Amos 4 commentary

What is got by extortion is commonly used to provide for the flesh, and to fulfil the lusts thereof. What is got by oppression cannot be enjoyed with satisfaction. How miserable are those whose confidence in unscriptural observances only prove that they believe a lie! Let us see to it that our faith, hope, and worship, are warranted by the Divine word.

See the folly of carnal hearts; they wander from one creature to another, seeking for something to satisfy, and labour for that which satisfies not; yet, after all, they will not incline their ear to Him in whom they might find all they can want. Preaching the gospel is as rain, and every thing withers where this rain is wanting. It were well if people were as wise for their souls as they are for their bodies; and, when they have not this rain near, would go and seek it where it is to be had. As the Israelites persisted in rebellion and idolatry, the Lord was coming against them as an adversary. Ere long, we must meet our God in judgment; but we shall not be able to stand before him, if he tries us according to our doings. If we would prepare to meet our God with comfort, at the awful period of his coming, we must now meet him in Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father, who came to save lost sinners. We must seek him while he is to be found.

He who divided the chapters seems not to have well considered the Prophet’s argument: for he pursues here his reproof of the rich, and he had been prophesying against the chief men in the kingdom of Israel. We indeed know how much ferocity there is in the rich, when they become formidable to others by their power. Hence the Prophet here laughs to scorn their arrogance: Hear, he says, this word; as though he said, “I see how it will be; for these great and pompous men will haughtily despise my threatening, they will not think themselves exposed to God’s judgment; and they will also think that wrong is done to them: they will inquire, ‘Who I am,’ and ask, ‘How dares a shepherd assail them with so much boldness?’ “Hear then ye cows; as though he said, that he cared not for the greatness in which they prided themselves. “What then is your wealth? It is even fatness: then I make no more account of you than of cows; ye are become fat; but your power will not terrify me; your riches will not deprive me of the liberty of treating you as it becomes me and as God has commanded me.” We hence see that the Prophet here assails with scorn the chief men of the kingdom, who wished to be sacred and untouched. The Prophet asks by what privilege they meant to excuse themselves for not hearing the word of the Lord. If they pleaded their riches and their own authority; “These,” he says, “are fatness and grossness; ye are at the same time cows and I will regard you as cows; and I will not deal with you less freely than I do with my cattle.” We now then perceive the Prophet’s intention.

But he goes on with his similitude: for though he here accuses the chiefs of the kingdom of oppressing the innocent and of distressing the poor, he yet addresses them in the feminine gender, who dwell, he says, on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who consume the needy, who say, etc. He does not think them worthy of the name of men; and yet they wished to be viewed a class separate from the common people, as though they were some heroes or halfgods. The Prophet, by way of contempt, calls them here cows; and he also withholds from them the name of men. Bashan, we know, derived its name from fatness; it was a very rich mountain, and celebrated for its pastures: as the fertility of this mountain was well known among that people, the Prophet gave the name of the cows of Bashan to those fat and full men: and it was right that they should be thus roughly handled, because through fatness, as it is usually the case, they had contracted dullness; for when men abound in riches, when they become great in power, they forget themselves and despise God, for they think themselves beyond the reach of danger. As then this security makes the rich torpid and inattentive to any threatenings, and disobedient to God’s word, so that they regard all counsels superfluous, the Prophet here rebukes them with greater asperity, and addresses them, by way of reproach, under the name of cows. And when he says that they were on the mountain of Samaria, this is still ironical; for they might have made this objection, that they dwelt in the royal city, and were watchful over the state of the whole nation, and that the kingdom stood through their counsels and vigilance: “I see how it is,” he says; “Ye are not on mount Bashan, but on the mount of Samaria; what is the difference between Samaria and Bashan? For ye are there inebriated with your pleasures: as cows, when fattened, are burdened with their own weight, and can hardly draw along their own bodies; so it is with you, such is your slowness through your gluttony. Samaria then, though it may seem to be a watch-tower, is yet nothing different from mount Bashan: for ye are not there so very solicitous (as ye pretend) for the public safety; but, on the contrary, ye devour great riches; and as your cupidity is insatiable, the whole government is nothing else to you than fatness or a rich pasturage.”

But the Prophet chiefly reproves them, because they oppressed the poor and consumed the needy. Though the rich, no doubt, did other wrongs, yet as they especially exercised cruelty towards the miserable, and those who were destitute of every help, this is the reason why the Prophet here elates expressly that the poor and the needy were oppressed by the rich: and we also know, that God promises special aid to the miserable, when they find no help on earth; for it more excites the mercy of God, when all cruelly rage against the distressed, when no one extends to them a helping hand or deigns to aid them.

He adds, in the last place, what they say to their masters. I wonder why interpreters render this in the second person, who say to your masters; for the Prophet speaks here in the third person: they seem therefore designedly to misrepresent the real meaning of the Prophet; and by masters they understand the king and his counselors, as though the Prophet here addressed his words to these chief men of the kingdom. Their rendering then is unsuitable. But the Prophet calls those masters who were exactors, to whom the poor were debtors. The meaning is, that the king’s counselors and judges played into the hands of the rich, who plundered the poor; for when they brought a bribe, they immediately obtained from the judges what they required. They are indeed to be bought by a price who hunt for nothing else but a prey.

They said then to their masters, Bring and we shall drink; that is, “Only satiate my cupidity, and I will adjudge to thee what thou wouldest demand: provided then thou bringest me a bribe, care not, I will sell all the poor to thee.” We now comprehend the design of the Prophet: for he sets forth here what kind those oppressions were of which he had been complaining. “Ye then oppress the poor, — and how? Even by selling them to their creditors, and by selling them for a price. Hence, when a reward is offered to you, this satisfies you: Ye inquire nothing about the goodness of the cause, but instantly condemn the miserable and the innocent, because they have not the means of redeeming themselves: and the masters to whom they are debtor; who through your injustice hold them bound to themselves, pay the price: there is thus a mutual collusion between you.” It now follows —

Amos 4:2

2. The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.

2. Juravit Dominus Jehova per sanctuarium suum, quia ecce dies veniunt super vos, et tollet vos in clypeo (vertunt quidam; alii, in hamo,) et residuum vestrum in spina piscationis.

Here Amos declares what sort of punishment awaited those fat cattle, who being well fed despised God, and were torpid in their fatness. He therefore says, that the days were nigh, when they should be taken away together with all that they had, and all their posterity, as by a hook of a fisher.

But to give more effect to his combination, he says that God had sworn by his sanctuary. This word is commonly rendered ‘holiness,’ though it is also used to denote ‘the sanctuary.’ Calvin has been blamed for taking it here in the latter sense. What induced him to do so is evident from his comment: and when we consider all the circumstances of the passage, we may perhaps be disposed to think him right. — Ed. The simple word of God ought indeed to have been sufficient: but as we do not easily embrace the promises of God, so also hypocrites and the reprobate are not easily terrified by his threatening; but they laugh to scorn, or at least regard as empty, what God’s servants declare. It was then necessary that God should interpose this oath, that secure men might be more effectually aroused.

“The Lord then has sworn by his sanctuary”. It is singular that God should swear by his temple rather than by himself: and this seems strange; for the Lord is wont to swear by himself for this reason, — because there is none greater by whom he can swear, as the Apostle says, (Hebrews 6:13.) God then seems to transfer the honor due to himself to stones and wood; which appears by no means consistent. But the name of the temple amounts to the same thing as the name of God. God then says that he had sworn by the sanctuary, because he himself is invisible, and the temple was his ostensible image, by which he exhibited himself as visible: it was also a sign and symbol of religion, where the face of God shone forth. God did not then divest himself of his own glory, that he might adorn with it the temple; but he rather accommodated himself here to the rude state of men; for he could not in himself be known, but in a certain way appeared to them in the temple. Hence he swore by the temple.

But the special reason, which interpreters have not pointed out, ought to be noticed, and that is, that God, by swearing by his sanctuary, repudiated all the fictitious forms of worship in which the Israelites gloried, as we have already seen. The meaning is this, — “God, who is rightly worshipped on mount Zion, and who seeks to be invoked there only, swears by himself; and though holiness dwells in himself alone, he yet sets before you the symbol of his holiness, the sanctuary at Jerusalem: he therefore repudiates all your forms of worship, and regards your temples as stews or brothels.” We hence see that there is included in this expression a contrast between the sanctuary, where the Jews rightly and legitimately worshipped God, and the spurious temples which Jeroboam built, and also the high places where the Israelites imagined that they worshipped him. We now then understand what is meant by the words, that God sware by his sanctuary

And he sware by his sanctuary, that the days would come, yea, were nigh, in which they should be taken away with hooks, or with shields. צנה, tsane, means in Hebrew to be cold: It is once applied in Proverbs 25:13, to denote the piercing cold of snow; but its ideal meaning seems to be, pointed, piercing, penetrating: hence it means a thorn, a goad, and also a fishing-hook. — Ed. but צנות, tsanut denotes shields in that language, and sometimes fishing-hooks. Some yet think that the instrument by which the flesh is pulled off is intended, as though the Prophet still alluded to his former comparison. But another thing, which is wholly different, seems to be meant here, and that is, that these fat cows would be drawn out as a little fish by a hook; for afterwards he mentions a thorn or a hook again. It is the same as though he had said, “Ye are indeed of great weight, and ye are very heavy through your fatness; but this your grossness will not prevent God from quickly taking you away, as when one draws out a fish by a hook.” We see how well these two different similitudes harmonize: “Ye are now trusting in your own fatness, but God will draw you forth as if ye were of no weight at all: ye shall therefore be dragged away by your enemies, not as fat cows but as small fishes, and a hook will be sufficient, which will draw you away into remote lands.” This change ought to have seriously affected the Israelites, when they understood that they would be stripped of their fatness and wealth, and then taken away as though they were small fishes, that a hook was enough, and that there would be no need of large wagons. It follows —

Amos 4:3

3. And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.

3. Et per rupturas exibitis unaquaeque coram se (coram facie sua,) et projicietis vos ab excelso (vel, ex palatio,) dicit Jehova.

The Prophet expresses now, in different words, what would be the future calamity of that kingdom; but he still speaks of the rich and the chief men. For though he threatened also the common people and the multitude, it was not yet needful expressly to name them, inasmuch as when God fulminates against the chief men, terror ought surely to seize also the humbler classes. The Prophet then designedly directs his discourse still to the judges and the king’s counselors, Ye shall go forth at the breaches, every one of you. We see that he continues as yet the same mode of speaking, for he counts not those pompous and haughty masters as men, but still represents them as cows, “Every one”, that is, every cow, he says, shall go forth through the breaches over against it. We know how strictly the rich observe their own ranks and also how difficult it is to approach them. But the Prophet says here, that the case with them would be far different: “There will not be,” he says, “a triple wall or a triple gate to keep away all annoyances, as when ye live in peace and quietness; but there will be breaches on every side, and every cow shall go forth through these breaches; yea, shall throw herself down from the very palace: neither the pleasures nor the indulgence, in which ye now live, shall exist among you any more; no, by no means, but ye will deem it enough to seek safety by flight. Each of you will therefore rush headlong, as when a cow, stung by the gadfly or pricked by goads runs madly away.” And we know how impetuous is the flight of cows. So also it will happen to your says the Prophet. We now then perceive the import of the words.

Some take הרמונה, ermune, for Armenian because the Israelites were led away into that far country; and others, take it for the mount Amanus; but for this there is no reason. I do not take its as some do, as meaning, “In the palace,” but, on the contrary, “From the palace,” or, from the high place. Ye shall then throw yourselves down from the palace; that is, “Ye shall no more care for your pomps and your pleasures, but will think it enough to escape the danger of death, even with an impetuosity like that of beasts, as when cows run on headlong without any thought about their course.”

It was not without reason that he repeated the name of God so often; for he intended to shake off from the Israelites their self-complacencies; inasmuch as the king’s counselors and the judges, as we have already stated, were extremely secure and careless; for they were in a manner stupefied by their own fatness. It follows —

Amos 4:4-6

4. Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:

4. Ita in Bethel et scelerate agite, in Gilgal adjicite scelerate agendum, et adducite mane sacrificia vestra, ad tres dies (hoc est, tertio anno) decimas vestras;

5. And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God

5. Et adolete e fermento laudem et adducite voluntarias oblationes, publicite; quia sic vobis libuit, filii Israel, dicit Adonai Jehova.

6. And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

6. Atque etiam ego dedi vobis mundiciem dentium (alii vertunt, obtusiones, sed male) in omnibus oppidis vestris, et penuriam panis in omnibus regionibus vestris; et non estis reversi usque ad me, dicit Jehova.

The Prophet here again pours contempt on the perverse confidence, in which the Israelites were become hardened. They thought, indeed, that their worship was fully approved by God, when they offered Sacrifices in Bethel and Gilgal. But the Prophet here shows, that the more sedulously they labored in performing sacred things, the more grievously they offended God, and the heavier judgment they gained for themselves. “What do you obtain by wearying yourselves, when ye so strictly offer sacrifices, and omit nothing that is prescribed in the law of God? Only this — that you provoke God’s wrath more and more.” But he condemns not the Israelites for thinking that they rendered a compensation, as hypocrites were wont to think, and were on this account often reproved by the Prophets; but he denounces their modes of worship as vicious and false, and abominable before God. The Prophets reprobated sacrifices for two reasons; — first, because hypocrites brought them before God as a compensation, that they might escape the punishment they deserved, as though they paid God what they owed. Thus at Jerusalem, in the very temple, they profaned the name of God; they offered sacrifices according to what the law prescribed, but disregarded the true and legitimate end; for they thought that God was pacified by the blood of beasts, by incense, and other external rites: it was therefore a preposterous abuse. Hence the Prophets often reproved them, inasmuch as they obtruded their sacrifices on God as a compensation, as though they were real expiations for cleansing away sins: this, as the Prophets declared, was extremely puerile and foolish. But, secondly, Amos now goes much farther; for he blames not here the Israelites for thinking that they discharged their duty to God by external rites, but denounces all their worship as degenerate and perverted, for they called on God in places where he had not commanded: God designed one altar only for his people, and there he wished sacrifices to be offered to him; but the Israelites at their own will had built altars at Bethel and Gilgal. Hence the Prophet declares that all their profane modes of worship were nothing but abominations, however much the Israelites confided in them as their safety.

This is the reason why he now says Go ye to Bethel. It is the language of indignation; God indeed speaks ironically, and at the same time manifests his high displeasure, as though he had said, that they were wholly intractable, and could not be restrained by any corrections, as we say in French, Fai du pis que to pouvras So also God speaks in Ezekiel 20:39, ‘Go, sacrifice to your idols.’ When he saw the people running headlong with so much pertinacity into idolatry and superstitions, he said, “Go;” as though he intended to inflame their minds. It is indeed certain, that God does not stimulate sinners; but he thus manifests his extreme indignation. After having tried to restrain men, and seeing their ungovernable madness, he then says, “Go;” as though he said, “Ye are wholly irreclaimable; I effect nothing by my good advice; hear, then, the devil, who will lead you where you are inclined to go: Go then to Bethel, and there transgress; go to Gilgal, and transgress there again; heap sins on sins.”

But how did they transgress at Bethel? Even by worshipping God. We here see how little the pretense of good intention avails with God, which hypocrites ever bring forward. They imagine that, provided their purpose is to worship God, what they do cannot be disapproved: thus they wanton in their own inventions, and think that God obtains his due, so that he cannot complain. But the Prophet declares all their worship to be nothing else than abomination and execrable wickedness, though the Israelites, trusting in it, thought themselves safe. “Add, then, to transgress in Gilgal; and offer your sacrifices in the morning; be thus diligent, that nothing may be objected to you, as to the outward form.”

After three years, Literally, “on the third of days,” לשלשת ימים: but days here are evidently for years. “I cannot doubt,” says Dr. Henderson, “but that the Prophet has in view the enactment recorded in Deuteronomy 14:29, 26:12 ימים, days, mean here, as in Leviticus 25:29, Judges 17:10, the fullest complement of days, i.e., a year.” — Ed. that is, in the third year, “bring also your tenths”; for thus it was commanded, as we read in Deuteronomy 14:28. Though, then, the Israelites worshipped God apparently in the strictest manner, yet Amos declares that the whole was vain and of no worth, yea, abominable before God, and that the more they wearied themselves, the more they kindled the wrath of God against themselves. And to the same purpose is the next verse.

And burn incense with the leaven of thank offering He speaks of peace-offerings; sacrifices of thanksgiving were wont to be offered with leaven; but with other sacrifices they presented cakes and unleavened bread. It was lawful in peace-offerings to offer leaven. However sedulous, then, the Israelites were in performing these rites, the Prophet intimates that they were in no way approved by God inasmuch as they had departed from the pure command of the law. Some take leaven in a bad sense, as meaning a vicious and impure sacrifice, which the law required to be free from leaven; but this view seems not suitable here; for nothing is here condemned in the Israelites, but that they had departed from what the law prescribed, that they had presumptuously changed the place of the temple, and also raised up a new priesthood. They were in other things careful and diligent enough; but this defection was the chief abomination. It could not then be, that God would approve of deprivations; for obedience, as it is said elsewhere, is of more account before him than all sacrifices, (1 Samuel 15:22) Proclaim, he says, נדבות, nudabut, voluntary oblations. What he means is, “Though ye not only offer sacrifices morning and evenings as it has been commanded you, though ye not only present other sacrifices on festivals, but also add voluntary oblations to any extent, yet nothing pleases me.”

Bring forth then, and proclaim voluntary offerings; that is, “Appoint solemn assemblies with great pomp; yet this would be nothing else than to add sin to sin: ye are acting wickedly for this reason, — because the very beginning is impious.”

But the last part of the verse must be noticed, For so it has pleased you, O children of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah. By saying that the Israelites loved to do these things, he reprobates their presumption in devising at their own will new modes of worship; as though he said, “I require no sacrifices from you except those offered at Jerusalem; but ye offer them to me in a profane place. Regard then your sacrifices as offered to yourselves, and not to me.” We indeed know how hypocrites ever make God a debtor to themselves; when they undertake any labor in their frivolous ceremonies, they think that God is bound to them. But God denies that this work was done for him, for he had not enjoined it in his law. “It has thus pleased you,” he says, “Vous faites cela pour votre plaisir et bien mettez le sur vos comptes“. We then see what Amos meant here by saying, ‘It has so pleased you, O children of Israel:’ it is, as if he had said, “Ye ought to have consulted me, and simply to have obeyed my word, to have regarded what pleased me, what I have commanded; but ye have despised my word, neglected my law, and followed what pleased yourselves, and proceeded from your own fancies. Since, then, your own will is your law, seek a recompense from yourselves, for I allow none of these things. What I require is implicit submission, I look for nothing else but obedience to my law; as ye render not this but according to your own will, it is no worship of my name.”

