Matthew Henry Complete Commentary
on the Whole Bible
Current Chapter:
Introduction
OF THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
A M O S.
THOUGH this prophet appeared a little before
Isaiah, yet he was not, as some have mistaken, that Amos who was the
father of Isaiah
(Isaiah 1:1),
for in the Hebrew their names are very different; their families too
were of a different character, for Isaiah was a courtier, Amos a
country-farmer. Amos signifies a burden, whence the Jews have a
tradition that he was of a slow tongue and spoke with stammering lips;
we may rather, in allusion to his name, say that his speech was
weighty and his word the burden of the Lord. He was (as
most think) of Judah, yet prophesied chiefly against Israel, and at
Bethel,
Amos 7:13.
Some think his style savours of his extraction, and is more plain and
rustic than that of some other of the prophets; I do not see it so; but
it is plain that his matter agreed with that of his contemporary Hosea,
that out of the mouth of these two witnesses the word might be
established. It appears by his contest with Amaziah the priest of
Bethel that he met with opposition in his work, but was a man of
undaunted resolution in it, faithful and bold in reproving sin and
denouncing the judgments of God for it, and pressing in his
exhortations to repentance and reformation. He begins with
threatenings against the neighbouring nations that were enemies to
Israel,
Amos 1:1-2:32
He then calls Israel to account, and judges them for their idolatry,
their unworthy walking under the favours God had bestowed upon them,
and their incorrigibleness under his judgments,
Amos 3:1-4:13
He calls them to repentance
ch. v.),
rejecting their hypocritical sacrifices unless they did repent. He
foretels the desolations that were coming upon them notwithstanding
their security
(Amos 6:1-14),
some particular judgments
(Amos 7:1-17),
particularly on Amaziah; and, after other reproofs and threatenings
(Amos 8:1-9:15),
concludes with a promise of the setting up of the Messiah's kingdom and
the happiness of God's spiritual Israel therein, just as the prophecy
of Joel concluded. These prophets, having opened the wound in their
reproofs and threatenings, which show all wrong, in the promises of
gospel-grace open the remedy, which alone will set all to rights.