Bible Commentaries
Amos 2

Verse 1

Amo 2:1. The Moabites had the same origin as the Ammonites (Gen 19:37), The historians and commentaries offer various suggestions about this strange act of the king of Moab. It is questioned whether he actually burned the bones of the reigning king of Edom, or that he dug up the bones of the son who (had he lived) would have reigned over Edom. But the main point in the passage is not affected either way it may be understood. God wouid not endorse such an inhuman performance that could have been prompted only by the spirit of wicked vengeance.

Verse 2

Amo 2:2. Kirioth was an important city of the Moabites and it was destined to be destroyed by Are from an attacking army. The success of the invader was to be accompanied with shouts and the Instruments commonly used in warfare.

Verse 3

Amo 2:3. Judge and princes means any of the leading men of the nation. In all military operations it is regarded as of special importance to remove the most outstanding men of the city or nation attacked.

Verse 4

Amo 2:4, While the Iawd was giving these threatening messages through the prophet, He did not overlook his own people in their misconduct. To despise the law means to belittle it and hence treat it as if it had very little or no Important purpose with them. Their lies refers to the false predictions of peace that the unfaithful prophets were Issuing to the nation, The effect of these false messages was to cause them to err in following in the steps of their unfaithful ancestors.

Verse 5

Amo 2:5. This verse was literally fulfilled as recorded in 2Ki 25:9,

Verse 6

Amo 2:6. Judah was named in verse 4, therefore we should understand Israel to be the 10tribe kingdom. This agrees with Amo 1:1 that states that Amos “saw” some things concerning Israel. Both the kingdoms of the Jews were yet in power when he began his writing. Sold the righteous for silver, poor for a pair of shoes. No proper money value can be placed upon a human being, but to sell one for such a paltry price denotes a most contemptible estimate of him.

Verse 7

Amo 2:7. All the terms of any passage should be interpreted in view of the general thought of the whole writing in the connection. We know the prophet Is writing about the mistreatment the leaders of Israel were imposing upon the poor and otherwise dependent common people. They had very little regard for even the humble customs and religious practices of their brethren. It was a custom in ancient times to put dust upon the head in times of grief and anxiety, or at such occasions when devout servants of the Lord wished to emphasize their feeling of reverence for God, These wicked leaders were so bitter against the common poor people that they panted or selfishly sought to cast this dust of devotion from the heads and dash it to the ground. They were also very loose in their conduct of the intimate affairs of life. Ali the laws or decency forbade a man and his son being intimate with the same woman, but these corrupt men did not stop short of that kind of iniquity.

Verse 8

Amo 2:8. The law of Moses permitted a man to take a garment aa security for a financial obligation, but he was not allowed to keep it overnight (Exodus 22; Exodus 26; Deu 24:12), But these evil men made personal use of garments that had been taken temporarily, and intensified their guilt by lounging around in them in the temples of idolatrous worship. Condensed is from anash, which Strong defines, “A primitive root; properly to urge; by implication to inflict a penalty, specifically to fine." The law authorized fines to be levied on certain conditions (Deuteronomy 22; 39), but it must not be done unjustly. These men abused their authority by fining the poor without cause, then spending that money for wine which they drank in the idolaters' house.

Verse 9

Amo 2:9. There was a distinct tribe of early inhabitants in Palestine that went by the name of Amorlte. They were so outstanding in Iniquity that the name came to be used sometimes as a designation for all the heathen. (See Gen 15:16.)

Verse 10

Amo 2:10. Ingratitude is a very bad principle and is condemned in both sacred and profane literature. The Lord had done so much for Israel that it made their evil conduct all the more to be condemned, and they are being reminded of the subject In a number of verses. The one event of rescuing them from the Egyptians after four centuries of bondage should have bound them to God in a firm spirit of unmixed devotion. And their release from that country put them in a situation that would have been distressing from the unsettled state of the wilderness, yet the Lord took care of them miraculously for the entire journey of 40 years, so that they could come into possession of the land being held by these Amorites.

Verse 11

Amo 2:11. After settling the people of Israel In the land promised to the fathers, the Lord honored them with national distinction and gave their children an honorable part in the conduct of public affairs. Prophets were given the important work of standing between God and the people in delivering inspired messages of instruction and consolation, and the Nazarites were permitted to form a special class of servants for God, with the provision that they would have distinctive favors from Him.

Verse 12

Amo 2:12. One of the conditions of a Nazarite’s vow was that he abstain from the use of wine or any other part of the grape during the term of his vow (Num 6:24). Gave the Nazarites wine to drink. Two wrongs never make one right, and no one is justified in doing evil just because some one places the temptation before him. But it is also true that if one furnishes the occasion that causes another to go wrong, he will be held accountable for that wrong (Rom 14:15-16; 1Co 8:11-12). There were devout persons in the congregation who look upon themselves the obligations of the Nazarite vow in order to obtain some special favor, and to satisfy their desire for a distinctive service to the Lord. And there are people in the world who are so selfish that they do not want anyone else to have some blessing that they do not have. They seem to be acting under the idea that says, "if I eannot have certain favors, I do not want others to have them either.” These persons did not want to make the sacrifice required to obtain the blessings coming upon a Naza rite, hence they induced them to drink wine so they would not receive them either, having violated their vow. They also obstructed the work of the prophets because they did not like the warnings and exhortations to duty that were spoken by them.

Verse 13

Amo 2:13. We cannot think of God as being pressed in ihe sense of being burdened by a load that would feel heavy to Him. The marginal reading is, "I will press your place as a cart full of sheaves presseth,” and also the American Standard Version words the passage in ihe same way. Such a rendering also is in keeping with the general thought, tor the Lord is threatening to hear down upon these leaders of Israel so heavily that they will not be able to travel.

Verse 14

Amo 2:14, The reasoning in this verse justifies the conclusion expressed as to the proper rendering of the preceding one. Because of the pressure the Lord was to put on the shoulders of the unfaithful men of Israel, they would not be able to make any progress In traveling. Being unable to travel as satisfactorily as desired, they would not be able to deliver themselves from the condition that He had in mind to bring upon Israel, namely, the Assyrian captivity.

Verse 15

Amo 2:15, The bow and the horse were used in warfare, either offensive or defensive. Hence when the Assyrians make their invasion into the realm of Israel they will overcome them because of their insufficient ability either for fighting or fleeing.

Verse 16

Amo 2:16. Naked is defined by Strong as “Naked, either partially or totally.” The idea is that they would strip themselves of part of their wearing articles so that they might be the more able to flee.