it, love good people, and good converse, and good duties; and, whatever good we do, we must do it from a principle of love, do it of choice and with delight. Those who thus love good will seek it, will contrive to do all the good they can, enquire for opportunities of doing it, and endeavor to do it to the utmost of their power. They will also hate evil, will abhor the thought of doing an unjust thing, and abstain from all appearance of it. In vain do we pretend to seek God in our devotions if we do not seek good in our whole conversations. (2.) The reasons annexed. [1.] This is the sure way to be happy ourselves and to have the continual presence of God with us: "Seek good, and not evil, that you may live, may escape the punishment of the evil you have sought and loved (righteousness delivereth from death), that you may have the favour of God, which is your life, which is better than life itself, that you may have comfort in yourselves and may live to some good purpose. You shall live, for so the Lord God of hosts shall be with you and be your life." Note, Those that keep in the way of duty have the presence of God with them, as the God of hosts, a God of almighty power. "He will be with you as you have spoken, that is, as you have gloried; you shall have that really which, while you went on in unrighteous ways, you only seemed to have and boasted of as if you had." Those that truly repent and reform enter into the enjoyment of that comfort which before they had only flattered themselves with the imagination of. Or, "As you have prayed when you sought the Lord. Live up to your prayers, and you shall have what you pray for." [2.] This is the likeliest way to make the nation happy: "If you seek and love that which is good, you may contribute to the saving of the land from ruin." It may be, the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph; though there is but a remnant left, yet, if God be gracious to that remnant, it will rise to a great nation again; and if some among them turn from sin, especially if judgment be established in the gate, though we cannot be certain, yet there is a great probability that public affairs will take a new and happy turn, and every thing will mend if men mend their lives. Temporary promises are made with an It may be; and our prayers must be made accordingly.
16-20
Threatenings and Reproofs (790 BC)
威吓与责备（主前790年）\n\n> ¹⁶ 主耶和华万军之神如此说：在一切宽阔处必有悲哀的声音；在各街市上必有人说：哀哉！哀哉！又必请农夫办哀哭的事，又请善于作哀歌的举哀。\n> ¹⁷ 在各葡萄园，必有悲哀的声音，因为我必从你中间经过。这是耶和华说的。\n> ¹⁸ 想望耶和华日子来到的有祸了！耶和华的日子对于你们有什么益处呢？是黑暗没有光明。\n> ¹⁹ 景况好像人躲避狮子，却遇见熊；进屋以手靠墙，却被蛇咬。\n> ²⁰ 耶和华的日子，不是黑暗没有光明吗？不是幽暗毫无光辉吗？\n\n此处有，I. 一项极其可畏的毁灭将至之威吓（摩5:16-17）。他们既不肯走正路以得神的恩，神必采取有效的途径，使他们感受他怒气的分量。这威吓以非同寻常的庄严引入，为要使他们生出敬畏；这不只是先知的话（若是如此，或可被轻看），而是 主耶和华——他具有无限永恒的自存；是 万军之神——他具有无法抵御的无限权能；又是 主——他具有绝对无可争辩的主权和普遍的治权；说话的乃是他，他能也必将自己的话付诸实现；他已经说了：1. 以色列地必陷入哀悼——真正的哀悼——各处都必因将临的灾祸而充满悲号。察看城邑，在一切宽阔处必有悲哀的声音——在大街上，在小巷中。察看乡间，在各街市上必有人说：哀哉！哀哉！我们都灭亡了！ 那哀号必大到不能被关在屋内，不能被限于体面的范围之内，而是要在街市和道路上被人宣告，并要四处蔓延。农夫必因国中之灾从犁旁被唤去发出天然的哀号；又因人手不足，善于作哀歌的 必被请来作人为的哀悼，用他们的 哀哉、哀哉 加重真实哀哭者之哀号的腔调。甚至在一切葡萄园里——那里素来只有欢笑快乐——也必有普遍的哀号，当外敌入侵、遍地荒凉、无力抵抗之时，除了祷告和眼泪，再无兵器可用。2. 以色列地必被带到毁灭，那毁灭的进展就是这一切哀号的缘由：我必从你中间经过——正如灭命的天使曾经过埃及地以击杀长子，但那时越过以色列人的房屋。神的审判从前常从他们旁边经过，如今却必从他们中间经过，必将他们刺透。\n\nII. 一项公义而严厉的责备，责备那些轻看这些威吓、并放胆向神的公义和他的审判挑战的人（摩5:18）。想望耶和华日子来到的有祸了——那些真心盼望战争与混乱之世的人，正如一些心怀不安、渴望变革的人所行，或那些选择 在浑水中摸鱼 的人，盼望如有些人所作的那样，借国家的废墟兴家立业；但先知告诉他们，这灾祸将如此之大，无人能从中获益。这话或是对那些在所遭灾祸中哀号悲叹、情愿自己死了、好脱离苦难的人说的——如约伯在激情之中所作。