Amos 1:6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 1:3-15

What the Lord says here may be explained by what he says Jer. 12:14; Thus said the Lord, against all my evil neighbours that touch the inheritance of my people Israel, Behold, I will pluck them out. Damascus was a near neighbour to Israel on the north, Tyre and Gaza on the west, Edom on the south, Ammon and (in the next chapter) Moab on the east; and all of them had been, one time, one way, or other, pricking briers and grieving thorns to Israel, evil neighbours to them; and, because God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 1:6

Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Gaza ,.... The chief city of the Philistines, and put for the whole country, and designs the inhabitants of it: and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ; See Gill on Amos 1:3 ; because they carried away captive the whole captivity ; which cannot be understood of the captivity of the whole nation, either of Israel or Judah, who were never carried captive by the Philistines; but of their carrying away all the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 1:6

They carried away captive - Gaza is well known to have been one of the five lordships of the Philistines; it lay on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, near to Egypt. Erkon, Ashdod, and Askelon, were other signories of the same people, which are here equally threatened with Gaza. The captivity mentioned here may refer to inroads and incursions made by the Philistines in times of peace. See 2 Chronicles 21:16 . The margin reads, an entire captivity. They took all away; none of them... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 1:6

Verse 6 Amos directs here his discourse against Gaza, which the Philistine occupied. It was situated in the tribe of Judah, towards the sea; but as the Anakims were its inhabitants, the Philistine kept possession of it. Then the Jews had these enemies as ακτωρηκους, (guardians of the shore), who had a greater opportunity of doing harm from being so near: and we may learn from the Prophet’s words, that the Philistines, who dwelt at Gaza, when they saw the Israelites oppressed by their enemies,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 1:6

Gaza is here used as the representative of the five cities of the Philistines. Three others are mentioned in Amos 1:8 , Gath being omitted as having long lost its importance, if not already destroyed. Gaza, modern Guzzeh, was the most southern city of Philistia in the immediate neighbourhood of the desert. The whole captivity; Hebrew, "an entire captivity," the whole people, so that neither age nor sex was spared. A similar complaint is made in Joel 3:4 , Joel 3:6 . What the LXX ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 1:6-8

The judgment on Philistia. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 1:6-8

The woe against Philistia. Gaza was one of the capitals of Philistia, and is put for the country as a whole. Its wealth and strength and special activity against Israel fitted it to be the representative of all the other capitals which are afterwards ( Amos 1:8 ) enumerated as sharing its punishment. The outrage charged against Gaza is probably that recorded in 2 Chronicles 21:16 and Joel 3:6 , and which occurred in the time of Jehoram. The crime denounced was— I. THE CROWNING... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 1:6-8

The judgment on Philistia. The great religious truth which is conveyed in this prophetic warning addressed to Philistia is this—national retribution is inevitable. I. NATIONAL RETRIBUTION IS NOT AVERTED BY WEALTH AND PROSPERITY . Philistia was a fertile plain, abounding in all material riches. The people not only possessed the produce of a fruitful soil; they were versed in the arts of life, being famous as artificers and craftsmen; and they enjoyed the fruits of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Amos 1:6

Gaza - Was the southernmost city of the Philistines, as it was indeed of Canaan Genesis 10:19 of old, the last inhabited place at the beginning of the desert, on the way from Phoenicia to Egypt . Its situation was wonderfully chosen, so that, often as a Gaza has been destroyed, a new city has, if even after long intervals, risen up again in the same immediate neighborhood . The fragments of the earlier city became materials for the later. It was first Canaanite Genesis 10:19; then Philistine;... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Amos 1:6-8

Amos 1:6-8. For three transgressions of Gaza, &c. From Syria he passes to Palestine, upon the coast of which Gaza was situated. It is one of the places threatened by Joel 3:6. Because they carried away the whole captivity Or, a peaceable captivity, as Mr. Locke renders גלות שׁלמה ; that is, a captivity not taken in war, but by deceit: or, a perfect captivity, that is, not to be recovered. It appears, from 2 Chronicles 21:16; 2 Chronicles 28:18, that the Philistines (for the town... read more

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