Amos 8:1-3

The Coming Day of Bitter Mourning

1 ¹This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, a basket of summer fruit.

2 And he said, ²“Amos, what do you see? ” And I said, ³“A basket of summer fruit. ” Then the Lord said to me, ⁴“The end^[a] has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass by them.

3 ⁵The songs of the temple^{[b] 6}shall become wailings^[c] in that day, ”declares the Lord God. ⁷“So many dead bodies! ”“They are thrown everywhere! ” ⁸“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. 8:1 ch. 7:1
• 2. 8:2 ch. 7:8
• 3. 8:2 [Jer. 24:1; Mic. 7:1]
• 4. 8:2 Lam. 4:18
• 5. 8:3 [ch. 5:23]
• 6. 8:3 [Jer. 47:2]
• 7. 8:3 [ch. 6:9]
• 8. 8:3 [ch. 6:10; Jer. 16:4, 6]

Footnotes

• [a] 8:2 The Hebrew words for 'end' and 'summer fruit' sound alike
• [b] 8:3 Or 'palace'
• [c] 8:3 Or 'The singing women of the palace shall wail'