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Verse 12

12. shepherd—a pastoral image, appropriately used by Amos, a shepherd himself.

piece of . . . ear—brought by the shepherd to the owner of the sheep, so as not to have to pay for the loss (Genesis 31:39; Exodus 22:13). So if aught of Israel escapes, it shall be a miracle of God's goodness. It shall be but a scanty remnant. There is a kind of goat in the East the ears of which are a foot long, and proportionally broad. Perhaps the reference is to this. Compare on the image 1 Samuel 17:34; 1 Samuel 17:35; 2 Timothy 4:17.

that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed—that is, that live luxuriously in Samaria (compare Amos 6:1; Amos 6:4). "A bed" means here the Oriental divan, a raised part of the room covered with cushions.

in Damascus in a couch—Jeroboam II had lately restored Damascus to Israel (2 Kings 14:25; 2 Kings 14:28). So the Israelites are represented as not merely in "the corner of a bed," as in Samaria, but "in a (whole) couch," at Damascus, living in luxurious ease. Of these, now so luxurious, soon but a remnant shall be left by the foe. The destruction of Damascus and that of Samaria shall be conjoined; as here their luxurious lives, and subsequently under Pekah and Rezin their inroads on Judah, were combined (Isaiah 7:1-8; Isaiah 8:4; Isaiah 8:9; Isaiah 17:3). The parallelism of "Samaria" to "Damascus," and the Septuagint favor English Version rather than GESENIUS: "on a damask couch." The Hebrew pointing, though generally expressing damask, may express the city "Damascus"; and many manuscripts point it so. Compare for Israel's overthrow, 2 Kings 17:5; 2 Kings 17:6; 2 Kings 18:9-12.

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