AMOS CHAPTER 1
The time when Amos prophesied, Amos 1:1-2 . He showeth God's judgments upon Syria, Amos 1:3-5; upon the Philistines, Amos 1:6-8 upon Tyre, Amos 1:9-10; upon Edom, Amos 1:11-12; upon Ammon Amos 1:13-15 .
The words: the Holy Ghost doth in this expression comprehensively take in all the sermons, visions, and predictions which Amos preached and published; all the exhortations to duty, the menaces against sins, the warnings of dangers coming, and the promises of mercy to them that hear and obey his words: see Haggai 1:12 . And so what Jeremiah preached to his auditors are the words of Jeremiah, Amos 1:1; and the instructions and counsel of Solomon are the words of the Preacher, Ecclesiastes 1:1 . Both the things spoken and the words wherein they are spoken are included.
Amos: those who think this was father to the prophet Isaiah, either discern not the difference that is in the two Hebrew words, or pronounce hastily without considering what each is in the Hebrew, in which tongue these words have but two letters the same, i.e. M and O, the other are quite different; as also is the signification of each, for the one imports strength or might, the other imports a burden or heavy weight.
Among the herdmen, or shepherds, but whether one of the meaner or one of the chief, whether a master herdman or a servant, the word imports the former, yet because the Scripture doth not say, we shall not inquire, since it conduceth little to our profiting, nor will it add to his authority, since it is God who sent him.
Tekoa: whether it belonged to Zebulun, Asher, or Judah is not much material, though this last be most likely, for, 2 Chronicles 11:5,6, we read of Rehoboam's building fortresses in Judah, among which Tekoa is mentioned. It was situate on a hill on the north of Judah, as a learned pen describeth it.
He saw; received by revelation: this tells us that the things as well as words were to be understood, when it is said that these were the words of Amos.
Israel; the kingdom of the ten tribes, revolted from the house of David, and now under the government of Jehu's great-grandson.
Uzziah; called also Azariah, who was smitten with a leprosy for intruding into the priest's office, 2 Chronicles 26:16,19.
Judah; including the tribe of Benjamin, and such of the Levites as did adhere to the house of David, the kingdom of the house of David. Jeroboam; not son of Nebat, but grandson of Jehu. Joash; who had some successes against Syria, according to the prophecy of Elisha, by which successes Israel was raised from a declining to a thriving, prosperous state.
The earthquake; of which only this text, and Malachi 14:5 , do make particular mention, and where somewhat is spoken of it; which see. It is the tradition of the Jews, that this earthquake happened when Uzziah usurped the priest's work and offered incense in the temple, against which violation of Divine rites God testified thus from heaven, say they. Further than this we need not inquire in this matter. It was a great and dismal earthquake, and perhaps by this God did smite the winter and summer houses, as Amos 3:15; however, as it was foretold two years before it came, so we are sure it did come according to the time prefixed by the Lord.