John Gill Commentary Amos 6:8

"The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by himself, saith Jehovah, the God of hosts: I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces; therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein." — Amos 6:8 (ASV)

The Lord God has sworn by himself. Because he could swear by no greater (Hebrews 6:13), which shows the importance and certainty of the thing sworn to, and is as follows:

says the Lord, the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob; or, "the pride of Jacob" ^F3; of Israel, of the ten tribes, remarkable for their pride; hence called the crown of pride (Isaiah 28:3); it may include all that was glorious, valuable, and excellent among them, of which they were proud; their kingdom, riches, wealth, and strength, their fortified cities and towns: if Judah is comprehended in this, it may regard the temple, which was their excellency, and in which they gloried. So the Targum paraphrases it, ``the house of the sanctuary of the house of Jacob;'' and in like manner Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, interpret it;

and hate his palaces; the palaces of the king and nobles, and great men, which should fall into the enemy's hand, and be plundered and destroyed; which is meant by the Lord's abhorrence and hatred of them, this being an evidence of it;

therefore will I deliver up the city, with all that is therein; or, "with its fulness" ^F4; with all its inhabitants and riches; according to Jarchi, the city of Jerusalem is meant; though rather the city of Samaria, unless both are intended, city for cities; since the chief men both of Israel and Judah seem to be addressed (Amos 6:1).

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FOOTNOTES:

• F3: (Nwag ta) "superbiam", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "fastium", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.
• F4: (halmw) "et plenitudinem ejus", Mercerus, Piscator, Cocceius.