Amos 8:1-7

A vision of summer fruit

1 This is what the LORD God showed me: a basket of summer fruit.

2 He said, "Amos, what do you see?" I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the LORD said to me, "The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again forgive them.

3 On that day, the people will wail the temple songs," says the LORD God; "there will be many corpses, thrown about everywhere. Silence."

Judgment on oppressors and hypocrites

4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy and destroy the poor of the land,

5 saying, "When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath so that we may offer wheat for sale, make the ephah smaller, enlarge the shekel, and deceive with false balances,

6 in order to buy the needy for silver and the helpless for sandals, and sell garbage as grain?"

7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget what they have done.

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] Heb uncertain