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Selected Verse: Amos 3:12 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Am 3:12 |
Strong Concordance |
Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; As the shepherd [07462] taketh out [05337] of the mouth [06310] of the lion [0738] two [08147] legs [03767], or a piece [0915] of an ear [0241]; so shall the children [01121] of Israel [03478] be taken out [05337] that dwell [03427] in Samaria [08111] in the corner [06285] of a bed [04296], and in Damascus [01833] in a couch [06210]. |
| |
King James |
Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
shepherd--a pastoral image, appropriately used by Amos, a shepherd himself.
piece of . . . ear--brought by the shepherd to the owner of the sheep, so as not to have to pay for the loss (Gen 31:39; Exo 22:13). So if aught of Israel escapes, it shall be a miracle of God's goodness. It shall be but a scanty remnant. There is a kind of goat in the East the ears of which are a foot long, and proportionally broad. Perhaps the reference is to this. Compare on the image Sa1 17:34-35; Ti2 4:17.
that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed--that is, that live luxuriously in Samaria (compare Amo 6:1, Amo 6:4). "A bed" means here the Oriental divan, a raised part of the room covered with cushions.
in Damascus in a couch--Jeroboam II had lately restored Damascus to Israel (Kg2 14:25, Kg2 14:28). So the Israelites are represented as not merely in "the corner of a bed," as in Samaria, but "in a (whole) couch," at Damascus, living in luxurious ease. Of these, now so luxurious, soon but a remnant shall be left by the foe. The destruction of Damascus and that of Samaria shall be conjoined; as here their luxurious lives, and subsequently under Pekah and Rezin their inroads on Judah, were combined (Isa 7:1-8; Isa 8:4, Isa 8:9; Isa 17:3). The parallelism of "Samaria" to "Damascus," and the Septuagint favor English Version rather than GESENIUS: "on a damask couch." The Hebrew pointing, though generally expressing damask, may express the city "Damascus"; and many manuscripts point it so. Compare for Israel's overthrow, Kg2 17:5-6; Kg2 18:9-12. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
As the shepherd taketh - (Rather, rescueth) out of the mouth of the lion two legs (Properly, the shank, the lower part of the leg below the knee, which in animals is dry, and bone only and worthless) "or apiece" (the tip) "of an ear, so" (that is, so few and weak, so bared and spoiled, a mere remnant,) "shall the children of Israel be taken out" (rather, "rescued") "that" now "dwell" at ease "in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus" , in "a couch," or rather "in Damascus, a couch." Now, that soft, rounded, oblong, hill of Samaria, was one large luxurious couch, in which its rich and great rested securely, propped and cushioned up on both sides, in, what is still the place of dignity, "the corner of a bed," or "Divan," that is, the inner corner where the two sides meet. Damascus also, which Jeroboam had won for Israel, was a canopied couch to them, in which they stayed themselves. It is an image of listless ease and security, like that of these whom the false prophetesses lulled into careless stupidity as to their souls; "sewing pillows to all armholes," or "wrists" Eze 13:18, whereon to lean in a dull inertness.
In vain! Of all those who then dwelt at ease and in luxury, the Good Shepherd Himself should rescue from "the lion," (the enemy, in the first instance the Assyrian,) a small remnant, in the sight of the enemy and of man of little account, but precious in the sight of God. The enemy would leave them perhaps, as not worth removing, just as, when the lion has devoured the fat and the strong, the shepherd may recover from him some slight piece of skin or extremity of the bones. Amos then, as well as Joel (see the note at Joe 2:32), preaches that same solemn sentence, so repeated throughout the prophets, "a reimnant" only "shall be saved." So doubtless it was in the captivity of the ten tribes, as in the rest. So it was in Judah, when certain "of the poor of the land" only were "left behind vinedessers and for farmers" Kg2 25:12; Jer 52:16. In the Gospel, "not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty, not many noble were called" Co1 1:26, but "God chose the poor of this world, rich in faith Jam 2:5, and the Good Shepherd rescued from the mouth of the lion those whom man despised, yet who "had ears to hear."
