Amos 5:14 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Bible Comments

Seek good, and not evil Give your minds to the practice of true piety and virtue. Do that which is just and good, and endeavour to make others do the same. That ye may live That it may be well with you, your families, and the whole kingdom. And so the Lord God of hosts The eternal, glorious God, who is Lord of all, and can help you, having all the hosts of heaven and earth at his disposal; shall be with you To bless and save you yet, notwithstanding all your former sins. As ye have spoken You have boasted of his being with you, you think he is with you, and is bound to be with you, and own you: so he will indeed, but it is on condition that you repent and turn from your idols and violence. Hate the evil Practised either by yourselves or others. And love the good

Cleave to and practise it yourselves, and commend, encourage, defend, and reward it in others. Let your hearts be toward good things and good men. Establish judgment in the gate Set up honest and upright judges in the gates of your cities, and see that true judgment be there administered. By this it is evident, that the prophet speaks chiefly to governors and persons in authority among them. It may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph To those small remains of the ten tribes which the civil wars and the invasions of your enemies have spared. As if he had said, Your case is not so desperate but repentance may yet avert God's judgments, and he may show himself gracious to those that are left of you.

Amos 5:14-15

14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.