Old Testament Commentary - Amos 7

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
            CHAPTER 7             

Amos relates how he was called of God to be a prophet—He prophesies the captivity of Israel.

 1 THUS hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
 2 And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
 3 aThe LORD brepented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.
 4 ¶ Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
 5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
 6 aThe LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.
 7 ¶ Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
 8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again apass by them any more:
 9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the ahouse of Jeroboam with the sword.
 10 ¶ Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to aJeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
 11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
 12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou aseer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judaha, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
 13 But prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king's achapel, and it is the king's court.
 12a flee thee away into the land of Judah Amos was a prophet unto Israel and of the Northern Kingdom's captivity and scattering. That Amos' words were preserved may will testify that Amos did resort to Judah upon the time that Israel was destoryed and scattered. But Amos testimony of warning was unto Ephraim/Israel and this is who took offense and sought against him as attested here.
 14 ¶ Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no aprophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
 15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the aLORD said unto me, bGo, cprophesy unto my people Israel.
 16 ¶ Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
 17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and aIsrael shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.