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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 8:4-10

God is here contending with proud oppressors, and showing them, I. The heinousness of the sin they were guilty of; in short, they had the character of the unjust judge (Luke 18:2) that neither feared God nor regarded man. 1. Observe them in their devotions, and you will say, ?They had no reverence for God.? Bad as they are, they do indeed keep up a show and form of godliness; they observe the sabbath and the new moon; they put some difference between those days and other days, but they were... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 8:11-14

In these verses is threatened, I. A general judgment of spiritual famine coming upon the whole land, a famine of the word of God, the failing of oracles and the scarcity of good preaching. This is spoken of as a thing at some distance: The days come, they will come hereafter, when another kind of darkness shall come upon that land of light. When Amos prophesied, and for a considerable time after, they had great plenty of prophets, abundant opportunities of hearing the word of God, in season... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 8:9

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God ,.... When this deluge and desolation of the land shall be, now spoken of: that I will cause the sun to go down at noon : or to he so dark as if it was set; as at the time of our Lord's crucifixion, to which many of the ancient fathers refer this prophecy, though it has respect to other times and things. Jarchi interprets it of the kingdom of the house of David. It doubtless designs the kingdom of Israel, their whole policy, civil... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 8:10

And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation ,.... Either their religious feasts, the feasts of pentecost, tabernacles, and passover; at which three feasts there were eclipses of the sun, a few years after this prophecy of Amos, as Bishop Usher F17 Annales Vet. Test. ad A. M. 3213. observes: the first was an eclipse of the sun about ten digits, in the year 3213 A.M. or 791 B.C., June twenty fourth, at the feast of pentecost; the next was almost twelve... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 8:11

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God ,.... Which Kimchi interprets of all the days of the second house or temple after Malachi, when prophecy ceased; but it rather has respect to the time of Shalmaneser's carrying captive the ten tribes, when they had no more prophets nor prophecy among them, or any to tell how long their captivity should last, or when it would be better times with them, Psalm 74:9 ; that I will send a famine in the land ; which, in a literal sense, is one of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 8:12

And they shall wander from sea to sea ,.... From the sea of Tiberias, or Galilee; or from the Dead sea, the lake Asphaltites; or from the Red sea, which was to the south of the land of Israel, to the great sea, which is to the west, as Aben Ezra: so the Targum, "from the sea to the west;' that is, to the Mediterranean sea: and from the north even to the east ; proceeding from the south to the west, they shall turn from thence to the north, and so to the east, which describes the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:9

I will cause the sun to go down at noon - This may either refer to that darkness which often precedes and accompanies earthquakes, or to an eclipse. Abp. Usher has shown that about eleven years after Amos prophesied there were two great eclipses of the sun; one at the feast of tabernacles, and the other some time before the passover. The prophet may refer to the darkness occasioned by those eclipses; yet I rather think the whole may refer to the earthquake. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:10

I will turn your feasts into mourning - See on Amos 8:3 ; (note). A bitter day - A time of grievous calamity. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:11

A famine in the land - The most grievous of all famines, a famine of the words of Jehovah; a time in which no prophet should appear, no spiritual counsellor, no faithful reprover, none any longer who would point out the way of salvation, or would assure them of the mercy of God on their repentance and return to him. This is the severest of God's judgments on this side the worm that never dieth, and the fire that is never quenched. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 8:12

They shall wander front sea to sea - From the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea or from west to east, and from north to south, to seek the word of the Lord; to find a prophet, or any person authorized by God to show them the end of their calamities. In this state they shall continue, because they have rejected Him who is the bread of life. read more

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