After the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, a poor remnant only escaped. Rup.: "The spirit of prophecy foresaw both captivities, the end whereof was to confirm the faith, not in one place only but in all the earth, and so a slight remnant was "rescued from the mouth of the lion," that is, from the slaughter of the destroyers, and permitted to live, that through them, as a witness and monument, the justice of God might be known from age to age, and the truth of the Scriptures might be everywhere, borne about by them, still witnessing to Christ the Son of God, who is known by the law and the prophets. Hapness remnants, so "taken out" for the good of others, not their own!" As these remnants of the animal show what it was which the lion destroyed, yet are of no further profit, so are they now a memorial of what they once were, what grace through their sins they have lost.
Rib.: "Many souls will perish because they trust in their own strength, and no more call on God to have mercy on them than if they could rise of themselves and enter the way of salvation without God. They trust in the power of their friends, or the friendship of princes, or the doctrines of philophers, and repose in them as in a couch of Damascus. But Christ, the Good Shepherd, will rescue out of the mouth of "the lion," who "goeth about seeking, whom he may devour," what is last and of least esteem in this world, who have anything whereby the Good Shepherd can hold them. The "legs" signify the desire to go to hear the Word of God; the extremity of the ear, that obedience was not wholly lost. For if any begin even in part to obey the word of God which he hath heard, God, of His fatherly mercy, will help him and lead him on to perfect obedience. The legs also denote desire , whereby, as by certain steps, the soul approacheth to God or departeth from Him. Yet if a soul would be saved, desires suffice not; but if to these obedience to the heavenly commands be added, it shall be rescued from the mouth of the lion." |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| As the shepherd - As the shepherd doth hardly rescue a small part of a sheep or lamb from the lion, so a small part of the children of Israel, shall escape when Samaria is taken. The corner of a bed - Lying in some dark corner. Damascus - The chief city of Syria taken by Tiglath - Pilneser about the time when he wasted Israel. In a couch - Some few of the poor, shall escape, pitied by the enemy, when he finds them sick upon their couch. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion - Scarcely any of you shall escape; and those that do shall do so with extreme difficulty, just as a shepherd, of a whole sheep carried away by a lion, can recover no more than two of its legs, or a piece of its ear, just enough to prove by the marks on those parts, that they belonged to a sheep which was his own.
So shall the children of Israel be taken out - Those of them that escape these judgments shall escape with as great difficulty, and be of as little worth, as the two legs and piece of an ear that shall be snatched out of the lion's mouth. We know that when the Babylonians carried away the people into Chaldea they left behind only a few, and those the refuse of the land.
In the corner of a bed - As the corner is the most honorable place in the East, and a couch in the corner of a room is the place of the greatest distinction; so the words in the text may mean, that even the metropolitan cities, which are in the corner - in the most honorable place - of the land, whether Samaria in Israel, or Damascus in Syria, shall not escape these judgments; and if any of the distinguished persons who dwell in them escape, it must be with as great difficulty as the fragments above-mentioned have been recovered from a lion. The passage is obscure. Mr. Harmer has taken great pains to illustrate it; but I fear with but little success. A general sense is all we can arrive at. |
9 And it came to pass in the fourth [07243] year [08141] of king [04428] Hezekiah [02396], which was the seventh [07637] year [08141] of Hoshea [01954] son [01121] of Elah [0425] king [04428] of Israel [03478], that Shalmaneser [08022] king [04428] of Assyria [0804] came up [05927] against Samaria [08111], and besieged [06696] it.
10 And at the end [07097] of three [07969] years [08141] they took [03920] it: even in the sixth [08337] year [08141] of Hezekiah [02396], that is the ninth [08672] year [08141] of Hoshea [01954] king [04428] of Israel [03478], Samaria [08111] was taken [03920].
