Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, this name being taken from the strong, well-fed cattle of the pasture country east of Jordan, THAT ARE IN THE MOUNTAIN OF SAMARIA, the description agreeing with the extortions and the luxurious life of the rulers of Samaria, WHICH OPPRESS THE POOR, WHICH CRUSH THE... [ Continue Reading ]
DENUNCIATION OF THE OUTSTANDING VICES... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord God hath sworn by His holiness, by a most solemn oath, THAT, LO, THE DAYS SHALL COME UPON YOU THAT HE WILL TAKE YOU AWAY WITH HOOKS, or, "when men will drag you away with hooks,". AND YOUR POSTERITY, or the remnant of you, that which is left after the first punishment, WITH FISH-HOOKS, as f... [ Continue Reading ]
And ye shall go out at the breaches, through the breaches which had been torn in the walls by the attacking enemies, EVERY COW AT THAT WHICH IS BEFORE HER, literally, "every one before her," anxious to get away, looking neither to the right nor to the left; AND YE SHALL CAST THEM INTO THE PALACE, SA... [ Continue Reading ]
Come to Bethel and transgress, in their idolatrous worship; AT GILGAL, another seat of idol-worship, MULTIPLY TRANSGRESSION; AND BRING YOUR SACRIFICES EVERY MORNING, in a wonderful zeal for worship, AND YOUR TITHES AFTER THREE YEARS, rather, "after three days," for Amos purposely speaks hyperbolical... [ Continue Reading ]
and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, Cf Leviticus 7:12, AND PROCLAIM AND PUBLISH THE FREE OFFERINGS, making a great show of their religious fervor; FOR THIS LIKETH YOU, this they delighted in doing, O YE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, SAITH THE LORD GOD. The more zeal the hypocrites show in imita... [ Continue Reading ]
And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, namely, because they had nothing to eat, AND WANT OF BREAD IN ALL YOUR PLACES, by famines sent at various times; YET HAVE YE NOT RETURNED UNTO ME, SAITH THE LORD, His punishment had not had the desired effect.... [ Continue Reading ]
VARIOUS PUNISHMENTS LEADING UP TO THE LAST JUDGMENT... [ Continue Reading ]
And also I have withholden the rain from you, the latter rain, which was necessary to insure a crop, WHEN THERE WERE YET THREE MONTHS TO THE HARVEST, which occurred in the latter part of May or in early June; AND I CAUSED IT TO RAIN UPON ONE CITY AND CAUSED IT NOT TO RAIN UPON ANOTHER CITY, both gra... [ Continue Reading ]
So two or three cities, impelled by necessity, WANDERED UNTO ONE CITY TO DRINK WATER, to get enough at least to sustain life; BUT THEY WERE NOT SATISFIED, they could not drink their fill, and their trip, made with unsteady feet as it was, brought them nothing. YET HAVE YE NOT RETURNED UNTO ME, SAITH... [ Continue Reading ]
I have smitten you, as a third chastisement, WITH BLASTING AND MILDEW, with a blight upon the cereal grains; WHEN YOUR GARDENS AND YOUR VINEYARDS AND YOUR FIG-TREES AND YOUR OLIVE-TREES INCREASED, the enumeration of the individual cases tending to emphasize the visitation, THE PALMER-WORM, the Orien... [ Continue Reading ]
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt, so called because it was prevalent in that country; YOUR YOUNG MEN HAVE I SLAIN WITH THE SWORD, especially when the Israelites suffered defeats at the hand of the Syrians, AND HAVE TAKEN AWAY YOUR HORSES, these also being slaughtered in... [ Continue Reading ]
I have overthrown some of you, some of Israel's cities, AS GOD OVERTHREW SODOM AND GOMORRAH, AND YE, those who escaped such utter extinction, WERE AS A FIREBRAND PLUCKED OUT OF THE BURNING, the escape being very narrow. YET HAVE YE NOT RETURNED UNTO ME, SAITH THE LORD.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore, thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, namely, what He now says in conclusion; AND BECAUSE I WILL DO THIS UNTO THEE, PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD, O ISRAEL, namely, to stand before the Lord's judgment-seat, and therefore to make due preparation to avert the final destruction by true repentance.... [ Continue Reading ]
For, lo, He that formeth the mountains, calling them into existence by His almighty power, AND CREATETH THE WIND, AND DECLARETH UNTO MAN WHAT IS HIS THOUGHT, His omniscience readily penetrating into the mind of man, THAT MAKETH THE MORNING DARKNESS, turning back the dawn into night, AND TREADETH UPO... [ Continue Reading ]