Amos chapter 7 presents a series of prophetic visions revealing God’s judgment upon Israel, while also highlighting Amos’s role as an intercessor pleading for mercy on behalf of the nation. The chapter begins with visions of locusts and fire, both of which threaten to devastate the land completely, yet Amos successfully intercedes with God, resulting in the withdrawal of these particular judgments. A third vision follows, depicting a plumb line used to measure Israel’s moral and spiritual crookedness, symbolizing that this time judgment will not be withheld, as the nation’s corruption has reached an unacceptable level. The chapter shifts to a narrative account of Amos’s confrontation with Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, who attempts to silence the prophet and expel him from the land, accusing him of conspiracy against the king. Amos firmly defends his prophetic calling, asserting that God directly commissioned him to prophesy despite his humble background as a shepherd, and delivers a personal, severe judgment against Amaziah and his family for opposing God’s message.
Chapter 7 (BBE)
1 This is what the Lord God let me see: and I saw that, when the growth of the late grass was starting, he made locusts; it was the late growth after the king’s cutting was done.
2 And it came about that after they had taken all the grass of the land, I said, O Lord God, have mercy: how will Jacob be able to keep his place? for he is small.
3 The Lord, changing his purpose about this, said, It will not be.
4 This is what the Lord let me see: and I saw that the Lord God sent for a great fire to be the instrument of his punishment; and, after burning up the great deep, it was about to put an end to the Lord’s heritage.
5 Then said I, O Lord God, let there be an end: how will Jacob be able to keep his place? for he is small.
6 The Lord, changing his purpose about this, said, And this will not be.
7 This is what he let me see: and I saw the Lord stationed by a wall made straight by a weighted line, and he had a weighted line in his hand.
8 And the Lord said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A weighted line. Then the Lord said, See, I will let down a weighted line among my people Israel; never again will my eyes be shut to their sin:
9 And the high places of Isaac will be unpeopled, and the holy places of Israel will be made waste; and I will come up against the family of Jeroboam with the sword.
10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Beth-el, sent to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, Amos has made designs against you among the people of Israel: the land is troubled by his words.
11 For Amos has said, Jeroboam will be put to the sword, and Israel will certainly be taken away as a prisoner out of his land.
12 And Amaziah said to Amos, O seer, go in flight into the land of Judah, and there get your living by working as a prophet:
13 But be a prophet no longer at Beth-el: for it is the holy place of the king, and the king’s house.
14 Then Amos in answer said to Amaziah, I am no prophet, or one of the sons of the prophets; I am a herdman and one who takes care of sycamore-trees:
15 And the Lord took me from the flock, and the Lord said to me, Go, be a prophet to my people Israel.
16 Now then, give ear to the word of the Lord: You say, Be no prophet to Israel, and say not a word against the people of Isaac.
17 So this is what the Lord has said: Your wife will be a loose woman in the town, and your sons and your daughters will be put to the sword, and your land will be cut up into parts by a line; and you yourself will come to your end in an unclean land, and Israel will certainly be taken away a prisoner out of his land.
Important Verses
Verse 1 to 3 Amos intercedes with God after witnessing a vision of locusts threatening to destroy the land, leading God to withdraw the judgment.
Verse 4 to 6 A second vision depicts a devastating fire, but Amos’s intercession again results in God relenting from this judgment.
Verse 7 to 9 The vision of the plumb line symbolizes Israel’s moral crookedness, signaling that judgment will no longer be withheld.
Verse 12 to 13 Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, confronts Amos and attempts to silence him, accusing him of conspiracy against the king.
Verse 14 to 17 Amos defends his prophetic authority, affirming his direct calling from God despite his humble background as a shepherd.
