Amos 8:1-7

1 Thus did Jehovah shew unto me; and behold, a basket of summer-fruit.

2 And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer-fruit. And Jehovah said unto me, The end is come upon my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more.

3 And the songs of the palace shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord Jehovah. The dead bodies shall be many; in every place they shall be cast forth. Silence!

4 Hear this, ye that pant after the needy, even to cause to fail the poor of the land,

5 saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat? making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances for deceit:

6 that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; and that we may sell the refuse of the wheat.

7 Jehovah hath sworn by the glory of Jacob, Certainly I will never forget any of their works.

Amos 8:1-7 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'temple.'
• [b]. See ch. 6.10.
• [c]. Lit. 'meek,' or 'afflicted,' as Ps. 9.18.