Prayer.

Grant, Almighty God, that as thou wouldest have our life to be formed by the rule of thy law, and hast revealed in it what pleaseth thee, that we may not wander in uncertainty but render thee obedience, — O grant, that we may wholly submit ourselves to thee, and not only devote our life and all our labors to thee, but also offer to thee as a sacrifice our understanding and whatever prudence and reason we may possess, so that by spiritually serving thee, we may really glorify thy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen

Lecture Fifty-sixth

But I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your borders; and ye turned not to me, saith Jehovah. God here expostulates with the people on account of their incurable perverseness; for he had tried to restore them to the right way, not only by his word, but also by heavy punishments; but he effected nothing. This hardness doubled the guilt of that people, as they could not be subdued by God’s chastisements.

The Prophet now says, that the people had been chastised with famine, I gave them, he says, cleanness of teeth. It is a figurative expression, by which Amos means want, and he explains it himself by want of bread The whole country then labored under want and deficiency of provisions, though the land, as it is well known, was very fruitful. Now since the end of punishment is to turn men to God and his service, it is evident, when no fruit follows, that the mind is hardened in evil. Hence the Prophet shows here, that the Israelites were not only guilty, but had also pertinaciously resisted God, for their vices could be corrected by no punishment. We have just mentioned famine, another kind of punishment follows —

Amos 4:7

7. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

7. Atque etiam ego prohibui a vobis pluviam, quum adhuc essent tres menses ad messem; et plui super urbem unam, et super alteram urbem non feci pluere; pars una compluebatur, et super quam non pluebat exaruit.

I have said that another kind of punishment is here recorded by the Prophet; it is not, however, wholly different: for whence comes the want we have noticed, except through drought? For when God intends to deprive men of support, he shuts up heaven and makes it iron, so that it hears not the earth, according to what we have noticed elsewhere. Yet these words of the Prophet are not superfluous; for God would have the punishment he inflicts on men to be more attentively considered. When men are reduced to want, they will indeed acknowledge it to be the curse of God, except they be very stupid; but when a drought precedes, when the earth disappoints its cultivators, and then a want of food follows, more time is given to men to think of God’s displeasure. This is the reason why the Prophet now distinctly speaks of rain being withheld, after having said that the people had been before visited with a deficiency of provisions; as though he said “Ye ought to have returned, at least after a long course of time, to a sound mind. If God had been offended with you only for one day, and had given tokens of his displeasure, the shortness of time might have been some excuse for you: but as the earth had become dry; as God had restrained rain, and as hence sterility followed, and afterwards there came want, how great was your stupidity not to attend to so many and so successive tokens of God’s wrath?” We now perceive why the Prophet here connects drought with want of food, the cause with the effect: it was, that the stupidity of the people might hence be more evident.

But he says that God had withheld rain from them, when three months still remained to the harvest. When it rains not for a whole month, the earth becomes dry, and men become anxious, for it is an ill omen: but when two months pass without rain, men begin to be filled with apprehension and even dread; but if continual dryness lasts to the end of the third month, it is a sign of some great evil. The Prophet, then, here shows that the Israelites had not been in an ordinary way chastised, and that they were very stupid, as they did not, during the whole three months, apply their minds to consider their sins, though God urged them, and though his wrath had been manifested for so long a time. We now then see that the hardness of the people is amplified by the consideration of time, inasmuch as they were not awakened by a sign so portentous, When there were yet three months, he says, to the harvests I withheld rain from you.

Another circumstance follows, “God rained on one city, on another he did not rain; one part was watered, and no drop of rain fell on another This difference could not be ascribed to chance: except men resolved to be willfully mad, and to reject all reason, they must surely have been constrained to confess these to have been manifest signs of God’s wrath. How came it, that one place was rained upon, and another remained dry? that two neighboring cities were treated so differently? Whence was this, except that God appeared angry from heaven? The Prophet then does here again condemn the obstinacy of the people: they did not see in this difference the wrath of God, which was yet so very conspicuous. The import of the whole is, that God shows that he had to do with a people past recovery; for they were refractory and obstinate in their wickedness, and could bear the application of no remedy. It follows —

Amos 4:8

8. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

8. Et venerunt duae tres urbes ad unam urbem, ut biberent aquas, et non satiatae sunt: et non reversi estis usque ad me, dicit Jehova.

Marking the difference, the Prophet relates, that two or three cities had come to one, to seek drink, and that they were not satisfied, because the waters failed on account of so large a number: for though the fountains could have supplied the inhabitants, yet when such a multitude flowed from every quarter, the very fountains became exhausted. The Prophet thus aggravates the punishment brought by God on the Israelites; for so great was the thirst, that whole cities had recourse to fountains, where they heard that there was any water. It was indeed an unusual thing for inhabitants to leave their own city and to run to another to seek water, like wild beasts who, when satiated with prey, run far for water: but it is an unwonted thing for men to undertake a long journey for the sake of finding drink: for they dig wells for themselves, and seek water by their own industry, when rivers do not flow, or when fountains do not supply them with drink. When therefore men are forced to leave their own homes and to seek water at a distance, and when they exhaust the fountains, it is a portend which ought to be observed.

But how was it that the Israelites took no notice of God’s hand, which was then as it were visible? Hence then, as they repented not, their obstinate blindness became quite evident. They were no doubt terrified with fear and harassed by grief; but all this produced no effect, for they continued in their sins, took delight in their own superstitions, and pursued the same life as before. Since then they divested not themselves of their own character, nor ceased to provoke continually the wrath of God, their hopeless and incorrigible obstinacy is here manifestly proved. This was the Prophet’s design. It follows —

Amos 4:9

9. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord

9. Percussi vos Orientali vento et rubigine; magnos The words are, הרבות גנותיכם, “the abundance of your gardens,” and not your great or large gardens. I would thus render the verse —

I smote you with blight and with mildew; The abundance of your gardens and of your vineyards, And your figs and your olives, the locust devoured; yet ye turned not to me, saith Jehovah.

— Ed. hortos vestros et vites vestros et ficulneas vestras et oliveta vestra voravit bruchus (vel, eruca;) et non reversi estis usque ad me, dicit Jehova.

Though one kind of punishment may not convince men, they are yet thereby proved with sufficient clearness to be guilty before God. But when in various ways he urges them, and after having tried in vain to correct them in one way, he has recourse to another, and still effects nothing, it hence more fully appears that they, who are thus ever unmoved, and remain stupid whatever means God may adopt to lead them to repentance, are altogether past recovery. This is the drift of what the Prophet now adds: he says that they had been smitten by the east wind He shows that want of food does not always proceed from one cause; for men become hardened when they feel only one evil: as the case is when a country labors under a drought, it will be thought to be as it were its fate. But when God chastises men in various ways, they ought then no doubt to be touched and really affected: when, on the contrary, they pass by all punishments with their eyes closed, it is certain, that they are wholly obstinate and so fascinated by the devil, that they feel nothing and discern nothing. This is the reason why the Prophet records the various punishments which had been already inflicted on the people.

Hence he says now, that they had been smitten by the east wind, and by the mildew. What mischief the mildew does to the standing corn, we know; when the sun rises after a cold rain, it burns out its substance, so that the ears grow yellow, and rottenness follows. God then says, that the standing corn of the people had been destroyed by this blasting, after dryness had already prevailed though not through the whole land in an equal degree; for God rained on one part, while a neighboring region was parched through want of rain: the Prophet having stated this, now mentions also the mildew.

He says further, that the fig-trees and vines had been consumed, that the gardens had been destroyed, and that the olive trees had been devoured by chafers or palmer worms. Since then the Israelites had been in so many ways warned, was it not a strange and monstrous blindness, that being affrighted they could bear these chastisements of God, and be not moved to return to the right way? If the first chastisement had no effect, if the second also had been without fruit, they ought surely at last to have repented; but as they proceeded in their usual course, and continued like themselves in that contumacy of which we have spoken, what any more remained for them, but to be wholly destroyed as those who had trifled with God? We now then understand what the Prophet means.

Moreover, this passage teaches, as other similar passages do, that seasons vary not by chance; that now drought prevails, and then continual rains destroy the fruits of the earth, that now chafers are produced, and then that heaven is filled with various infections, — that these things happen not by chance, is what this passage clearly shows: but that they are so many tokens of God’s wrath, set before our eyes. God indeed does not govern the world, according to what profane men think, as though he gave uncontrolled license both in heaven and earth; but he now withholds rain, then he pours it down in profusion; he now burns the corn with heat, then he temperates the air; he now shows himself kind to men, then he shows himself angry with them. Let us then learn to refer the whole order of nature to the special providence of God. I mention his special providence, lest we should dream only of some general operation, as ungodly men do: but let us know that God would have himself to be seen in daily events, so that the tokens of his love may make us to rejoice, and also that the tokens of his wrath may humble us, to the end that we may repent. Let this then be learnt from the present words of the Prophet.

Amos further teaches us, that wind and rain, hail and droughts heat and cold, are arms or weapons by which God executes vengeance on account of our sins. Whenever God then intends to inflict punishment on us, he puts on his armor, that is, he sends either rain, or wind, or drought, or heat, or hail. Since it is so, let us not think that either rain or heat is fortuitous, or that they depend on the situation of the stars as ungodly men imagine. Let us therefore know, that all nature so obeys God’s command, that when rain falls seasonably, it is a token of his love towards us, and that when it is unseasonable, it is a proof of his displeasure. It is meet to think the same of heat and of cold, and of all other things. Let us now go on with the words of the Prophet —

Amos 4:10

10. I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

10. Misi in vos pestem secundum rationem Aegypti; percussi gladio robustos vestros, cum captivitate equorum vestrorump; ascendere feci foetorem castrorum vestrorum et ad nares vestras (vel, usque ad nares vestras, ut copula supervacua sit;) et non reversi estis usque ad me, dicit Jehova.

God now expostulates with the people, because their perverseness had not been subdued even by additional punishments; for he had in vain exhorted and stimulated them to repentance. He says, that they had been smitten with pestilence. The Prophet has hitherto spoken only of the sterility of the land, and of the fruit being destroyed by infections; he has hitherto mentioned want only with its causes; this only has been stated: but now he adds that the people had been afflicted with pestilence, and also with war, and that they had still persevered in their wickedness. Whatever measures then God had adopted to correct the vices of the people, the Prophet now complains and deplores, that they all had been tried in vain. But so many upbraidings are mentioned, that God might show that there was no more any hope of pardon, inasmuch as they thus continued to be untractable and perverse.

He then says that he had sent pestilence according to the manner of Egypt דרך, darec, means a way, but is taken for mode or manners as the 10th chapter of Isaiah See Isaiah 10:24,26. — fj. ‘I will smite him according to the manner of Egypt,’ says God, speaking of Sennacherib, as though he said, “Ye know how formerly I checked the fury of Pharaoh; I will now put on the same armor, that I may drive far from you your energy Sennacherib.” But the Prophet says here, that God had exercised towards the Israelites the same extreme rigor which he had used towards the Egyptians; as though he said, “I have been forced by your obstinacy to turn my power against you: ye know how Egypt was formerly smitten by me from kindness to your fathers; I then showed how dear to me was your preservation, by putting forth my strength to destroy the Egyptians: how is it that I now turn my weapons against you for your destruction? I have been indeed always ready to oppose your enemies, and kindly to cherish you in my paternal bosom. As then ye are become to me like the Egyptians, how is this and whence this change, except that ye have constrained me by your irreclaimable wickedness?”

We now then see why the Prophet speaks here expressly of the Egyptians. He intimates that God could not show favor to the Israelites, which he would have continued to show, had they not closed the door against it; as though he said, “I had chosen you from other nations; but now I chastise you, not as I do the uncircumcised Gentiles, but I avowedly carry on war with you, as though ye were Egyptians.” We see how much it serves for amplification, when Amos compares the Israelites to the Egyptians, as though he had said that they, by their perverse wickedness, had extinguished all God’s favor, so that the memory of their gratuitous adoption was of no more avail to them. I have therefore sent among you pestilence after the manner of Egypt.

And he adds, I slew with the sword your strong men. It was a different kind of punishment, that all the strong had been slain, that their horses had been led into captivity, and that, finally, the foetor of dead bodies had ascended to suffocate them. These were certainly unusual tokens of God’s wrath. As the people had not repented, it became now again quite evident, that their diseases were not healable; for God had effected nothing by the application of so many remedies. These different kinds of punishments ought to be carefully noticed, because the Lord has collected them together, as so many arguments to prove the contumacy of the people.

By saying that the foetor of camps had ascended to their nostrils, it was the same as if he had said, “There has been no need of external force; though no enemy had been hostile to you, ye have yet been suffocated by your own foetor; for this came up from your own camps into your nostrils, and deprived you of life. Since God then had raised up this intestine putridity, ought you not to have been at length seriously affected, and to have returned to a right mind? Inasmuch then as no fruit followed, who does not see, that you have been in vain chastised, and that what alone remains for you is utter destruction? As God has hitherto stimulated you in vain by punishments, were he to proceed, he would lose all his labor. Since then God has hitherto to no purpose visited you with his scourges, there is no reason why he should chastise you more moderately: you must now then be utterly destroyed.” This is the meaning: and he further adds —

Amos 4:11

11. I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord

11. Subverti vos secundum subversionem Dei contra (vel, in) Sodomam et Gomorrham; et fuistis quasi torris ereptus ab incendio: et non reversi estis ad me, dicit Jehova.

Amos proceeds further, and says, that God had used a severity towards his chosen people similar to that which formerly he showed towards Sodom and Gomorrah. That, we know, was a memorable evidence of God’s wrath, which ought to have filled all ages with dread, as it ought also at this day: and Scripture, whenever it graphically paints the wrath of God, sets Sodom and Gomorrah before our eyes. It was indeed a dreadful judgment, when God destroyed those cities with fire from heaven, when they were consumed, and when the earth, cleaving asunder, swallowed up the five cities. But he says that nearly the same ruin had taken place among the people of Israel, only that a few escaped, as when any one snatches a brand from the burning; for the second clause of the verse ought no doubt to be taken as a modification; for had Amos only said, that they had been overthrown as Sodom and Gomorrah, he would have said too much. The Prophet then corrects or modifies his expression by saying, that a few had remained, as when one snatches a brand from the burning. But in the meantime, they ought to have been at least moved by punishments so grievous and dreadful, since God had manifested his displeasure to them, as he did formerly to Sodom and Gomorrah.

History seems, at the same time, to militate against this narrative of Amos; for he prophesied under Jeroboam the second, the son of Joash; and the state of the people was then prosperous, as sacred history records. How then could it be, that the Israelites had been destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah? This difficulty may be easily solved, if we attend to what sacred history relates; for it says that God had pity on the Israelites, because all had been before consumed, the free man as well as the captive, (2 Kings 14:25, 26) When, therefore, there was so deplorable a devastation among the people, it was God’s purpose to give them some relief for a time. Hence he made king Jeroboam successful, so that he recovered many cities; and the people flourished again: but it was a short prosperity. Now Amos reminds them of what they had suffered, and of the various means by which God had stimulated them to repentance though they proved wholly untamable.

Then these two things are in no way inconsistent, — that the Israelites had been consumed before God spared them under Jeroboam, — and that they had yet been for a time relieved from those calamities, which proved ruinous both to the captive and to the free, as it is expressly declared. We must, at the same time, remember, that there was some residue among the people; for it was God’s design to show mercy on account of his covenant. The people were indeed worthy of complete destruction; but it was God’s will that some remnant should continue, lest any one should think that he had forgotten his covenant. We hence see why God had preserved some; it was, that he might contend with the wickedness of the people, and show that his covenant was not wholly void. So the Lord observed a middle course, that he might not spare hypocrites, and that he might not abolish his covenant; for it was necessary for that to stand perpetually, however ungodly and perfidious the Israelites may have been. The Prophet then shows, that God had been faithful even in this case, and constantly kept his covenant, though all the Israelites had fallen away from him. He at length concludes —

Amos 4:12-13

12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

12. Propterea sic faciam tibi Israel; et quia hoc faciam tibi, praepara te in occursum Dei tui Israel.

13. For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.

13. Quia ecce formans montes, creans spiritum (aut, ventum,) annuntians homini quae sit cogitatio ejus, faciens auroram, tenebras (et tenebras, subaudienda est copula,) ambulans super excelsa loca terrae, Jehova, Deus exercituum, nomen ejus.

Amos here declares, in the person of God, that the people in vain hoped for pardon, or for a modification, or an abatement, or an end to their punishment; for God had in vain made the attempt, by many scourges and chastisements, to subdue their extreme arrogance: therefore, he says, thus will I do to you. What does this particle כה, ke, thus, mean? Some think that God here denounces on the Israelites the punishments they had before experienced: but the Prophet, I doubt not, means something much more grievous. He now removes the exception which he lately mentioned as though be had said, that God would execute extreme punishment on this reprobate people without any mitigation. This will I do to thee, Israel: “Thou hast already perceived with how many things I armed myself to take vengeance on the despisers of my law; I will now deal more severely with thee, for thy obstinacy compels me. Since, then, I have hitherto produced no effect on you, I will now bring the last punishment: for remedies cannot be applied to men past recovery.” Thus, then, he says, will I do to thee Israel. There seems to be a reference in “thus” to the judgment denounced on Israel in the 2nd and 3rd verses of this chapter: he declares that he will deal with Israel “thus,” or in the manner before described. — Ed.

And because I will do this to thee, etc עכב, okob, means often a reward or an end: this place may then be thus rendered: ‘I will at length surely do this to you;’ but the sense the most suitable seems to be this, Because I will this do to you, prepare to meet thy God. The passage may be explained in two ways: either as an ironical sentence, or as a simple and serious exhortation to repentance. If we take it ironically, the sense will be of this kind, “Come, now, meet me with all your obstinacy, and with whatever may serve you; will you be able to escape my vengeance by setting up yourselves against me, as you have hitherto done?” And certainly the Prophet, in denouncing final ruin on the people, seems here as though he wished designedly to touch them to the quick, when he says, “Meet now thy God and prepare thyself:” that is, “Gather all thy strength, and thy forces, and thy auxiliaries; try what all this will avail thee.” But as in the next chapter, the Prophet exhorts again the Israelites to repentance, and sets before them the hope of favor, this place may be taken in another sense, as though he said, “Since thou seest thyself guilty, and also as thou seest that thou art seeking subterfuges in vain, being not able by any means to elude the hand of thy judge, then see at last, that thou meet thy God, that thou mayest anticipate the final ruin which is impending.” The Prophets, we indeed know, after having threatened destruction to the chosen people, ever moderate the asperity of their doctrine, as there were at all times some remnant seed, though hidden. And similar passages we have seen both in Joel and in Hosea. It is not, therefore, improper to explain the words of Amos in this sense, — that though the people were almost past hope, he yet exhorted them to anticipate God’s wrath. Prepare then thyself to meet thy God, as though he said, “However worthy thou art of being destroyed and though the Lord seems to have closed up the door of mercy, and despair meets thee on every side, thou can’t yet mitigate God’s wrath, provided thou prepares to meet him.”

