These quotations are sufficient to show that this form of speech is neither unfrequent nor inelegant, being employed by the most correct writers of antiquity.
Damascus was the capital of Syria.
Verse 4
Ben-hadad - He was son and successor of Hazael. See the cruelties which they exercised upon the Israelites, [2Kgs 10:32]; [2Kgs 13:7], etc., and see especially [2Kgs 8:12], where these cruelties are predicted. The fire threatened here is the war so successfully carried on against the Syrians by Jeroboam II., in which he took Damascus and Hamath, and reconquered all the ancient possessions of Israel. See [2Kgs 14:25], [2Kgs 14:26], [2Kgs 14:28].
Verse 5
The bar of Damascus - The gates, whose long traverse bars, running from wall to wall, were their strength. I will throw it open; and the gates were forced, and the city taken, as above.
The plain of Aven - the house of Eden - These are names, says Bochart, of the valley of Damascus. The plain of Aven, or Birkath-Aven, Calmet says, is a city of Syria, at present called Baal-Bek, and by the Greeks Heliopolis; and is situated at the end of that long valley which extends from south to north, between Libanus and Anti-Libanus.
The people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir - Kir is supposed to be the country of Cyrene in Albania, on the river Cyrus, which empties itself into the Caspian Sea. The fulfilment of this prophecy may be seen in [2Kgs 16:1-9].
Verse 6
They carried away captive - Gaza is well known to have been one of the five lordships of the Philistines; it lay on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, near to Egypt. Erkon, Ashdod, and Askelon, were other signories of the same people, which are here equally threatened with Gaza. The captivity mentioned here may refer to inroads and incursions made by the Philistines in times of peace. See [2Chr 21:16]. The margin reads, an entire captivity. They took all away; none of them afterwards returned.
Verse 9
Tyrus - See an ample description of this place, and of its desolation and final ruin, in the notes on Ezekiel 26-28 (note).
The brotherly covenant - This possibly refers to the very friendly league made between Solomon and Hiram, king of Tyre, [1Kgs 5:12]; but some contend that the brotherly covenant refers to the consanguinity between the Jews and Edomites. The Tyrians, in exercising cruelties upon these, did it, in effect, on the Jews, with whom they were connected by the most intimate ties of kindred; the two people having descended from the two brothers, Jacob and Esau. See Calmet.
Verse 10
I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus - The destructive fire or siege by Nebuchadnezzar, which lasted thirteen years, and ended in the destruction of this ancient city; see on [Eze 26:7-14] (note), as above. It was finally ruined by Alexander, and is now only a place for a few poor fishermen to spread their nets upon.
Verse 11
For three transgressions of Edom - That the Edomites (notwithstanding what Calmet observes above of the brotherly covenant) were always implacable enemies of the Jews, is well known; but most probably that which the prophet has in view was the part they took in distressing the Jews when Jerusalem was besieged, and finally taken, by the Chaldeans. See [Oba 1:11-14]; [Eze 25:12]; [Eze 35:5]; [Psa 137:7].
Verse 12
Teman - Bozrah - Principal cities of Idumea.
Verse 13
The children of Ammon - The country of the Ammonites lay to the east of Jordan, in the neighborhood of Gilead. Rabbah was its capital.
Because they have ripped up - This refers to some barbarous transaction well known in the time of this prophet, but of which we have no distinct mention in the sacred historians.
Verse 14
With shouting in the day of battle - They shall be totally subdued. This was done by Nebuchadnezzar. See [Jer 27:3], [Jer 27:6].
Verse 15
Their king shall go into captivity - Probably מלכם malcham should be Milcom, who was a chief god of the Ammonites; and the following words, he and his princes, may refer to the body of his priesthood. See [1Kgs 11:33] (note). All these countries were subdued by Nebuchadnezzar.
Introduction
The prophet goes on to declare the judgments of God against Moab, [Amo 2:1-3]; against Judah, [Amo 2:4], [Amo 2:5]; and then against Israel, the particular object of his mission. He enumerates some of their sins, [Amo 2:6-8], aggravated by God's distinguishing regard to Israel, [Amo 2:9-12]; and they are in consequence threatened with dreadful punishments, [Amo 2:13-16]. See [2Kgs 15:19]; [2Kgs 17:6].
Verse 1
For three transgressions of Moab and for four - See an explanation of this form [Amo 1:2]. The land of the Moabites lay to the east of the Dead Sea. For the origin of this people, see [Gen 19:37].
He burned the bones on the king of Edom into lime - Possibly referring to some brutality; such as opening the grave of one of the Idumean kings, and calcining his bones. It is supposed by some to refer to the fact mentioned [2Kgs 3:26], when the kings of Judah, Israel, and Idumea, joined together to destroy Moab. The king of it, despairing to save his city, took seven hundred men, and made a desperate sortie on the quarter where the king of Edom was; and, though not successful, took prisoner the son of the king of Edom; and, on their return into the city, offered him as a burnt-offering upon the wall, so as to terrify the besieging armies, and cause them to raise the siege. Others understand the son that was sacrificed to be the king of Moab's own son.
Verse 2
The palaces of Kirioth - This was one of the principal cities of the Moabites.
Moab shall die with tumult - All these expressions seem to refer to this city's being taken by storm, which was followed by a total slaughter of its inhabitants.
Verse 3
I will cut off the judge - It shall be so destroyed, that it shall never more have any form of government. The judge here, שופט shophet, may signify the chief magistrate. The chief magistrates of the Carthaginians were called suffetes; probably taken from the Hebrew Judges, שופטים shophetim.
Verse 4
For three transgressions of Judah - We may take the three and four here to any latitude; for this people lived in continual hostility to their God, from the days of David to the time of Uzziah, under whom Amos prophesied. Their iniquities are summed up under three general heads:
1. They despised, or rejected the law of the Lord.
2. They kept not his statutes.
3. They followed lies, were idolaters, and followed false prophets rather than those sent by Jehovah.
Verse 5
I will send a fire upon Judah - This fire was the war made upon the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar, which terminated with the sackage and burning of Jerusalem and its palace the temple.
Verse 6
For three transgressions of Israel, etc. - To be satisfied of the exceeding delinquency of this people, we have only to open the historical and prophetic books in any part; for the whole history of the Israelites is one tissue of transgression against God. Their crimes are enumerated under the following heads: -