1 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:

2 But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:

3 And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.

4 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:

5 But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

6 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;

7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:

8 And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

10 Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.

11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD.

12 But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

13 Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.

14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:

15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.

16 And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Amos
Book: Amos
Chapter: 2

Overview:
Judgments against Moab and Judah. (1-8) The ingratitude and
ruin of Israel. (9-16)

1-8 The evil passions of the Heart break out in various forms;
but the Lord looks to our motives, as Well as our conduct. Those
that Deal cruelly, shall be cruelly dealt with. Other nations
were reckoned with for injuries done to men; Judah is reckoned
with for dishonour done to God. Judah despised the Law of the
Lord; and he justly gave them up to strong delusion; nor was it
any excuse for their Sin, that they were the lies, the idols,
after which their fathers walked. The worst abominations and
most grievous oppressions have been committed By some of the
professed worshippers of the Lord. Such conduct leads many to
unbelief and vile Idolatry.

9-16 We need often to be reminded of the mercies we have
received; which add much to the evil of the sins we have
committed. They had Helps for their souls, which taught them how
to make good use of their earthly enjoyments, and were therefore
more valuable. Faithful ministers are great blessings to any
people; but it is God that raises them up to be So. Sinners' own
consciences will Witness that he has not been wanting to them in
the Means of Grace. They did what they could to lead believers
aside. Satan and his agents are busy to corrupt the minds of
young people who look heavenward; they overcome many By drawing
them to the Love of mirth and pleasure, and into drinking
company. Multitudes of young men who bade fair as professors of
religion, have erred through Strong Drink, and have been undone
for ever. The Lord complains of Sin, especially the sins of his
professing people, as a Burden to him. And though his
long-suffering be tired, his power is not, and So the sinner
will find to his cost. When men reject God's Word, adding
obstinacy to Sin, and this becomes the general character of a
people, they will be given up to misery, notwithstanding all
their boasted power and resources. May we then humble ourselves
before the Lord, for all our ingratitude and unfaithfulness.

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