Amos 1:5

“I will break also the bar of Damascus, etc.] Or bars, the singular for the plural, by which the gates of the city were barred; and, being broken, the gates would be easily opened, and way made for the enemy to pass into the city and spoil it; or it may signify the whole strength and all the fortifications of it. So the Targum, “I will break the strength of Damascus:” and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven; or, “of an idol”, as the Vulgate Latin version. It is thought to be some place where idols were worshipped by the Syrians; their gods were the gods of the valleys, which they denied the God of Israel to be, (<112023>1 Kings 20:23). Mr. Maundrellf31 says, that near Damascus there…”

“bar of Damascus--that is, the bar of its gates (compare Jer 51:30). the inhabitant--singular for plural, "inhabitants." HENDERSON, because of the parallel, "him that holdeth the scepter," translates, "the ruler." But the parallelism is that of one clause complementing the other, "the inhabitant" or subject here answering to "him that holdeth the scepter" or ruler there, both ruler and subject alike being cut off. Aven--the same as Oon or Un, a delightful valley, four hours' journey from Damascus, towards the desert. Proverbial in the East as a place of delight [JOSEPHUS ABASSUS]. It is here parallel to "Eden," which also means "pleasantness"; situated at Lebanon. As JOSEPHUS ABASSUS is a…”

“I will also break the bar of Damascus - In the East, every city was fortified; the gates of the stronger cities were cased in iron, that they might not be set on fire by the enemy; they were fastened within with bars of brass 1 Kings 4:13 or iron (Psalms 107:16; Isaiah 45:2; compare Isaiah 48:14; Jeremiah 51:3 O). They were flanked with towers, and built over, so that what was naturally the weakest point and the readiest access to an enemy became the strongest defense. In Hauran the huge doors and gates of a single stone 9 and 10 feet high , and 1 12 foot thick , are still extant, and “the place for the ponderous bars,” proportioned to such gates, “may yet be seen.” The walls were loosened…”

“The bar - Literally the bar with which the city gates were shut, and fastened. Of Eden - Some royal seat, of the kings of Syria. Kir - Kir of Media, Isa 22:6, thither did Tiglath - Pilneser carry the conquered Syrians, Kg2 16:9, and placed them captives in that barren mountainous country, about fifteen years after it was foretold by Amos. Amos 1:6”

“1:5 Aven and Beth-eden were both connected with Aram and Damascus. Aven (meaning evil, wickedness) refers to the valley between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountains or the plain of Damascus. The city-state Beth-eden was north of Aram, elsewhere simply called Eden (2 Kgs 19:12; Ezek 27:23). • The Arameans originally came from Kir (Amos 9:7), probably in southern Babylonia; Kir was where Assyria deported them when Damascus fell (2 Kgs 16:9). Just as Egypt was a symbol of captivity for Israel (see Deut 28:68), Kir represented captivity for Aram.”

“break: Isa 43:14; Jer 50:36, Jer 51:30; Lam 2:9; Nah 3:13 the plain of Aven: or, Bikath-aven, Probably Heliopolis, now Baalbek, situated between Libanus and Antilibanus, 56 miles nw of Damascus, according to Antoninus, and celebrated for its temple of the sun. the house of Eden: or, Beth-eden, Probably the village of Eden, in Mount Lebanon, marks the site of this place. It is delightfully situated by the side of a most rich and cultivated valley, contains about 400 or 500 families, and is, according to modern authorities, about 20 miles se of Tripoli, and five miles from the cedars. the people: Amo 9:7; Kg2 16:9 Amos 1:6”