Grain is threshed with farming instruments, which back then might include a heavy board, studded with sharp metal used to pull over the grain to separate it from the husk. So I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad. How then could it refuse to believe of itself, what it believed of others like itself? D God also said He will cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven. They reach nearly to Anti-libanus westward, and extend on both sides of the Barada some miles eastward. Not naming it, he leaves it the rather to be conceived of by the mind, as something which had been of old coming upon them to overwhelm them, which God had long stayed back, but which, since He would now stay it no longer, would burst in, with the more terrific and overwhelming might, because it had been restrained before. Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.Job 1:14 And there came a messenger to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,1 Corinthians 15:38-39 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. And God separated the light from the darkness. Thus says the LORD: For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron. Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Damascus (Syria, also called Aram) "threshed" Gilead. Proverbs 20:4 says, The lazy man does not plow when the winter [planting] season arrives; So he begs at the [next] harvest and has nothing [to reap]. Likewise, Proverbs 21:5 says, The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Furthermore, Ecclesiastes 11:6 says, Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. The Bible talks against laziness. The fact that his chief and confidential servant whom he entrusted to seek a wife for Isaac, and who was, at one time, his heir, was a Damascene Genesis 15:2-3, implies some intimate connection of Abraham with Damascus. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. These are the men of Recah. The amount of rain, the cool of the nights, the warmth of the days, soil conditions, insects, and many others. M 4 So I will send a fire on the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad. Genesis 8:22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.Isaiah 9:3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.Deuteronomy 11:14 He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.Zechariah 10:1 Ask rain from theLordin the season of the spring rain, from theLordwho makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.2 Samuel 24:22 Then Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. It lay in the midst of its plain, a high table-land of rich cultivation, whose breadth, from Anti-libanus eastward, was about half a degree. I will not turn away the punishment thereof - Literally, I will not turn it back. What was this, which God would not turn back? Job 5:19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. a aq as _ \\ \ \ \ ss ce ake i arthur s. phelps his booke god give him grace. TheLordblessed him,Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Gaza represents the alliance of Philistine citiesAshdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron [Gath is not named here]in southwestern Palestine. The names Hazael and Ben-hadad, two kings of Aram, are also known from 2 Kings 8. The fourth transgression of these pagan nations is alone mentioned. nothing big cus i Still hate to write. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. Although Israel and Judah were the primary audience of Gods message delivered through Amos, six other cities and nations Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab were also indicted. The moral majesty of a king is obviously greater than the rest. 5 I will break the gate bars of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven, and the one who holds the scepter from Beth-eden; Philistia removed Judeans who lived in the lush farmland of the Judean foothills to the desert regions of Edom (cf. What is the Biblical Perspective on Agriculture, Why Did Jesus Talk So Much About Agriculture, Why Jesus Talked So Much About Agriculture. On some days, the only thing the farmer can do is sit, wait, and hope for the best. January 9, 2013 at 8:31 am and is filed under Biblical Texts. Such a pronouncement of judgment continues throughout the second chapter, which begins with Moab and culminates with Gods chosen people, namely, Judah and Israel. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material.Genesis 1:1-31 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. N Here, Damascus represents the entire nation of Aram (or Syria). The two on the northern side water Salahiyeh at the foot of the hills about a mile from the city, and then irrigate the higher portions of the plain to the distance of nearly twenty miles. Although God delegated authority to human governments to execute justice (Romans 13:4), He is still the ultimate judge. The LORD was the one who gave His words to His prophet. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth, English Standard Version Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron. See the passionate exclamation of Ulysses, in the storm, Odyss., lib. , Proverbs 12:11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.Isaiah 65:22-24 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Gods mercy holds back the punishment long, allowing only some slight tokens of His displeasure to show themselves, that the sinful soul or people may not be unwarned. Let the nations who have ears to hear, hear what the Spirit through Amos says to the nations. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. 5 I will break the gate bars of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven, and the one who holds the scepter from Beth-eden; Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. Am I? 5 I will break the gate bars of Damascus and I will cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven and the one who takes . Jehoash recovered from Benhadad III the cities this side Jordan 2 Kings 13:25; Jeroboam II, all their lost territories and even Damascus and Hamath 2 Kings 14:28. This rhetorical pattern stresses the sin and the consequence. The bar would secure the gate or the door to prevent outsiders from entering to hurt the residents of the city. I will not turn away the punishment thereof. If this promise was fulfilled, Ramoth-Gilead must have been lost to Syria at an earlier period, since, three years afterward, Ahab perished in an attempt, by aid of Jehoshaphat, against the counsels of God, to recover it 2 Kings 7:6. because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron. Which words Virgil translates, and puts in the mouth of his hero in similar circumstances, Aen. After this Joash decided to restore the house of theLord. Amos specifically notes one defining cultural sin. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. What Does the Bible Say About Overcoming? Agriculture is the broad term for everything that goes into growing crops and raising animals, to provide food and materials that people can use and enjoy. Elisha had foretold to Hazael his cruelty to Israel; Their strong holds thou wilt set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child 2 Kings 8:12. The cities will be razed to the ground by an invading force. Luke 9:23 says, Then he said to them all: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. As Christians, we have to be loving, faithful, prayerful, diligent, patient, forgiving, and merciful at all times. Because of the Arameans war crimes, the LORD said He would send fire upon the house of Hazael and it would consume the citadels ofBen-hadad. