Old Testament Commentary - Amos 1

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
            CHAPTER 1             

Amos shows the Lord's judgments upon Syria, the Philistines, Tyre, Edom, and Ammon.

 1 THE words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of aUzziah king of Judah, and in the days of bJeroboam the son of Joash king of Israela, two years before the cearthquake.
 2 And he said, The LORD will aroar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the bhabitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
 1a in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel This was in the first half of the eighth century B.C., before the destruction and scattering of Israel which would begin first in about 743 B.C. and later in about 722-21 B.C. It was in a time of relative stability and prosperity in both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Due to realtive weakness in Syria both Israel and Judah expanded their borders and aliances. King Uzziah or Azariah of Judah rebuild the port of Elath as in the days of David and Solomon. Except for the earthquake which may well have been in connection with the warnings of the prophets Amos and Hosea of that destruction to come the people likely though little of the warnings which Amos and Hosea would be giving. Yet as in all such cases, the Lord did send unto the people his prophets giving them forewarning to repent and turn unto the Lord. But they would not and the destructions did come, first upon Israel and of course later against Judah as well.
 3 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have athreshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
 4 But I will send a fire into the house of aHazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.
 5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
 6 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
 7 But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from aAshdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the bPhilistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
 9 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of aTyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the bbrotherly covenant:
 10 But I will send a fire on the wall of aTyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
 11 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of aEdom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:
 12 But I will send a fire upon aTeman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
 13 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:
 14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of aRabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
 15 And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD.