Amos 9:8

8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the surface of the eretz; except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Ya`akov," says the LORD.

Amos 9:8 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 9:8

Behold, the eyes of the Lord God [are] upon the sinful kingdom,
&c.] God is omniscient, and his eyes are everywhere, and upon all persons, good and bad, and upon all kingdoms, especially upon a sinful nation: "the sinning kingdom" F14, or "the kingdom of sin" F15, as it may be rendered; that is addicted to sin, where it prevails and reigns; every such kingdom, particularly the kingdom of Israel, Ephraim, or the ten tribes, given to idolatry, and other sins complained of in this prophecy; and that not for good, but for evil, as in ( Amos 9:4 ) ; in order to cut them off from being a people: and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth:
so that it shall be no more, at least as a kingdom; as the ten tribes have never been since their captivity by Shalmaneser; though Japhet interprets this of all the kingdoms of the earth, being sinful, the eyes of God are upon them to destroy them, excepting the kingdom of Israel; so Abarbinel: saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the
Lord;
and so it is, that though they have been destroyed as a kingdom, yet not utterly as a people; there were some of the ten tribes that mixed with the Jews, and others that were scattered about in the world; and a remnant among them, according to the election of grace, that were met with in the ministry of the apostles, and in the latter day all Israel shall be saved; see ( Jeremiah 30:10 Jeremiah 30:11 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (hajxh hklmm) "hoc regnum peccans", V. L. Junius & Tremellius, Drusius, Mercerus; "peccatrix", Piscator.
F15 "Regnum peccati", Pagninus, Montanus.

Amos 9:8 In-Context

6 It is he who builds his chambers in the heavens, and has founded his vault on the eretz; he who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the eretz; the LORD is his name.
7 Are you not like the children of the Kushim to me, children of Yisra'el?" says the LORD. "Haven't I brought up Yisra'el out of the land of Mitzrayim, and the Pelishtim from Kaftor, and the Aram from Kir?
8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the surface of the eretz; except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Ya`akov," says the LORD.
9 "For, behold, I will command, and I will sift the house of Yisra'el among all the nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not the least kernel will fall on the eretz.
10 All the sinners of my people will die by the sword, who say, 'Evil won't overtake nor meet us.'
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.