John Calvin Commentary Amos 5:27

"Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith Jehovah, whose name is the God of hosts." — Amos 5:27 (ASV)

Here the Prophet finally denounces exile for the Israelites, as though he had said that God would no longer tolerate them contaminating the Holy Land, which had been given to them as an inheritance on the condition that they acknowledged Him as the only true God. God had now, for a long time, patiently endured the Israelites, even though they had never stopped polluting His land with superstitions.

He comes now to cleanse it. I will cause you, He says, to migrate beyond Damascus. This is because they thought that fortress could drive enemies from the whole country, and they took shelter there as in a quiet nest. The expression would otherwise have no meaning, and interpreters have not noticed this.

Interpreters say that I will cause you to migrate beyond Damascus means to a distant country. But why did the Prophet mention Damascus? This reason should be noted. It was because the Israelites thought that all enemy attacks would be prevented by the city of Damascus as their defense, which they considered impregnable. "That fortress," the Lord says, "will not prevent Me from taking you away and removing you as far as the Assyrians." We now see what the Prophet means and why he expressly added the name of Damascus.

It follows, The God of hosts is His name. Here the Prophet confirms his threat, so that hypocrites would not think that he was not speaking seriously. For we know how readily they flattered themselves; and when the Lord thundered, they remained secure. Therefore, the Prophet, to strike terror, says that the speaker is the God of hosts, as if he were saying, "You cannot hope to escape the vengeance which God now declares against you, for His power is infinite; He is the Lord of hosts. See then that He is prepared to destroy you unless you repent in time." This is the meaning. I will not proceed further now.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You see we are so prone to corrupt superstitions and are restrained by Your word only with great difficulty—O grant that, being confirmed by Your Spirit, we may never turn aside to the right hand or to the left. May we always be attentive to You alone and not worship You presumptuously, nor pollute Your worship with our outward displays. Instead, may we call on You with a sincere heart and, relying on Your aid, flee to You in all our necessities. May we never abuse Your holy name, which You have designed to be engraved on us. Instead, may we be conformed to the image of Your Son, so that You may truly be a Father to us, and we may be Your children, in the name of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.