Matthew Poole and continuators on Amos 2:9

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

Whom they have ungratefully forgotten and forsaken, and set up Idols in competition with me; nay cast off my Law and Worship, and embrac'd Idolatry, worshipt Idols that never could do them good, nor destroy their Enemies, this they did after I had destroyed their Enemies.

The mightiest Nation of all the Canaanites, and therefore expresly mentioned as instance of God's great mercy, and Israels great ingratitude; by this Nation mention'd all the rest of Canaanitish Nations are to be understood. These Amorites dwelt beyond Iordan, between that and Moab and their Land fell by lot unto Reuben, Gad, and half Tribe of Manasseh.

The Children of Israel under the conduct of Moses, Deut. 2.24. &c. and 3.1. to ver. 14. at the very sight of whom these mighty men fled, for God had struck them with-a terrour that they might not stand before Israel.

This is a proverbial speech, and sets out the Amorites, exceeding ordinary men in statute as much as the Cedar exceeds ordinary trees in height.

Another proverbial speech denoting their great strength above the strength of other men,

utterly rooted them out,

trees propagated by Fruit are diminisht, by destroying the Fruit which is the seed of them, so God cut off the children of the Amorites, and thereby prevented all succession.

This refers to the destroying the old standards, that present generation; this last clause refers to the command God gave, Deut. 7.2.

The Amorites were men of largest size, they were of the race of the Giants, Numb. 13.32, 33.

Marginal references: Num. 21.24. Deut. 2.31. Iosh. 24.8.; Num. 13.28, 32, 33.