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Third Millennium Study Bible
Notes on Amos 9:11-15

Restoration of David's Dynasty - Amos 9:11-12

'God,' as Calvin remarks, 'would punish the sins of the people of Israel in such a way as to remember still his own promise.' Amos assured the Israelites that the restoration of the nation after exile would include the reestablishment of David's royal line and the defeat of the enemies of God by this royal line.

For the phrase, "In that day" (Amos 9:11) see Amos 2:16; 5:18. Here the phrase indicates the time after the exile, when God's wrath would be poured out on his enemies. The phrase "fallen tent" literal means, "collapsing hut." The hut represents the dynasty of David, which to the eyes of Amos was as good as fallen. Keddie says:

David's 'tent', or 'booth', has a double reference. It recalls the 'booths' in which Israel lived during their wilderness wanderings, which, you will remember from an earlier study, were commemorated in the Feast of Tabernacles. This signified God's gracious provision for Israel throughout her history. It also recalls by way of a contrast, the phrase 'house of David', a reference to the dynasty of Davidic kings. Whereas a 'tent' (Hebrew, suka) is a temporary shelter, a 'house' (Hebrew, bayit) is a permanent building. It is a measure of how far the Davidic monarchy has sunk that it is now called a fallen tent! The theocratic monarchy, as such, still lingered on in Judah. It would fall in the sixth century B.C. How and when would it be restored?

To answer the question of restoration we see that in Jesus, the great Son of David, that the dynasty of David has been reestablished (Acts 15:16-17)! God fulfilled his promise.

In Amos 9:12, Amos uses the word "possess." This terminology is used frequently to mean "dispossess" or "take possession by force" (e.g., Deut 2:31; 4:14). Amos had in mind here that the house of David would wage war against the nations, a theme that occurs in many prophetic portraits of the time after exile (see, e.g., Ezek 38-39; Joel 3:9; Hag 2:20-32; Zech 12:1-14:21; Rev 19-20). Although Edom would be subject to divine judgment (Amos 1:11-12), a remnant of Edom would be brought under the redemptive kingship of David's offspring. As to the phrase, "Edom and all the nations." The nations would come under the dominion of David's future son (cf. Psa 2:8,12). In Acts 15:13-17 James applied this passage to God's taking a people for himself from among the Gentiles and including them in the Church.

Amos mentions "bear my name." Literally his means "over whom my name is called," indicating subordination. The phrase was sometimes used of Israel's subordination to God's covenant lordship (Deut 28:10; Jer 14:9), and it reveals that some, but not all, from every Gentile group would come under the dominion of David's Son (cf. Psa 2:12); i.e., only those who bear God's name from among all the nations will be included. Accordingly, Amos foresaw that in the day when David's fallen tent is restored, the Lord will take possession of the remnant of all the nations and will reign over them in a covenantal relationship through his Messianic King. This prophecy is in agreement with the ministry of Christ in taking a people for himself from among the nations (Acts 15:13-17).

Blessing of Abundance in Nature - Amos 9:13-15

Alongside victory in war will come the enjoyment of nature renewed. After prophecies of disaster and want (cf. Amos 4:6-11; 5:11,16-17) comes a prophecy of abundance - indeed more than abundance. The culmination of the Lord's redemptive work through David's Son will see seasons of planting and harvest run together in an endless cycle of fruitfulness that is evocative of Eden and perhaps surpassing it. The curses of Genesis 3:17-19 will be lifted. For the imagery, see Joel 3:18. Stuart says:

Next come two images of agricultural bounty (restoration blessing type 5; cf. Lev 26:42; Deut 30:9), hyperbolically conveying the idea that in the restoration harvests will be more than ample. The reaper (קצר) will still be cutting the stalks of grain when the plowman (חורש) gets started turning the earth over for the next planting. And the grape treader (דרך ענבים) and sower of seed (משך הזרע) will get in each other's way. In other words, the harvests will be so abundant that harvesters will still be trying after many months to finish collecting one crop when it will already be time to plant the next one. Barley and wheat are ripe in Palestine by early May; grapes by early September. Ploughing begins in October, followed immediately by sowing. These times will virtually blend together in the almost constant harvesting of the eschatological age, restoring the original promise of such bounty (cf. Lev 26:5, on which this wording is perhaps based).

The enormous quantities of the grape harvest - always an important crop in ancient Israel - are suggested by the image of grape juice everywhere, dripping and flowing from the hills where the grapes were grown (cf. Joel 3:18). A comparable modern expression would be: "You'll be up to your ears in grape juice." These images are purposeful exaggerations, intended by their extremity to assure the lack of want the new age will bring.

In Amos 9:14 we observe the phrase, "I will bring back my exiled people." Literally this means "I will turn the captivity of my people." This is a stock phrase in covenant lawsuit literature (cf. Jer 29:14; Ezek 16:53; Hos 6:11). See "Covenants in General" below. Wonderful blessings are on the opposite side of the earlier faultily curses - they will rebuild . . . and live . . . They will plant . . . and drink . . . they will make . . . and eat. See "Covenant Curse Types and Restorative Blessings" below.

In Amos 9:15, Pratt says, 'we see a promise of lasting security for God's people. This promise was an aspect of God's covenant with David (2 Sam 7:10), as it also appears to be here (Amos 9:11): David's future son would be the Israelites' security against further uprooting from their homeland. never again. The promise is made that once the restoration of God's people has reached its culmination, they never need fear exile again. This theme appears in a number of prophecies (see Joel 3:20).

The early returnees failed to reach this stage of restoration, and Israel was subjugated time and again. The New Testament explains, however, that this permanent possession of Canaan will take place when Christ returns and gives to his people, Jews and Gentiles alike, permanent possession of the entire new earth (Rev 5:9-10; 21:1-7), of which Canaan was simply a type (Rom 4:13). Even now, a remnant of ethnic Israel joined with Gentiles enjoys the deposit guaranteeing that inheritance in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:14).' The phrase, "the land I have given them" g harks back to God's covenant with Abraham and his seed (Gen 12:1,7; 13:14-17; 15:18; 17:8; 22:16-18). Once before, God had given them the land; but they had sinned, and he had expelled them from it. Once again he will give them the land, and they will dwell in it as oaks of righteousness.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Related Resources

• Covenants in General
• Covenant Curse Types and Restorative Blessings

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