Amos 4:11

“I have overthrown [some] of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.] Either their houses were burnt, or their bodies consumed by fire from heaven, with lightning; not whole cities, but the habitations of some particular persons, or they themselves: and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning; some escaped such an awful calamity, their houses were not consumed, while others were; and their persons were safe, while others, just by them, were struck dead at once: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord; neither the judgments of God on themselves and others had any effect upon them to humble and reclaim them: such dispensations, without the grace of God is exerted,…”

“some of you--some parts of your territory. as God overthrew Sodom-- (Deu 29:23; Isa 13:19; Jer 49:18; Jer 50:40; Pe2 2:6; Jde 1:7). "God" is often repeated in Hebrew instead of "I." The earthquake here apparently alluded to is not that in the reign of Uzziah, which occurred "two years" later (Amo 1:1). Traces of earthquakes and volcanic agency abound in Palestine. The allusion here is to some of the effects of these in previous times. Compare the prophecy, Deu. 28:15-68, with Amo 4:6-11 here. as a firebrand plucked out of . . . burning--(Compare Isa 7:4; Zac 3:2). The phrase is proverbial for a narrow escape from utter extinction. Though Israel revived as a nation under Jeroboam II, it was…”

“I have overthrown some of you - The earthquake is probably reserved to the last, as being the rarest, and so the most special, visitation. Frequent as earthquakes have been on the borders of Palestine, the greater part of Palestine was not on the line, which was especially shaken by them. The line, chiefly visited by earthquakes, was along the coast of the Mediterranean or parallel to it, chiefly from Tyre to Antioch and Aleppo. Here were the great historical earthquakes, which were the scourges of Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, Botrys, Tripolis, Laodicea on the sea; which shattered Litho-prosopon, prostrated Baalbek and Hamath, and so often afflicted Antioch and Aleppo , while Damascus was mostly…”

“Overthrew - By grievous and desolating judgments. As a fire - brand - Such of you as escaped were yet as fire - brands in the midst of the fire, 'till infinite mercy saved a remnant. Amos 4:12”

“4:11 As with the plagues on Egypt (4:10), the plagues on Israel increased in magnitude and intensity (cp. 4:12). • as I destroyed: The thought that God would treat his own people in the same way as he had treated Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24-25) was shocking to their theology.”

“as God: Gen 19:24, Gen 19:25; Isa 13:19; Jer 49:18; Hos 11:8; Pe2 2:6; Jde 1:7 as a: Zac 3:2; Co1 3:15; Jde 1:23 yet: Amo 4:6; Jer 6:28-30; Eze 22:17-22, Eze 24:13; Rev 9:20 Amos 4:12”