Amos 7:8

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. "The Lord knoweth them that are his" (). As He saith to Moses, "I know thee by name" (; ). "He calleth his own sheep by name" (). BEHOLD, I WILL SET A PLUMB-LINE IN THE MIDST OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL - no longer are the symbols, as in the former two, stated generally; this one is expressly applied to Israel. God's long-suffering is worn out by Israel's perversity: so Amos ceases to intercede, as Abraham did in the case of...

But that which follows has an important meaning: God asks his Prophet, _What sees thou, Amos? _It is probable that the Prophet was astonished at a thing so mysterious. When locusts were formed, and when there was a contention by fire, he might have easily gathered what God meant; for these visions were by no means ambiguous: but when God stood on a wall with a plumbline, this was somewhat more hard to be understood; and the probability is, that the Prophet was made to feel much astonishment, that the people might be more attentive to hear his vision, as we commonly apply our thoughts more to hidden things; for we coldly attend to what we think to be easily understood; but mysteriousness, or something difficult to be known, sharpens our minds and attention. I do not then doubt but that God made the Prophet for a time to feel amazed, with the view of increasing the attention of the people....

1-9 God bears long, but he will not bear always with a provoking people. The remembrance of the mercies we formerly received, like the produce of the earth of the former growth, should make us submissive to the will of God, when we meet with disappointments in the latter growth. The Lord has many ways of humbling a sinful nation. Whatever trouble we are under, we should be most earnest with God for the forgiveness of sin. Sin will soon make a great people small. What will become of Israel, if the hand that should raise him be stretched out against him? See the power of prayer. See what a blessing praying people are to a land. See how ready, how swift God is to show mercy; how he waits to be gracious. Israel was a wall, a strong wall, which God himself reared as a defence to his sanctuary. The Lord now seems to stand upon this wall. He measures it; it appears to be a bowing, bulging wall...

Verse Amos 7:8. _I WILL SET A PLUMBLINE_] I will visit them by _justice_ without any mixture of _mercy_....

AMOS, WHAT SEEST THOU? - o: “He calls the prophet by name, as a familiar friend, known and approved by Him, as He said to Moses, “I know thee by name” Exodus 33:12, Exodus 33:17. For “the Lord knoweth them that are His. What seest thou?” 2 Timothy 2:19. God had twice heard the prophet. Two judgments upon His people He had mitigated, not upon their repentance, but on the single intercession of the prophet. After that, He willed to be no more entreated. And so He exhibits to Amos a symbol, whose meaning He does not explain until He had pronounced their doom. “The plumbline” was used in pulling down, as well as in building up. Whence Jeremiah says, “The Lord hath purposed to destroy t

EXPOSITION VERSE 1-CH. 9:10 Part III. FIVE VISIONS, WITH EXPLANATIONS, CONTINUING AND CONFIRMING THE PREVIOUS PROPHECY. The afflictions are climactic, increasing in intensity. The first two symbolize judgments which have been averted by the prophet's intercession; the third and fourth adumbrate judgments which are to fall inevitably; and the fifth proclaims the overthrow of the temple and the old theocracy. AMOS 7:1 _§ 1. The first vision, of locusts, represents Israel as a field eaten down to the ground, but shooting up afresh, and its utter destruction postponed at the prophet's prayer._...

AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ME, AMOS, WHAT SEEST THOU?.... This question was put to him, the rather, since he was silent, and did not upon this vision, as the former, make any supplication to the Lord; as also, because this vision portended something of moment and importance, which he would have the prophet attend to: AND I SAID, A PLUMBLINE; the same word as before, and is differently rendered, as already observed. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "a plasterer's" or "mason's trowel"; with which they lay their plaster and mortar on in building: the Septuagint, an adamant: and which, by Pliny f, is called "anachites"; a word in sound near to this here used: the Targum renders it, "judgment": but Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe, that in the Arabic tongue it signifies lead or tin, as it does g; and so a line with lead at the end of it; THEN SAID THE LORD, BEHOLD, I WILL SET A PLUMBLINE IN TH...

PLUMBLINE Symbol of judgment according to righteousness....

III. THE FIVE VISIONS OF THE PROPHET CHAPTER 7 Three Visions and the Opposition Against Amos _ 1. The vision of locusts (Amos 7:1) _ 2. The vision concerning the fire (Amos 7:4) 3. The vision of the plumbline (Amos 7:7) 4. Opposition against Amos (Amos 7:10) Amos 7:1. In the first vision Amos saw how the Lord prepared locusts (not grasshoppers as in the A.V. They started in with their destructive work, just as they did in the day of Joel. Then Amos interceded in behalf of the sinful nation, “O Lord, GOD, forgive, I beseech Thee, by whom

THE VISION OF THE WALL. The third vision is more difficult. The prophet saw (Amos 7:7) and behold, Yahweh stood by a wall of -'_ anak_, and in His hand -'_ anak._ -'_ Anak_ is usually translated plummet. By a wall that had once been found perpendicular, a plummet-wall, Yahweh stood with a plummet in His hand. What exact significance (Amos 7:8) had this plummet? Yahweh is tired of relenting; He will simply apply the plummet to His people, and once for all destroy an edifice which is no longer worthy to stand. Kent's omission of the first -'_ anak_ is an improvement: And behold the Lord was standing behind a wall, with a plumbline in His hand. Other Semitic languages seem to favour the view (so Marti) that -'_ anak_ may denote a hard or heavy kind of metal, possibly lead or steel. Marti translates, Thus