Amos 4:10

10. Pestilence and war.

Pestilence “What we should term an epidemic accompanied by great mortality.”

After the manner of Egypt Of the many interpretations suggested the two most probable are, (1) with the severity with which the plagues fell upon Egypt at the time of the Exodus (compare Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 7:15; Deuteronomy 28:60); and (2) with the severity with which pestilence is accustomed to visit Egypt. The latter interpretation sees no specific historical allusion in the phrase. Violent plagues were not infrequent in the Nile lands; it is said that “a violent plague used to occur formerly about once in ten or twelve years.” The Hebrew is literally in the way of Egypt, which has been interpreted also as equivalent to from Egypt, or, from the direction of Egypt, indicating not a comparison but the direction from which the pestilence came. It is a matter of history that the northeast corner of the Nile Delta, which is “in the way of Egypt,” has always been a nursery of epidemics (compare G.A. Smith, Historical Geography of the Holy Land, 157ff.).

Slain with the sword In battle. War is thought to come from Jehovah (Amos 1:4; Amos 1:7, etc.).

Young men The strength and flower of the nation. 2 Kings 9 ff. records how bloody the wars, and how great the losses during the century preceding the time of Amos.

Have taken away your horses Literally, with the captivity of your horses, that is, with your captured horses, the words connecting with the verb “have slain” (2 Kings 13:7). Since horses were scarce in Palestine, their destruction would be an additional calamity.

Stink R.V., “stench.”

Camps After the defeat (Isaiah 34:3). The slaughter was so great that the bodies of the dead soldiers and the carcasses of the beasts could not be buried; in a short time they filled the air with a sickening stench. LXX., “I caused your camp to go up in fire in my anger.” Again the effect was disappointing.