1.
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
Thus saith the LORD. See note on Amos 1:3 .
the Lord. Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
three. four. See note on Amos 1:3 .
transgressions. See note on Amos 1:3
Moab. Compare Isaiah 1 5 and Isaiah 16 . Jeremiah 48 . Ezekiel 25:8-11 , Zephaniah 2:8 .
I will not, &c. See note on Amos 1:3 .
the punishment thereof. See note on Amos 1:3 .
because he , &c. Compare 2 Kings 3:27 .
2.
But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
3.
And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.
judge = sceptre-holder (Numbers 24:17 ).
the midst thereof = her midst. Feminine. to agree with 'erez (understood) = the midst of her [land].
4.
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
because. despised, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:14-15 ; Leviticus 26:43 ). App-92 .
commandments = statutes.
their lies = their idols. Compare 2 Kings 17:15 .Psalms 40:4 .Isaiah 28:15 .Jeremiah 16:17-20
5.
But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
6.
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;
they sold. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 25:39 . Deuteronomy 15:12 ). App-92 , A Hebrew might sell himself, but not his brother or an insolvent debtor 2 Kings 4:1 ; Nehemiah 5:5 ),
the righteous = the righteous one.
the poor = a needy one. Hebrew ebyon. See note on "poverty", Proverbs 6:11 .
a pair of shoes. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the title-deeds of which it was the token. Compare Ruth 4:7 .
7.
That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:
pant = crush. Hebrew. shaaph , A Homonymyn, meaning (1) to gasp or long for (Job 7:2 ; Job 36:20 , Psalms 119:131 .Ecclesiastes 1:5 .Jeremiah 2:24; Jeremiah 2:24 ); (2) to crush (like shuph i n. Genesis 3:15 Rendered "swallow up" in Amos 8:4 .Job 5:5 .Psalms 56:1 , Psalms 56:2 ; Psalms 57:3 .Ezekiel 36:3 . So here it = crush. See Oxford Gesenius p. 983, vol. 2. Render: "crush the head of the poor ones in the dust of the earth".
the poor = impoverished ones. Hebrew. dal (plural) See note on "poverty", Proverbs 6:11 . Not the same word as in Amos 2:6 .
turn aside the way = pervert their whole way.
the meek = humble ones, Heb, plural of `ani, See note on "poverty", Proverbs 6:11
a man . Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .
and his father. This was done in the Canaanite idolatry, with the women of' the temples, called Kadeshoth (feminine.) and Kadeshhim (masculine)
maid = a young person (male or female). So called because of youthful vigour.
to profane, &c. This marks the result, not the in tention, and shows the enormity of the sin in Jehovah's sight. Reference to Pentateuch, (Leviticus 18:21 ; Leviticus 20:3 ). App-92 . Compare Isaiah 48:11 .Ezekiel 20:9 , Ezekiel 20:14 ; Ezekiel 36:20-23 , Romans 2:24 . 1 Corinthians 5:1 .
holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
8.
And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
lay themselves down , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 22:26 . Deuteronomy 24:12 ), App-92 . every altar. The sin lay in the fact that the law of the one altar had been known as an ancient commandment as well as the law concerning the restoration of pledged garments.
wine, Hebrew. Yayin. App-27 .
of the condemned: or, exacted wine.
9.
Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
Yet. Former blessings now cited to heighten the crime of their fivefold rebellion.
the Amorite. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 21:24 .Deuteronomy 2:32-34; Deuteronomy 2:32-34 ). App-92 . Compare Joshua 24:8 . These being the descendants of the Nephilim were all to have been destroyed, with the other Canaanite nations, by the sword of Israel. See App-23 and App-25 .
them. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "you".
height. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 21:24 .Deuteronomy 2:32-34; Deuteronomy 2:32-34 ). App-92 .
10.
Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
I brought, &c . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 12:51 .Deuteronomy 4:47 (Sihon)). App-92 and led you &c. Ref to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 2:7 ; Deuteronomy 8:2 ). App-92 .
11.
And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD.
I raised up ,
&c . Not till the priests had failed in their duty to teach the law. See Leviticus 10:8 , Leviticus 10:11 .Deuteronomy 33:8 , Deuteronomy 33:10 . Prophets were not provided originally. for Nazarites. Ref to Pentateuch (Numbers 6:2 ). App-92 .
It is not . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
Children = sons.
saith the Lord = [is] Jehovah's oracle.
12.
But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.
ye gave, &c . Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 6:2 , Numbers 6:3 ). App-92 .
13.
Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.
as a cart = according as[a full] cart.
14.
Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:
himself = his soul. Hebrew nephesh. App-13 .
15.
Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.
16.
And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.
courageous = stout in heart. App-92 .
naked : or, armourless.