Vision of the Summer Fruit
a“The end has come upon My people Israel;
bI will not pass by them anymore.
Shall be wailing in that day,”
Says the Lord God—
“Many dead bodies everywhere,
bThey shall be thrown out in silence.”
And make the poor of the land fail,
“When will the New Moon be past,
That we may1 sell grain?
And athe Sabbath,
That we may trade wheat?
bMaking the ephah small and the shekel large,
Falsifying the scales by cdeceit,
And the needy for a pair of sandals—
Even sell the bad wheat?”
And everyone mourn who dwells in it?
All of it shall swell like1 the River,
Heave and subside
bLike the River of Egypt.
| << Amos 8:1 | Amos 8:3 >> |
Amos 8:1-2
Thus hath the Lord God showed me - The sentence of Amaziah pronounced, Amos resumes just where he left off, before Amaziah broke in upon him. His vehement interruption is like a stone cast into the deep waters. They close over it, and it leaves no trace. Amos had authenticated the third vision; "Thus hath the Lord God shewed me." He resumes in the self-same calm words. The last vision declared that the end was certain; this, that it was at hand.
A basket of summer fruit - The fruit was the latest harvest in Palestine. When it was gathered, the circle of husbandry was come to its close. The sight gives an idea of completeness. The symbol, and the word expressing it, coincide. The fruit-gathering qayits , like our "crop," was called from "cutting." So was the word, "end," "cutting off," in ( qêts ). At harvest-time there is no more to be done for that crop. Good or bad, it has reached its end, and is cut down. So the harvest of Israel was come. The whole course of God' s providences, mercies, chastenings, visitations, instructions, warnings, in spirations, were completed. "What could have been done more to My vineyard, God asks Isaiah 5:4, that I have not done in it?" "To the works of sin, as of holiness, there is a beginning, progress, completion;" a "sowing of wild oats," as people speak, and a ripening in wickedness; a maturity of people' s plans, as they deem; a maturity for destruction, in the sight of God. There was no more to be done. heavenly influences can but injure the ripened sinner, as dew, rain, sun, but injure the ripened fruit Israel was ripe, but for destruction.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Amos 8:2:
| << Amos 8:1 | Amos 8:3 >> |
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