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. God commissioned Amos of Tekoa to proclaim His words to the Arameans to let them know that He took note of their transgressions, their offenses, and would judge accordingly. For we are Gods fellow workers. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. 1. Damascus (Syria, also called Aram) threshed Gilead. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. He wept because he knew the evil that [Hazael] will do to the people of Israel. In particular, Hazael will set their fortresses on firekill their young men with the sword, dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their pregnant women (2 Kings 8:12). {ime fie fie tke the fhe ike fhe hours with the bible; or, the scriptures in the light of modern discovery and knowledge. On the west and north the city was far and wide fenced by orchards, like thick dense woods, which stretched four or live miles toward Libanus. Eshton fathered Beth-rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, the father of Ir-nahash. Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. The Syrians apparently used tools that were intended for harvesting crops and ran over people with them. Sin in full bloom. Hazael probably became the instrument of God in chastening Israel, while he was avenging Jehus submission to a power whom he dreaded and from whom he had suffered. Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? , Deuteronomy 28:8 TheLordwill command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. The smart farmer knows when the moment is ready. In similar fashion, Damascus had threshed Gilead with their instruments of war. Not the ethics and the morality of the fathers community. These orchards are a most exceeding defense; for from the density of the trees and the narrowness of the ways, it seemed difficult and almost impossible to approach the city on that side. Even to this day it is said, The true defense of Damascus consists in its gardens, which, forming a forest of fruit-trees and a labyrinth of hedges, walls and ditches, for more than 7 leagues in circumference, would present no small impediment to a Mussulman enemy.. The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. Genesis 1:11 says, Then God said, Let the land produce vegetation:seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so. Israel and Tyre had cooperated with each other from the time of David and Solomon, and that cooperation or treaty-relationship probably continued throughout the existence of the northern kingdom. Isaiah 23:8). 3 Thus says Yahweh, "For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because they threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron! Revised Standard Version w/ Apocrypha. International ethics are important to Amos. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material.Isaiah 17:10-11 For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge; therefore, though you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine-branch of a stranger, though you make them grow on the day that you plant them, and make them blossom in the morning that you sow, yet the harvest will flee away in a day of grief and incurable pain., 2 Timothy 2:6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.James 5:7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. And you shall remember the whole way that theLordyour God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 2:694. The three transgressions stand for a whole sum of sin, which had not yet brought down extreme punishment; the fourth was the crowning sin, after which God would no longer spare. Farming takes time. Corn takes anywhere from 90 to 100 days to be ready to be harvested. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of theLord, and their descendants with them. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.. For the prophet had no mission to them; he only declares to Israel the ground of the visitation which was to come upon them. W at least and that is a COMPARED TO WHAT As such, patience is a required virtue for a farmer. So Seneca in Hippolyt., Act. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of theLord. In ancient Israel, gates and doors were usually locked with a bar made of wood or metal that slid into openings in the posts. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am theLordyour God., Proverbs 3:10 Then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.Genesis 9:20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard.Deuteronomy 23:24-25 If you go into your neighbors vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag. Home / Commentary / Amos / Amos Chapter 1 / Amos 1:35. Without the Barada, says Porter, the city could not exist, and the plain would be a parched desert; but now aqueducts intersect every quarter, and fountains sparkle in almost every dwelling, while innumerable canals extend their ramifications over the vast plain, clothing it with verdure and beauty. , John 4:35 Do you not say, There are yet four months, then comes the harvest? The power and strength of Damascus would be broken. So, He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee Job 5:19. He condemns forcibly removing populations from their homeland. Publication date: Jun 3, 2010. The expression one who holds the scepter is a figurative way of talking about someone who occupies a royal position. So I will send a fire on the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad. These, registered by name, came in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and destroyed their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and marked them for destruction to this day, and settled in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks., Deuteronomy 8:1-20 The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that theLordswore to give to your fathers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. The word, yea, denotes, that the seventh is some heavier trouble, beyond all the rest, which would seem likely to break endurance. Hazael not only took from Israel all east of Jordan 2 Kings 10:32-33, but made the whole open country unsafe for the Israelites to dwell in. Luke 9:62 Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.Isaiah 28:28 Does one crush grain for bread? "O thrice and four times, that is, very often, a finite number for an infinite." It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that theLordyour God may bless you in all the work of your hands., Deuteronomy 22:9 You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole yield be forfeited, the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard.Deuteronomy 28:1-68 And if you faithfully obey the voice of theLordyour God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, theLordyour God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.