Amos 1:3-15

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 1:3

Thus saith the Lord ,.... Lest it should be thought that the words that Amos spoke were his own, and he spake them of himself, this and the following prophecies are prefaced in this manner; and he begins with the nations near to the people of Israel and Judah, who had greatly afflicted them, and for that reason would be punished; which is foretold, to let Israel see that those judgments on them did not come by chance; and lest they should promise themselves impunity from the prosperity of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 1:4

But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael ,.... For so doing; into his family, his sons' sons, one of whom perhaps was Rezin, that Tiglathpileser king of Assyria slew, as Aben Ezra observes. This denotes the judgments of God upon his posterity for his cruel usage of the Israelites; and designs an enemy that should come into his country, and war made in the midst of it, by which it should be depopulated; and this being by the permission and providence of God, and according to his will,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 1:5

I will break also the bar of Damascus ,.... Or bars, the singular for the plural, by which the gates of the city were barred; and, being broken, the gates would be easily opened, and way made for the enemy to pass into the city and spoil it; or it may signify the whole strength and all the fortifications of it. So the Targum, "I will break the strength of Damascus:' and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven ; or, "of an idol", as the Vulgate Latin version. It is thought to be... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 1:7

But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza ,.... An enemy that shall pull down and destroy the walls of it: this was fulfilled in the times of Uzziah, under whom Amos prophesied; and very likely in a very short time after this prophecy, who went out and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gaza, 2 Chronicles 26:6 ; or else in the times of Hezekiah, who smote the Philistines unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, 2 Kings 18:8 ; or however in the times of Nebuchadnezzar,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 1:8

I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod ,.... The same with Azotus, Acts 8:40 ; another principal city of the Philistines: this perhaps was fulfilled when Tartan was sent against it by Sargon king of Assyria, and took it, Isaiah 20:1 ; or however in the times of the Maccabees, when Jonathan took it, and burnt it, and the cities round about it; and took their spoils, and burnt the temple of Dagon, and those that fled to it; and what with those that were burnt, and those that fell by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 1:9

Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Tyrus ,.... Or Tyre, a very ancient city in Palestine; of which See Gill on Isaiah 23:1 ; and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ; See Gill on Amos 1:3 ; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom : such of the Israelites that fell into their hands, or fled to them for shelter, they delivered up to the Edomites, their implacable adversaries, or sold them to them, as they did to the Grecians, Joel... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 1:10

But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus ,.... An enemy to destroy the walls of it: this was done either by Shalmaneser king of the Assyrians, in the times of Eulaeus king of the Tyrians, of whose expedition against it Josephus F19 Antiqu. l. 9. c. 14. sect. 2. makes mention: or by Nebuchadnezzar, who took it after thirteen years' siege of it, in the time of Ithobalus F20 Hist. Phoenic. apud Joseph. contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 21. : or by Alexander, by whom it was taken, as Curtius... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 1:11

Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom ,.... Or the Edomites, the posterity of Esau, whose name was Edom, so called from the red pottage he sold his birthright for to his brother Jacob: and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ; See Gill on Amos 1:3 . Among these three or four transgressions, not only what follows is included, but their idolatry; for that the Edomites had their idols is certain, though what they were cannot be said; see 2 Chronicles... read more

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