先知向他们指明此举的愚妄。他们岂知死亡对于毫无准备的人是何等的事，它比今生所能临到的任何事都更可怕吗？或作，这话乃是对那些以戏谑之言论到先知所严肃论及的耶和华之日的人说的；他们 想望 它——意即他们向它挑战；他们说：任他行最坏的事；任他 速速 作工， 赶快 成就他的作为*（赛5:19）。他所应许的降临在哪里呢？（彼后3:4）。这话暗示：1. 他们并不信。他们说盼望那日来到，正是因为他们不信那日会来到；他们若不亲眼看见，便不肯信。2. 他们并不惧怕；他们或许有些相信，却几乎不加思索，他们的心又专注于别的事，以致全不觉得其中有任何危险；他们非但没有良心上的畏惧，反倒出于好奇而盼望它来到。为回答这话，(1.) 他指明那些放胆盼望神任何审判、并以主的任何威吓为戏言的人之愚妄：耶和华的日子对于你们有什么益处呢？ 你们必发现那日既确定又可悲；不是可以戏弄的事，因为它既非可以质疑其是否来到之事，也非当它来到之时可以轻忽推却之事。耶和华的日子是黑暗，不是光明（摩5:18）。岂不正是如此吗？（摩5:20）。你们自己的良心岂不告诉你们，事情必是如此——必是 极黑，毫无光辉？当知，耶和华的日子 对于一切不悔改的罪人，必是黑暗、阴沉、可怖之日；审判之日 必如此；有时他们现今遭难之日也如此。当神使一日变为黑暗，全世界都不能使之变为光明。(2.) 他指明那些不耐烦地盼望神审判改变、盼望下一个更好更可忍之人之愚妄。他们 想望耶和华的日子，盼望改善自己的处境（虽然他们的心和生活并未改正），或至少盼望知道最坏的情形。但先知告诉他们，他们并不知自己所求的是什么（摩5:19）。景况好像人躲避狮子，却遇见熊——比狮子更残忍更贪噬的猛兽；或好像人为逃避外面的一切危险，进屋以求安全，以手靠墙 歇息，在那里却被 蛇咬。 当知，那些不受神的审判挽回的人，必受其追赶；他们若逃脱一个，另一个正等着抓住他们；恐惧、陷坑、网罗 四面环绕他们（赛24:17-18）。因此，向 耶和华的日子 挑战乃是疯狂。\n
英文原文
Threatenings and Reproofs (790 BC)
¹⁶ Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.
¹⁷ And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD.
¹⁸ Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
¹⁹ As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
²⁰ Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
Here is, I. A very terrible threatening of destruction approaching, Am 5:16,17. Since they would not take the right course to obtain the favour of God, God would take an effectual course to make them feel the weight of his displeasure. The threatening is introduced with more than ordinary solemnity, to strike an awe upon them; it is not the word of the prophet only (if so, it might be made light of) but it is the Lord Jehovah, who has an infinite eternal being; it is the God of hosts, who has a boundless irresistible power, and it is Adonai—the Lord, who has an absolute incontestable sovereignty, and a universal dominion; it is he who says it, who can and will make his words good, and he has said, 1. That the land of Israel shall be put in mourning, true mourning, that all places shall be filled with lamentation for the calamities coming upon them. Look into the cities, and wailing shall be in all streets, in the great streets, in the by-streets. Look into the country, and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! we are all undone! The lamentation shall be so great as not to be confined within doors, nor kept within the bounds of decency, but it shall be proclaimed in the streets and highways, and shall run wild. The husbandman shall be called from the plough by the calamities of his country to the natural expressions of mourning; and, because those who will come short of the merits of the cause, such as are skilful of lamentation shall be called to artificial mourning, to put accents upon the lamentations of the real mourners with their Ahone, ahone. Even in all vineyards, where there used to be nothing but mirth and pleasure, there shall be general wailing, when a foreign force invades the country, lays all waste, and there is no making any head against it, no weapons left but prayers and tears. 2. That the land of Israel shall be brought to ruin, and the advances of that ruin are the occasion of all this wailing: I will pass through thee, as the destroying angel passed through the land of Egypt to destroy the first-born, but then passed over the houses of the Israelites. God's judgments had often passed by them, but now they shall pass through them, shall run them through.