11 And the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] did carry away [01540] Israel [03478] unto Assyria [0804], and put [05148] them in Halah [02477] and in Habor [02249] by the river [05104] of Gozan [01470], and in the cities [05892] of the Medes [04074]:
12 Because they obeyed [08085] not the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] their God [0430], but transgressed [05674] his covenant [01285], and all that Moses [04872] the servant [05650] of the LORD [03068] commanded [06680], and would not hear [08085] them, nor do [06213] them.
5 Then the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] came up [05927] throughout all the land [0776], and went up [05927] to Samaria [08111], and besieged [06696] it three [07969] years [08141].
6 In the ninth [08671] year [08141] of Hoshea [01954] the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] took [03920] Samaria [08111], and carried [01540] Israel [03478] away [01540] into Assyria [0804], and placed [03427] them in Halah [02477] and in Habor [02249] by the river [05104] of Gozan [01470], and in the cities [05892] of the Medes [04074].
3 The fortress [04013] also shall cease [07673] from Ephraim [0669], and the kingdom [04467] from Damascus [01834], and the remnant [07605] of Syria [0758]: they shall be as the glory [03519] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478], saith [05002] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].
9 Associate [07489] yourselves, O ye people [05971], and ye shall be broken in pieces [02865]; and give ear [0238], all [03605] ye of far [04801] countries [0776]: gird [0247] yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces [02865]; gird [0247] yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces [02865].
4 For before the child [05288] shall have knowledge [03045] to cry [07121], My father [01], and my mother [0517], the riches [02428] of Damascus [01834] and the spoil [07998] of Samaria [08111] shall be taken away [05375] before [06440] the king [04428] of Assyria [0804].
1 And it came to pass in the days [03117] of Ahaz [0271] the son [01121] of Jotham [03147], the son [01121] of Uzziah [05818], king [04428] of Judah [03063], that Rezin [07526] the king [04428] of Syria [0758], and Pekah [06492] the son [01121] of Remaliah [07425], king [04428] of Israel [03478], went up [05927] toward Jerusalem [03389] to war [04421] against it, but could [03201] not prevail [03898] against it.
2 And it was told [05046] the house [01004] of David [01732], saying [0559], Syria [0758] is confederate [05117] with Ephraim [0669]. And his heart [03824] was moved [05128], and the heart [03824] of his people [05971], as the trees [06086] of the wood [03293] are moved [05128] with [06440] the wind [07307].
3 Then said [0559] the LORD [03068] unto Isaiah [03470], Go forth [03318] now to meet [07125] Ahaz [0271], thou, and Shearjashub [07610] thy son [01121], at the end [07097] of the conduit [08585] of the upper [05945] pool [01295] in the highway [04546] of the fuller's [03526] field [07704];
4 And say [0559] unto him, Take heed [08104], and be quiet [08252]; fear [03372] not, neither be fainthearted [07401] [03824] for the two [08147] tails [02180] of these smoking [06226] firebrands [0181], for the fierce [02750] anger [0639] of Rezin [07526] with Syria [0758], and of the son [01121] of Remaliah [07425].
5 Because Syria [0758], Ephraim [0669], and the son [01121] of Remaliah [07425], have taken evil [07451] counsel [03289] against thee, saying [0559],
6 Let us go up [05927] against Judah [03063], and vex [06973] it, and let us make a breach [01234] therein for us, and set [04427] a king [04428] in the midst [08432] of it, even the son [01121] of Tabeal [02870]:
7 Thus [03541] saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069], It shall not stand [06965], neither shall it come to pass.
8 For the head [07218] of Syria [0758] is Damascus [01834], and the head [07218] of Damascus [01834] is Rezin [07526]; and within threescore [08346] and five [02568] years [08141] shall Ephraim [0669] be broken [02865], that it be not a people [05971].
