Amos 7:4 ASV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 7:1-9

We here see that God bears long, but that he will not bear always, with a provoking people, both these God here showed the prophet: Thus hath the Lord God showed me, Amos 7:1, 4, 7. He showed him what was present, foreshowed him what was to come, gave him the knowledge both of what he did and of what he designed; for the Lord God reveals his secret unto his servants the prophets, Amos 3:7. I. We have here two instances of God's sparing mercy, remembered in the midst of judgment, the narratives... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 7:4

Thus hath the Lord showed unto me ,.... Another vision after this manner: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire ; gave out that he would have a controversy with his people Israel, and proclaimed the time when he would try the cause with them, and that by fire: or he called his family, as Jarchi; that is, his angels, as Kimchi, to cause fire to descend upon Israel, as upon Sodom and Gomorrah; so other Rabbins Kimchi mentions: or, as he interprets it, the scorching heat of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:4

The Lord God called to contend by fire - Permitted war, both civil and foreign, to harass the land, after the death of Jeroboam the second. These wars would have totally destroyed it, had not the prophet interceded. It devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part - We are here to understand the partially destructive wars which afterwards took place; for the Lord causes all these things to pass before the eyes of Amos in the vision of prophecy; and intimates that, at the intercession of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:4

Verse 4 The Prophet shows that God had not once only spared the people, but that when he was again prepared for vengeance, he still willingly deferred it, that, if possible, the people might willingly recover themselves: but as all were unhealable, this forbearance of God produced no fruit. Now as to the words of the Prophet, we see that a heavier punishment is designated by the similitude of fire, than by what he said before when he spoke of locusts. We stated that by locusts is to be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:1-6

Revelation and prayer. "Thus hath the Lord God showed unto me," etc. This portion of the Book of Amos ( Amos 7:1-17 and Amos 8:1-14 ) contains four symbolical visions respecting successive judgments that were to be inflicted on the kingdom of Israel. They were delivered at Bethel, and in all probability at the commencement of the prophet's ministry. Each of them, as it follows in the series, is more severe than the preceding. The first presented to the mental eye of the prophet a swarm... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:4

Called to contend by fire; Septuaguint, ἐκάλεσε τὴν δίκην ἐν πυρί , "called for judgment by fire;" Vulgate, vocabat judicium ad ignem. God called the people to try their cause with him by sending fire as a punishment among them (comp. Isaiah 66:16 ; Ezekiel 38:22 ); and in the vision the fire is represented as so vehement that it devoured the great deep, drank up the very ocean itself ( Genesis 7:11 ; Isaiah 51:10 ); or the subterranean fountains and springs, as Genesis... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:4-6

§ 2. The second vision devouring fire, represents a more severe judgment than the preceding one, involving greater consequences, but still one which was again modified by the prayers of the righteous prophet. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:4-6

The vision of consuming fire. The prophet's vision goes on, and the situation in it becomes more critical. One woe is averted only for a worse to take its place. The Divine avenging hosts remain in battleline. They return to the attack with renewed vigour. For the fusillade is substituted the booming of the great guns. Escaping as by the skin of their teeth from the wasting locust, incorrigible Israel are met in the prophet's eye by the devouring fire. In connection with this second scene... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Amos 7:4

God called to contend by fire - that is, He “called” His people to maintain their cause with Him “by fire,” as He says, “I will plead” in judgment “with him” (Gog) “with” (that is,” by”) pestilence and blood” Ezekiel 38:22; and, “by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh” Isaiah 66:16; and, “The Lord standeth up to plead and standeth to judge the people” Isaiah 3:13. Man, by rebellion, challenges God’s Omnipotence. He will have none of Him; he will find his own happiness for... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Amos 7:4-6

Amos 7:4-6. The Lord God called to contend by fire, &c. This represented a sorer judgment than the former, and, in the opinion of some expositors, denoted the invasion of Tiglath-pileser, who carried a great part of Israel away captive, 2 Kings 15:29, and so was properly represented by a raging fire, which consumed the sea by turning it into vapours, and then devoured a great part of the land. Then said I, O Lord God, cease, I beseech thee, &c. Here the prophet observes, that upon... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 7:1-9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 7:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 7:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:4-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Amos 7:4-6

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Amos 7:4

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Amos 7:4-6

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