The Pulpit Commentary on Amos 3:6

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

The prophet must needs speak: shall not his denunciation arouse alarm among the people, as the trumpet suddenly heard in a city excites the terror of the inhabitants (comp. Ezekiel 33:2-5)? Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

The "evil" is affliction, calamity, malum poenae. As states have no future, all temporal calamities in their case may rightly be regarded as the punishment of sin. Thus the ruin impending, on Israel was sent by the Lord, whose agent was the enemy now approaching.

All phenomena are ascribed in the Bible to Divine operation, no second causes being allowed to interfere with this appropriation (see Job 1:1-22.; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Kings 22:19, etc.; Isaiah 45:7). The verb "do" is often used absolutely, the context defining the result (see note on Haggai 2:4).

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commentaryMatthew Henry on Amos 3:1-8The distinguishing favours of God to us, if they do not restrain from sin, shall not exempt from punishment. They could not expect communion with God, unless they first sought peace with him. Where there is not friendsh…Matthew Henry commentaryGod's Remonstrance with Israel. (b. c. 790.)GOD'S REMONSTRANCE WITH ISRAEL. (B. C. 790.) The scope of these verses is to convince the people of Israel that God had a controversy with them. That which the prophet has to say to them is to let them know that the Lor…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Amos 3:1-15§ 1. First address: the prophet begins by showing Israel's ingratitude for past mercies (Amos 3:1, Amos 3:2), and his own commission to announce the coming judgment (Amos 3:3-8). They have drawn this upon themselves by…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Amos 3:1-15EXPOSITION Verse 1-ch. 6:14 Part II. THREE ADDRESSES PARTICULARIZING THE SINS OF ISRAEL AND ANNOUNCING IMMINENT JUDGMENT.Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Amos 3:3-8No smoke without fire. God cannot utter empty threats. His every declaration is bona fide. When he roars he is about to rend. Let, then, the doomed sinner tremble. For all his insensibility he is no better than a dead m…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Amos 3:3-8Before announcing more particularly the coming judgment, Amos, by a series of little parables or comparisons, establishes his right to prophesy, and intimates the necessity laid upon him to deliver his message. He illus…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Amos 3:4-6Retribution. "Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey?" etc. These verses suggest certain remarks on retribution. I. RETRIBUTION SPRINGS OUT OF THE NATURE OF THINGS. The lion roars in the forest for prey; t…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Amos 3:6Calamity one of the works of God. It is not sin, but suffering, that is here meant. We are to regard temporal calamities as the warning voice of God, a manifestation of his character, and a corrective expression of his…Joseph S. Exell and contributors