Amos 6

Amos 6:1

VVO to them] Luke 6:24. The Prophet threatneth the wealthy, which regarded not Gods plagues nor menaces by his Prophets.

are at ease] Or, are secure.

chief] Exodus 19:5. Or, first-fruits.

of the nations] Namely, Sion, or Jerusalem of Judah: and Samaria of the ten tribes.

came] To wit, thither upon all businesses and occasions, as to the princes court, or court of justice.

Amos 6:2

Passe ye unto] Do but consider these cities, which formerly were mightier and in greater prosperitie then any of yours, and yet are decayed and ruined, to take example thereby, not to grow proud in carnall security, Nah. 3. 8.

Calneh] A most ancient citie in the Babylonian countrey, Genesis 10:10. taken (as Hamath also a famous citie of Syria) and peradventure destroyed also by the Assyrians, Isaiah 10:9. See Isaiah 23:13.

Gath] The Scripture maketh mention of no other desolation of Gath, but only by Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26:6.

Amos 6:3

that put farre away the evil day] Chap. 5. 18. Ye chieftaines put away farre from you all thought and fear of Gods judgements, Isaiah 29:1. Ezekiel 12:22. Amos 9:10. and in the mean time draw neer to publique tyranny, as if sinnes, and their punishments could go the one without the other.

and cause the seat of violence] Psalms 94:20. Or, habitation.

Amos 6:4

stretch themselves upon their couches] Or, abound with superfluities.

Amos 6:5

That chant] Or, quaver. Isaiah 5:12.

David] Who was a great inventor, and master of musick, and musicall instruments, 1 Chronicles 23:5. which he imployed in praising of God: whereas these did use them for a provocation of carnall pleasure.

Amos 6:6

wine in bowls] Or, in bowls of wine. By measure without measure.

they are not grieved] For their publike calamities.

affliction] Heb. breach.

Amos 6:7

now shall they go captive] They shall be the first and most noted in the punishment; as they have been in degrees of honour, and in sinnes.

Amos 6:8

The Lord GOD hath sworn] Jeremiah 51:14.

by himself] Heb. by his soul. Confer Hebrews 6:16-17.

I abhorre the excellency of Jacob] That is, the riches and pompe.

all that is therein] Heb. the fulnesse thereof.

Amos 6:9

if there remain ten men] Suppose that some number do escape the enemies hand, they shall fall by the Pestilence; and if there be not men enough for to bury them, their bodies shall be burnt, which was not used among the people, but onely in cases of extreme necessitie. See 1 Samuel 31:12.

Amos 6:10

a mans uncle shall take him up] The nearest of kinne, who for the duty of consanguinity, or to cleanse the house which is fallen to him by inheritance, shall take care of these dead bodies.

to bring out the bones] To cause the house to be more easily and privately freed from this legall uncleannesse. Numbers 19:14.

shall say unto him] He seems to mean him that had been imployed in burning of these dead bodies.

Hold thy tongue] Chap. 5. 13. Tell no body what hath hapned unto us, for fear lest we be sequestred as unclean by the law.

we may not] Or, they will not; or, have not. This extreme desolation doth dispense with us touching the lawes of God concerning these pollutions, and the purifying of them, which were not observed even by the most scrupulous consciences in the greatest extremities. See Lamentations 4:14-15.

Amos 6:11

For behold] All these things shall happen by reason of the utter extermination of great and small, which God hath appointed.

breaches] Or, droppings.

Amos 6:12

Shall horses runne upon the rock] Shall we Prophets continually cast away our labours upon you, who are so desperately corrupted, and turn all the good which is presented unto you, and bestowed upon you, into evill; as if a man ploughed or digged a hard rock?

for ye have turned judgement] Chap. 5. 7.

Amos 6:13

Ye which rejoyce] That triumph and glory in your strength, as if you could therewith overcome your enemies.

Amos 6:14

But behold] He giveth a reason why he hath called all their hopes and means things of nought.

from the entring in of Hamath] These were the two uttermost bounds of the land of Canaan in length.

the river of the wildernesse] Or, the valley of the wildernesse. Called elsewhere the river of Egypt. Numbers 34:5. Joshua 15:47.