Amos9
English Standard Version
1I the the , and he : the until the , and them on the of the people; and those who of them I will with the ; one of them shall ; one shall .
2 they into , from shall my them; if they up to , from I will bring them .
3 they themselves on the of , from I will them out and them; and if they from my at the of the , I will the , and it shall them.
4And they into their , I will the , and it shall them; and I will upon them for and not for .
5The God of , he who the and it , and who in it , and of it like the , and again, like the of ;
6who his in the and his upon the ; who for the of the and pours them upon the of the — the Lord is his .
7Are you like the to me, O of ? the Lord. Did I from the of , and the from and the from ?
8 , the of the God are upon the , and I will it from the of the , that I will the of , the Lord.
9 , I will , and the of among all the as one with a , but shall to the .
10 the of my shall by the , who , shall or us.
11In I will raise the of that is and its , and raise its and it as in the of ,
12 they may the of and the are by my , the Lord who .
13 , the are , the Lord, when the shall the and the of him who the ; the shall , and all the shall with it.
14I will the of my , and they shall the and them; they shall and their , and they shall and their .
15I will them on their , and they shall be of the I have them, the Lord your .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Amos 9.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The ruin of Israel. (1–10). The restoration of the Jews and the gospel blessing. (11–15).
vv1-10
The prophet, in vision, saw the Lord standing upon the idolatrous altar at Bethel. Wherever sinners flee from God's justice, it will overtake them. Those whom God brings to heaven by his grace, shall never be cast down; but those who seek to climb thither by vain confidence in themselves, will be cast down and filled with shame. That which makes escape impossible and ruin sure, is, that God will set his eyes upon them for evil, not for good. Wretched must those be on whom the Lord looks for evil, and not for good. The Lord would scatter the Jews, and visit them with calamities, as the corn is shaken in a sieve; but he would save some from among them. The astonishing preservation of the Jews as a distinct people, seems here foretold. If professors make themselves like the world, God will level them with the world. The sinners who thus flatter themselves, shall find that their profession will not protect them.
vv11-15
Christ died to gather together the children of God that were scattered abroad, here said to be those who were called by his name. The Lord saith this, who doeth this, who can do it, who has determined to do it, the power of whose grace is engaged for doing it. Verses 13–15 may refer to the early times of Christianity, but will receive a more glorious fulfilment in the events which all the prophets more or less foretold, and may be understood of the happy state when the fulness both of the Jews and the Gentiles come into the church. Let us continue earnest in prayer for the fulfilment of these prophecies, in the peace, purity, and the beauty of the church. God marvellously preserves his elect amidst the most fearful confusions and miseries. When all seems desperate, he wonderfully revives his church, and blesses her with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. And great shall be the glory of that period, in which not one good thing promised shall remain unfulfilled.
Key Words
רָאָה: to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
אֲדֹנָי: the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)
נָצַב: to station, in various applications (literally or figuratively)
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
מִזְבֵּחַ: an altar
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
נָכָה: to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
כַּפְתֹּר: a chaplet; but used only in an architectonic sense, i.e. the capital of acolumn, or a wreath-like button or disk on the candelabrum
סַף: a vestibule (as a limit); also a dish (for holding blood or wine)
רָעַשׁ: to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.; also a field of grain), particularly through fear; specifically, to spring (as a locust)
Cross References
Amos 9James explicitly quotes Amos 9:11-12 at the Jerusalem Council regarding the inclusion of the Gentiles.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Direct New Testament quotation and application of rebuilding the fallen tabernacle of David.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Poole notes David's elegant description of God's omnipresence (heaven, hell, sea) mirrors Amos's escape limits.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The shaking of the temple posts/thresholds strongly echoes Isaiah's vision in the temple.
Supported by JFB
JFB links building chambers in the heavens directly to the language of Psalm 104:3.
Supported by JFB
Confirms the historic origin of the Philistines from Caphtor as part of divine migration providence.
Supported by JFB
Historical fulfillment of the Syrians being carried back captive to Kir, their original home.
Supported by JFB
Direct verbal parallel regarding digging into hell or climbing up to heaven.
Supported by JFB
JFB identifies the sea-serpent commanded to bite them with the leviathan/serpent of Isaiah 27:1.
Supported by JFB
Repeats the judgment of the land rising and drowning like the flood of Egypt.
Supported by JFB
Identifies Caphtor as the place of origin for the Philistines who destroyed the Avims.
Supported by JFB
Connects Kir with Syrian military presence and ethnic origins.
Supported by JFB
Earlier prophecy in Amos that the Syrians would go captive back to Kir.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the impossibility of hiding in secret places from God's all-seeing presence.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Mosaic curse of being pursued by the sword even among the heathen nations.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explains God's 'troop' or 'host' founded in the earth as all animate creatures.
Supported by JFB
Highlights the Ethiopian comparison, illustrating Israel's stubbornness and loss of special standing.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the promise to correct with judgment but not utterly destroy the seed of Jacob.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfillment of raising up David's throne and kingdom eternally in Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The blessing of agricultural abundance where threshing reaches to the vintage, symbolizing gospel plenty.
Supported by Matthew Henry