eo1wil, <'qUiva.lent to Sirius, or C1mopus. ministration of justice (2 Sam. xv. 2), or foi The Septuagint here h11s. ,cal µ,.-a<r,c,ud(.,v, gossip. So "be 1hat robuketb in the gate" "and ch11nging," which looks as if the trans- may bo a jndge, or " ohier, or a prophet letor was not familiar with the Hebrew word, (Jcr. xvii. 19; xix. 2). H seems better to and substituted something in its pl11ce. It take the words thus than to join "iu the re.eds '!l.plwvor in Job :u:xviii. 81. Turneth gate" to '' they he.tc," with the meaning that the shadow of dee.th into the morning. those who resort to the gate-kings, chiefs,. " The shadow of <lesth,'' the depth of dark- judges-hate the prophet's reproof~ for the neae. Tltis 11nd the followin11; clause do not following verses sbow that Amos is referring simply state that the regular interchange ohieffy to judicial prooeedings, and not t@ of day and night is in God's hands, but his own mission. Uprightly; literally, rather notify that God is a moral Governor perfectl11; Vulgate, -perfecte; i.e. without of the world. He SRves men from the reserve, keeping notbrng be.ck. utmost dangers, from tlte darkness of sin Ver. 11.-Therefore. Because ye refuse and from the night of ignorance; and, on reproof, and oppress the poor. Your tread• the other he.nd, he sends oole.mity on those ing is upon the poor ; 11e trample upon. The- that offend Lis Le.w (comp. eh. iv. 13). Hebrew word bosl,.es is found nowhere else, llaketh the day dark with night; literally, and is variously explained. Septungint, as the Septne.gint, TJµ<pav ,ls v{nrra <TV<TKO• 1<an,covBo.\,(ov, "smote with the fi.sts; " BO -rd.(..,v, " de.rkeneth day into night." That the Syriao ; Vulge.te, dirip~batia, with oa.J..leth for the waters of the sea, eto, As which the Chaldee agrees. Keil, Schegg, judgmenta are the prophet's theme, this and most modem commentators explain the expression oonnot be an intimation of the word, by a slight dialectical variation, u working of the natnral law by which the equivalent to conoulcare. Burdens of wheat;. moistnre ta.ken up from the sea as cloud rather, tribute, ex11ctions of wheat, or pre- returns upon the earth as rain (comp. eh. sents like enforced "benevolences." They u. 6). Rather it is an allusion to the Flood emcted such gifts before they would do and similar catastrophes, which a.re proofs jnstioe to the poor. Or it may refer to- of God's judicial government of the uni- interest for money or victuals lent, which. verse, when "he maketh the creature hie took the form of presents in order to. weapon for the revenge of his enemies" evade the Law (Exod. :uii. 25; Lev. :uv. (Wisd. v. 17). The Lord is his Name. 37; Dent. :uiii. 19). Septuagint, Btipta J11ho\'ah, the self-existent God, doeth all ~1<.\<rn-d.: V ulge.te, Pf"llld.a.m electam, the these marvellons things, and men presume to Hebrew word bar mee.ning either "wheat" scout his Law e.nd think to be unpunished or "elect." :Hewn stone. Houses thus built (eh. iv. 13). were a mark of lu.xury and wealth, sun- Ver. 9.-That strengtheneth, etc. Trans- dried brick being the usual materie.l em- late, Tha.t eauaeth destruction to flash forth ployed (comp. Isa. ix. 10; Ezek. xii. 5, 7). upon the etrong, so that destruction cometh Ye shall not dwell in them. This is the upon the fortress. The idea is that God, as punishment of their evil doings, according, with a lightning-fiaah, smites the strongest to the threat in Deut. xxviii. 30, 39. The- man, and no fortress is a refuge from people sho.11 be banished and the land him. Septuagint, ·o oia,ptiv rro,,.,.p,µ.µ011 hrl desolnted (Micah vi. 15; Zeph. i. 13). l<rx1111, " Who divideth destruction unto Ver. 12.-Your punishment is riohly de- 1trength." The Vulgate, taking the Hebrew served, for " I know how many are your verb balag in the sense of lighting up the transgressions and how mighty are yomr countene.nce, reudere, Qui BUbridet flcutitatem sine," especially, as it follows, your sins of n,.per roburium, which means that the Lord oppression and injustice. They afflict the: smiles while he brings desolation on the just. The construction is continuous: mighty- figurative expression denoting "afflictera of the just." Hostujusti (Vul- hie anger at man's pride, and the ease with ge.te); 1<a-ra11a-roii,,.,.,s fiirtaiov, "trampling which he punishes. We may add that down the just" (Septuagint); comp. Wied. Boaenmiiller agrees with the Authorized ii. l~-15. They take a bribe. The trans- Version in the first clause: "Who strength- lation of lcopher as " bribe" is justified, eneth the weak age.iust the strong, end perhaps, by ! Sam. xii. 3 ; but the word ie. giveth the plunderers power over the for- elsewhere used for '' ransom," redemption- tresses of the strong." money paid to escape the consequences of crime (Prov. vi. 35), in direct opposition ~ Vere.10-12.-The prophet gives further the Law in Numb. x:nv. 81, which Corbo.de lnatancee of the people's corruption. any ransom to be taken for the life of a Ver. 10.-llim that rebu.keth in the gate murderer. The Septuagint has,11.aµ/ldvov-ro (Isa. llll, 21). The gate of Eastern cities a.Md-yµ.a:ra., " ta.king wares; " the Vulge.te. was the place of public resort (Prov. i. 21), (with which the Syrie.o agrees), aocipienles, either for bneineBtl (Deut. xu. 7), or the ad- munu,. Turn aside the poor in the gate from. CH, V. 1-27.] THE BOOK OF AMOS. 85
their right; or,bowdowntheneedy in the gate,For " they that would not be reformed by i.e. in the pie.ea of judgment (see note on ver. that correction, wherein he dallied with 10). Vulgate,f.aupere, deprimente, in porla; them, shall feel a judgment worthy of God" Septuagint, ,r ,,.,,.,.as Iv ,r{iAa.u l1C1<Al11011Tes, "turning aside the poor in the gates." The (Wied. xii 26). orime specified is that of wresting judgment Ver. 16.-Therefore. The prophet returns in the caee of the poor, or not giving the to what was said in ver. 13 about the uee- poor man justice unleee he could pay for itlel!STless of reproof; vers. H: and 15 being a.
(comp. Exod. uiii. 6; Dent. xvi. 19). kind of parenthetical exhortation which hie love for his nation forced from him. "J eho- Ver. 13.-Even while he speaks, the pro- vah, the God of hosts, the Lord," .A.donai, phet feels that his reproof is useless ( comp. saith what follows, these solemn titles being Jer. vii. 27, etc.; Hos. iv. 1, 17). In that used to add solemnity, certainty, and weight time; at 811,()h a time ae this, the man who to the announcement. Wailing mispe,1,, aots wisely holds bis peace, because it is a j
time of moral corruption and of personal "the death-wail." Street•; broad pla=; danger. But the prophet cannot restrain (Septuagint); platei8 (Vulgate). 1r~11.,.,!11u
bis call (comp. Ezek. xuili. 3, etc.). In Highways the natTower ,treet,; 650,, (Sep- j