John Trapp on Amos 1:5

Verſe 5. I will break alſo the barre of Damaſcus,] i. e. their power and might, all ſtrength defenſive, or offenſive, and ſo make way for the enemie into the city, give him a fair entrance without reſiſtance. It is God that orders the battle, and renders mens attempts vain, or proſperous, Eſay 54. ult. Jer. 50.9. whenceſoever the ſword comes, it is bathed in heaven, Eſa. 34.5.

and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven.] Campus idoli, the plain, or valley of idols (ſo Mercer rendreth it) that is, of Syria given to idolatry; or Damaſcus, a very Poneropolis, and therefore ripe for ruine.

and him that holdeth the ſcepter,] A plain periphraſis of a king, (called oft by Homer, [non-Latin text not transcribed], Scepter-bearer) or of him that was to ſucceed in the kingdom. The French call him Dolphin, the Spaniards, Jnfant, &c. Our Henry the ſecond,Daniel. crowned his eldeſt ſonne Henry, while he was yet alive, and put the Scepter into his hand: which made his ambition quite turn off his obedience.

from the houſe of Eden,] Or, of pleaſure, the kings palace, a very paradiſe. God denieth not great men their lawfull pleaſures, for refreſhment, amidſt their weighty buſineſſes, &c. but yet they muſt remember St. Iames his charge againſt the Grandees of his time, Ye have lived in pleaſure on the earth, Jam. 5.5. and been wanton: ye have nouriſhed your hearts. as in a day of ſlaughter, or of good cheer. And that of Abraham to Dives, Jam. 5.5. Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedſt thy good things &c. Luk. 16.25. which text Gregory the great could never read, but his heart aked with feare, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. leſt it ſhould be his own caſe. It is well obſerved, that Philedoni Lovers of pleaſures are ſet as laſt and worſt of thoſe wicked ones, 2 Tim. 3.4. Solomon is blamed for ſpending thirteen yeares in building his houſe, and planting thoſe paradiſes about it, Eccle. 2.5.

and the people of Syria ſhall go into captivity unto Kir] A place of Media, Strabo. l. 17. called by other Authors Cyrrha, or (as others think Cyrene in Egypt, or Afrrica. This was fulfilled 50. yeares after by Tiglath Pileſer.

ſaith the Lord] who ſpake the word and it was done Pſal. 33.9. and 148.5. And what wonder, when his Fiat onely made the world, and he can as eaſily unmake it, if he pleaſe.