The Pulpit Commentary — Amos — Section 140

king, and warn him t.o lea'lle the cotmtru spire.tion under whioh the prophet speaks. tei!11out more toord,, or t.o fear the worat. He judges otbers by himself, attributina to Amos the sordid motives by which h; Ver. 10.-Amaziah the priest of Bethel himself was influenced. Ame.zie.h (" the Lord is strong ''), the chief Ver. 13.-The king's chapel; i.e. "e. of the idol-priests at Bethel, a cre.fty e.nd sanctuary" (Exod. xxv. 8; Lev. xi:I:. 30) determined me.n, hen.ring this prophecy founded by the king (1 Kings xii. 28), not age.inst the roye.l house, takes it up e.s e. by God. So in truth it had only an earthlv political matter, e.nd makes e. formal e.ccuea- sanction, e.nd the prophet of the Lord was out tion age.inst Amos with the view of silencing of ple.ce there. The king's court; literally, him. He.th oonspired age.inst thee. Pro- hou81l of the kingdom. " N e.tione.l tern pie" bably some of the Isre.elites he.d been con- (Kuenen); "e. roye.1 temple, the state vinced by the prophet's words, e.nd he.djoined church" (Pusey). Not the political, but themselves to him; hence Ame.zie.h speaks the religions, capita.I, the chief seat of the of "e. conspire.cy" (1 Sam. xxii. 8, 13; religion appertaining to the nation. Ama- 1 Kings xv. 27) age.inst the king. Or very zie.h speaks BB a thorough Ere.stian; e.s ir possibly the story we.s fe.bricated in order the human authority were everything, and to e.ccentue.te the charge a.go.inst Amos. In the Lord, of himself, had no claims on the the midst of the house of Israel In the very land. centre of the kingdom, where his treason- Ver. 14.-The prophet, undaunted by able speeches would have the greatest Amaziah's threats, in simple language effect. The le.nd, personified, cannot endure declares that he does not practise pro- such language, which is calculated to dis- phecying as a profession or to gain a liveli- turb its peace, e.nd is quite contrary to its hood, but in obedience to the voice of God. ideas e.nd hopes. The exercise of the prophetical office was Ver. 11.-This is e. partly correct account restricted neither to sex nor rank. There of who.t the prophet he.d said, but it differed were me.ny prophetesses in Israel, e.g. in some important particulars. Ame.zie.h Deborah (Jndg. iv.), Hulde.h (2 Kings xxiL oarefully omits the fact the.t Amos had 14), Noe.diah (Neh. vi. 14); nod besides a merely been the mouthpiece of God in e.11 large number of nameless prophets there his announcements ; he says falsely that are twenty-three whose names are preserved e. violent dee.th he.d been predicted for in Holy Writ, omitting those whose writ- Jeroboam himself; e.nd, in ate.ting the.t ings he.ve come down to us (Ladd,' Doctrine Amos he.d foretold the ce.pti vity of Israel, of Seri pture,' i. 117, etc.). A prophet's son ; he says nothing of the sins which led to i.e. brought up in the schools of the pro- this doom, or of the hope held out to phets, the pupils of wwch were called repente.nco, or of the prophet's intercession. "soDB of the prophets" (see 1 Kings x.x. 35; Ver. 12.-Also Ame.zie.h ee.id. Jeroboam 2 Kings ii. 5). Amos was neither self- e.ppee.rs to he. ve taken no steps in conse- commissioned nor trained in e.ny humnn quence of this e.ccnse.tion, either deeming institution. A herdme.n (boger); nsno.lly that the worJs of e. visionary were unworthy "e. cow-herd;" here "a shephe1d ; " <&lroA.os of serious consideration, or, like Herod (Septuagint). A gatherer of sycomore (Matt. xiv. 5), fee.ring the people, who had fruit. The phrase, boles ,hiqmim, msy me1m been impressed by the prophet's words and either one who plucks mulberry-figs for his bold bearing. Therefore Amnzio.h endea- own sustenance, or one who cultivates them vours by his own authority to make Amos for others. The latter 1s probably the leave the country, or else does not wait meaning of the term here. The Septuagint for the command of the king, who we.a rendering, 1<11/(t»v 11111ei!µu,ri, "pricking syca- probably e.t Se.maria. 0 thou seer I Ame.- more fruit," and that of the Vulga.te, velli- zie.h calls Amos chozeh, ,I 6poiv (1 Chrnn. cana sycomoros, indica le the artificial means xxi. 9; xxv. 5), either with reference to the for ripeniug the fruit, which was done by visions just given, or in de1-ision of his sere.ping, scratching, or puncturing it, as cle.ims-e.s we might any," visionary." Flee is sometimes doue to the figs of commerce. thee away; fly for thine own good to As the tree bore many crops of fruit in escape punishment, patronizing and coun- the year, it would afford conste.ut employ• selling him. Go to the land of J'ude.h ; ment to the dresser (see• Diet. of the Bible,' where douhtlos;i your o.nnouncement of the iii. p. 1394 ; 'Bible Educo.tor,' iv. p. 3!3). ruin of the ri vo.l kingdom will be accept- Ver. 15.-As I followed; liternlly, frOfll able. Eat bread, Amo.zi.u.h speaks as if after,from behind, as in the call of David Amos was paid for his prophecies, made (2 Sam. vii. 8; Pa. In.viii. 70). The n gnin of godliness. Prophesy there. Divine call came to him suddenly and "Vnticinaro in tcrra Juda, ubi libeuter imperatively, and he must needs obey it. audiuutur inse.ui" (St. Jerome). The idole.• He, therefore, could uot follow Amaziali's trons priest has no conception of the in- counsel. 140 THE :ROOK OF .AMOS. [on. V1t. 1-17.