II. A just and severe reproof to those who made light of these threatenings, and impudently bade defiance to the justice of God and his judgments, Am 5:18. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord, that really wish for times of war and confusion, as some do who have restless spirits, and long for changes, or who choose to fish in troubled waters, hoping to raise their families, as some had done, upon the ruins of their country; but the prophet tells them that this should be so great a desolation that nobody could get by it. Or it is spoken to those who, in their wailings and lamentations for the calamities they were in, wished they might die, and be delivered out of their misery, as Job did, with passion. The prophet shows them the folly of this. Do they know what death is to those who are unprepared for it, and how much more terrible it will be than any thing that can befal them in this life? Or, rather, it is spoken to those who speak jestingly of that day of the Lord which the prophet spoke so seriously of; they desired it, that is, they challenged it; they said, Let him do his worst; let him make speed, and hasten his work, Isa 5:19. Where is the promise of his coming? 2Pe 3:4. It intimates, 1. That they do not believe it. They say that they wish it would come because they do not believe it will ever come; nor will they believe it unless they see it. 2. That they do not fear it; though they may have some belief of it, yet they had so little consideration of it, and their mind is so intent upon other things, that they are under no apprehension at all of peril from it; instead of having the conscience to dread it, they have the curiosity to desire it. In answer to this, (1.) He shows the folly of those who impudently wished for any of God's judgments, and made a jest of any of the terrors of the Lord: "To what end is it for you that the day of the Lord should come? You will find it both certain and sad; not a thing to be bantered, for it is neither a thing to be questioned whether it will come or no nor a thing to be turned off with a slight when it does come. The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light, Am 5:18. Shall it not be so? Am 5:20. Do not your own consciences tell you that it will be so, that it will be very dark, and no brightness in it?" Note, The day of the Lord will be a dark, dismal, gloomy day to all impenitent sinners; the day of judgment will be so; and sometimes the day of their present trouble. And, when God makes a day dark, all the world cannot make it light. (2.) He shows the folly of those who impatiently wished for a change of God's judgment, in hopes that the next would be better and more tolerable. They desire the day of the Lord, in hopes to better themselves (though their hearts and lives be not amended), or, at least, to know the worst. But the prophet tells them that they know not what they ask, Am 5:19. It is as if a man did flee from a lion and a bear met him, a beast of prey more cruel and ravenous than a lion, or as if a man, to escape all dangers abroad, went into the house for security, and leaned his hand on the wall to rest himself, and there a serpent bit him. Note, Those who are not reformed by the judgments of God will be pursued by them; and, if they escape one, another stands ready to seize them; fear and the pit and snare surround them, Isa 24:17,18. It is madness therefore to defy the day of the Lord.
21-27
