Amos 9:7

7. The universality of Jehovah’s government the prophet illustrates from the past history of several representative nations. The divine hand could be seen in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Amos 2:9-10); but it was not less visible in the movements of the other peoples.

Children of the Ethiopians Hebrew, “of the Cushites.” Cush was a district in Africa, immediately south of Upper Egypt (see on Zephaniah 2:12; Nab. Amos 3:9). The inhabitants of this region, despised, perhaps, also on account of their color (Jeremiah 13:23), are, in a sense, as dear to Jehovah as Israel.

Philistines See on Joel 3:4 (compare Amos 1:6-8). The reference to the Philistines would be startling. Could Jehovah care for Israel’s enemies?

Caphtor Mentioned also in other passages as the original home of the Philistines (Deuteronomy 2:23; Jeremiah 47:4). Opinions still differ concerning the identification of Caphtor. Of the three most important locations suggested, the coast of the Nile Delta, the south coast of Asia Minor, and the island of Crete, the last named is the most probable, but it is quite possible that the other districts also were occupied, at some period, by people of the same race. In favor of this identification is the name Cherethites, applied to the Philistines in 1 Samuel 30:14 (compare Zephaniah 2:5), because this name contains the same consonants as the word Crete.

Kir See on Amos 1:5.

After shattering the false hope of the people Amos repeats, in his own words, the threat of 1-6, but with an essential modification; he now holds out hope to a remnant, whereas before he announced complete annihilation.

The eyes… are upon Or, against (see Amos 9:4; compare Psalms 34:16).

The sinful kingdom Jehovah must punish every sinful kingdom, but the use of the article indicates that the prophet has in mind one particular nation, namely, Israel. On account of its wickedness it must be wiped from the face of the earth.

Saving that I will not utterly destroy As a kingdom and people Israel had forfeited the divine favor, but there always had been (1 Kings 19:18) and there still was within the nation a “holy seed,” a remnant that continued faithful to Jehovah, out of which he might form a new people and kingdom of God. The divine righteousness and justice demanded the salvation of this remnant (compare on Amos 5:15).

House of Jacob Not Judah, as distinguished from Israel, or the whole nation, as distinguished from the northern kingdom, but a poetic variant for “house of Israel” (Amos 9:9; Amos 5:3-4; Amos 5:25, etc.), and “house of Joseph” (Amos 5:6), identical with “the sinful kingdom.”