Amos 7:3

3 ¹The Lord relented concerning this: “It shall not be, ” said the Lord.

Amos 7:3 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 7:3

The Lord repented for this
He heard the prayer of the prophet, and at his intercession averted, the threatened judgment; thus the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much, ( James 5:16 ) ; this is spoken after the manner of men; as men, when they repent of a thing, desist from it, so the Lord desisted from going on with this judgment; he did not change his mind, but changed the dispensations of his providence according to his mind and will: it shall not be, saith the Lord;
these grasshoppers or locusts, the Assyrian army, shall not at this time destroy the land of Israel: Pul king of Assyria took a sum of money of the king of Israel, and so turned back, and stayed not in the land, ( 2 Kings 15:19 2 Kings 15:20 ) .

Amos 7:3 In-Context

1 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings.

2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, “O Lord God, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small! ”

3 The Lord relented concerning this: “It shall not be, ” said the Lord.

4 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, the Lord God was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land.

5 Then I said, “O Lord God, please cease! How can Jacob stand? He is so small! ”

Cross References

• 1. 7:3 [Deut. 32:36; Joel 2:13]