Amos 8:7

“The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, etc.] Not by the ark, as R. Japhet; nor by the temple, as Kimchi; but by himself; which sense Kimchi also mentions, and Aben Ezra; the God of Jacob and his glory, the most excellent of all Jacob’s enjoyments, and of whom he had reason to boast and glory; (see <300608>Amos 6:8); surely I will never forget any of their works; their wicked works, especially those now mentioned; God forgets when he forgives them, or suffers them to go unpunished; but though he had done so long, he would do so no more; on which they might depend, since he had not only said it, but swore to it.”

“Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob--that is by Himself, in whom Jacob's seed glory [MAURER]. Rather, by the spiritual privileges of Israel, the adoption as His peculiar people [CALVIN], the temple, and its Shekinah symbol of His presence. Compare Amo 6:8, where it means Jehovah's temple (compare Amo 4:2). never forget--not pass by without punishing (Amo 8:2; Hos 8:13; Hos 9:9).”

“By the excellency of Jacob - that is, by Himself who was its Glory, as Samuel calls Him “the Strength” 1 Samuel 15:29 or the Glory of Israel. Amos had before said, “God sware by His Holiness” and “by Himself” or “His soul.” Now, in like way, He pledges that Glory wherewith He was become the Glory of His people. He reminds them, who was the sole Source of their glory; not their calves, but Himself, their Creator; and that He would not forget their deeds. “I will not forget any,” literally, “all;” as David and Paul say, “all flesh,” all living men, “shall not be justified,” that is, none, no one, neither the whole nor any of its parts. Amos brings before the mind all their actions, and then…”

“Hath sworn - By himself. Forget - Suffer to pass unpunished. Amos 8:8”

“8:7 the Pride of Israel: The same Hebrew phrase alludes in 6:8 to Israel’s arrogance. Here, the phrase is probably a name for God, who is the legitimate object of Israel’s pride. Elsewhere (Ps 47:4; Nah 2:2), this phrase refers to the Promised Land under a king from David’s line (cp. Jer 13:9; Ezek 32:12). If the phrase here means the land, it would spotlight Israel’s perverse pride in its national and geographic identity.”

“sworn: Amo 6:8; Deu 33:26-29; Psa 47:4, Psa 68:34; Luk 2:32 I will: Exo 17:16; Sa1 15:2, Sa1 15:3; Psa 10:11; Isa 43:25; Jer 17:1, Jer 31:34; Hos 7:2, Hos 8:13, Hos 9:9 Amos 8:8”

“Such wickedness as this would be severely punished by the Lord. Amo 8:7. "Jehovah hath sworn by the pride of Jacob, Verily I will not forget all their deeds for ever. Amo 8:8. Shall the earth not tremble for this, and every inhabitants upon it mourn? and all of it rises like the Nile, and heaves and sinks like the Nile of Egypt." The pride of Jacob is Jehovah, as in Hos 5:5 and Hos 7:10. Jehovah swears by the pride of Jacob, as He does by His holiness in Amo 4:2, or by His soul in Amo 6:8, i.e., as He who is the pride and glory of Israel: i.e., as truly as He is so, will He and must He punish such acts as these. By overlooking such sins, or leaving them unpunished, He would deny His glory in…”