Amos Chapter 7

With very few exceptions the prophets of the TaNaKh (OT) do not name themselves prophets. The many self-proclaimed prophets of the modern body of believers would do well to take note and repent.

Amos 7 (Author’s translation)

1This is what Adonay YHVH showed me, and behold, now, pay attention, He was forming locusts when the crop began to sprout, and behold, now, pay attention, the spring crop is mowed by the king. 2 And it came to pass, when they had ceased to eat the vegetation of the land, that I said, “Adonay YHVH, forgive please! Who will lift up Yaakov? For he is small.” 3 YHVH placed comfort upon this. “It will not be,” said YHVH. 4  This is what Adonay YHVH showed me, and behold, now, pay attention, Adonay YHVH calls to contend with them by fire, and it devoured the great deep and ate up the apportioned territory. 5 Then I said, “Adonay YHVH, cease please! Who will lift up Yaakov? For he is small.” 6 The comfort of YHVH is upon this. “This also will not come to pass,” says Adonay YHVH. 7 So He showed me, and behold, now, pay attention, Adonay was standing upon a wall, a plumb line, and in His hand a plumb line. 8  And YHVH said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then Adonay said, “Behold, now, pay attention, I am placing a plumb line in the midst of My people Yisrael. I will not increase them any longer. 9 And desolate will be the high places of Isaac, and the sanctuaries of Yisrael will be laid waste. Then I will rise up upon the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” 10  Then Amaziah, a priest of Bethel, sent to Jeroboam king of Yisrael, to say, “Amos has bound you up in the midst of the house of Yisrael; the land is unable to overcome all his words. 11 For this is what Amos says: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go from his land into captivity.’” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Seer, go, flee to the land of Judah; and eat bread there and there prophesy! 13 And don’t increase prophesy at Bethel perpetually, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a house of his.” 14 And Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman, I am a gatherer of sycamore figs. 15 And the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Yisrael.’ 16 And you listen, hear, receive, understand the word, essence, substance of the Lord: you are saying, ‘Do not prophesy upon Israel and don’t preach upon the house of Isaac.’” 17 Therefore, this is what YHVH says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters by the sword will fall, and your land will be measured and divided, and you upon unclean ground will die. And Israel will certainly go from its land into captivity.’”

Amos 7 (Line Upon Line)

1Koh hir’aniy Adonay YHVH This is what Adonay YHVH showed me, ve’hineih and behold, now, pay attention, yotzeir He was forming govay locusts bitchilat alot halakesh when the crop began to sprout. ve’hineih and behold, now, pay attention, lekesh achar gizeiy hamalekh the spring crop is mowed by the king. 

1This is what Adonay YHVH showed me, and behold, now, pay attention, He was forming locusts when the crop began to sprout, and behold, now, pay attention, the spring crop is mowed by the king. 

“1This is what Adonay YHVH showed me,”

The Word essence of God is now manifest visually. The LORD is “showing” Amos a vision of the complete destruction of the coming crops. This is established and finished outside of time and space and Adonay is revealing it to Amos within time and space.

The citing of the mechanism of vision points to the use of the ancient title “Seer” (as it applies to the prophets of Israel) by Amaziah the apostate priest of Bethel in verse 12. In modern script writing terms this is a “set up”. Amaziah will later acknowledge the legitimacy of the prophetic gift of Amos but rather than listen to Amos, Amaziah will tell tale on him to the king Jeroboam and command Amos to leave Israel and go back to Judah where he came from.

“and behold, now, pay attention,”

This repeated phrase is a grave warning. Those who fail to listen and act in repentance based on what follows will do so at their peril.

“He was forming locusts when the crop began to sprout,”

Simply put, God both enacts and sees the end from the beginning. In and through the prophet Amos, God is expressing His burden upon His precious possession the ethnic religious people of Israel.

The locusts are representative of the invading armies of the Assyrians. The invasion is a foregone conclusion.

“behold, now, pay attention, the spring crop is mowed by the king.” 

At least three readings are possible. Given that it is God’s formation of the locusts that is in question, the first and most likely interpretation is that the mowing refers to the damage caused by the locusts and therefore is referring to God as King. Second, the text could be describing the harvesting of the latter crop by the king of Israel as coming too late to prevent the damage caused by the locusts formed by God. And third, it may refer to the king of Assyria mowing down the crop of Israel. Of course all three interpretations can be held in tension because God is the Author of all things.

