Amos 8:1-7

1 Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit.

2 And He said, "Amos, what do you see?" So I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the Lord said to me: "The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.

3 And the songs of the temple Shall be wailing in that day," Says the Lord God-- "Many dead bodies everywhere, They shall be thrown out in silence."

4 Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, And make the poor of the land fail,

5 Saying: "When will the New Moon be past, That we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, That we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying the scales by deceit,

6 That we may buy the poor for silver, And the needy for a pair of sandals-- Even sell the bad wheat?"

7 The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: "Surely I will never forget any of their works.

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]. Or trample on (compare Amos 2:7)