Amos 7:14-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 7:10-17

One would have expected, 1. That what we met with in the former part of the chapter would awaken the people to repentance, when they saw that they were reprieved in order that they might have space to repent and that they could not obtain a pardon unless the did repent. 2. That it would endear the prophet Amos to them, who had not only shown his good-will to them in praying against the judgments that invaded them, but had prevailed to turn away those judgments, which, if they had had any sense... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 7:14

Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah ,.... With much freedom, boldness, and intrepidity, and yet with modesty and humility; not at all moved by his frowns or his flattery: I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son : he was not a prophet originally, or from his youth, as Kimchi; he was not born and bred one; neither his father was a prophet, by whom he could get any instructions in the mystery of prophesying; nor was he a disciple of any of the prophets, or brought up in any... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 7:15

And the Lord took me as I followed the flock ,.... Or "from behind" it F21 מאתרי צאן "de post pecus", Montanus; "de post gregem", Vatablus; "a post gregem", Liveleus. ; a description of a shepherd, such an one Amos was, and in this employ when the Lord called him, and took him to be a prophet; he did not seek after it, nor did he take this honour to himself; by which it appears that his mission was divine, and that he did not enter on this work with lucrative views: thus God took... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 7:16

Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord ,.... Which I have from him concerning thee, and which he has pronounced upon thee and thy family: thou sayest, prophesy not against Israel ; when God has bid me prophesy: and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac ; say nothing against it, though in ever so soft and gentle a manner: it designs the same thing as before, only in different words; and is a prohibition of the prophet to prophesy against the ten tribes that descended... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 7:17

Therefore thus saith the Lord ,.... For withstanding the prophet of the Lord, and forbidding him to speak in his name against the idolatry of Israel, as well as for his own idolatry: thy wife shall be an harlot in the city : either of Bethel or Samaria; either through force, being ravished by the soldiers upon taking and plundering the city; so Theodoret and others: or rather of choice; either, through poverty, to get bread, or through a vicious inclination, and that in a public manner:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:14

I was no prophet - I am an extraordinary messenger of God. I am not called to the prophetic office but for this occasion. I have no message to Judah, and therefore need not go there. I have a message to Israel alone, and I must faithfully deliver it. For the account which Amos gives here of himself, see the introduction. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:16

Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord - While he was speaking in his own vindication, God seems to have inspired him with the awful prediction which he immediately delivers. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:17

Thy wife shall be a harlot - As this was the word of the Lord, so it was fulfilled; but as we have no farther account of this idolatrous priest, so we cannot tell in what circumstances these threatenings were executed. His wife was to be a public prostitute; she was probably such already privately in the temple, as the wife of an idolatrous priest. His sons and daughters were to fall by the sword. Their inheritance was to be taken by strangers. And himself was to die a captive in a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:14

Verse 14 The Prophet Amos first pleads for himself, that he was not at liberty to obey the counsel of Amaziah, because he could not renounce a calling to which he was appointed. As then he had been sent by God, he proves that he was bound by necessity to prophesy in the land of Israel. In the first place, he indeed modestly says, that he was not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet: why did he say this? To render himself contemptible? By no means, though the words apparently have this tendency;... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:16

Verse 16 Amos having shown that he must obey God, who had committed to him the office of teaching, now turns his discourse to Amaziah, and points out what he would gain by his insolence in daring to forbid a Prophet, an ambassador of the God of heaven, to proclaim what he had in command. As, then, Amaziah had proceeded into such a degree of rashness or rather of madness Amos now assails him and says, Hear then now the word of Jehovah He sets here the word or the decree of God in opposition to... read more

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