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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 9:1-10

We have here the justice of God passing sentence upon a provoking people; and observe, I. With what solemnity the sentence is passed. The prophet saw in vision the Lord standing upon the altar (Amos 9:1), the altar of burnt-offerings; for the Lord has a sacrifice, and multitudes must fall as victims to his justice. He is removed from the mercy-seat between the cherubim, and stands upon the altar, the judgment-seat, on which the fire of God used to fall, to devour the sacrifices. He stands upon... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:2

Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them ,.... That is, they that endeavour to make their escape from their enemies, though they seek for places of the greatest secrecy and privacy; not hell, the place of the damned; nor the grave, the repository of the dead; neither of which they chose to he in, but rather sought to escape them; but the deepest and darkest caverns, the utmost recesses of the earth, the very centre of it; which, could they get into, would not secure them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:3

And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel ,.... One of the highest mountains in the land of Israel; in the woods upon it, and caves in it: I will search and take them out from thence : by directing their enemies where to find them: so the Targum, "if they think to be hid in the tops of the towers of castles, thither will I command the searchers, and they shall search them:' and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea ; get into ships, going by sea to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:4

And though they go into captivity before their enemies ,.... Alluding to the manner in which captives are led, being put before their enemies, and so carried in triumph; see Lamentations 1:5 ; though some think this refers to their going voluntarily into a foreign country, in order to escape danger, as Johanan the son of Kareah with the Jews went into Egypt, Jeremiah 43:5 ; in whom Kimchi instances: thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them ; or them that kill with the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:5

And the Lord God of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt ,.... Which is another reason why it is impossible to escape the hands of a sin revenging God, because he is omnipotent as well as omniscient; he is the Lord of all the armies above and below; and if he but touch the land, any particular country, as the land of Israel, it shakes and trembles, and falls into a flow of water, or melts like wax; as when he toucheth the hills and mountains they smoke, being like fuel to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:6

It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven ,.... The three elements, according to Aben Ezra, fire, air, and water; the orbs, as Kimchi, one above another; a word near akin to this is rendered "his chambers", which are the clouds, Psalm 104:3 ; perhaps the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, which are three stories high, may be meant; we read of the third heaven, 2 Corinthians 12:2 ; and particularly the throne of God is in the highest heaven; and the "ascents" F25 מעלותיו ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:2

Though they dig into hell - Though they should get into the deepest caverns; though they climb up to heaven - get to the most inaccessible heights; I will drag them up from the one, and pull them down from the other. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:3

Though they hide themselves - All these are metaphorical expressions, to show the impossibility of escape. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:4

I will set mine eyes upon them for evil - I will use that very providence against them which before worked for their good. Should they look upward, they shall see nothing but the terrible lightning-like eye of a sin-avenging God. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:5

The Lord God of hosts is he - So powerful is he that a touch of his hand shall melt or dissolve the land, and cause all its inhabitants to mourn. Here is still a reference to the earthquake. See the note Amos 8:8 , where the same images are used. read more

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