Hypocritical Services Rejected; Threatenings against Israel (790 BC)
假冒为善的敬奉被拒；对以色列的威吓（主前790年）\n\n> ²¹ 我厌恶你们的节期，也不喜悦你们的严肃会。\n> ²² 你们虽然向我献燔祭和素祭，我必不悦纳；也不顾你们用肥畜献的平安祭。\n> ²³ 要使你们歌唱的声音远离我，因为我不听你们弹琴的响声。\n> ²⁴ 惟愿公平如大水滚滚，使公义如江河滔滔。\n> ²⁵ 以色列家啊，你们在旷野四十年，岂是将祭物和供物献给我呢？\n> ²⁶ 你们抬着为自己所造之摩洛的帐幕和偶像，就是你们的神星。\n> ²⁷ 所以我要把你们掳到大马士革以外。这是耶和华说的，他的名为万军之神。\n\n这些经文的主旨，是要显明在他们继续行恶之时，神对他们的敬虔外貌何等不以为然，甚至何等憎恶。请留意——\n\nI. 他们假冒为善的敬奉在神面前何等不蒙悦纳，何等惹他憎恶。他们在伯特利有自己的 节期——仿效耶路撒冷的节期，假装在其中在神面前欢乐。他们有为敬拜而设的 严肃会，在其中装出 如百姓来朝见神、坐在神面前 之人的庄重。他们向神献 燔祭——为尊荣神；又照律法的规定献与燔祭同献的 素祭；他们献 平安祭——以求神的恩；并献上他们所拥有的 肥畜（摩5:21-22）。他们也仿效圣殿的乐音，有 歌唱的声音 和 弹琴的响声（摩5:23）——有声乐和器乐，借此赞美神。他们希望借这些敬奉来弥补自己所犯的罪，并取得继续犯罪的许可；因此这些敬奉非但不蒙神悦纳，反倒是可憎的。他 厌恶、憎恶 他们的 节期——不但视之为对他无甚价值的敬奉而加以藐视，更视之为对他的侮辱和挑衅而加以恨恶——正如我们恨恶看见人向我们虚情假意，假装尊敬我们其实毫无尊敬一样。再没有比假冒为善更可恨、更可鄙的了。人大声祝福朋友，若心不与他同在，就算为咒诅。 神不在他们的 严肃会 中 闻——因其中没有令他喜悦之处，反有许多令他厌恶之处。他们的祭物在他面前并非如挪亚的祭物那样 有馨香之气（创8:21）。他不悦纳它们；他不顾它们，不留心它们；他也不听他们弹琴的响声；因为当罪成为和声中的杂音时，在他耳中便刺耳难当：拿走——神说——我不能容忍。 如今这话暗示：1. 与道德本分相比，祭物本身在神眼中算不得什么；爱神和爱邻舍 胜过一切燔祭和祭祀。 2. 恶人的祭物在他面前实在是可憎的（箴15:8）。假冒的敬虔是双重的罪孽——到了那日，若地狱中有一处比别处更热，那便是假冒为善者的份。\n\nII. 神为使他们祭物可蒙悦纳所要求的——没有这个，任何祭物都不能蒙悦纳（摩5:24）：惟愿公平如大水滚滚，使公义如江河滔滔——意即：(1.) 愿你们中间有普遍的品行归正；愿宗教（神的 判断）和 公义 在你们身上发挥其当有的影响；愿你们的地得它的滋润，愿它冲去一切罪恶和不敬虔的抵挡；愿它如漫溢的水一般宽广流淌，又如大能的江河一般强劲奔流。 (2.) 特别地，愿官长和治理者按公义审断；不要让偏私和贿赂阻挡其流，当让它如水在自然之道中自由而来；当让它如流水一般纯净，不被腐败或任何足以歪曲公义之物所浑浊；当让它 如大能的江河 般流淌，不容自己因惧怕人而被阻碍，或使其前进受阻；当让众人如栽于水旁的 树 一般，自由进入这公共的河道，并从中得益。 以色列被控告的大罪乃是 使公平变为茵陈（摩5:7）；所以他们当在那事上归正（亚7:9）。这才是神 比祭物更喜悦的（何6:6；撒上15:22）。\n\nIII. 神虽然自己设立了献祭的律法，却与道德诫命相比，并未对献祭之律看得多重（摩5:25）：以色列家啊，你们在旷野四十年，岂是将祭物和供物献给我呢？ 并非如此。在那段时日的大部分时间里，献祭之事大受忽略，因他们所处状态未定；过了第二年，直到他们进入迦南，才守逾越节；其他条例也照样暂停。然而神 喜爱怜悯，不喜爱祭祀，所以从未把那疏忽当作他们的罪归在他们身上，反继续眷顾他们、向他们施恩；惹神不悦的不是这事，而是他们的怨言和不信。那在百姓别的事上紧随神之时虽不献祭仍承认他们为已民的神，必在百姓别的事上偏离他之时虽然献祭也弃绝他们。然而，仪式的祭物虽然可以如此豁免，属灵的祭物却不能；即使公义诚实，也不能因缺祷告和赞美、缺一颗痛悔的心和对神的爱而得宽免。司提反引用此段经文（徒7:42），为要向犹太人指明，他们不当以为礼仪律之被废是一件奇事——因为这律法从起初便被相对地轻看。可比照耶7:22-23。\n\nIV. 他们和他们的列祖向来沉迷于敬拜别神，故而他们的祭物有何理由可以指望在神面前蒙悦纳。有人如此解读摩5:25：你们岂是将祭物献给我——单献给我吗？ 并非如此，因此也就根本未献给我可蒙悦纳的祭物；因为我们神耶和华的敬拜之律乃是：惟独事奉他。 然而你们抬着摩洛的帐幕（摩5:26）——你们所造的小龛，随身携带，作为私下迷信的口袋偶像——在你们不敢公开行之时。你们有你们 摩洛——你们的王 的像（大概是代表 太阳——在天体中坐王位的那位）；又有 基芸——或如司提反所称的 瑞梵（徒7:43，依七十士译本）——据推测是代表土星，即七行星中最高的那颗。敬拜日月星辰，乃是最古老、最普遍、最似有理的偶像崇拜。他们 为自己 造了 他们神的星——某颗他们当作神的特定的星，或将其名赋予他们的神。这种偶像崇拜，以色列从起初便易于陷入（申4:19）；那些对假神仍存感情的人，不能指望得着真神的恩。\n\nV. 神要因他们执意拜偶像而加于他们的刑罚（摩5:27）：所以我要把你们掳到大马士革以外。 他们既被撒但掳去敬拜偶像，神便使他们被掳到拜偶像之人中间，把他们赶到异乡——因为他们如此喜爱异邦之神。他们被带到 大马士革以外。他们被亚述人所掳，远超过先前被亚兰人所掳；因为较轻的审判若不能成就其所差之效，神必差遣更重的。或作：以色列在撒缦以色手下被掳，远超过大马士革在提革拉•毗列色手下被掳，且更为痛苦、更为毁灭——此事早在摩1:5中已预言。因为神百姓口中所认信之人的罪既比别人更大，他们的刑罚也可预期与之相称。我们看到大马士革的掠物和撒玛利亚的掠物被亚述王一同掳去（赛8:4）。司提反读作：我将你们迁到巴比伦以外（徒7:43）——比犹大被迁得更远，远到不能归回。为使这判语更显确定、更显可畏，下判语的那位自称为主——他的名为万军之神——他既有万军听命，必能执行这判语。\n
英文原文
Hypocritical Services Rejected; Threatenings against Israel (790 BC)
²¹ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
²² Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
²³ Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.
²⁴ But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
²⁵ Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
²⁶ But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.
²⁷ Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.
The scope of these verses is to show how little God valued their shows of devotion, nay, how much he detested them, while they went on in their sins. Observe,