28 Now the rest [03499] of the acts [01697] of Jeroboam [03379], and all that he did [06213], and his might [01369], how he warred [03898], and how he recovered [07725] Damascus [01834], and Hamath [02574], which belonged to Judah [03063], for Israel [03478], are they not written [03789] in the book [05612] of the chronicles [01697] [03117] of the kings [04428] of Israel [03478]?
25 He restored [07725] the coast [01366] of Israel [03478] from the entering [0935] of Hamath [02574] unto the sea [03220] of the plain [06160], according to the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478], which he spake [01696] by the hand [03027] of his servant [05650] Jonah [03124], the son [01121] of Amittai [0573], the prophet [05030], which was of Gathhepher [01662].
4 That lie [07901] upon beds [04296] of ivory [08127], and stretch [05628] themselves upon their couches [06210], and eat [0398] the lambs [03733] out of the flock [06629], and the calves [05695] out of the midst [08432] of the stall [04770];
1 Woe [01945] to them that are at ease [07600] in Zion [06726], and trust [0982] in the mountain [02022] of Samaria [08111], which are named [05344] chief [07225] of the nations [01471], to whom the house [01004] of Israel [03478] came [0935] !
17 Notwithstanding [1161] the Lord [2962] stood [3936] with me [3427], and [2532] strengthened [1743] me [3165]; that [2443] by [1223] me [1700] the preaching [2782] might be fully known [4135], and [2532] that all [3956] the Gentiles [1484] might hear [191]: and [2532] I was delivered [4506] out of [1537] the mouth [4750] of the lion [3023].
34 And David [01732] said [0559] unto Saul [07586], Thy servant [05650] kept [07462] his father's [01] sheep [06629], and there came [0935] a lion [0738], and a bear [01677], and took [05375] a lamb [07716] [02089] out of the flock [05739]:
35 And I went out [03318] after [0310] him, and smote [05221] him, and delivered [05337] it out of his mouth [06310]: and when he arose [06965] against me, I caught [02388] him by his beard [02206], and smote [05221] him, and slew [04191] him.
13 If it be torn in pieces [02963] [02963], then let him bring [0935] it for witness [05707], and he shall not make good [07999] that which was torn [02966].
39 That which was torn [02966] of beasts I brought [0935] not unto thee; I bare the loss [02398] of it; of my hand [03027] didst thou require [01245] it, whether stolen [01589] by day [03117], or stolen [01589] by night [03915].
5 Hearken [191], my [3450] beloved [27] brethren [80], Hath [1586] not [3756] God [2316] chosen [1586] the poor [4434] of this [5127] world [2889] rich [4145] in [1722] faith [4102], and [2532] heirs [2818] of the kingdom [932] which [3739] he hath promised [1861] to them that love [25] him [846]?
26 For [1063] ye see [991] your [5216] calling [2821], brethren [80], how that [3754] not [3756] many [4183] wise men [4680] after [2596] the flesh [4561], not [3756] many [4183] mighty [1415], not [3756] many [4183] noble [2104], are called:
16 But Nebuzaradan [05018] the captain [07227] of the guard [02876] left [07604] certain of the poor [01803] of the land [0776] for vinedressers [03755] and for husbandmen [03009].
12 But the captain [07227] of the guard [02876] left [07604] of the poor [01803] of the land [0776] to be vinedressers [03755] and husbandmen [03009] [01461].
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call [07121] on the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] shall be delivered [04422]: for in mount [02022] Zion [06726] and in Jerusalem [03389] shall be deliverance [06413], as the LORD [03068] hath said [0559], and in the remnant [08300] whom the LORD [03068] shall call [07121].
18 And say [0559], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Woe [01945] to the women that sew [08609] pillows [03704] to all armholes [0679] [03027], and make [06213] kerchiefs [04555] upon the head [07218] of every stature [06967] to hunt [06679] souls [05315]! Will ye hunt [06679] the souls [05315] of my people [05971], and will ye save [02421] the souls [05315] alive [02421] that come unto you?