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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 7:1-9

We here see that God bears long, but that he will not bear always, with a provoking people, both these God here showed the prophet: Thus hath the Lord God showed me, Amos 7:1, 4, 7. He showed him what was present, foreshowed him what was to come, gave him the knowledge both of what he did and of what he designed; for the Lord God reveals his secret unto his servants the prophets, Amos 3:7. I. We have here two instances of God's sparing mercy, remembered in the midst of judgment, the narratives... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 7:8

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";... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:8

I will set a plumbline - I will visit them by justice without any mixture of mercy. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:8

Verse 8 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:7-9

§ 3. The third vision, the plumb line, represents the Lord himself as coming to examine the conduct of Israel, and finally deciding on its entire ruin. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:7-9

Righteousness to the plumb line. here has been reprieve after reprieve. The enemy of God's wrath has been met in the breach by intercessory prayer, and, for the time, turned back. Once and again the hounds of vengeance have been cried off. But respite is not escape. There is a certain limit beyond which the system of Divine reprieves cannot go. And that limit has now been reached. The locust has been disappointed of his meal. The fire has been beaten back from the tinder. But the criminal... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:7-9

The plumb line of judgment. The pictorial style of Amos here sets before us in an impressive and memorable way a great truth. Whether in a dream or in a prophetic ecstasy, the prophet beheld one with a plumb line standing by a wall. He recognized in the wall the palaces, the temples, the city ramparts of Samaria; in the figure, a representation of the eternal Ruler of the nations; in the plumb line, the emblem of just and orderly procedure. And a voice explained the vision as predictive of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:7-9

Man's moral character. "Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand," etc. "Behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line," viz. perpendicular. "Amos." "The Lord knoweth them that are his" ( 2 Timothy 2:19 ), as he saith to Moses, "I know thee by name" ( Exodus 33:12 , Exodus 33:17 ). "He calleth his own sheep by name" ( John 10:3 ). "Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel." No... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:8

Amos, what seest thou? A question asked to give occasion for the explanation of the symbol, as in Jeremiah 1:11 , Jeremiah 1:13 ; Jeremiah 24:3 . I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. As it was built by rule and measure, so it should be destroyed. The line was used not only for building, but also for pulling down (see 2 Kings 21:13 ; Isaiah 34:11 ; Lamentations 2:8 ). And this should be done "in the midst" of the people, that all might be tried individually,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Amos 7:8

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... read more

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