Amos 4 Israel reproved for oppression, Amos 4:1–3; for idolatry, Amos 4:4,Amos 4:5; and for their incorrigibleness, Amos 4:6–13.

This verse is an introduction to all that follows in this chapter. Hear attentively, and consider the consequences of it; weigh both what and whose it is that is spoken. This word; prophecy, or sermon of reproof and threatening: see Amos 3:1.

I have often told you that God had spoken, now I assure you that the mighty and eternal God hath sworn the thing, and you must therefore needs conclude it sure and certain. He hath sworn by his holiness, by himself, as he is the holy God, and cannot lie: see Ps. 89:35.

And ye, kine of Bashan, oppressors distressed by the just hand of God, and by the violent hand of your enemy, shall go out, endeavour to make your escape by flight, at the breaches, which the besieging enemy made in your walls, when Samaria is besieged.

Come to Beth-el, the known place of the moscholatria, calf-worship: see Amos 3:14. And transgress: this clears it to be an irony, either throwing them up to their obstinate way of sinning, giving them over as hopeless and incorrigible sinners, or deriding their trust and dependence on idols, to…

Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven; as all the rest of your will-worship, so this also is against the express law, Lev. 2:11, but yet you will persist in it; and do so at your peril, try whether it end in good to you.

And I, the Lord, who gave many blessings to win you to repentance, hath also tried what might be done by judgments. Cleanness of teeth: this is a description of famine by one effect of it; where meat fails the teeth are not fouled, as where it is eaten.

I also have withholden the rain from you; your vanities could not, and because ye did so greatly sin against me I would not, give you rain; I forbade the clouds from above, and they, thus prohibited, did withhold their rain, as I threatened, Deut. 28:23–24.

Two or three, a certain for an uncertain number, cities, the places for the inhabitants, by a usual metonymy, wandered unto one city to drink water: it seems to imply that they travelled at some uncertainty, as they do who wander and rove about.

To other judgments inflicted on you I have added this also, my hand hath been heavy upon you, I have smitten you with blasting; the excessive heat and drought have turned your corn into black and parched smut or ashes; and mildew; a bane to corn through too much wet; the seasons were extremely…

I have sent; you have died of plague, but I commissioned the disease, I sent it, and it swept you away in such manner that any observant eye might have seen the hand of God against you in it, and might have read the commission.

Overthrown; utterly consumed and destroyed your houses and goods. Some of you; though it was a total consumption to those it fell on, yet it was but on some, who might be wantings to others, and by which others might see how easy it was for God to destroy them all.

Therefore, because none of my former methods have succeeded, as in reason might have been expected, thus will I do unto thee, in some more terrible manner will I now proceed against thee, O Israel; you of the ten tribes.

To move them to act for their safety, the prophet tells them how great and dreadful God is, the most dreadful and terrible enemy, but the most desirable friend.