§ VL ABBANGE:HENT OB' THE Boox m SECTIONS. The book ie best arranged in four parts. Part L (Ch. i., ii.) Approaching judgment: a prelude. § 1, ~Ch. i.-ii. 3.) Summons of the nations bordering on the Holy Land. § 2, Ch. ii. 4, 6.) Summons of Judah. § 3. Cb. ii. 6-16.) Summons and general denunciation of Israel. Part II. (Ch. iii.-vi.) Three addresses particularizing the sins of Israel and announc- ing imminent punishment. § 1. ~Ch. iii.) First address. § 2. Ch. iv.) Second address. § 3. Ch. v., vi.) Third address. Part II (Ch. vii.-ix. 10.) Five visions, with explanations. § 1. (Ch. vii. 1-3.~ First vision: locusts. § 2.JCh. vii. 4-6. Second vision: fire. § 3. Cb. vii. 7-9. Third vision: plu.mlrline. § 4. Ch. vii. 10-17.) Historical parenthesis. § 5. Cb, viii. 1-14.) Fourth vision: basket of fruits. § 6. Cb. ix. 1-10.) Fifth vision: the Lord at the altar. Part I . (Ch, ix. 11-16,) Epilogue: establishment of the new kingdom. THE BOOK OF AMOS.
EXPOSITION. Uzziah's usurpation of the priest's offloe (2 CHAPTER I. Chron. xxvi. 16). Ver. ]-ob. ii 16.-Part I. APPROAOHING Ver. 2.-And be said. This is the com• mencement of" the words" of Amos (ver. 1); JUDGMENT. and herein the prophet gives e. short enm- Ver. 1-cb. ii. 3.-§ 1. The nations bor- me.ry of the judgment which be bas to dering <m, the Holy Land are solemnly sum- pronounce. The following clause is e. repe- m<m,ed to judgment. tition of Joel iii. 16; and Amos thus con- Vars. 1, 2.-Heading of the book, with nects his prophecy with that of his prede- cessor, to show the nnity of prophetic short summary of its contents. mission, and to warn the Jews that God's Ver. 1.-Headi.ng. The words. So Jere- pnnishments are not directed exclusively on miah begins his prophecy (Jer. i. 1), and heathen nations. To the nations denounced the writer of Ecclesiastes (i. 1). That the by Joel, Amos adds others of Israel's enemies, words are not those of Amos, but of Jehovah, viz. Syria, Ammon, and Moa.b. Boar . . . is shown by the succeeding clause, "which voice. The thunder is the voice of Goel, he saw!' Herd.men. The Hebrew word announcing his coming to jn<lge. From noked used here is found in 2 Kings iii. 4, Zion. Not from Dan and Bethel, the applied to Mesha King of Moab, a great seats of idolatrous worship, but from Jeru- "sheepmaster ;" hence some have considered salem, the abode of his presence. The that Amos was not a mere mercenary, but habitations; better, the pastures. It fa a rich possessor of flocks. His own words, only natural that Amos, the shepherd, however (eh. vii. 14, 15), decide his position should use such terms to express the idea as that of a poor labouring man. Tekoah. that the whole land, from Jerusalem on A email town of Judah (see above in the the south to Carmel on the north, should account of the e.nthor, Introduction, § IL). feel the vengeance of the Lord. Shall He saw, with inward intuition. HeTJ.ce his mourn; explained by the following term, " words" were inspired (comp. lea. ii. 1 ; shall wither; i.e. shall lose their verdure Hab. i. 1). Concerning Israel chiefly, men- (comp. Jer. xii 11; Hos. iv. 3). The top tion of Judah being introduced only inci- of Ce.rmel. This is the Mount Carmel, dentally and as connected with the destinies which stretches boldly into tha sea on the of Israel. The Septuagint reads, by some south of the Bo.y of Acre, nud is remarkable mistake, "concerning Jerusalem." In the for its extreme fertility, its rich pastures, its days. (For the date of the prophecy, see vines, olives, fruits, and flowers. '.rt10mso11, above, Introduction, § Ill.) Ee.rthquake. ' The Land and the Book,' writes thus No mention is made of this event in the about it: "The celebrated ridge, ce.lled in historical books. It we.s remembered in the Bible Mount Carmel, and by the Arabs after-years (see Zech. xiv. 5), e.nd Amoe Jebel Kunnul, or MD.r Elyll.s, in honour of alludes to it as e. token of the judgment Elijah, is an extension of the hills of whioh he foretold, such catastrophes being Samaria, in a north-westerly direction, regarded as signs of the majesty of God and for a distance of about eighteen mUes, his vengeance on sinners (oomp. Exod. xi:x. tennino.ting in the bold promontory of 18 : Ps. lxviii. 8 ; Micah i. 4 : Hab. ill 6, Oarmel, which descends almost literally 10), Josephus(' Ant.,' ix. 10. 4) attributes into the sea. It is steep o.nd lofty where it this earthque.ke to God's displee.sure e.t overhangs the Mediterranean above Haifa, AMOS, B 2 THE DOOK OF AMOS. [an. r. 1-15.