5 I will break down the gate of Damascus; I will destroy the king who is in
5 I will break the gate-bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven,
5 I'm going to smash the Damascus gates and banish the crime king who lives in Sin Valley, the vice boss who gives orders from Paradise Palace. The people of the land will be sent back to where they came from - to Kir." God's Decree.
5 I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, And cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven, And the one who holds the scepter from Beth Eden. The people of Syria shall go captive to Kir," Says the Lord.
5 I will break down the gates of Damascus and slaughter the people in the valley of Aven. I will destroy the ruler in Beth-eden, and the people of Aram will go as captives to Kir," says the Lord .
3 You will each go straight out through breaches in the wall, and you will be cast out toward Harmon,
3 And you shall go out through the breaches, each one straight ahead; and you shall be cast out into Harmon," declares the Lord.
3 They'll drag you through the ruined city walls, forcing you out single file, And kick you to kingdom come." God's Decree.
3 You will go out through broken walls, Each one straight ahead of her, And you will be cast into Harmon," Says the Lord.
3 You will be led out through the ruins of the wall; you will be thrown from your fortresses, " says the Lord .
(Read Amos 4:1-5)
What is got by extortion is commonly used to provide for the flesh, and to fulfil the lusts thereof. What is got by oppression cannot be enjoyed with satisfaction. How miserable are those whose confidence in unscriptural observances only prove that they believe a lie! Let us see to it that our faith, hope, and worship, are warranted by the Divine word.
14 For the Lord God Almighty declares, "I will stir up a nation against you, Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah."
14 "For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel," declares the Lord, the God of hosts; "and they shall oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of the Arabah."
14 "Enjoy it while you can, you Israelites. I've got a pagan army on the move against you" - this is your God speaking, God-of-the-Angel-Armies - "And they'll make hash of you, from one end of the country to the other."
14 "But, behold, I will raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel," Says the Lord God of hosts; "And they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath To the Valley of the Arabah."
14 "OÂ people of Israel, I am about to bring an enemy nation against you," says the Lord God of Heaven's Armies. "They will oppress you throughout your land- from Lebo-hamath in the north to the Arabah Valley in the south."
(Read Amos 6:8-14)
How dreadful, how miserable, is the case of those whose eternal ruin the Lord himself has sworn; for he can execute his purpose, and none can alter it! Those hearts are wretchedly hardened that will not be brought to mention God's name, and to worship him, when the hand of God is gone out against them, when sickness and death are in their families. Those that will not be tilled as fields, shall be abandoned as rocks. When our services of God are soured with sin, his providences will justly be made bitter to us. Men should take warning not to harden their hearts, for those who walk in pride, God will destroy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Amos 1:5
Chapter Contents
Judgments against the Syrians, Philistines, Tyrians, Edomites, and Ammonites.
GOD employed a shepherd, a herdsman, to reprove and warn the people. Those to whom God gives abilities for his services, ought not to be despised for their origin, or their employment. Judgments are denounced against the neighbouring nations, the oppressors of God's people. The number of transgressions does not here mean that exact number, but many: they had filled the measure of their sins, and were ripe for vengeance. The method in dealing with these nations is, in part, the same, yet in each there is something peculiar. In all ages this bitterness has been shown against the Lord's people. When the Lord reckons with his enemies, how tremendous are his judgments!