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James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Amos 3:15

"And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith Jehovah.The heartless affluence, luxury and self-satisfied unconcern of the ruling classes in Israel were the sins of the people who owned and lived in the houses described in this passage; and their rich and easy lives had been made possible through all kinds of corruption and deceit as outlined in Amos' prophecy. They would sell a man into slavery for a... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Amos 3:15

Amos 3:15. I will smite the winter-house, &c.— See Jeremiah 36:22. The Russian princes used to have their winter and summer palaces, that nation having had many of the eastern usages, and even much of their dress, before the new regulations of Peter the Great. But the winter and summer-houses spoken of by the prophets may be supposed hardly to differ so much from each other as those of the Russians. Probably the account which Dr. Shaw gives of the country-seats about Algiers, though not... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Amos 3:14

14. That—rather, "since," or "for." This verse is not, as English Version translates, the thing which the witnesses cited are to "testify" (Amos 3:13), but the reason why God calls on the heathen to witness Samaria's guilt; namely, in order to justify the punishment which He declares He will inflict. I will also visit . . . Beth-el—the golden calves which were the source of all "the transgressions of Israel" (1 Kings 12:32; 1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kings 23:15; 2 Kings 23:16), though Israel thought that... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Amos 3:15

15. winter . . . summer house— (Judges 3:20; Jeremiah 36:22). Winter houses of the great were in sheltered positions facing the south to get all possible sunshine, summer houses in forests and on hills, facing the east and north. houses of ivory—having their walls, doors, and ceilings inlaid with ivory. So Ahab's house (1 Kings 22:39; Psalms 45:8). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Amos 3:11-15

Israel’s coming catastrophe from Yahweh 3:11-15Amos’ announcement of Israel’s coming judgment came in three waves (Amos 3:11-15). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Amos 3:14

God now promised to destroy the pagan altars that Jeroboam I had erected at Bethel at the same time He destroyed the people of Israel (cf. 1 Kings 12:26-30). This altar, and the one at Dan, had taken the place of the one in Jerusalem for most of the Israelites. The one in Bethel was the most popular religious center in Israel. There the Israelites practiced apostate worship. The horns of this altar, symbolic of the strength of its deity, would be cut off and would fall to the ground, showing... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Amos 3:15

God also promised to destroy the Israelites’ winter and summer homes. The fact that many Israelite families could afford two houses and yet were oppressing their poorer brethren proved that they lived in selfish luxury. They had embellished their great houses with expensive ivory decorations (cf. 1 Kings 21:1; 1 Kings 21:18; 1 Kings 22:39; Psalms 45:8). The two great sins of the Israelites, false religion (Amos 3:14) and misuse of wealth and power (Amos 3:15), would be the objects of God’s... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 3:1-15

The First Address1-8. A call to attention. 9, 10. The oppressions practised by the powerful. 11-15. The disasters which should overtake them, their sanctuary and their palaces.1. ’Race’ would be a more correct word than family. Judah is included in the appeal, but immediately drops out of sight again.2. In the Bible to know frequently means to care for, to be deeply interested in (Genesis 18:19; Hosea 13:5; Nahum 1:7; Job 22:13; Psalms 1:6; Psalms 73:11; Proverbs 2:10; Galatians 4:9): at... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Amos 3:15

(15) Houses.—It is uncertain whether by “winter and summer houses” are meant two classes of royal abodes, or different chambers of the same house (Judges 3:20; Jeremiah 36:22, are compatible with either). “Ivory houses” mean mansions adorned with ivory. For “great houses” should be read many houses. read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Amos 3:1-15

CIVILIZATION AND JUDGMENTAmos 3:1-15 - Amos 4:3WE now enter the Second Section of the Book of Amos: chapters 3-6. It is a collection of various oracles of denunciation, grouped partly by the recurrence of the formula "Hear this word," which stands at the head of our present chapters 3, 4, and 5, which are therefore probably due to it; partly by two cries of "Woe" at Amos 5:18 and Amos 6:1; and also by the fact that each of the groups thus started leads up to an emphatic, though not at first... read more

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