7:1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he
formed a grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up
of the latter growth; and, lo, [it was] the latter growth
b after the king's mowings.
(a) To devour the land: and he alludes to the invading of
the enemies.
(b) After the public commandment for mowing was given: or as
some read, when the kings sheep were shorn.
7:3 The LORD c repented for this: It shall not be, saith the
LORD.
(c) That is, stopped this plague at my prayer.
7:4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord
GOD called to contend by fire, d and it devoured the great
deep, and did eat up a part.
(d) Meaning, that God's indignation was inflamed against the
stubbornness of this people.
7:7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall
[made] by a plumbline, e with a plumbline in his hand.
(e) Signifying that this would be the last measuring of the
people, and that he would defer his judgment no longer.
7:10f Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king
of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the
midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear
all his words.
(f) That is, when Amos had prophesied that the king would
be destroyed: for the wicked priest more for hatred he
had for the Prophet than for love toward the king,
thought this accusation sufficient to condemn him.
However, only what the Prophet said could take place.
7:12 Also g Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee
away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and
prophesy there:
(g) When this instrument of Satan was not able to
accomplish his purpose by the king, he tried by another
practice, that was, to scare the Prophet, that he might
depart, and not reprove their idolatry there openly,
and so hinder his profit.
7:14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I [was] no h
prophet, neither [was] I a prophet's son; but I [was] an
herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
(h) Thus he shows by his extraordinary calling, that God
had given him a charge, which he must necessarily
execute.
7:17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; i Thy wife shall be an
harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall
fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line;
and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall
surely go into captivity forth of his land.
(i) In this way God used to approve the authority of his
Prophets, by his plagues and judgments against those
who were malicious enemies as in (Jer 28:12-17)
)29:21-26), as this day he does against those that
persecute the ministers of his Gospel.
