Matthew Poole and continuators on Amos 5:8

8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion , and turneth the shadow of death into the morning , and maketh the day dark with night , that calleth for the waters of the sea , and poureth them out upon the face of the earth , the LORD is his name .

Tho this be not in the Hebrew 'tis well supplyed by our interpreters.

A famous Constellation, and whose rising abount September was usually accompanied with Rains and sweet showers, which as chap. 4. ver. 7. had been withholden, whence want of Water and Bread, now the Prophet adviseth to seek the Lord who can give them Rain and corn, by the kindly influences of that watry constellation, which as he made so he guides and mamanageth, This I take to be the most natural meaning of the place.

Which arising about November brings usually Cold, Rains and Frosts intermixt with much uncertainty, but very seasonable for the Earth, to make it fruitful, this mentioned to perswade these people to repent, who were afflicted with such barrenness and unfruitfulness as brought famine with it.

Proverbially, that turneth greatest adversity (which is here called shadow of death) into as great prosperity, here called the Morning, Psalm 23.4.

Metaphorically this expresseth a change of prosperity into adversity; ye house of Israel think well of it, you are in a dangerous state advised to seek him, who can turn your Morning into Night, or your Night into Morning; who can on a sudden remove all evil from you, and bring all good upon you; seek him therefore, and seek not Idols.

Either to raise them to terrible swellings and rage, or rather calls up waters out of the Sea, by commanding the vapour to ascend, which he turneth into rain;

and then poureth out from the Clouds to make the Earth fruitful.

He only is God and the Lord, who doth thus seek him.

Marginal references: Job [illegible: 1 span] & 3[illegible: 1 letter].3[illegible: 1 letter].; chap. [illegible: 1 span]