Amos 6:10

“And a man’s uncle shall take him up, etc.] That is, his father’s brother, as Kimchi; or his near kinsman, as the Targum; to whom the right of inheritance belongs, and also the care of his funeral; he shall take up the dead man himself, in order to inter him, there being none to employ in such service; the mortality being so universal, either through the pestilence raging everywhere, or through the earthquake, men being killed by the fall of houses upon them; which Aben Ezra takes to be the case here; (see <300611> Amos 6:11 <300101>1:1 <300313>3:13); and he that burneth him; which may be read disjunctively, “or he that burneth him”f173; his mother’s brother, according to Judah ben Karis in…”

“a man's uncle--The nearest relatives had the duty of burying the dead (Gen 25:9; Gen 35:29; Jdg 16:31). No nearer relative was left of this man than an uncle. and he that burneth him--the uncle, who is also at the same time the one that burneth him (one of the "ten," Amo 6:9). Burial was the usual Hebrew mode of disposing of their dead. But in cases of necessity, as when the men of Jabesh-gilead took the bodies of Saul and his three sons from the walls of Beth-shan and burned them to save them from being insulted by the Philistines, burning was practised. So in this case, to prevent contagion. the bones--that is, the dead body (Gen 50:25). Perhaps here there is an allusion in the phrase to…”

“And a man’s uncle ... and he that burneth him - Literally, “and there shall take him up his uncle and his burner,” that is, his uncle who, as his next of kin, had the care of his interment, was himself the burner. Burial is the natural following out of the words, “dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return.” The common burying-places (such as we find in the history of the patriarchs) were the natural expression of the belief in the Resurrection. The bodies rested together, to be raised together. The pagan burned the bodies of Christian martyrs, and scattered their ashes in mockery of the Resurrection . The pagan noticed that it was matter of piety with the Jews “to bury rather than to…”

“Uncle - Or near kinsman, instead of those who were wont to do this, and were paid for it; but now none of these remaining, the next to the dead must, as well as he is able, take him up on his shoulders, and carry him. That burneth - Though the Jews mostly buried, yet in some cases they burned the dead bodies, as in this of pestilence. The bones - The flesh being consumed, the bones are reserved to be buried. Unto him - Any one he sees near the house out of which the bones are carried. Is there yet any - Is any one living in your house. Hold thy tongue - Do not complain, lest thou thyself be killed, lest all be rifled. For - It is too late to seek God, who is executing his immutable decree.…”

“6:10 to dispose of the dead: Or to burn the dead. Cremation was very uncommon in the ancient Near East (see study note on 2:1), so some interpret this phrase to mean burn a memorial fire (see Jer 34:5). Others take it to mean dispose of the remains, rather than perform a cremation. Yet the context—the need to dispose of multiple bodies to avoid putrefaction and disease (Amos 6:9; see 8:3)—supports the idea that it means cremation.”

“And a: Abp. Newcome says that this obscure verse seems to describe the effects of the famine and pestilence during the siege of Samaria. that burneth: Amo 8:3; Sa1 31:12; Kg2 23:16; Jer 16:6 Hold: Amo 5:13; Num 17:12; Kg2 6:33; Eze 24:21 for: Jer 44:26; Eze 20:39 we may not make: or, they will not make, or, have not made Amos 6:11”