2 Vehayah And it came to pass, im-kilah when they had ceased le’echol to eat et-eisev the vegetation ha’aretz of the land, va’omar that I said, “Adonay YHVH, selach-na forgive please! Miy Who yakum will lift up Yaakov? Kiy katon hu For he is small.”

2 And it came to pass, when they had ceased to eat the vegetation of the land, that I said, “Adonay YHVH, forgive please! Who will lift up Yaakov? For he is small.”

Amos sees the fullness of the vision and the destruction that results and is heartbroken. He pleads with YHVH asking forgiveness for all Israel, Judah included. We understand that the Word (Davar) of God is pleading with the Father from within Amos. Amos asks, “Other than YHVH, who else can save Yaakov (Israel)?”

We note that the pleading of Amos follows his seeing the invasion of the land in a vision and therefore relates to God’s mercy upon the exiles of Israel. Discipline must come, and so too mercy and restoration.

The phrase “For he is small” is both a reference to the crop of Israel having been cut short in discipline and to God’s choosing of Israel as the least of the nations (Deut. 7:7). In short, “You chose Yaakov as the smallest and have treasured the people of Israel as Your precious possession, please forgive Israel and save him from himself!”

3 Nicham YHVH placed comfort al-zot upon this. “Lo tihyeh It will not be,” amar said YHVH.

3 YHVH placed comfort upon this. “It will not be,” said YHVH.

The Hebrew expresses the idea that it is the comfort of God that relents from completely destroying His disobedient people. There is comfort in His judgement. The boundaries He sets are walls of security. From within time and space it may appear that God relents, but this is not the literal meaning. God, Who knows the end from the beginning never needs to relent or repent. He has established all things. It is this aspect of His character that affirms the hope of eternal security for all who believe.

The phrase “It will not be” refers to the total annihilation of Israel, “It will NOT be!” We note that this is a response to the prayers of a righteous man [Amos] who has accepted the burden of God for His people (Yaakov [James] 5:16).

4 Koh hir’aniy Adonay YHVH This is what Adonay YHVH showed me, ve’hineih and behold, now, pay attention, korei lariv ba’eish Adonay the Lord YHVH calls to contend with them by fire, vatochal and it devoured et-tehom rabah the great deep ve’achelah and ate up et-hachelek the apportioned territory.

4  This is what Adonay YHVH showed me, and behold, now, pay attention, Adonay YHVH calls to contend with them by fire, and it devoured the great deep and ate up the apportioned territory. 

This second vision affirms the destructive metaphor of the locusts. This is a Hebrew poetic mechanism employed throughout Scripture. Fire, like the locust swarm, will purge the land and the people.

YHVH will contend with a contentious people (Jeroboam) [v.9].

Fire is consistently used in Hebrew Scripture to denote judgement, discipline, cleansing, purging. The fire will purge every part of the land and waters from the coast of Israel to the outlying territories of the tribes of the north.

5 Vaomar Then I said, “Adonay YHVH, chadal-na cease please! Miy Who yakum will lift up Yaakov? Kiy katon hu For he is small.”

5 Then I said, “Adonay YHVH, cease please! Who will lift up Yaakov? For he is small.”
To paraphrase, “Master, please don’t completely wipe out Israel. Who else can save Yaakov but You. You chose him as the least and in your discipline he is small, unable to save himself. In Your mercy redeem him.”

Just as the purging of discipline is firmly established in repetition so too the plea for mercy. The mercy of God precedes and follows God’s just judgement.

6 Nicham The comfort of YHVH (Mercy) al-zot is upon this. “Gam hiy This also lo tihyeh  will not come to pass,” amar says Adonay YHVH.

6 The comfort of YHVH is upon this. “This also will not come to pass,” says Adonay YHVH.

Once again YHVH listens to the petition of the prophet of burden (Amos) and the Word of His Son (Yeshua) in Amos and comforts the prophet by relenting. YHVH will not completely destroy His people but will leave a remnant and restore the people of Israel for His glory.

The total destruction of Israel “will not come to pass” and the protection of Israel’s remnant is firmly established in mercy with the second phrase “This also will not come to pass,”.

7 Koh hiraniy So He showed me, ve’hineiy and behold, now, pay attention,  Adonay netzav was standing al-chomat upon a wall anach a plumb line uvyado and in His hand anach a plumb line. 