But this preparation includes real renovation of the heart: it then takes place, when men are displeased with themselves, when with a changed mind they submit to God, and humbly pray for forgiveness. There is then an important meaning in the Prophet’s words, Prepare thyself. With regard to meeting God, we know what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9: ,

‘If we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged by the Lord.’

How comes it, then, that God deals severely with us, except that we spare ourselves? Hence this indulgence, with which we flatter ourselves, provokes God’s wrath against us. We cannot then meet God, except we become our own judges, and condemn our sins and feel real sorrow. We now see what the Prophet means, if we regard the passage as not spoken ironically.

But that he might rouse careless men more effectually, he then magnificently extols the power of God; and that he might produce more reverence and fear in men, especially the hardened and the refractory, he adorns his name with many commendations. As it was difficult to turn the headstrong, the Prophet accumulates many titles, to move the people, that they might entertain reverence for God. “God,” he says, “has formed the mountains, and created the spirit,” and further, “he knoweth hearts, and men themselves understand not what they think of, except as far as God sets before them their thoughts; God maketh the morning and the darkness, and walketh in the high places of the earth; and his name is, Jehovah, God of hosts.” Why were all these encomiums added, but that the hearts of men might be touched, who were before void of thought and sunk in blind stupidity? We now understand the Prophet’s object. But what remains to be said on the words will be added in tomorrow’s lecture.

Prayer.

Grant, Almighty God, that since by thy word thou kindly invites us to thyself, we may not turn deaf ears to thee, but anticipate thy rod and scourges; and that when, for the stupidity and thoughtlessness by which we have become inebriated, thou addest those punishments by which thou sharply urgest us to repent, — O grant, that we may not continue wholly intractable, but at length turn our hearts to thy service and submit ourselves to the yoke of thy word, and that we may be so instructed by the punishments, which thou hast inflicted on us and still inflictest, that we may truly and from the heart turn to thee, and offer ourselves to thee as a sacrifice, that thou mayest govern us according to thy will, and so rule all our affections by thy Spirit, that we may through the whole of our life strive to glorify thy name in Christ Jesus, thy Son our Lord. Amen.

Lecture Fifty-seventh

We have explained the last verse of the fourth chapter, except that there remains something to be said of the glorious representation given of God by the Prophet. He says first, that he had formed the mountains then that he had created the spirits, afterwards that he declares to man what is his thoughts, makes the morning and the darkness, and walks on the high places of the earth Such an accumulation of words might seem superfluous, only this main thing must be borne in mind, that it was necessary for men, whose minds were exceedingly torpid to be aroused that they might seriously consider what we have seen had been denounced on them. Hence the Prophet sought to shake off from the Israelites their thoughtlessness, by setting God before them in his greatness; for when his name only is announced, he is wholly neglected by the greatest part of men. It was therefore necessary that something should be added, that they who were asleep might be awakened, and understand how great and how fearful the power of God is. This is the design of all that we read here.

The word רוח, ruch, is interpreted in two ways. Some refer it to the wind, and others to the soul of man. If we take it for the wind, it will join suitably with the creation of mountains, for the winds emerge from them on account of their cavity. If you understand it of man’s soul, it will agree with the following clause. It appears to me more probable that the Prophet speaks of man’s soul; though one may possibly choose to connect both, so that there is an allusion to wind, and that yet Amos, about to speak of thought, first mentions the spirit.

But what the Prophet says, that God announces to men what their thought is — this is done in various ways. We indeed know that the end of teaching is, that men may confess their guilt, who before flattered themselves; we know also that the word of God is like a two-edged sword, which penetrates into the bones and marrow, and distinguishes between thoughts and feelings, (Hebrews 4:12) God then thus draws men out of their recesses into the light; and he also convinces them without the word; for we know how powerful are the secret movements (instinctus — influences) of the Spirit. But the Prophet meant only here, that the Israelites had to do with God, who is the searcher of hearts, and from whom nothing is hid, however concealed it may be. Each one is to himself the best witness of his own thoughts; but the Prophet ascribes to God a higher degree, for he understands whatever any one conceives in his mind, better than he who seems to have all his own thoughts well understood. This conjecture is fully borne out by the fact, that the copulative ו, vau, is found in more than twenty MSS., as given by Kennicott: it is also found in the Septuagint. — Ed. Since men therefore craftily hide themselves, the Prophet here reminds them that they cannot succeed, for God understands what they inwardly think better than they themselves. We now then perceive what he substantially means.

Some explain the words, that God makes the morning darkness, as if Amos had said, that he converts light into darkness; but we ought rather to consider a copulative to be understood; for he here declares the power of God, not only as displayed in once creating the world, but also in preserving the order of nature, and in minutely regulating the changes of times and seasons. Let us now proceed to the fifth chapter.

Chapter 5

Amos 5:1

1. Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.

1. Audite verbum hoc quod ego tollo super vos, lamentum domus Israel.

CHAPTER 4

Am 4:1-13. Denunciation of Israel's Nobles for Oppression; and of the Whole Nation for Idolatry; and for Their Being Unreformed Even by God's Judgments: Therefore They Must Prepare for the Last and Worst Judgment of All.

1. kine of Bashan--fat and wanton cattle such as the rich pasture of Bashan (east of Jordan, between Hermon and Gilead) was famed for (De 32:14; Psa 22:12; Eze 39:18). Figurative for those luxurious nobles mentioned, Am 3:9, 10, 12, 15. The feminine, kine, or cows, not bulls, expresses their effeminacy. This accounts for masculine forms in the Hebrew being intermixed with feminine; the latter being figurative, the former the real persons meant.

say to their masters--that is, to their king, with whom the princes indulged in potations (Ho 7:5), and whom here they importune for more wine. "Bring" is singular, in the Hebrew implying that one "master" alone is meant.

2. The Lord--the same Hebrew as "masters" (Am 4:1). Israel's nobles say to their master or lord, Bring us drink: but "the Lord" of him and them "hath sworn," &c.

by his holiness--which binds Him to punish the guilty (Psa 89:35).

he will take yon away--that is God by the instrumentality of the enemy.

with hooks--literally, "thorns" (compare 2Ch 33:11). As fish are taken out of the water by hooks, so the Israelites are to be taken out of their cities by the enemy (Eze 29:4; compare Job 41:1, 2; Jr 16:16; Ha 1:15). The image is the more appropriate, as anciently captives were led by their conquerors by a hook made to pass through the nose (2Ki 19:28), as is to be seen in the Assyrian remains.

3. go out at the breaches--namely, of the city walls broken by the enemy.

every cow at that which is before her--figurative for the once luxurious nobles (compare "kine of Bashan," Am 4:1) shall go out each one right before her; not through the gates, but each at the breach before him, not turning to the right or left, apart from one another.

ye shall cast them into the palace--"them," that is, "your posterity," from Am 4:2. You yourselves shall escape through the breaches, after having cast your little children into the palace, so as not to see their destruction, and to escape the more quickly. Rather, "ye shall cast yourselves into the palace," so as to escape from it out of the city [Calvin]. The palace, the scene of the princes' riots (Am 3:10, 15; 4:1), is to be the scene of their ignominious flight. Compare in the similar case of Jerusalem's capture, the king's escape by way of the palace, through a breach in the wall (Eze 12:5, 12). Gesenius translates, "Ye shall be cast (as captives) into the (enemy's) stronghold"; in this view, the enemy's stronghold is called "palace," in retributive contrast to the "palaces" of Israel's nobles, the store houses of their robberies (Am 3:10).

4. God gives them up to their self-willed idolatry, that they may see how unable their idols are to save them from their coming calamities. So Eze 20:39.

Beth-el--(Am 3:14).

Gilgal--(Ho 4:15; 9:15; 12:11).

sacrifices every morning--as commanded in the law (Nu 28:3, 4). They imitated the letter, while violating by calf-worship the spirit, of the Jerusalem temple-worship.

after three years--every third year; literally, "after three (years of) days" (that is, the fullest complement of days, or a year); "after three full years." Compare Le 25:20; Jud 17:10, and "the days" for the years, Joe 1:2. So a month of days is used for a full month, wanting no day to complete it (Ge 29:14, Margin; Nu 11:20, 21). The Israelites here also kept to the letter of the law in bringing in the tithes of their increase every third year (De 14:28; 26:12).

5. offer--literally, "burn incense"; that is, "offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with burnt incense and with leavened bread." The frankincense was laid on the meat offering, and taken by the priest from it to burn on the altar (Le 2:1, 2, 8-11). Though unleavened cakes were to accompany the peace offering sacrifice of animals, leavened bread was also commanded (Le 7:12, 13), but not as a "meat offering" (Le 2:11).

this liketh you--that is, this is what ye like.

6-11. Jehovah details His several chastisements inflicted with a view to reclaiming them: but adds to each the same sad result, "yet have ye not returned unto Me" (Is 9:13; Jr 5:3; Ho 7:10); the monotonous repetition of the same burden marking their pitiable obstinacy.

cleanness of teeth--explained by the parallel, "want of bread." The famine alluded to is that mentioned in 2Ki 8:1 [Grotius]. Where there is no food to masticate, the teeth are free from uncleanness, but it is the cleanness of want. Compare Pr 14:4, "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean." So spiritually, where all is outwardly smooth and clean, it is often because there is no solid religion. Better fighting and fears with real piety, than peace and respectable decorum without spiritual life.

12. Therefore--as all chastisements have failed to make thee "return unto Me."

thus will I do unto thee--as I have threatened (Am 4:2, 3).

prepare to meet thy God--God is about to inflict the last and worst judgment on thee, the extinction of thy nationality; consider then what preparation thou canst make for encountering Him as thy foe (Jr 46:14; Lu 14:31, 32). But as that would be madness to think of (Is 27:4; Eze 22:14; He 10:31), see what can be done towards mitigating the severity of the coming judgment, by penitence (Is 27:5; 1Co 11:31). This latter exhortation is followed up in Am 5:4, 6, 8, 14, 15.

13. The God whom Israel is to "prepare to meet" (Am 4:12) is here described in sublime terms.

wind--not as the Margin, "spirit." The God with whom thou hast to do is the Omnipotent Maker of things seen, such as the stupendous mountains, and of things too subtle to be seen, though of powerful agency, as the "wind."

declareth unto man ... his thought--(Psa 139:2). Ye think that your secret thoughts escape My cognizance, but I am the searcher of hearts.

maketh ... morning darkness--(Am 5:8; 8:9). Both literally turning the sunshine into darkness, and figuratively turning the prosperity of the ungodly into sudden adversity (Psa 73:12, 18, 19; compare Jr 13:16).

treadeth upon ... high places--God treadeth down the proud of the earth. He subjects to Him all things however high they be (Mi 1:3). Compare De 32:13; 33:29, where the same phrase is used of God's people, elevated by God above every other human height.

Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan - Such an address was quite natural from the herdsman of Tekoa. Bashan was famous for the fertility of its soil, and its flocks and herds; and the prophet here represents the iniquitous, opulent, idle, lazy drones, whether men or women, under the idea of fatted bullocks, which were shortly to be led out to the slaughter.

He will take you away with hooks - Two modes of fishing are here alluded to:

1. Angling with rod, line, and baited hook.

2. That with the gaff, eel-spear, harpoon, or such like; the first used in catching small fish, by which the common people may be here represented; the second, for catching large fish, such as leave the sea, and come up the rivers to deposit their spawn; or such as are caught in the sea, as sharks, whales, dolphins, and even the hippopotamus, to which the more powerful and opulent inhabitants may be likened.

But as the words in the text are generally feminine, it has been supposed that the prophecy is against the proud, powerful, voluptuous women. I rather think that the prophet speaks catachrestically; and means men of effeminate manners and idle lives. They are not the bulls of Bashan, but the cows; having little of the manly character remaining. Some understand the latter word as meaning a sort of basket or wicker fish-nets.

And ye shall go out at the breaches - Probably the metaphor is here kept up. They shall be caught by the hooks, or by the nets; and though they may make breaches in the latter by their flouncing when caught, they shall be taken out at these very breaches; and cast, not in the palace, but into a reservoir, to be kept awhile, and afterwards be taken out to be destroyed. Samaria itself is the net; your adversaries shall besiege it, and make breaches in its walls. At those breaches ye shall endeavor to make your escape, but ye shall be caught and led into captivity, where most of you shall be destroyed. See Houbigant on this passage.

Come to Beth-el and transgress - Spoken ironically. Go on to worship your calves at Beth-el; and multiply your transgressions at Gilgal; the very place where I rolled away the reproach of your fathers, by admitting them there into my covenant by circumcision. A place that should have ever been sacred to me; but you have now desecrated it by enormous idolatries. Let your morning and evening sacrifices be offered still to your senseless gods; and continue to support your present vicious priesthood by the regular triennial tithes which should have been employed in my service; and: -

Over a sacrifice of thanksgiving - To the senseless metal, and the unfeeling stock and stone images, from which ye never did, and never could receive any help. Proceed yet farther, and bring free-will offerings; testify superabundant gratitude to your wooden and metallic gods, to whom ye are under such immense imaginary obligations! Proclaim and publish these offerings, and set forth the perfections of the objects of your worship; and see what they can do for you, when I, Jehovah, shall send drought, and blasting, and famine, and pestilence, and the sword among you.

Cleanness of teeth - Scarcity of bread, as immediately explained. Ye shall have no trouble in cleaning your teeth, for ye shall have nothing to eat.

Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord - This reprehension is repeated live times in this chapter; and in it are strongly implied God's longsuffering, his various modes of fatherly chastisement, the ingratitude of the people, and their obstinate wickedness. The famine mentioned here is supposed to be that which is spoken of 2Kgs 8:1; but it is most likely to have been that mentioned by Joel, chaps. 1 and 2.

When there were yet three months to the harvest - St. Jerome says, from the end of April, when the latter rain falls, until harvest, there are three months, May, June, and July, in which no rain falls in Judea. The rain, therefore, that God had withheld from them, was that which was usual in the spring months, particularly in April.

I caused it to rain upon one city - To prove to them that this rain did not come fortuitously or of necessity, God was pleased to make these most evident distinctions. One city had rain and could fill all its tanks or cisterns, while a neighboring city had none. One farm or field was well watered, and abundant in its crops, while one contiguous to it had not a shower. In these instances a particular providence was most evident. "And yet, they did not return to the Lord."

I have smitten you with blasting and mildew - He sent blasting and mildew on the crops, and the locust on the gardens, vineyards, and fields; and this in such a way as to show it was a Divine judgment. They saw this; "yet they did not return to the Lord!"

I have sent - the pestilence - After the blasting and the mildew, the pestilence came; and it acted among them as one of the plagues of Egypt. Besides this, he had suffered their enemies to attack and prevail against them; alluding to the time in which the Syrians besieged Samaria, and reduced it to the most extreme necessity, when the head of an ass was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five; and mothers ate the flesh of their children that had died through hunger, 2Kgs 6:25. And the people were miraculously relieved by the total slaughter of the Syrians by the unseen hand of God, 2Kgs 7:1, etc. And yet, after all those signal judgments, and singular mercies, "they did not return unto the Lord!"

I have overthrown some of you - In the destruction of your cities I have shown my judgments as signally as I did in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; and those of you that did escape were as "brands plucked out of the fire;" if not consumed, yet much scorched. And as the judgment was evidently from my hand, so was the deliverance; "and yet ye have not returned unto me, saith the Lord."

Therefore thus will I do unto thee - I will continue my judgments, I will fight against you; and, because I am thus determined: -

Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel - This is a military phrase, and is to be understood as a challenge to come out to battle. As if the Lord had said, I will attack you immediately. Throw yourselves into a posture of defense, summon your idols to your help: and try how far your strength, and that of your gods, will avail you against the unconquerable arm of the Lord of hosts! This verse has been often painfully misapplied by public teachers; it has no particular relation to the day of judgment, nor to the hour of death. These constructions are impositions on the text.

He that formeth the mountains - Here is a powerful description of the majesty of God. He formed the earth; he created the wind; he knows the inmost thoughts of the heart; he is the Creator of darkness and light; he steps from mountain to mountain, and has all things under his feet! Who is he who hath done and can do all these things? Jehovah Elohim Tsebaoth, that is his name.

1. The self-existing, eternal, and independent Being.

2. The God who is in covenant with mankind.

3. The universal Commander of all the hosts of earth and heaven. This name is farther illustrated in the following chapter. These words are full of instruction, and may be a subject of profitable meditation to every serious mind.

Kine of Bashan - So Amos compares the mighty, wanton, and oppressive rulers of Israel, to those full - fed, strong, and wanton beasts which in the herds did push at, hurt, and disturb the weaker cattle.

By his holiness - By himself as he is the holy God. The days - Of famine, desolation and captivity. He - God by the Assyrian army will take you, as fish are taken with the hook. Your posterity - The children of these oppressors.

Come to Beth - el - A strong irony, giving them over as incorrigible. At Gilgal - Gilgal was a place where much idolatry was acted. Every morning - In the same irony God reproves their sins tho' they imitated the instituted worship at Jerusalem. Three years - God had Deut 14:28, commanded every third year that all the tithe of that year should be brought, and laid up in a publick store - house.

With leaven - As all the rest of your will - worship, so this also is against the express law, Lev 2:11. However, do so at your peril, try whether it will end in good. Proclaim - Publickly persuaded your people to voluntary sacrifices.

An I - The Lord who gave many blessings to win you to repentance, hath also tried what might be done by judgments. Cleanness of teeth - This is a description of famine.

When - At a season when your country most needed it. Upon one city - That you might see my hand in it, I gave rain to one city, and withheld it from the next; nay one part of the same field was watered and flourished: another part, dry and withered.

Not satisfied - Either that had not enough for them, or durst not part with it.

Increased - When they were most fruitful. Devoured - Eat up all, as is the manner of them.

Your horses - The riders being killed. The stink - So great slaughter hath been made in your camp that there were not sufficient to bury the slain.

