Warning Through Visions

1Thus the Lord GOD showed me [a vision], and behold, He was forming a swarm of locusts when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s mowing. 2And when the locusts had finished eating the plants of the land, then I said,

“O Lord GOD, please forgive!

How can Jacob stand,

For he is so small [that he cannot endure this]?”

3The LORD revoked this sentence.

“It shall not take place,” said the LORD.

4Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD called for punishment with fire, and it devoured the great deep [underground sources of water] and began to consume the land. 5Then I said,

“O Lord GOD, please stop!

How can Jacob stand,

For he is so small [that he cannot endure this]?”

6The LORD revoked this sentence.

“This also shall not be,” said the Lord GOD.

7Thus He showed me [a vision], and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand [to determine if the wall was straight or if it needed to be destroyed]. 8The LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,

“Behold, I am setting a plumb line [as a standard]

Among My people Israel [showing the defectiveness of the nation, requiring judgment].

I shall not spare them any longer. [The door of mercy is shut.]

9“And the [idolatrous] high places of Isaac (Israel) will be devastated and deserted,

And the sanctuaries of Israel will be in ruins.

Then I shall rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword [and destroy the monarchy].”

Amos Accused, Answers

10Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel [site of the golden calf shrine], sent word to [a]Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. 11For in this way Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’” 12Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, run for your life [from Israel] to the land of Judah [your own country] and eat bread and live as a prophet there! 13But do not prophesy any longer at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal residence.”

14Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet [by profession], nor am I a prophet’s son; I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs. 15But the LORD took me as I followed the flock and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’ 16Now therefore, listen to the word of the LORD: You say, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel nor shall you speak against the house of Isaac.’ 17Therefore, thus says the LORD, ‘Your wife shall become a prostitute in the city [when the [b]Assyrians capture Samaria] and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by a measuring line; you yourself shall die in an unclean and defiled [pagan] land, and Israel shall certainly go from its land into exile.’”