7
Warning Through Visions
Thus the Lord 1Goᴅ showed me, and behold, He was forming a Alocust-swarm 2when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s 3mowing. And it came about, 1when it had Afinished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said,
BLord Goᴅ, please pardon!
2How can Jacob stand,
For he is Csmall?”
The Loʀᴅ 1Achanged His mind about this.
“It shall not be,” said the Loʀᴅ.
Thus the Lord Goᴅ showed me, and behold, the Lord Goᴅ was calling to contend with them by Afire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the 1farm land. Then I said,
ALord Goᴅ, please stop!
BHow can Jacob stand, for he is small?”
The Loʀᴅ 1Achanged His mind about this.
This too shall not be,” said the Lord Goᴅ.
Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing 1by a 2vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. The Loʀᴅ said to me, “AWhat do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,
Behold I am about to put a Bplumb line
In the midst of My people Israel.
I will 1Cspare them no longer.
“The Ahigh places of Isaac will be desolated
And the Bsanctuaries of Israel laid waste.
Then I will Crise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
Amos Accused, Answers
10 Then Amaziah, the Apriest of Bethel, sent word to BJeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has Cconspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. 11  “For thus Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’ ” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “AGo, you seer, flee away to the land of Judah and there eat bread and there do your prophesying! 13  “But Ano longer prophesy at Bethel, for it is a Bsanctuary of the king and a royal 1residence.”
14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the Ason of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a 1grower of sycamore figs. 15  “But the Loʀᴅ took me from 1following the flock and the Loʀᴅ said to me, ‘Go Aprophesy to My people Israel.’ 16  “Now hear the word of the Loʀᴅ: you are saying, ‘You Ashall not prophesy against Israel Bnor shall you 1speak against the house of Isaac.’ 17  “Therefore, thus says the Loʀᴅ, ‘Your Awife will become a harlot in the city, your Bsons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be parceled up by a measuring line and you yourself will die 1upon Cunclean soil. Moreover, Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’ ”
1 7:1 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Loʀᴅ, and so throughout the ch A 7:1 Joel 1:4; Amos 4:9; Nah 3:15 2 7:1 Lit at the beginning of the coming up of 3 7:1 Or shearings 1 7:2 Lit if A 7:2 Ex 10:15 B 7:2 Jer 14:7, 20, 21; Ezek 9:8; 11:13 2 7:2 Lit As who C 7:2 Is 37:4; Jer 42:2 1 7:3 Or relented A 7:3 Deut 32:36; Jer 26:19; Hos 11:8; Amos 5:15; Jon 3:10 A 7:4 Deut 32:22; Is 66:15, 16; Amos 2:5 1 7:4 Lit portion A 7:5 Ps 85:4; Joel 2:17 B 7:5 Amos 7:2 1 7:6 Or relented A 7:6 Ps 106:45; Amos 7:3; Jon 3:10 1 7:7 Or upon 2 7:7 Lit wall of a plumb line A 7:8 Jer 1:11; Amos 8:2 B 7:8 2 Kin 21:13; Is 28:17; 34:11; Lam 2:8 1 7:8 Lit pass him by C 7:8 Jer 15:6; Ezek 7:4-9; Amos 8:2 A 7:9 Gen 46:1; Hos 10:8; Mic 1:5 B 7:9 Lev 26:31; Is 63:18; Jer 51:51; Amos 7:13 C 7:9 2 Kin 15:8-10; Amos 7:11 A 7:10 1 Kin 12:31, 32; 13:33 B 7:10 2 Kin 14:23, 24 C 7:10 Jer 26:8-11; 38:4 A 7:12 Matt 8:34 A 7:13 Amos 2:12; Acts 4:18 B 7:13 1 Kin 12:29, 32; Amos 7:9 1 7:13 Lit house A 7:14 1 Kin 20:35; 2 Kin 2:3, 5; 4:38; 2 Chr 19:2 1 7:14 Or nipper 1 7:15 Lit behind A 7:15 Jer 1:7; Ezek 2:3, 4 A 7:16 Amos 2:12; 7:13 B 7:16 Deut 32:2; Ezek 20:46; 21:2 1 7:16 Lit flow A 7:17 Hos 4:13, 14 B 7:17 Jer 14:16 1 7:17 Or in an unclean land C 7:17 2 Kin 17:6; Ezek 4:13; Hos 9:3