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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 4
The Lord withholds rain, sends famine and pestilence, and destorys gardens
and vineyards as judgments upon his people, yet they do not return unto the
Lord.
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1 HEAR this word, ye akine of Bashan,
that are in the mountain of bSamaria, which oppress
the cpoor, which crush the needy, which say to their
masters, Bring, and let us drink.
2 The Lord GOD hath sworn by his
aholiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he
will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.
3 And ye shall go out at the
abreaches, every cow at that which is before her;
and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.
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4 ¶ Come to Beth-el, and transgress; at
aGilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices
every morning, and your btithes after
cthree years:
5 And offer a sacrifice of
athanksgiving with bleaven, and proclaim
and publish the cfree offerings: for this liketh
you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
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6 ¶ And I also have given you
acleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread
in all your places: yet have ye not breturned unto me,
saith the LORD.
7 And also I have withholden the
arain from you, when there were yet three months to
the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain
upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it
rained not withered.
8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
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9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the
manner of Egypt: your ayoung men have I slain with the
sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your
camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith
the LORD.
11 I have overthrown some of you, as God
aoverthrew bSodom and Gomorrah, and ye
were as a cfirebrand plucked out of the
dburninga: yet have
ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
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11a a firebrand plucked out of the
burning This is the same expression used in Zechariah 3:2 and is
likely a proverbial or specialized phrase which has meaning in its context
beyond the mere definitions of the words used. In Zechariah 3:2 the
translation is yielded as 'a brand plucked out of the fire', which is most
likely the exact same expression. The word translated 'firebrand' in Amos is
the exact same Hebrew word translated as merely 'brand' in Zechariah. And
the ending word of each identical phrase is only distinguished by the use of
a Hebrew word translated as 'burning' in comparison to a Hebrew word
'esh translated as 'fire' which also means 'burning' (See
Lexicon Strong's number 784). Thus in effect these two uses are in effect the
exact same 'colloquial expression'.
Now what does that 'expression' mean, from whence did it come? The trial
of this earth is to prove ourselves herewith whereupon God's judgment is
determined through the 'refiner's' fire of this time of proving. The time of
one's 'burning', 'proving' or 'refiner's fire' is that time when one comes out
and throught to a purified or true result. One's 'true colors are exposed'.
And while a cowboy's 'branding iron' is a modern possible related expression,
the actual meaning of the ancient sayings is more tied to one's own time of
proving and/or burning and the resultant burnt or set in judgment of God so
labeled or 'branded' upon that person. If a person of good character is so
'branded', he is thus proven himself 'worthy', but by that same process, one
whose character is lacking, will find himself so 'branded' or judged to be of
an 'unworthy' character.
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12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
13 For, lo, he that aformeth the
mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his
bthought, that maketh the cmorning
ddarkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth,
The LORDa, The God of hosts,
is his namea.
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^ 13a The LORD ... is his
name Now the Hebrew name used here for LORD is 'yehvah' which is
the 'hwhy' name Y@hovah or Jehovah. Yet the translation is yeilded as LORD
for the care of the sacred name of God. (See Hebrew Lexicon, Strong's number
3068)
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