Albert Barnes Commentary Amos 9:8

"Behold, the eyes of the Lord Jehovah are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; save that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith Jehovah." — Amos 9:8 (ASV)

Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinful kingdom—The sinful kingdom may mean each “sinful kingdom,” as Paul says, God “will render unto every man according to his deeds—unto them who do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile” (Romans 2:6–9).

His “Eyes” are “on the sinful kingdom,” whatever or wherever it may be, and so on Israel also: “and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth.” In this case, the emphasis would be on the words, “I will not “utterly” destroy.” God would destroy sinful kingdoms; yet Israel, although sinful, He would not utterly destroy, but would leave a remnant, as He had so often promised.

Yet perhaps, and more probably, the contrast is between “the kingdom” and “the house of Israel.” “The kingdom,” being founded in sin and bound up inseparably with sin, God says, “I will destroy it from off the face of the earth,” and it ceased forever. Only, with the kingdom, He says, “I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” to whom the promises were made, and to whose seed, whoever were the true Israel, those promises would be kept. So He explains.