ye have borne = borne aloft. Figure of speech Hysteresis. App-6 . tabernacle = booth. Hebrew. sikkuth. Chiun. The Egyptian or Greek equivalent was Remphan (Septuagint Raiphan; another spelling preserved in the Septuagint and in Acts 7:43 ). Proper names frequently differ in spelling: e.g. Ethiopia is the Hebrew Kush; Egypt is Mizrain; Mesopotamia and Syria is 'Aram, or 'Aram naharaim, & c. the star of your god: or, your star-god. read more
"Yea, ye have borne the tabernacle of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves."This verse is accounted to be very difficult by scholars who have difficulty with any agreement as to the way it should be translated; but, for us, the solution is easy, because this is one of only two verses in Amos quoted in the New Testament; and we are perfectly safe in taking the New Testament rendition of it:"Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices... read more
Amos 5:25-27. Have ye offered unto me, &c.— See the note on Deuteronomy 12:8. Jeremiah 7:22. These verses have made some people think that the Israelites, in their forty years' wanderings through the wilderness, continued in a course of rebellion against God, nay, and in the practice of idolatry: but this is a thing highly improbable in itself, whether we respect Moses their leader, or God their supreme Governor, and the miraculous providences whereby they were all along fed and sustained... read more
Amos 5:26. And Chiun your images— And the image of our idols. Houbigant; who understands the word כיון chiun to be an appellative, and not a proper name in this place. The LXX for Chiun read Ραιφαν, Raiphan, and St. Stephen, Acts 7:43. Ρεμφαν, Remphan, or, as some copies read, Ραφαν, or Ρεφαν. Parkhurst is of opinion, that Chiun and Remphan are two words very properly expressive of one and the same god. Learned men have generally supposed that the Arabian or Canaanitish כיון chiun, answers to... read more
4. The fourth message on unacceptable worship 5:18-27This lament also has a chiastic structure. It centers on a call for individual repentance.A A description of inevitable judgment Amos 5:18-20B An accusation of religious hypocrisy Amos 5:21-22C A call for individual repentance Amos 5:23-24B’ An accusation of religious hypocrisy Amos 5:25-26A’ A description of inevitable judgment Amos 5:27 read more
Another accusation of religious hypocrisy 5:25-26 read more
During the wilderness wanderings the Israelites had also carried shrines of their king. This may refer to unauthorized shrines honoring Yahweh or, more probably, shrines honoring other deities (cf. Acts 7:42-43). "Sikkuth, your king," probably refers to Sakkut, the Assyrian war god also known as Adar. "Kiyyun, your images," probably refers to the Assyrian astral deity also known as Kaiwan or Saturn. Amos evidently ridiculed these gods by substituting the vowels of the Hebrew word for... read more
The Third Address1-6. A lament, a warning, and an invitation. 7, 10-20. Denunciation of injustice and oppression, with threats of pestilence and judgment. 21-27. A repudiation of their attempt to please God by mere ritual.1, 2. Lamentation] a technical term for mournful poetry consisting of short lines of unequal length: here, for instance (Amos 5:2), the dirge consists of four lines, the first and third having three accents, the second and fourth two. Virgin] because, though often defeated,... read more
(25, 26) Much uncertainty belongs to the interpretation of these verses and their connection in thought. Some commentators would treat Amos 5:25 as a statement, and not a question, the first word being read as a definite article, and not an interrogative prefix in the Hebrew. But the construction of the following words forbids this supposition, and nearly all exegetes follow the LXX., Vulg., Targ., in taking the sentence as interrogative. Is the expected answer negative or affirmative? Heb.... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Amos 5:16-27
The day of the Lord (5:16-27)God’s terrible judgment will result in grief and mourning throughout the nation, in city and country areas alike (16-17). This intervention of God in judgment is commonly called the day of the Lord. Israelites thought that this day would be one of victory and rejoicing for them because their enemies would be destroyed. Amos tells them that when God acts in judgment, he will act against all the wicked, and Israel will be the first to suffer. There will be no way of... read more