Therefore the LORD says: ‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by line; and you yourself shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 17. Play. Symmachus has better, “shall be treated as a harlot.” A “husband would rather hear that his wife had been slain than defiled.” Saint Jerome—Line, and divided among strangers.—Land, out of Palestine. All other countries were deemed unclean. Amasias was probably exiled, or led captive by Theglathphalassar, as Salmanasar did not come till sixty-two years after the death of Jeroboam. We know no more of the history of Amasias. The martyrologies say he slew Amos. Calmet.—His name means “rigid,” and he was a true image of a heretic. “All that he possesses shall fall to the share of devils.” Saint Jerome