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| 1 Hear ye this word, ye heifers of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,–who say to their lords, Bring in, and let us drink! |
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| 2 Sworn hath My Lord, Yahweh, by his own holiness, That lo! days, are coming upon you,–when he will take you away with hooks, and your followers with fishhooks; |
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| 3 And, through fissures, shall ye go out, every woman, straight before her,–and ye shall be thrust forth towards the castle, Declareth Yahweh. |
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| 4 Enter ye Bethel, and transgress, At Gilgal, cause transgression, to abound,–Yea, carry in, every morning, your sacrifices, every three days, your tithes; |
Three years – Three Days - NASB, RVIC, DARBY, JPS |
| 5 Yea, burn thou incense, of that which is leavened, as a thank-offering, and proclaim ye freewill-offerings, let them be known,–for, so, ye love [to have it], ye sons of Israel, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh. |
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| 6 Moreover also, I, have given you cleanness of teeth throughout all your cities, and want of bread throughout all your dwelling-places,–Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. |
I – God
Cleanness of teeth – Indicating no food has been in their mouth, thus this is idiomatic for a lack of food.
Amos 8:9
Cause the sun to go down at noon – The light of the Gospel will not shine brightly, even during the presence of the Sun of Righteousness (Our returned Lord Jesus.)
I will darken the earth – God will permit darkness to come on those who will not see.
In the clear day – The term "clear day" means "bright" or "luminary," indicating the light of the Gospel is shining bright and yet the symbolic earth ("organized society under religious restraint") will not receive it.
In addition to the rather obvious symbolical references here there is yet another interesting literal fulfillment of this prophecy.
Br. Julian T. Gray explains this in his work "Which Is the True Chronology."
If we consider this from its literal standpoint, what clearly is being described is a Solar Eclipse. When we consider the time frame (not speaking of the end of the Gospel Age) it seems clear that there was only one eclipse of the Sun in that region during that time, i.e., the one recorded by the Babylonians as having taken place June 15, 763 B.C.
Br. Gray goes through the setting and explains how this lines up with biblical events and with history. He then concludes by comparing which of the various Bible chronologies match this astronomical event. - There is only one. The chronology used by Pastor Russell as presented to us in "The Time is at Hand." |
| 7 Moreover also, I, have withholden from you the abundant rain, when yet there were only three mouths to the harvest, Or I might rain upon one city, and, on another city, might not rain,–One portion, would be rained upon, and, the portion whereupon it should not rain, would be dried up; |
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| 8 Then would two or three cities totter to one city to drink water, without being satisfied,–Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. |
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| 9 I have smitten you with blight and with mildew, When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig-trees and your olive-trees have increased, the creeping locust would devour them,–Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. |
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| 10 I have sent among you pestilence, in the manner of Egypt, I have slain, with the sword, your young men, and therewith have been taken captive your horses, And I have caused to ascend–the stench of your camps, even into your own nostrils, Yet ye have not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. |
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| 11 I have made an overthrew among you, like the divine overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye have become like a brand snatched out of the burning,–Yet hate ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh. |
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| 12 Therefore, thus, will I do unto thee, O Israel,–Because this thing I will do unto thee, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. |
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| 13 For lo! He that fashioned the mountains, and created the wind, and who telleth the son of earth what is his thought, who turneth dawn into darkness, and marcheth upon the high places of the earth, Yahweh, God of hosts, is his name! |
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