Overthrew - By grievous and desolating judgments. As a fire - brand - Such of you as escaped were yet as fire - brands in the midst of the fire, 'till infinite mercy saved a remnant.

Therefore - In a more terrible manner will I now proceed against thee.

Declareth - Knows the thoughts of all men. The God of hosts - Whose sovereign power all creatures obey, and acts for or against us as he willeth. Let us humble ourselves before this God, and give all diligence to make him our God. For happy are the people whose God he is, and who have all this power engaged for them.

1 HEar this word ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria , which oppress the poor , which crush the needy , which say to their masters , bring and let us drink .

Attentively, and consider the consequences of it; weigh both what and whose it is that is spoken.

Prophesie, or sermon of reproof and threatning, Vid. chap. 3. ver. 1. let. a, b, c, d. So Amos bred among Cattel, compares the mighty, proud, wanton, and oppressive Rulers of Israel to those full fed, strong, and wanton Beasts which in the herds did push at, hurt, and disturb the weaker Cattle. Some will by this understand the Court Ladies of Israel in those times; but this perhaps is too nice, though as in Ahab's time Iezabel was at Court, and a promoter of oppression and violence, so there might be in after times some like her, and perhaps these may be intended secondarily, yet surely Amos intends the great Men and Governours whom he calls kine of Bashan, a fruitful Country, of which see Ezek. 39.18. and Nah. 1.4.

In a decorum to his first allusion he calls their places of Power, Authority, and Office in the Kingdom of Israel, Mountains, for as those beasts grazing on Mountains grew fat, so these men by their fees, perquisites and bribes grew insolent and mischievous, Vid. ca[illegible: 1 letter]. 3. ver. 9. let. m.

The meaner sort of the people, the commonalty under their jurisdiction by colour of Law.

By force and open violence break in pieces the afflicted, who have neither power nor friend to relieve them.

Husbands say some, so the Hebr. will bear, or it may refer to some of the greatest Officers in Israel, who had inferiour Officers under them, or the Masters of the poor.

Get us Commission, or bring them into our Court and Office.

We will get by them to feast on, and revel in drink.

This verse is an Introduction to all that follows in this chapter.

2 The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness , that lo the dayes shall come upon you , that he will take you away with hooks , and your posterity with fish-hooks .

I have often told you that God had spoken, now I assure you that the Mighty and Eternal God hath sworn the thing, and you must therefore needs conclude it sure and certain. He hath sworn by his Holiness, by himself, as he is the Holy God, and cannot lye, see Psal. 89.35.

Of darkness, slaughter, famine, desolation and captivity threatned against you.

Oppressours that crush the poor.

God by the Assyrian Army under Salmaneser, nay, before that time you shall be taken, as fish are taken with the hook, during the intestine wars that are coming upon you.

Who now live, and hear the word of Amos and Hosea, but notwithstanding do continue to act the same violence still.

Or Thorns, as the Hebr. with which they did pierce the greater fish, before they had the skill of making Iron darts, as some observe.

The children of these oppressours,

Shall be taken as silly fish, and as easily carried away; The enemy shall with delight ensnare and destroy them.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]er. 16.16. [illegible: 1 span]. 1.15.

3 And ye shall go out at the breaches , every cow at that which is before her , and ye shall cast them into the palace , saith the Lord GOD.

Kine of Bashan, oppressours distressed by the just hand of God, and by the violent hand of your enemy,

endeavour to make your escape by flight.

Which the besieging enemy made in your Walls, when Samaria is besieged.

It shall be an universal flight, and with great consternation, they not able to forecast where the safest, but taking which way is readyest.

Either cast away all the riches and ornaments of your Palaces, or the prey and bribes you had laid up there, or ye shall abandon the Palaces ye dwelt in.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 letter]e shall [illegible: 1 word] away the [illegible: 1 word] of the [illegible: 1 letter]lace.

4 ¶ Come to Beth-el and transgress , at Gilgal multiply transgression ; and bring your sacrifices every morning , and your tithes after three years .

The known place of the Moscholatria, Calf-Worship. See chap. 3. verse 14. let. y.

This clears it to be an Irony, either throwing them up to their obstinate way of sinning, giving them over as hopeless and incorrigible sinners, or deriding their trust and dependence on Idols, to which they sacrificed at Beth-el, see what will be the issue hereof, how you shall succeed herein.

Gilgal was a place also where much Idolatry was acted, vid. Hos. 4.15. and 9.15. and 12.11. Since you will not be warn'd, go on, try whether God likes your Sacrifices there as well as you like them, and whether they will be a means to preserve from judgments, or sins hastening judgments on you.

In the same Irony God doth by Amos express his own displeasure, reprove their sin, and threaten it, though they imitate the Instituted Worship at Ierusalem, Exod. 29.38, 39. Numb. 28.3, 4.

God had Deut. 14.28. commanded every third year that all the tithe of that year should be brought, and laid up in a publick Storehouse to this Law, with the same Irony doth the Prophet allude here.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]eb. three [illegible: 1 word] of days.

5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven , and proclaim and publish the free-offerings ; for this liketh you , O ye children of Israel , saith the Lord GOD .

As all the rest of your will-worship, so this also against the express Law, Lev. 2.11. but yet you will persist in it, and do so at your peril, try whether it end in good to you.

Publickly, frequently and earnestly perswade your people to voluntary Sacrifices, in which you think to please me, but you offer them all to Idols, this your Religion is impiety.

As you invented it, so it pleaseth you, and you will not be reclaimed;

Ye Idolatrous Apostate Israelites,

for these you shall be punisht by the Lord your God.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]eb. offer by [illegible: 1 span].; [illegible: 1 letter]ev. 7.13.; [illegible: 1 letter]eb. so ye [illegible: 1 span]

6 ¶ And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities , and want of bread in all your places : yet have ye not returned unto me , saith the LORD.

The Lord who gave many Blessings to win you to Repentance, hath also tryed what might be done by Judgments.

This is a description of Famine by one effect of it, where meat fails the teeth are not fouled, as where it is eaten.

It was a general famine, and probably 'twas that 2 Kings 8.1. long Famine.

If there were some bread, yet 'twas very scarce every where, this passage explains the former.

Yet this starving people repented not of their Idolatries, nor cast off their Idols; left not their sins of oppression and cruelty, &c. Vid. Ioel 2.12, 13. what you did like returning was partial▪ and hypocritical, and not lasting.

7 And I also have withholden the rain from you , when there were yet three months to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one city , and caused it not to rain upon another city : one piece was rained upon , and the piece whereupon it rained not withered .

Your vanities could not, and because ye did so greatly sin against me I would not give you rain, I forbad the Clouds from above, and they thus prohibited did withhold their rain as I threatned, Deut. 28.23, 24,

A[illegible: 1 letter] a season when your Countrey most usually had, and as then it ever did most need, rain, vid. Ioel 2.23. Three months drought then as 'twas unusual in the course of nature, so 'twas an extraordinary curse and punishment on them.

That you might see my hand in it and be instructed, I gave rain to one City.

And withheld rain from the next Neighbor City,

Nay one part of a Field the same field

watered and flourisht.

Another part dry and withered.

All this to con[illegible: 1 letter]ince and turn you.

8 So two or three cities wandred to one city to drink water; but they were not satisfied : yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD .

A certain for an uncertain number.

The places for the inhabitants by an usual Metonymie.

It seems to imply that they travelled at some uncertainty, as they do who wander and rove about.

It is not unlikely but that in the Prophets times the story might be well known and fresh in memory, though here no mention is made of these Cities.

Either that City they went to had not enough for them, or durst not part with it, or though they quencht their thirst, yet because they must return back to their own dry and waterless Cities, or because God withdrew his blessing they were never the better or else not much or long the better.

Vid. ver. 6. let. p.

9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew , when your gardens , and your vineyards , and your fig-trees , and your olive-trees increased the palmer-worm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD .

To other judgments inflicted on you I have added this also, my hand hath been heavy upon you, I have smitten.

The excessive heat and drought have turned your Corn into black and parched smoot or ashes.

A bane to Corn through too much wet, the Seaso[illegible: 2 letters] were extreamly unkind, and all spoiled with it.

About your houses for convenience and pleasure.

Planted for your support and to enrich you, to chear your heart.

Which were excellent, of very great use, and profit in those Countries.

A principal commodity arose from their Olive-yards, all that was for delight, profit and necessary use.

When they were seemingly most fruitful.

Vid. Ioel 1.3.10, 11, 12.

Eat up all as is the manner of that Worm.

Vid. ver. 6. let. p.

Marginal references: Deut. 28.22▪ Hag. 2.17.; Or, the multitude of your gardens, &c. did the palmer-worm, &c.; Joel 2.25.

10 I have sent among you the pestilence , after the manner of Egypt : your young men have I slain with the sword , and have taken away your horses , and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils : yet have you not returned unto me, saith the LORD .

You have died of Plague, but I commissioned the Disease, I [illegible: 1 letter]ent it, and it swept you away in such manner, that any observant eye might have seen the hand of God against you in it, and might have read the Commission.

Arrow of God, that walketh in the dark, that wasteth at noon day.

In which there was somewhat extraordinary, it swept away both Men and Beasts, say some, probably 'twas this Disease which by the stroke of the Angel seised the First-born in Egypt. Others interpret this with particular respect to the Death of them in going down to seek aid of Egypt, or in their return from Egypt, as if the Prophet minded them of many that died on the way to or from Egypt, but the phrase in the way is better rendred by our Translators after the manner.

God was their Enemy and slew their young men the choice of their strength and hope.

In War and by their neighbouring Enemies in Iehoa[illegible: 1 letter]az his time, and Syrians since that too, 2 Kings 13.3. and 15.16. and 19. compared.

Not by Murrain but by what was worse to you by the hand of those who did ride them, and these being slain the Horses were taken by the Enemy, and added to their strength, and your danger.

So great slaughter hath been made in your Camp that there were not sufficient to bury the slain before they stunk and offended you.

Vid. verse 6. let. p.

Marginal references: Or, in the way.; Heb. with the captivity of your horses.

11 I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha , and ye were as a fire brand pluckt out of the burning , yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

Utterly consumed and destroyed your Houses and Goods.

Though it was a total consumption to those it fell on, yet 'twas but on some who might be warnings to others, and by which others might see how easie 'twas for God to destroy them all.

We no where else read such Fire from Heaven, yet 'tis possible some such judgement might fall on some of their Cities, and not be recorded; but I do rather understand it proverbially spoken, denoting most grievous and desolating Fires, or judgments.

Such of you as escaped were yet in very great danger and as Fire-brands in midst of the Fire, where you were with others burning till infinite mercy saved a remnant, and pluckt you out.

Vid. chap. 4. ver. 6. let. p.

Marginal references: Gen. 19.24, 25. Isa. 13.19. Jer. 49.18.; Zech. 3.2.

12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee , O Israel h: and because I will do this unto thee l, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

Because none of my former methods have succeeded as in reason might have been expected

in some more terrible manner will I now proceed against thee.

If you humble your selves and so return 'twill be mercy to you, but if you proudly and sinfully refuse to return, know ye that you must perish, for you can never make good your cause against God, and yet you must meet him, for he will ere he hath done with you end the controversie.

Who once was thy God, and whom thou still ownest for thy God, and who would yet be thine if thou repent.

You of the ten Tribes. And therefore my last advice to you is to consider it well, if you think well of it possibly you may see and prevent the threatned evil.

13 For lo, he that formeth the mountains , and createth the wind , and declareth unto man, what is his thought , that maketh the morning darkness , and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the LORD, the God of hosts is his name .

To move them to act for their safety, the Prophet tells them how great and dreadful God is, the most dreadfull and terrible Enemy, but the most desireable Friend.

When there was not a Mountain or Hill, or the least dust of either, thy God O Israel formed them, and it is wisdom to return to him for he can remove difficulties and pressures were they as heavy as Mountains, and so he can mend all with you quickly, and if your confidences in sinful wayes were as strong as Mountains he can overthrow them, return therefore and repent.

Giveth being by an Almighty will.

Which for its instability seems of contrary nature to Mountains, which doth shake them and overturn foundations, that wind which we feel, and hear though we see it not, that makes hideous noises, and works dreadful effects. The Storms you are threatned with O Israel, are like the Wind, dreadful irre[illegible: 3 letters]table, but as the Wind raised and ruled by God, who can soon with one word lay them all asleep, return therefore to him.

Think not by any counsels to prevent what God determines against an impenitent and sinful nation, as his power is infinite in creating, his wisdom is infinite too and unsearchable and he can and will take sinners in their incorrigible wickednesses and punish them, be wise therefore and return to him by Repentance.

Can as easily turn outward prosperity into extream adversity as he can turn a glorious morning into a dark dismall and overclouded day, so will do against you if you repent not, and can turn a cloudy morning into brightness, and misery into happiness if you Repent.

Can tread under foot the Idols that are worshipt on high places of the Earth, and trample on high and mighty Potentates, exalted above ordinary men as highestHills are above lowest valleys.

In this lower World.

Who alone am the Lord the Eternal and mighty God.

Whose soveraign power and command all Creatures obey, and act for or against us as he willeth.

Marginal references: Or, spirit.; chap. 5.8.; Deut. 32.13. & 33.29.

Amo 4:1-3 “Hear this word, ye cows of Bashan, that are upon the mountain of Samaria, that oppress there the humble and crush the poor, that say to their lords, Bring hither, that we may drink. Amo 4:2. The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by His holiness: behold, days come upon you, that they drag you away with hooks, and your last one with fish-hooks. Amo 4:3. And ye will go out through breaches in the wall, every one before him, and be cast away to Harmon, is the saying of Jehovah.” The commencement of this chapter is closely connected, so far as the contents are concerned, with the chapter immediately preceding. The prophet having there predicted, that when the kingdom was conquered by its enemies, the voluptuous grandees would perish, with the exception of a very few who would hardly succeed in saving their lives, turns now to the voluptuous women of Samaria, to predict in their case a shameful transportation into exile. The introduction, “Hear this word,” does not point therefore to a new prophecy, but simply to a fresh stage in the prophecy, so that we cannot even agree with Ewald in taking Amo 4:1-3 as the conclusion of the previous prophecy (Amo 3:1-15). The cows of Bashan are well-fed, fat cows, βόες εὔτροφοι, vaccae pingues (Symm., Jer.), as Bashan had fat pastures, and for that reason the tribes that were richest in flocks and herds had asked for it as their inheritance (Numbers 32). The fuller definitions which follow show very clearly that by the cows of Bashan, Amos meant the rich, voluptuous, and violent inhabitants of Samaria. It is doubtful, however, whether he meant the rich and wanton wives of the great, as most of the modern commentators follow Theodor., Theodoret, and others, in assuming; or “the rulers of Israel, and all the leading men of the ten tribes, who spent their time in pleasure and robbery” (Jerome); or “those rich, luxurious, and lascivious inhabitants of the palace of whom he had spoken in Amo 3:9-10” (Maurer), as the Chald., Luther, Calvin, and others suppose, and whom he calls cows, not oxen, to denote their effeminacy and their unbridled licentiousness. In support of the latter opinion we might adduce not only Hos 10:11, where Ephraim is compared to a young heifer, but also the circumstance that from Amo 3:4 onwards the prophecy refers to the Israelites as a whole. But neither of these arguments proves very much. The simile in Hos 10:11 applies to Ephraim as a kingdom of people, and the natural personification as a woman prepares the way for the comparison to an ‛eglâh; whereas voluptuous and tyrannical grandees would be more likely to be compared to the bulls of Bashan (Psa 22:13). And so, again, the transition in Hos 10:4 to the Israelites as a whole furnishes no help in determining more precisely who are addressed in Hos 10:1-3. By the cows of Bashan, therefore, we understand the voluptuous women of Samaria, after the analogy of Isa 3:16. and Isa 32:9-13, more especially because it is only by forcing the last clause of Isa 32:1 that it can be understood as referring to men. שׁמעוּ for שׁמענה, because the verb stands first (compare Isa 32:11). The mountain of Samaria is mentioned in the place of the city built upon the mountain (see at Amo 3:9). The sin of these women consisted in the tyrannical oppression of the poor, whilst they asked their lords, i.e., their husbands, to procure them the means of debauchery. For עשׁק and רצץ, compare Deu 28:33 and 1Sa 12:3-4, where the two words are already connected. הביאה stands in the singular, because every wife speaks in this way to her husband.

The announcement of the punishment for such conduct is introduced with a solemn oath, to make an impression, if possible, upon the hardened hearts. Jehovah swears by His holiness, i.e., as the Holy One, who cannot tolerate unrighteousness. כּי (for) before הנּה introduces the oath. Hitzig takes ונשּׂא as a niphal, as in the similar formula in 2Ki 20:17; but he takes it as a passive used impersonally with an accusative, after Gen 35:26 and other passages (though not Exo 13:7). But as נשּׂא unquestionably occurs as a piel in 1Ki 9:11, it is more natural to take the same form as a piel in this instance also, and whilst interpreting it impersonally, to think of the enemy as understood. Tsinnōth = tsinnı̄m, Pro 22:5; Job 5:5, צנּה = צּן, thorns, hence hooks; so also sı̄rōth = sı̄rı̄m, thorns, Isa 34:13; Hos 2:8. Dūgâh, fishery; hence sı̄rōth dūgâh, fish-hooks. 'Achărı̄th does not mean posterity, or the young brood that has grown up under the instruction and example of the parents (Hitzig), but simply “the end,” the opposite of rē'shı̄th, the beginning. It is “end,” however, in different senses. Here it signifies the remnant (Chaldee), i.e., those who remain and are not dragged away with tsinnōth; so that the thought expressed is “all, even to the very last” (compare Hengstenberg, Christology, i. p. 368). אחריתכן has a feminine suffix, whereas masculine suffixes were used before (אתכם, עליכם); the universal gender, out of which the feminine was first formed. The figure is not taken from animals, into whose noses hooks and rings are inserted to tame them, or from large fishes that are let down into the water again by nose-hooks; for the technical terms applied to these hooks are חח, חוח, and חכּה (cf. Eze 29:4; Job 41:1-2); but from the catching of fishes, that are drawn out of the fish-pond with hooks. Thus shall the voluptuous, wanton women be violently torn away or carried off from the midst of the superfluity and debauchery in which they lived as in their proper element. פּרצים תּצאנה, to go out of rents in the wall, יצא being construed, as it frequently is, with the accusative of the place; we should say, “though rents in the wall,” i.e., through breaches made in the wall at the taking of the city, not out at the gates, because they had been destroyed or choked up with rubbish at the storming of the city. “Every one before her,” i.e., without looking round to the right or to the left (cf. Jos 6:5, Jos 6:20). The words והשּׁלכתּנה ההרמונה are difficult, on account of the ἁπ. λεγ. ההרמונה, and have not yet been satisfactorily explained. The form השׁלכתּנה for השׁלכתּן is probably chosen simply for the purpose of obtaining a resemblance in sound to תּצאנה, and is sustained by אתּנה for אתּן in Gen 31:6 and Eze 13:11. השׁליך is applied to thrusting into exile, as in Deu 29:27.