I. How unpleasing, nay, how displeasing, their hypocritical services were to God. They had their feast-days at Bethel, in imitation of those at Jerusalem, in which they pretended to rejoice before God. They had their solemn assemblies for religious worship, in which they put on the gravity of those who come before God as his people come, and sit before him as his people sit. They offered to God burnt-offerings, to the honour of God, together with the meat-offerings which by the law were to be offered with them; they offered the peace-offerings, to implore the favour of God, and they offered them of the fat beasts that they had, Am 5:21,22. In imitation likewise of the temple-music, they had the noise of their songs and the melody of their viols (Am 5:23), vocal and instrumental music, with which they praised God. With these services they hoped to make God amends for the sins they had committed, and to obtain leave to go on in sin; and therefore they were so far from being acceptable to God that they were abominable. He hated, he despised, their feast-days, not only despised them as no valuable services done to him, but hated them as an affront and provocation to him, as we hate to see men dissemble with us, pretend a respect for us when really they have none. Nothing more hateful, more despicable, than hypocrisy. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, it shall be counted a curse, when it appears that his heart is not with him. God will not smell in their solemn assemblies, for there is nothing in them that is grateful to him, but a great deal that is offensive. Their sacrifices are not to him of a sweet smelling savour, as Noah's was, Ge 8:21. He will not accept them; he will not regard them, will not take any notice of them; he will not hear the melody of their viols; for, when sin is a jar in the harmony, it grates in his ears: "Take it away," says God, "I cannot bear it." Now this intimates, 1. That sacrifice itself is of small account with God in comparison with moral duties; to love God and our neighbour is better than all burnt offering and sacrifice. 2. That the sacrifice of the wicked is really an abomination to him, Pr 15:8. Dissembled piety is double iniquity, and so it will be found when, if any place in hell be hotter than another, that will be the hypocrite's portion.
II. What it was that he required in order to the acceptableness of their sacrifices and without which no sacrifice would be acceptable (Am 5:24): Let judgment run down as waters, among you, and righteousness as a mighty stream, that is 1. "Let there be a general reformation of manners among you; let religion (God's judgment) and righteousness have their due influence upon you; let your land be watered with it, and let it bear down all the opposition of vice and profaneness; let it run wide as overflowing waters, and yet run strong as mighty stream." (2.) "In particular, let justice be duly administered by magistrates and rulers; let not the current of it be stopped by partiality and bribery, but let it come freely as waters do, in the natural course; let it be pure as running waters, not muddied with corruption or whatever may pervert justice; let it run like a mighty stream, and not suffer itself to be obstructed, or its course retarded, by the fear of man; let all have free access to it as a common stream, and have benefit by it as trees planted by the rivers of waters." The great thing laid to Israel's charge was turning judgment into wormwood (Am 5:7); in that matter therefore they must reform, Zec 7:9. This was what God desired more than sacrifices, Ho 6:6, 1Sa 15:22.
