John Calvin Commentary Amos 3:10

"For they know not to do right, saith Jehovah, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces." — Amos 3:10 (ASV)

In this verse, he confirms what I have already said about oppressions: he says that they despised everything right. But their not knowing this does not lessen their guilt, as if they offended ignorantly. On the contrary, the Prophet means that they had cast far away from themselves everything that was just and allowed themselves complete freedom in sinning, without any discernment, without any shame. It is as if he said, “They are brute animals, devoid of all judgment, all reason, and all shame, for they no longer seek to have an enlightened understanding.”

Here, then, he accuses the Israelites of willful blindness, for they hardened themselves in every kind of evil and extinguished all judgment, shame, and reason, so that they no longer distinguished between what was just and unjust. He mentions one thing in particular: that they accumulated much wealth by plunder and robbery.

The Israelites were no doubt guilty of many other crimes. But by mentioning a part for the whole, he mentions one thing that includes other things and intimates that the people were completely given over to all kinds of crimes. Having cast aside all shame, obliterated every distinction, and repudiated all regard for justice, they abandoned themselves to every kind of wickedness. This is the meaning of the Prophet’s words.

But our Prophet here points out the gross sins of the Israelites, because he had previously appointed the blind as their judges. Therefore, it was as if he had said: “Though the Egyptians and Idumeans are devoid of light, yet your iniquity is so palpable that they will be able to perceive it. There is indeed no need for any subtle argument, since plundering and pillaging are carried on with such violence, since no moderation or equity is any longer observed, and no shame exists. Instead, people rush headlong with blind impetuosity into every kind of evil, so that even the blind, though without eyes, can know what your state is. Then the Egyptians and Idumeans, when positioned on the neighboring mountains, will perceive your vices.” This is the meaning.