Amos 4:9-12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 4:6-13

Here, I. God complains of his people's incorrigibleness under the judgments which he had brought upon them in order to their humiliation and reformation. He had by several tokens intimated to them his displeasure, with this design, that they might by repentance make their peace with him; but it had not that effect. 1. It is five times repeated in these verses, as the burden of the charge, ?Yet have you not returned unto me, saith the Lord; you have been several times corrected, but in vain;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 4:9

I have smitten you with blasting and mildew ,.... "Blasting" is what we commonly call "blights", generally occasioned by an east wind; and so Kimchi interprets the word here used; and the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "a burning wind"; which causes the buds and leaves of trees to shrivel up as if they were burnt with fire. "Mildew" is a kind of clammy dew, which falling upon corn, &c.; corrupts and destroys by its moisture; and is a kind of jaundice to the fruits of the earth; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 4:10

I have sent among you the pestilence, after the manner of Egypt ,.... Like that which was sent among the firstborn of Egypt, and cut them off in one night; or when in the way of Egypt, as the Targum; either as in the wilderness, when they came out of Egypt, so Jarchi interprets it; see Numbers 16:46 ; or the Lord sent the pestilence as they went in the way to Egypt for help and assistence, or for shelter, for food in time of famine; for they went thither, as Kimchi says, because of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 4:11

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah ,.... Either their houses were burnt, or their bodies consumed by fire from heaven, with lightning; not whole cities, but the habitations of some particular persons, or they themselves: and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning ; some escaped such an awful calamity, their houses were not consumed, while others were; and their persons were safe, while others, just by them, were struck dead at once: yet... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 4:12

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel ,.... What he would do is not expressly and particularly said; it is commonly understood to be something in a way of judgment, and worse than what he had done, since they had no effect upon them; or these things should be done over again, until an utter end was made of them; or the reference is to Amos 3:11 ; and the following words are usually interpreted, either, ironically, since the Lord was coming forth as an enemy to issue the controversy... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:9

I have smitten you with blasting and mildew - He sent blasting and mildew on the crops, and the locust on the gardens, vineyards, and fields; and this in such a way as to show it was a Divine judgment. They saw this; "yet they did not return to the Lord!" read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:10

I have sent - the pestilence - After the blasting and the mildew, the pestilence came; and it acted among them as one of the plagues of Egypt. Besides this, he had suffered their enemies to attack and prevail against them; alluding to the time in which the Syrians besieged Samaria, and reduced it to the most extreme necessity, when the head of an ass was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five; and mothers ate the flesh of their children that... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:11

I have overthrown some of you - In the destruction of your cities I have shown my judgments as signally as I did in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; and those of you that did escape were as "brands plucked out of the fire;" if not consumed, yet much scorched. And as the judgment was evidently from my hand, so was the deliverance; "and yet ye have not returned unto me, saith the Lord." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:12

Therefore thus will I do unto thee - I will continue my judgments, I will fight against you; and, because I am thus determined: - Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel - This is a military phrase, and is to be understood as a challenge to come out to battle. As if the Lord had said, I will attack you immediately. Throw yourselves into a posture of defense, summon your idols to your help: and try how far your strength, and that of your gods, will avail you against the unconquerable arm of the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 4:9

Verse 9 Though one kind of punishment may not convince men, they are yet thereby proved with sufficient clearness to be guilty before God. But when in various ways he urges them, and after having tried in vain to correct them in one way, he has recourse to another, and still effects nothing, it hence more fully appears that they, who are thus ever unmoved, and remain stupid whatever means God may adopt to lead them to repentance, are altogether past recovery. This is the drift of what the... read more

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