Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
When a bird trying to fly upwards is made to fall upon the earth snare, it is a plain proof that the snare is there; so, Israel, now that thou art falling, infer thence, that it is in the snare of the divine judgment that thou art entangled [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU].
shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing—The bird-catcher does not remove his snare off the ground till he has caught some prey; so God will not withdraw the Assyrians, etc., the instruments of punishment, until they have had the success against you which God gives them. The foe corresponds to the "snare," suddenly springing from the ground and enclosing the bird on the latter touching it; the Hebrew is literally, "Shall the snare spring from the earth?" Israel entangled in judgments answers to the bird "taken."
Here follow several questions of a parable-like kind, to awaken conviction in the people.
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?—Can God's prophets be so unanimous in prophesying against you, if God's Spirit were not joined with them, or if their prophecies were false? The Israelites were "at ease," not believing that God was with the prophets in their denunciations of coming ruin to the nation (Amos 6:1, Amos 6:3; compare I Kings 22:18, I Kings 22:24, I Kings 22:27; Jeremiah 43:2). This accords with Amos 3:7-8. So "I will be with thy mouth" (Exodus 4:12; Jeremiah 1:8; Matthew 10:20). If the prophets and God were not agreed, the former could not predict the future as they do. In Amos 2:12 He had said, the Israelites forbade the prophets prophesying; therefore, in Amos 3:3, Amos 3:8, He asserts the agreement between the prophets and God who spake by them against Israel [ROSENMULLER]. Rather, "I once walked with you" (Leviticus 26:12) as a Father and Husband (Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14); but now your way and Mine are utterly diverse; there can therefore be no fellowship between us such as there was (Amos 3:2); I will walk with you only to "punish you"; as a "lion" walks with his "prey" (Amos 3:4), as a bird-catcher with a bird [TARNOVIUS]. The prophets, and all servants of God, can have no fellowship with the ungodly (Psalms 119:63; II Corinthians 6:16-17; Ephesians 5:11; James 4:4).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Amos 3:5:
Amos 3:1
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