The ἁπ. λεγ. ההרמונה with ה htiw  loc. appears to indicate the place to which they were to be carried away or cast out. But the hiphil השׁלכתּנה does not suit this, and consequently nearly all the earlier translators have rendered it as a passive, ἀποῤῥι-φήσεσθε (lxx), projiciemini (Jerome); so also the Syr. and Chald. ויגלון יתהון, “men will carry them away captive.” One Hebrew codex actually gives the hophal. And to this reading we must adhere; for the hiphil furnishes no sense at all, since the intransitive or reflective meaning, to plunge, or cast one’s self, cannot be sustained, and is not supported at all by the passages quoted by Hitzig, viz., 2Ki 10:25 and Job 27:22; and still less does haharmōnâh denote the object cast away by the women when they go into captivity.The Masoretic pointing probably originated in the idea that harmōnâh, corresponding to the talmudic harmânâ', signifies royal power or dominion, and so Rashi interprets it: “ye will cast away the authority, i.e., the almost regal authority, or that pride and arrogance with which you bear yourselves to-day” (Ros.). This explanation would be admissible, if it were not that the use of a word which never occurs again in the old Hebrew for a thing so frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, rendered it very improbable. At any rate, it is more admissible than the different conjectures of the most recent commentators. Thus Hitzig, for example (Comm. ed. 3), would resolve haharmōnâh into hâhâr and mōnâh = meōnâh (“and ye will plunge headlong to the mountain as a place of refuge”). The objections to this are, (1) that hishlı̄kh does not mean to plunge headlong; (2) the improbability of meōnâh being contracted into mōnâh, when Amos has meōnâh in Amo 3:4; and lastly, the fact that meōnâh means simply a dwelling, not a place of refuge. Ewald would read hâhâr rimmōnâh after the lxx, and renders it, “ye will cast Rimmonah to the mountain,” understanding by Rimmonah a female deity of the Syrians. But antiquity knows nothing of any such female deity; and from the reference to a deity called Rimmon in 2Ki 5:18, you cannot possibly infer the existence of a goddess Rimmonah. The explanation given by Schlottmann (Hiob, p. 132) and Paul Bötticher (Rudimenta mythologiae semit. 1848, p. 10) - namely, that harmōnâh as the Phoenician goddess Chusarthis, called by the Greeks Ἁρμονία - is still more untenable, since Ἁρμονία is no more derived from the talmudic harmân than this is from the Sanscrit pramāna (Bötticher, l.c. p. 40); on the contrary, harmân signifies loftiness, from the Semitic root הרם, to be high, and it cannot be shown that there was a goddess called Harman or Harmonia in the Phoenician worship. Lastly, the fanciful idea of Bötticher, that harmōnâh is contracted from hâhar rimmōnâh, and that the meaning is, “and then ye throw, i.e., remove, the mountain (your Samaria) to Rimmon, that ancient place of refuge for expelled tribes” (Jdg 20:45.), needs no refutation.

The literal meaning of harmōnâh or harmōn still remains uncertain. According to the etymology of הרם, to be high, it apparently denotes a high land: at the same time, it can neither be taken as an appellative, as Hesselberg and Maurer suppose, “the high land;” nor in the sense of 'armōn, a citadel or palace, as Kimchi and Gesenius maintain. The former interpretation is open to the objection, that we cannot possibly imagine why Amos should have formed a word of his own, and one which never occurs again in the Hebrew language, to express the simple idea of a mountain or high land; and the second to this objection, that “the citadel” would require something to designate it as a citadel or fortress in the land of the enemy. The unusual word certainly points to the name of a land or district, though we have no means of determining it more precisely.Even the early translators have simply rendered haharmōnâh according to the most uncertain conjectures. Thus lxx, εἰς τὸὄρος τὸ Ῥομμάν (al. Ῥεμμάν); Aq., mons Armona; Theod., mons Mona; the Quinta: excelsus mons (according to Jerome); and Theodoret attributes to Theodot. ὑψηλὸν ὄρος. The Chaldee paraphrases it thus: להלאה מן טוּרי הרמיני, “far beyond the mountains of Armenia.” Symmachus also had Armenia, according to the statement of Theodoret and Jerome. But this explanation is probably merely an inference drawn from 2Ki 17:23, and cannot be justified, as Bochart supposes, on the ground that mōnâh or mōn is identical with minnı̄.

Amo 4:4-5

After this threat directed against the voluptuous women of the capital, the prophecy turns again to all the people. In bitter irony, Amos tells them to go on with zeal in their idolatrous sacrifices, and to multiply their sin. But they will not keep back the divine judgment by so doing. Amo 4:4. “Go to Bethel, and sin; to Gilgal, multiply sinning; and offer your slain-offerings in the morning, your tithes every three days. Amo 4:5. And kindle praise-offerings of that which is leavened, and cry out freewill-offerings, proclaim it; for so ye love it, O sons of Israel, is the saying of the Lord, of Jehovah.” “Amos here describes how zealously the people of Israel went on pilgrimage to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Beersheba, those places of sacred associations; with what superabundant diligence they offered sacrifice and paid tithes; who they would rather do too much than too little, so that they even burnt upon the altar a portion of the leavened loaves of the praise-offering, which were only intended for the sacrificial meals, although none but unleavened bread was allowed to be offered; and lastly, how in their pure zeal for multiplying the works of piety, they so completely mistook their nature, as to summon by a public proclamation to the presentation of freewill-offerings, the very peculiarity of which consisted in the fact that they had no other prompting than the will of the offerer” (v. Hofmann, Schriftbeweis, ii. 2, p. 373). The irony of the summons to maintain their worship comes out very distinctly in the words וּפשׁעוּ, and sin, or fall away from God. הגּלגּל is not a nominative absolute, “as for Gilgal,” but an accusative, and בּאוּ is to be repeated from the first clause. The absence of the copula before הרבּוּ does not compel us to reject the Masoretic accentuation, and connect הגּלגּל with פּלשׁעוּ, as Hitzig does, so as to obtain the unnatural thought, “sin ye towards Gilgal.” On Gilgal mentioned along with Bethel as a place of idolatrous worship (here and Amo 5:5, as in Hos 4:15; Hos 9:15, and Hos 12:12), see at Hos 4:15. Offer your slain-offerings labbōqer, for the morning, i.e., every morning, like layyōm in Jer 37:21. This is required by the parallel lishlōsheth yâmı̄m, on the three of days, i.e., every three days. זבחים ... הביאוּ does not refer to the morning sacrifice prescribed in the law (Num 28:3) - for that is always called ‛ōlâh, not zebach - but to slain sacrifices that were offered every morning, although the offering of zebhâchı̄m every morning presupposes the presentation of the daily morning burnt-offering. What is said concerning the tithe rests upon the Mosaic law of the second tithe, which was to be brought every three years (Deu 14:28; Deu 26:12; compare my Bibl. Archäol. §71, Anm. 7). The two clauses, however, are not to be understood as implying that the Israelites had offered slain sacrifices every morning, and tithe every three days. Amos is speaking hyperbolically, to depict the great zeal displayed in their worship; and the thought is simply this: “If ye would offer slain sacrifices every morning, and tithe every three days, ye would only thereby increase your apostasy from the living God.” The words, “kindle praise-offerings of that which is leavened,” have been misinterpreted in various ways. קטּר, an inf. absol. used instead of the imperative (see Ges. §131, 4, b). According to Lev 7:12-14, the praise-offering (tōdâh) was to consist not only of unleavened cakes and pancakes with oil poured upon them, but also of cakes of leavened bread. The latter, however, were not to be placed upon the altar, but one of them was to be assigned to the priest who sprinkled the blood, and the rest to be eaten at the sacrificial meal. Amos now charges the people with having offered that which was leavened instead of unleavened cakes and pancakes, and with having burned it upon the altar, contrary to the express prohibition of the law in Lev 2:11. His words are not to be understood as signifying that, although outwardly the praise-offerings consisted of that which was unleavened, according to the command of the law, yet inwardly they were so base that they resembled unleavened cakes, inasmuch as whilst the material of the leaven was absent, the true nature of the leaven - namely, malice and wickedness - was there in all the greater quantity (Hengstenberg, Dissertations, vol. i. p. 143 translation). The meaning is rather this, that they were not content with burning upon the altar unleavened cakes made from the materials provided for the sacrifice, but that they burned some of the leavened loaves as well, in order to offer as much as possible to God. What follows answers to this: call out nedâbhōth, i.e., call out that men are to present freewill-offerings. The emphasis is laid upon קראוּ, which is therefore still further strengthened by השׁמעוּ. Their calling out nedâbhōth, i.e., their ordering freewill-offerings to be presented, was an exaggerated act of zeal, inasmuch as the sacrifices which ought to have been brought out of purely spontaneous impulse (cf. Lev 22:18.; Deu 12:6), were turned into a matter of moral compulsion, or rather of legal command. The words, “for so ye love it,” show how this zeal in the worship lay at the heart of the nation. It is also evident from the whole account, that the worship in the kingdom of the ten tribes was conducted generally according to the precepts of the Mosaic law.

But as Israel would not desist from its idolatrous worship, Jehovah would also continue to visit the people with judgments, as He had already done, though without effecting any conversion to their God. This last thought is explained in Amo 4:6-11 in a series of instances, in which the expression ולא שׁבתּם עדי (and ye have not returned to me), which is repeated five times, depicts in the most thorough manner the unwearied love of the Lord to His rebellious children.

Amo 4:6 “And I have also given you cleanness of teeth in all your towns, and want of bread in all your places: and ye have not returned to me, is the saying of Jehovah.” The strongly adversative וגם אני forms the antithesis to כן אהבתּם: Ye love to persist in your idolatry, and yet I have tried all means of turning you to me. Cleanness of teeth is explained by the parallel “want of bread.” The first chastisement, therefore, consisted in famine, with which God visited the nation, as He had threatened the transgressors that He would do in the law (Deu 28:48, Deu 28:57). For שׁוּב עד, compare Hos 14:2.

Amo 4:7-8 “And I have also withholden the rain from you, in yet three months to the harvest; and have caused it to rain upon one city, and I do not cause it to rain upon another. One field is rained upon, and the field upon which it does not rain withers. Amo 4:8. And two, three towns stagger to one town to drink water, and are not satisfied: and ye have not returned to me, is the saying of Jehovah.” The second punishment mentioned is the withholding of rain, or drought, which was followed by the failure of the harvest and the scarcity of water (cf. Lev 26:19-20; Deu 28:23). The rain “in yet (i.e., at the time when there were yet) three months to the harvest” is the so-called latter rain, which falls in the latter half of February and the first half of March, and is of the greatest importance to the vigorous development of the ears of corn and also of the grains. In southern Palestine the harvest commences in the latter half of April (Nisan), and falls for the most part in May and June; but in the northern part of the land it is from two to four weeks later (see my Archäologie, i. pp. 33, 34, ii. pp. 113, 114), so that in round numbers we may reckon three months from the latter rain to the harvest. But in order to show the people more clearly that the sending and withholding of rain belonged to Him, God caused it to rain here and there, upon one town and one field, and not upon others (the imperfects from 'amtı̄r onwards express the repetition of a thing, what generally happens, and timmâtēr, third pers. fem., is used impersonally). This occasioned such distress, that the inhabitants of the places in which it had not rained were obliged to go to a great distance for the necessary supply of water to drink, and yet could not get enough to satisfy them. נוּע, to stagger, to totter, expresses the insecure and trembling walk of a man almost fainting with thirst.

Amo 4:9 “I have smitten you with blight and yellowness; many of your gardens, and of your vineyards, and of your fig-trees, and of your olive-trees, the locust devoured; and ye have not returned to me, is the saying of Jehovah.” The third chastisement consisted in the perishing of the corn by blight, and by the ears turning yellow, and also in the destruction of the produce of the gardens and the fruits of the trees by locusts. The first is threatened in Deu 28:22, against despisers of the commandments of God; the second points to the threatenings in Deu 28:39-40, Deu 28:42. The infin. constr. harbōth is used as a substantive, and stands as a noun in the construct state before the following words; so that it is not to be taken adverbially in the sense of many times, or often, as though used instead of harbēh (cf. Ewald, §280, c). On gâzâm, see at Joe 1:4. The juxtaposition of these two plagues is not to be understood as implying that they occurred simultaneously, or that the second was the consequence of the first; still less are the two to be placed in causal connection with the drought mentioned in Amo 4:7, Amo 4:8. For although such combinations do take place in the course of nature, there is no allusion to this in the present instance, where Amos is simply enumerating a series of judgments, through which Jehovah had already endeavoured to bring the people to repentance, without any regard to the time when they occurred.

Amo 4:10

The same thing may be said of the fourth chastisement mentioned in Amo 4:10, “I have sent pestilence among you in the manner of Egypt, have slain your young men with the sword, together with the booty of your horses, and caused the stench of your camps to ascend, and that into your nose; and ye have not returned to me, is the saying of Jehovah.” In the combination of pestilence and sword (war), the allusion to Lev 26:25 is unmistakeable (compare Deu 28:60, where the rebellious are threatened with all the diseases of Egypt). בּדרך מצרים, in the manner (not in the road) of Egypt (compare Isa 10:24, Isa 10:26; Eze 20:30), because pestilence is epidemic in Egypt. The idea that there is any allusion to the pestilence with which God visited Egypt (Exo 9:3.), is overthrown by the circumstance that it is only a dreadful murrain that is mentioned there. The slaying of the youths or young men points to overthrow in war, which the Israelites endured most grievously in the wars with the Syrians (compare 2Ki 8:12; 2Ki 13:3, 2Ki 13:7). עם שׁבי סוּסילם does not mean together with, or by the side of, the carrying away of your horses, i.e., along with the fact that your horses were carried away; for שׁבי does not mean carrying away captive, but the captivity, or the whole body of captives. The words are still dependent upon הרגתּי, and affirm that even the horses that had been taken perished, - a fact which is also referred to in 2Ki 13:7. From the slain men and animals forming the camp the stench ascended, and that into their noses, “as it were, as an 'azkârâh of their sins” (Hitzig), but without their turning to their God.

Amo 4:11 “I have destroyed among you, like the destruction of God upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were like a brand plucked out of the fire; and ye have not returned to me, is the saying of Jehovah.” Proceeding from the smaller to the greater chastisements, Amos mentions last of all the destruction similar to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, i.e., the utter confusion of the state, by which Israel was brought to the verge of ruin, so that it had only been saved like a firebrand out of the fire. הפכתּי does not refer to an earthquake, which had laid waste cities and hamlets, or a part of the land, say that mentioned in Amo 1:1, as Kimchi and others suppose; but it denotes the desolation of the whole land in consequence of devastating wars, more especially the Syrian (2Ki 13:4, 2Ki 13:7), and other calamities, which had undermined the stability of the kingdom, as in Isa 1:9. The words כּמהפּכת אלהים וגו are taken from Deu 29:22, where the complete desolation of the land, after the driving away of the people into exile on account of their obstinate apostasy, is compared to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. By thus playing upon this terrible threat uttered by Moses, the prophet seeks to show to the people what has already happened to them, and what still awaits them if they do not eventually turn to their God. They have again been rescued from the threatening destruction like a firebrand out of the fire (Zec 3:2) by the deliverer whom the Lord gave to them, so that they escaped from the power of the Syrians (2Ki 13:5). But inasmuch as all these chastisements have produced no fruit of repentance, the Lord will now proceed to judgment with His people.

Amo 4:12-13 “Therefore thus will I do to thee, O Israel; because I will do this to thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. Amo 4:13. For, behold, He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and maketh known to man what is his thought; who maketh dawn, darkness, and goeth over the high places of the earth, Jehovah God of hosts is His name.” The punishment which God is now about to inflict is introduced with lâkhēn (therefore). כּה אעשׁה cannot point back to the punishment threatened in Amo 4:2, Amo 4:3, and still less to the chastisements mentioned in Amo 4:6-11; for lâkhēn kōh is always used by Amos to introduce what is about to ensue, and any retrospective allusion to Amo 4:6-11 is precluded by the future אעשׂה. What Jehovah is now about to do is not expressed here more iratorum, but may clearly be discerned from what follows. “When He has said, 'This will I do to thee,' He is silent as to what He will do, in order that, whilst Israel is left in uncertainty as to the particular kind of punishment (which is all the more terrible because all kinds of things are imagined), it may repent of its sins, and so avert the things which God threatens here” (Jerome). Instead of an announcement of the punishment, there follows in the words, “Because I will do this to thee (זאת pointing back to כּה), prepare to meet thy God,” a summons to hold themselves in readiness liqra'th 'ĕlōhı̄m (in occursum Dei), i.e., to stand before God thy judge. The meaning of this summons has been correctly explained by Calvin thus: “When thou seest that thou hast resorted in vain to all kinds of subterfuges, since thou never wilt be able to escape from the hand of thy judge; see now at length that thou dost avert this last destruction which is hanging over thee.” But this can only be effected “by true renewal of heart, in which men are dissatisfied with themselves, and submit with changed heart to God, and come as suppliants, praying for forgiveness.” For if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged by the Lord (1Co 11:31). This view is shown to be the correct one, by the repeated admonitions to seek the Lord and live (Amo 5:4, Amo 5:6; cf. Amo 5:14). To give all the greater emphasis to this command, Amos depicts God in Amo 4:13 as the Almighty and Omniscient, who creates prosperity and adversity. The predicates applied to God are to be regarded as explanations of אלהיך, prepare to meet thy God; for it is He who formeth mountains, etc., i.e., the Almighty, and also He who maketh known to man מה־שּׂחו, what man thinketh, not what God thinketh, since שׂח = שׂיח is not applicable to God, and is only used ironically of Baal in 1Ki 18:27. The thought is this: God is the searcher of the heart (Jer 17:10; Psa 139:2), and reveals to men by prophets the state of their heart, since He judges not only the outward actions, but the inmost emotions of the heart (cf. Heb 4:12). עשׂה שׁחר עיפה might mean, He turns morning dawn into darkness, since עשׂה may be construed with the accusative of that into which anything is made (compare Exo 30:25, and the similar thought in Amo 5:8, that God darkens the day into night). But both of these arguments simply prove the possibility of this explanation, not that it is either necessary or correct. As a rule, where עשׂה occurs, the thing into which anything is made is introduced with ל (cf. Gen 12:2; Exo 32:10). Here, therefore, ל may be omitted, simply to avoid ambiguity. For these reasons we agree with Calvin and others, who take the words as asyndeton. God makes morning-dawn and darkness, which is more suitable to a description of the creative omnipotence of God; and the omission of the Vav may be explained very simply from the oratorical character of the prophecy. To this there is appended the last statement: He passes along over the high places of the earth, i.e., He rules the earth with unlimited omnipotence (see at Deu 32:13), and manifests Himself thereby as the God of the universe, or God of hosts.

