Amos 8:1-9

1 And behold a fowler's basket.

2 And he said, What seest thou, Amos? And I said, A fowler's basket. And the Lord said to me, The end is come upon my people Israel; I will not pass by them any more.

3 And the ceilings of the temple shall howl in that day, saith the Lord God: many a fallen one in every place; I will bring silence upon .

4 Hear now this, ye that oppress the poor in the morning, and drive the needy ones by tyranny from the earth,

5 saying, When will the month pass away, and we shall sell, and the sabbath, and we shall open the treasure, to make the measure small, and to enlarge the weight, and make the balance unfair?

6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for shoes; and we will trade in every kind of fruit.

7 The Lord swears against the pride of Jacob, None of your works shall ever be forgotten.

8 And shall not the land be troubled for these things, and shall not every one who dwells in it mourn? whereas destruction shall come up as a river, and shall descend as the river of Egypt.

9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, the sun shall go down at noon, and the light shall be darkened on the earth by day:

Amos 8:1-9 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.