Charles Ellicott Commentary Amos 5
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Amos 5
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Amos 5
"The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is cast down upon her land; there is none to raise her up." — Amos 5:2 (ASV)
Forsaken.— Or rather dashed to the earth. “Virgin” is a feminine designation of Israel poetically expressive of grace and beauty. Compare the epithet “daughter of Zion,” nations and cities being represented by a feminine personification. She is not annihilated, but obliterated as a nation.
"For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel." — Amos 5:3 (ASV)
Shall leave an hundred.— That is, shall have an hundred only as a remnant of the thousand who went forth to war. The great cities were to be decimated in the coming struggle with Assyria.
"For thus saith Jehovah unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live;" — Amos 5:4 (ASV)
Seek ... live. —Seeking God is rewarded by finding Him, and this is life in the highest sense.
"but seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought." — Amos 5:5 (ASV)
Seek: The same word is used for the searching, or inquiring at idol shrines, which is here fervently condemned. Regarding Beersheba, see Note on Amos 8:14. On Gilgal there is a play of words in the original, which it is impossible to express accurately in translation.
Bethel shall come to nothing: Translate (with Luther) Bethel (house of God) shall become Bethaven (house of vanity). The form Bethaven here is supported by the Septuagint, and appears to confirm the Masoretic reading of Hosea 4:15; Hosea 10:5; and Amos 1:5, where other reasons incline critics to read On for Aven (see the passages).
"Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el." — Amos 5:6 (ASV)
Repent, lest he rush down like fire on the house of Joseph (i.e., the Northern Kingdom). For “in Bethel” read “for Bethel.” Let the blending of mercy with judgment be here observed: Seek Jehovah and live, lest this evil befall you. The curse is still conditional.
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