John Trapp on Amos 7:4

Verſe 4. And behold the Lord God,] whoſe Aſterisk, or ſtarry Note this behold is, ſaith Tarnovius, ſtirring up to attention. Another compareth it to an hand in the margent of a book, pointing to ſome notable thing. Another to the ſounding of a trumpet before ſome proclamation: or to the ringing of a bell before the ſermon of ſome famous Preacher.

the Lord God called to contend by fire,] that is, by parching heat and drought, cauſing dearth, as Joel 1.19. For which purpoſe, God called his Angels, thoſe miniſtring ſpirits that execute his judgements upon the wicked (as they did once upon Sodom) to contend for him (a metaphor from civil courts) to plead for him by fire, to deſtroy the perverſe Iſraelites by fire and brimſtone,Eſay 66.16. Ezech. 38.22. as they had done Sodom and Gomorrah (ſo ſome interpret it according to the letter) or by the woe of warre, compared to fire, 2 King. 14.26. Eſay 26.11. as being a miſery which all words (how wide ſoever) want compaſſe to expreſſe: Or, by immoderate heat and drought, as afore: ſo great, that it devoured the great deep,] as that fire of the Lord in Eliah's time licked up the water that was in the treuch, 1 King. 18.38. See Eſay 51.10.

and did eat up a part.] Or, it devoured alſo the field: Not onely the waters, in and under the earth, that ſerve to make it fruitfull, but a part of the earth it ſelf: which was altogether above and againſt the common courſe of nature.Kimchi. Some render it, and did eat up that part, or that field, ſc. that mentioned verſe 1. the Kings field; that as the King had chiefly offended, ſo he ſhould be principally puniſhed.Druſius. Other, interpret it by chap. 4.7. One piece was rained upon, and the piece whereon it rained not, withered.