7 So He showed me, and behold, now, pay attention, Adonay was standing upon a wall, a plumb line, and in His hand a plumb line.

The wall itself is a plumbline and on the plumbline which He has formed YHVH stands as Master, holding a plumbline in His hand. Israel is the wall formed by HaShem. Her Master stands upon her with the measure of judgement in His hand. The Torah is the plumbline by which moral behaviour is measured. As Adonay (Master), the King Messiah (HaMalakh HaShem) stands to measure out judgement and withhold blessing in order to provoke Israel to repentance in exile.

8 Vayomer YHVH (Mercy) And the Lord said eilay to me, “Mah atah What do you roeh see, Amos (Burden)?” Vaomar And I said, “Anach A plumb line.” Vayomer Then Adonay said, “Hin’niy Behold, now, pay attention, sam I am placing anach a plumb line bekerev in the midst amiy of My people Yisrael. Lo-osiyf I will not increase them od avor lo any longer.

8  And YHVH said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then Adonay said, “Behold, now, pay attention, I am placing a plumb line in the midst of My people Yisrael. I will not increase them any longer.

“And YHVH said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.””

Again the emphasis is on what Amos sees. Amos has not immediately responded to this third vision, which is somewhat more cryptic than the former two. Therefore HaShem explains the mashal (visual parable) to His disciple Amos, just as Messiah Yeshua did with His disciples when they were unsure of His meaning.

Having seen the vision Amos now perceives the measure by which God will discipline those whom He loves. Prosperity through increase will be met by captivity through decrease. A word play is apparent. Where “Yosef” means “Yah adds (increases)”, “lo-osiyf” means “No addition (increase)”.

YHVH reveals His discipline to the prophet in numerous ways, sight being one of them. God’s conversation with His servants is unlimited. He speaks in many ways. The servant of God who is willing and intentional with regard to prayer will hear, see, feel, touch, the Word (Davar: Yeshua) daily in conversation. All prayer is a response to a conversation God began before the creation of the worlds.

The prayers of human beings do not serve God, He knows what we will ask before we ask it, rather God has gifted us prayer for our benefit so that we might understand the perfect will of our Creator. We were not created in order to worship God, rather we were created for relationship, worship is the reciprocal function of relationship. In worship we return to God the love which He has bestowed upon us. The Groom offers eternal security at great cost to Himself, the bride is left to decide whether or not she will accept that offer.

9 Venashamo And desolate will be bamot the high places of Yischak (He laughs: Isaac), umik’desheiy and the sanctuaries of Yisrael yecheravu will be laid waste. Vekamtiy Then I will rise up al-beiyt upon the house of Yarav’am (Jeroboam: contentious people) becharev with the sword.”

9 And desolate will be the high places of Isaac, and the sanctuaries of Yisrael will be laid waste. Then I will rise up upon the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

“And desolate will be the high places of Isaac,”

The apostate places of worship that syncretise pagan practices will be decimated. The naming of Isaac, from whom Yaakov and Israel descend, is an allusion to the sacrificial ransom of Isaac on Mt Moriah (Mt Zion). It is a rebuke against the northern tribes who have turned their backs on the one God appointed high place of Mt Zion in Jerusalem. They have instead defiled the memory of the Patriarch Isaac and the redemptive provision of God by making offerings to deities that cannot save on mountains that have not been appointed for the worship of YHVH the God of Israel. Additionally, in Beersheba where Isaac acted righteously in worship of the One true God, the tribes of Israel have acted in apostacy.

The reference to Isaac is also an indictment against Judah, thus the “sanctuaries of (all) Israel” are subsequently alluded to. Therefore, all 12 tribes are rebuked for their idolatrous worship on the many high places throughout the land of Israel.

“Then I will rise up upon the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

God will contend with Jeroboam king of the 10 tribes, whose name means “People of contention”. The sword, like fire, is a mechanism of judgement. The cutting of the sword is the just counterpoint to the “cutting” of covenant. The measure of the plumb line notwithstanding, the sword is the third metaphor of destruction. The discipline established is immutable.

10 Vayishlach Amatzyah (YHVH is mighty) kohen beiyt-el (a house of a god, judge) Then Amaziah, a priest of Bethel, sent el-Yaraviam to Jeroboam meileikh-Yisrael king of Yisrael, leimor to say, “kashar aleykha Amos has bound you up be’kerev in the midst beiyt of the house of Yisrael; lo-tuchal ha’aretz lehachiyl eit-kol-divarayv the land is unable to overcome all his words. 