III. What little stress God had laid upon the law of sacrifices, though it was his own law, in comparison with the moral precepts (Am 5:25): "Did you offer unto me sacrifices in the wilderness forty years? No, you did not." For the greatest part of that time sacrifice was very much neglected, because of the unsettledness of their state; after the second year, the passover was not kept till they came into Canaan, and other institutions were in like manner intermitted; and yet, because God will have mercy and not sacrifice, he never imputed the omission to them as their fault, but continued his care of them and kindness to them: it was not that, but their murmuring and unbelief, for which God was displeased with them. He that so owned his people, though they did not sacrifice, when in other things they kept close to him, will certainly disown them, though they do sacrifice, if in other things they depart from him. But, though ritual sacrifices may thus be dispensed with, spiritual sacrifices will not; even justice and honesty will not excuse for the want of prayer and praise, a broken heart and the love of God. Stephen quotes this passage (Ac 7:42), to show the Jews that they ought not to think it strange that ceremonial law was repealed when from the beginning it was comparatively made light of. Compare Jer 7:22,23.
IV. What little reason they had to expect that their sacrifices should be acceptable to God, when they and their fathers had been all along addicted to the worship of other gods. So some take Am 5:25, "Did you offer to me sacrifices, that is, to me only? No, and therefore not at all to me acceptably;" for the law of worshipping the Lord our God is, Him only we must serve. "But you have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch (Am 5:26), little shrines that you made to carry about with you, pocket-idols for your private superstition, when you durst not be seen to do it publicly. You have had the images of your Moloch—your king" (probably representing the sun, that sits king among the heavenly bodies), "and Chiun, or Remphan" (as Stephen calls it, Ac 7:43, after the LXX.), which it is supposed, represented Saturn, the highest of the seven planets. The worship of the sun, moon, and stars, was the most ancient, most general, and most plausible idolatry. They made to themselves the star of their God, some particular star which they took to be their god, or the name of which they gave to their god. This idolatry Israel was from the beginning prone to (De 4:19); and those that retain an affection for false gods cannot expect the favour of the true God.
V. What punishment God would inflict upon them for their persisting in idolatry (Am 5:27): I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus. They were led captive by Satan into idolatry, and therefore God caused them to go into captivity among idolaters, and hurried them into a strange land, since they were so fond of strange gods. They were carried beyond Damascus. Their captivity by the Assyrians was far beyond that by the Syrians; for, if less judgments do not work that for which they were sent, God will send greater. Or the captivity of Israel under Shalmaneser was far beyond that of Damascus under Tiglath-pileser, and much more grievous and destructive, which was foretold Am 1:5. For, as the sins of God's professing people are greater than the sins of others, so it may be expected that their punishments will be proportionable. We find the spoil of Damascus and that of Samaria carried off together by the king of Assyria, Isa 8:4. Stephen reads it, I will carry you away beyond Babylon (Ac 7:43), further than Judah shall be carried, so far further as not to return. And, to make this sentence appear both the more certain and the more dreadful, he that passes it calls himself the Lord, whose name is, The God of hosts, and who is therefore able to execute the sentence, having hosts at command.
本章的要旨是承接前章末尾对以色列所作的劝勉——叫他们预备迎见他们的神；先知在此告诉他们：I. 当作何预备；他们当“寻求耶和华”，不再寻求偶像（摩5:4-8）；他们当寻求善，并爱慕它，摩5:14-15。II. 为何当如此预备迎见他们的神，1. 因他们目前所处的可悲光景，摩5:1-3。2. 因正是罪使他们落到这般田地，摩5:7、10-12。3. 因寻求神必成为他们的福乐，且祂乐意被他们寻见，摩5:8-9、14。4. 因他们若不寻求祂，祂必在怒中施行他们彻底的毁灭，摩5:5-6、13、16-17。5. 因他们若不归向神、与祂和好，一切所仗赖的都必归于无用。(1.) 他们对神审判的亵渎轻慢与公然藐视，不能保全他们，摩5:18-20。(2.) 他们在宗教上的外表仪式与敬虔的虚饰，也不能挽转神的怒气，摩5:21-24。(3.) 他们长久享有教会特权、并一直行圣礼的本分，也不能庇护他们，因他们始终持守偶像崇拜的习俗，摩5:25-27。因此，除了悔改归正之外，他们再无别途可以自救。