John Calvin Commentary Amos 1:6-8

"Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole people, to deliver them up to Edom: but I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon; and I will turn my hand against Ekron; and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord Jehovah." — Amos 1:6-8 (ASV)

Amos here directs his discourse against Gaza, which the Philistines occupied. It was situated in the territory of the tribe of Judah, towards the sea; but as the Anakim were its inhabitants, the Philistines kept possession of it. Thus, the Jews had these enemies as ακτωρηκους (guardians of the shore), who had a greater opportunity of doing harm because they were so near. We may learn from the Prophet’s words that the Philistines who dwelt at Gaza, when they saw the Israelites oppressed by their enemies, joined their forces with foreign allies, and that the Jews did the same. God, therefore, now denounces punishment on them.

Regarding the word Gaza, some think it was given to the city because Cambyses, when warring with the Egyptians, had deposited his money and valuable furnishings there; and because Persians call a treasure gaza. But this idea is frivolous. We indeed know that the Greek translators always put γ (gamma) for an ע (oin); just as they make Gomorrah from Omorrha, so they make Gaza from Oza.

Besides, the city had this name before the time of Cambyses. It was therefore more probably so named from its strength. That the Greeks rendered it Gaza was according to their usual practice, as I have said regarding other words. But there were two Gazas; when the first was demolished, the inhabitants built another near the sea.

Hence Luke, in Acts 8, says that Gaza was a desert; and he thus distinguishes between Gaza on the seaside and the old one, which had previously been demolished. But Amos speaks of the first Gaza, for he threatens it with the destruction that resulted in the city being moved to the shores of the Mediterranean.

I come now to the Prophet’s words: God, he says, will not be propitious to Gaza for three and four transgressions, as the Philistines had so provoked God that they were now completely unworthy of pardon and mercy. I reminded you in yesterday’s lecture that a sad spectacle is presented to us here, yet it is useful; for we see here so many people in such a corrupted state that their wickedness had become intolerable to God. But today, the state of things in the world is more corrupt, for iniquity overflows like a deluge.

Therefore, whatever people may think of their evils, the Lord from heaven sees how great and how irreclaimable is their obstinacy. It is of no account that some throw blame on others, or look for some alleviation, since all are ungodly and wicked: for we see that God here declares that He would, at the same time, take vengeance on many nations. The Edomites might then have objected, and said, that their neighbors were no better; others might have made the same excuse; everyone might have had his defense ready, if such a pretext availed, that all were equally implicated in the same guilt and wickedness. But we see that God appears here as a judge against all nations. Let us therefore not be deceived by vain delusions when we see that others are like us; let everyone know that he must bear his own burden before God: I will not then be propitious for three and for four transgressions.

Because they carried away, he says, a complete captivity—the Prophet here records a special crime: that the Gazites took away Jews and Israelites, removed them as captives into Edom, and confined them there. I have already said that it was not the Prophet’s design to enumerate all their sins, but that he was content to mention one crime, so that the Israelites might understand that they themselves were involved in a heavier guilt, because they had grievously offended both God and men. If, therefore, so severe a vengeance was to be taken on Gaza, they ought to have known that a heavier vengeance awaited them, because they were guilty of more and greater sins. But he says that they had effected a complete captivity, since they had spared neither women, nor children, nor old men; for captivity is called perfect or complete when no distinction is made, but when all are taken away indiscriminately, without any selection. They therefore carried away a complete captivity, so that no pity for sex or age touched them. That they might shut them up, he says, in Edom.

Now follows a denunciation of punishment—that God would send a fire on the wall of Gaza, to devour its palaces. And it therefore appears that Gaza was a splendid and sumptuously built town; for this reason, the Prophet speaks of its palaces. He shows, at the same time, that neither strength nor wealth would prevent God from executing the punishment which the Gazites deserved.

He also names other cities of Palestine, even Ascalon, Azdod (or Azotus), and Ecron. These cities the Philistines then possessed. The Prophet therefore intimates that wherever they might flee, there would be no safe place for them, for the Lord would expose not only Gaza but also all the other cities as prey to enemies.

We may conclude that Ascalon was the chief city, for the royal residence was there, though Gaza was the capital of the whole nation. It might still be that the pleasantness of its situation and other attractions induced the king to reside there, even though it was not the metropolis. Him then who holds the scepter I will cut off from Ascalon.

He finally concludes that all the remnants of Palestine would be destroyed. Now, whenever God denounces destruction on the Jews, He always gives some hope and says that a remnant would be saved. But here the Prophet declares that whatever remained of that nation would be destroyed, for God intended to destroy them completely, and even their very name.

He therefore adds that Jehovah Lord had spoken, saith the Lord Jehovah. This was added for confirmation, for the Philistines were then in possession of many strong defenses, so that they boldly laughed to scorn the Prophet’s threatening. He therefore brings forward here the name of God. Now follows the prediction concerning Tyre:—