Amós 9

1 VI al Señor que estaba sobre el altar, y dijo: Hiere el umbral, y estremézcanse las puertas: y córtales en piezas la cabeza de todos; y el postrero de ellos mataré á cuchillo: no habrá de ellos quien se fugue, ni quien escape.

2 Aunque cavasen hasta el infierno, de allá los tomará mi mano; y si subieren hasta el cielo, de allá los haré descender.

3 Y si se escondieren en la cumbre del Carmelo, allí los buscaré y los tomaré; y aunque se escondieren de delante de mis ojos en el profundo de la mar, allí mandaré á la culebra, y morderálos.

4 Y si fueren en cautiverio, delante de sus enemigos, allí mandaré al cuchillo, y los matará; y pondré sobre ellos mis ojos para mal, y no para bien.

5 El Señor Jehová de los ejércitos es el que toca la tierra, y se derretirá, y llorarán todos los que en ella moran: y subirá toda como un río, y hundiráse luego como el río de Egipto.

6 El edificó en el cielo sus gradas, y ha establecido su expansión sobre la tierra: él llama las aguas de la mar, y sobre la haz de la tierra las derrama: Jehová es su nombre.

7 Hijos de Israel, ¿no me sois vosotros, dice Jehová, como hijos de Etiopes? ¿no hice yo subir á Israel de la tierra de Egipto, y á los Palestinos de Caphtor, y de Chîr á los Arameos?

8 He aquí los ojos del Señor Jehová están contra el reino pecador, y yo lo asolaré de la haz de la tierra: mas no destruiré del todo la casa de Jacob, dice Jehová.

9 Porque he aquí yo mandaré, y haré que la casa de Israel sea zarandeada entre todas las gentes, como se zarandea el grano en un harnero, y no cae un granito en la tierra.

10 A cuchillo morirán todos los pecadores de mi pueblo, que dicen: No se acercará, ni nos alcanzará el mal.

11 En aquel día yo levantaré el tabernáculo de David, caído, y cerraré sus portillos, y levantaré sus ruinas, y edificarélo como en el tiempo pasado;

12 Para que aquellos sobre los cuales es llamado mi nombre, posean el resto de Idumea, y á todas las naciones, dice Jehová que hace esto.

13 He aquí vienen días, dice Jehová en que el que ara alcanzará al segador, y el pisador de las uvas al que lleva la simiente; y los montes destilarán mosto, y todos los collados se derretirán.

14 Y tornaré el cautiverio de mi pueblo Israel, y edificarán ellos las ciudades asoladas, y las habitarán; y plantarán viñas, y beberán el vino de ellas; y harán huertos, y comerán el fruto de ellos.

15 Pues los plantaré sobre su tierra, y nunca más serán arrancados de su tierra que yo les dí, ha dicho Jehová Dios tuyo.

Amós 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The ruin of Israel. (1-10) The restoration of the Jews and the gospel blessing. (11-15)

Verses 1-10 The prophet, in vision, saw the Lord standing upon the idolatrous altar at Bethel. Wherever sinners flee from God's justice, it will overtake them. Those whom God brings to heaven by his grace, shall never be cast down; but those who seek to climb thither by vain confidence in themselves, will be cast down and filled with shame. That which makes escape impossible and ruin sure, is, that God will set his eyes upon them for evil, not for good. Wretched must those be on whom the Lord looks for evil, and not for good. The Lord would scatter the Jews, and visit them with calamities, as the corn is shaken in a sieve; but he would save some from among them. The astonishing preservation of the Jews as a distinct people, seems here foretold. If professors make themselves like the world, God will level them with the world. The sinners who thus flatter themselves, shall find that their profession will not protect them.

Verses 11-15 Christ died to gather together the children of God that were scattered abroad, here said to be those who were called by his name. The Lord saith this, who doeth this, who can do it, who has determined to do it, the power of whose grace is engaged for doing it. Verses ( 13-15 ) may refer to the early times of Christianity, but will receive a more glorious fulfilment in the events which all the prophets more or less foretold, and may be understood of the happy state when the fulness both of the Jews and the Gentiles come into the church. Let us continue earnest in prayer for the fulfilment of these prophecies, in the peace, purity, and the beauty of the church. God marvellously preserves his elect amidst the most fearful confusions and miseries. When all seems desperate, he wonderfully revives his church, and blesses her with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. And great shall be the glory of that period, in which not one good thing promised shall remain unfulfilled.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 9

This chapter contains the fifth and last vision the prophet saw; which represents the certain desolation of the land, city, and temple, and the slaughter of all sorts of persons, high and low, none should escape it, Am 9:1; be they where they would, they should be found out, whether in hell or heaven, on the tops of the highest mountains, or in the bottom of the sea, or in a foreign land, since the eyes of the Lord were upon them for evil, Am 9:2-4; nor could they hope to escape, when they considered his greatness and his power, and what he could do, and had done; and how they had behaved towards him, even though they were the people he had brought out of Egypt, Am 9:5-7; but though the sinful kingdom should be destroyed, yet not utterly, a remnant should be saved, Am 9:8-10; and the chapter is concluded with gracious promises of raising up the tabernacle of David fallen down, and of the return of the people of Israel to their own land; and of their settlement and continuance in it, never more to depart from it, Am 9:11-15.