Amos 9:1-4 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 9:1-10

We have here the justice of God passing sentence upon a provoking people; and observe, I. With what solemnity the sentence is passed. The prophet saw in vision the Lord standing upon the altar (Amos 9:1), the altar of burnt-offerings; for the Lord has a sacrifice, and multitudes must fall as victims to his justice. He is removed from the mercy-seat between the cherubim, and stands upon the altar, the judgment-seat, on which the fire of God used to fall, to devour the sacrifices. He stands upon... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:1

And I saw the Lord standing upon the altar ,.... Either upon the altar of burnt offerings in the temple of Jerusalem, whither he had removed from the cherubim; signifying his being about to depart, and that he was displeased, and would not be appeased by sacrifice: so the Targum, "said Amos the prophet, I saw the glory of the Lord removing from the cherub, and it dwelt upon the altar;' and the vision may refer to the destruction of the Jews, their city and temple, either by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:2

Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them ,.... That is, they that endeavour to make their escape from their enemies, though they seek for places of the greatest secrecy and privacy; not hell, the place of the damned; nor the grave, the repository of the dead; neither of which they chose to he in, but rather sought to escape them; but the deepest and darkest caverns, the utmost recesses of the earth, the very centre of it; which, could they get into, would not secure them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:3

And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel ,.... One of the highest mountains in the land of Israel; in the woods upon it, and caves in it: I will search and take them out from thence : by directing their enemies where to find them: so the Targum, "if they think to be hid in the tops of the towers of castles, thither will I command the searchers, and they shall search them:' and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea ; get into ships, going by sea to... read more

John Gill

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

And though they go into captivity before their enemies ,.... Alluding to the manner in which captives are led, being put before their enemies, and so carried in triumph; see Lamentations 1:5 ; though some think this refers to their going voluntarily into a foreign country, in order to escape danger, as Johanan the son of Kareah with the Jews went into Egypt, Jeremiah 43:5 ; in whom Kimchi instances: thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them ; or them that kill with the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:1

I saw the Lord standing upon the altar - As this is a continuation of the preceding prophecy, the altar here may be one of those either at Dan or Beer-sheba. Smite the lintel - Either the piece of timber that binds the wall above the door, or the upper part of the door frame, in which the cheeks, or side posts, are inserted, and which corresponds to the threshold, or lower part of the door frame. And cut them in the head - Let all the lintels of all the doors of all those temples be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:2

Though they dig into hell - Though they should get into the deepest caverns; though they climb up to heaven - get to the most inaccessible heights; I will drag them up from the one, and pull them down from the other. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:3

Though they hide themselves - All these are metaphorical expressions, to show the impossibility of escape. read more

Adam Clarke

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

I will set mine eyes upon them for evil - I will use that very providence against them which before worked for their good. Should they look upward, they shall see nothing but the terrible lightning-like eye of a sin-avenging God. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:1

Verse 1 The Prophet confirms the threatening which we have already explained; for he says that the people would be soon removed, as there was now no hope of repentance. But it must first be observed, that he speaks not here of the profane temples which Jeroboam the first had built in Dan and in Bethel, but of the true and lawful temple; for it would not have been befitting that this vision should have been made to the Prophet in one of those profane temples, from which, we know, God was far... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Amos 9:1-10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Amos 9:3

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:3

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

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Amos 9:1

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