John Calvin Commentary Amos 9:7

"Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith Jehovah. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?" — Amos 9:7 (ASV)

The Prophet shows the Israelites here that their dignity would be no defense to them, as they expected. We have indeed seen in many places how foolish the boasting of that people was. Although they were more bound to God than other nations, they still heedlessly boasted that they were a holy nation, as if they indeed had something of their own; but as Paul says, they were nothing.

God had conferred unique benefits on them, but they were adorned with the plumes of another. Their glorying was then foolish and absurd, when they thought themselves to be worth more in the sight of God than other nations. But as this foolish conceit had blinded them, the Prophet says now, “Whom do you think yourselves to be?

Ye are to me as the children of the Ethiopians; I indeed once delivered you, not that I should be bound to you, but rather that I should have you bound to me, for you have been redeemed through my kindness.” Some think that the Israelites are compared to the Ethiopians, because they had not changed their skin, that is, their disposition; but this view I reject as strained.

For the Prophet speaks here more simply: namely, that their condition did not differ at all from that of ordinary people. “You excel, but you have nothing apart from me; if I take away from you what is mine, what will you then have remaining?” The emphasis is on the word to me, What are you to me?

For they certainly excelled among men, but before God they could bring nothing, since they had nothing of their own. Indeed, the more splendidly God adorned them, the more modestly and humbly they ought to have conducted themselves, since they were bound to him for so many of his favors.

But as they had forgotten their own condition, despised all the Prophets, and took pleasure in their vices, he says, Are ye not to me as the children of the Ethiopians, as foreign and the most alien nations? For what worthy of praise can I find in you? If then I look on you, what are you? I certainly see no reason to prefer you even to the most obscure nations.”

He afterwards adds, Have I not made to ascend, or brought, Israel from the land of Egypt? Here the Prophet reminds them of their origin. Although they had indeed proceeded from Abraham, who had been chosen by God four hundred years before their redemption, yet, if we consider how cruelly they were treated in Egypt, that tyrannical servitude must certainly appear to have been like the grave.

They then began to be a people and to attain some name when the Lord delivered them from Egypt. The Prophet’s language is the same as though he had said, “Look from where the Lord has brought you out, for you were like a dead carcass and of no account. For the Egyptians treated your fathers as the vilest slaves. God brought you from there; then you have no nobility or excellency of your own, but the beginning of your dignity has proceeded from the gratuitous kindness of God.

Yet you now think that you excel others because you have been redeemed. God has also redeemed the Philistines when they were the servants of the Cappadocians; and besides, he redeemed the Syrians when they were servants to other nations.”

Some take קיר, kir, to mean Cyrene, but as this is uncertain, I set it aside as doubtful. Whatever it was, there is no ground for dispute about the subject itself, for it is certain that the Israelites are here compared with the Philistines as well as with the Syrians, since all had been similarly redeemed by the Lord, and this favor was common to all of whom he speaks.

Since God then pitied other nations in former ages, it was certainly not unique to the race of Abraham that they had been freed by God, and by means of extraordinary miracles. “Even the Philistines will say the same, and the Syrians will say the same; but yet you say that they are profane nations.

Since it is so, you are now divested of all excellency—that is, there is nothing of your own in you that you should exalt yourselves above other nations.” This is the meaning.