10  Then Amaziah, a priest of Bethel, sent to Jeroboam king of Yisrael, to say, “Amos has bound you up in the midst of the house of Yisrael; the land is unable to overcome all his words.

“Then Amaziah, a priest of Bethel, sent to Jeroboam king of Yisrael,”

Amaziah is an apostate priest of “a house of god”. The Jewish commentator Iben Ezra calls Amaziah the “priest of Ba’al”. Ba’al meaning “husband, master, lord” and referring to the chief Canaanite deity. Amaziah was one of the apostate priests that succeeded the priests which Jeroboam the son of Nebat had placed in Bethel to offer sacrifices to the calf which he had set up in that place, repeating the rebellion of Israel at the foot of Sinai (Choreb) [1 Kings 12:32].

Amaziah was an apostate priest, and Bethel an unacceptable location of worship. The involvement of the priest in matters of governance infers a convergence of religion and secular rule. In other words the leaders of Israel both religious and secular are united in apostacy.

The juxtaposition of the names Jeroboam and Israel express the wrestling of Jacob. Jeroboam (a contentious people) is king of Israel (overcome in God). Even in the midst of Israel’s rebellion God has seeded redemption.

“Amos has bound you up in the midst of the house of Yisrael;”

The use of binding denotes the binding of the commandments of God. The same commandments that when bound to the hearts and minds of Israel protect her from harm also bind upon her discipline when she fails to bind them to herself. The words of the prophet are binding for good or bad depending on how they’re received.

“the land is unable to overcome all his words.”

The words of Amos are the expression of the Word (Yeshua) and neither the people nor the land are able to resist the fullness of these prophetic words. We remember that Israel’s discipline which is already complete from God’s perspective outside of time and space, is being spoken into time and space through the prophet Amos.

11 Kiy-Koh amar For this is what Amos says: ‘Bacherev yamot Yaravam Jeroboam will die by the sword, veyisrael and Israel galoh yigleh meial admato will certainly go from his land into captivity.’”

11 For this is what Amos says: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go from his land into captivity.’”

Amaziah is here relaying to Jeroboam what Amos has prophesied.

12 Vayomer Amatzyah Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Chozeh leikh barach-lecha Seer, go, flee el-eretz Yehudah to the land of Judah; ve’echal-sham lechem and eat bread there vesham tinavei and there prophesy!

 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Seer, go, flee to the land of Judah; and eat bread there and there prophesy!

In a colloquial sense Amaziah is telling Amos to go back to his own tribe and trouble them instead. “If you don’t like it here go back to Judah”.

13 Uveiyt-el lo-tosiyf od lhinavei And don’t increase prophesy at Bethel perpetually, kiy for it is mikdash-meileikh a sanctuary of the king hu uveiyt mamlachah hu and a house of his.”

13 And don’t increase prophesy at Bethel perpetually, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a house of his.”

Amaziah asks Amos to stop “increasing” prophecy at Bethel, which was apparently also king Jeroboam’s capital at that time. The Hebrew meaning “increase” reflects the meaning of the name Yoseph (YHVH adds, increases). Though he doesn’t realise it in his fallen delusion, Amaziah is essentially asking Amos not to increase God’s goodness to Israel. After all, the increase of warning is a blessing, whereas the failure to increase warning means the destruction of an unprepared people.

14 Vaya’an vayomer And Amos replied el-amatzyah to Amaziah, “Lo-naviy I am not a prophet, velo vein-naviy nor am I the son of a prophet; anochiy kiy-vokeir for I am a herdsman, anochiy I am a uvoleis shikmiym gatherer of sycamore figs. 

14 And Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman, I am a gatherer of sycamore figs. 

It’s interesting to note that Amos continues to see himself as a herdsman and a fruit picker. His self-assessment is in the present tense. Even here in the midst of his prophetic ministry Amos considers himself a common shepherd and fruit tree tender.

With very few exceptions the prophets of the TaNaKh (OT) do not name themselves prophets. The many self-proclaimed prophets of the modern body of believers would do well to take note and repent.

15 Vayikacheiniy YHVH And the Lord took me meiachareiy from following hatzon the flock, vayomer eilay YHVH and the Lord said to me, ‘Leikh hinavei Go prophesy eil-amiy to My people Yisrael.’

