Amos 8

I will destroy the king of Ashdod
   and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand against Ekron,
   till the last of the Philistines are dead,”
            says the Sovereign LORD.


Ashdod, (“the Waster,” hod. Esdud, or Shdood (called Azotus in Acts 8:40))—Gath alone is not mentioned of the five chief Philistine cities. It had already been subdued by David; and it, as well as Ashdod, was taken by Uzziah (2Ch 26:6). Gath perhaps had lost its position as one of the five primary cities before Amos uttered this prophecy, whence arose his omission of it. So Zep 2:4, 5. Compare Je 47:4; Ez 25:16. Subsequently to the subjugation of the Philistines by Uzziah, and then by Hezekiah, they were reduced by Psammetichus of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar, the Persians, Alexander, and lastly the Asmoneans.

The position is one of the fairest along this part of the Mediterranean coast; and when the interior of the amphitheatre was adorned with splendid temples and palaces, ascending, rank above rank, from the shore to the summit, the appearance from the sea must have been very imposing. Now the whole area is planted over with orchards of the various kinds of fruit which flourish in this region” (Thomson, ‘The Land and the Book,’ Southern Palestine, p. 171). In spite of its bad harbour, it carried on a lucrative foreign commerce, which was the chief cause of its power and importance (Ewald, ‘Hist. of Israel,’ i. 247, Eng. transl.). It was about fifty Roman miles from Jerusalem. In mediæval times there were two cities of the name, one on the coast (Jer. 47:7), the same as Herod’s Ascalon, and one inland. In its palmiest days the former could never have had a real harbour (‘Survey Memoirs,’ iii. pp. 245, 246). Ekron, hod. Akir, was twelve miles north-east of Ashdod, and some nine from the coast. Ashdod was taken by Uzziah (2 Chron. 26:6), by the tartan, or commander-in-chief, of Sargon (Isa. 20:1), and by Psammetichus King of Egypt (b.c. 635), when it sustained a siege of twenty-nine years. (Herod., ii. 157).

(5) I will remove the rulers of the cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. See verse 5. It should be shown that Ashdod and Ashkelon are cities. It should also be clear in context that they and Ekron along with Gaza are cities of the Philistines.

I will turn my hand against Ekron; (rsv)/ I will punish the city of Ekron. (See also Smith-Goodspeed, nab, neb). “Hand” here means “power.”* If similar picture language can be used in the translation, it should be. If not, then some other kind of picture language expressing the idea of “power and punishment” should be used if possible. If no picture language is suitable, the translation will have to be direct as it is in the tev. Compare mft: “I strike my blows at Ekron.” Ekron may also have to be qualified as the city of Ekron.

The remnant of the Philistines (rsv)/ all the Philistines who are left. The remnant of the Philistines (rsv) does not mean those who have not been mentioned in the preceding verses, but those who might have escaped the punishment. The tev restructuring is helpful.

(6) Says the Lord God. (rsv) Unlike verse 5, the Hebrew text here has an additional word, “God.” However, whatever the reason for this difference,* the use of exactly the same form as in verse 5 is perfectly correct in the translation.