Threatenings against Oppressors; Punishment of Proud Oppressors. (b. c. 790.)

1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. 2 The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fish-hooks. 3 And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Lord . 4 Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years: 5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God .

It is here foretold, in the name of God, that oppressors shall be humbled and idolaters shall be hardened.

I. That proud oppressors shall be humbled for their oppressions: for he that does wrong shall receive according to the wrong that he has done. Now observe,

1. How their sin is described, v. 1. They are compared to the kine of Bashan, which were a breed of cattle very large and strong, especially if, though bred there, they were fed upon the mountain of Samaria, where the pastures were extraordinarily fat. Amos had been a herdsman, and he speaks in a dialect of his calling, comparing the rich and great men, that lived in luxury and wantonness, to the kine of Bashan, which were wanton and unruly, would not be kept within the bounds of their own pasture, But broke through the hedges, broke down all the fences, and trespassed upon the neighboring grounds; and not only so, but pushed and gored the smaller cattle that were not a match for them. Those that had their summer-houses upon the mountains of Samaria when they went thither for fresh air were as mischievous as the kine upon the mountains of Bashan and as injurious to those about them. (1.) They oppress the poor and needy themselves; they crush them, to squeeze something to themselves out of them. They took advantage of their poverty, and necessity, and inability to help themselves, to make them poorer and more necessitous than they were. They made use of their power as judges and magistrates for the invading of men's rights and properties, the poor not excepted; for they made no conscience of robbing even the hospital. (2.) They are in confederacy with those that do so. They say to their masters (to the masters of the poor, that abuse them and violently take from them what they have, when they ought to relieve them), "Bring, and let us drink; let us feast with you upon the gains of our oppression, and then we will protect you, and stand by you in it, and reject the appeals of the poor against you." Note, What is got by extortion is commonly made use of as provisions for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof; and therefore men are tyrants to the poor because they are slaves to their appetites. Bring, and let us drink, is the language of those that crush the needy, as if the tears of the oppressed, mingled with their wine, made it drink the better. And by their associations for drinking and reveling, and an excess of riot, they strengthen their combinations for persecution and oppression, and harden the hearts of one another in it.

2. How their punishment is described, v. 2, 3. God will take them away with hooks, and their posterity with fish-hooks; he will send the Assyrian army upon them, that shall make a prey of them, shall not only enclose the body of the nation in their net, but shall angle for particular persons, and take them prisoners and captives as with hooks and fish-hooks, shall draw them out of their own land as fish are drawn out of the water, which is their element, them and their children with them, or, They in their day shall be drawn out by one victorious enemy, and their posterity in their day by another, so that by a succession of destroying judgments they shall at length be wholly extirpated. These kine of Bashan thought they could no more be drawn out with a hook and a cord than the Leviathan can, Job xli. 1, 2. But God will make them know that he has a hook for their nose and a bridle for their jaws, Isa. xxxvii. 29. The enemy shall take them away as easily as the fisherman takes away the little fish, and shall make it their sport and recreation. When the enemy has made himself master of Samaria, then, (1.) Some shall attempt to escape by flight: You shall go out at the breaches made in the wall of the city, every cow at that which is before her, to shift for her own safety, and make the best of her way; and now the unruly kine of Bashan are tamed, and are themselves crushed, as they crushed the poor and needy. Note, Those to whom God has given a good pasture, if they are wanton in it, will justly be turned out of it; and those who will not be kept within the hedge of God's precept forfeit the benefit of the hedge of God's protection, and will be forced in vain to flee through the breaches they have themselves fearfully made in that hedge. (2.) Others shall think to shelter themselves, or at least their best effects, in the palace, because it is a castle well fortified and a garrison well manned: You shall throw yourselves (so some read it), or throw them (that is, your posterity, your children, or whatever is dear to you), into the palace, where the enemy will find it ready to be seized. Note, What is got by oppression cannot long be enjoyed with satisfaction.

3. How their sentence to this punishment is ratified: The Lord God has sworn it by his holiness. He had often said it, and they regarded it not; they thought God and his prophets did but jest with them; therefore he swears it in his wrath, and what he has sworn he will not revoke. He swears by his holiness, that attribute of his which is so much his glory, and which is so much glorified in the punishment of wicked people; for, as sure as God is a holy God, those that plough iniquity and sow wickedness shall reap the same.

II. That obstinate idolaters shall be hardened in their idolatries (v. 4, 5): Come to Bethel, and transgress. It is spoken ironically: "Do so; take your course; multiply your transgressions by multiplying your sacrifices, for this liketh you; but what will you do in the end hereof?" Here we see, 1. How intent they were upon the service of their idols, and how willing they were to be at cost upon them; they brought their sacrifices, and their tithes, and their free-will offerings, hoping that therein they should be accepted of God, but it was all an abomination to him. The profuseness of idolaters in the service of their false gods may shame our strait-handedness in the service of the true and living God. 2. How they mimicked God's institutions. They had their daily sacrifice at the altar of Bethel, as God had at his altar; they had their thank-offerings as God had, only they allowed leaven in them, which God had forbidden, because their priests did not like to have the bread to heavy and tasteless as it would be if it had not leaven in it, for something to ferment it. Holy bread would not serve them, unless it were pleasant bread. 3. How well pleased they were with these services themselves: This liketh you, O you children of Israel! So you love. What was their own invention they were fond of and wedded to, and thought it must be pleasing to God because it was agreeable to their own fancy. 4. How they upbraided with it: "Come to Bethel, to Gilgal; bring the sacrifices and tithes yourselves; proclaim and publish to the nation the free-offerings, pressing them to bring in abundance of such; go on in this way;" that is, (1.) "It is plain that you are resolved to do it, whatever God and conscience say to the contrary." (2.) "Your prophets shall let you alone in it, and not admonish you as they have done, for it is to no purpose. Let no man strive nor rebuke his neighbour." (3.) "Your foolish hearts shall be more and more darkened and besotted, and you shall be quite given up to these strong delusions, to believe a lie." (4.) "What will you get by it? Come to Bethel and multiply your sacrifices, and see what the better you will be, what returns you will have to your sacrifices, what stead they will stand you in in the day of distress. You shall be ashamed of Bethel your confidence," Jer. xlviii. 13. (5.) "Come, and transgress, come, and multiply your transgression, that you may fill up the measure of your iniquity and be ripened for ruin." Thus Christ said to Judas, What thou doest do quickly; and to the Jews, Fill you up the measure of your fathers, Matt. xxiii. 32.

Incorrigibleness of Israel; Judgments Called to Remembrance; Greater Judgments Threatened. (b. c.  790.)

6 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord . 7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. 8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord . 9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmer-worm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord . 10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord . 11 I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord . 12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. 13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord , The God of hosts, is his name.

Here, I. God complains of his people's incorrigibleness under the judgments which he had brought upon them in order to their humiliation and reformation. He had by several tokens intimated to them his displeasure, with this design, that they might by repentance make their peace with him; but it had not that effect.

1. It is five times repeated in these verses, as the burden of the charge, "Yet have you not returned unto me, saith the Lord; you have been several times corrected, but in vain; you are not reclaimed, there is no sign of amendment. You have been sent for by one messenger after another, but you have not come back, you have not come home." (1.) This intimates that that which God designed in all his providential rebukes was to reduce them to their allegiance, to influence them to return to him. (2.) That, if they had returned to their God, they would have been accepted, he would have bidden them welcome, and the troubles they were in would have been removed. (3.) That the reason why God sent further troubles was because former troubles had not done the work, otherwise it is no pleasure to the Almighty that he should afflict. (4.) That God was grieved at their obstinacy, and took it unkindly that they should force him to do that which he did so unwillingly: "You have not returned to me from whom you have revolted, to me with whom you are in covenant, to me who stands ready to receive you, to me who have so often called you." Now,

2. To aggravate their incorrigibleness, and to justify himself in inflicting greater judgments, he recounts the less judgments with which he had tried to bring them to repentance.

(1.) There had sometimes been a scarcity of provisions, though there was no visible cause of it (v. 6): "I have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, for you had no meat to chew, whereby your teeth might be fouled," especially no flesh, which dirties the teeth. Or, I have given you emptiness of teeth, nothing to fill your mouths with. "Bread, the staff of life, has been wanting, for you have sown much and brought in little," as Hag. i. 9. Some think this refers to that seven years' famine that was in Elisha's time, which we read of 2 Kings viii. 1. Now when God thus took away their corn in the season thereof, because they had prepared it for Baal, they should have said, We will go and return to our first husband, having paid dearly for leaving him; but it had not that effect. They have not returned to me, saith the Lord.

(2.) Sometimes they had wanted rain, and then of course they wanted the fruits of the earth. This evil was of the Lord: I have withholden the rain from you. God has the key of the clouds, and, if he shut up, who can open? v. 7. The rain was withheld when there were yet three months to the harvest, at the time when they used to have it, and therefore the withholding of it was an extraordinary thing, and, if the course of nature was altered, they must therein own the hand of the God of nature; and it was at a time when they most needed it, and therefore the want of it was a very sore judgment, and blasted their expectations of a crop at harvest. And one circumstance which made this very remarkable was that when there were some places that wanted rain, and withered for want of it, there were other places near adjoining that had it in abundance. God caused it to rain upon one city, and not upon another, in the same country; nay, he caused it to rain upon one field, one piece of a field, and it was thereby made fruitful and flourishing, but on the next field, on the other side of the hedge, nay, on another part of the same field, it rained not at all, and it was so long without rain that all the products of it withered. No doubt this was literally true, and there were many instances of it which were generally taken notice of. Now, [1.] By this it appeared that the withholding of the rain was not casual, but by a divine direction and disposal, and that the cloud which waters the earth is turned round about by the counsels of God, to do whatsoever he commands it, whether for correction, or for his land, or for his mercy, Job xxxvii. 12-18. Rain does not go by planets (as common people speak), but as God sends it by his winds. [2.] We have reason to think that those cities on which it rained not were the most infamous for wickedness, such as Bethel and Gilgal (v. 4), and that those on which it rained were such as retained something of religion and virtue among them. And so in the town-fields it rained or rained not, upon the piece, according as the owner was; for we are sure the curse of the Lord is in the house, and upon the ground, of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the just, and his field is a field that the Lord has blessed. [3.] It would be the greater grief and vexation to those whose fields withered for want of rain to see their neighbours' fields well watered and flourishing. My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry, Isa. lxv. 13. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved. Probably those that were oppressed were rained upon, and so they recovered their losses, while the oppressors withered, and so lost their gains. [4.] Yet, as to the nation in general, it was a mixture of mercy with the judgment, and, consequently, strengthened the call to repentance and reformation, and encouraged them to hope for all mercy, in their returns to God, since there was so much mercy even in God's rebukes of them. But, because they did not make good use of this gracious allay to the extremity of the judgment, they had not the benefit of it, which otherwise they might have had, for (v. 8) two or three cities wandered at uncertainty, as beggars, unto one city, to drink water, and, if possible, to have some to carry home with them, but they were not satisfied; it was but here and there one city that had water, while many wanted, and then it was not, as usual, Usus communis aquarum—Water is free to all. Those that had it had occasion for it, or knew not how soon they might, and therefore could afford but little to those that wanted, saying, Lest there be not enough for us and you. Those that came drank water, but they were not satisfied, because they drank it by measure, and with astonishment; and those that drink of this water shall thirst again, John iv. 13. They were not satisfied, because their desires were greedy, and what they had God did not bless to them, Hag. i. 6. And now, one would think, when they met with all this disappointment, they should have considered their ways and repented; but it had not that effect: "Yet have you not returned to me, no, not so much as to pray in a right manner for the former and latter rain," Zech. x. 1. See the folly of carnal hearts; they will wander from city to city, from one creature to another, in pursuit of satisfaction, and still they miss of it; they labour for that which satisfies not (Isa. lv. 2), and yet, after all, they will not return to God, will not incline their ear to him in whom they might have satisfaction. The preaching of the gospel is as rain; God sometimes blesses one place with it more than another; some countries, some cities, are, like Gideon's fleece, wet with this dew, while the ground about is dry; all withers where this rain is wanting. But it were well if people were but as wise for their souls as they are for their bodies, and, when they have not this rain near them, would go and seek it where it is to be had; and, if they seek aright, they shall not seek in vain.

(3.) Sometimes the fruits of their ground were eaten up by caterpillars, or blasted with mildew, v. 9. Heaven and earth are armed against those who have made God their enemy. When God pleased, that is, when he was displeased, [1.] They suffered by a malignant air, the influence of which, either too hot or too cold, blasted their fruits, with a force that could be neither discerned nor resisted, and against which there was no defence. [2.] They suffered by malignant animals. Their vineyards and gardens yielded their increase in great abundance, so did their fig-trees and olive-trees; but the palmer-worm devoured them before the fruits were ripe, and fit to be gathered in. This was either the same judgment with that which we read of Joel i. 4-6, or a less judgment of the same nature, sent before to give warning of that. But they did not take warning: Yet have you not returned unto me.

(4.) Sometimes the plague had raged among them, and the sword of war had cut off multitudes, v. 10. The pestilence is God's messenger; this he sent among them, with directions whom to strike dead, and it was done. It was a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; deaths were scattered among them by the hand of a destroying angel at midnight. And perhaps this pestilence, as that of Egypt, fastened upon the first-born. In the way of Egypt (so the margin); when they were making their escape to Egypt, or going thither to seek for aid, the pestilence seized them by the way and stopped their journey. The sword of war is likewise the sword of the Lord; this was drawn among them with commission; and then it slew their young men, the strength of the present generation and the seed of the next. God says, I have slain them; he avows the execution. The slain of the Lord are many. The enemy took away their horses, and converted them to their own use; and the dead carcases of those that were slain either with sword or pestilence were so many, and for want of surviving friends were left so long unburied, that the stench of their camps came up into their nostrils, and was both noisome and dangerous, and might put them in mind of the offensiveness of their sin to God. And yet this did not prevail to humble and reclaim them: You have not returned to him that smites you. Such a rueful woeful sight as this prevailed not to make them religious.

(5.) In these and other judgments some were remarkably cut off, and made monuments of justice, others were remarkably spared, and made monuments of mercy, the setting of which the one over against the other one would have thought likely to work upon them, but it had not its effect, v. 11. [1.] Some were quite ruined, their families destroyed, and themselves in them: I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. Perhaps they were consumed with lightning, as Sodom was, or the houses were, in some other way, burnt to the ground, and the inhabitants in them. Sodom and Gomorrah are said to be condemned with an overthrow, and so made an example, 2 Pet. ii. 6. God had threatened to destroy the whole land with such an overthrow as that of Sodom, Deut. xxix. 23. But he began with some particular places first, to give them warning, or perhaps with some particular persons, whose sins went beforehand to judgment. [2.] Others very narrowly escaped: "You were many of you as a firebrand plucked out of the burning, like Lot out of Sodom, when the fire had already kindled upon you; and yet you hate sin never the more for the danger it has brought you to, nor love God ever the more for the deliverance he wrought for you. You that have been so signally delivered, and in such a distinguishing way, have not returned unto me."

II. God, in the close, calls upon his people, now at length, in this their day, to understand the things that belong to their peace, before they were hidden from their eyes, v. 12, 13. Observe here,

1. How God threatens them with sorer judgments than any they had yet been under: "Therefore, seeing you have not been wrought upon by correction hitherto, thus will I do unto thee, O Israel!" He does not say how he will do, but it shall be something worse than had come yet, John v. 14. Or, "Thus I will go on to do unto thee, following one judgment with another, like the plagues of Egypt, till I have made a full end." Nothing but reformation will prevent the ruin of a sinful people. If they turn not to him, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. I will punish you yet seven times more, if you will not be reformed; so it was written in the law, Lev. xxvi. 23, 24.

2. How he awakens them therefore to think of making their peace with God: "Seeing I will do this unto thee, and there is no remedy, prepare to meet they God, O Israel!" that is, (1.) "Consider how unable thou art to meet him as a combatant." Some make it to be spoken by way of irony or challenge: "Prepare to meet God, who is coming forth to contend with thee. What armour of proof canst thou put on? What courage canst thou steel thyself with? Alas! it is but putting briers and thorns before a consuming fire, Isa. xxvii. 4, 5. Art thou able with less than 10,000 to meet him that comes forth against thee with more than 20,000?" Luke xiv. 31. (2.) "Resolve therefore to meet him as a penitent, as a humble suppliant, to meet him as thy God, in covenant with thee, to submit, and stand it out no longer." We must prepare to meet God in the way of his judgments (Isa. xxvi. 8), to take hold on his strength, that we may make peace. Note, Since we cannot flee from God we are concerned to prepare to meet him; and therefore he gives us warning, that we may prepare. When we are to meet him in his ordinances we must prepare to meet him, prepare to seek him.

3. How he sets forth the greatness and power of God as a reason why we should prepare to meet him, v. 13. If he be such a God as he is here described to be, it is folly to contend with him, and our duty and interest to make our peace with him; it is good having him our friend and bad having him our enemy. (1.) He formed the mountains, made the earth, the strongest stateliest parts of it, and by the word of his power still upholds it and them. Whatever are the products of the everlasting mountains, he formed them; whatever salvation is hoped for from hills and mountains, he is the founder of it, Ps. lxxxix. 11, 12. He that formed the great mountains can make them plain, when they stand in the way of his people's salvation. (2.) He creates the wind. The power of the air is derived from him, and directed by him; he brings the wind out of his treasures, and orders from what point of the compass it shall blow; and he that made it rules it; even the winds and the seas obey him. (3.) He declares unto man what is his thought. He makes known his counsel by his servants the prophets to the children of men, the thought of his justice against impenitent sinners, and the thought of good he thinks towards those that repent. He can also make known, for he perfectly knows, the thought that is in man's heart; he understands it afar off, and in the day of conviction will set the evil thoughts among the other sins of sinners in order before them. (4.) He often makes the morning darkness, by thick clouds overspreading the sky immediately after the sun rose bright and glorious; so when we look for prosperity and joy he can dash our expectations with some unlooked-for calamity. (5.) He treads upon the high places of the earth, is not only higher than the highest, but has dominion over all, tramples upon proud men, and upon the idols that were worshipped in the highest places. (6.) Jehovah the God of hosts is his name, for he has his being of himself, and is the fountain of all being, and all the hosts of heaven and earth are at his command. Let us humble ourselves before this God, prepare to meet him, and give all diligence to make him our God, for happy are the people whose God he is, who have all this power engaged for them.