15 And the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Yisrael.’ 

The LORD took Amos from “following” and made him a voice of leadership, he was called out from shepherding sheep into a ministry where he was shepherding the sheep of Israel. Good shepherds who reflect the nature of the Good Shepherd Yeshua, are a gift from God.

Amaziah, a honoured religious leader of the northern tribes says to the humble herdsman and fruit picker Amos, “Don’t prophecy”, on the other hand YHVH the Creator of all things says “Prophecy”. When those who seem godly contradict God’s Word we know them to be apostate. We are challenged not to give in to the fear of ungodly human authority, but instead to fear God.

16 Veatah And you shema listen, hear, receive, understand Divar-YHVH the word, essence, substance of the Lord: Atah omeir you are saying, ‘Lo tinavei Do not prophesy al-Yisrael upon Israel velo tatiyf and don’t preach al-beiyt upon the house of Yischak (Isaac).’”

16 And you listen, hear, receive, understand the word, essence, substance of the Lord: you are saying, ‘Do not prophesy upon Israel and don’t preach upon the house of Isaac.’” 

Amos, a shepherd of God speaks to Amaziah, an apostate shepherd and says “You say ‘Do not prophecy’”. In other words, “Don’t say anything against our bad behaviour, don’t warn us, tell us only good things…”

Many in the modern body of believers judge the efficacy of the prophetic gifting using the presumptive measure that it must be uplifting and affirming in order for it to have come from God. What utter nonsense, this ludicrous basis for accessing prophecy discounts all the prophets of God. Those who look only for the good are blind to evil and inevitably call good that which is evil. Why would a godly person ever affirm sinful behaviour? We are instead called to name it, repent of it and allow God to remove it. Not an uplifting experience, but a godly one. We would do well to soberly re-access the measure we use for determining godly prophecy within the modern body of believers.

Amaziah commands Amos to neither prophecy or preach. “Keep it to yourself”, or, “Go tell it to your own tribe Judah”.

17 Lachein Therefore, koh-amar YHVH this is what the Lord says: ‘Ishtekha Your wife baiyr tizneh will become a prostitute in the city, uv’noteycha and your sons and daughters bacherev yiflu by the sword will fall, veadmatecha and your land bachevel techulak will be measured and divided, veatah and you al-adamah temeiah upon unclean ground tamut will die. VeYisrael And Israel galoh yigleh meial admato will certainly go from its land into captivity.’”

17 Therefore, this is what YHVH says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters by the sword will fall, and your land will be measured and divided, and you upon unclean ground will die. And Israel will certainly go from its land into captivity.’”

Amos in direct contradiction to Amaziah’s instruction and knowing that he is putting his life at risk (given that the king has been informed), now makes plain what will happen to the disobedient northern tribes.

“Your wife will become a prostitute in the city”

Due to famine, your family will have no other options for earning income.

 “your sons and daughters by the sword will fall”

Shallum smote Zachariah the son of Jeroboam with the sword, Menachem, slew Shallum, and ripped unborn children from the wombs of their mothers; and the foreign invaders of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires, Pul, Tiglathpileser, and Shalmaneser likewise killed the sons and daughters of Israel (2 Kings 15:10).

“your land will be measured and divided,”

Your tribal lands will be taken from you, measured and divided as spoils for the invaders.

“you upon unclean ground will die.”

On the same ground you worshipped false deities you will die. On ground already defiled by blood, you will die. Not only will you die an unclean death, you will die that death on unclean land. Worse still it is the land of Israel which you yourself defiled in preparation for your death. The ultimate manifestation of self-harm. Alternatively, “You will die in the unclean land of the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires.” Although the latter seems unlikely given that the death on unclean land precedes the next clause which speaks of Israel going into captivity.

“And Israel will certainly go from its land into captivity.”

In spite of the fact that some of the sons and daughters of Israel will die by the sword, there will also be a remnant that goes into captivity. This affirms the previously alluded to fact that Israel will not be entirely destroyed. Israel’s exile unto repentance and restoration is firmly established. It will happen, she will leave her land for a time, but she will also be restored to it in the future expression of God’s mercy through His redemptive ransom. Thus Isaac will once again be delivered through the substitutionary sacrifice of the Ram of God (Yeshua).
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Copyright 2022 Yaakov Brown