Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.
Therefore - resumed from Amos 5:13. God foresees that they will not obey the exhortation (Amos 5:14-15); but will persevere in their unrighteousness - "manifold transgressions and mighty sins," stigmatized Amos 5:7; Amos 5:10; Amos 5:12.
The Lord (JEHOVAH), the God of hosts, the Lord - an accumulation of titles, of which His LORDSHIP over all things is the climax, to mark that from His judgment there is no appeal.
Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways - the broad open spaces and the narrow streets common in the East.
Alas! alas! and they shall call the farmer to mourning - the citizens shall call the inexperienced farmers to act the part usually performed by professional mourners, as there will not be enough of the latter for the universal mourning which shall prevail.
And such as are skillful of lamentation - professional mourners, hired to lead off the lamentations for the deceased; alluded to in Ecclesiastes 12:5, "Man goeth to his long home; and the mourners go about the streets;" generally females (Jeremiah 9:17-19, "Call for the mourning women, that they may come").