Albert Barnes Commentary Amos 7:9

"and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." — Amos 7:9 (ASV)

The high places of Isaac - He probably calls the ten tribes by the name of Isaac, as well as of Israel, in order to contrast their deeds with the blameless, gentle piety of Isaac, as well as the much-tried faithfulness of Israel.

It has also been thought that he alludes to the first meaning of the name of Isaac. His name was given from the joyous laughter at the unheard-of promise of God, to give children to those past age; their high places should be a laughter, but the laughter of mockery.

The “sanctuaries” were perhaps the two great idol-temples at Bethel and Dan, as opposed to the one “sanctuary” of God at Jerusalem. The “high places” were the shrines of idolatry, especially where God had shown mercy to the patriarchs and Israel, but also all over the land. All were to be laid waste, because all were idolatrous.

I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword - God speaks as people do, who, after being still, arise against the object of their enmity. He makes Himself to such an extent one with the instruments of His sentence, that what they do, He ascribes to Himself.

Jeroboam II must, from his military success, have been popular among his people. Successful valor is doubly prized, and he had both valor and success. God had saved Israel by His hand (2 Kings 14:27).

A weak successor is often tolerated for the merits of his father. There were no external wars that called for strong military energy or talent, and which might furnish an excuse for superseding an ineffectual king. Ephraim had no ambition of foreign glory to satisfy.

Zechariah, Jeroboam’s son, was a sensualist; but many sensualists have, at all times, reigned undisturbed. Shallum who murdered Zechariah was simply a conspirator (2 Kings 15:10); he represented no popular impulse, and he himself was slain a month later (2 Kings 15:13–14).

Yet Amos foretells absolutely that the house of Jeroboam should perish by the sword, and in the next generation his name was entirely blotted out.