Amos 7:7-8

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 7:7

Thus he showed me ,.... A third vision, which was in the following manner: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand : this "wall" was the people of Israel, who were built up as a wall, firm and strong; and so stood against their enemies, while supported by the Lord, and he stood by them. The Septuagint version is, "an adamantine wall". In their constitution, both civil and ecclesiastic, they were formed according to the good and... 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 7:7

With a plumbline in his hand - This appears to be intended as an emblem of strict justice, and intimated that God would now visit them according to their iniquities. 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 7:7

Verse 7 This vision opens more clearly to us what the Prophet meant before, and what was the object of his doctrine: his intention was to show the people that what they had gained by their obstinacy was only to render God implacable, and to cause him not to spare them any longer, as he had hitherto done. The meaning is, — “God has hitherto borne with you according to his own goodness, promise not to yourselves that he will ever deal in the same manner with you; for your contumacy and... 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

Upon (rather, over) a wall made by a plumb line. The word translated "plumb line" ( anakh ) occurs only here. Septuagint ἀδάμας : so the Syriac; Vulgate, trulla caementarii ; Aquila, γάνωσις , "brightening," "splendor;" Theodotion, τήκομενον . As the word in other dialects means tin or lead, it is usually taken here to mean the plumb line which builders use to ascertain that their work is even and perpendiculur. The "wall" is the kingdom of Israel, once carefully built up,... 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

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