Amos 3:6

“Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, etc.] Meaning not any trumpet blown, as the silver trumpet for the gathering of the people to worship, or the jubilee trumpet, which proclaimed liberty to them, or any other, expressive of joy and gladness; but the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war, or what is blown by the watchmen on the walls, descrying an enemy, or some danger, near: and the people not be afraid? they must, they usually are, lest their lives, and their children’s, should be taken away, and their substance become a prey to the enemy: or, “and the people not run together”f102; into some one place for shelter, or to consult together how to provide for their safety, and secure…”

“When the sound of alarm is trumpeted by the watchman in the city, the people are sure to run to and fro in alarm (Hebrew, literally). Yet Israel is not alarmed, though God threatens judgments. shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?--This is the explanation of the preceding similes: God is the Author of all the calamities which come upon you, and which are foretold by His prophets. The evil of sin is from ourselves; the evil of trouble is from God, whoever be the instruments.”

“Is there evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it? - Evil is of two sorts, evil of sin, and evil of punishment. There is no other; for evil of nature, or evil of fortune, are evils, by God’s Providence, punishing the evil of sin. Augustine, c. Adim. 26: “Evil, which is sin, the Lord hath not done; evil, which is punishment for sin, the Lord bringeth.” The Providence of God governing and controlling all things, man doth ill which he wills, so as to suffer ill which he wills not. Only, evil which is by God’s Providence the punishment of sin is in this life remedial and through final impenitence alone becomes purely judicial. Rib.: “Refer not, the prophet would say, the ills which ye…”

“Afraid - Affected with the danger. Evil - Such as plague or famine. Done it - Either immediately by his own hand, or by the hands of those he employs. Whoever are the instruments, God is the principal agent. Out of his mouth both good and evil proceed. Amos 3:7”

“3:6 disaster . . . the Lord has planned: God sends both the good and pleasant, and the harmful and painful (Isa 45:7; Lam 3:38; see Deut 28; Job 2:10).”

“a trumpet: Jer 4:5, Jer 6:1; Eze 33:3; Hos 5:8; Zep 1:16 and the people: Jer 5:22, Jer 10:7; Co2 5:11 be afraid: or, run together shall there: That is, Shall there be any evil, or calamity (not moral evil), inflicted on a wicked city, which does not proceed from me, as the effect of my wrath? These animated interrogatives were intended to convince the people that they had cause for alarm, as their monstrous iniquities called down the vengeance of God to punish them with these calamities. Gen 50:20; Isa 14:24-27, Isa 45:7; Act 2:23, Act 4:28 the Lord hath not done it: or, and shall not the Lord do somewhat Amos 3:7”