Wind. Septuagint, "the Spirit, and announcing to man his Christ," (Haydock) or Cyrus. (Theodotion) --- But this version has read improperly. (Calmet) --- Some hence brought an argument against the divinity of the Holy Spirit. (St. Jerome) --- Mist. Septuagint, "the morning and the cloud," spreading light or darkness over man. --- Earth, on the wings of the wind, Psalm xvii. 11. (Calmet) CHAPTER IV. Lamentation. Such canticles were usual, Isaias xiv. --- Israel. It no longer formed a separate kingdom. (Calmet) --- When the people fear no evil, God laments for them. (Worthington) City, before (Calmet) or after the captivity. It required a long time to fill the cities as they had been. (Haydock) --- When the Assyrians invaded the country, it was greatly reduced. (Calmet) Bethel,...Galgal,...Bersabee. The places where they worshipped their idols. (Challoner) --- They had all been honoured by the patriarchs. Bersabee had belonged to Juda under Achab, 3 Kings xix. 3. But it was originally in the tribe of Simeon, and Jeroboam II recovered all that had been lost, 4 Kings xiv. 25. (Calmet) --- Unprofitable. Hebrew leaven, "for vanity," (Haydock) Bethaven. Joseph. His two grandchildren gave name to the principle tribes of the kingdom. --- Bethel. Septuagint, "Israel," which seems preferable. (Calmet) --- Yet Bethel may stand, as it denotes the apostate Israelites. You. Septuagint, "the Lord, [God] who does judgment on high, and has placed justice on the earth; who maketh and transformeth all things, and turneth," &c. (Haydock) --- Hebrew agrees with the Vulgate. (Calmet) Arcturus and Orion. Arcturus is a bright star in the north, Orion a beautiful constellation in the south. (Challoner) --- Shepherds in Arabia and Spain are well acquainted with the stars. (Calmet) --- We have examined the meaning of cima and cesil, Job ix. 9., and xxxviii. 31. St. Jerome's master asserts that the latter means "efflugence." Cima is rendered the Pleiades by Aquila and Theodotion; "the seven stars," by Protestants. (Haydock) --- When such allusions to the heathen mythology occur, they give no sanction to it, but serve to explain what is meant. (St. Jerome) --- Morning, affording comfort, chap. iv. 13. --- Earth, by floods (Calmet) or rain. (St. Jerome) With a smile. That is, with all ease, and without making any effort. (Challoner) --- Aquila has "grinning," to shew displeasure. (St. Jerome) --- Hebrew, "he strengthens the oppressor against the strong," so that those whom he pleases to chastise cannot escape. They, the wicked, could not endure Amos, (chap. vii. 12.) nor those who rebuked them. Grievous. Hebrew also, "numerous." CHAPTER V. Time. It is to no purpose speaking to the deaf, (Ecclesiasticus xxxii. 9.) or throwing pearls before swine, Matthew vii. 6. Amos was silent for a while, till God opened his mouth again, chap. iii. 8., and vii. 12. Said. Probably Amaias took occasion, from the flourishing state of the kingdom, to assert that the Lord approved of their conduct. (Calmet) May be. God will not be wanting on his side. But this implies that man may find a difficulty in seeking good, and neglect to do it, though he may if he please, with God's assistance. (Worthington) --- Remnant. Posterity. (Calmet) Lament. Such hired mourners often seemed more grieved than those who were really affected. (Horace, art.) All were invited to join in the common sorrow, Jeremias ix. 17., and xlviii. 31. The day. Some imprudently laughed at the prophets, Isaias v. 19., and Jeremias xvii. 15. Others wished for the coming of the Lord, not reflecting that he would punish their guilt. (Calmet) --- Thus, many through impatience, desire to die. We must rather, repent, and leave our lives at God's disposal. (St. Jerome) Serpent. All his attempts would thus proved abortive. The Israelites were not ruined by Phul, or by Theglathphalassar. But the serpent, (Haydock) Salmanasar, came and took them in their own houses, 4 Kings xvii. 7. (Calmet) Festivities. Some were still observed, chap. iv. 4. Vows. Hebrew, "peace-offerings of your mercies;" a sort of oxen, 2 Kings vi. 13., and 3 Kings i. 9. Septuagint, "the salvation of your appearance," or what you offer for your welfare. Harp. Praise ill becomes the sinner, Ecclesiasticus xv. 9., and Psalm xlix. 17. Mighty. Hebrew, "Ethan." Let your virtue appear, or the greatest miseries will shortly overwhelm you. (Calmet) Did you offer, &c. Except the sacrifices that were offered at the first, in the dedication of the tabernacle, the Israelites offered no sacrifices in the desert. (Challoner) --- They ceased after the beginning of the second year. (St. Augustine, q. 47 in Exodus, Leviticus vii., &c.) (Worthington) --- God did not require sacrifices when the people came out of Egypt, Jeremias vii. 22., and Deuteronomy xii. 8. They were not performed so regularly in the desert, (Calmet) and the people still bore a secret affection for idols, (ver. 26.) which rendered all their victims useless. (Haydock) A tabernacle, &c. All this alludes to the idolatry which they committed, when they were drawn away by the daughters of Moab to the worship of their gods, Numbers xxv. (Challoner) --- They imitated the superstitions