Commentaries:
What absurd things to suggest! They are impossibilities! Just as absurd is Israel's turning justice into poison and righteousness into bitter and sickening wormwood. Amos implies that though we may do something technical or mechanical that had previously seemed impossible—like plowing the sea—improving our morality is vastly more important.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Prepare to Meet Your God! (The Book of Amos) (Part One)
In their false security, none of the people worried about the collapse of the nation, even though the signs of it were all around them. In fact, put far off literally means "drive out" or "cast out" (see Isaiah 66:5). They did not just ignore the danger signals, they utterly rejected any notion of an imminent downfall. In doing so, they had done a very stupid thing, as foolish as running horses upon crags or trying to plow the sea. They had allowed violence, corruption, and exploitation to mount in their midst (verse 12).
John W. Ritenbaugh
Prepare to Meet Your God! (The Book of Amos) (Part Two)
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Amos 5:7
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