Amos 6:12

Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: SHALL HORSES RUN UPON THE ROCK? WILL ONE PLOW THERE WITH OXEN? FOR YE HAVE TURNED JUDGMENT INTO GALL, AND THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS INTO HEMLOCK. In turning judgment (justice) into gall (poison) and righteousness into hemlock (or wormwood, bitter and noxious), ye act as perversely as if one were to make horses to run upon a rock, or to plow with oxen there (Maurer). As horses and oxen are useless on a rock, so ye are incapable of fulfilling justice (Grotius). Or else, Ye impede the course of God's benefits, because ye are as it were a hard rock on which His favour cannot run. 'Those that will not be tilled as fields shall be abandoned as rocks' (Calvin). On "gall," see note, ....

This verse interpreters misrepresent; for some think that the Prophet, by these figurative expressions, means, that the people were wholly unprofitable as to any thing good; as some one says, “The slothful ox wishes for the saddle, the horse wishes to plough.” They therefore suppose that this is the meaning of the words, “Ye are no more fitted to lead a good life than a horse is to run on a rock, or an ox to plough on a rock.” Others think that the Prophet complains that the order of things was subverted as though he said, “Ye have alike confounded all equity government, and justice. In short, ye have subverted all right; as when one tries to ride swiftly over a high rock, or attempts to plough there, which is contrary to the nature of things: ye are therefore become monsters.” Others, again, understand that the Prophet here complains that he had lost all his labor; for he had been singi...

8-14 How dreadful, how miserable, is the case of those whose eternal ruin the Lord himself has sworn; for he can execute his purpose, and none can alter it! Those hearts are wretchedly hardened that will not be brought to mention God's name, and to worship him, when the hand of God is gone out against them, when sickness and death are in their families. Those that will not be tilled as fields, shall be abandoned as rocks. When our services of God are soured with sin, his providences will justly be made bitter to us. Men should take warning not to harden their hearts, for those who walk in pride, God will destroy....

Verse Amos 6:12. _SHALL HORSES RUN UPON THE ROCK_] First, they _could not_ do it, because they were _unshod_; for the shoeing of horses with _iron_ was not then known. Secondly, If they did run on the rock, it would be _useless_ to their owner, and _hurtful_ to themselves. Thirdly, And it would be as useless to _plough on the rock with_ _oxen_; for there it would be impossible to sow with any advantage. Fourthly, Just as useless and injurious would it be to put _gall_ in the place of judgment, and hemlock in the place of righteousness. You have not only been labouring in vain for yourselves, but you have also been oppressive to others; and for both ye shall suffer....

The two images both represent a toil, which people would condemn as absurd, destructive, as well as fruitless. The horse’s hoofs or his limbs would be broken; the plowing-gear would be destroyed. The prophet gains the attention by the question. What then? they ask. The answer is implied by the for, which follows. Ye are they, who are so doing. As absurd is it to seek gain from injustice and oppression, to which God had annexed loss and woe, temporal and eternal. More easy to change the course of nature or the use of things of nature, than the course of God’s Providence or the laws of His just retribution. They had changed the sweet laws of “justice” and equity “into” the “gall” of oppression, and the healthful “fruit of righteousness,” whereof they had received the seed from God, into the life-destroying poison of sin. Better to have “plowed” the rock “with oxen” for food! For now, where...

EXPOSITION AMOS 6:1 With a second woe the prophet denounces the chiefs of the whole nation, who were quite satisfied with the present state of things, and, revelling in luxury, feared no coming judgment. AMOS 6:1 THEM THAT ARE AT EASE IN ZION; living in fancied security and self-pleasing (Isaiah 32:9, Isaiah 32:11; Zephaniah 1:12). Judah is included in the denunciation, because she is equally guilty; the whole covenant nation is sunk in the same dangerous apathy. Septuagint, τοῖς ἐξουθ

SHALL HORSES RUN UPON THE ROCKS? OR WILL [ONE] PLOUGH [THERE] WITH OXEN?.... Will any man be so weak and foolish, to propose or attempt a race for horses upon rocks, where they and their riders would be in danger of breaking their necks? or would any man act so unwise a part, as to take a yoke of oxen to plough with them upon a rock, where no impression can be made? as vain and fruitless a thing it would be to attempt to bring such persons under a conviction of their sins, and to repentance for them, and reformation from them, who are given up to a judicial hardness of heart, like that of a rock, as are the persons described in the next clause; or as such methods with horses and oxen would be contrary to all the rules of reason and prudence, so as contrary a part do such persons act whose characters are next given, and there is no probability of bringing them to better sense and practice...

CHAPTER 6 The Fourth Discourse _ 1. Woe to them that are at ease in Zion (Amos 6:1) _ 2. The punishment announced (Amos 6:7) Amos 6:1. This woe concerns the great men, the chiefs of the nation, who were sunk into a godless self-security, and dreamt on in their darkness, while the clouds of judgment were gathering above them. They were to go from Calneh to Hamath and then down to Gath of the Philistines. Calneh was built by Nimrod in the land of Shinar Genesis 10:10; Hamath was the capital of a Syrian kingdom, and Gath the center of Philistia. These places were the places of vileness and corruption. But were the kingdoms of both J

THE MISERABLE FATE OF THESE RULERS. Yahweh solemnly declares (Amos 6:8) that the pride (_mg.)_ of Jacob, the vainglory which has displaced true glory, has become an abomination to Him. There follows a difficult section, Amos 6:9 f., which does not suit the context very well and may have been added by a scribe. It seems to describe the horrors of a siege or plague. So terrible is the scourge that in a house where there are ten men none may escape (Amos 6:9). A kinsman (_mg._), whose privilege it is to burn sacred spices in honour of the dead (_cf._ Jeremiah 34:5;...

SHALL HORSES... WILL... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6. there or, supply "[the seal". for. Supply "[with equal madness]". HEMLOCK. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 29:18, same word as `wormwood"). App-92....