The Prophet Amos

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- Chapter 7 -

(Joel 2:1–11)

These things the Lord God has revealed to me. And behold, the locust was formed at the beginning of the germination during the latter rains, and behold, the latter rains came after the thundering of the king.(a)

(b)

And it happened, when they had finally eaten all the grass in the land, that I said, “Lord God, be gracious, I beg you. Who will raise up Jacob, for he is little?”

The Lord has been merciful about this. “It will not be,” said the Lord.

These things the Lord God has revealed to me. And behold, the Lord God called for judgment unto fire, and it devoured the manifold abyss, and it consumed simultaneously in every direction.(c)

And I said, “Lord God, cease, I beg you. Who will raise up Jacob, for he is little?”

The Lord has been merciful about this. “And even this will not be,” said the Lord God.

These things the Lord revealed to me. And behold, the Lord was standing near a plastered wall, and in his hand was a mason’s trowel.

And the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A mason’s trowel.” And the Lord said, “Behold, I will place the trowel in the midst of my people Israel. I will no longer plaster over them.

And the heights of the idol will be demolished, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be desolate. And I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

Amaziah Accuses Amos

And Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying: “Amos has rebelled against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to withstand all his sermons.

For Amos says this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will be taken captive out of their own land.’ ”(d)

And Amaziah said to Amos, “You, seer, go out and flee into the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there.

And in Bethel, do not prophesy any longer, because it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the house of the kingdom.”

And Amos responded, and he said to Amasias, “I am not a prophet, and I am not the son of a prophet, but I am a herdsman plucking from wild fig trees.(e)

And the Lord took me, when I was following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ ”

And now, hear the word of the Lord: You say, “You will not prophesy about Israel, and you will not rain your words upon the house of the idol.”(f)

Because of that, the Lord says this: “Your wife will fornicate in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, and your soil will be measured with a string. And you will die on polluted land, and Israel will be taken into captivity out of their land.”

Footnotes

(a)7:1 The word ‘tonsionem’ can refer to a mowing or clipping (of crops), or it can refer to thunder. Both meanings fit this context. Thunder is associated with rains, the king being God himself. And a king taking part of a harvest fits with the theme of planting before the rains. The meaning that refers to God is more universal, so it is favored over the alternate reading of this text.(Conte)

(b)7:1 The locust, etc:These judgments by locusts and fire, which, by the prophet’s intercession, were moderated, signify the former invasions of the Assyrians under Phul and Theglathphalasar, before the utter desolation of Israel by Salmanasar.(Challoner)

(c)7:4 The last part of this verse is eloquent and sweeping, until the last word: “and it devoured the manifold abyss and it consumed simultaneously a part.” The word a part does not fit the context. Other possible translations of partem also are equally incongruous to the meaning of the verse. Now ‘partem’ by itself can also mean ‘direction.’ But pair ‘partem’ with ‘simul’ and its meaning takes on a new dimension: “and it devoured the manifold abyss and it consumed simultaneously in every direction.” Now I know that the word ‘every’ in the English translation does not have a counterpart in the Latin, but this phrasing is necessary in order to prevent the loss of meaning of this text. The two words ‘partem’ and ‘simul’ have a greater meaning when used together than when each is alone. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.(Conte)

(d)7:11 Jeroboam shall die by the sword:The prophet did not say this; but that the Lord would rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword: which was verified, when Zacharias, the son and successor of Jeroboam, was slain by the sword. 4 Kings. 15:10.(Challoner)

(e)7:14 I am not a prophet:That is, I am not a prophet by education: nor is prophesying my calling or profession: but I am a herdsman, whom God was pleased to send hither to prophesy to Israel.(Challoner)

(f)7:16 The house of the idol:Viz., of the calf worshipped in Bethel.(Challoner)

(Joel 2:1–11)

Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s harvest.

When they finished eating the grass of the land, then I said, “Lord GOD, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”

The LORD relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says the LORD.

Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.

Then I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”

The LORD relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord GOD.

Thus he showed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.

The LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I will set a plumb line in the middle of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.

The high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

Amaziah Accuses Amos

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the middle of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.

For Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”

Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there,

but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”

Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs;

and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

Now therefore listen to the LORD’s word: ‘You say, Don’t prophesy against Israel, and don’t preach against the house of Isaac.’

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.’”