John Trapp on Amos 9:4

Verſe 4 And though they goe into captivity, &c.] And ſo may hope the worſt is over, (Surely the bitterneſſe of death is paſt) yet it ſhall prove otherwiſe: The hypocrites hope is as the giving up the ghoſt, ſaith Iob, and that's but cold comfort:1 Sam. 15.32. Or, as the ſpiders web, ſpun out of her own bowels; and, when the beeſome comes, ſwept to the muck-hill.

before their enemies,] whoſe cuſtome was to drrive their captives before them, Lam. 1.5. young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, Eſay 20.4. Or, before their enemies, that is, before they are taken captive by the enemies, by a voluntary yeeldance, in hope of quarter for their lives. The Jewes indeed had a promiſe from the Prophet Jeremy, chap. 21.9. That if they went out and fell to the Chaldeans that beſieged them, they ſhould have their lives for a prey, but the ten tribes had no ſuch promiſe made them: They were ſtrangers from the covenants, Epheſ. 2.12. and therefore could look for no mercy. Loammi, and therefore Lo-ruhamah, Hoſ. 1. the Ark and the Mercy-ſeat were never ſundred.

thence will I command the ſword] See Eſay 13.15, 16. Jer. 9.10. and 43.11. Ezek. 14.17.

and I will ſet mine eyes upon them,]Emphaticote [illegible: 1 letter]on eſt q[illegible: 1 letter]am ſi dixi[illegible: 1 letter]ſet Oculos pluraliter. Mercer. Heb. eye, viz. the eye of my providence, that oculus irretortus, whereby I will look them to death, and take courſe that nothing ſhall go well with them: ſee a little below, verſ. 8. Jer. 21.10. Pſal. 34.16. In Tamerlanes eyes ſat ſuch a Majeſty, as a man could hardly endure to behold: and many in talking with him became dumb. He held the Eaſt in ſuch awe, as that he was commonly called,Turk. hiſt. 211.236. The wrath of God, and terrour of the world. Auguſtus Ceſar frowned to death, Cornelius Gallus: and ſo did Queen Elizabeth, Sir Chriſtopher Hatton, Lord Chancellour. Gods enemies are ſure to periſh at the rebuke of his countenance, Pſal. 80.16. and, if he but ſet his eyes upon them for evil, and not for good, all occurrences ſhall certainly work together for the worſt unto them.