1This is what my Sovereign GOD showed me: [A plague of] locusts was created at the time when the late-sown crops were beginning to sprout—the late-sown crops after the king’s reaping.athe late-sown crops after the king’s reaping Meaning of Heb. uncertain. The king’s reaping of fodder apparently occurred near the end of the rainy season, and whatever the locust destroyed after that could not be replaced for another year.
2When it had finished devouring the herbage in the land, I said, “O my Sovereign, ETERNAL One, pray forgive. How will Jacob survive? He is so small.”
3GOD relented concerning this. “It shall not come to pass,” said GOD.
4This is what my Sovereign GOD showed me: Lo, my Sovereign GOD was summoning to contend bybto contend by Emendation yields “flaming.” fire that consumed the Great Deep and was consuming the fields.
5I said, “Oh, my Sovereign, ETERNAL One, refrain! How will Jacob survive? He is so small.”
6GOD relented concerning this. “That shall not come to pass, either,” said my Sovereign GOD.
7This is what I was shown: [God] was standing on a wall checked with a plumb linecchecked with a plumb line Or “destined for the pickax”; meaning of Heb. uncertain. while holding a plumb line.dplumb line Or “pickax”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.
8And GOD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,”eplumb line See second note at v. 7. I replied. And my Sovereign declared, “I am going to apply a plumb linefplumb line See previous note. to My people Israel; I will pardon them no more.
9The shrines of Isaac shall be laid waste, and the sanctuaries of Israel reduced to ruins; and I will turn upon the House of Jeroboam with the sword.”
10Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you within the House of Israel. The country cannot endure the things he is saying.
11For Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be exiled from its soil.’”
12Amaziah also said to Amos, “Seer, off with you to the land of Judah! Earn your livinggEarn your living Lit. “eat bread.” there, and do your prophesying there.
13But don’t ever prophesy again at Bethel; for it is a king’s sanctuary and a royal palace.”
14Amos answered Amaziah: “I am not a prophet,hnot a prophet By profession. and I am not a prophet’s disciple. I am a cattle breedericattle breeder Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “sheep breeder”; cf. the next verse and 1.1. and a tender of sycamore figs.
15But GOD took me away from following the flock, and GOD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
16And so, hear the word of GOD. You say I must not prophesy about the House of Israel or preach about the House of Isaac;
17but this, I swear, is what GOD said: Your wife shall play the whorejplay the whore Emendation yields “be abused”; cf. Lam. 5.11. in the town, your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided up with a measuring line. And you yourself shall die on impure soil;kimpure soil Cf. Hos. 9.3 and note. for Israel shall be exiled from its soil.”