The words of Amos
Not which he spoke of or for himself, but from the Lord; all the prophecies, visions, and revelations made unto him, are intended: who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa;
which was not in the tribe of Asher, as Kimchi; nor of Zebulun, as Pseudo-Epiphanius F9; but in the tribe of Judah, ( 2 Chronicles 11:5 2 Chronicles 11:6 ) ( Jeremiah 6:1 ) . It lay to the south, and was six miles from Bethlehem. Mr. Maundrell F11 says it is nine miles distant, to the south of it; and, according to Jerom F12, it was twelve miles from Jerusalem; though he elsewhere F13 says, Thecua, or Tekoa, is a village at this day, nine miles from Aelia or Jerusalem, of which place was Amos the prophet, and where his sepulchre is seen: either there is a mistake of the number, or of Aelia for Bethlehem; the former rather seems to be the case; according to Josephus F14, it was not far from the castle of Herodium. The Misnic doctors F15 speak of it as famous for oil, where the best was to be had; near to it was a wilderness, called the wilderness of Tekoa; and Jerom F16 says, that beyond it there was no village, nor so much as huts and cottages, but a large wilderness, which reached to the Red sea, and to the borders of the Persians, Ethiopians, and Indians, and was full of shepherds, among whom Amos was; whether he was a master herdsman, or a servant of one, is not said. The word is used of the king of Moab, who is said to be a "sheepmaster", ( 2 Kings 3:4 ) ; he traded in cattle, and got riches thereby; and so the Targum here renders it,
``who was lord or master of cattle;''and Kimchi interprets it, he was a great man among the herdsmen; and so it was a piece of self-denial to leave his business, and go to prophesying; but rather he was a servant, and kept cattle for others, which best agrees with ( Amos 7:14 ) ; and so is expressive of the grace of God in calling so mean a person to such a high office. The word used signifies to mark; and shepherds were so called from marking their sheep to distinguish them, which seems to be the work of servants; and, in the Arabic language, a kind of sheep deformed, and of short feet, are so called: which he saw concerning Israel;
Título en Inglés – The Jubilee Bible
(De las Escrituras de La Reforma)
Editado por: Russell M. Stendal
Jubilee Bible 2000 – Russell Martin Stendal
© 2000, 2001, 2010