of Egypt, and bore the image of Osiris, adorned with a star and crescent, on a sort of base, under a canopy. Hebrew, "You carried the tents of your king and the base of your statues, the star of your gods, which you have made for yourselves." Septuagint by changing (Calmet) ciun in Rephan, or Greek: raiphan, (Haydock) have caused great confusion among commentators. If any change were requisite, (Calmet) cima (Haydock) would be preferable, ver. 8., and Job ix. 9. Yet the Hebrew seems to be correct, and chiun denotes a pedestal rather than an idol. Some read Kevan, the Saturn of the Arabs, &c., and think that Rephan has been mistaken for it. The only difficulty is the authority of St. Stephen, who follows the Septuagint, Acts vii. 43. Yet he probably spoke in Syriac, and might pronounce Chevan; though St. Luke might adopt the Septuagint in a matter of so little consequence. (Calmet, Diss.) --- This decision may not probably give satisfaction to those who reflect that both these authors were under the immediate influence of the Holy Ghost, and that if an error had crept into the copy of the Septuagint, he would have corrected it. Truth is always of sufficient consequence. See Kennicott, Diss. ii. p. 344. (Haydock) --- Chiun and Rephan are "expressive of the same" god or idol, representing the machine of the heavens. The people of Peru worshipped Choun. (Parkhurst, p. 137.) --- Remvan may be Remmon, (4 Kings vi. 18.) or Saturn. (Grotius) --- In a Coptic alphabet of the planets it is thus explained: (De Dieu. Collier. Dict. Sept. and Acts) "You have taken the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your Rempham, figures," &c. Protestants marginal note, "the Siccuth, your king, and Chiun, your images, the star," &c. (Haydock) Damacus, or Babylon, (Acts vii.) into Mesopotamia, &c. The sense is the same. (Calmet) --- When the apostles quote passages, "they do not consider the words but the sense." (St. Jerome) --- One Greek copy, however, has Damascus in the Acts. (Haydock) Wealthy. Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, "despisers of Sion." Hebrew also, "who hate Sion." The prophecy wholly regards Israel. (Calmet) --- It is a great crime for the rich to neglect the poor; but still more so, when wealthy clergymen shew no compassion for the spiritual or corporal wants of their neighbours. (Worthington) --- State. Hebrew, "to whom the house of Israel comes" for judgment. Chalane. Ctesiphon (Calmet) was built on its ruins, Genesis x. 10. (Haydock) --- Why do you imitate these cities? or, has their greatness protected them? Phul probably took Chanane, and Jeroboam II the other cities, ver. 15., and 4 Kings xiv. 25. At that time there was no appearance of the kingdom being destroyed; yet Amos composes a funeral canticle, to shew the certainty of the event. Separated. Hebrew, "remove the evil day," as if it would not overtake you, Ezechiel xii. 22. Septuagint, "who are praying (Calmet) or coming (Grabe) to the evil day, approaching and touching false sabbaths." (Haydock) --- They pray to be delivered, while they continue (Calmet) their false worship. (Haydock) Ivory, with which the beds for eating were adorned, ver. 7. (Calmet) --- Wanton. Hebrew, "stretch themselves out upon their," &c. (Haydock) David. They think they excel him in music; but he consecrated his talent to a better purpose. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "they deemed them stable, and not fugitive things." (Haydock) --- They have placed their chief good in such pleasures. (Theodoret) (Calmet) In bowels. Septuagint, "refined," (Haydock) or cleared of the dregs. --- Joseph, of their brethren, or they seem to have no share in the sufferings of mankind, Psalm lxxii. 5. Luxurious. Hebrew, "the feast of those who stretch themselves out, shall," &c. Septuagint, "the neighing shall be removed from Ephraim." His lusts shall be punished, Jeremias v. 8. --- Some translate [the] Hebrew, "the mourning of those who stretch themselves on their beds is at hand." Others, "their funeral feast is distant." None shall bewail their death. So ambiguous is the original. (Calmet) Jacob. God loved the humility of the patriarch, and hated the pride of his posterity. (Worthington) Die. Their numbers will not protect them from the plague. Burn. After the captivity, it was more common to bury or to embalm the dead. (Calmet) Lord. He has done it. Do not repine. (Theodoret; St. Cyril) --- Hebrew, "Be silent, and not to remember the," &c. He will offer comfort. (Calmet) --- Still, none will return to the Lord. (St. Jerome) Clefts. All shall perish, (Calmet) both Israel and Juda. (Chaldean) (Grotius) --- But he speaks only of the former. Buffles, which cannot be tamed. Hebrew, "with oxen." We must understand, on rocks. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "Shall they be silent when they are with females?" (Haydock) --- To turn the works of justice into sins, is no less unnatural than to plough with wild buffles. (Worthington) Naught: in your idols, which are nothing, (1 Corinthians viii. 4.) or in your own strength, fortifications, or allies. --- Horns: glory and power. (Calmet) --- Pa rata tollo cornua. (Horace, epod. 6.)