Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
I have smitten you with blasting - Literally, "an exceeding scorching," such as the hot east wind produced, and "an exceeding mildew," a blight, in which the ears turn untimely a pale yellow, and have no grain. Both words are doubly intensive. They stand together in the prophecy of Moses Deuteronomy 28:22, among the other scourges of disobedience; and the mention of these would awaken, in those who would hear, the memory of a long train of other warnings and other judgments.
When your gardens ... increased - Better, as English margin. "the multitude of your gardens." The garden of the east united the orchard Job 8:16; Song of Songs 4:13-14; Song of Songs 6:11, herb Deuteronomy 11:10; Song of Songs 4:14; Song of Songs 6:2, and flower garden. It comprised what was necessary for use as well as what was fragrant. It furnished part of their support Amos 9:14; Jeremiah 29:5, Jeremiah 29:28. Its trees Ecclesiastes 2:6, as well as the garden (Song of Songs 4:15; Ecclus. 24:30) generally, being mostly watered artificially, it was beyond the reach of ordinary drought. The tree, "planted by the channels of waters" (Psalms 1:3; Jeremiah 17:8; add Isaiah 58:11; Jeremiah 31:12, contrariwise Isaiah 1:30), was an image of abiding freshness and fertility, Yet neither would these escape God' s sentence. On these He sent the locusts, which, in a few hours - all leaves - flower, herb or tree, are as dead (see the note at Joel 1:7).
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Amos 4:9:
Hosea 9:16
Haggai 2:17
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