And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
The Lord will roar from Zion - as a lion (derived from Joel 3:16). By opening his prophecy with this quotation, Amos gives inspired sanction to Joel's prophecies. At the same time, hereby Amos, addressing the ten tribes, admonishes them that at "Zion and Jerusalem" is the place where men ought to worship. Whereas Yahweh is there represented roaring in Israel's behalf, here he roars against her (cf. Psalms 18:13; Jeremiah 25:30).
From Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem - the seat of the theocracy, from which ye have revolted; not from Dan and Bethel, the seat of your idolatrous worship of the calves.
And the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn - poetical personification. Their inhabitants shall mourn, imparting a sadness to the very habitations.
Carmel shall wither - the mountain promontory north of Israel, in Asher, abounding in rich pastures, olives, and vines. It reaches out by a bold head-land far into the Mediterranean, forming the south side of the bay of Acco or Acre. The name, according to its meaning, is the symbol of fertility. The term is used for a fertile field [from kerem (H3754), a vineyard, and maalee' (H4390), full]. It is generally called 'the Carmel' - i:e., the rich garden ground. Owing to its nearness to the sea, heavy dews every night renew its freshness and verdure of vegetation. When Carmel itself "withers," how utter the desolation! (Song of Solomon 7:5, "Thine head upon thee is like Camel;" Isaiah 33:9; Isaiah 35:2, "The excellency of Carmel;" Jeremiah 50:19; Nab. 1:4.)