Amos 4 - Study the King James Bible

Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.

Hear . . . ye. Masculine
kine = heifers: the women. Compare Psalms 22:22 (masculine), Ezekiel 39:18 (masculine)
mountain = hill country.
oppress. Hebrew. ashak , as in Amos 3:9 (feminine) Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 19:13 .Deuteronomy 24:14; Deuteronomy 24:14 ). Compare 2 Samuel 12:3 , 2 Samuel 12:4 .
the poor = exhausted ones. Hebrew. dal (masculine) See note on "poverty", Proverbs 6:11
the needy = needy ones. Hebrew ' ebyan (masculine) See note "poverty" Proverbs 6:11 .
say (feminine)
their (masculine)

The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.

The Lord GOD . See note on Amos 1:7 .
sworn by His holiness. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 22:16 ).
lo. Figure of speech Asferismos. App-6 .
hooks. In the Assyrian monuments we see the captives with literal "hooks" in their noses. Compare 2 Chronicles 33:11 .Job 40:24 ; Job 41:2 .Isaiah 37:29 . Ezekiel 29:4 .
your posterity = the remnant of you. Hebrew. 'aharith, as in Ezekiel 23:25 . Not posterity.

And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.

cow , i.e. woman.
at that which is before her = each woman through the breach [in the wall of Samaria].
before her i.e. without turning to the left or right. Compare Joshua 6:5 , Joshua 6:20 .
ye shall cast them into the palace . Palace, Hebrew. harmon (see note on Amos 1:4 ). Here it is haharmonah, which forms the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ) with 'arman (Amos 3:11 ). The clause is to be interpreted by Amos 3:11 , Amos 3:12 , end Amos 5:27 , and would then road: "ye shall be cast forth toward Ha-Harmon". The place is not known, but it may mean "ye women who are at ease in your palaces" (arman, Amos 3:11 , Amos 3:12 ) will be cast forth into Ha-Harmonak: into exile. The text is not necessarily "corrupt" because we do not happen to know a place of that name.
saith the LORD = is Jehovah's oracle.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:

Come to Beth-el, &c. Here we have Divine irony, as though it meant "Fill up the measure of your iniquity". Compare Matthew 23:32 .
transgress . . . transgression. Hebrew pasha'. App-44 .
Beth-el . . . Gilgal. Compare Amos 3:14 ; Amos 5:5 .Hosea 4:15 ; Hosea 9:15 ; Hosea 12:11 .
after three years . The ref is to the Pentateuch (Numbers 28:3 .Deuteronomy 14:28; Deuteronomy 14:28 ), App-92 ; not to "days", or to modern "Mohammedan pilgrimages".

And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

offer a sacrifices = offer as incense. Hebrew katar. App-43 . Ref to Pentateuch (Leviticus 7:13 ; Leviticus 23:17 ). App-92 . Compare Psalms 56:12 .Jeremiah 17:26 ; Jeremiah 33:1 .Hebrews 13:15 .
with leaven. Leavened bread might be eaten by the offerer, but not consumed on the altar (Leviticus 2:11 , Leviticus 2:12 ). Leaven is mentioned five times in Exodus; four in Leviticus; one in Deuteronomy; and not elsewhere. The Mosaic law was well known. App-92 . There was no "historic growth" of the Pentateuch.
free offerings. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 22:18 , Leviticus 22:21 .Deuteronomy 12:6; Deuteronomy 12:6 ). App-92 .
this liketh you = so ye have loved [to have it).
children = sons.
saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle.

And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

cleanness of teeth. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for famine.
yet have ye not . &c. Note the Structure above, showing the Figure fo Speech Amoeboeon ( App-6 ). Compare Isaiah 26:11 .Jeremiah 5:3 .Haggai 2:12 .

And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

have withholden , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:22-24 ).
piece = portion of land.
it. Ginsburg thinks this should be "I".

So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

I have smitten , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:22 ). App-92 . Compare Haggai 2:17 .
the palmerworm = the gnawer. Hebrew. gazam. See note on Joel 1:4 .

10.

I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

I have sent, &c. Ref to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:25 .Deuteronomy 28:21 , Deuteronomy 28:27 , Deuteronomy 28:60 ). App-92 .
the pestilence = a pestilence. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the
death resulting from it. Septuagint renders it "death". See note on Amos 6:10 .
after the manner, &c. Reference to Pentateuch, (Exodus 9:3 , Exodus 9:6 ; Exodus 12:29 . Deuteronomy 28:27 ). App-92 . Compare Psalms 78:50 . Isaiah 10:24 , Isaiah 10:26 .
taken. away , &c. Compare 2 Kings 13:7 .
I have made, &c. Compare Joel 2:20 .

11.

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

as God overthrew, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 19:24 , Genesis 19:25 .Deuteronomy 29:23; Deuteronomy 29:23 ). App-92 . Compare Isaiah 13:19 . Jeremiah 49:18 . God. Hebrew Elobim. App-4 .
ye were as a firebrand, &c. Compare Zechariah 3:2 .Jude 1:23 .

12.

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

prepare to meet, &c. i.e. in judgment. Compare Ezekiel 13:5 ; Ezekiel 22:30 . Amos 4:11 and Amos 4:12 are not "out of place" or an "interpolation", but are required by the Structure, "M", below.
Amos 4:1-13 (F2). THE NORTHERN KINGDOM. (THE KINE OF BASHAN.) (Extended Alternation.)
F2 | K |1-. call to Hear.
L | -1. Judgements deserved.
M | 2,3. Threatening.
| K | 4,5. call to Come.
L | 6-11. Judgements inflicted.
M | 12,13. Threatening.

13.

For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.

createth. Some modern critics allege that this word (Hebrew. bara, Genesis 1 Amos 1:1 ) was not used before the time of Jeremiah; but it is used, besides the Pentateuch, in Psalms 51:10 ; Psalms 89:12 , Psalms 89:47 ; Psalms 102:18 ; Psalms 104:30 ; Psalms 148:5 .Ecclesiastes 12:1 ; and in Isaiah frequently.
wind. Hebrew ruach. App-9 .
declareth unto man, &c. Compare Psa 189:2 .Daniel 2:28 .
man. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
That maketh, &c. Compare Amos 5:8 ; Amos 8:9 .
and treadeth, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:13 ; Deuteronomy 33:29 ). App-92 . Compare Micah 1:3 .
is His name. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 15:3 ). App-92 . Compare Amos 5:8 ; Amos 9:6 . Isaiah 47:4 .Jeremiah 10:16 .