The Pulpit Commentary — Amos — Section 64

la ueed in Pe. lix. 15; cix. 10. The supply bµJi,, Iv ..ji 3m µov, " In my wrath against time used was soon exhausted, and brought you I set fire to your camps." no permo.nent relief. Ver. ll.-1'he fifth visitation is tbe earth- Ver. 9.-1'he third chastisement is oc- quake (Dent. xxix. 23). I have over- oaeioned by blight (Deut. xxviii. 22) and thrown. This is the word need to describe palmerworm (Deut. xxviii. 39, 42). Blasting; the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah the scorching east wind spoken of by Isaiah (Gen. xix. 25; Jer. xx. 16), and it seems (xxvii. 8) nnrl Ezekiel (xvii. 10). Vulgate, better to refer the occurrence mentioned in 1Jenw urente; Septuagint, Iv 'lrvptI,11'.,, to some snch convulsions of natore which "with parching;" Aquila, Symme.chus, and co.used widespread destruction, than, as Theodotion, a.v•µorp8opCa. Mildew j a bliglit, Keil and others, "to the utter confusion of under the influence of which the ears of the state by which Israel was brought to corn turned yellow ancl became unfruitful. the verge of min." We do not know a.ny• "Blasting and mildew" are mentioned thing about the particular earthquake to together in Moses' curse (Deut. xxviii. 22) which thepropbetallndes. (Foran exhaustive and in Solomon's dedication pl'ayer (1 Kings catalogue of the earthquakes in this country, viii. 87; comp. Hag. ii. 17). The LXX. see Pusey's notes on this verse.) As God has, Iv iK'1'<p'f', "with jaundice." When overthrew. The substitution of the name your gardens . . . increased. It is better of God for the personal pronoun, when the to take this sentence as the English margin, Lord himself is speaking, is not uncommon " The multitude of your gardens ... bath iu Hebrew. Here it rather takes the form the palmerworm devoured." So the Vulgate, of a quotation from Genesis. Ye were as a Multitudinem h01·toTum tumum . . . comedit firebrand plucked out of the burning (Zech. eruca. Gardem included orchards, herbaries, iii. 2, where see note}-a phrase which and pleasure-grounds. The palmerworm; implies, not only a narrow escape, bnt an gazam; Septuagint, Kdp.'lr'T/: Vulgate, eruca. escape accompanied with loi!B. The "brand" The word occurs in Joel i. 4; ii. 25, and is not wholly cousUIMd is yet blackened and taken by many commentators to mean some diminished by the burning (comp. 2 Kings kind of locust; but it is more probable that xiii. 5). tlie Greek and Latin translators are right Ver.12.-Therefore. Because a.II previous in regarding it as "a caterpillar" (see Smith, jndgments have been in vain, therefore will ' Diet. of the Bible,' ii. 696, etc. ; 'Bible I send upon them something more terrible Educator,' iv. 293). Amos seems to be re- still. Thus. God says not how; he leaves ferring to the visitation in Joel's time, if the nature of the coming chastisement we take gazam ("biter") to be a kind of in mysterious uncertainty, that the very locust. suspense may work fear and r8pento.nce. Ver.10.-Thefourth visitation is pestilence Because I will do this (pointing back to and the sword (Lev. :u:vi. 25; Dent. the mysterious "thus" above) unto thee; xxviii. 60). After the manner of Egypt. because I am ready to bring on thee still In the manner in which Egypt is stricken heavier punishment. Prepare to meet thy (comp. Isa. x. 24, 26; Ezek. xx. 80). There God j Septuo.gint, 'ET01µ&(ov TOv br,Kall.,il1'8a, is here no reference to tile plague of Exod. ..~., ®•01111'ov, "Prepare to call upon thy God." ix. 3, etc., or xii. 29. The allusion is to the Mo.ke ready to meet thy God in judgmeut, plague which was reckoned to be epidemio turning to him with cbunged heart, if per- in Egypt, o.nd to other loo.thsome diseo.ses chance he may forgive thee u.nd withdraw for which that country was notorious (see his heavy hand. Another explanation. Deut. vii. 15; xxviii. 27, 60). Sir G. derived from Symmachus and o.dopted by Wilkinson notes that the plo.gue used to a Lapide, Schegg, and others, "Pr::eparo.re ooour about every ten years (' Handbook,' nt adverseris Deo tuo "-e.n ironical en• p. 7). Your young men have I slain with couro.gement to them to withstand God- the sword. Pestilence and war o.re allied deprives the following verse of its suitability scourges iu Lev. xxvi. 25. A reference may to the oontext. For the propliet would here be made to the wars with the SyrillJl.8, ho.rdly invite them to this contest by wherein the Israelites suffered heo.vy losses expatio.ting upon God's e.lmightiness. (2 Kings vi. 25; viii. 12; xiii. 8, 7, 22). Aud Ver. 13.-'l'he prophet enforces his three.ta have taken away your horses; rather, together by declaring God's power and omniscience. with your capti'IJe horses, still under the He the.t formeth the mountains; i~ob e-ycl, regimen of" I have slain." The destruction 11'T•Jl•wv {3povrfw, "I e.m he that strengtheneth of men and horses is mentioned in 2 Kings thunder" (Septuagint, reading differently). xiii. 7, The stink of your oamps. These The mountains are mentioned as tlie tuost unburied carcases caused pestilence in the solid o.nd everlasting of his works; the wind, district. Septuo.gint, Ka.I ,L/4-ya-yov Iv -n;vpl as the subtlest and most immaterio.l of .,.,.s "'"P•µfJoXt>.s Iv .,.ii opyfi ~,,..,_,,, or, o.ocord1ng oreat~d things. Deolareth unto man what to tbe Alex.o.ndrian manusor1pt, ,rap•J.1fJ0Xa.s is bis thought; i.e. Ulllon's thought; reveals 84 THE BOOK OF AMOS. [oH, IV, 1-18,