Amos 7:1-11

1 Here is what Adonai ELOHIM showed me: he was forming a swarm of locusts as the late crop was starting to come up, the late crop after the hay had been cut to pay the king's tribute.

2 While they were finishing up eating all the vegetation in the land, I said, "Adonai ELOHIM, forgive - please! How will tiny Ya'akov survive?"

3 So ADONAI changed his mind about this. "It won't happen," ADONAI said.

4 Next Adonai ELOHIM showed me this: Adonai ELOHIM was summoning a blazing fire to consume the great abyss, and it would have devoured the land too.

5 But I said, "Adonai ELOHIM, stop - please! How will tiny Ya'akov survive?"

6 ADONAI changed his mind about it. "This too won't happen," said Adonai ELOHIM.

7 Then he showed me this: Adonai was standing by a wall made with a plumbline, and he had a plumbline in his hand.

8 ADONAI asked me, "'Amos, what do you see?" I answered, "A plumbline." Then Adonai said, "I am going to put a plumbline in among my people Isra'el; I will never again overlook their offenses.

9 The high places of Yitz'chak will be desolate, Isra'el's sanctuaries will be destroyed, and I will attack the house of Yarov'am with the sword."

10 Then Amatzyah the priest of Beit-El sent this message to Yarov'am king of Isra'el, "'Amos is conspiring against you there among the people of Isra'el, and the land can't bear all that he's saying.

11 For 'Amos says: 'Yarov'am will die by the sword, and Isra'el will be led away from their land into exile.'"

Amos 7:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS 7

In this and the two following chapters are the visions of Amos, in number five; three of which are contained in this chapter, and with which it begins. The first is of the grasshoppers or locusts eating up the later grass of the land, which are stopped at the intercession of the prophet, Am 7:1-3; the second is of fire the Lord called for to contend by, whose devouring flames are made to cease by the same interposition, Am 7:4-6; and the other is of the plumbline, signifying the utter destruction of the people of Israel, according to the righteous judgment of God, Am 7:7-9; upon the delivery of which prophecies and visions, the priest of Bethel forms a charge against the prophet to the king; and advises Amos to flee into Judea, and prophesy there, and not at Bethel, being willing to be rid of him at any rate, Am 7:10-13; next follows the prophet's vindication of himself showing his divine call to the prophetic office, and his mission and express order he had from the Lord to prophesy unto Israel, Am 7:14,15; and concludes with a denunciation of divine judgments on the priest's family, and upon the whole land of Israel, Am 7:16,17.