Amos 8:1-3

Basket of Fruit and Israel's Captivity

1 Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, there was a basket of summer fruit.

2 He said, "What do you see, Amos?" And ¹I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the LORD said to me, "The ²end has come for My people Israel. I will ³spare them no longer *.

3 "The ⁴songs of the palace will turn to ⁵wailing in that day," declares the Lord GOD. "Many will be the ⁶corpses; in every place they will cast them forth in silence."

Amos 8:1-3 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 8

In this chapter a fourth vision is delivered, the vision of a "basket of summer fruit"; signifying the destruction of the ten tribes, for which they were ripe, and which would quickly come upon them, Am 8:1-3; the rich are reproved for their oppression of the poor, their covetousness and earthly mindedness, Am 8:4-6; for which they are threatened with entire ruin, sudden calamities, and very mournful times, instead of light, joy, and gladness, Am 8:7-10; and particularly with a famine of hearing the word of God, Am 8:11,12; the consequence of which would be, a fainting of the young men and virgins for thirst, and the utter and irrecoverable ruin of all idolaters, Am 8:13,14.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 24:3
• 2. Ezek 7:2, 3, 6
• 3. Amos 7:8
• 4. Amos 5:23; Amos 6:4, 5; Amos 8:10
• 5. Amos 5:16
• 6. Amos 6:8-10

Footnotes

• [a] Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
• [b] Lit "pass him by"
• [c] Or "They will howl the palace songs"
• [d] Lit "he has thrown"
• [e] Or "hush!"