c Or ſome near Kinſman. d Inſtead of thoſe Mercenaries who were wont to do this, and were paid for it; but now none of theſe to be had, the next to the Dead muſt as well as he is able take him up on his Shoulders, and earry him, 7. e. the laſt of the Ten, the other Nine being dead. e Though the Fews moſtly buried, yet in ſome Caſes they burned the dead Bodies, as in this of waiting Peſtilence, when they could not carry them out, either for fear of infe&ing others, or for want of help. f All that re- mained : The Fleſh of the Dead being conſumed to Aſhes ; the Bones are reſerved to be buried, and laid up in ſome Sepulchre of their Anceſtors. g He that doth this Office for the laſt of his dead Friends, ſhall enquire h of one he ſeeth either dwelling near, and by the ſides of the Houſe out of which the Bones are carried, or elſe of ſome that lay undiſcerned in the Corner of the Houſe where ſo many -died. #Is any one living in this your Flouſe, hath any one eſcaped? k The Man of whom the Uncle, or whoever carried out the Bones, enquireth., 7 Then ſhall the Enquirer fay ; m Either murmur not againſt God, or mourn not ; for ſo ſad is the time that the Dead are happier than the Living, or ſay nothing leſt all be rifled from thee : For ſach Inhumanity was among them, that there were thoſe who would dare to rifle infeted Houſes: Or elſe, which ſutes the next words, be filent under God's juſt Diſplea- ſure.. 2 Now *tis too late to ſeek God, who is executing his immuta- ble Decree and $entence which we were adviſed to prevent, but did not in ſeaſon. |
11 For behold o, the LORD commandeth p, and he will ſmite the great houſe q with || breaches r, and the little.
houſe s with clefts te.
0 Conſider this well ; it ſeems to be the. continued Speech of him who took care of the Dead, ver. 10. p God provoked by our Sins, hath ſent out thy Enemies ; War, Famine and Peſtilence, all come commiſhoned of God z and when the Arrow is ſhot, *twill hit and kill.
The Palaces of great Men, and their Families. 7 Shall have great
| Boar made in them, by which they ſhall be ruined. $s The Cot-
ages, and lefler Dwellings of poor Mea with their Families, # Shall
AM O S.
| of eating the graſs of the land hb, then 1 faid i, 0
by leſſer Stroaks be ruined, their Clefts ſhall be enough to ag thi Ail ſhall be overthrown, and we mult ſubmit to it. :
12 © Shall Horſes run apon the Rock 4 ? will one plow there with Oxenx? for * ye y have turned judgmen
2 Hy
into gall a, and the fruit of righteouſneſs b into hemlock ; Cz,
u Would it not be dangerous to Horſe and Rider ? if Prophets and pious en exhort, threaten or adviſe, they endanger themſelye;, i: does no more Good than if you would run your Horſe on the ſlipper Precipices of Rocks : Or all is loft Labour on theſe hardned Sinner: x Your Hearts are hard as the Rocks; my Prophet's Freachins on lefſer Judgments warning you,all gentler Means uſed are but a; 2 Hy" bandman's plowing the Rocks. Theſe ſhall therefore be torn up " the Roots, your State and Kingdom ſhall be utterly overthrown, » You Judges and Governours in the ten Tribes, and in F#4dab too, > Fig, ch, 5. v. 7.1et.g,b, i, a Or, Poiſon, by thoſe Laws they took "_ Life, and forfeited Eſtate, which, had the Laws been rightly executed had ſaved both. 6 All that Fruit which Equity and Juſtice would have produced by due Application of the Law, hath been Worm- wood, Grief and Complaints, by your wreſting and perverting the Law. © A deadly and pernicious'Weed, ſo the Courſe of your Cours have been. ; ;
13 Ye which rejoiced in a thing of novght e, which lay f, Have we not taken to us horns by our oy ſirengthg ? k
4 Glorying with a Joy and Satisfa&ion, with Hope and Confidence e In your Vietories, Alliances, Fortifications and Idols, all which draw you away from God, end from ſeeking .him as he will be fqund f Tell the Prophets that reprove you, and foretel your Downfa|: '0n ſay to them, notwithſtanding all that God threatens, yet x you hare raiſed your ſelves to Dominion and Greatneſs by your Wiſdom, (ov. rage and Succeſs, and by the ſame you will maintain it, and ſo jc put off the Day of Evil.
14 But þ behold z, I will raiſe & up againſt you, nation , O houſe of firael 9, faith the LORD, the
God of hoſts » ; and they o ſhall affli p you from th;
neſs 7.
ſerve and weigh well what is ſaid. k Awaken, call together, ftrery then, ſucceed and proſper in the Attempt againft you. 1 2ul ha, and Tiglath Pilefer hath or now doth afflit and break you, but Shun. zeſer ſhall utterly deftroy you ; if his Strength were not enough i ſelf, mine Arm ſhould firengthen him to bring all yonr Hope t; novght. # Kingdom of the ten Tribes. » Who doth what he fait, who does command and *tis done, whom none can refift. . o The 4j- rians and their Confederates. p Diftreſs you and preſs you hard nl ſides, it ſhall be a great and an univerſal Oppreſſion of you. q ACiy of Syria, bordering on the Land of 1ſrael, North-Eaft, and was an Ir. let into Syr7a, from the North of Canaan, r Which is Sichor inthe moſt South-weſt Parts of Canaan towards Egpyt. So all your Cour try, Fudab and all, ſhall be oppreſſed by that Nation which I will ;ait and ftrengthen againſt you,
CH AP. VII
The vifion of the Graſhoppers, and conſuming fire, judgments upon 11, are turned away by the interceſſion of Amos, 1 6. The vin the plumb-line, ſhewing the utter rejeftion aud ruine of Iſrael, 7-4 Amaziah the Prieſt accuſeth Amos of conſpiracy, x0——12, Ei defence, and Amaziab's judgment and ruine, 14 ——= 17. ,
I Hus 4 hath the LORD God ſhewed b unto ne
and behold c, he formed 4 || Graſhoppers e i! the beginning of the ſhooting up of the latter groutt,? and lo, it was the latter growthf after the Kings Mon ings g.