Amos 9:12

By these words the Prophet shows that the kingdom under Christ would be more renowned and larger than it had ever been under David. Since then the kingdom had been greatest in dignity, and wealth, and power, in the age of David, the Prophet here says, that its borders would be enlarged; for then he says, Possess shall the Israelites the remnant of Edom. He speaks here in common of the Israelites and of the Jews, as before, at the beginning of the last chapter, he threatened both. But we now apprehend what he means, -- that Edom shall come under the yoke.

And it is sufficiently evident why he mentions here especially the Idumeans, and that is because they had been most inveterate enemies; and vicinity gave them greater opportunity for doing harm. As then the Idumeans harassed the miserable Jews, and gave them no respite, this is the reason why the Prophet says that they would come under the power of his elect people. He afterwards adds, that all nations would come also to the Jews. He speaks first of the Idumeans, but he also adds all other nations. I cannot finish today.

Grant, Almighty God, that as we see everywhere so many evident tokens of thy displeasure, and more grievous ones are impeding, if we indeed duly consider how grievously we have provoked thy wrath, and how wickedly also the whole world at this day rages against thee and at the same time abuses thy many and excellent benefits, -- O grant, that we may ever remember thy covenant and entertain a perpetual confidence in thy only-begotten Son, that whenever it may please thee to sift us, thou mayest keep us in safety, until we come, not into any earthly storehouse but into thy celestial kingdom, where we may become partakers of that glory which thy Son has obtained for us, who has once for all redeemed us that we may ever remain under his guardianship and protection. Amen.

In yesterday's Lecture, we could not finish the verse in which Amos says, that the Idumeans and other nations would come under the power of the people of God. As to the first clause there is no ambiguity, but the latter admits of two meanings. Some take its sense to be this, "Other nations on whom my name is called:" and others refer this to the children of Abraham in this way, "That possess the remnants of Edom and all nations they may, upon whom," etc.; that is, that they on whom my name is called, even the descendants of Abraham, may possess the Idumeans and all other nations. If we choose the reference to be made to the chosen people, the order of the words seems to be somewhat broken; and yet this sense is very suitable, -- that possess their enemies the faithful may, on whom my name is called; for the reason appears to be here expressed by the Prophet, why he promised a large kingdom to the Israelites, and that is, because they were enrolled in God's name, the Lord owned them as his people, inasmuch as he had chosen and adopted them in the person of their father Abraham. But if the other view be more approved, then the particle rsa, asher, is not, as I think, a pronoun relative, but an adverb expressing a cause, "That they may possess the remnants of Edom and all nations, for my name shall have been, or shall be, called on them:" ² for who can have possession of this right or title but those who, having been aliens, shall pass over into the family of Abraham? Israel is indeed said to possess whatever comes from another quarter, and is incorporated into the body of the Church.

But on this point I will not contend; for this main thing is evident to us, -- that the extension of the kingdom under Christ is here promised as though he had said that the Jews were included within narrow bounds, even when the kingdom of David especially flourished, but that God would under Christ extend their borders, and cause them to rule far and wide. What it is to call God's name on a people, we have elsewhere stated. Let us now go on with the context.

¹ taz hse, "who will do these things." It appears that taz is a pronoun which is plural as well as singular: and the Welsh hyn is exactly the same; it will admit thing or things to be added to it--y peth hyn--y pethan hyn. When it is put by itself, hyn it conveys the idea of one particular thing, or of several things, according to the context.

The relative pronoun, rsa, who, whom, is of the same character; it is both singular and plural, as whom also is in the English language, and sawl in Welsh.

hse is considered a participle, and the participle in Hebrew may often be rendered as a personal noun, and in this instance the doer. It is the oJ poiwn of the Greek. But if the verbal form be retained, the auxiliary verb must be in the same tense with the leading verb in the context, "who will do these things."--Ed.

² This sentence is an instance, common in Hebrew, of the use of two pronouns, --a relative and a personal pronoun; to the latter of which is prefixed the preposition. It has already been noticed, that in Welsh the same idiom exists; in that language this line is rendered word for word like the Hebrew: and the true rendering is no doubt that which is mentioned last by Calvin. The Hebrew literally is this,--

Whom shall be called my name upon them.

The same line in Welsh, without any change even in the order of the words,--

Y rhai y gelwir vy enw arnyt.

Another peculiarity is, that the preposition is prefixed and joined to the personal pronoun in Welsh as well as in Hebrew; and a third is, that the relative y rhai (the whom) in Welsh, like rsa in Hebrew, admits of no case. It is the same when a nominative to a verb, or when an accusative governed by it.--Ed.

Amos 9:12
12. That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this. ¹	12. Ut possideant reliquias Edom et omnes gentes, super quas (alii vertunt, super quos) invocatum est nomen meum, dicit Jehova hoc faciens.