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Selected Verse: Amos 9:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Am 9:5	Strong Concordance	And the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] of hosts [06635] is he that toucheth [05060] the land [0776], and it shall melt [04127], and all that dwell [03427] therein shall mourn [056]: and it shall rise up [05927] wholly like a flood [02975]; and shall be drowned [08257], as by the flood [02975] of Egypt [04714].
	King James	And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
As Amos had threatened that nowhere should the Israelites be safe from the divine judgments, he here shows God's omnipotent ability to execute His threats. So in the case of the threat in Amo 8:8, God is here stated to be the first cause of the mourning of "all that dwell" in the land, and of its rising "like a flood, and of its being "drowned, as by the flood of Egypt."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

As Amos had threatened that nowhere should the Israelites be safe from the divine judgments, he here shows God's omnipotent ability to execute His threats. So in the case of the threat in Amo 8:8, God is here stated to be the first cause of the mourning of "all that dwell" in the land, and of its rising "like a flood, and of its being "drowned, as by the flood of Egypt."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And who is He who should do this? God, at whose command are all creatures. This is the hope of His servants; from where Hezekiah begins his prayer, "Lord of hosts, God of Israel" Isa 37:16. This is the hopelessness of His enemies. "That toucheth the land" or "earth, and it shall melt," rather, "hath melted." His Will and its fulfillment are one. "He spake, and it was; He commanded and it stood fast" Psa 33:9. His Will is first, as the cause of what is done; in time they co-exist. He hath no need to put forth His strength; a touch, the slightest indication of His Will, sufficeth. If the solid earth, how much more its inhabitants! So the Psalmist says, "The pagan raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted" Psa 46:6. The hearts of men melt when they are afraid of His presence; human armies melt away, dispersed; the great globe itself shall dissolve into its ancient chaos at His Will.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
To strengthen this threat, Amos proceeds, in Amo 9:5, Amo 9:6, to describe Jehovah as the Lord of heaven and earth, who sends judgments upon the earth with omnipotent power. Amo 9:5. "And the Lord Jehovah of hosts, who toucheth the earth, and it melteth, and all the inhabitants of thereupon mourn; and the whole of it riseth like the Nile, and sinketh like the Nile of Egypt. Amo 9:6. Who buildeth His stories in heaven, and His vault, over the earth hath He founded it; who calleth to the waters of the sea, and poureth them out over the earth: Jehovah is His name." This description of God, who rules with omnipotence, is appended, as in Amo 4:13 and Amo 5:8, without any link of connection whatever. We must not render it, "The Lord Jehovah of hosts is He who toucheth the earth;" but we must supply the connecting thought, "And He who thus directeth His eye upon you is the Lord Jehovah of hosts, who toucheth the earth, and it melteth." The melting or dissolving of the earth is, according to Psa 46:7, an effect produced by the Lord, who makes His voice heard in judgments, or "the destructive effect of the judgments of God, whose instruments the conquerors are" (Hengstenberg), when nations reel and kingdoms totter. The Lord therefore touches the earth, so that it melts, when He dissolves the stability of the earth by great judgments (cf. Psa 75:4). "Israel could not fail to test the truth of these words by painful experience, when the wild hordes of Assyria poured themselves over the western parts of Asia" (Hengstenberg). The following words, depicting the dissolution of the earth, are repeated, with very inconsiderable alterations, from Amo 8:8; we have merely the omission of ונגרשׁה, and the kal שׁקעה substituted for the niphal נשׁקה. In Amo 9:6 there is evidently an allusion to the flood. God, who is enthroned in heaven, in the cloud-towers built above the circle of the earth, possesses the power to pour the waves of the sea over the earth by His simple word. Ma‛ălōth is synonymous with עליּות in Psa 104:3 : upper rooms, lit., places to which one has to ascend. 'Aguddâh, an arch or vault: that which is called râqı̄ă‛, the firmament, in other places. The heaven, in which God builds His stories, is the heaven of clouds; and the vault, according to Gen 1:7, is the firmament of heaven, which divided the water above the firmament from the water beneath it. Consequently the upper rooms of God are the waters above the firmament, in or out of which God builds His stories (Psa 104:3), i.e., the cloud-tower above the horizon of the earth, which is raised above it like a vault. Out of this cloud-castle the rain pours down (Psa 104:13); and out of its open windows the waters of the flood poured down, and overflowed the earth (Gen 7:11). When God calls to the waters of the sea, they pour themselves over the surface of the earth. The waves of the sea are a figurative representation of the agitated multitude of nations, or of the powers of the world, which pour their waves over the kingdom of God (see at Amo 7:4).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

