Amos 4:2-3 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 4:1-5

It is here foretold, in the name of God, that oppressors shall be humbled and idolaters shall be hardened. I. That proud oppressors shall be humbled for their oppressions: for he that does wrong shall receive according to the wrong that he has done. Now observe, 1. How their sin is described, Amos 4:1. They are compared to the kine of Bashan, which were a breed of cattle very large and strong, especially if, though bred there, they were fed upon the mountain of Samaria, where the pastures were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 4:2

The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness ,.... That is, by himself, holiness being his nature, and an essential attribute of his; this is done to ascertain the truth of what is after said, and that men may be assured of the certain performance of it. Some render it, "by his holy place"; and interpret it of heaven; so Aben Ezra and Kimchi; which is not likely; see Matthew 5:34 . The Targum is, "the Lord God hath sworn by his word in his holiness;' that, lo, the days shall come upon you ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 4:3

And ye shall go out at the breaches ,.... Not at the gates of the city, as they had used to do at pleasure; but at the breaches of the walls of it, made by the enemy, in order to make their escape, if possible; they who had broke down the fences of law and justice, and injured the poor and needy, shall now have the walls of their city broken down and they themselves exposed to the most imminent danger, and glad to get out of them to save their lives: every cow at that which is before... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:2

He will take you away with hooks - Two modes of fishing are here alluded to: Angling with rod, line, and baited hook. That with the gaff, eel-spear, harpoon, or such like; the first used in catching small fish, by which the common people may be here represented; the second, for catching large fish, such as leave the sea, and come up the rivers to deposit their spawn; or such as are caught in the sea, as sharks, whales, dolphins, and even the hippopotamus, to which the more powerful and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:3

And ye shall go out at the breaches - Probably the metaphor is here kept up. They shall be caught by the hooks, or by the nets; and though they may make breaches in the latter by their flouncing when caught, they shall be taken out at these very breaches; and cast, not in the palace, but into a reservoir, to be kept awhile, and afterwards be taken out to be destroyed. Samaria itself is the net; your adversaries shall besiege it, and make breaches in its walls. At those breaches ye shall... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:2

Verse 2 Here Amos declares what sort of punishment awaited those fat cattle, who being well fed despised God, and were torpid in their fatness. He therefore says, that the days were nigh, when they should be taken away together with all that they had, and all their posterity, as by a hook of a fisher. But to give more effect to his combination, he says that God had sworn by his sanctuary. (24) The simple word of God ought indeed to have been sufficient: but as we do not easily embrace the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:3

Verse 3 The Prophet expresses now, in different words, what would be the future calamity of that kingdom; but he still speaks of the rich and the chief men. For though he threatened also the common people and the multitude, it was not yet needful expressly to name them, inasmuch as when God fulminates against the chief men, terror ought surely to seize also the humbler classes. The Prophet then designedly directs his discourse still to the judges and the king’s counselors, Ye shall go forth at... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 4:1-3

The woes of the women at ease. By a contemptuous and striking figure, the women of Samaria are styled the "kine of Bashan." They were as kine, unmindful of the past, unheeding of the future, their attention limited to the present, and living in it only the life of sense. They were as Bashan's kine, wandering in richest pastures, overfed, indulged, and pampered, and therefore waxed voluptuous and wanton. In explanation of the special reference to them, observe— I. THAT THE WOMEN ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 4:1-13

§ 2. Second address. The prophet reproves the voluptuous women of Samaria, and fortells their captivity ( Amos 4:1-3 ); with bitter irony he describes the people's devotion to idolatry ( Amos 4:4 , Amos 4:5 ): he shows how incorrigible they have proved themselves under God's chastisements ( Amos 4:6-11 ); therefore they must expect further punishment, if so be that they will learn to fear the Lord ( Amos 4:12 , Amos 4:13 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 4:2

By his holiness. God swears by his holiness, which cannot tolerate iniquity, and which they had profaned ( Amos 2:7 ; comp. Amos 6:8 ). That he will take you away. "That one, or they, shall take you away;" the enemy, the instrument of God's vengeance, is meant. With hooks; tsinnoth ; Septuagint, ἐν ὅπλοις : Vulgate, in contis. The translation, "with hooks," is correct, the idea being that the people shall be utterly helpless and taken for destruction, like fish caught with... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 4:1-5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 4:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 4:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:2

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 4:1-3

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 4:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 4:2

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