Amos 2:7-8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 2:1-8

Here is, I. The judgment of Moab, another of the nations that bordered upon Israel. They are reckoned with and shall be punished for three transgressions and for four, as those before. Now, 1. Moab's fourth transgression, as theirs who were before set to the bar, was cruelty. The instance given refers not to the people of God, but to a heathen like themselves: The king of Moab burnt the bones of the king of Edom into lime. We find there was war between the Edomites and the Moabites, in which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 2:7

That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor ,.... Either were greedy after money, the dust of the earth, and even that small portion of it the poor were possessed of; they could not be easy that they should enjoy that little of it they did, but were desirous to get it out of their hands by oppression and injustice: or they were eagerly desirous of throwing the poor upon the earth, and trampling upon them, and dragging them through the dust of it, thereby filling their heads... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 2:8

And they laid themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar ,.... That is, the clothes they took in pledge of poor people, which they should have restored before sun setting, Exodus 22:26 ; these they spread by every altar, of which they had many erected to their idols, and on these as on carpets they slept by them, as was usual with the Gentiles; who not only in common used to lie and sleep on garments, or carpets, or skins spread on the floor F19 Vid. Gloss in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 2:6-8

For three transgressions of Israel, etc. - To be satisfied of the exceeding delinquency of this people, we have only to open the historical and prophetic books in any part; for the whole history of the Israelites is one tissue of transgression against God. Their crimes are enumerated under the following heads: - Their judges were mercenary and corrupt. They took bribes to condemn the righteous; and even for articles of clothing, such as a pair of shoes, they condemned the poor man, and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 2:7

Verse 7 Here Amos charges them first with insatiable avarice; they panted for the heads of the poor on the dust of the earth. This place is in my judgment not well understood. שאף, shaph, means to pant and to breathe, and is taken often metaphorically as signifying to desire: hence some render the words, “They desire the heads of the poor to be in the dust of the earth;” that is, they are anxious to see the innocent cast down and prostrate on the ground. But there is no need of many words to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 2:8

Verse 8 Here the Prophet again inveighs against the people’s avariciousness, and addresses his discourse especially to the chief men; for what he mentions could not have been done by the common people, as the lower and humbler classes could not make feasts by means of spoils gained by judicial proceedings. The Prophet then condemns here, no doubt, the luxury and rapacity of men in high stations. They lie down, he says, on pledged clothes nigh every altar. God had forbidden, in his law, to take... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 2:6-8

The woe against Israel. This is the last woe and the greatest. "The thunder cloud of God's judgments having passed over all the nations round about, and even discharged the fire from heaven on Judah and Jerusalem, settles at last on Israel" (Pusey). Just as God's honour suffered specially by their sin, so does his heart suffer specially in their punishment. And so, whilst compendious justice may be meted out to heathen nations, the destruction of the chosen people cannot be denounced... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 2:6-8

A nation's crimes. The ministry of Amos was mainly to the northern kingdom. With this passage commences the long impeachment and warning which the prophet was inspired to address to Israel. The previous denunciations are pungent, but brief; now Amos puts forth all his strength of invective, reproach, and expostulation. I. UNGODLINESS IS AT THE ROOT OF A NATION 'S MORAL DEBASEMENT . Israel did not, indeed, abjure religion; but Israel abjured God. "The house of their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 2:6-16

3. Summons and general denunciation of Israel for injustice, cruelty, incest, luxury, and idolatry. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 2:7

That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor. This is the second charge—oppression of the poor. The obscure expression in the text is capable of two explanations. Hitzig, Pusey, Trochon, assume that its meaning is that in their avarice and cupidity the usurers or tyrannous rich men grudge even the dust which the poor man strews upon his head in token of his sorrow at being brought to so low a state. But this seems unnatural and farfetched, and scarcely in harmony with the... read more

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