Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
The Lord—the same Hebrew as "masters" (Amos 4:1). Israel's nobles say to their master or lord, Bring us drink: but "the Lord" of him and them "hath sworn," etc.
by his holiness—which binds Him to punish the guilty (Psalms 89:35).
he will take yon away—that is God by the instrumentality of the enemy.
with hooks—literally, "thorns" (compare II Chronicles 33:11). As fish are taken out of the water by hooks, so the Israelites are to be taken out of their cities by the enemy (Ezekiel 29:4; compare Job 41:1-2; Jeremiah 16:16; Habakkuk 1:15). The image is the more appropriate, as anciently captives were led by their conquerors by a hook made to pass through the nose (II Kings 19:28), as is to be seen in the Assyrian remains.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Amos 4:2:
Psalms 60:6-10
Jeremiah 16:16
Amos 4:1
Amos 4:3
Amos 4:12
Amos 8:7
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