Amos 7:16

Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Drop not.—A word used in the Song of Moses for “distil,” expressing persuasive and flowing discourse (Deuteronomy 32:2; Ezekiel 21:2; Ezekiel 21:7; Micah 2:6; Micah 2:11).

Benson Commentary

Amos 7:16-17. Now, hear thou the word of the Lord — Who hath sent me, and whom thou contradictest; from him I have a message to thee also, which much concerns thee. Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel — Thou usest thy power to silence me; therefore thus saith the Lord — Because thou hast so directly and wilfully opposed the Lord; Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city — Shall be treated as a harlot in this very city of Beth-el. The meaning probably is, that she should be abused, or ravished, by the Assyrian soldiers, when they should take Beth-el. Thy land shall be divided by line — Conquerors were used to divide conquered lands in portions among their soldiers, which was done by measuring out every one’s part by a line; so that this expression signified, his land should be divided among the enemy. And thou shalt die in a polluted land — Thou shalt be carried captive from thine own country, and die in a land where the inhabitants are idolatrous.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:10-17 It is no new thing for the accusers of the brethren, to misrepresent them as enemies to the king and kingdom, as traitors to their prince, and troublers of the land, when they are the best friends to both. Those who make gain their godliness, and are governed by the hopes of wealth and preferment, are ready to think these the most powerful motives with others also. But those who have a warrant from God, like Amos, ought not to fear the face of man. If God, that sent him, had not strengthened him, he could not thus have set his face as a flint. The Lord often chooses the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and mighty. But no fervent prayers, or self-denying labours, can bring proud sinners to bear faithful reproofs and warnings. And all who oppose or despise the Divine word, must expect fatal effects to their souls, unless they repent.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Amaziah then was in direct rebellion and contradiction against God. He was in an office forbidden by God. God's word came to him. He had his choice; and, as people do, when entangled in evil courses, he chose the more consciously amiss. He had to resign his lucrative office and to submit to God speaking to him through a shepherd, or to stand in direct opposition to God, and to confront God; and in silencing Amos, he would silence God. But, like one who would arrest the lightning, he draws it on his own head. Amos contrasts the word of Amaziah, and the word of God; Rup.: "Hear thou the word of the Lord; Thou sayest; prophesy not against Israel. Therefore thus saith the Lord." Not only will I not cease to prophesy against Israel, but I will also prophesy to thee. Hear now thine own part of the prophecy."

Drop not - The form of expression, (not the word) is probably taken from Moses. "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass" Deuteronomy 32:2. Micah speaks of the word as used by those who forbade to prophesy, as though the prophecy were a continual wearisome "dropping." God's word comes as a gentle dew or soft rain, not beating down but refreshing; not sweeping away, like a storm, but sinking in and softening even hard ground, all but the rock; gentle, so as they can bear it. God's word was to people, such as they were toward it; dropping like the dew on those who received it; wearing, to those who hardened themselves against it. It drops in measure upon the hearts which it fertilizes, being adapted to their capacity to receive it. And so contrariwise as to the judgments with which God's prophets are charged. : "The prophets do not discharge at once the whole wrath of God, but, in their threatenings, denounce little drops of it."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. drop—distil as the refreshing drops of rain (De 32:2; Eze 21:2; compare Mic 2:6, 11).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Now; when forbidden, Amos, undaunted, prophesieth to him that forbade him.

Hear thou, Amaziah, who hast accused, yet pretendest to wish and advise my safety, the word of the Lord, who sent me, whom thou contradictest; from him I have somewhat to say to thee, and of much concern also to thee.

Thou sayest, usest thy power to silence me,

Prophesy not against Israel; preach not sedition, or what tends to it, under pretence that God speaks it against Israel: if thou canst speak good of us, and to us, this may be good for thee; but if thou wilt speak sad news against us, it will not be believed; it may hurt thee, it will do no good to others.

Drop not; distil not: see Ezekiel 21:2 Micah 2:6.

Against the house of Isaac; the posterity of Isaac: this explains the former, and is a hendiadis, or elegant ingemination.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord,.... Which I have from him concerning thee, and which he has pronounced upon thee and thy family:

thou sayest, prophesy not against Israel; when God has bid me prophesy:

and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac; say nothing against it, though in ever so soft and gentle a manner: it designs the same thing as before, only in different words; and is a prohibition of the prophet to prophesy against the ten tribes that descended from Isaac, in the line of Jacob. So the Targum paraphrases it,

"thou shalt not teach against the house of Isaac;''

or deliver out any prophecy or doctrine that is against them, or threatens them with any calamity. Jarchi says the phrase is expressive of prophecy; see Deuteronomy 32:2.

Geneva Study Bible

Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. drop not thy word] The same expression, also used figuratively of a prophetic utterance, in Micah 2:6; Micah 2:11 and Ezekiel 20:46; Ezekiel 21:2 [Heb. 21:2, 7]. It was suggested probably by the flow of words, which were apt to stream from the prophets’ lips, when they were under the influence of the prophetic inspiration.

16–17. Amaziah had sought to silence Amos: Amos, speaking in the name of the God who had thus called him to be His prophet, so far from modifying or withdrawing his previous utterances, reaffirms them even more emphatically and distinctly than before.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - Hear thou the word of the Lord. The punishment of him who tried to impede God's message. Drop not thy word. Be not continually pouring forth prophecy. The word is used similarly in Micah 2:6, 11 and Ezekiel 21:2. The idea, though not the term, is taken from Deuteronomy 32:2. Septuagint, μὴ ὀχλαγωγήσῃς, "raise no tumult," which rather expresses Amaziah's fear of the effect of the utterance than translates the word. St. Jerome's explanation is somewhat too subtle, "Stillare prophetas idioma Scripturarum est, quod non totam Dei simul inferant iram, sed parvas stillas comminatione denuntient." Amos 7:16

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In return for this rebellion against Jehovah, Amos foretels to the priest the punishment which will fall upon him when the judgment shall come upon Israel, meeting his words, "Thou sayst, Thou shalt not prophesy," with the keen retort, "Thus saith Jehovah." הטּיף, to drip, applied to prophesying here and at Micah 2:6, Micah 2:11, and Ezekiel 21:2, Ezekiel 21:7, is taken from Deuteronomy 32:2, "My teaching shall drip as the rain," etc. Isaac (yishâq) for Israel, as in Amos 7:9. The punishment is thus described in Amos 7:17 : "Thy wife will be a harlot in the city," i.e., at the taking of the city she will become a harlot through violation. His children would also be slain by the foe, and his landed possession assigned to others, namely, to the fresh settlers in the land. He himself, viz., the priest, would die in an unclean land, that is to say, in the land of the Gentiles, - in other words, would be carried away captive, and that with the whole nation, the carrying away of which is repeated by Amos in the words which the priest had reported to the king (Amos 7:11), as a sign that what he has prophesied will assuredly stand.