To strengthen this threat, Amos proceeds, in Amo 9:5, Amo 9:6, to describe Jehovah as the Lord of heaven and earth, who sends judgments upon the earth with omnipotent power. Amo 9:5. "And the Lord Jehovah of hosts, who toucheth the earth, and it melteth, and all the inhabitants of thereupon mourn; and the whole of it riseth like the Nile, and sinketh like the Nile of Egypt. Amo 9:6. Who buildeth His stories in heaven, and His vault, over the earth hath He founded it; who calleth to the waters of the sea, and poureth them out over the earth: Jehovah is His name." This description of God, who rules with omnipotence, is appended, as in Amo 4:13 and Amo 5:8, without any link of connection whatever. We must not render it, "The Lord Jehovah of hosts is He who toucheth the earth;" but we must supply the connecting thought, "And He who thus directeth His eye upon you is the Lord Jehovah of hosts, who toucheth the earth, and it melteth." The melting or dissolving of the earth is, according to Psa 46:7, an effect produced by the Lord, who makes His voice heard in judgments, or "the destructive effect of the judgments of God, whose instruments the conquerors are" (Hengstenberg), when nations reel and kingdoms totter. The Lord therefore touches the earth, so that it melts, when He dissolves the stability of the earth by great judgments (cf. Psa 75:4). "Israel could not fail to test the truth of these words by painful experience, when the wild hordes of Assyria poured themselves over the western parts of Asia" (Hengstenberg). The following words, depicting the dissolution of the earth, are repeated, with very inconsiderable alterations, from Amo 8:8; we have merely the omission of ונגרשׁה, and the kal שׁקעה substituted for the niphal נשׁקה. In Amo 9:6 there is evidently an allusion to the flood. God, who is enthroned in heaven, in the cloud-towers built above the circle of the earth, possesses the power to pour the waves of the sea over the earth by His simple word. Ma‛ălōth is synonymous with עליּות in Psa 104:3 : upper rooms, lit., places to which one has to ascend. 'Aguddâh, an arch or vault: that which is called râqı̄ă‛, the firmament, in other places. The heaven, in which God builds His stories, is the heaven of clouds; and the vault, according to Gen 1:7, is the firmament of heaven, which divided the water above the firmament from the water beneath it. Consequently the upper rooms of God are the waters above the firmament, in or out of which God builds His stories (Psa 104:3), i.e., the cloud-tower above the horizon of the earth, which is raised above it like a vault. Out of this cloud-castle the rain pours down (Psa 104:13); and out of its open windows the waters of the flood poured down, and overflowed the earth (Gen 7:11). When God calls to the waters of the sea, they pour themselves over the surface of the earth. The waves of the sea are a figurative representation of the agitated multitude of nations, or of the powers of the world, which pour their waves over the kingdom of God (see at Amo 7:4).

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Toucheth - He needs not take great pains therein, a touch of his finger will do this. Shall melt - As snow before the sun.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
The Lord God of hosts is he - So powerful is he that a touch of his hand shall melt or dissolve the land, and cause all its inhabitants to mourn. Here is still a reference to the earthquake. See the note Amo 8:8, where the same images are used.

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⁸ Shall not the land [0776] tremble [07264] for this, and every one mourn [056] that dwelleth [03427] therein? and it shall rise up [05927] wholly as a flood [02975]; and it shall be cast out [01644] and drowned [08257] [08248], as by the flood [0216] of Egypt [04714].

⁶ The heathen [01471] raged [01993], the kingdoms [04467] were moved [04131]: he uttered [05414] his voice [06963], the earth [0776] melted [04127].

⁹ For he spake [0559], and it was done; he commanded [06680], and it stood fast [05975].

¹⁶ O LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], God [0430] of Israel [03478], that dwellest [03427] between the cherubims [03742], thou art the God [0430], even thou alone, of all the kingdoms [04467] of the earth [0776]: thou hast made [06213] heaven [08064] and earth [0776].

⁴ Thus hath the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] shewed [07200] unto me: and, behold, the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] called [07121] to contend [07378] by fire [0784], and it devoured [0398] the great [07227] deep [08415], and did eat up [0398] a part [02506].

¹¹ In [08141] the six [08337] hundredth [03967] year [08141] of Noah's [05146] life [02416], in the second [08145] month [02320], the seventeenth [07651] [06240] day [03117] of the month [02320], the same [02088] day [03117] were all the fountains [04599] of the great [07227] deep [08415] broken up [01234], and the windows [0699] of heaven [08064] were opened [06605].

¹³ He watereth [08248] the hills [02022] from his chambers [05944]: the earth [0776] is satisfied [07646] with the fruit [06529] of thy works [04639].

³ Who layeth the beams [07136] of his chambers [05944] in the waters [04325]: who maketh [07760] the clouds [05645] his chariot [07398]: who walketh [01980] upon the wings [03671] of the wind [07307]:

⁷ And God [0430] made [06213] the firmament [07549], and divided [0914] the waters [04325] which [0834] were under [08478] the firmament [07549] from the waters [04325] which [0834] were above [05921] the firmament [07549]: and it was so [03651].

⁶ It is he that buildeth [01129] his stories [04609] in the heaven [08064], and hath founded [03245] his troop [092] in the earth [0776]; he that calleth [07121] for the waters [04325] of the sea [03220], and poureth them out [08210] upon the face [06440] of the earth [0776]: The LORD [03068] is his name [08034].

⁴ I said [0559] unto the fools [01984], Deal not foolishly [01984]: and to the wicked [07563], Lift not up [07311] the horn [07161]:

⁷ The LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] is with us; the God [0430] of Jacob [03290] is our refuge [04869]. Selah [05542].

⁸ Seek him that maketh [06213] the seven stars [03598] and Orion [03685], and turneth [02015] the shadow of death [06757] into the morning [01242], and maketh the day [03117] dark [02821] with night [03915]: that calleth [07121] for the waters [04325] of the sea [03220], and poureth them out [08210] upon the face [06440] of the earth [0776]: The LORD [03068] is his name [08034]:

¹³ For, lo, he that formeth [03335] the mountains [02022], and createth [01254] the wind [07307], and declareth [05046] unto man [0120] what is his thought [07808], that maketh [06213] the morning [07837] darkness [05890], and treadeth [01869] upon the high places [01116] of the earth [0776], The LORD [03068], The God [0430] of hosts [06635], is his name [08034].

⁵ And the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] of hosts [06635] is he that toucheth [05060] the land [0776], and it shall melt [04127], and all that dwell [03427] therein shall mourn [056]: and it shall rise up [05927] wholly like a flood [02975]; and shall be drowned [08257], as by the flood [02975] of Egypt [04714].