The prophet threatens Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, and Ammon with the
judgments of God, for their obstinacy in sin.
1:1. The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Thecua: which he
saw concerning Israel in the days of Ozias king of Juda, and in the
days of Jeroboam the son of Joas king of Israel two years before the
earthquake.
The earthquake.... Many understand this of a great earthquake, which
they say was felt at the time that king Ozias attempted to offer
incense in the temple. But the best chronologists prove that the
earthquake here spoken of must have been before that time: because
Jeroboam the second, under whom Amos prophesied, was dead long before
that attempt of Ozias.
1:2. And he said: The Lord will roar from Sion, and utter his voice
from Jerusalem: and the beautiful places of the shepherds have mourned,
and the top of Carmel is withered.
1:3. Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of Damascus, and for four I
will not convert it: because they have thrashed Galaad with iron wains.
For three crimes—and for four.... That is, for their many unrepented of
crimes.—Ibid. I will not convert it.... That is, I will not spare them,
nor turn away the punishments I design to inflict upon them.
1:4. And I will send a fire into the house of Azael, and it shall
devour the houses of Benadad.
1:5. And I will break the bar of Damascus: and I will cut off the
inhabitants from the plain of the idol, and him that holdeth the
sceptre from the house of pleasure: and the people of Syria shall be
carried away to Cyrene, saith the Lord.
1:6. Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of Gaza, and for four I will
not convert it: because they have carried away a perfect captivity to
shut them up in Edom.
1:7. And I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, and it shall devour
the houses thereof.
1:8. And I will cut off the inhabitant from Azotus, and him that
holdeth the sceptre from Ascalon: and I will turn my hand against
Accaron, and the rest of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord
God.
1:9. Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of Tyre, and for four I will
not convert it: because they have shut up an entire captivity in Edom,
and have not remembered the covenant of brethren.
1:10. And I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour
the houses thereof.
1:11. Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of Edom, and for four I
will not convert him: because he hath pursued his brother with the
sword, and hath cast off all pity, and hath carried on his fury, and
hath kept his wrath to the end.
1:12. I will send a fire into Theman: and it shall devour the houses of
Bosra.
1:13. Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of the children of Ammon,
and for four I will not convert him: because he hath ripped up the
women with child of Galaad to enlarge his border.
1:14. And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabba: and it shall
devour the houses thereof with shouting in the day of battle, and with
a whirlwind in the day of trouble.
1:15. And Melchom shall go into captivity, both he, and his princes
together, saith the Lord.
Melchom.... The god or idol of the Ammonites, otherwise called Moloch,
and Melech: which in Hebrew signifies a king, and Melchom their king.