Canaan, and therefore (though we do go on in our sin, yet) we shall prosper, and no Iudgement shall come upon us, as this precise Prophet Amos threatneth.
Ans. 1. It doth not follow, that because you have been delivered out of Egypt, that therefore you shall go unpunisht for your sin; but the contrary, since you have received such great blessings, therefore you must yeeld answerable obedi∣ence, remembring that they which have much, of them shall be much required; and if they offend, they shall be sooner, and more severely punished, Amos 3.2. Dan. 9.12. 2. The Prophet tells them, that they had no reason to be puft up with this deliverance, for the Lord had granted the like external deliverances (though not alike in all circumstances to that of Egypt) to Heathenish and Idolatrous people, whom they lookt upon as Dogs and Swine. The Prophet instanceth in two Examples.
The first is that of the Philistims, whom the Lord brought from their slavery in Caphtor, Jer. 47.4. The Philistims and Caphtorims are put amongst the posterity of Mizraim, the Son of Cham, Gen. 10.6, 14. 1 Chron. 1.11, 12. they expel∣led the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, which belonged to the Philistines, and possessed their Country, Deut. 2.23.
The second instance is that of the Syrians, whom the Lord brought from Kir, where they served other Nations. These are called Aramites, from Aram the Son of Shem, from whom they descended, Gen. 10.22. these were grosse Idola∣ters, and worshipped many Gods, Iudg. 10 6. and especially that noted Idol Rimmon. 2 King. 5.18.
There was a double Kir, 1. There was Kir, a City of spe∣cial note in the Land of Moab, Isa. 15.1. 2. Kir another Ci∣ty situate in Media, of which we read, 2 King. 16.9. Isa. 22.6. Amos 1.5. This was under the dominion of the As∣syrians, and this is the Kir in the Text. Some make this Kir to be Cyrene, but there is no ground for that, for Cyrene was situate in Lybia, but Kir in Media under the Assyrians, which is far distant from Lybia. This deliverance of the Syrians from Kir, is mentioned only in this place; this they had from the Histories of those times which were then well known; as they had many other things not mentioned in the Scripture, as I have shewed elsewhere.