Amos Chapter 2

From The Open Bible Project

2:1 Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Moab, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime;

• (a) For the Moabites were so cruel against the King of Edom, that they burnt his bones after he was dead: which declared their barbarous rage, that they would avenge themselves upon the dead.

2:2 but I will send a fire on Moab, and it will devour the palaces of Kerioth; and Moab will die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet;

2:3 and I will cut off the judge from their midst, and will kill all its princes with him," says Yahweh.

2:4 Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Judah, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because they have rejected Yahweh's law, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have led them astray, after which their fathers walked;

• (b) Seeing that the Gentiles who did have as much knowledge were punished in this way, Judah which was so fully instructed by the Lord’s will, should not think that they would escape.

2:5 But I will send a fire on Judah, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem."

2:6 Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Israel, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes;

• (c) If he did not spare Judah unto whom his promises were made, much more he will not spare this degenerate kingdom.
• (d) They esteemed most vile bribes more than men’s lives.

2:7 They trample on the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and deny justice to the oppressed; and a man and his father use the same maiden, to profane my holy name;

• (e) When they have robbed him and thrown him to the ground, they open wide their mouths for his life.

2:8 and they lay themselves down beside every altar on clothes taken in pledge; and in the house of their [3] God [See Amos Footnotes 3] they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

• (f) Thinking that by these ceremonies, that is, by sacrificing, and by being near my altar, they may excuse all of their other wickedness.
• (g) They rob others and offer it to God, thinking that he will exempt them, when he is made partaker of their iniquity.

2:9 Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

• (h) The destruction of their enemies and his mercy toward them, should have caused their hearts to melt because of love toward him.

2:10 Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.

2:11 I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Isn't this true, you children of Israel?" says Yahweh.

• (i) You condemned my benefits, and abused my graces, and craftily went about to stop the mouths of my Prophets.

2:12 "But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, 'Don't prophesy!'

2:13 Behold, I will crush you in your place, as a cart crushes that is full of grain.

• (k) You have wearied me with your sins; (Isaiah 1:14).

2:14 Flight will perish from the swift; and the strong won't strengthen his force; neither shall the mighty deliver himself;

• (l) None will be delivered by any means.

2:15 neither shall he stand who handles the bow; and he who is swift of foot won't escape; neither shall he who rides the horse deliver himself;

2:16 and he who is courageous among the mighty will flee away naked on that day," says Yahweh.