CHAP. IIII.

Verſe 1. HEare this word ye kine of Baſhan] Obeſae & benè pastae, ye fat bawſons (as we uſe to call them) ye that are Baeotum in patria, craſſoque ſub a ëre natae. Ye that have hearts as fat as greaſe, and delight not in Gods law Pſal. 119.70. Ye that cover your faces with fatneſſe, Job. 15.27. till both your eyes ſtand out with it Pſal. 73.7.8. (as fulneſſe breeds forgetfullneſſe Deut. 32.15. the fed hawk forſakes his maſter) as untamed heyfers full-fed, ye have been unruly and refractary, meanes of much miſchief to my poor afflicted, as was Iezabel to Eliah, Herodias to the Baptiſt, Eudoxia the Empreſſe to Chryſoſtom, Theodora to Belliſarius that brave and noble Captaine, and others; Poor Tegedine ſuffered many yeeres captivity in miſery and irons, by the Turk, for one word in a ſermon, which diſtaſted a proud and petulant woman without the leaſt cauſe. What cruel perſecutions raiſed the Q. Mother of Scotland about the beginning of the Reformation there? the Q. Mother of France Katherine de Medices, for thirty yeares together? Q. Mary here, being wholy poſſeſſed by the Biſhops, as Alexandra was by the Phariſees, of whom Ioſephus teſtifieth that ſhe had the name, but they had all the power of the kingdome? Oh theſe kine of Baſhan, theſe wanton and wicked women (for ſo I underſtand the text after the Jew-Doctours Vatablus, Lyra, Lively &c.) when once they get the reines in their hands, there is no hoe with them: when once the devill gets paſſage per coſtam ad cor (as Gregory ſpeaketh) by the rib to the heart, what may he not effect? when the hen is ſuffered to crow, what hope is there of good? David complaines of ſtrong buls of Baſhan Pſal. 22, 12. but thoſe he might better deale with, then with theſe curſt cowes of Baſhan that thruſt with ſide and ſhoulder, and puſht the diſeaſed with their hornes, till they had ſcattered them abroad, Ezek. 34.21.

that are in the mountaines of Samaria] Ladyes of the Court, accuſtomed to high titles, ſuch as I (that am non aulâ ſed caulâ natus & educatus, no courtier but carter rather, and uſed to call a ſpade a ſpade) care not to complement.

which oppreſſe the poor, which cruſh the needy] As did, much about the ſame time, Iezabel in Iſrael, and Athaliah in Judah: and (beſides the above-mentioned) Dame Alice Piercy K. Edward the thirds concubine, an impudent woman; who ſo farr wrought upon the kings impotencies, and preſumed on his favour, that ſhe impriſoned Sr. Peter Lamare Speaker in Parliament,Daniel. 257. and intermedled in courts of Juſtice, and other offices; where ſhee her ſelfe would ſit to effect her deſires: which though in all who are ſo exalted are ever exceſſive, yet in a woman, moſt immoderate: as having leſſe of diſcretion and more of greedineſſe. I have ſpoken before of Diana Valentina King Henry the ſecond of France his miſtreſſe,Hiſt. of Councell of Trent. 387. to whom he had given all the confiſcations of goods made in the kingdome for cauſe of hereſy, whereby many poor Proteſtants were oppreſſed, and needy cruſhed and quaſhed to peeces: for a poor man in his houſe is like a ſnaile in his ſhell: cruſh that, and you kill his heart.

which ſay to their maſters] Or, Lords, that is to their husbands: as Sarah called her husband Lord Gen. 18.12. She in obedience, but theſe in craft and counterfaiſance: that they may the ſooner ſubdue them, and have what they will of them.

Bring and let us drink.] q. d. Fac nobis poteſtatem in hos aut illos, ſaith Mercer: that is, Give us authority over ſuch and ſuch, that we may pick their bones, drink their tears, enrich and feaſt our ſelves of their ſpoils, make no more ſcruple to undo them by force or forgery, then to eat a meals-meat when hungry, or then the luxurious Italians (who have twenty diſtinct ſpecies of liquor,Il Mercuri[illegible: 1 letter] Italico. to pleaſe the Guſto) do, to take off a cup of the moſt delicious, which they profanely call Lachrymae Chriſti.

Verſe 2. The Lord God hath ſworn by his holineſſe,] He hath ſworn for more aſſurance, Heb. 6.16, 17, 18. it being hard to perſwade ſecure ſinners of the certainty and infallibility of the threatnings: which yet will as ſurely befall them without repentance, as the coat is on their back, or the heart in their bodies. And, by his holineſſe, he hath ſworn; that is, by himſelf, (as having none greater to ſwear by) confer Gen. 22.16. Jer. 51.14. Eſay 45.23. and 62.8. where God ſwears by his right hand, and by the arm of his ſtrength, Exod. 17.16. He is brought in laying his hand upon his throne; and ſwearing to root out Amalek. And ſo ſome in this place think, that by Gods Holineſſe, is meant heaven,Mercer. the habitation of his holineſſe, and of his glory. But Druſius diſlikes that,Eſay 63.15. becauſe ſwearing by heaven is condemned by Chriſt, Mat. 5. If God be holineſſe it ſelf, let him be ſanctified in righteouſneſſe, Eſay 5.16. and let men ſwear (when called to it, and not till then; the Hebrew word here uſed is paſſive, and ſignifieth to be ſworn, Neſhbang. rather then to ſwear) in truth, in judgement, and in righteouſneſſe, Jer. 4.2.

Behold the dayes come,] certò & citò, ſurely and ſuddenly: even thoſe diſmall dayes of blackneſſe and darkneſſe, of greateſt calamities. See chap. 5.18, 20. And let this prediction be to you as the knuckles of a mans hand, to write you your deſtiny; or as a prophet to read it unto you.

That he will take you away] i. e. Ye ſhall be taken away, and hurried into another countrey: like as Eſay 8.4. He ſhall take away the ſpoyl of Samaria, i. e. It ſhall be ſurely taken away, ſo Luke 12.20. They do reqire thy ſoul, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. that is, it ſhall be required of thee.

with hooks,] Heb. with thornes, which were wont to be uſed in fiſhing, till ironhooks were more frequent. See Job 40.21. Ezek. 29.4. and 19.4. They brought him with hooks, that is, with chains, nto the land of Egypt. Thoſe that were overcome, were wont to be linked and langold together; and ſo led captive by their Conquerours.

and your poſterity with fiſh-hooks.] Heb. that which is laſt of you; your children, and nephews, as Dan. 11.4. it is foretold of Alexander the Great, that none of his race ſhall ſucceed him, but ſtrangers. See enemies compared to fiſhers, Jer. 16.16. Habak. 1.16. and note, that hereby is intimated, that theſe inſolent Dames ſhall be no more like fat kine, that abide in their paſtures: but as fiſhes hanging on the hook, that are eaſily pulled up, and quickly carried away with little labour, but much delight to the fiſher. See a like compariſon from ſwimming, (Eſay 25.11.) the motion wherein is eaſie and not ſtrong: to ſhew, that God can ſubdue his ſtouteſt adverſaries, with greateſt facility.

Verſe 3: And ye ſhall go out at the breaches, every cow,] Quâ data porta ruitis, ye ſhall be glad to get out at any breach to ſave your lives, which now hang in ſuſpence, Deut. 28.66. yea to ride one upon the back of another for haſt, as kine do in a narrow ſtrait. Or, ye ſhall be led into captivity, after the taking and diſman[illegible: 1 letter]'ling of your cities. See Ezek. 12.5, 12.

And ye ſhall caſt them into the palace.] Or, ye ſhall caſt away the things of the palace. Ye ſhall caſt them, that is, your children and nephews, (verſ. 2.) into the palace: either that ye may not ſee their deſtruction, as Gen. 21.16. or that they might with greater celerity, provide for their own ſafety. That was a ſingular example of the Vindelici (now called Suevians) ſubdued by Druſus the Roman Generall under Auguſtus, but not without great reſiſtance:Heyl. Geog. 289. the women throwing their young children at the Romans inſtead of darts. Theſe were monſtrous mothers, mad-cows indeed.

Verſe 4. Come to Bethel and tranſgreſſe,] Do ſo, if you think [illegible: 1 word] good: and ſith you are ſo ſet upon it, go on, deſpair, die and be damned: That that will periſh, let it periſh, quoniam vobis ſtat ſententia, ſith you are reſolved, and there's no removing of you, take your own courſe, at your own perill. Here then we have a moſt bitter ſarcaſme, wherein God in ſeeming to command ſin, ſheweth his utmoſt diſlike of it: for he is not a God that loveth wickedneſſe, neither ſhall evil dwell with him, Pſal. 5.4. See the like Ironicall expreſſions, Jer. 7.21. Ezech. 20.39. Eccleſ. 11.9. Numb. 22.20. Eſay 29.1. and 8.9. and 47.12. Judg. 10.14. 1 King. 18.27.

At Gilgal multiply tranſgreſſions,] that your madneſſe may appear to all men. See Hoſ. 4.15. with the Note.1 Tim. 4.15.

and bring your ſacrifices every morning,] Like Apes imitate the daily ſacrifice: and do thoſe ſelf-ſame things to your idols, which I have commanded to be done to my ſelf alone; and in other places, that ſhould be done at Jeruſalem onely. Do all this, and try what will come of it: will you try a fall with God? will you deſpitefully ſpet in the face of heaven? Do ye provoke me to anger, ſaith the Lord? do ye not provoke your ſelves to the confuſion of your own faces? Jer. 7.19.

and your tithes after three years.] that ſo ye may ſeem to keep my Law exactly, Deut. 14.28. and to be wanting in no duty, either of piety, or charity. Waſpes alſo have their honey-combs: idolaters a form of devotion,

Verſe 5. And offer a ſacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven,] which I have flatly forbidden to be done, Lev. 2.11. Neither leaven nor honey (which hath a leavening property in it) might be burnt in any offering made by fire: to ſhew how God hateth hypocriſie; which, as leaven, ſowreth, ſwelleth, impureth, both us and our ſervices. Out with it therefore, 1 Cor. 5.7. God indeed permitted his people to offer leavened bread with the peace-offerings, Lev. 7.13. ut offenderetur, Deum ferre noſtram infirmitatem, ſaith Alſted, to ſhew that God beareth with our infirmities. But thoſe leavened loaves were not to be burnt upon the altar: they were onely for food to be eaten.

and proclaim and publiſh the free-offerings,] that you may not ſeem in any thing to come ſhort of my moſt forward worſhippers: nor to be without your holy convocations ſolemnly proclaimed. Atque ita omnino in caepta idololatria ſtrenuè pergite, and ſo ſhew your ſelves thorow-idolaters:Tarnou. as the Hiſtorian ſaith of our Rich. 3. that knowing it was no good policie to play the villain by half-deal, he reſolved to ſuffer never a rub to lie in his way, that might hinder the true running of his bowles.Dan. Hiſt. 218.

for this liketh you.] Heb. ſo ye love. Idolatry is marvellous pleaſing to corrupt nature: as is to be ſeen in little ones delighting in babies. The whole world wondered after the beaſt. The Papacie with its pomp and pleaſure is an alluring, tempting, bewitching religion.Rev. 13.3. The great whore with her cup of fornications may eaſily boaſt,Aelian. hiſt. as that harlot in Aelian did, that ſhe could ſoon get ſcholers from Socrates; not he from her. But what an odde or rather ſad thing is it, that men ſhould ſo like that which will be their bane? and that God ſhould be put to complain, as here, and Jer. 5.31. My people love to have it ſo: and what will ye do in the end thereof? Polybius ſaith, that whereas man is counted the wiſeſt of all creatures here below, to him he ſeemeth to be the fooliſheſt: for other things love and ſeek their own preſervation, Solus homo ab aevo ad aevum peccat ferè in ijſdem & punitur. Man onely perſiſteth in ſin, and is puniſhed, as if he were ambitious of deſtruction.

Verſe 6. And I have alſo given you cleanneſſe of teeth,] ſo that you need not ſpend time in picking them, as thoſe that are full-fed: for I have cut you ſhort enough, and held you to hard allowance: as thoſe that would tame wild creatures, keep them empty and waking: but you have been, and ſo continue, untamed and untractable, incorrigibly flagitious, uncapable of repentance. Your diſeaſes are complicate, yea they are ſo ingrained, that they are not eaſily ſtirred, much leſſe deſtroyed by any potion I have yet given you. In vain have I ſmitten your children: they received no correction, Jer. 2.30

In all your cities,] One as well as other, leſt you ſhould ſay as thoſe Philiſtines, It was a chance [illegible: 1 word] and as the Rabbines tell us, that the idolatrous prieſts told Jeroboam, 1 Sam. 6.9. that the drying up of his hand fell out meerely by accident.

and want of bread in all your places,] Thus the Scripture oft interpreteth it ſelf, and is ever its own beſt gloſſe. Some think that by want of bread here, is meant dearth of corn; as by cleanneſſe of teeth, ſcarcity of fleſh: and that by all your places, we are to underſtand, all your houſes. This fell out in the times of Elias and Eliſha, 1 King. 17. and 2 King. 6.21. and 8.1. and God would not have it to bee forgotten, but is juſtly angry that they remained ſo irreformable. That dearth in Elias his dayes, laſted above three yeers: and might (likely) be as extreme, as that here in England, (about the yeer 700.) of three yeers continuance: and ſo violent it was, that not onely many died daily for hunger, but great numbers joyning hand in hand, fourty or fifty in a company,Godw. Catal. p. 465. threw themſelves headlong into the Sea. A like three-yeers famine alſo wee read to have been in Bohemia and Polonia, Anno 1312. ſo great, that children devoured their parents, and parents their children: ſome fed upon the dead carcaſſes that hang'd in gibbets,Balth. Exner. Val. Max. 135 &c. Wolves alſo were ſo famiſhed, that they fell upon all they met, and fed upon them.

yet have ye not returned unto me, ſaith the Lord.] Ye have loſt the fruit of your afflictions, and all mine hammers hitherto have but beat cold iron.Perdidiſtis ſructum afflictionis. Aug. The bellows are burnt, the lead is conſumed, the Founder melteth in vain, for the wicked are not plucke away, ſc. from their wickedneſſe: his droſſe is yet with him, his great ſcum ſtill in him. Ezek. 24.6, 12, 13. it is woven into the very texture of his heart, and cannot be ſeparated. Reprobate ſilver ſhall men call him, becauſe he returneth not to God that ſmiteth him, Jer. 6.29, 30. Eſay 9.12, 13.

Verſe 7. And alſo I have with-holden the rain from you, &c.] And ſo have puniſhed you with thirſt and drought, as well as with dearth and famine: and becauſe I have found you wells without the water of piety, 2 Pet. 2.17. therefore I have refuſed to rain upon you, as I threatned, Deut. 28.23, 24.

En quia jam vobis ſunt ferrea pectora,Bill. Anthol. lib. 2. reddit Coelum etiam vobis durius aere, Deus.

When there were yet three moneths, &c.] When you could worſt of all want it (ſee Joel 2.23. with the Note) for the watering of the ſeed, and opening of the earth.

And I cauſed it to rain upon one city,] It rains not then by hap-hazard: neither are the ſeaſons of the yeer (whether barren or fruitfull) ruled by the courſe of nature, or influence of the ſtars, but by God, Act. 14.17. It is he that giveth rain from heaven, and fruitfull ſeaſons. He covereth the heaven with clouds, he prepareth rain for the earth, he maketh graſſe to grow upon the mountains, and ſtanding corn in the fields, Pſal. 147.8. He weighes theſe waters by meaſure: ſo that not a drop falls in vain, or in a wrong place; but by Divine decree, Job 28.26. for the fatning of the earth, allaying the heat, nouriſhing the herb and tree, Deut. 32.2. Eſay 44, 14. producing unto us the appointed weeks of harveſt, Jer. 5.24. that it may give ſeed to the ſower, and bread to the eater, Eſay 55.10. This the poor Pagans aſcribed to their god Jupiter, whom they therefore ſtiled [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Him they confeſſed the greateſt of all, calling him [non-Latin text not transcribed]: the Overſeer of their trading, hence [non-Latin text not transcribed]: the keeper of their houſes, hence Jupiter Herceus, &c. Of [non-Latin text not transcribed], a wall, or hedge. this they did to the great ſhame of many Atheiſts amongſt us, who hold that all things come either by benigne nature, or blinde adventure.

One peece,] ſc. of the ſame field, was rained upon, and fructified (this was neer to a miracle; as when Gideons fleece was wet and no place elſe: and again, every place elſe, and not Gideons fleece, Judg. 6.37.) and the peece whereupon it rained not] It, that is, the cloud, but by Gods appointment: for He it is that filleth thoſe bottles of the skie, and emptieth them again, where and when he pleaſeth, either in mercy, as Joel 2.23. Zach. 10.1. Lev. 26.4. or for a judgement, as Joel 1.17. Gen. 17.11, 12. 1 Sam. 12.18, 19. In the yeer of grace 1551. a great multitude of men and cattle in Germany were drowned and deſtroyed; decidentibus ſubitò nubibus, ac effuſis certatim aquis, ſaith Bartholinus; by exceſſive ſhowres and immoderate waters, pouring down upon people as by ſpoutes. This was the very finger of God, who will one day rain upon the wicked, ſnares, fire, and brimſtone, Barthol. lib. 2. de Meteor. c. 2. Pſal. 11.6. and an horrible tempeſt. Heb. a burning tempeſt: like as now out of thoſe very clouds where-hence he raineth, he doth oftſoons ſcatter ſudden fires unto all parts of the earth, aſtoniſhing the world with the fearfull noyſe of that eruption.

withered] It muſt needs do ſo: and ſo muſt Gods own Vineyard the Church, when he ſhall command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it, Eſay. 5.6. that is, his miniſters, that they drop no doctrine upon it, Deut. 32.2. Ezek. 21.2. Am. 7.16. fitly reſembled to raine in regard 1. of cooling heat, 2. quenching thirſt, 3. clenſing the ayre, 4. allaying the windes, 5. mollifying and mellowing the parched and heat-hardened earth, 6. cauſing all things to grow and fructify. This raine of righteouſneſſe goes ſometimes by coaſts, as here: God tying up the tongues of his faithfulleſt labourers, and witholding their ſhowres, though they be clouds thick, and full, and likely enough to drop down in abundance. See Ezek. 3.26, 27. Hoſ. 9.7. Prov. 16.1. Pray therefore, oh pray earneſtly, both miniſters, for ability and liberty to drop their word toward the holy places, and propheſie. Ezek. 21.2. and People, that he would fill their miniſters as full of good matter as ever Elihu was Iob. 32.18. and then be with their mouths Exod. 4.12. yea ſtretch out his holy hand, and touch them Ier. 1.9. performing that peece of midwifery Prov. 16.1. that they may freely utter their conceptions, and come to their hearts in the fulneſſe of the bleſſing of the Goſpel of peace Rom 15.29. In the Iſland of St. Thomas on the back-ſide of Africa in the middeſt of it, is an hill: and over that,Abbots Geog: 251. a continuall cloud wherewith the whole Iſland is watered. This is our happyneſſe for preſent. Oh that we knew but this gift of God, and were anſwerably thankfull and fruitfull:Joh. 4. Oh how curſed a generation are thoſe that repine at it ſaying, Never was merry world, ſince ſo much preaching &c. How ſhall ſuch miſcreants one day wiſh to have but one drop fall from theſe full clouds to coole the heat and horrours of their conſciences, but ſhall not obtaine it.

