Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.
Publish in the palaces at Ashdod - as being places of greatest resort (cf. Matthew 10:27); and also as it is the sin of princes that he arraigns, he calls on princes, the occupants of the "palaces," to be the witnesses. Translate as the Hebrew, 'Publish upon the palaces of Ashdod, and upon the palaces of Egypt' - i:e., upon the flat roofs of their highest buildings, whence all can hear.
Ashdod - put for all Philistia. Convene the Philistine and the Egyptian magnates, from whom I have on various occasions rescued Israel. The opposite formula to "Tell it not in Gath" (2 Samuel 1:20) - namely, lest the pagan should glory over Israel. Even these idolaters, in looking on your enormities, will condemn you, how much more will the holy God!
And say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria - on the hills surrounding and commanding the view of Samaria, the metropolis of the ten tribes, which was on a lower hill ("the mountain of Samaria," Amos 4:1; 1 Kings 16:24, "He (Omri) bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.") The mountains are to be the tribunal on which your enemies, the Philistines and Egyptians, are to sit aloft to have a view of your crimes, so as to "testify" to the justice of your punishment (Amos 3:13).
Behold the great tumults in the midst thereof - caused by the violence of the princes of Israel in "oppressions" of the poor (Job 35:9; Ecclesiastes 4:1).