1 The judgments of the grasshoppers,
4 and of the fire are diverted by the prayer of Amos.
7 By the wall of a plumbline is signified the rejection of Israel.
10 Amaziah complains of Amos.
14 Amos shews his calling;
16 and Amaziah's judgment.

shewed. 4,7 8:1 Jer 1:11-16 24:1 Eze 11:25 Zec 1:20

he. 4:9 Ex 10:12-16 Isa 33:4 Joe 1:4 2:25 Na 3:15-17

grasshoppers. or, green worms. {Govai,} in Arabic {gabee,} locusts, probably in their caterpillar state, in which they are most destructive. This is supposed to have been an emblem of the first invasion of the Assyrians.

mowings. Or rather, feedings or grazings, as the people of the East make no hay. This was probably in the month of March, which is the only time of the year that the Arabs to this day feed their horses with grass.

2 And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

when. Ex 10:15 Re 9:4

O Lord. 5 Ex 32:11,12 34:9 Nu 14:17-19 Jer 14:7,20,21 Da 9:19 Jas 5:15,16

by whom shall Jacob arise. or, who of (or for) Jacob shall stand? Isa 51:19 Eze 9:8 11:13

for. Ps 12:1 44:24-26 Isa 37:4 Jer 42:2 Zec 4:10

3 The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.

6 De 32:36 1Ch 21:15 Ps 106:45 Ho 11:8 Joe 2:14 Jon 3:10 Jas 5:16

4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.

shewed. 1,7 Re 4:1

called. This is supposed to denote the invasion of Tiglathpileser, which threatened entire destruction.

1:4,7 4:11 5:6 Ex 9:23,24 Le 10:2 Nu 16:35 Isa 27:4 66:15,16 Jer 4:4 21:12 Joe 2:30 Mic 1:4 Na 1:6 Heb 1:7

5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

cease. 2 Ps 85:4 Isa 10:25

for. 2,3 Isa 1:9 Jer 30:19

6 The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

Jud 2:18 10:16 Ps 90:13 135:14 Jer 26:19 Jon 4:2

7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

a wall. 2Sa 8:2 2Ki 21:13 Isa 28:17 34:11 La 2:8 Eze 40:3 Zec 2:1,2 Re 11:1 21:15

8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

Amos. Jer 1:11-13 Zec 5:2

a plumbline. This was an emblem of strict justice; and intimated that God would now visit them according to their iniquities.

I will set. La 2:8

I will not. 8:2 Jer 15:6 Eze 7:2-9 Mic 7:18 Na 1:8,9

9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

the high. 3:14 5:5 8:14

Beer-sheba. Ge 26:23-25 46:1 Le 26:30,31

I will. Fulfilled, 2Ki 15:8-10

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

the priest. 1Ki 12:31,32 13:33 2Ki 14:23,24 2Ch 13:8,9 Jer 20:1-3 Jer 29:26,27 Mt 21:23 This was truly a lying prophet; there was not one word of truth in his message to Jeroboam.

hath. 1Ki 18:17 Jer 26:8-11 37:13-15 38:4 Lu 23:2 Ac 5:28 24:5

not. Ge 37:8 Jer 18:18 Ac 7:54

11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

thus. Jer 26:9 28:10,11 Ac 6:14

Jeroboam. 9 Ps 56:5 Mt 26:61

and Israel. 6:7,8 2Ki 17:6

12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

O thou. 1Sa 9:9 2Ch 16:10 Isa 30:10

go. 2:12 Mt 8:34 Lu 8:37,38 13:31 Ac 16:39

eat. 1Sa 2:36 Isa 56:11 Eze 13:19 Mal 1:10 Ro 16:18 1Co 2:14 1Pe 5:2

13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.

prophesy. 2:12 Ac 4:17,18 5:28,40

for. 1Ki 12:29,32 13:1

chapel. or, sanctuary. king's court. Heb. house of the kingdom.

14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

neither. 1Ki 20:35 2Ki 2:3,5,7 4:38 6:1 2Ch 16:7 19:2 20:34

an herdman. 1:1 Zec 13:5 1Co 1:27

a gatherer. Rather, as {bolais} is rendered by the LXX. and Vulgate, [knidzon,] {vellicans,} a scraping, or a scraper of sycamores; for the fruit does not ripen till it is rubbed with iron combs.

sycamore fruit. or, wild figs.

15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

took. 2Sa 7:8 Ps 78:70-72 Mt 4:18,19 9:9

as I followed. Heb. from behind. Go. Jer 1:7 Eze 2:3,4 Lu 24:46-48 Ac 1:8 4:20 5:20,29-32

16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

hear. 1Sa 15:16 1Ki 22:19 Jer 28:15-17

Prophesy. 13 Isa 30:10 Mic 2:6

and drop. De 32:2 Eze 20:46 21:2

17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

Thy wife. Isa 13:16 Jer 20:6 28:12,16 29:21,25,31,32 La 5:11 Ho 4:13,14 Zec 14:2

thy land. Ps 78:55

die. 2Ki 17:6 Eze 4:13 Ho 9:3

and Israel. 11 Le 26:33-39 Jer 36:27-32