Verſe 8. So two or three cities wandred] Neceſſity is an hard weapon: and want of water will make men wander far, and part with any thing for it: as Lyſimachus did with his kingdome, ſacrificing his eſtate to the ſervice of his life. Oh that we were as ſolicitous for our ſoules &c. Thoſe good ſoules Pſal. 84.7. went from ſtrength to ſtrength, travelled many a mile, to ſee Gods face though but in that dark glaſſe of the ceremonies. The good Sunamite went every ſabbath and new-moon to the Prophet. Our forefathers were unweariable in making out after the meanes, which we vilipend, and make no reckoning of &c.

to drink water] raine-water: for in thoſe countries (as Hierome teſtifieth who lived there many yeares, and therefore knew the ſcituation and nature thereof) they have but few ſprings,Mercer in verſe 7. and no conſiderable rivers, but only lordan: and are therefore glad to keep raine-water in ciſterns for all uſes: being much afflicted with thirſt and drought, if it raine not.

but they were not ſatisfied] either becauſe there was not enough to be had: or by a ſingular curſe of unſatisfiableneſſe, See Hag. 1.6. with the Note.

yet have ye not returned unto me] uſque ad me, ſo far as me. You have made ſome faint overtures and eſſayes of returning, but they have not reacht out unto me: they have not amounted to the full meaſure of a ſound converſion. Plectimur, may you well ſay,Salvian. nec tamen flectimur: corripimur, ſed non corrigimur &c. God rained not upon us that we might return unto him, and learn righteouſneſſe Eſay. 26.10. that we might powre out a prayer when his chaſtening was upon us verſe. 16.18. But we, alaſſe, have done nothing leſſe: we have turned every one to his own way: and done what in us lies to defeat God and undo our ſelves by our incorrigibleneſſe and uncureableneſſe.

Verſe 9. I have ſmitten you with blaſting and mildews &c.] This, by immoderate raine: that, by drought cauſed by an Eaſt-wind, that ventus vrens & exſiccans. God cannot poſſibly want a weapon to tame a rebell.

when your gardens and your vineyards increaſed] Or were trimmed and tricked up. Taxat nimium eorum ſtudium ſaith Mercer. The Prophet here taxeth their overmuch paines taken, and coſt caſt away in multiplying and dreſſing their hort-yards, and Vineyards: when in the meane while, they neglected the ſincere ſervice of God: and ſuffered their own hearts to lie like the ſluggards field, that was all grown over with thornes and briars, Prov. 24.31. that is, with luſts and ſins, under which lurketh that old ſerpent.

the palmer-worme] which is worſe then the locuſt, as Hierom noteth: for the locuſt feeds only on the tops of the eares of corne as he flies (and thence hath his name in Greek) but palmer-wormes ſtick cloſe to the fruits or flowers they light on: [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and will not off, till all be conſumed. It is the laſt and worſt of evils, ſaith He: and leaves nothing behind it: omnia corradit & converrit, makes cleane work. See Ioel. 1.3, 10, 11, 12. &c. with the Notes.

yet have ye not returned unto me] No not yet: but have rejected the remedy of your recovery: ſee verſe 8.

Verſe 10. I have ſent among you the peſtilence] that evill angell Pſal. 78.49. that [non-Latin text not transcribed] eminent hand of God, as Hippocrates calleth it: that deſtruction that walketh in darkneſſe, and waſteth at noon day, as the Pſalmiſt ſtileth it.In prognoſt. Pſal. 91.6. This God ſent: for it is a meſſenger of his ſending, an arrow of his ſhooting 2 Sam. 24.15. and may better be called morbus ſacer, then the falling ſickneſſe; as being an extraordinary hand of God, ſuch as was that Sudor Anglicus in the dayes of Edward the ſixth,Sennert. de febrib. l. 4. c. 15. the ſweating ſickneſſe that raged very violently for forty yeares together here in England (as Sennertus teſtifieth) and ſlew ſo many, that ſtrangers wondred how this Iſland could be ſo populous as to beare and bury ſuch incredible multitudes. No ſtranger in England was touched with this diſeaſe: and yet the Engliſh were chaſed therewith, not only here but in other countries abroad:Life of Ed. & by Sr. Io. Heyw. pag. 126. which made them like tyrants both feared and avoyded, where ever they came. So long as the ferventneſſe of this plague laſted, there was crying Peccavi Peccavi: and ſome pretences of turning to the Lord. The Miniſters were ſought for in every corner (ſaith Mr. Bradford) oh you muſt come to my Lord, you muſt come to my Lady &c. Thus, when he ſlew them, then they ſought him: Pſal. 78.34.36. and they returned and enquired earely after God: Nevertheleſſe they did flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues. As the fox, when taken in a ſnare, lookes pittifully; but 'tis only that he may get out: as Ice melts in the day and hardeneth againe in the night; or as Iron is very ſoft and malleable whiles in the fire, but ſoon after returneth to its former hardneſſe.

after the manner of Egypt] In the way to Egypt (ſo ſome reade it) as you were trudging down to Egypt for help againſt enemies, or for corn in time of famine (for Egypt was the worlds granary) I have ſtretcht my net over you: Egypt hath gathered you up, Memphis hath buried you, Hoſ. 9.6. But taking the words as we tranſlate them, After the manner of Egypt, i. e. ſo as I plagued the Egyptians, when you were amongſt them (See Exod. 12.29.)Exod. 9.15. with mortality of men and murraine of cattel. The plague of Athens is graphically deſcribed by Thucydides: Lib. 2. bell. Pelopon. Metam. l. 7. Georg. l. 3. whence Ovid and Virgil are thought to have borrowed their deſcriptions of the peſtilence. The plague of Italy is ſet forth in lively colours by Dionyſ: Halycarnaſſ: lib. 11. Antiq. That of Conſtantinople, by Nicephorus and Sigebertus.

your young men have I ſlaine with the ſword] Juvenes à juvando ſaith Varro: becauſe they are able and apt by armes to defend the commonwealth, and to help it at a dead lift. In Hebrew they have their name à delectu: becauſe they are choſen to fight and do buſineſſe, as fitteſt for the purpoſe Exod. 17.9. 2 Sam. 6.1. Theſe God had ſlaine with the ſword which cutteth its way thorough a wood of men, and heweth down the youngeſt and ſtrongeſt; ſpareth neither Lord nor loſcll, as they ſay: is diſpatched with confuſed noiſe, and garments rolled in blood Eſay. 9.5.

and I have made the ſtink of your campes] by meanes of the ſlaine, both men and horſes that lye unburied, and poyſon the ayre; See Ioel. 2.20. Eſay 34.3.

and yet have ye not returned] Nec ſic tamen: Vide contumaciam, ſaith Mercer here. Obſtinate men will ſooner break, then bend. Monoceros interimi poteſt, non capi.

Verſe 11. I have overthrown ſome of you] Some and not all: thus, in the midſt of judgement he remembred mercy, he did not ſtir up all his wrath Pſal. 78.38. he let fall ſome drops, but would not ſhed the whole ſhowre of it: for he remembred that they were but fleſh &c. Some he hang'd up in gibbets, as it were, for example to the reſt: as St. Jude ſaith he dealt by Sodome and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, thrown forth for an inſtance of divine vengeance to all ſucceeding ages Jude. 7. and as Herodotus telleth us, [non-Latin text not transcribed], that the ſparkles and aſhes of burnt Troy ſerved for a laſting monument of Gods great diſpleaſure againſt great ſinners. See the like threatened to Babylon Eſay 13.19.20.

as God overthrew Sodom] As Jehovah from Jehovah rained hell out of heaven upon them Gen. 14.24.De praepar. Evang. l. 5. c 23. Vide Socrat. hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 2. c. 30. that is, God the Son from God the Father: and ſo Euſ[illegible: 1 letter]bius obſerveth that the Father here ſaith of the Son, that he overthrew Sodome and Gomorrah: he condemned them with an overthrow 2 Pet. 2.6. he overthrew them and repented not Jer. 20.16 he overthrew them in a moment, and no hand ſtayed on them Lam. 4.6. And yet worſe ſhall be the condition of thoſe that deſpiſe the grace of the Goſpell, which is the great ſin of theſe laſt times Mat. 11.24. yea the devils will keep holy-day as it were, in hell, in reſpect of ſuch ſinners againſt their own ſoules.

and ye were as a ſire brand] Ambuſtus & fumigans titio ſmutchy and ſmoaky, and ſcarcely eſcaping with the skin of your teeth Iob. 19.20. as Lot out of Sodom, as the man of Benjamine out of the army 1 Sam. 2.12. as the young man that fled naked away at Chriſts attachment Mar. 14.52. or as Hunniades narrowly eſcaping with his life from the battel of Varna; where he had like to have fallen with that perjured Popiſh king, as good Jehoſaphat had for joyning with Ahab. It is as if God ſhould ſay: There are not many of you that are left, and have your lives for a prey: howbeit they are ill beſtowed upon you, for any good uſe you have made of my forbearance. Let favour be ſhewed to the wicked, yet will he not learne righteouſneſſe, Eſay. 26.10. and if thou deliver him once, yet thou muſt do it againe: and when all's done that can be done. A man of great wrath ſhall ſuffer puniſhment Prov. 19.19. and ſo (to be ſure of it) ſhall a man of great ſtomach and ſtubbornneſſe, that refuſeth to return as theſe of whom the fifth time it is here complained.

and yet ye have not returned &c.] O prorſus obſtinati! ſaith Tarnovius here:Act. 7.51. Prorſus indurati et contumaces, ſaith Mercer. Ye ſtifnecked and uncircumciſed in heart and eares, do ye thus alwayes reſiſt the holy Ghoſt: will ye needs be like horſe and mule uncounſellable, untractable? will ye, after conviction, needes run away with the bit in your mouths and take your ſwinge in ſin &c. If ſo reſolved, yet ſtay ſaith the Pſalmiſt,Pſal. 32.9.10. and take this along with you, Many ſorrowes ſhall be to the wicked: your preſervation from one evill ſhall be but a reſervation to ſeven worſe Lev. 26. as it fared with Pharaoh, Senacherib and others: God will ſurely ſubdue, or ſubvert you.

Verſe 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee o Iſrael] Thus? how? Non nominat mala ut omnia timeant ſaith Ribera. He tells them not how, that they may feare the worſt: even all that is written and unwritten. It was the very policy of Julius Caeſar never to extenuate or deny to his ſouldiers the danger of an enemy, but rather to raiſe up thoughts of valour by aggravating the contrary forces: and this way he did (not ſeldome) hyperbolically rhetoricate, ſaith the ſtory. Now the Lord need not do ſo: ſith his judgements are a great deep, neither can any man know the power of his anger:Pſal. 90.11. let a man feare it never ſo much, he is ſure to feel it a great deale more, if he once fall into his fingers. Is it nothing to drink the dregs of Gods diſpleaſure, when it is eternity unto the bottome? Is it nothing to launch into an infinite Ocean of ſcalding leade, and to ſwim naked in it for ever? Oh do any thing rather then be damned, and as Lewis King of France caſt the Popes bulls into the fire ſaying,Speed 496. he had rather they ſhould burn then himſelf fry in hell for obeying them: Or as Mary Q. of England reſtored againe all the Eccleſiaſticall livings aſſumed to the crown,Idem. ſaying that ſhe ſet more by the ſalvation of her own ſoule, then ſhe did by ten kingdomes: So let the wicked forſake his wayes, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord that he may have mercy upon him, and to our God, that he may multiply pardon. Eſay 55.7.

and becauſe I will do this unto thee] which (had I not wiſhed thee well) I would never have told thee.Ideo minatur ut non puniat. But God loves to fore-ſignifie: and therefore threateneth evill that he may not inflict it: he would gladly be prevented by our humble addreſſes unto him, and by our entreaties of peace. Heare him elſe.

prepare to meet thy God O Iſrael] Turn and try; thou canſt not likely loſe thy labour: or if thou ſhould'ſt, yet thou haſt loſt many a worſe. Let Ephraim but bemoane himſelf, and God will ſoon melt over him Ier. 31.20. Let Gods prodigals return to their mercifull father, and he will meet them halfe-way, and receive them with all ſweetneſſe. Tantum velis, & Deus tibi praeoccurret. Do as thoſe Jer. 3.17. Alexanders Macedenonians being ſenſible of his diſpleaſure laid by their armes put on their mourning attire,Plut. in Alexandro. came trooping to his tent, where for almoſt three dayes they remained with loud cryes and abunance of teares teſtifying their remorſe for offending him, beſeeching his pardon which at laſt they gained. And Guicciardin tells us, that Lewis 12. of France (when he entred Genoa in his triumphant charret with his ſword naked) reſolved to make a prey of their riches,Guice. lib. 7. and an example of many of the chief amongſt them, and to leave the reſt to his ſouldiers mercies. But beeing met firſt by the chief, afterward by the multitude,Parel Med. hiſt. prof. 754. making great lamentation for their folly, with abundance of teares and cryes, his wrath was appeaſed toward them. The like we read of Henry 7. Emperour toward the citizens of Cremona; of our Edward the third,Daniel. hiſt. 240. toward the Inhabitants of Callice. And in Cades conſpiracy here, after that 26. of the chief rebels were executed, the multitude naked in their ſhirts met the king on Black-heath, Speed 851. humbly praying mercy: which they obtained.

Verſe 13. For [illegible: 1 letter]o, He that formeth the mountaines &c.] q. d. If my mercy move thee not to an humble ſubmiſſion, let my Majeſty: and for that end conſider and tremble at my Nomen Majeſtativum my tranſcendent excellencies, as they are here diſplayed, deſcried, and deſcribed (for thy learning) with a great deale of ſolemnity and ſtate; to the end that thou mai'ſt not expect evils, but prevent them (as Demoſthenes counſelled his countrymen.)

He that formeth the mountaines] At firſt (doubtleſſe) with the reſt of the Univerſe: (though ſome held they were caſt up by Noahs flood) ſee Pſal. 90.1, 2. by his mere Fiat without toole or toyle Eſay. 40.28. This the blind Heathens ſaw,Plutarch de Iſide & O[illegible: 1 letter]yr. and thus hieroglyphically ſet forth: In Thebe a town of Egypt they worſhipped a God, whom they acknowledged to be immortall: And how painted they him? In the likeneſſe of a man blowing an egge out of his mouth: to ſignify that he made the round world by his word.

and createth the wind] The worlds beeſome (as Rupertus calleth it) wherewith God ſweepeth his great houſe, and whereby he ſetteth forth his inexpreſſible power. See for this Pſal. 18.11. and 148.8. Iob. 28.25. Ier. 10.12. Senec: lib. 5. Nat: quaeſt. cap. 18. And although we cannot tell whence it commeth, or whither it goeth Iob. 3.8. [non-Latin text not transcribed] yet can we (with Cruciger) contemplate the footſteps of God in this and other creatures: ſaying with Paul, that God is ſo neer unto us, that he may be almoſt felt with our hands.

and declareth unto man what is his thought] what language he hath in his heart,quid ſermocinetur, quidve cogitet. Druſ. what he talketh within himſelf, as the rich fool did Luk. 12.17. Jeſus knew the Phariſees thoughts: yea thou underſtandeſt my thoughts afarr off ſaith David Pſal. 139.2, even before I conceive them. Hierom and Theodotion referre the affix to God,Eloquium ſuum. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. The Seventy reade thus, Who declareth unto man his Chriſt ſenſu pio et egregio ſaith Mercer, ſed alieno: for Ma-ſicho they reade Meſhichio; perperam.

that maketh the morning darkneſſe] As he did at Sodome whereon the Sun ſhon bright in the morning; but ere night there was a diſmall change. So in Egypt Exod. 10.22. ſo in Jury at Chriſts death Mat. 27.45. Let this learne us to bleſſe God for the light both naturall Gen. 1.4. and ſupernaturall 2 Cor. 4.4.5. and to pray; that our Goſpell-ſun may not ſet at noon-tide, nor our light be put out in obſcure darkneſſe: but rather that he would make our darkneſſe, morning (for ſo the words may be read here) by clearing up thoſe truthes to us, that yet lye in part undiſcovered: Oh cry after Chriſt, as the poor man in the Goſpell, Lord, that mine eyes might be opened! Oh that thou wouldeſt give me ſight and light! Sun of righteouſneſs ſhine upon my dark ſoule.

and treadeth upon the high places of the earth] As being Higher then the higheſt, Excelſus ſuper Excelſos Eccleſ. 5.8. terrible to all the kings of the [illegible: 1 word] thoſe dread ſoveraignes) Pſal. 76.12. the moſt high God Gen. 14.18. and 22. that hath heaven for his throne, and earth for his foot-ſtoole: yea thoſe higheſt places of the earth, the tops of mountains, and rocks inacceſſible. But who is this King of glory?

The Lord, the God of Hoſts is his name.] Give therefore unto the Lord (O yee mighty) give unto the Lord, Pſal. 29.1. glory and ſtrength: Give unto the Lord the glory due to his name, worſhip the Lord in the beauty of holineſſe, &c. Exalt yee the Lord our God, Pſal. 99.5. and worſhip at his footſtool: for he is holy.